Welcome to the Liberal Democrat Autumn 2023 Conference Agenda. For features, general conference information, exhibition and fringe, see the separate Conference Directory. If you have any questions on-site, please ask a steward or go to the Information Desk in the Bournemouth International Centre. Further information, registration and conference publications (including plain text and clear print versions) are available at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference. Contents Conference at a glance Agenda index and timetable Saturday 23 September Sunday 24 September Monday 25 September Tuesday 26 September Agenda information Standing orders Federal Party Published by The Conference Office, Liberal Democrats, 1 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PN. Photographs ? Liberal Democrats unless stated. Conference venue Bournemouth International Centre, Exeter Road, Bournemouth, BH2 5BH. Please note that access to Bournemouth International Centre is only possible with a valid conference pass. Conference hotel Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott, St Michael?s Road, Bournemouth, BH2 5DU. Conference at a glance At Conference, the party debates policy and party business in the Auditorium. During lunch breaks and in the evening, the Fringe programme provides an opportunity to explore different policy aspects in more detail, usually through a panel discussion involving experts and parliamentarians. Alongside the Auditorium and Fringe sessions, the party also runs an extensive Training programme (fringe and training details are in the directory). The Agenda section on pages 3?107 covers what goes on in the main Auditorium ? debates on policy and party business. You?ll see a timetable for the debates on pages 3?6, then each agenda item is listed, including the motion that is to be debated. There is also a description of how debates are conducted, and how you can participate, on pages 108?115. Standing orders, on pages 116?127, are the rules that govern the policy and party business that is debated in the Auditorium, relating to how motions and amendments are chosen for debate, how the sessions are conducted and more. There is a useful glossary to help understand some of the terms used. Agenda Index and Timetable Agenda Index and Timetable Saturday 23 September 09.00?09.10 F1 Opening of Conference by Cllr Vikki Slade 09.10?09.30 F2 Report: Federal Conference Committeeÿ F3 Standing order amendment: Tidying Up Standing Orders 09.30?09.40 F4 Report: Federal Policy Committeeÿ 09.40?10.10 F5 Policy motion: Combating Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery 10.10?10.40 F6 General Election Briefing 10.40?11.30 F7 Policy motion: A Fair Deal for the Armed Forces Community 11.30?12.35 F8 Policy motion: Bring Back the Industrial Strategy 12.35?12.50 F9 Speech: Munira Wilson MP 12.50?14.40 Lunch break and fringe 13.00?14.30 Consultative session: International Security # 14.40?15.50 F10 Policy motion: A Better Start in Life (Policy Paper) 15.50?16.05 F11 Speech: Josh Babarinde OBE 16.05?16.55 F12 Policy motion: Restore Standards in Public Life 16.55?17.25 F13 Policy motion: Ending Period Poverty 17.25?18.00 F14 Report: Parliamentary Partiesÿ 18.30?19.30 Conference Rally # All conference sessions take place in the Auditorium in the Bournemouth International Centre, except the Consultative Sessions marked # ? see appropriate page of the Agenda. Sunday 24 September 09.00?09.20 F15 Policy motion: Making the Fight Against Climate Change Accessible 09.20?10.05 F16 Policy motion: Fixing Fast Fashion ? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 10.05?11.05 F17 Policy motion: Transforming the Nation?s Health 11.05?11.35 F18 Constitutional Amendment: Young Liberals? Representatives to Party Committees 11.35?12.35 F19 Policy motion: Investing in our Childrens? Future 12.35?12.50 F20 Speech: Daisy Cooper MP 12.50?14.10 Lunch break and fringe 14.10?14.25 F21 Speech: Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM 14.25?15.10 F22 Question and answer session with Sir Ed Davey MP 15.10?16.25 F23 Policy motion: For a Fair Deal (Pre-Manifesto Policy Paper) 16.25?16.40 F24 Speech: Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP 16.40?17.30 F25 Policy motion: Protecting our Neighbourhoods ? A Return to Community Policing 17.30?18.00 F26 Standing order amendment: Limiting the Number of Constitutional Amendments and Standing Order Amendments that can be Discussed At Any One Conference Monday 25 September 09.00?09.55 F27 Policy motion: Connecting Communities ? Building a Transport Network Fit for the 21st Century 09.55?11.05 F28 Policy motion: Food and Farming (Policy Paper) 11.05?11.20 F29 Speech: Kira Rudik 11.20?14.10 Lunch break and fringe 14.10?14.40 F30 Policy motion: Scrap the Voter ID Scheme 14.40?16.10 F31 Policy motion: Tackling the Housing Crisis (Policy Paper) 16.10?16.25 F32 Speech: Wendy Chamberlain MP 16.25?17.10 F33 Policy motion: Standing with Ukraine 17.10?17.35 F34 Standing order amendment: Speaker Card Selection 17.35?18.00 F35 Business motion: Membership Subscription and Federal Levy Tuesday 26 September 09.00?09.45 F36 Emergency motion or topical issue discussion 09.45?10.15 F37 Policy motion: A Child Maintenance Service that Works for Childrenÿ 10.15?11.10 F38 Report: Federal Board F39 Report: Campaign for Gender Balanceÿ F40 Report: Federal Communications and Elections Committeeÿ F41 Report: Federal International Relations Committeeÿ F42 Report: Federal Councilÿ Tuesday 26 September 11.10?11.25 F43 Report: Amna Ahmad, Vice President responsible for working with ethnic minority communities 10.20?11.20 Consultative session: General Election Manifesto # 11.25?12.35 F44 Policy motion: Tackling the Nature Crisis (Policy Paper) 12.35?12.50 F45 Speech: Cllr Lisa Smart 12.50?14.10 Lunch break and fringe 14.10?14.30 F46 Party Awards 14.30?15.30 F47 Speech: Sir Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats 15.30 Close of conference Conference timetable, York, 15-17 March 2024 Drafting advice deadline (motions) 13.00 Wednesday 15 December 2023 Motions deadline 13.00 Wednesday 10 January 2024 Drafting advice deadline (amendments, emergency motions) 13.00 Monday 19 February 2024 Deadline for amendments to motions, emergency motions, topical issues, questions to reports 13.00 Monday 4 March 2024 Saturday 23 September 09.00 Party businessÿ Chair: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). Aide: Cllr Jon Ball (Vice Chair, FCC). Hall Aide: Cllr Darryl Smalley. F1 Opening of Conference by Cllr Vikki Slade, Leader of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council 09.10 Party businessÿ F2 Federal Conference Committee Report: questions and accountabilityÿ Mover: Cllr Nick da Costa (Chair, Federal Conference Committee).ÿ The report sessions are the chance for party members to hear how the party is being run and to put questions directly to the movers of reports. The deadline for questions for F2 is Monday 11 September. Questions selected will be published in the Conference Extra and Saturday?s Conference Daily. These questions will be guaranteed an answer, either in the session or in writing thereafter. Questions may also be submitted up until 08.50 Saturday 23 September; such questions are only taken at the discretion of the chair. See page 113 for further information. F3 Standing order amendment: Tidying-up Standing Orders Federal Conference Committee Mover: Duncan Brack. Summation: Cllr Nick da Costa (Chair, FCC). Conference notes that: a) Conference standing orders currently do not allow for ?hybrid? conferences, where some voting members participate in person and some participate online. b) Recent experience has revealed a number of issues on which conference standing orders lack clarity or could be improved. Conference therefore agrees to the following amendments to conference standing orders: 1. In Glossary of Terms, delete the definition of ?Emergency motion? and replace with: ?A proposal which derives from a significant recent development which occurred after the deadline for submission of motions. Emergency motions must be brief (maximum 500 words).? 2. In SO 1.3 (Right to submit agenda items) para (b), after ?Federal Council? insert ?Federal Conference Committee?, and delete last sentence ?Business motions, standing order amendments and secondary standing order amendments may also be submitted by the Federal Conference Committee?. 3. In SO 8.2 (Withdrawal of motions and amendments), add at end: ?A request to withdraw a motion may be submitted to conference either by the movers of the motion or the Committee?. 4. In SO 9.1 (The method of voting), add at end: ?and by voting members voting securely online?. 5. In SO 11.4 (Separate vote), in lines 10?11, delete: ?by the same deadline as that for emergency motions? and insert: ?no later than 48 hours before the opening of conference?. 6. In SO 11.6 (Suspension of standing orders), para (a), insert after first sentence: ?Such a motion may contain no more than one proposed change to the agenda or conduct of debate?. 7. In SO 12.4 (Supplementary questions to reports), lines 7?8, delete ?two minutes? and insert ?30 seconds?. The existing text of Conference standing orders is printed in this Agenda at pages 116?127. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion, see page 114, and for separate votes, see page 109, is 13.00 Monday 11 September. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Saturday?s Conference Daily.ÿ Standing order amendments require a two-thirds majority to pass. 09.30 Party business F4 Federal Policy Committee Report: questions and accountabilityÿ Mover: Cllr Lucy Nethsingha (Vice Chair, Federal Policy Committee). The deadline for questions for F4 is Monday 11 September. Questions selected will be published in the Conference Extra and Saturday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. These questions will be guaranteed an answer, either in the session or in writing thereafter. Questions may also be submitted up until 08.50 Saturday 23 September; such questions are only taken at the discretion of the chair. See page 113 for further information. 09.40 Policy motion Chair: Eleanor Kelly. Aide: Chris Maines. Hall Aide: Sam Barratt. F5 Combatting Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery 11 members Mover: Rt. Hon. Alistair Carmichael MP (Spokesperson for Home Affairs). Summation: Sarah Olney MP (Spokesperson for Treasury, Business and Industrial Strategy). Conference believes that:ÿ i) Slavery is one of the greatest affronts to the fundamental British principle of individual liberty; no human being should be enslaved. ii) Modern slavery must be eradicated, exploitation prevented and traffickers brought to justice.ÿ iii) Survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery are among the most vulnerable people in our society and they must all be supported and protected by the Government, regardless of immigration status. ÿ Conference notes with grave concern the Conservative Government?s assault on protections for victims of human trafficking and modern slavery ? including the Nationality and Borders Act and the Illegal Migration Act ? which roll back crucial provisions of the Modern Slavery Act. Conference further notes that:ÿ a) There are estimated to be at least 100,000 modern slavery victims in the UK, and referrals to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) are at a record high. b) The vast majority of people referred into the system are confirmed to be genuine victims by detailed investigations, despite Conservative accusations of people ?gaming the system? through false claims.ÿ c) The Conservative Government has consistently broken its promises on tackling human trafficking and modern slavery ? from its pledge to create a new single enforcement body, to abandoned plans to remove the ?family worker exemption? that permits employers to pay domestic staff less than minimum wage. d) The UK has just 0.29 labour market inspectors per 10,000 workers ? less than a third of the International Labour Organization?s minimum benchmark of one per 10,000. e) On average, victims have to wait almost 2 years for a decision on their NRM case. f) The Conservative Government?s immigration policies have increased the risk of exploitation ? whether by making some industries over-reliant on temporary visa schemes or closing safe and legal routes for asylum, pushing desperate people into the hands of traffickers. g) In January 2023, the Government raised the threshold of evidence for victims to be recognised, despite criticism from human rights organisations including the Helen Bamber Foundation and Anti-Slavery International. h) Conservative Ministers have left the crucial post of Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner vacant for over a year. Conference commends Liberal Democrat parliamentarians for consistently opposing both the Nationality and Borders Bill and the Illegal Migration Bill. Conference therefore calls on the Government to:ÿ 1. Reverse its rollbacks on modern slavery protections and ensure that all legislation is compatible with the UK?s international law obligations, including the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.ÿ 2. Take power out of the hands of smugglers by scrapping the Illegal Migration Act and providing safe and legal routes to sanctuary in the UK. 3. Prevent exploitation of migrant workers by removing the Conservatives? arbitrary salary threshold for work visas and replacing it with a more flexible merit-based system, making employers and employees less reliant on temporary visas.ÿ 4. Establish a powerful new Worker Protection Enforcement Authority to protect people in precarious work, with proactive intelligence-led enforcement of labour market standards and a firewall with immigration enforcement.ÿ 5. Transfer responsibility for identifying modern slavery victims from the Home Office to local safeguarding agencies.ÿ 6. Appoint a new Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and strengthen the role, while giving Parliament the power to fill the post if left vacant for three months or more.ÿ 7. Bring more traffickers to justice by resourcing the criminal justice system properly to improve prosecution and conviction rates. 8. Create a financial deterrent by establishing a civil remedy for survivors seeking redress from their traffickers. 9. Give survivors the support they deserve as victims of a grievous crime, such as access to legal aid ? including early advice prior to entering the NRM ? and protection from detention or removal.ÿ 10. Lift the ban on people in the NRM working if they have been waiting for a decision for over three months, enabling survivors to gain independence and move on with their lives while contributing to the economy. 11. Improve first responders? ability to support victims through mandatory training and allowing more civil society organisations to become accredited first responders.ÿ Applicability: Federal. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion, see page 114, and for separate votes, see page 109, is 13.00 Monday 11 September. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Saturday?s Conference Daily.ÿ 10.10 Party businessÿÿ Chair: James Gurling. Aide: Cllr Simon McGrath. F6 General Election Briefingÿ The briefing will be presented by: ? Baroness Pinnock (Chair, Federal Communications and Elections Committee). ? Mike Dixon (Chief Executive, LDHQ). ? Dave McCobb (Director of Campaigns and Elections, LDHQ). 10.40 Policy motionÿ Chair: Paul McGarry. Aide: Professor Belinda Brooks-Gordon. Hall Aide: Cllr Hannah Kitching. F7 A Fair Deal for the Armed Forces Communityÿ 10 members Mover: Richard Foord MP (Spokesperson for Defence). Summation: Baroness Smith (Lords Spokesperson for Defence).ÿ Conference notes: i) The findings of the Haythornthwaite report which found that the most common reason for leaving the armed forces is the impact on family and personal life, and the Armed Forces Continuing Attitudes Survey which found that one third of spouses said that they would be happier if their partner chose to leave the service. ii) Ongoing issues with access to childcare for personnel and their families stationed overseas, lack of support when moving children around schools, and with spousal employment overseas. iii) The poor state of MOD housing, including sewage leaks, mould and damp, and the complaints regarding maintenance contractors. iv) Families of service personnel frequently struggle to access information about important provisions like childcare, preventing them from being able to make informed choices and leaving them feeling like they do not have agency. v) The experience of female personnel in the armed forces, as outlined by the Atherton Report which found that ?the MoD and the Services are failing to protect female personnel and to help servicewomen achieve their full potential?.ÿ vi) There are over 1.8 million veterans in England and Wales according to the 2021 Census, many of whom are caught by gaps in support across services from mental healthcare to housing.ÿ vii) The cost-of-living crisis which is impacting the Armed Forces community ? with veterans and their families twice as likely to be unpaid carers or to be in receipt of sickness or disability benefits. viii) The Armed Forces Covenant, which serves as a promise by the nation that the Armed Forces community is treated fairly, plays an important role but needs strengthening.ÿ Conference believes that:ÿ a) The Armed Forces community ? service personnel, veterans and their families ? have been taken for granted for too long by the Government and deserve a fair deal.ÿ b) It is shameful that service families are too frequently unable to get basic support such as living in a decent home or getting access to information, except through the member of the family who serves.ÿ c) It is unacceptable that the experience of women in the armed forces and the challenges which many female personnel face, such as sexual harassment and discrimination, have not been properly addressed.ÿ d) These factors taken together are serving to impact both retention and recruitment for the Armed Forces.ÿ e) The make-up of the UK Armed Forces is not reflective of the diversity of British society, but it should better reflect society.ÿ Conference therefore calls on the UK Government to establish a ?Fair Deal for Service Personnel, Veterans and Families? Commission. Conference further urges the Government to start bringing about that Fair Deal by:ÿ 1. Strengthening the Armed Forces Covenant by placing a legal duty on the Defence Secretary and government departments to give due regard to the Armed Forces Covenant.ÿ 2. Establishing a one-stop shop for families of service personnel so they can easily access information, including the publication of a guide and an accessible helpline. 3. Aiming to reach a deal with the EU on reciprocal access for spousal employment for families of service personnel, as part of the four-stage roadmap set out in policy paper 144, Rebuilding Trade and Cooperation with Europe.ÿ 4. Improving the standard of MOD housing, including by reviewing the contract with maintenance contractors and introducing a minimum quality standard for Single Living Accommodation.ÿ 5. Accepting the recommendations of the Atherton report.ÿ 6. Abolishing the arbitrary, complex Minimum Income Requirement for spouse and partner visas, so that families, including service personnel and their families, are not forced to live apart. 7. Conducting a review of Armed Forces recruitment processes, to ensure all possible steps are being taken to improve diversity in the Forces.ÿ 8. Waiving application fees for indefinite leave for members of families of Armed Forces personnel on discharge. 9. Instructing the Office of Veterans Affairs to launch an inquiry into the impact of the cost of living crisis on the Armed Forces community.ÿ 10. Ensuring that military compensation which is awarded because of illness or injury does not count towards means testing for benefits.ÿ 11. Supporting members of the Armed Forces community who are unpaid carers, by increasing Carer?s Allowance and providing unpaid carers with greater rights in the workplace and more broadly. 12. Cancelling the Conservative Government?s cut to the Army.ÿ Applicability: Federal. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and mover and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion, see page 114, and for separate votes, see page 109, is 13.00 Monday 11 September. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Saturday?s Conference Daily.