MPs began with the Commons timetable and then turned to legislation including the Pension Schemes Bill and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, alongside a Westminster Hall debate on international parental child abduction. In the Lords, peers also continued legislative scrutiny on pensions, devolution and children’s education matters, while government released consultation and policy updates ranging from digital identity to housing statistics and a formal diplomatic step involving Iran.
At a glance
- Pensions and devolution bills moved through parliamentary consideration: the Pension Schemes Bill was debated in the Commons and handled as legislative business in the Lords, alongside Commons amendments being dealt with in the Lords on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
- MPs voted to progress two sets of draft legislation: a government motion tied to a named Lords reason on the Pension Schemes Bill, and draft regulations amending asylum seekers’ reception conditions for 2026.
- The Government published public-facing policy material and data: a consultation on national digital identity for accessing public services, official Right to Buy statistics with a change to reporting, and a press release summoning Iran’s ambassador.
In the Commons
- The Commons set out its chamber timetable via the “Business of the House (Today)” item, giving MPs an immediate sense of what business would follow on the day in the main chamber. [1]
- In the Commons Chamber, MPs discussed the Pension Schemes Bill, a piece of pension-schemes legislation with direct relevance to retirement incomes and long-term financial security. [2]
- MPs also discussed the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill in the Commons, focused on changing how local governance and community empowerment arrangements operate across England. [3]
- In Westminster Hall, MPs debated international parental child abduction, reflecting concerns about child safety and legal protections where a dispute crosses borders. [4]
In the Lords
- Peers considered the Pension Schemes Bill as Lords legislative business, continuing public scrutiny of rules that can affect how pensions are structured for current and future retirees. [2]
- Lords Chamber legislative business also covered the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, scrutinising reforms to the structure of governance within England and how local areas are empowered. [3]
- Peers considered business connected with the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, providing legislative/statutory scrutiny of a counter-terrorism measure concerned with national security protections. [5]
- The Lords also dealt with the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill as legislative business, reflecting ongoing attention in the Lords to policy for children and schooling following Commons changes. [6]
Votes
- MPs held a division on a government motion linked to a specific Lords reason (Lords Reason 88X) on the Pension Schemes Bill, a procedural step to resolve points raised during the bill’s passage through the Lords. [7]
- MPs also voted on draft Asylum Seekers (Reception Conditions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, approving changes to the regulations governing reception conditions and the support provided while asylum claims are handled. [8]
Bills and legislation
- In the Lords, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill continued through the stage of considering Commons amendments and/or reasons. It remained in Lords hands specifically to check and respond to the changes made in the Commons as part of ongoing consideration of the bill. [9]
Government announcements
- The Cabinet Office opened a public consultation titled “Making public services work for you with your digital identity”, seeking views on a proposed national digital identity system for accessing public services. The consultation is intended to shape an identity approach that would be used by many people, including British and Irish citizens and certain foreign nationals with permission to be in the UK. [10]
- The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office issued a press release summoning Iran’s ambassador to the UK. The diplomatic step signalled a formal shift in the UK’s posture towards Iran as part of its international engagement. [11]
- The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published “Right to Buy sales and replacements, England, 2025 to 2026” as official statistics. The release continued to cover Right to Buy sales and replacements funded by receipts, but no longer reported the replacement target following the government’s earlier response to consultation on Reforming the Right to Buy. [12]
Committees
- The Lords European Affairs Committee published a report scrutinising an international agreement on cooperation between the UK and the EU in applying their respective competition laws. The report represents parliamentary scrutiny of regulatory cooperation that can affect how competition rules are enforced. [13]
- In the Commons, the International Development Committee published its 11th report on UK aid and development assistance in a “fracturing world”, focused on strengthening resilience and cooperation. It provides a committee-level accountability lens on international development policy and strategy, including how it relates to resilience and cooperation. [14]
- The Defence Committee published its 8th report on AUKUS, addressing a defence and international cooperation topic. As a committee report, it offers a route for detailed parliamentary consideration of the defence cooperation arrangements that attract public interest. [15]
Sources used
- Business of the House (Today) — Hansard
- Pension Schemes Bill — Hansard
- English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill — Hansard
- International Parental Child Abduction — Hansard
- Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 — Hansard
- Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill — Hansard
- Pension Schemes Bill: Government Motion relating to Lords Reason 88X — Votes in Parliament
- Draft Asylum Seekers (Reception Conditions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 — Votes in Parliament
- Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill — UK Parliament Bills
- Making public services work for you with your digital identity — GOV.UK
- Summoning of the Iranian Ambassador to the United Kingdom — GOV.UK
- Right to Buy sales and replacements, England, 2025 to 2026 — GOV.UK
- 2nd Report – Scrutiny of International Agreements: Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union regarding Cooperation on the Application of their Respective Competition Laws — UK Parliament Committees
- 11th Report – UK Aid and Development Assistance in a Fracturing World: Strengthening Resilience and Cooperation — UK Parliament Committees
- 8th Report – AUKUS — UK Parliament Committees
Licensing
Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.
Last updated
First published on 28 April 2026. No corrections at the time of publication.
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