The Vaisakhi procession this year took place on Sunday 26 April 2026. We were joined this year by the Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority Richard Parker and the Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster. This year there were additional stops: The Indian Muslim Association presented flowers to honour the holy book ( (below top right) and then the procession was greeted by representatives from the Hindu Temple (bottom lower right).  The organisers of the Gurdwara decided that all the communities should come together in a show of unity. 

 When I spoke to the Sikh media I said that given the events national and international, I was pleased that the Hindu and Muslim communities came together with the Sikh community to show we would not be divided and that we all support equality for everyone and this show of unity gives us hope for the future.  



The photo on the left shows the first stop we made at the Indian Muslim Association offices and the Al Farooqui Mosque. The photos show Jag Mavi BEM ( third form the right) one of the organisers of the event, to his right, The Mayor WMCA Richard Parker and the PCC Simon Foster to my right.  At the Pleck Gurdwara I met Cllr R K Mehmi. 

I chaired the Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee on 22 April 2026,  the Draft Provision of Information (Contractual Control) (Registered Land) Regulations 2026.

The purpose of this instrument is to require transparency about certain contractual arrangements that give parties control over dealings with registered land in England and Wales. The Regulations establish a mandatory regime for the disclosure of information about specified "contractual control rights" (such as options, rights of pre-emption, and conditional obligations to dispose of land) to the Chief Land Registrar, and for the subsequent retention and publication of that information.

In particular, the instrument defines which contractual rights are in scope, sets out the information that must be provided, the time limits for disclosure, and the method for submitting information digitally through a conveyancer. It empowers the registrar to refuse to register or update notices or restrictions where disclosure requirements have not been met, and requires the registrar to publish a public dataset of contractual control information (subject to defined exemptions are privacy safeguards). The Regulations are intended to increase visibility of land control arrangements while excluding short-term, security related, planning, and other specified exempt rights.

The legislation was passed and the regulations will come into effect on 6 April 2027.

The  Bill amended by the Lords returned to the Commons on 22 April 2026.

The Government’s amendment in lieu, which requires the Secretary of State to update Parliament on progress within six months of the Bill passing, if action has not already been taken by then, was rejected in the Lords. The Lords did not insist on Amendment 38, and proposed Lords Amendments 38V to 38X to Commons Amendment 38J.

A government Motion to insist on Amendment 38J and disagree with Lords Amendments 38V to 38X passed: Ayes 260, Noes 161





Lords Amendment 38X engaged Commons financial privilege. The Bill will return to the House of Lords for further consideration.

The Pensions Scheme Bill returned to the Commons on 22 April 2026 after the Lords insisted on the amendments rejected by the Commons on 15 April.

The Lords wished the Commons to consider its disagreement on Amendments 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33,
34, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 83 and 88, which remove provision on asset allocation from clause 40 of the Bill, while preserving provision related to the scale condition (Reason 88D). Through a vote, the Commons insisted on its disagreement (Ayes 272, Noes 149).

The Bill returns to the Lords for their consideration.

 

I was delighted to meet Prestur frá Borgarnesi, the Icelandic horse on 21 April 2026 at Speaker's Court. Partly due to the isolated nature of Iceland, the Icelandic horse breed has remained relatively pure and unchanged for centuries and is one of the world’s purest horse breeds.

Icelandic horses like Prestur are renowned for their intelligence, gentleness and intuition, and have been used to support neurodivergent children and adults, building confidence, emotional connection, and inclusive participation in equestrian sport and beyond.

Prestur won a Gold medal at the Icelandic World Championships in the Netherlands in 2017. Since coming to England he has done demonstrations at British Dressage camps, Youth Camps at the local riding school and has also visited the Welsh Senedd.

I am pictured below with Sturla Sigurjónsson (left), Ambassador of Iceland to the United Kingdom, and Prestur's trainer.