ÿ 11.30 Policy motion Chair: Jennie Rigg. Aide: Cllr. Alex Wagner. Hall Aide: Chris Maines. F8 Bring Back the Industrial Strategyÿ 10 members Mover: Sarah Olney MP (Spokesperson for Treasury, Business and Industrial Strategy). Summation: Lord Fox (Lords Spokesperson for Business and Industrial Strategy). Conference believes that:ÿ a) An industrial strategy is essential for achieving strong and sustainable economic growth, which in turn will create good jobs, fund vital public services and build strong communities. b) An industrial strategy should create a purpose-driven partnership between Government and business with the aim of tackling the great economic and societal challenges of our time. c) A successful industrial strategy should coordinate policies across a range of key areas, such as skills, Research & Development (R&D), climate change, infrastructure, taxation, finance and trade. Conference notes that:ÿ I. A range of generational challenges, including the legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate emergency, the energy crisis, the Government?s failed deal with Europe and declining economic growth under the Conservatives make the adoption of an industrial strategy more necessary than ever. II. Other major economies, including Germany, China, the US and the EU have developed industrial policy responding to these challenges. III. The US Inflation Reduction Act, supply chain pressures involving China, and EU plans to reshore manufacturing also create a vital need for a UK industrial strategy. IV. In contrast, this Conservative Government took the ideological and damaging step of scrapping the UK?s industrial strategy in 2021 and disbanding the Industrial Strategy Council oversight body. V. Since 2016, the Conservative Party?s muddled and confused approach saw the business department restructured twice and the Secretary of State changed seven times, undermining stability and business confidence. VI. As a result of the Conservatives? economic failures, the UK has experienced falling business investment, lower productivity, skills shortages, gaping regional disparities and anaemic growth. Conference celebrates Liberal Democrat achievements on industrial strategy in Government, including: A. Unlocking vital investment by setting up the Green Investment Bank, the British Business Bank and the Regional Growth Fund. B. Supporting manufacturing and SMEs, through the Business Growth Service, the Manufacturing Advisory Service and the Growth Accelerator Programme. C. Bringing together business and academia to power regional growth, by creating the Catapult centres, and creating two million new apprenticeships. Conference reaffirms Liberal Democrat commitments to: i) Scrap business rates and replace them with a Commercial Landowner Levy. ii) Replace the broken apprenticeship levy with a broader and more flexible skills and training levy. iii) Follow the four-step roadmap towards rebuilding trade and cooperation with Europe set out in policy paper 144, Rebuilding Trade and Cooperation with Europe. Conference therefore calls on the Government to: a) Establish a comprehensive industrial strategy, in partnership with business, civil society and academia, focused on key economic and societal challenges. b) Ensure that the principles of tackling the climate emergency; boosting living standards; spreading prosperity everywhere in the UK; and growing the economy are at the heart of the industrial strategy. c) Work towards four key business priorities: a positive business climate; leveraging technology to supercharge the green economy; empowering small businesses to create prosperity in local communities, and boosting trade. d) Enable businesses to achieve these priorities by taking action in four key areas: enabling the workforce of tomorrow; investing in key infrastructure; scaling digital innovation and technology adoption; and creating financial markets that work for all businesses. Conference further calls on the Government to: 1. Rebuild business and investor confidence by committing to fiscal responsibility, respect of international treaties, and the creation of a stable business environment. 2. Effectively communicate the objectives and tools of the industrial strategy to industry, to provide clear signals for investment and business decisions. 3. Build an inclusive economy with broad access to training and skills, by scrapping the lower ?apprentice?s wage? band and boosting the take-up of apprenticeships. 4. Set up effective incentives for R&D investment, decarbonisation, and the take-up of digital technologies, especially among SMEs; and ensure that the UK?s regulatory, R&D and tax frameworks are geared towards fostering innovation. 5. Set up a plan for investment in key infrastructure to enable the industrial strategy, covering areas including rail, building insulation, the national grid and EV charging. 6. Create a thriving manufacturing sector by investing in the skills of the future; promoting net-zero transport and energy efficiency; harnessing affordable clean energy; and adopting an ambitious international trade policy. 7. Power scale-up companies, especially outside of London and the South East, using innovative ways of crowding-in private sector investment, drawing from successful international models such as the French Tibi scheme. 8. Reestablish the Industrial Strategy Council (ISC) and put it on a statutory footing, to ensure vital oversight, monitoring and evaluation of the industrial strategy for the long-term. 9. Explore new ways to improve interdepartmental work on cross-cutting policies, such as giving the Cabinet Office more powers to coordinate and implement industrial strategy. Applicability: Federal; except i) (lines 52-53), ?and boosting the take-up of apprenticeships? in 3. (line 85), and part of 5. (lines 91-93), which are England only. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and mover and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion, see page 114, and for separate votes, see page 109, is 13.00 Monday 11 September. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Saturday?s Conference Daily.ÿ 12.35 Speech Chair: Cllr Hannah Kitching. Aide: Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed.ÿ F9 Munira Wilson MP (Spokesperson for Education, Children and Young People) 12.50 Lunch break and fringe Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. 13.00?14.30ÿ Consultative sessionÿ International Security Westbourne Suite, Bournemouth International Centre. Chair: Dr Christine Cheng. 14.40 Policy motionÿ Chair: Chris Maines. Aide: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). Hall Aide: Alison Rouse. F10 A Better Start in Life (Early Years Education and Childcare Policy Paper) Federal Policy Committee Mover: Munira Wilson MP (Spokesperson for Education, Children and Young People). Summation: Cllr Dine Romero (Chair of the Policy Working Group). Conference believes that flexible, affordable childcare and early years education is a critical part of a liberal society and contributes to economic performance because: i) It gives parents more choice over how to organise their lives and helps them return to work if they want to. ii) Lack of access to affordable childcare is a key driver of the gender pay gap.ÿ iii) High-quality early years education is the best possible investment in the future and the most effective way of narrowing the gap between rich and poor children. Conference also believes that:ÿÿ A. Parents should also have greater flexibility and choice over how to juggle work with parenting in the first months of their child?s life and many fathers would like to have more involvement in directly caring for their children. B. All parents, whether or not they wish to return to work or spend more time raising their children, deserve more help. Conference further believes that every child deserves access to high-quality education, including children with young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and that early diagnosis is crucial. Conference recalls that: I. In Government, Liberal Democrats increased the number free childcare hours for three- and four-year-olds, introduced 15 hours a week of free early years education for disadvantaged two-year-olds, and created the Early Years Pupil Premium to give extra support to disadvantaged three- and four-year-olds. II. At the 2019 general election, Liberal Democrats called for a properly-funded entitlement to free, high-quality childcare for every child aged two to four and children aged between nine and 24 months where their parents or guardians are in work: 35 hours a week, 48 weeks a year. Conference regrets thatÿthe funding promised by the Conservatives for their 30 hour childcare proposal falls far short of what it will actually cost to provide these hours or to address the existing underfunding of early years provision, and may exacerbate the problems parents already face: a lack of nursery or childminder places and eye-watering fees for full-time childcare. Conference therefore endorses the vision for early years and childcare set out in policy paper 152, A Better Start in Life, and in particular welcomes its proposals to: 1. Move towards our vision of universal free high-quality childcare and early years education by: a) Fixing the problems with the Government?s expansion of free childcare, starting with a review of the rates paid to providers to ensure they cover the actual costs of delivering high-quality childcare and early years education. b) Investing in high-quality early years education and closing the attainment gap by giving disadvantaged children aged two to four an extra five free hours a week and tripling the Early Years Pupil Premium to œ1,000 a year. c) Developing a career strategy for nursery staff, including a training programme with the majority of those working with children aged two to four to have a relevant Early Years qualification or be working towards one. d) Restoring childminding as a valued part of the early years system by replacing the three different current registration processes with a single childcare register and commissioning a practitioner-led review to simplify regulation, reduce administrative burdens and attract new childminders while maintaining high standards. e) Reaffirming our long-term commitment universal free childcare as set out in our last election manifesto. 2. Achieve greater flexibility and choice for parents by: a) Giving all families (including self-employed parents, adoptive parents and kinship carers): i) 6 weeks of use-it-or-lose-it leave for each parent, paid at 90% of earnings. ii) 46 weeks of parental leave to share between themselves as they choose, paid at the level of the minimum wage (double the current statutory rate). b) Introducing paid neonatal care leave. c) Paying an enhanced rate of Child Benefit for one- year-olds. 3. Ensure every child with SEND has the support they need by: a) Giving local authorities extra funding to halve the amount that schools pay towards the cost of a child?s Education, Health and Care plan. b) Introducing a National Body for SEND which will fund the costs of very high needs over œ25,000 a year. Applicability: England only; except 2. (lines 70-80), which is Federal.ÿ Mover and summation: 16 minutes combined; movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion, see page 114, and for separate votes, see page 109, is 13.00 Monday 11 September. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Saturday?s Conference Daily.ÿ In addition to speeches from the platform, voting members will be able to make concise (maximum one minute) interventions from the floor during the debate on the motion. See pages 109 and 111 further information.ÿ 15.50 Speech Chair: Baroness Featherstone. Aide: Alison Rouse. F11 Josh BabarindeÿOBE (Parliamentary Candidate for Eastbourne) 16.05 Policy motionÿ Chair: Cllr Simon McGrath. Aide: Eleanor Kelly. Hall Aide: Professor Belinda Brooks-Gordon. F12 Restore Standards in Public Life 10 members Mover: Z”e Franklin.ÿ Summation: Monica Harding. Conference notes:ÿ i) The deterioration of standards in public life under the Conservatives.ÿ ii) The resignation of Boris Johnson, who was subsequently found to have deliberately misled Parliament by the Privileges Committee, and Liz Truss, after the Conservative Government crashed the economy.ÿ iii) Rishi Sunak?s promise on the steps of Downing Street to govern with ?integrity, accountability and professionalism?, which was immediately followed by his decision to appoint Suella Braverman, Dominic Raab, Gavin Williamson and Nadhim Zahawi.ÿ iv) That the seemingly endless stream of standards scandals has not abated under Rishi Sunak - with three Cabinet resignations over standards as well as a number of Conservative MPs.ÿ v) That the role of the Government Ethics Adviser was vacant for six months and when the Prime Minister finally made an appointment, he decided not to give them powers to initiate investigations.ÿ vi) That the Ministerial Register of Interests was not updated for almost a year, despite a significant turnover of Government Ministers, having the effect that Government Ministers were subject to lower transparency requirements than backbench MPs.ÿ vii) The resignation of Richard Sharp, the Chair of the BBC, after failing to declare his connection to a loan made to Boris Johnson.ÿ viii) That Rishi Sunak granted Boris Johnson honours to his cronies, and failed to approve the Privileges Committee report which found that Johnson had deliberately misled Parliament.ÿ Conference believes that:ÿ A. Those in power must be held to account. B. Rishi Sunak?s promise to govern with ?integrity, accountability and professionalism? has been comprehensively trashed.ÿ C. The Conservatives? seemingly endless standards scandals are damaging trust in the UK?s political system.ÿ D. It is vital that standards in public life are restored.ÿ Conference accordingly calls on the Government to:ÿ 1. Make the role of the Ethics Adviser truly independent by:ÿ a) Empowering the Ethics Adviser so they can initiate their own investigations, determine breaches and publish their report.ÿ b) Putting the role of the Ethics Adviser on a statutory basis and giving Parliament the power to appoint the Ethics Adviser. 2. Enshrine the Ministerial Code in legislation.ÿ 3. Introduce new rules to ensure that a Prime Minister must have served for at least one year before becoming eligible to access the Public Duty Cost Allowance fund of up to œ115,000 per annum.ÿÿ 4. Ensure that Ministers receive annual training to prevent further standards scandals.ÿ 5. Establish a rigorous, transparent and independent process to appoint significant public roles, including the BBC Chair, involving a confirmatory vote by the relevant Parliamentary select committee.ÿ 6. Bring reporting standards for the Ministerial Register of Interests in line with the House of Commons Register of Members? Interests, so that publication takes place more frequently.ÿ 7. Given the deficit of trust, restore confidence that the public have in politics by implementing fair votes via proportional representation.ÿ Conference calls on the Prime Minister to apologise for Conservative standards scandals and recommit to the Nolan principles of public life.ÿ Applicability: Federal. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and mover and summation of any amendments:4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion, see page 114, and for separate votes, see page 109, is 13.00 Monday 11 September. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Saturday?s Conference Daily.ÿ 16.55 Policy motion Chair: Cllr Darryl Smalley. Aide: Jennie Rigg. Hall Aide: Eleanor Kelly. F13 Ending Period Poverty Lambeth and Young Liberals Mover: Rebecca Jones. Summation: Cllr Donna Harris. Conference notes that: I. The average spend on sanitary products is œ120 a year, according to the charity Bloody Good Period. II. A poll from Plan International reveals that over a quarter (28%) of girls aged 14?21 in the UK are struggling to afford period products, and nearly 1-in-5 (19%) report being unable to afford period products at all since the start of 2022. III. An ActionAid 2022 survey showed that of those who have struggled to afford menstrual products in the last six months, 75% said they had prioritised spending money on food, 49% had prioritised gas/electric, and 31% prioritised fuel. IV. Nearly half (46%) of those who struggled to afford sanitary products in the last six months kept sanitary pads or tampons in for longer than recommended or used toilet paper, and 10% doubled up their underwear; and women, girls and others who menstruate are at risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) if they do not have access to clean period products. V. There is significant evidence of the widespread adverse impact of periods on attendance in education and at work. VI. Menstruation is not just a women?s issue, and also affects some trans and non-binary people. VII. Vulnerable people, such as asylum seekers, have particular difficulty in accessing sanitary products. Three quarters of such women interviewed by Women for Refugee Women struggled to obtain period pads or tampons while destitute. VIII. The Scottish Parliament has enacted legal requirements in the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 to allow anyone who needs period products to receive them free of charge; to have the power to make other public bodies provide free period products; and for local councils and education providers to make period products freely available within their buildings. IX. The Period Products Scheme for schools and colleges in England has provided free period products to all state-maintained schools and 16?19 education organisations in England since 2020. X. Many local authorities, including Liberal Democrat-controlled Sutton Council, have committed to providing sanitary products in council buildings but need long-term funding from the UK Government to continue this support. XI. The public health grant is used to provide vital services that support health and it has been cut by 26% in real terms per capita since 2015/16 (equivalent to a reduction of œ1bn). XII. More than a quarter of women (26%) have experienced negative comments about their periods. XIII. Half (48%) of women and girls aged between 14 and 21 are embarrassed by their periods, and 22% do not feel comfortable discussing periods with their teachers. Conference believes that: A. Period products are a human right, not a luxury. B. Nobody should experience period poverty. C. England?s current free period product provision is not fit for purpose. D. It is in everyone?s interests for stigma around periods to be addressed. Conference reaffirms: i) The Liberal Democrat commitment to expand the rollout of free menstrual products to homeless shelters, women?s refuges, foodbanks, NHS GP surgeries, and universities in England. ii) The principle of equality of opportunity in which everyone should expect a fair start in life and equal opportunities throughout life. Conference calls on the UK Government to: a) Introduce a right for people in England to access a choice of free period products. b) Place a duty on local authorities and education providers to make period products freely available in their buildings, providing guidance and additional funding to support them in doing so. c) Give consideration as to how free period products can be made available to groups who might face barriers to accessing them, including people with disability, gypsy/ travellers, victims of domestic abuse, carers, asylum seekers, refugees, homeless people, and people living in remote locations. d) Improve comprehensive education on periods for both educators and young people, to ensure an appreciation for the lived experience of menstruation, and a widespread understanding of period products. e) Reinstate the public health grant to a minimum real-terms per capita equivalent of 2015 ? the grant from which these activities will be funded. Conference further calls for: 1. Universities to develop action plans to tackle period poverty and its stigma on campus. 2. Employers to voluntarily provide free period products in the workplace. Applicability: England only. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion, see page 114, and for separate votes, see page 109, is 13.00 Monday 11 September. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Saturday?s Conference Daily.ÿ 17.25 Party businessÿ Chair: Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed. Aide: Cllr Jon Ball (Vice Chair, FCC). Hall Aide: Cllr Simon McGrath. F14 Reports of the Parliamentary Parties Movers: Wendy Chamberlain MP (Chief Whip of the Commons Parliamentary Party) and Lord Newby (Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords).ÿ The deadline for questions for F14 is Monday 11 September. Questions selected will be published in the Conference Extra and Saturday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. These questions will be guaranteed an answer, either in the session or in writing thereafter. Questions may also be submitted up until 16.25 Saturday 23 September; such questions are only taken at the discretion of the chair. See page 113 for further information. 18.00 Close of session 18.30?19.30 Conference Rally See Conference Directory for details. Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. Sunday 24 September 09.00 Policy motion Chair: Cllr Alex Wagner. Aide: Duncan Brack. Hall Aide: Alison Jenner. F15 Making the Fight Against Climate Change Accessible 14 members Mover: Charley Hasted. Summation: To be announced. Conference notes that: a) Single-use plastics used in Health and Social Care contexts create millions of tonnes of plastic waste a year, much of which will go to landfill or be incinerated. b) While there are some alternatives to single-use plastics in equipment used for medical, social care and accessibility equipment, many are unavailable, unaffordable or impractical for many people. c) Many older and disabled people have experienced difficulties with different climate change or pollution prevention strategies such as the banning of plastic straws, pedestrianisation, cycle lanes and LTNs, which often fail to take their needs into account. d) Many transport alternatives to private cars remain inaccessible or unaffordable for disabled and older people, especially where they require adaptive or alternate provision. Conference believes that while there have been many progressive steps in reducing climate change in recent years, efforts to consider the specific needs of disabled and older people have often been missed, leading to many disabled people experiencing significant difficulty in supporting the fight against climate change, or feeling excluded from society by some measures. Conference further believes that disabled and older people deserve to have access to options which allow them to take a full and equal part in the fight against climate change and in society as a whole. Conference therefore calls for: 1. The allocation of at least 3% of government research and development funding on environmental and anti-climate change to projects centred around bringing benefits and change to the health and social care sectors and a further 2% to projects that will support disabled people to live more environmentally friendly lives while maintaining their health and independence (e.g. developing affordable biodegradable or recyclable alternatives to commonly used items such and gloves, packaging and incontinence pads). 2. Requirements on NHS trusts, care agencies, residential facilities and local authorities to develop strategies to reduce plastic use and increase the recycling of non-biohazardous plastic waste. 3. Schemes aimed at increasing the uptake of environmentally friendly transport options to provide accessible and adaptable options (e.g hand cycles and tricycles in cycle salary sacrifice schemes). 4. Requirements on public transport and infrastructure companies to make all their provision completely and independently accessible by 2027. 5. Requirements on central and local government initiatives focusing on reducing emissions and improving public transport and public spaces to work with disabled people in the planning and implementation stages of projects to mitigate any negative impact on disability communities. Applicability: England only. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Sunday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Saturday 24 September; see page 109. 09.20 Policy motion Chair: Baroness Doocey. Aide: Paul McGarry. Hall Aide: Jennie Rigg. F16 Fixing Fast Fashion ? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 40 members Mover: Eleanor Kelly. Summation: Elsie Gisslegard. Conference notes with concern that: i) The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. ii) The UK consumes more new clothing than any other European country at 26.7kg per capita, with individuals spending an average of œ980 per year. iii) Further environmental damage is caused by the fashion industry, including: a) 20% of water pollution resulting from the textile dying process, the second largest polluter of water globally. b) Microplastics from synthetic clothing contributing to 20?35% of primary source marine microplastics, with up to 700,000 fibres released in a single 6kg domestic wash. c) A water footprint of eight billion cubic metres, from clothing use in the UK. iv) Fabric accounted for 800,000 tonnes of waste in the UK in 2016, a considerable increase from 700,000 tonnes in 2012. v) Overall consumption of garments since the 1980s has increased due to the ongoing decline in quality and longevity driven by the fast fashion business model. vi) Landfill and incineration, often in less economically developed countries, is the endpoint of at least 64% of garments globally, only 1% of garments are recycled into new clothing. vii) Modern slavery and unethical labour practices are notoriously linked to the fashion industry both globally and locally, including Shein employees being paid as little as three pence per garment, and forced labour of the Uyghur minority in China; there are also reports that garment workers in UK production centres such as Leicester are frequently paid below the minimum wage. Conference believes that: A. The fast fashion business model is inherently dependent on exploitative environmental practices and human rights abuses. B. Everyone should have access to high quality clothing and informed consumer choice upon purchase. C. Everyone deserves fair wages and employment practices, no matter where they live in the world. D. Urgent action is needed to tackle the climate emergency, including a shift towards circular economies. E. Solutions to global crises require action on both the national and local level. Conference calls for: 1. The introduction of a 1p levy on new garments produced for sale on the UK market, with the proceeds ringfenced for the improvement and development of local recycling facilities and collection. 2. A ban on the incineration or landfilling of used and new textiles which can be reused or recycled. 3. The UK Government to incentivise the reuse and repurposing of garments by offering favourable VAT rates to resale shops and online platforms, rental services, and tailoring and repair services. 4. Legislation obliging retailers to guarantee full traceability in their supply chains, ensuring ethically sourced materials, decent livelihoods, and safe working conditions, as well as the introduction of ?joint liability? for subcontractors in the fashion and fabric industry. 5. The UK Government to effectively enforce current labour rights including compliance with minimum wage requirements. 6. The cost of clothing to be explicitly considered in the calculation of benefit rates. 7. Support for local clothes swapping initiatives, especially for school uniforms and workwear. 8. Revision of the guidance on school uniform, emphasising affordability and limiting the number of unique and branded items. 9. Further research into design techniques that limit synthetic fibre emissions, including investigation of the occupational health risks associated with synthetic fibres, with quick actions taken by the Health and Safety Executive based on findings. 10. Government-led collaboration among fashion retailers, water firms, and washing machine manufacturers to tackle microfibre pollution, holding product-producing companies ultimately responsible. 11. Extension of the proposed virgin plastics tax to textile products containing less than 50% recycled PET, to stimulate the UK market for recycled fibres. 12. Measures encouraging the adoption of sustainable fibre production, with an emphasis on reducing the water footprint. Applicability: Federal; except 1. (lines 45?48), and 6., 7. and 8. (lines 63?69), which are England only. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and mover and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Sunday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Saturday 23 September; see page 109. 10.05 Policy motion Chair: Duncan Brack. Aide: Cllr Darryl Smalley. Hall Aide: Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed.ÿ F17 Transforming the Nation?s Health 10 members Mover: Daisy Cooper MP (Spokesperson for Health and Social Care). Summation: Lord Allan (Lords Spokesperson for Health and Social Care). Conference notes with concern that: A. The United Kingdom is lagging behind its peers when it comes to people?s health ? it is 29th in the Global obesity rankings, has the worst healthy life expectancy in Western Europe, and according to one study has the worst mental health in the world. B. A quarter of a million more Britons died sooner than expected compared to our European peers between 2012 and 2022. C. Health inequalities are on the rise ? the life expectancy of a man in Kensington and Chelsea can now expect to live for 27 years longer than a man in Blackpool. D. Two-thirds of the adult UK population is overweight ? the NHS spends a tenth of its entire budget on treating diabetes, and the proportion is rising year on year. E. The public health grant has been cut by 26% on a real- terms per person basis since 2015/16. F. Since the Covid-19 pandemic economic inactivity in the UK has increased by around 700,000 people to 2.5 million, with ill health being the main reason reported by people aged 50 to 69. G. Smoking, obesity and mental-health-related issues alone are estimated to cost the UK economy almost œ200 billion per year. H. More than 7 million people are currently waiting for treatment on the NHS, cancer wait times targets continue to be missed across the board, and demand for GP services continues to outstrip supply. Conference believes that: I. The UK should be one of the healthiest countries in the world. II. Government should actively support its citizens to lead healthy lives by empowering individuals to improve their own health, creating healthier environments, and funding communities to decide how to better their health. III. The Conservatives have squandered numerous opportunities to reform public health, and take easy steps to improve children?s health in particularÿÿ IV. A key way to improve people's health and wellbeing, alleviate the pressure on NHS services and to spend tax-payers money more effectively, both now and in the future, is to invest in prevention by expanding public health initiatives and primary care. Conference reaffirms commitments to: a) Closing many of the loopholes that exist in the current sugar levy and extending it to include juice- and milk-based drinks that are high in added sugar. b) Restricting how products high in fat, salt and sugar are marketed and advertised by retailers. c) Reducing smoking rates by introducing a new levy on tobacco companies to contribute to the costs of healthcare and smoking cessation services. d) Reversing government cuts to public health grants.ÿ e) Legislating for a right to clean air. Conference calls for: 1. Improving the health of the nation to be the central driving mission for this and the next government, with a shift in focus to preventing ill health, tackling health inequalities, adopting an ?invest to save? funding model and the creation of a ?health creation? unit in the Cabinet Office to ensure that all legislation maximises opportunities for improving the nation?s health. 2. The progressive restoration of the Public Health Grant to 2015 levels, with a proportion of these funds be set aside for local communities experiencing the worst health inequalities to co-produce plans on how the money should be spent. 3. A concerted effort to improve children?s health, including an end to the sale of energy drinks to under 16s; adverts promoting junk-food to only be allowed after 9pm to ensure that they are less likely to be seen by children, and for local authorities to be given the powers to limit the location and number of junk-food advertising and unhealthy food outlets in the vicinity of nurseries and schools. 4. The launch of a government-backed nation-wide public health campaign to get the country moving, encourage exercise and strength training, and forming healthier habits, backed by a dedicated bank holiday dedicated to healthier lifestyles events nationwide. 5. Higher food standards in schools and hospitals so that every child and patient is receiving a healthy and balanced diet. 6. The halt of the dangerous use of vapes amongst children and non-smokers by introducing tougher regulation on vapes, such as standardised packaging, an end to toy-like advertising targeted at children, a ban on the sale of single use vapes, and the licensing of their sales, whilst recognising their role in smoking cessation for adult. 7. Improved access to blood pressure tests in community spaces, such as pharmacies, libraries, and job centres to reach those who are less likely or able to seek health care from their GP. 8. An expansion of social prescribing by sharing best practice across the NHS and GPs, and investment in community projects that bring people together to combat loneliness. 9. A new kite-mark for health apps and digital tools that are clinically proven to help people lead healthier lives so patients can take control of their own health. 10. A consultation on a new national designation of ?critical health infrastructure? to cover local authority swimming pools and leisure centres for example, to ensure that people?s access to affordable local health facilities is not overlooked in future national crises.ÿ Applicability: England only; except a) (lines 45?47), c) (lines 50?52), ?adverts promoting junk-food to only be allowed after 9pm to ensure that they are less likely to be seen by children? in 3. (in lines 69?71) and 6. (lines 84?89), which are Federal. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and mover and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Sunday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Saturday 23 September; see page 109. 11.05 Party businessÿ Chair: Cllr Jon Ball (Vice Chair, FCC). Aide: Cllr Simon McGrath. Hall Aide: Cllr Alex Wagner. F18 Young Liberals? Representatives to Party Committees Young Liberals Mover: Janey Little. Summation: Cllr Louise Harris. Conference resolves to amend the Constitution as follows: 1. In Article 10.2 (I), add new G. and renumber accordingly:ÿ G. one representative of the Affiliated Organisation representing youth and students, elected by its own procedures (the Youth and Student Affiliated Organisation may appoint a substitute member should the elected member be unable to attend a specific meeting of the FPC). 2. In Article 11.2 (I), add new D. and renumber accordingly:ÿ D. one representative of the Affiliated Organisation representing youth and students, elected by its own procedures (the Youth and Student Affiliated Organisation may appoint a substitute member should the elected member be unable to attend a specific meeting of the FCC). The current Federal Party constitution is available at www.libdems.org.uk/constitution. The existing text of the relevant parts of the articles amended above are as follows: ARTICLE 10: The Federal Policy Committee 10.2 The FPC shall consist of the following:ÿ I. voting members:ÿ A. the Leader who shall act as its Chair;ÿ B. six members of the Parliamentary Group as defined in Article 17.5, normally including at least one from each Parliamentary Party;ÿ C. the President;ÿ D. one person elected by the Federal Communications & Elections Committee from amongst its membership;ÿ E. two principal local authority councillors, elected by principal local authority councillors of the Party from among their own number (including, for both purposes, Police and Crime Commissioners and directly elected Mayors);ÿ F. one representative of each State Party, elected by its internal procedures (State Parties may appoint a substitute member should the elected member be unable to attend a specific meeting of the FPC); andÿ G. one more person than the total number elected or appointed under paragraphs (a) to (f) above, who shall be party members elected by all members of the Party except that persons who, at the date of close of nominations for election under this paragraph, are members of any of the Parliamentary Parties listed in Article 17 shall not be eligible to be candidates for election under this paragraph. Casual vacancies amongst this group shall be filled in accordance with the election regulations.ÿ ARTICLE 11: The Federal Conference Committee 11.2 The Conference Committee shall consist of: I. Voting members:ÿ A. the President;ÿ B. the Chief Whip of the Parliamentary Party in the House of Commons or their substitute from within the Parliamentary Group as defined in Article 17.5;ÿ C. one representative of each State Party, elected by its internal procedures (State Parties may appoint a substitute member should the elected member be unable to attend a specific meeting of the FCC);ÿ D. one person elected by the Federal Board from amongst its members;ÿ E. two persons elected by the Federal Policy Committee from amongst its members;ÿ F. one person elected by the Federal Communications & Elections Committee from amongst its members;ÿ G. one person elected by the Federal People Development Committee from amongst its members; andÿ H. 12 persons elected by party members. Casual vacancies amongst this group shall be filled in accordance with the election regulations.ÿ Applicability: Federal. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Sunday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Saturday 23 September; see page 109. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority to pass.ÿ 11.35 Policy motion Chair: Jeremy Hargreaves (Vice Chair, FPC). Aide: Cllr Hannah Kitching. Hall Aide: Chris Maines. F19 Investing in our Children's Future 11 members Mover: Callum Robertson. Summation: Munira Wilson MP (Spokesperson for Education, Children and Young People). Conference believes that: I. Every child, no matter their background, can achieve great things; they deserve the best possible start in life, with schools that enable them to attain academic excellence. II. Education is the best investment we can make in our country?s future. III. The Conservatives have consistently let down children and parents, neglected schools and colleges, and failed to grasp the scale of the pandemic?s damage to children?s learning and mental health. Conference notes that: A. Schools are being forced to cut back on staff, school trips and IT equipment to manage rising costs. B. Since 2019, 39 schools have fully or partly closed because they were unsafe. C. The Pupil Premium has proved very effective at closing the attainment gap for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, but since 2015 the Conservatives have cut it by more than 10% in real terms. D. 18% of children have a probable mental health disorder, yet government funding for mental health support teams for schools ends next year. E. 800,000 children in poverty are ineligible for free school meals, and more than 200,000 eligible children are not registered ? meanwhile, the Conservatives have cut funding for free school meals by 15% in real terms since 2015. F. There is a crisis in teacher recruitment and retention, leaving millions of secondary school pupils to be taught by someone who isn?t a specialist teacher in their subject. G. Employers are losing faith in England?s exam system and using their own assessments instead. H. The death of a headteacher in Reading tragically underscored the high-stakes nature of Ofsted inspections, which places teachers and school leaders under enormous strain. I. Participation in extra-curricular activities improves school attendance and exam performance, and helps children to develop valuable skills such as creativity and teamwork. J. Parental engagement in children's education can have a big, positive impact on attainment. K. Only half of children with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan within the 20-week limit, and 96% of SEND Tribunal cases are decided in the parents? favour. L. The number of pupils in local authority-funded alternative provision (AP) settings has increased by 79% over the last five years, and there are now 6,800 AP placements with unregistered providers. Conference calls on the Government to: 1. Invest in education by: a) Increasing school and college funding per pupil above the rate of inflation every year. b) Ending the scandal of crumbling school and college buildings by investing in new buildings and clearing the backlog of repairs. c) Reversing Conservative cuts to the Pupil Premium and free school meals, and introducing a Young People?s Premium for those aged 16?18. 2. Ensure that children are healthy, happy and ready to learn by: a) Putting a dedicated, qualified mental health professional in every school. b) Extending free school meals to all children in primary education and all secondary school children whose families receive Universal Credit, and automatically enrolling eligible children. c) Addressing the underfunding and neglect of children?s mental health services, youth services and youth justice services, so that less of the burden falls on schools. 3. Tackle the crisis in teacher recruitment and retention by: a) Creating a teacher workforce strategy to ensure that every secondary school child is taught by a specialist teacher in their subject. b) Reforming the School Teachers? Review Body to make it properly independent of Government and able to recommend fair pay rises for teachers, and fully funding those rises every year. c) Funding teacher training properly so that all trainee posts in school are paid. d) Introducing a clear and properly funded programme of high-quality professional development for all teachers, including training on effective parental engagement. 