On 9 September 2025 the House of Commons debated the Bill at second reading. 



The Bill implements the 22 May 2025 Treaty between Mauritius and the UK, transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, including the Diego Garcia military base, to Mauritius. It also ends UK sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory in domestic law, updates nationality legislation, preserves existing laws for continuity, and grants powers to make further provisions by Order in Council.

A reasoned amendment to reject the Bill failed, and the motion that the Bill be read a second time passed: Ayes 330, Noes 179.

On 8 September 2025 the House of Commons considered amendments made by the House of Lords to the Bill.

The Bill is one of the Government’s key manifesto commitments, initiating the most significant changes to the private rented sector for nearly 40 years, abolishing section 21 evictions and introducing a robust Decent Homes Standard in the sector for the first time. It will ensure private renters not only have access to a secure and decent home but that they can exercise their rights to challenge poor treatment and bad practice. Landlords should retain the confidence to repossess their properties where they have good reason to but with suitable safeguards for tenants who may lose their home.

The first Motion to disagree was the Lords Amendment 11 which would implement a pet damage deposit: Ayes 398, Noes 93.





Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 18, making an exception to the rule that landlords can’t relet or remarket a property for 12 months after evicting a tenant under grounds of wanting to sell the property: Ayes 402, Noes, 97.




























Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 19, which would waive the prohibitions limiting shared ownership landlords who are evicting a tenant under grounds of wanting to sell the property from reletting or remarketing the property: Ayes 336, Noes 158.







Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 26, raising the burden of proof for fining a landlord from a civil to a criminal standard: Ayes 404, Noes 98.








Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 39, bringing Service Family Accommodation within scope of new Decent Homes Standard requirements and the existing hazard system: Ayes 325, Noes 171.




Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 53, removing the restriction from mandatory possession grounds which limits it to only students living in HMOs: Ayes 401, Noes 96.








Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 64, inserting a new ground for possession for a property which is required for a carer for the landlord or landlord’s family: Ayes 335, Noes 160.




All the motions put forward by the Lords were rejected and the Bill now returns to the House of Lords for further consideration.

It was great to meet Lucy Bronze to celebrate 25 years of the Football Foundation in the community. the Football Foundation provide support to grassroots football clubs to help grow the game. To find out more information: https://footballfoundation.org.uk/ 

On 4 September 2025 the House of Commons considered amendments made by the House of Lords to the Bill.

The Government promised in 2024 to legislate to remove the last remaining hereditary peers from the House of Lords and this Bill delivers on that promise. Earlier this year, Peers voted in favour of making four amendments, which, in the Paymaster General’s words “serve to undermine the core purpose of the Bill, or go well beyond the Bill’s intended remit”. All of them were rejected today and removed from the Bill:

The first Motion to disagree was the Lords Amendment 1 which reduces the numbers of hereditary peers more gradually:  Ayes 336, Noes 77.

Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 2 preventing unpaid Ministers of the Crown from being eligible for membership of the House of Lords: Ayes 331, Noes 73.

Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 3 enabling the Sovereign to confer a life peerage, either with or without an entitlement to sit and vote in the House of Lords: Ayes 338, Noes 74.

All the motions put forward by the Lords were rejected and the Bill now returns to the House of Lords for further consideration.

As Chair of the APPG on Portugal, I wrote to the Ambassador of Portugal in the UK HE Nuno Brito expressing my condolences on the tragic events and hand delivered it to the Embassy. 

I send my deepest condolences to the people of Portugal on this day of mourning following the tragic events at Bairro Alto on Wednesday 3 September 2025. Having just returned from Lisboa and walked rather than take the Elevador funicular Gloria, I know the area which is always full of people enjoying the culture and the vibrant locality. It is sad to hear that at least 15 people have died and many injured including foreign nationals while enjoying your beautiful city.

My prayers are with those who have died and injured, those who have lost loved ones and your country Portugal at this very difficult time.   

The UK is the longest allies of Portugal, and my colleagues in the APPG and I share your grief.

May the departed rest in peace. 

The death toll has now risen to 16 as at 2pm on 4 September 2025.

(the photo is of the altar of St Anthony in Lisboa)