There are three Bills before their Lordships’ House this week:

• the Mental Health Bill – intended to amend the Mental Health Act 1983.
• the Football Governance Bill – establishing an independent football regulator as well as licensing of football clubs
• the Water (Special Measures) Bill – strengthening Ofwat and to create the means to put failing water companies into special measures

It’s a good week for Liberal Democrat Oral Questions, with one on each day;

• On Monday, John Russell asks the Government for its plans to increase the number of homes fitted with solar panels
• Jonny Oates asks what representations are being made to the Israeli Government of visa restrictions on international aid workers to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on Tuesday
• Wednesday sees Dorothy Thornhill ask what is being done to encourage landlords back in to the long-term private rental sector
• and on Thursday, Mike German will be seeking clarity on the Government’s plans to close the controversial Wethersfield site currently used to house asylum seekers

There’s an interesting debate on Thursday, on the case against politicisation of the Civil Service, at the behest of former Cabinet Secretary Lord Butler of Brockwell. Tom McNally, Claire Tyler and William Wallace are currently expected to speak from our benches, whilst David Frost will utter some idiocy or other from the Conservative benches. I suspect that the masses ranks of former mandarins might have a thing or two to teach him still…

In the Committee corridors, the Holocaust Memorial Bill Select Committee has been attempting to determine the vexed question of who has standing to give evidence to it, which has required the services of some rather well-paid lawyers and a cast of (potentially) thousands. And that’s before the five-member Committee, which includes Ros Scott, has to consider the actual evidence. All of this because, when planning permission was considered for a Holocaust Memorial and learning centre in Victoria Tower Gardens, the effect of the London County Council (Improvements) Act 1900 was overlooked. And you wonder why buildings things is so difficult in this country? But seriously, whilst the idea of a Holocaust memorial is uncontroversial, the siting of one is, and this might be seen as the opening shots in a battle to alter, or even block, the plans as they currently exist.

Looking back to last week, a couple of highlights…

Claire Tyler responded to the Government’s statement on Children’s Social Care on Tuesday;

My Lords, I also welcome the Government’s Statement on the reform of children’s social care. Such reform is long overdue. For far too long, children’s social care has been the Cinderella of the Cinderella that is social care, so let us hope that this bodes well for a long overdue reform of adult social care.

With almost half of children in care now living out of area, and children still being placed in unregistered accommodation—even caravans and tents sometimes, I am told — coupled with the egregious levels of profiteering by some children’s residential home providers, this clearly demonstrates a system in crisis, if not broken. I am glad the Government are taking steps to address this, particularly requiring placement providers to share their finances transparently with the Government. The whole system needs fundamental overhaul.

On Wednesday, Jenny Randerson, in the debate on the Commons rejection of a Lords amendment to the Passenger Railways Services (Public Ownership) Bill, highlighted a Liberal Democrat success:

My Lords, I do not follow the Government’s logic so far. They accepted our amendment, in the names of my noble friend Lady Brinton and others across the House, on disability access and the equality issue. That was and is a hugely challenging issue for the railway and for the Government, and a very expensive one to fulfil. Yet they reject this simple statement, which, as the noble Lord, Lord Gascoigne, just pointed out, is simply a statement of purpose.

We are very grateful to the Minister for the discussions and for the way he has moved to address our concerns. But, as the Government have said, nationalisation is not a silver bullet. Across the world, there are examples of both publicly and privately owned railways that provide an excellent service. Unlike both the Labour Party and the Conservative Party, we on these Benches judge a railway not by its ownership but by its efficiency: how good a service provided to passengers is and putting passengers at the heart of things, always. Incidentally, we welcome the Conservative Party’s new-found enthusiasm for passenger efficiency.

More, hopefully, from the red benches next week…

* Mark Valladares is the Lords Correspondent of Liberal Democrat Voice.