4. Urgently establish a standing commission to build a long- term consensus across parties and teachers to broaden the curriculum and make qualifications at 16 and 18 fit for the 21st century, drawing on best practice such as the International Baccalaureate. 5. Implement root-and-branch reform of school inspections, to make Ofsted trusted by parents and a critical friend to schools, by: a) Replacing single-grade judgements with report cards that show parents the true strengths and weaknesses of each school. b) Ensuring that inspections deliver a complete evaluation of the whole school, including attainment, discipline, curriculum breadth, teacher workload, provision for children with SEND and mental ill health, and suitability of the workforce to deliver the curriculum. c) Introducing annual safeguarding and financial check- ups, separate to Ofsted, to ensure consistent good governance. d) Requiring Ofsted to work with schools, providing the guidance and support they need to improve, rather than simply changing governance. 6. Expand provision of extra-curricular activities, such as sport, music, drama, debating and coding, starting with a new free entitlement for disadvantaged children. 7. Implement a new parental engagement strategy, including a regular, published parent survey and guidance for schools on providing accessible information to parents on what their children are learning. 8. Tackle the crisis in SEND funding by: a) Giving local authorities extra funding to halve the amount that schools pay towards the cost of a child?s EHC plan. b) Establishing a National Body for SEND to fund support for children with high needs. 9. Require all AP settings to be registered. 10. Support the education of children in care, extend Pupil Premium Plus funding to children in kinship care, and guarantee any child taken into care a school place within three weeks, if required to move schools. Applicability: England only. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and mover and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Sunday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Saturday 23 September; see page 109. 12.35 Speech Chair: Chris Maines. Aide: Professor Belinda Brooks-Gordon.ÿ F20 Daisy Cooper MP (Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats andÿSpokesperson for Health and Social Care) 12.50 Lunch break and fringeÿ Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. 14.10 Speech Chair: Baroness Doocey. Aide: Cllr Alex Wagner.ÿ F21 Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM 14.25 Question and answer sessionÿ Chair: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). Aide: Jennie Rigg. Hall Aide: Paul McGarry. F22 Sir Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democratsÿ Members may put questions on any topic to the Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Concise questions (maximum 25 words) may be submitted via the Party website until 13.00 Monday 11 September. Questions may also be submitted on a form collected from and returned to the Speakers? Table in the auditorium by 12.50 on Sunday 24 September. See page 114. 15.10 Policy motionÿ Chair: Nick da Costa (Chair, FCC). Aide: Alison Rouse. Hall Aide: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). F23 For a Fair Deal (Pre-Manifesto Policy Paper) Federal Policy Committee Mover: Layla Moran MP (Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs,ÿInternational Development, and Science, Innovation and Technology). Summation: Lord Newby (Chair of the Manifesto Working Group). Conference applauds the remarkable decency and strength of people across the United Kingdom, from all backgrounds and all walks of life: working hard, raising families, helping others and playing by the rules, even in very tough times. Conference reaffirms that the Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, welcomes the enormous strides that Britain has taken towards that goal over the centuries, and celebrates the role that Liberals and Liberal Democrats have played in leading that change. However, Conference believes that, after years of Conservative neglect, the social contract ? or fair deal ? between people and government has been shattered. Conference condemns the out-of-touch Conservative Government for letting the British people down and taking them for granted, and in particular for: I. Failing to help struggling families and pensioners in the face of the biggest cost-of-living crisis since the 1950s, and instead making it worse by badly mismanaging the economy and recklessly damaging the public finances. II. Plunging the NHS into crisis, running local health services into the ground and putting people, buildings and beds under immense pressure, and breaking their promise to fix the crisis in social care. III. Neglecting education and failing to grasp the scale of the damage that the Covid pandemic has done to children?s learning and mental health. IV. Damaging our natural environment, failing to bring forward credible plans to tackle climate change, and allowing water companies to pump raw sewage into rivers, lakes and coastal areas. V. Failing even to get the basics right on crime and policing, allowing far too many criminals to get away with it. VI. Failing to stand up to hatred and prejudice or tackle entrenched inequalities, and repeatedly undermining fundamental British rights and freedoms. VII. Creating a crisis for democracy with their cronyism, rule-breaking and constant sleaze scandals.ÿ VIII. Damaging British families and businesses with their botched deal with Europe, and undermining the UK's international reputation by threatening to break international law, slashing the international development budget and trashing our relations with our allies. Conference also condemns the Labour Party for failing to offer an ambitious vision for the country or long-term solutions to the challenges we face, and the SNP for its record of failure, chaos and division in Scotland. Conference decries the UK?s political system as fundamentally broken ? millions of people feel powerless and excluded, robbed of their rightful say and unable to hold the powerful to account. Conference believes that the British people deserve a fair deal that gives everyone the power to make the most of their potential and real freedom to decide how they live their lives. Conference calls for a fair deal with five key themes: A. A fair, prosperous and innovative economy that promotes opportunity and wellbeing. B. Fair access to good public services and a strong social safety net. C. A flourishing environment, with fair access to nature for all. D. A strong United Kingdom and a fair international order. E. A truly fair democracy, where everyone?s rights are respected and individuals and communities are empowered. Conference therefore endorses policy paper 153, For A Fair Deal, as the basis for constructing the party?s manifesto for the next general election, and welcomes its key commitments to: 1. Invest in renewable power and home insulation, to drive a strong economic recovery, bring down energy bills and create clean, secure, well-paid new jobs. 2. Give everyone a new right to see their GP within seven days, or 24 hours if it?s urgent, with the extra doctors needed to make it happen. 3. Hold big companies to account by giving them a duty to protect the environment, including banning water companies from dumping raw sewage into rivers, lakes and coastal areas. 4. Immediately fix our broken relationship with Europe, forge a new partnership built on cooperation, not confrontation, and move to conclude a new comprehensive agreement which removes as many barriers to trade as possible. 5. Introduce proportional representation for electing MPs, and local councillors in England. 6. Build a strong, fair economy that benefits everyone in the UK, through investment in infrastructure, innovation and skills, fair taxes and responsible management of the public finances. 7. Ensure that everyone can get the care they need by recruiting, training and retaining more doctors and nurses, reforming NHS dentistry, and fixing the crisis in social care. 8. Invest in education, from early years throughout adulthood, and give every child the support and attention they need to flourish at school. 9. Repair the broken benefits safety net and set a target of ending deep poverty within a decade. 10. Restore proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and focused on preventing and solving crimes. 11. Mend our broken politics by strengthening democratic rights and participation and ensuring that Ministers are held to account for corruption and sleaze. 12. Empower local communities and regions to take the action they need to improve their areas and ensure that everyone has access to housing that meets their needs. 13. Champion the freedom, dignity and well-being of every individual, and resist any attempts to weaken or repeal the UK's Human Rights Act. 14. Ensure that the UK stands tall on the world stage, championing the values of equality, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, restoring the UK?s reputation as an international development superpower, and fixing the UK?s broken relationship with Europe following the four- step roadmap set out in policy paper 144, Rebuilding Trade and Cooperation with Europe. Applicability: Federal; except 2 and 3. (lines 70?76),ÿ?and local councillors in England? in 5. (line 82), 7 and 8 (lines 87?92), 10 (lines 95?97) and 12 (lines 101?103), which are England only. Mover and summation: 16 minutes combined; movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Sunday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Saturday 23 September; see page 109. In addition to speeches from the platform, voting members will be able to make concise (maximum one minute) interventions from the floor during the debate on the motion. See pages 109 and 111 further information.ÿ 16.25 Speech Chair: ÿWendy Chamberlain MP (Deputy Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats). Aide: Cllr Simon McGrath.ÿ F24 Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP (Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats) 16.40 Policy motion Chair: Sam Barratt. Aide: Alison Jenner. Hall Aide: Alison Rouse. F25 Protecting our Neighbourhoods: A Return to Community Policingÿ 11 members Mover: Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM. Summation: Cllr Paul Kohler. Conference believes that:ÿ i) Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home and walking down their own streets. ii) High rates of unsolved crimes embolden criminals, making them feel like they can get away with it.ÿ iii) Public trust in the police is essential for policing by consent, and feeling confident that the police will respond to and properly investigate local crime is key for building that trust.ÿ Conference notes with grave concern that under the Conservative Government, police resources have not been used effectively ? and as a result, frontline policing across the country has been left over-stretched, under-resourced, and unable to properly focus on local crime.ÿ Conference further notes that:ÿ a) An average of 5,700 crimes went unsolved across England and Wales every day in 2022, with only 5.6% of crimes leading to a suspect being charged or summoned.ÿ b) The vast majority of burglaries go unsolved, while more than 45,000 burglaries were not even attended by an officer last year.ÿ c) 56% of people reported to never see police on foot patrols in their neighbourhoods as of February 2023, despite the Government achieving the 20,000 officer uplift.ÿ d) As of 2022, only 12% of officers across England and Wales were assigned to frontline neighbourhood police teams. e) More than 4,000 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) have been taken off the streets by the Conservative Government since 2015.ÿ f) Over œ100 million has been spent to run Police and Crime Commissioners? offices since 2019, despite little evidence they have made the police more accountable to local communities.ÿ g) A recent report from His Majesty?s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) highlighted that police services are overwhelmed and under-equipped to deal with digital forensics.ÿ h) Revelations uncovered by the Baroness Casey report, difficult-to-implement and draconian new anti-protest laws, as well as statistics on minority ethnic communities being disproportionately targeted by police stop and searches, have understandably eroded public trust in the police. Conference therefore calls on the Government to:ÿ 1. Enable and encourage local forces to restore proper community policing, where officers have the time and resources they need to focus on preventing and solving crime.ÿ 2. Work with police services to determine what tasks are using disproportionate amounts of police officers? time, and how those processes could be streamlined so that police can spend more time in their communities.ÿ 3. Set up a new national Online Crime Agency, to better protect people from online crime while freeing up local forces? time to tackle local crime. 4. Create a new statutory guarantee that all burglaries will be attended by the police and properly investigated.ÿ 5. Scrap Police and Crime Commissioners and replace them with Police Boards ? made up of local councillors and representatives from relevant local groups ? while investing the savings in frontline policing instead.ÿ 6. Urgently draw up a national recruitment, training and retention strategy to tackle the shortage of detectives. 7. Require the Home Secretary, the Mayor of London and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to draw up an urgent plan to implement the recommendations of the Baroness Casey Review including on revamping vetting and misconduct procedures, while encouraging other police forces to implement those recommendations where appropriate. 8. Help rebuild public trust in policing by ending the disproportionate use of Stop and Search, repealing the Public Order Act 2023 and improving access to restorative justice services. 9. Introduce mandatory training for police in understanding the impact of trauma on victims of violence against women and girls, so that victims can be better supported and women?s trust in the police can start to be rebuilt.ÿ 10. Make youth diversion a statutory duty so that every part of the country has a pre-charge diversion scheme for young people up to the age of 25, ensuring better outcomes for young people and less strain on police resources. Applicability: England and Wales. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and mover and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Sunday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Saturday 23 September; see page 109. 17.30 Party businessÿÿ Chair: James Gurling. Aide: Paul McGarry: Hall Aide: Cllr Alex Wagner. F26 Standing order amendment: Limiting the Number of Constitutional Amendments and Standing Order Amendments that can be Discussed at Any One Conference Federal Conference Committee Mover: Duncan Brack. Summation: Cllr Nick da Costa (Chair, FCC). Conference notes that: A. Under current standing orders, Federal Conference Committee is required to place on the agenda constitutional and standing orders amendments that are in order under the criteria listed in standing order 4.3. B. Accordingly, significant amounts of time may have to be dedicated to debates on these matters regardless of the impact on other conference business. Conference believes that while it is essential that party members are always able to propose amendments to the constitution or standing orders, it would be desirable to limit the amount of time that can be spent on them in any one conference. Conference therefore agrees to the following amendments to standing order 4.3 (Motions for the amendment of the constitution or standing orders): 1. In (b), delete ?rejected? and insert ?selected for debate?. 2. Add at end: ?The Committee may decide to select no more than two constitutional or standing orders amendments for an autumn conference, and one for a spring conference. Where more than this number of constitutional or standing orders amendments have been submitted and determined to be in order, the Committee shall choose which to select.? The existing text of Conference standing orders is printed in this Agenda at pages 116?127. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion and for separate votes is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Sunday?s Conference Daily.ÿ Standing order amendments require a two-thirds majority to pass.ÿ 18.00 Close of session Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. Monday 25 September 09.00 Policy motion Chair: Cllr Hannah Kitching. Aide: Cllr Nick da Costa (Chair, FCC). Hall Aide: Baroness Pinnock. F27 Connecting Communities: Building a Transport Network Fit for the 21st Centuryÿ 10 members Mover: Wera Hobhouse MP (Spokesperson for Energy, Climate Change and Transport). Summation: Baroness Randerson (Lords Spokesperson for Transport). Conference notes with concern that: A. Road transport contributes the greatest proportion of UK emissions (24%). B. Bus fares across England have risen by 89% since 2005, while rail fares rose by 3.8% in 2022 and 5.9% in 2023 ? the biggest rise since 2012, meanwhile fuel duty has been frozen since 2010 and air passenger duty has been cut on internal flights.ÿ C. The government is committed to spending œ24 billion on new roads. D. Almost a quarter of bus routes have been cut in the last ten years outside London, while rail passenger levels have only just recovered to their pre-pandemic levels.ÿ E. Despite promises to establish Great British Railways (GBR) to manage the railway?s day-to-day operation the government is dragging its feet.ÿ F. Rail electrification is at a standstill, with just 101 miles (162.5 km) of track due to be electrified this year with new lines such East-West Rail not being electrified as standard.ÿ G. The government does not have a plan to replace the revenue from fuel taxes as more people buy electric vehicles. ÿ Conference believes that: i) Buses are one of the most accessible and affordable modes of public transport and are often relied upon by the very poorest as well as the old and the young. ii) Providing bus and rail links boosts local economies and enables people to access a wider range of local services. iii) Buses are the easiest form of public transport to introduce, improve and expand because they require minimal infrastructure investment, especially when compared to trains or trams. iv) Rapidly improving bus and rail services is essential if the UK is to reduce CO2 emissions and cut air pollution, but decarbonisation is happening far too slowly.ÿ v) The railways should be a green and environmentally friendly option for passengers and freight. vi) The rail ticketing system is outdated and does not reflect the needs of passengers in the 21st century. Conference reaffirms pledges in the Liberal Democrat 2019 manifesto to: a) Give new powers and funding to local authorities and communities to improve transport in their areas, including the ability to introduce network-wide ticketing, as in London. b) Support rural bus services and encourage alternatives to conventional bus services where they are not viable. c) Fix the railway?s broken fares and ticketing system so that it provides better value for money. d) Improve the experience of people who rely on the railways for work by investing in commuter routes and the integration of rail, bus and cycle routes and improve disabled access to public transport via the Access for All programme. e) Be far more proactive in sanctioning and ultimately sacking train operators if they fail to provide a high-quality public service to their customers. Conference calls on the Government to: 1. Temporarily maintain the œ2 cap on bus fares while fares are reviewed, includingÿensuring that bus operators and local authorities are not left out of pocket from bus fares, reviewing reimbursement rates for concessionary fares and that all fare revenue is reinvested in bus services. 2. Freeze rail fares until the end of the next parliament and introduce new incentive schemes to encourage people to travel by rail. 3. Give all local authorities greater powers and resources to franchise bus services and simplify the franchise application system and reverse the ban on local authorities setting up their own bus companies. 4. Extend half-fares on buses and trains to 18 year-olds, allowing them to continue receiving half-fares while still in full time education. 5. Introduce a ?Young Person?s Buscard?, similar to the Young Person?s Railcard, for 19 to 25 year olds giving them a third off bus fares. 6. Support the development of innovative rural schemes for bus services. 7. Urgently establish the new Great British Railways before the next election to act as a "guiding mind" for the railway, ensuring that the needs of passengers and freight are put first, while abolishing the rail regulator.