This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate scheduled to take place in the House of Lords on 22 March 2018 on the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 and on the International Relations Committee report, 'Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018'.
CHOGM 2018 (392KB PDF)
From 16 to 20 April 2018, the United Kingdom will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The summit will focus on delivering four outcomes under the theme of working ‘towards a common future’. The outcomes are: prosperity by boosting intra-Commonwealth trade and investment; security and increasing cooperation to tackle issues such as cybercrime and human trafficking; fairness by promoting democracy across the Commonwealth; and sustainability through building the resilience of smaller states to deal with the effects of climate change and global crises. In her speech at the meeting, the Prime Minister, Theresa May, will outline the need for the Commonwealth to have a clearer purpose, and to be better able to address the global challenges that the Commonwealth faces.
Preceding the Heads of Government Meeting will be four forums: the Commonwealth Youth Forum; the Commonwealth Women’s Forum; the Commonwealth Business Forum; and the Commonwealth People’s Forum.
This Briefing examines the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the desired outcomes of the meeting. It also details recent parliamentary activity about the 2018 meeting, including the recommendations and conclusions made by the House of Lords International Relations Committee in its report, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018, published on 7 February 2018. In addition, this Briefing provides a background to the Commonwealth and some of its bodies.
CHOGM 2018 (392KB PDF)
The Sovereign Grant Bill is a government bill which would amend how the sovereign grant is set. This is a grant paid to the King to support the work of the sovereign. The bill would enable the size of the sovereign grant to be reduced following the completion of a 10-year works project on Buckingham Palace. The bill received cross-party support and was not amended in the House of Commons.
The Financial Services and Markets Bill [HL] is a wide-ranging bill that aims to reform the way the UK financial services sector is regulated. This briefing provides a summary of the bill’s second reading and committee stage in the House of Lords ahead of its further consideration at report.
![Financial Services and Markets Bill [HL]: Progress in the Lords](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Economy-568x426.png)
The Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill is a money bill that would implement three tax measures as part of the government’s package of support to tackle increased energy prices. The bill would increase the electricity generator levy, increase the rate of tax-free mileage allowance for employees, and provide a 12-month vehicle excise duty exemption for HGVs.
