Renters' Reform And Football Governance Bills Could Be Killed By General Election
Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt pictured on Downing Street last month (Alamy)
3 min read
The Renters' Reform Bill and the Football Governance Bill are among several pieces of legislation at risk of being lost to the the General Election, with no time having yet been allocated for them to pass their final parliamentary stages in the two remaining days of business.
Penny Mordaunt confirmed in her Business Statement to the Commons on Thursday that the Finance Bill, the Digital Markets Bill and Post Office Horizon Offences Bill will all get time in the Commons today. The Victims and Prisoners Bill, which will include mechanisms to compensate people impacted by the infected blood scandal, will be put before MPs on Friday.
But Mordaunt hinted that time may still be found for further legislation in the final few days in which MPs must tie up legislative loose ends before Parliament is prorogued, known as "wash-up".
“Other bills are going through discussions about the remaining business which will be done on a cross party basis,” Mordaunt said. “We will hope to update the House on further business.”
This "wash-up" process will continue through Thursday and Friday this week.
The Renters Reform Bill and Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill, both key parts of Michael Gove’s housing policy were not mentioned as part of the statement.
The Renters Reform Bill was intended to give additional protections for people living in rented accommodation, but had faced some resistance from the Conservative backbenches with regard to extra restrictions that had originally been proposed for tenancies.
The Leasehold Bill was designed to reform centuries old property ownership rules, and covered issues such as ground rents and lease extensions on houses and flats.
Conservative MP Tracey Crouch, who has been central to the development of plans for a football regulator, posted on social media earlier on Thursday to say that “unfortunately the Football Governance Bill will progress no further”.
Crouch added that the Bill would be "ready made" for the next government but that if it were to be deferred until after the election she would not be able to oversee its passage. Crouch has already confirmed that she will not be standing for re-election, having represented Chatham and Aylesford in Kent since 2010.
The proposed ban on smoking for younger people pledged by Sunak during his party conference speech in Manchester last year, also looks at risk. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill also did not get a mention in Mordaunt's initial address on Thursday.
Speaking at the time of last year’s conference, Sunak said that “if we are to do the right thing for our kids, we must try and stop teenagers taking up cigarettes in the first place”.
Labour’s shadow leader of the Commons Lucy Powell said that the Prime Minister’s “abrupt dissolution of Parliament” by calling the general election yesterday “ means that he'll start the campaign leaving many government commitments and bills up in the air or in the bin.
“His pledge on a smoke-free generation, plans for a football regulator, promises to renters and leaseholders and protections for our broadcasters are now all at risk.”
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