ÿ 8. Ensure that new rail timetables are focused on passenger needs rather than the interests of the rail operating company, with an emphasis on connectivity between buses and trains.ÿ 9. Establish a ten-year plan for rail electrification to increase the number of passenger journeys covered by electric trains prioritising freight routes in the first five years to move more freight to rail. 10. Ensure all new railway lines are electrified as standard, including East West Rail.ÿ 11. Redirect the œ24 billion road building budget towards investing in public transport and funding councils to maintain existing roads, including repairing potholes.ÿ 12. Reverse the government cuts to the active travel budget and introduce a nationwide strategy to promote walking and cycling, including the creation of dedicated safe cycling lanes. 13. Explore a new system to replace revenue from fuel duty which is fair and based on how often people drive, while recognising the needs of rural and remote communities. Applicability: England only; except 7. (lines 79?82) and 13. (lines 100?102), which are Federal. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and mover and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110?111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Monday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Sunday 24 September; see page 109.ÿ 09.55 Policy motion Chair: Chris Adams. Aide: Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed. Hall Aide: Jennie Rigg. F28 Food and Farming (Food and Farming Policy Paper) Federal Policy Committee Mover: Tim Farron MP (Spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). Summation: Stuart Roberts (Chair of the Policy Working Group). Conferences believes that: I. It is a national disgrace that anyone is living in food poverty in the UK. II. Farming, fishing and rural communities have been let down and taken for granted by the Conservatives and deserve better. III. The current global food system is failing to serve the interests and needs of citizens, food producers, the environment and our climate. IV. The UK?s food security needs to be strengthened, with more sustainable domestic produce and reliable and trusted trading partners abroad. V. There is no trade off between the environment and food production, both can work together in harmony with the right investment and support.ÿ VI. A fair deal is needed for the UK?s food system, which works for the natural environment, our climate consumers and producers.ÿ Conference notes a string of Conservative failures on food and farming, particularly: A. The dramatic rise in food poverty over the past decade, especially among children. B. Their botched deal with Europe, that has strangled trade and investment in food, farming and fishing. C. Trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand, which have undermined both UK standards and the farmers who adhere to them. D. Their poor implementation of the Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) which has undermined farmers confidence in the future and undermined our natural environment.ÿ E. A series of failed immigration policies have deprived farmers and fishers of hard working and skilled labour.ÿ F. The dramatic rise in food prices since 2022, made worse by the Conservatives? incompetent handling of the economy.ÿ Conference also notes that in Scotland and Wales the SNP and the Labour Party have also let down our farmers and fishers, failing to use the powers of the devolved assemblies to properly support Scottish and Welsh fishers, farmers, producers, processors and crofters. Conference therefore endorses policy paper 154, Food and Farming, and its proposals for a comprehensive National Food Strategy, in particular: 1. End food poverty, and particularly child food poverty, within a decade by: a) Ending deep financial poverty, as set out in policy paper 150, Towards a Fairer Society. b) Extending free school meals to all children in primary education and to all secondary school children whose families receive Universal Credit, and automatically enrolling eligible children and funding schools properly to pay for this. c) Introducing a holistic and comprehensive strategy to provide everyone with nutritious and healthy food, through better education, industry reformulation and reforms to advertising. 2. Provide a fair deal for farmers and saving our natural environment by: a) Immediately raising the ELM budget by œ1bn, so that farmers are properly rewarded and supported to transition to environmentally sustainable farming. b) Fully funding and resourcing the Agricultural Development & Advisory Service (ADAS) so that it can provide all farmers with the support and training they need. c) Introducing a range of other public money for public goods programmes, contingent on farmers and land managers opting in to an ELM scheme. d) Introducing a comprehensive plan to tackle antimicrobial resistance in farm animals. e) Introducing a new Land and Sea Use Framework, to strategically manage our natural resources as set out in policy paper 155, Tackling the Nature Crisis. 3. Strengthen UK food security and tackling food price rises by: a) Introducing a proper visa and seasonal worker system which allows our farmers and fishers to get access to the workforce they need. b) Sustainably increasing domestic food production by providing our farmers with investment, training and support. c) Working with and rewarding farmers to reduce the use of costly imported and environmentally harmful artificial fertilisers and pesticides. d) Developing a comprehensive land use and horticulture strategy to effectively manage the competing demands on land. 4. Allow our farmers and fishers to trade freely with Europe and tackle food price rises by: a) Signing a veterinary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU as soon as possible. b) Mutual recognition and alignment on standards and quality.ÿ c) Rebuilding trust and cooperation with Europe by following the four-stage roadmap as set out in policy paper 144, Rebuilding Trade and Cooperation with Europe. 5. Prevent the undercutting of UK farmers and fishers in international trade deals by: a) Mandating proper democratic scrutiny and accountability in trade deals. b) Ensuring all imports meet UK environmental, climate and animal welfare standards. c) Renegotiating the Australia and New Zealand Free Trade Agreements so that farmers get a fair deal and ensuring that in our future deals, UK standards are upheld. 6. Put the world?s food system on a sustainable footing by restoring the International Development budget and using the money to invest and support sustainable farming overseas.ÿ 7. Put the UK at the forefront of food and farming innovation by introducing a Research and Innovation Fund to support new and emerging technologies in the sector.ÿ 8. Give everyone confidence in the security and safety of the food they buy by: a) Providing local authorities with greater powers and resources to inspect and monitor food production. b) Ensuring all food meets UK standards for health, and ensure goods are properly checked where necessary.ÿ c) Introducing robust and clear to understand food labelling.ÿ Applicability: England only; except 3. a) (lines 76?78) and 4., 5. and 6. (lines 88?111), which are Federal. Mover and summation: 16 minutes combined; movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Monday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Sunday 24 September; see page 109. In addition to speeches from the platform, voting members will be able to make concise (maximum one minute) interventions from the floor during the debate on the motion. See pages 109 and 111 further information.ÿ 11.05 Speech Chair: Layla Moran MP (Spokesperson for ForeignÿAffairs and International Development). Aide: Cllr Nick da Costa (Chair, FCC). F29 Kira Rudik (Leader of Holos, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament and Vice President of ALDE) 11.20 Lunch break and fringeÿ Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. 14.10 Policy motion Chair: Alison Jenner. Aide: Chris Maines. Hall Aide: Cllr Hannah Kitching. F30 Scrap the Voter ID Schemeÿ 10 members Mover: Helen Morgan MP (Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government). Summation: Baroness Pinnock (Lords Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government). Conference notes that: A. The Conservative Government has introduced a new law requiring voters to show photo ID in order to vote in: ii) General elections, parliamentary by-elections and recall petitions across the UK. iii) Local elections and referendums in England. iv) Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales. B. The crime of personation ? pretending to be someone else in order to vote ? is incredibly rare: in the May 2022 elections, there were just seven allegations of personation in polling stations and in none of those cases was there enough evidence for further action by the police. C. The Cabinet Office estimates that implementing the voter ID scheme will cost the taxpayer approximately œ120 million over the next decade. D. Jacob Rees-Mogg, who was a Cabinet Minister when the voter ID law was introduced, has described it as an attempt to ?gerrymander? elections in the Conservatives? favour. E. The Electoral Commission?s analysis of the May 2023 local elections ? the first elections with the voter ID law in force ? found that: i) At least 0.25% of people who tried to vote(approximately 14,000 people) were denied a vote because they could not show an accepted form of ID; in a general election that would be the equivalent of around 80,000 people. ii) Around 4% of all non-voters said they didn?t vote because of the voter ID requirement. Conference believes that the Conservatives? voter ID scheme is expensive, unnecessary and undemocratic, robbing thousands of people of their right to vote in elections and hold those in power to account. Conference further notes that: 1. The Liberal Democrats in both the House of Commons and the Lords consistently led opposition to the introduction of the voter ID law. 2. Helen Morgan MP has tabled the Elections (Voter Identification Requirements) Bill, which would scrap the voter ID scheme. Conference calls on the Government to repeal the voter ID law by supporting Helen Morgan?s Bill and making government time available for it to pass both Houses of Parliament as soon as possible. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Monday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Sunday 24 September; see page 109.ÿ 14.40 Policy motion Chair: Cllr Nick da Costa (Chair, FCC). Aide: Eleanor Kelly. Hall Aide: Cllr Darryl Smalley. F31 Tackling the Housing Crisis (Homes and Planning Policy Paper) Federal Policy Committee Mover: Helen Morgan MP (Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government). Summation: Cllr Peter Thornton (Chair of the Policy Working Group). Conference believes that: I. England?s housing market is profoundly unfair, with a secure home become increasingly impossible for millions of people, especially the young, less well-off and ethnic minorities. II. Successive governments have pursued policies to benefit homeowners, without considering the impact on those without property.ÿ III. A secure home is a fundamental right that all people should have. IV. A fair deal is needed for housing, which provides for the needs of everyone, not just homeowners and meets the aspirations of millions of younger people and the less well-off to have the security that older generations and the wealthy enjoy. Conference condemns a string of Conservative failures on housing, which has created England?s housing crisis, including: A. The 2015 promise to build 200,000 starter homes by 2020, none of which were built. B. The failure to build replacement council houses for those lost under Right to Buy. C. Only 21 of the 59 recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry have been incorporated into the law and the delayed decision over cladding, which has left millions of people in mental anguish and uncertain finances unnecessarily. D. Conservative MPs voting against proposals to ensure that rental properties are ?fit for human habitation? in 2017. E. ?Help to Buy?, condemned by the IMF, Mervyn King, the Institute of Directors and the Office for Budget Responsibility as ineffective and costing œ21bn by Q2 2021.ÿ F. The proposed introduction of Right to Buy for housing association properties, which would further reduce the availability of social housing. G. The promised reform of leasehold rules, which have failed to materialiseÿ H. The promised abolition of unfair evictions in 2019 which is yet to be delivered. Conference calls for a Fair Deal for housing, one which meets the aspirations of young people to own a home, provides affordable and secure social housing for the less well off, gives those in the private rental sector the stability and security that they need to live fulfilling lives and helps the UK meet its climate change goals.ÿ Conference believes that a national housing target for private sector homes will not deliver this Fair Deal, as: i) The quantity, location, tenure and size of homes built by the private sector will be determined by market conditions and profitability to developers, not the needs of the population. ii) There are significant regional and local variations in housing problems and prices, which a one size-fits-all approach would not resolve.ÿ iii) There is no incentive built into targets for developers to use Modern Methods of Construction, but the building of 380,000 homes per year using traditional methods would make it impossible for the UK to meet its net-zero obligations. Conference therefore endorses policy paper 155, Tackling the Housing Crisis, and in particular its proposals to improve housing in England by: 1. Building 150,000 social homes a year, including council houses, by the end of the next parliament. 2. Introducing a new approach to housing targets, with robust, independently-assessed local housing targets that are appropriate for the specific areas? needs, including expected population changes. 3. Introducing binding targets for affordable and social housing set by the local authority, who would be allowed to build their own social and affordable housing to meet their targets, using borrowing to do so. 4. Building ten new garden cities to tackle the housing crisis. 5. Introducing a package of measures to tackle the climate crisis including: a) Higher minimum standards for new builds. b) Insulating all Britain?s homes to the highest possible EPC standard in ten years. c) Creating locally designed and implemented Environmental Improvement Areas.ÿ 6. Ensuring that all development has appropriate infrastructure, services and amenities in place, including, through integrating infrastructure and public service delivering into the planning process.ÿÿ 7. Abolishing residential leaseholds and cap ground rents to a nominal fee, so that everyone has control over their property. 8. Ensuring a fair deal for renters by: a) Introducing a national register and minimum standards for landlords. b) Extending the default tenancy to 3 years. c) Introducing rent smoothing for the first 3 years of a tenancy.ÿ d) Abolishing all eviction except where a tenant has been proven to be breaking the terms of the rental agreement.ÿ 9. Managing the impact of second homes and holiday lets by: a) Giving local authorities new powers to control second homes and holiday lets including new planning classes. b) Requiring second homeowners, holiday lets and investment property to pay their fair share of tax. 10. Ensuring our construction sector is on a sustainable footing by investing in skills, training and new technologies such as Modern Methods of Construction. 11. Encouraging meaningful community engagement in the planning process by: a) Legally requiring developers and councils to seek the views of underrepresented groups. b) Expanding Neighbourhood Planning across England. c) Encouraging councils to develop innovative methods of democratic engagement in the Local Plan process. 12. Creating a fairer market in land by: a) Reforming the Land Compensation Act so public infrastructure and housing can be delivered at a fair price. b) Extending the Commercial Landowner Levy to land that has planning permission. c) Ensuring full transparency in the market for developable land. Applicability: England only; except 5. b) (lines 74-75), which is Federal. Mover and summation: 16 minutes combined; movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Monday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Sunday 24 September; see page 109. In addition to speeches from the platform, voting members will be able to make concise (maximum one minute) interventions from the floor during the debate on the motion. See pages 109 and 111 further information.ÿ 16.10 Speech Chair: Baroness Brinton. Aide: Cllr Darryl Smalley. ÿ F32 Wendy Chamberlain MP (Commons Chief Whip and Spokesperson forÿWork and Pensions) 16.25 Policy motion Chair: Professor Belinda Brooks-Gordon. Aide: Cllr Nick da Costa (Chair, FCC). Hall Aide: Paul McGarry. F33 Standing with Ukraine Twickenham & Richmondÿ Mover: Richard Foord MP (Spokesperson for Defence). Summation: Sarah Olney MP (Spokesperson for Treasury, Business and Industrial Strategy). Conference notes the rapidly changing situation in Ukraine, including: I. The courage shown by Ukrainians in defending their country since Russia?s illegal full-scale invasion in February 2022. II. Ukraine has ? at the time of drafting ? liberated more than half of the territory Russia seized since the beginning of the invasion. III. Russia?s near-victory in Bakhmut and its intensive manufacturing of new assets, its deployment of Iranian drones ? necessitating urgent additional support for Ukraine from allies. IV. President Biden?s decision to permit the transfer of F16 jets to Ukraine, with Ukrainian pilots due to be trained in the UK. Conference further notes: i) The potential threat that Putin?s warmongering poses to Europe?s future security unless Russia is resisted. ii) Finland?s full accession to NATO in April 2023, with Sweden also in the process of joining the organisation. iii) Concerns about the potential for Russia to foment crises in Moldova, in the annexed territory of Transnistria, as well as potential difficulties arising for NATO in the Western Balkans. iv) The role of the Wagner Group in Bakhmut and the UK Government?s failure to proscribe the Group as a terrorist organisation. v) The request by Ukraine for the formation of a Special Tribunal to prosecute Russia for the crime of aggression and the work of a Core Group of countries to advocate for a hybrid Tribunal. vi) The UK Government?s failure to take sufficient action to deal with Russian dirty money in the UK, including their refusal to publish the full golden visas review. vii) The effect of Russia?s invasion on the cost-of-living crisis in the UK. Conference believes that: A. The defence of freedom, human rights and the rule of law lie at the heart of liberal values. B. This conflict will determine our security, freedom and democracy in Europe, and Europe?s standing on the world stage. Conference therefore reaffirms the Liberal Democrats? commitment to forcefully stand up to Putin, alongside Ukraine and Ukraine?s international partners, in defence of liberal values, and accordingly calls on the UK Government to: 1. Do all it realistically can, in view of Putin?s brazen actions, to help arm Ukraine, including with longer-range precision weapons, as well as provide regular materiel, humanitarian equipment, medical supplies and the training it needs to defeat Russia. 2. Continue to strengthen the supply of British arms and ammunition to Ukraine, and work with our allies to boost the supplies coming from the EU and the USA ? including to replenish the UK?s and allies? stockpiles. 3. Proscribe the Wagner Group as a terrorist organisation. 4. Strive to establish formal cooperation mechanisms on foreign and security issues with the EU and NATO, including through the Kyiv Security Compact. 5. Lead calls amongst Ukraine?s allies for the setting up of a Special Tribunal to prosecute alleged perpetrators of the crime of aggression. 6. Take further action to stop the flow of dirty Russian money through the UK, including: a) Wider use of Magnitsky sanctions to target relatives who have had wealth transferred to them in an attempt to dodge sanctions. b) Strengthening economic crime legislation to remove loopholes exploited by oligarchs such as those in the Register of Beneficial Ownership. c) Significantly increase funding to economic crime-fighting organisations like the National Crime Agency, d) empowering them to seize Russian assets which can be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine. e) Releasing the full golden visas report. 7. Restore the 0.7% of GNI target for international development spending, to ensure that humanitarian aid which the UK supplies to Ukraine is not at the cost of cutting aid spending in other countries. