Holocaust Memorial Bill completes Lords committee stage

The Holocaust Memorial Bill will allow for the construction of a Holocaust memorial and learning centre. It would also remove restrictions on building these in Victoria Tower Gardens (VTG), next to Parliament. 

The bill is a hybrid bill, meaning it affects the general public but also has a particular impact on specific groups, people or places. This requires additional stages for the bill.

Line by line examination

Committee stage is a thorough examination of the individual parts (clauses) of the bill. 

Starting from the front of the bill, members work through the clauses in order, considering changes (amendments) to the wording or proposals for new clauses. 

Four days of committee stage were scheduled: 

• Tuesday 4 March 
• Tuesday 11 March
• Thursday 20 March
• Thursday 27 March.

Proposed changes

Members speaking on day four of committee put forward amendments  to the bill on subjects including:

• security and environmental considerations
• cost estimates and financial sustainability
• impact on restoration of the Palace of Westminster.

Catch up

• Watch on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Explore further information

Find out more about the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing. 

Next steps

Report stage, an extra chance for members to closely scrutinise elements of the bill and make changes, is yet to be scheduled.

What's happened so far?

Committee stage day three: Thursday 20 March

Members speaking on day three of committee stage put forward amendments (PDF) to the bill on subjects including:

• reports on use, construction and security
• design of the memorial
• planning applications.

Catch up

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Committee stage day two: Tuesday 11 March

Members speaking on day two of committee stage put forward amendments (PDF) to the bill on subjects including:

• expenditure for the planned centre for learning
• size limits for the memorial and its facilities
• preventing damage to existing VTG memorials and playground.

Catch up

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Committee stage day one: Tuesday 4 March

Members speaking on day one of committee stage put forward amendments (PDF) to the bill on subjects including the cost, design and location of the new memorial and its impact on the surrounding environment.

Catch up

• Watch the Parliament TV recording.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Second reading 

Second reading, a full debate on the key principles of the bill, took place on Wednesday 4 September 2024.

Image: Roger Harris / House of Lords