This In Focus provides a briefing on the background and current status of the Wilson Doctrine, which concerns the interception of parliamentarians’ communications.
Interception of Communications: The Wilson Doctrine (90KB PDF)
In 1966, the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, made a statement in the House of Commons declaring that MPs telephone calls would not be intercepted. He also said that if this policy were to change he would tell the House about it, when it was compatible with national security to do so. Since that time, many governments have stated that they continue to abide by the Wilson Doctrine, as the statement became known, which was also extended in 1997 by then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to other forms of communication. This In Focus note examines the Wilson Doctrine and the findings of an Investigatory Powers Tribunal in October 2015, which considered its current application.
Interception of Communications: The Wilson Doctrine (90KB PDF)
The House of Lords (Alternative Second Chamber Bill) [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru). It would require the secretary of state to carry out a consultation regarding proposals for replacing the House of Lords with an alternative second chamber. The bill specifies whom the secretary of state would be required to consult with and the timeframe of that consultation.
![House of Lords (Alternative Second Chamber) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 11 of 2026–27](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/House-of-Lords-568x426.png)
The British Sovereignty Protection (Chagos Islands) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill sponsored by Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party). The bill would restrict any cession or transfer of sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) unless certain requirements were met, including the consent of the Chagossian people and an act of parliament. It would also see the UK remain sovereign over the military base on Diego Garcia.
![British Sovereignty Protection (Chagos Islands) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 15 of 2026–27](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Defence-VIGs-568x426.jpg)
The Health Bill is intended to make changes to the NHS in England, including abolishing NHS England. It would also abolish Healthwatch and move the Heath Services Safety Inspectorate Board into the CQC. The bill would establish a single patient record, making patient data available across healthcare settings and directly to patients. In the House of Commons, amendments were made on visiting patients, medicines and medical devices regulation, and pharmaceutical services.