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and mover and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ To take account of the rapidly changing situation in Ukraine, the deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Thursday 21 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Saturday's and Monday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Sunday 24 September; see page 109.ÿ 17.10 Party business Chair: Chris Adams. Aide: Baroness Pinnock. Hall Aide: Eleanor Kelly. F34 Standing order amendment: Speaker Card Selectionÿ 11 members Mover: David Barnsdale. Summation: To be announced. Conference believes that: 1. There can be no genuine and meaningful debate unless opposing viewpoints are heard, even if one side may appear to be in a small minority. 2. Genuine, balanced debate is desirable in that it can bring forward ideas and arguments that participants have not previously considered, may identify major flaws in a motion and should result in better decision-making. Conference resolves to amend standing order 8.7 as follows: Delete: ?The Chair shall be responsible for the choice of the speakers and shall attempt to provide a balanced debate between the different viewpoints in the conference, but may announce a departure from this rule if there is an overwhelming preponderance of members wishing to speak on the same side?. and insert:ÿ?The Chair shall be responsible for the choice of the speakers and shall attempt to provide a balanced debate between the different viewpoints in the conference reflected in the number of speaker cards submitted, but may, at their discretion, depart from strict proportionality in favour of the minority if it seems that to do so would ensure that conference is sufficiently informed about the issues involved to make a decision. In assessing the number of speakers allocated to each side the proposer and summation will count as part of the allocation for those speaking for the motion or amendment. The Chair shall ensure that there is at least one speaker for the motion and at least one speaker against the motion and the same for each amendment, provided there are members who are willing and able to speak. After the motion and all amendments have been proposed, speakers against the motion and each amendment shall be called next unless there are no members wishing to speak in opposition. At the end of the debate, but before voting starts, the Chair shall announce the balance of cards submitted for and against the motion and each amendment?. The existing text of Conference standing orders is printed in this Agenda at pages 116?127. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Monday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Sunday 24 September; see page 109. Standing order amendments require a two-thirds majority to pass.ÿ 17.35 Party business Chair: Cllr Jon Ball. Aide: Duncan Brack. Hall Aide: Alison Jenner. F35 Membership Subscriptions and Federal Levy Federal Board Mover: Mike Cox (Party Treasurer). Summation: Dr Mark Pack (President of the Liberal Democrats). Conference agrees: 1. To continue to freeze the existing minimum membership rates (œ15 for new members, œ12 for members from before 2022). 2. To continue to freeze the œ6 minimum for those in receipt of or entitled to state benefits, and the œ6 minimum for members paying via Young Liberals. 3. To drop the recommended membership rate, as this is no longer used in our membership work (for example, people are encouraged to pay more by reference to the average membership subscription, not the recommended rate). 4. That nothing in this motion shall prevent a State Party from setting via their internal procedures higher recommended or minimum subscription rates or from introducing additional concessionary rates. 5. That the Federal Levy remains at 55 per cent. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Monday?s Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Sunday 24 September; see page 109. 18.00 Close of session Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. Tuesday 26 September 09.00 Emergency motions or topical issue discussions F36 Emergency motion or topical issue discussion Chair: Jenni Lang. Aide: Alison Jenner. Hall Aide: Cllr Nick da Costa (Chair, FCC). This slot has been reserved for the debate of an emergency motion or discussion of a topical issue. The deadline for emergency motions and for suggestions for topical issues is 13.00 Monday 11 September. The motions for selection by ballot will be printed in Saturday?s Conference Daily. The emergency motions ballot will be held electronically. Members of conference will receive a ballot by email at 17.00 on Friday 22 September and should complete it online by 17.00 on Saturday 23 September. See page 112 and 114. 09.45 Policy motion Chair: Alison Rouse. Aide: Chris Adams. Hall Aide: Professor Belinda Brooks-Gordon. F37 A Child Maintenance Service That Works For Children 10 members Mover: Wendy Chamberlain MP (Spokesperson for Work and Pensions). Summation: Lord Palmer (Lords Spokesperson for Work and Pensions). Conference notes with concern that: I. Around half of children in separated families ? 1.8 million children ? continue to receive no support from their non-resident parent. II. The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee found that unpaid maintenance owed to parents on Collect & Pay, the service operated by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to distribute payments, is set to rise to œ1 billion by March 2031. III. The National Audit Office review into the CMS in March 2022 stated that the work of the CMS has ?not, so far, increased the number of effective child maintenance arrangements across society?.ÿ IV. The DWP upholds more complaints for every 1,000 customers on child maintenance than any other area. V. Withholding or artificially reducing child maintenance payments is being used as a form of economic abuse and that some survivors find it especially difficult to obtain the evidence necessary to get the Child Maintenance Service to increase the amount their abuser has to pay. Conference believes that: A. Every child has a legal right to be supported financially by both their parents and that child maintenance payments are vital for the well-being of children from separated families, particularly single parent families. B. For survivors of domestic abuse, using the statutory child maintenance system is not a matter of choice, it is a matter of safety. C. Service charges for the Collect & Pay service are unfair and penalise the parent receiving funds for the unwillingness of the other parent to pay.ÿ D. The Government has little strategy to improve the Child Maintenance Service and seems incapable of retrieving payments from parents that refuse to pay. E. The formula used to determine maintenance payments does not accurately reflect the true cost of raising a child. Conference calls for: 1. A full review and reform of the Child Maintenance Service to ensure it works for all children and parents. 2. The removal of the 4% charge for receiving parents using the Collect and Pay service as well as the initial œ20 charge to be enrolled onto Collect and Pay. 3. A review of the formula used to determine maintenance payments to better reflect parents' circumstances, such as the age of their children and their differing needs. 4. Guidance on child maintenance payments to survivors of domestic abuse to be written into law, including direction on extracting payment from those using payments as a form of ongoing coercive control. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Tuesday's Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Monday 25 September; see page 109. 10.15 Party business Chair: Cllr Jon Ball (Vice Chair, FCC). Aide: Sam Barratt. Hall Aide: Duncan Brack. F38 Federal Board Report: questions and accountability Mover: Dr Mark Pack (President of the Liberal Democrats). At F38, in addition to voting on the Board?s Report, Conference will be asked to vote on the membership of the Federal Appeals Panel.ÿ The report sessions are the chance for party members to hear how the party is being run and to put questions directly to the Party President and other movers of reports. The deadline for questions for F38?43 is 13.00 Monday 11 September. Questions selected will be published in the Conference Extra and Tuesday?s Conference Daily. These questions will be guaranteed an answer, either in the session or in writing thereafter. Questions may also be submitted up until 09.15 Tuesday 26 September; such questions are only taken at the discretion of the chair. See page 113 for further information. F39 Campaign for Gender Balance Report: questions and accountability Mover: Cllr Julia Cambridge (Vice Chair, Campaign for Gender Balance).ÿ See notes to F38. F40 Federal Communications and Elections Committee Report: questions and accountabilityÿ Mover: Baroness Pinnock (Chair, Federal Communications and Elections Committee). See notes to F38. F41 Federal International Relations Committee Report: questions andÿaccountabilityÿ Mover: David Chalmers (Chair, Federal International Relations Committee). See notes to F38. F42 Federal Council Report: questions and accountabilityÿ Mover: Cllr Antony Hook (Chair, Federal Council). See notes to F38. 11.10 Party business F43 Report of the Vice President, responsible for working with ethnic minority communities: questions and accountability Mover: Amna Ahmad (Vice President of the Liberal Democrats responsible for working with ethnic minority communities). See notes to F38. 10.20?11.20 Consultative sessionÿ General Election Manifesto Tregonwell Hall, Bournemouth International Centre. Chair: Lord Newby. 11.25 Policy motion Chair: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). Aide: Eleanor Kelly. Hall Aide: Sam Barratt.ÿ F44 Tackling the Nature Crisis (Natural Environment Policy Paper) Federal Policy Committee Mover: Baroness Parminter.ÿ Summation: Richard Benwell (Chair of the Policy Working Group). Conferences notes with concern that: A. The UK has lost nearly half of its biodiversity since the Industrial Revolution and is ranked in the bottom 10% in the world and the worst among G7 nations for biodiversity. B. The Conservative Government has missed its 2020 target for 50% of Sites of Special Scientific Interest to be in favourable condition and for UK seas to meet Good Environmental Status. C. The Conservative Government is set to miss its target for 75% of rivers and streams to be in good condition by 2027, with just 14% of surface waters in good ecological condition in England and 0% in good overall condition. D. There has been a global decline of 68% in animal population sizes since 1970. E. The climate emergency and the ecological emergencies are intrinsically linked, and that there has been insufficient action in the UK and globally to tackle the climate emergency. Conference recognises that the ecological emergency is one of the greatest threats to life on Earth, and to people?s health, wellbeing and prosperity, and without urgent and effective action domestically and internationally nature and human life will be put in serious jeopardy. Conference also believes that the Liberal Democrats are the only party that understands the scale of the challenge, and has the right solutions to deliver a vibrant and thriving natural world with clean rivers, seas, lakes and air that will safeguard the wellbeing of present and future generations.ÿ Conference therefore endorses policy paper 156, Tackling the Nature Crisis, in particular its proposals to: 1. Reverse the decline of nature by 2030 and double nature by 2050 by: a) Increasing the protected area network from 8% of the land to at least 16%.ÿ b) Doubling the area of the most important wildlife habitats across England. c) Doubling the abundance of species in the UK from the current baseline. 2. Introduce a ?Right to Nature?, which would include: a) A new Environmental Rights Act, which would recognise everyone?s human right to a healthy environment and guarantee access to environmental justice.ÿ b) Establishing a new Open Environment Standard. c) Introducing a Duty of Care for businesses to protect the environment. 3. Reduce the UK?s environmental impact globally by: a) Mandating disclosure of impacts on nature in major financial and business sectors. b) Upholding the highest environmental standards in our trade deals. c) Aligning with the EU?s rules at a minimum and rejoining the EU REACH programme and the European Chemical Agency. 4. Manage our land for nature by: a) Providing a fair deal for farmers with a long-term funding guarantee, based on public money for public goods, to pay for a shift to a wildlife-friendly, high welfare, climate-positive and economically thriving farming sector. b) Establishing a new Environmental Markets Authority, setting standards to ensure all markets work for nature and climate, and eliminating greenwash. c) Introducing a strategic Land and Sea Use Framework to effectively balance competing demands on our land and oceans. d) Introducing a new Sustainable Land Standard. 5. Manage our seas for nature by: a) Reforming marine spatial planning to deliver a new, integrated approach, focused on sustainability. b) Reforming the fishing quota allocation system to reward the most sustainable fleet, and ensure all catch limits are set at sustainable levels. c) Putting in place effective management rules, to support the ecology of each protected area, including a ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas. d) Ensuring at least 30% of our seas will be fully or highly protected by 2030. 6. Manage our lakes, rivers and streams for nature by: a) Taking urgent measures, including mandating major infrastructure upgrades in the sewage system and implementing natural catchment solutions, to end sewage pollution, prevent harmful run-off from agriculture, and ensure developments do not add to the pollution burden on our precious freshwaters. b) Introducing nutrient budgeting in English catchments, requiring projects in vulnerable areas to demonstrate ?nutrient negativity? before they proceed. c) Setting new ?blue flag? standard and introducing a ?blue corridor? programme for rivers, streams and lakes to ensure clean, healthy water.ÿ d) Abolishing Ofwat and replacing it with a regulator with real and meaningful powers. 7. Make the economy and government work for nature by: a) Delivering an Environment and Wellbeing Budget, introducing a new fiscal rule to ensure that tax and spending plans are sustainable and implementing a green finance plan. b) Undertaking regular systematic reviews to ensure that green taxes and spending make up an increasing proportion of the overall fiscal picture. c) Increasing the tax reliefs offered for greener choices and phase out subsidies for polluting industries. d) Ensuring that the twin purposes of nature?s recovery and climate stability are written into the guiding statutory purposes of all relevant public bodies. 8. Reduce the UK?s resource consumption by: a) Embedding circular economy principles to reduce use of raw materials and minimise pollution at home and abroad. b) Ensuring the right incentives are in place to cut back on waste and overconsumption, including comprehensive deposit return schemes and Extended Producer Responsibility.ÿ c) Introducing standards for repairability, interoperability, sustainable construction and reusability.ÿ 9. Make planning work for nature by: a) Reforming the planning system to make environmental improvement and quality of life explicit purposes of planning. b) Improving biodiversity net gain requirements by increasing the length of time that net gain habitat must be maintained from 30 years to 120 years and increasing the net gain requirement for major developments from 10% in smaller sites up to 100% in larger greenfield sites. c) Empowering Local Nature Recovery Strategies to identify a new Wild Belt for nature?s recovery. d) Completing our Nature Recovery Network by strengthening and completing the network of England?s environmental protected areas and improving the management and funding of AONBs and National Parks for nature. 10. Tackle the climate emergency by: a) Mapping out the areas that are most important for nature and climate and extend planning protection and investment to those areas. b) Setting new standards, including a Blue Carbon Standard and a Soils Carbon Standard. c) Protecting the UK?s most important carbon store with a complete ban on horticultural peat use, burning heather on peatlands, and restoring the peatlands that have been damaged. d) Doubling woodland cover by 2050. Applicability: England only; except 2. (lines 38?45), which is England and Wales; and 3. (lines 46?53) and 7. and 8. (lines 94?117), which are Federal. Mover and summation: 16 minutes combined; movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see pages 110-111.ÿ The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00 Monday 11 September; see page 114. Those selected for debate will be printed in Conference Extra and Tuesday's Conference Daily. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.00 on Monday 25 September; see page 109. In addition to speeches from the platform, voting members will be able to make concise (maximum one minute) interventions from the floor during the debate on the motion. See pages 109 and 111 for further information.ÿ 12.35 Speech Chair: Baroness Pinnock. Aide: Chris Maines.ÿÿ F45 Cllr Lisa Smart (Parliamentary Candidate for Hazel Grove) 12.50 Lunch break and fringeÿ Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. 14.10 Party businessÿ Chair: Cllr Nick da Costa (Chair, FCC). Aide: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). Hall Aide: Cllr Jon Ball (Vice Chair, FCC). F46 Party Awards The Belinda Eyre-Brook Award: Given to recognise and celebrate the efforts of people working for our elected representatives in their local areas.ÿ The Dadabhai Naoroji Award:ÿPresented annually to the local Party that has done most to promote ethnic minority participants to elected office.ÿ The Harriet Smith Liberal Democrat Distinguished Service Award: Open to any Party Member never elected to public office recognised for outstanding commitment and service to the Party.ÿ The Patsy Calton Award:ÿAn award for exceptional women ranging from Councillors, to members, to Parliamentarians. The Penhaligon Award: Presented to the local party anywhere in the world which demonstrates the most impressive increase in membership and exemplary activities to deliver and involve members and supporters.ÿ The President?s Award: Open to any Party Member elected to public office and who has demonstrated excellence and commitment. 14.30 Speechÿÿ Chair: Cllr Nick da Costa (Chair, FCC). Aide: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). Hall Aide: Cllr Jon Ball (Vice Chair, FCC). F47 Sir Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democratsÿ 15.30 Close of conferenceÿ Agenda information See the Conference Directory for general conference and access information. Debates and votes at conference Debates on policy and business motions are at the heart of federal conference. It is through them that the party sets its policy and future direction. Unlike in other parties, Liberal Democrat members are sovereign, and what they decide really matters. The structure of debate on policy and business motions: Proposer of the motion speaks V Proposers of any amendments speak in turn V Speakers called on all sides of the debate with the chair seeking to ensure balance V Summators of amendments speak in turn V The summator of the motion speaks V The chair takes votes for and against the amendments and separate votes (if any) in turn V A vote will be taken on the motion as a whole Interventions: concise (one minute) speeches made from the intervention microphone(s) on the floor of the auditorium, during debates where it is indicated in the Agenda. Amendments: all motions except emergency motions are open to amendment; amendments accepted will be published in Conference Daily. Voting: decisions on most motions and all amendments and separate votes are by simple majority of those voting (2/3 majority for constitutional amendments). To vote, voting members must show their voting badge whilst seated on the ground floor of the auditorium. Separate votes: a vote to delete or retain the specified words or section. A request for a separate vote may be submitted by any party member by the start of the first conference session on the day before the debate is scheduled, or by the deadline for emergency motions for debates scheduled for the first day of conference. A request for a separate vote should be submitted using the online form at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference_papers or in writing to the Speakers? Table in the auditorium. Counted vote: the chair of the session may decide that a vote needs to be counted. Any voting member may request a count from the floor; if fifty voting members stand and show their voting cards, a count will be taken. Communications with the chair and aide: the chair and aide team can be contacted at conference ? solely for formal communication on procedural motions and points of order, via the Speakers Desk or via the link: www.libdems.org.uk/procedural-motions Speaking and voting at conference Eligibility to speak and vote All party members attending in person are entitled to speak and vote in conference debates, providing they are attending conference as a party member (and not for example an exhibitor or observer). People registered for the online-only option are entitled to vote at conference. Party members fulfilling these criteria are known as ?voting members?. Length of speeches The length of speeches is shown against each motion in the Agenda. There are three lights on the speaker?s rostrum and visible either side of the stage. The green light comes on at the beginning of the speech. The amber light comes on 60 seconds before the end of the allowed time (20 seconds before the end of an intervention). The red light comes on when all the time is used up, and the speaker must stop immediately. Applying to speak To make a speech in a debate you must: complete a speaker?s card, collected from and returned to the Speakers? Table at the front of the auditorium, an auditorium steward or the Information Desk; or submit an electronic speaker?s card, from 18 September up to one hour before the start of the debate, online at: www.libdems.org.uk/speakers-card Completing a speaker?s card When completing a speaker?s card, remember: 1 Submit your card well in advance. The chair and aide team for the debate will meet well in advance to plan the debate ? sometimes the previous day. 2 Fill in your card completely. Complete the back of the card as well as the front. These sections are needed for the chair and aide to balance the debate, so they can call people with relevant experience and avoid a string of people making the same point. 3 Make sure it?s readable! Don?t fill every square centimetre of the card and write legibly ? the easier you make it for the chair and aide to read the card the more likely you will be called. Interventions To speak during interventions, voting members should complete an intervention form, collected from and returned to a steward in the auditorium. Speakers will be chosen by the chair of the session by random. Other conference sessions Emergency motions Emergency motions are debated and voted on and make formal party policy like other motions, but refer to a substantial development since the deadline for submission of motions. There is a slot for an emergency motion at F36 on Tuesday 26 September. The motions for selection by ballot will be printed in Saturday?s Conference Daily. The emergency motions ballot will be held electronically. Members of conference will receive a ballot by email at 17.00 on Friday 22 September and should complete it online by 17.00 on Saturday 23 September. Topical issue discussions The FCC may decide to use part of this slot for topical issue discussions. This will allow members and spokespeople to discuss and comment on a political issue live at the time of conference; they do not make party policy. Party members may submit suggested topics for a discussion, which will be considered by officers of the FCC and FPC. If a topical issue discussion is selected, it will be published in the relevant Conference Daily. Question & answer sessions Any voting member may submit a concise question (maximum 25 words) on any subject for the Leader?s Q&A (F22). Questions will be selected by the chair and the questioner will be able to ask their question via the interventions microphone. Questions may be submitted by 17.00 on the day before the session using the online form at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference_submissions Questions may also be submitted on a form collected from and returned to the Speakers? Table in the auditorium by 12.50 Sunday 24 September. Reports The reports of Federal Committees and Parliamentary Parties are printed in the separate reports document. Any voting member may submit concise questions on these reports. Questions may be submitted by 13.00 on 11 September using the online form at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference_submissions Questions received by the deadline above will be published in Conference Extra and are guaranteed a reply, in the session or in writing thereafter. Questions may also be submitted using the same online form until one hour before the start of the relevant session, but will only be called if time allows and at the discretion of the chair of the session. Submitting amendments, emergency motions, topical issues and appeals Amendments and emergency motions Amendments and emergency motions must be: signed by 10 party members; OR submitted by one or more of: a local party, state party, regional party in England, Federal Specified Associated Organisation or Federal Party Committee. And must be submitted by 13.00 on 11 September online at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference_submissions To take account of the rapidly changing situation in Ukraine, the deadline for amendments to F33, Standing with Ukraine, isÿ13.00 on Thursday 21 September. Submitters should include: For amendments ? a short explanation of the intended effect of the amendment. For emergency motions ? a short explanation of its emergency nature. Topical issues Suggestions for topical issues may be submitted by any party member by 13.00 on 11 September online at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference_submissions The title of the issue should be no more than ten words, and should not include an expression of opinion; please include full contact details of the submitter and up to 100 words explanatory background. Drafting advice Submitters are encouraged to use our drafting advice service: draft amendments and emergency motions should be submitted by 13.00 on 29 August online at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference_submissions Appeals If you wish to appeal the FCC?s decision not to select your emergency motion or amendment, follow these instructions. The appeal should come from the email address of the original contact for the motion,ÿbe no longer than one side of A4, and provide reasons why, in the opinion of the proposers, the expressed reasons for rejection are not valid, and any new information the FCC was unaware of when it made its decision. The original text of the motion and the letter of rejection should be appended. The email should also contain a contact name and telephone number. Appeals should be emailed by 13.00 on 21 September to: appeals@libdems.org.uk Standing Orders Glossary of terms Business motion A proposal to conduct the affairs of the Party in a particular way or to express an opinion on the way affairs have been conducted. Business amendment A proposal to change a business motion. Any such proposal should be significant, should be within the scope of the original motion and must not be a direct negative. Committee Throughout these standing orders, Committee means the Federal Conference Committee unless otherwise qualified. Constitutional amendment A proposal to change the constitution of the Party. Secondary constitutional amendment An amendment to a constitutional amendment. This must not introduce new material. Consultative session A meeting where selected areas of policy or strategy are considered in greater depth than is possible in full debates. Day visitor Someone who has paid the appropriate day visitor fee. Day visitors are not entitled to speak or vote in full sessions of conference. Emergency motion A proposal which relates to a specific recent development which occurred after the deadline for submission of motions. Emergency motions must be brief. Emergency amendment An amendment to a motion which relates to a specific event which occurred after the deadline for the submission of amendments. It must be brief and uncontentious. Full session Any part of the conference agenda during which debates, topical issue discussions or discussion of business, including formal reports, takes place. This specifically excludes formal speeches such as those by the Leader or Party Officers. Point of order A suggestion to the chair of a debate that the conduct of the debate, as laid down in the standing orders, has not been followed correctly. Policy motion A proposal to adopt a new policy or reaffirm an existing one. This includes motions accompanying policy papers. Policy amendment A proposal to change a policy motion. Any proposal should be of significant importance, should be within the scope of the original motion and must not be a direct negative. Policy paper A paper prepared by the Federal Policy Committee and submitted to conference for debate under the terms of Article 7.4 of the Federal Party constitution. Procedural motion A proposal that the conduct of a debate should be changed in a specific way. Procedural motions are: Move to next business A proposal that the conference should cease to consider an item of business and immediately move to the next item on the agenda. Reference back A proposal to refer a motion or amendment to a named body of the Party for further consideration. Request for a count A request to the chair that a specific vote be counted and recorded rather than decided on the chair?s assessment of a show of voting cards. Separate vote A request to the chair of a debate that a part or parts of a motion or amendment should be voted on separately. Suspension of standing orders A proposal to relax specific standing orders for a stated purpose. Special conference An additional meeting of the conference requisitioned by the Federal Board, Federal Policy Committee, conference itself or 2% of party members, in not fewer than 10% of local parties under the provisions of Article 6.3 of the Federal constitution. Standing order amendment A proposal to change these standing orders. Secondary standing order amendment An amendment to a standing order amendment. This must not introduce new material. Topical issue discussion A discussion on a policy issue of significant and topical relevance, conducted without a vote. Voting member A member attending conference who has satisfied the requirements for attendance and has paid the registration fee presently in force for party members as agreed by FCC, and who is not a day visitor [or observer]. Standing Orders for a conference held remotely A. In the event that the Federal Board determines it is impossible to hold a conference under the normal rules, and instead summons a special meeting of the conference to be held remotely, or the Committee otherwise directs that a conference shall be conducted remotely, these Standing Orders shall apply. B. A remote conference shall be conducted in accordance with the Standing Orders that apply to a conference not conducted remotely (?the original Standing Orders?), save that: i) All references in the original Standing Orders to votes, whether by ballot, show of hands or show of voting cards, shall instead be conducted via an online poll or alternative secure method of online voting, designated by the Committee; similarly all references to speakers cards shall be taken to mean electronic speakers? cards. ii) Any communications with the chair must be made via an online channel designated by the Committee for that purpose and advertised to voting members prior to the commencement of a debate. iii) In original Standing Order 6.2, the reference to the Chief Steward shall also include lead moderators designated by the Chief Steward. iv) Original Standing Order 8.7 shall apply save that the Committee may set a deadline in respect of any given full session for the receipt of electronic speakers? cards; the chair shall have discretion to accept electronic speakers? cards after the deadline. v) Original Standing Orders 9.1, 9.2, 11.5 and Procedural motion 3 (Request for a Count) in the Glossary of Terms, shall not apply; instead, voting members shall, when appropriate, be directed by the chair to vote using the online voting tool made available to them. Standing Order 2.3 shall not apply. vi) In original Standing Order 10.1, any voting member may signal to the chair via the designated online channel that they are moving a point of order, in lieu of rising in their place. vii) As, by necessity, all votes shall be counted votes, Standing Order 11.5 shall not apply; instead the chair shall ensure the result of the counted vote is publicised to members, via the appropriate online channel. Standing Orders for the Federal Conference 1. The Conference Agenda 1.1 What is on the agenda The agenda for each meeting of conference, other than a special conference, shall include time for: a) One or more consultative sessions; save that the Committee may decide not to hold any consultative sessions at a spring conference; b) A business session or sessions for the consideration of reports from the Parliamentary Parties as listed in Article 6.5 of the Federal Party?s Constitution, the Federal Board, the Federal Policy Committee, Federal Communications and Elections Committee, Federal International Relations Committee, Federal Council, and the Federal Conference Committee together with, when appropriate, reports from any other body the Committee considers appropriate, accounts, the annual report, a motion accompanying the proposed strategy of the party, business motions, constitutional amendments and standing order amendments; c) Policy motions (including motions accompanying policy papers); d) Emergency motions; e) Topical issue discussions; f) Any other business which the Committee thinks appropriate. The time to be allocated to each type of business and the order of that business shall be decided by the Committee provided that conference may decide not to take any particular item on the agenda. 1.2 Conference or council of state parties In addition, time before or after any meeting may be agreed with the relevant state party for a meeting of the conference or council of that party. 1.3 Right to submit agenda items a) Reports to conference may be submitted only by the bodies listed in paragraph 1.1(b). b) Business motions (including amendments and emergency business motions and amendments), constitutional amendments and secondary constitutional amendments, standing order amendments and secondary standing order amendments may be submitted by the Federal Board, Federal Policy Committee, Federal Council, state parties, regional parties in England, local parties, Affiliated Organisations and 10 party members. Business motions, standing order amendments and secondary standing order amendments may also be submitted by the Federal Conference Committee. c) Motions accompanying policy papers may only be submitted by the Federal Policy Committee. d) Policy motions (including amendments, emergency policy motions and amendments) may be submitted by the Federal Policy Committee, state parties, regional parties in England, local parties, Affiliated Organisations and 10 party members. e) The Parliamentary Party in the House of Commons may submit a motion relating to supporting a government containing members of the other parties, in accordance with Article 24 of the constitution. f) Proposals for topical issue discussions may be submitted by any party member. 1.4 How motions and amendments are submitted All motions and amendments must be submitted to the Committee. They must identify a person authorised to agree to their being composited or redrafted. The detail of methods of submission will be notified for each conference via the party website. 1.5 The deadlines by which motions, amendments, reports and questions to reports must be submitted The Committee shall specify: a) The closing date for the receipt of policy motions (including motions accompanying policy papers), business motions, constitutional amendments and amendments to standing orders, which shall be at least eight weeks before the start of conference. b) The closing date for the receipt of amendments to motions published in the Agenda and emergency motions, which shall be at least two days before the start of conference. c) The closing date for the submission of written reports from the bodies listed in paragraph 1.1(b), which will be set so as to enable their distribution with the Agenda. Any supplementary report submitted later than this deadline may only be tabled at conference with the permission of the Committee. d) The closing date for the submission of questions to any of the reports listed in the Agenda, which shall be the same as the deadline for emergency motions. Questions submitted by this deadline are guaranteed to be asked. e) Notwithstanding 1.5 (d), questions may always be submitted to any of the reports listed in the Agenda, by the end of the preceding morning (for report sessions taking place in the afternoon) or afternoon (for report sessions taking place in the morning). Any questions submitted by this deadline will only be taken at the discretion of the chair. f) The closing date for proposals for topical issue discussions, which shall be at least two days before the start of conference. 1.6 Notification of deadlines All dates specified under Standing Order 1.5 shall be publicised to party members and bodies entitled to submit motions. Publication in the party newspaper/ magazine and website may be treated as notice for this purpose. 1.7 Later deadlines in special circumstances In special circumstances the Committee may specify later dates than those indicated above. In particular, where developments which, in the opinion of the Committee, are of great importance have taken place after the closing date for emergency motions and questions to reports, the Committee may make time available for an additional emergency motion or for a statement to be made on behalf of the Party or for additional questions to be submitted to reports. 2. Consultative Sessions 2.1 The subjects for consultative sessions The subjects for debate at consultative sessions shall be chosen by the Committee on the advice of the Federal Policy Committee and, where appropriate, the Federal Board, and published in the Agenda. Two or more such sessions may be held simultaneously. 2.2 Speaking at consultative sessions Any member of the Party may be called to speak at a consultative session and, with the approval of the chair, non-members with relevant expertise may also be called. 2.3 Voting at consultative sessions At the discretion of the chair a vote by show of hands may be taken to indicate the weight of opinion among members present on any issue that has been debated. 3. The Agenda 3.1 The shortlisting of motions The Committee shall draw up the Agenda and shall decide which of the motions duly submitted shall be included in it. The Committee may allocate time for one or more policy or business motions to be selected by ballot. Copies of motions not selected shall be available for inspection and will be supplied to any party member on payment of a copying charge and postage. 3.2 Motions for the amendment of the constitution or standing orders Save as detailed below in Standing Order 4.3, all proposed amendments to the constitution or standing orders must be selected for debate. 3.3 Balance between State and Federal policy debates The Committee shall, in drawing up the Agenda, have due regard to the balance of State and Federal policy debates and in particular shall as far as possible organise the agenda so that all matters which relate solely to one or more state parties but not all State Parties or the Federal Party shall be considered at either the beginning or the end of the conference. 4. Selection of Motions and Amendments 4.1 Compositing or otherwise altering motions In drawing up the Agenda the Committee shall seek to reflect the range of views in the Party as indicated by the motions and amendments submitted. The Committee may: a) Treat any severable part of a motion or amendment as a separate motion or amendment. b) Redraft a motion or amendment so as to improve expression, remove inaccuracy or superfluity or take account of new developments. c) Composite similar motions or amendments. 4.2 Selection of amendments The Committee shall decide which of the amendments duly submitted to each motion shall be selected. No amendment shall be selected if, in the opinion of the Committee it is insubstantial, outside the scope of the motion, or tantamount to a direct negative of the motion. 4.3 Motions for the amendment of the constitution or standing orders The Committee may refuse to select a motion for amendment of the constitution or standing orders if, in their opinion, it is: a) Similar in effect to another motion which has been selected for debate or ballot at the same meeting of conference. b) Similar in effect to a motion that has been rejected at either of the last two meetings of conference. c) In the case of amendments to the constitution, incomplete in that it leaves unamended some other part of the constitution which contradicts the meaning of the amendment. d) In the case of amendments to standing orders, incomplete in that it leaves unamended some other part of standing orders which contradicts the meaning of the amendment. e) Ambiguous. 4.4 Emergency motions The Committee may reject an emergency motion if: a) It is similar in effect to another motion that has been selected for debate or ballot. b) It is similar in effect to a subject chosen for a topical issue discussion. c) It is unclear as to its meaning or intent or is, in the opinion of the Committee, too poorly drafted to provide a sensible basis for debate. d) It falls outside the definition of emergency motions. No amendment shall be taken to any motion selected under this Standing Order. 4.5 Ballots for emergency motions All emergency motions, except those rejected under Standing Order 4.4, must be placed either on the agenda for debate or in a ballot for selection by Conference. The Committee may hold separate ballots to select which of a range of emergency policy motions and which of a range of emergency business motions to debate. If one or more ballots is held the Committee shall circulate the text of all balloted motions to the voting members as soon as practicable and shall specify a closing time for the ballot. Following the counting of any ballots the Committee shall decide how many motions shall be debated in the time available. 4.6 Emergency amendments The Committee shall have complete discretion whether to select emergency amendments for debate. 4.7 Topical issue discussions The choice of subjects for topical issue discussions shall be made by the Officers of the Committee in consultation with the Officers of the Federal Policy Committee. In choosing the subjects, the Officers shall have regard to the significance and topicality of the subjects proposed and whether they are likely to provoke a lively discussion. 5. Special Meetings 5.1 Timetabling of special meetings The Committee shall, as soon as practicable after the requisitioning of a special meeting of the conference, fix a date for the meeting, draw up the Agenda and, if appropriate, specify a date for the submission of amendments. The meeting shall deal only with the business stated in the notice of requisition save that the Committee may allow time for emergency motions and for business which is formal or, in its opinion, uncontentious. 5.2 Preferred timescales for special meetings In setting dates for the submission of motions and amendments and giving notice thereof and of the conference itself the Committee shall endeavour to follow the timescales laid down elsewhere in these standing orders but, where this is not practicable, the Committee shall set such dates as it sees fit. 6. Appeals 6.1 Appeals against rejection of motions The Committee shall provide written reasoning to the nominee of the proposers for the rejection of any motion or amendment. The proposers may appeal, in writing, to the next meeting of the Committee. Any such appeal shall provide reasons why, in the opinion of the proposers, the expressed reasons for rejection are not valid. If the appeal is allowed, the motion or amendment shall be treated as an emergency motion or amendment according to the stage of the agenda-setting process at which the appeal has been allowed. 6.2 Appeals against exclusion from conference Any person excluded from conference by a decision of the Chief Steward shall have the right of appeal to the Committee at the next of its regular meetings. The exclusion shall remain in force pending the appeal. 7. The Chair 7.1 Who chairs conference The President, if present, shall normally take the chair at the formal opening and closing of conference and when the Party Leader is making a formal speech from the platform. At all other sessions the chair shall be appointed by the Committee. Normally no person shall chair more than one session at any meeting. 7.2 The chair?s aide The Committee may appoint an aide or aides to assist the chair of each session. 8. Conduct of Debate 8.1 Variation in the order of business The Committee may propose to the conference a variation in the order of business as set out in the Agenda. Such variation shall be put to the vote and shall take effect if approved by a majority of those voting. 8.2 Withdrawal of motions and amendments Once the Committee has included a motion or amendment, or part of a motion or amendment, in the Agenda, may not be withdrawn except by leave of conference. 8.3 The order of debate The Committee shall direct the order of debate. Generally, however, a motion will be moved and immediately thereafter the amendments and options will be moved in the order directed by the Committee. There will then be a general debate. The movers of amendments and options (or their nominees) shall have the right of reply in the same order (except that where an amendment or option has not been opposed during the debate, the chair of the session shall have the right to direct that its movers shall not exercise their right of reply), after which the mover of the motion (or the mover?s nominee) shall have the right of reply. Votes shall then be taken on the amendments and options in the order in which they have been moved and, finally, on the substantive motion. The Committee may direct that part of any motion or amendment or groups or amendments may be the subject of a separate debate. 8.4 Topical issue discussions The Committee shall direct the order of the discussion. Normally the proposer of the subject shall speak first, and a representative of the Federal Policy Committee shall speak last. 8.5 Who may speak All voting members may speak at a full session of conference. Additionally, the Committee may invite any person to address the conference as a guest. Neither such provision shall prejudice the right of the chair of a session to select speakers. 8.6 The special rights of the Federal Committees Provided that the Federal Policy Committee is not proposing the motion or any of the amendments to be taken in a debate on a policy motion or on motions relating to the policy-making processes of the Party it shall have the right to nominate a person to report its views on the subject before the conference. The Federal Board shall have similar rights on business motions or motions to amend the constitution, as shall the Federal Conference Committee on motions relating to the proceeding and procedures of the conference and to amend standing orders. Such a person shall be called to speak for the same length of time as the person replying on behalf of the mover of the motion. 8.7 The selection of speakers Voting members wishing to speak in any debate shall submit a speaker?s card, prior to the commencement of the debate in which they wish to speak, stating whether they wish to speak for or against an amendment, the motion or part of the motion. The chair shall be responsible for the choice of the speakers and shall attempt to provide a balanced debate between the different viewpoints in the conference, but may announce a departure from this rule if there is an overwhelming preponderance of members wishing to speak on the same side. The chair shall have the discretion to accept speakers? cards after the start of the debate. Save as provided for in these standing orders, no person may speak more than once in any debate. 8.8 The length of speeches The Committee shall set out in the Agenda time limits for speeches. 9. Voting at Conference 9.1 The method of voting Voting cards shall be issued at each meeting to voting members. (The Committee may direct that voting on any issue be by ballot.) Subject thereto all votes at full sessions shall be taken by show of voting cards. 9.2 Counting of votes A vote by show of voting cards shall be counted: a) If the Committee has so directed. b) If the chair so directs. c) As the result of a procedural motion under Standing Order 11.5 below. A recount will only be held if the chair is not satisfied that the first count was accurate. 9.3 Separate votes A separate vote may be taken on a part of a motion or amendment: a) On the direction of the Committee. b) At the discretion of the chair. c) As a result of a procedural motion under Standing Order 11.4 below. 10. Points of Order 10.1 Making a point of order Any voting member may rise on a point of order which shall be taken immediately except that, during a vote, no point of order shall be taken that does not refer to the conduct of the vote. The chair?s decision on all points of order shall be final. 11. Procedural Motions 11.1 Next business a) A voting member may, during any full conference session, submit, in writing, a request that conference move to next business, giving the reasons to do so. The submission shall not exceed 75 words. b) The chair may either take the request immediately upon receipt, or at the end of any speech currently being made. If more than one request is received the chair shall decide which to take. No more than one request may be taken in respect to any motion or report. c) When the request is to be taken, the chair shall read the statement of reasons and ask conference whether it wishes to consider the request to move to next business. If conference decides, by a simple majority of those voting, to do so, the person who made the request may speak. The chair may allow other speakers. All speeches under this standing order shall be limited to two minutes. If conference decides not to debate the proposal, it falls. d) The proposal shall require a two-thirds majority of those voting being to be passed. If it is carried the current agenda item shall be abandoned without any further debate or vote and, at the discretion of the chair, either the next agenda item shall be taken or there shall be an adjournment until the time at which the next agenda item was due to be taken. 11.2 Reference back (moved by a voting member) a) A voting member, who has not already spoken in the debate, may, at any time before the chair has asked the first speaker in reply to stand by, submit, in writing, a request to refer back the motion under debate. The submission shall state to whom the motion is to be referred and shall include a statement of the reasons, including reasons why voting against the motion would not achieve a similar result, not exceeding 75 words. b) The chair may take the request to refer back at whatever stage of the debate they consider appropriate. If more than one request is received, the chair shall decide which to take. No more than one request may be taken with respect to any motion. c) When the request is to be taken, the chair shall read the statement of reasons and ask conference whether it wishes to consider the request to refer. If conference decides, by a simple majority of those voting, to do so, the person who made the request may speak and the mover of the substantive motion, or their nominee, may reply. The chair may allow other speakers. All speeches under this standing order shall be limited to two minutes. If conference decides not to debate the reference back, it falls. d) The reference back shall require a simple majority of those voting to be passed. If it is carried the current agenda item shall be abandoned without any further debate or vote and, at the discretion of the chair, either the next agenda item shall be taken or there shall be an adjournment until the time at which the next agenda item was due to be taken. e) If the substantive motion is referred to the Federal Board, the Federal Policy Committee or the Federal Conference Committee that body shall, in its report to the next meeting of the conference, state what action it has taken on the reference. 11.3 Reference back (moved by the Federal Policy Committee) a) The Federal Policy Committee may, at any time before the beginning of the debate on a motion, submit, in writing, a request to refer that motion to the next meeting of the conference. The chair shall announce the existence of such a request at the start of the debate. b) The chair may take the request to refer back at whatever stage of the debate they consider appropriate. A nominee of the Federal Policy Committee will speak and the mover of the substantive motion, or their nominee, may reply. The chair shall have discretion whether to allow other speakers on the request. c) The reference back shall require a simple majority of those voting to be passed. If it is carried the current agenda item shall be abandoned without any further debate or vote and, at the discretion of the chair, either the next agenda item shall be taken or there shall be an adjournment until the time at which the next agenda item was due to be taken. d) If passed, the Federal Policy Committee shall, before the next meeting of the conference, circulate its reasons for acting under this section and its comments on the motion and any amendments thereto accepted for debate. 11.4 Separate vote A voting member of conference may request that the chair take a separate vote on a part of a motion or amendment provided that such a request is in writing and received by the commencement of the first conference session on the day before the debate is scheduled. If the debate is scheduled for the first day of conference, the request must be received in writing by the same deadline as that for emergency motions. The Committee shall have complete discretion whether to take a separate vote. In exceptional circumstances, the Chair of the debate shall have discretion to accept a request for a separate vote if it is received in writing after this deadline. 11.5 Counted vote Any voting member may ask for a counted vote, which shall be taken if the request is supported by 50 members rising in their places and showing their voting cards. 11.6 Suspension of standing orders a) A voting conference member may, during any full conference session, move a motion for the suspension of standing orders. The mover shall submit the motion together with a written statement of its purpose, not exceeding 75 words, to the chair, who shall read them to the meeting. The chair may either take the request immediately upon receipt, or at the end of the speech currently being made. b) No motion to suspend standing orders may suspend any requirement of the 102 constitution, nor any part of these standing orders which govern: i) The rights of, or timetable for, submission of motions and amendments. ii) Consultative sessions. iii) Procedural motions for next business or suspension of standing orders. c) No motion to suspend standing orders to introduce a motion or amendment on to the agenda can be taken unless the motion or amendment has been submitted to the Committee in accordance with the published timetable and, where a right of appeal against non-selection exists, the right has been exercised. d) The chair shall read the statement of purpose and, if the suspension is allowable in the terms of this standing order, ask the conference whether it wishes to debate the request for suspension. If the conference decides not to debate the request, it falls. If the conference decides, by a majority of those present and voting, to hear the request the mover may speak and a representative of the Committee may reply. The chair shall have the discretion to allow other speakers. All speeches on the motion to suspend standing orders will be limited to two minutes. e) A motion to suspend standing orders shall only be carried if supported by at least two-thirds of the conference members voting. If the procedural motion is carried all standing orders shall remain in force except only for the purposes set out in the motion. 11.7 No procedural motions during votes No procedural motion can be moved during a vote. 12. Reports 12.1 Which reports are tabled The business session or sessions of the conference must include consideration of reports from the bodies listed in Standing Order 1.1(b). 12.2 Submission and selection of questions A voting member may submit questions to any report tabled for consideration, by the deadlines set under Standing Orders 1.5 (d) and (e). The Committee shall publish in advance of the report session all the questions submitted under Standing Order 1.5 (d) which are in order, compositing similar questions where appropriate. Questions to the Federal Board report may include questions about the work of the Federal Audit and Scrutiny Committee and the work of the Federal People Development Committee 12.3 Whether questions are in order or not A question shall be ruled out of order if it asks the body submitting the report about issues which are outside its duties and responsibilities. If the question could be answered by another body reporting to the same conference, the Committee may transfer the question to that body. 12.4 How questions and supplementary questions are put and answered After the report is moved, the mover, or their nominee, shall answer the questions in turn. After each question has been answered, the voting member who submitted the question will be given the opportunity to put a supplementary question, speaking for a maximum of two minutes, and the mover, or their nominee, will be given an opportunity to respond. The chair shall determine the time given to the mover in moving the report and replying to questions. The chair shall also determine how many of the published questions, and how many of the questions submitted under Standing Order 1.5 (e), can be taken. After the conference the Committee shall publish the answers to all questions submitted under Standing Orders 1.5 (d) and (e) which are in order, and to all supplementary questions asked. 12.5 Approval or rejection of reports from Federal Party committees or subcommittees Any report tabled by a Federal Party committee or sub-committee must be submitted for approval by the conference and must be voted upon accordingly. A voting member may move the rejection of any part of the report or of the report as a whole. A voting member wishing to move a rejection shall submit a speaker?s card prior to the commencement of the consideration of the report, stating the section(s) which they wish to have rejected. All moves to reject a report must be debated (except that the chair shall have discretion to choose between moves to reject the same part of the report), at the conclusion of the question session. The person who made the request shall speak and the mover of the report, or their nominee, shall reply. The chair may allow other speakers, and shall determine the time given to all speakers. 12.6 Receipt of reports from other bodies Any report tabled by a body other than a Federal Party committee or sub-committee must be submitted for receipt by the conference and must be voted upon accordingly. A voting member may move not to receive the report, by submitting a speaker?s card prior to the commencement of the consideration of the report. A move not to receive a report must be debated (except that the chair shall have discretion to choose between more than one move not to receive the same report), at the conclusion of the question session. The person who made the request shall speak and the mover of the report, or their nominee, shall reply. The chair may allow other speakers, and shall determine the time given to all speakers. 13. Amendment of Standing Orders 13.1 Amendment of standing orders These standing orders may be amended by a two-thirds majority of members of conference voting on a motion duly submitted and selected in accordance with standing orders. Subject to any amendment they shall remain in force from meeting to meeting. 14. The Chair and Vice Chairs of the Committee 14.1 Chair and Vice Chairs At its first meeting after a new election the Committee shall elect a Chair, who must be a member of the Committee directly elected by party members, and at least one Vice Chair, who must be members of the Committee either directly elected by party members or elected by one of the State Parties. The Federal Party The Federal Party is responsible for the Party?s overall strategy, overall preparations for Parliamentary Elections; the overall presentation, image and media relations of the Party; and our international relationships. It has the following committee structure: Federal Conference Federal Policy Committee (FPC) Federal Board Federal Conference Committee (FCC) Finance & Resources Committee (FFRC) Communications & Elections Committee (FCEC) People & Development Committee (FPDC) International Relations Committee (FIRC) Audit & Scrutiny Committee (FASC) The roles of each Committee are outlined in Articles 9 through 16 of the Federal Constitution. The Committees have the following Chairs: Federal Board: Mark Pack, Party President Federal Conference Committee: Cllr Nick da Costa Federal Policy Committee: Sir Ed Davey MP Federal Finance and Resources Committee: Mike Cox, Registered Treasurer Federal Communications and Elections Committee: Baroness Pinnock Federal People and Development Committee: Claire Hudson Federal International Relations Committee: David Chalmers Federal Audit and Scrutiny Committee: Dave Radcliffe Federal Council: Cllr Antony Hook Details of all the Committees, their functions and members can be found on the Party website at: www.libdems.org.uk/committees_organisations