Welcome back to Liberal Democrat Voice’s coverage of the House of Lords, where the denizens of the red benches are now at the sharp end of the legislative agenda for the parliamentary session. With sixteen votes taking place last week, Peers can expect no let up in the race to complete the Government’s programme for its first session. And with the Queen’s Speech now scheduled on 9 May, and the Lords due to go into recess for three weeks after business ends on 28 March, time is running out…

How could we start, other than with the Health and Social Care Bill, which is scheduled for its Third Reading on 19 March. After the carnage that has been inflicted upon it over the past week, the mayhem of the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference (would they, wouldn’t they seek to pull the plug on it altogether), and the expectation of even more amendments in tonight’s final scheduled day of debate at the Report Stage, it seems hard to imagine that there will be many people with a clear idea as to what it now actually says.

The Report Stage of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill continues with Day 5 scheduled for 20 March. Again, there are still major concerns in terms of the threat to Citizens Advice Bureaux, law centres and other sources of legal support for the vulnerable. Lord Shipley, speaking at a Law Society fringe meeting in Gateshead, was keen to continue efforts to secure more funding from the Government, and doubtless he will be lobbying the Minister, Lord McNally, enthusiastically over the coming week. Again, however, time marches on, and the Third Hearing of the Bill is scheduled for 27 March.

The Committee Stage of the Scotland Bill reaches its conclusion on 21 March, but again, there’s no time to draw breath, with the Report Stage commencing on 26 March and continuing on 28 March. Whilst virtually all of the attention is on the referendum debate, we have already received some insight into the drinking habits of Lord Wallace of Tankerness’s youth and the fishing companions of Lord Steel of Aikwood. However, the debate is now focused on tax-raising powers and financial arrangements which, even if a referendum on independence is lost, will transfer significant new powers to the Scottish Executive.

20 March sees the Lords in bright an early for the presentation of a Humble Address to Her Majesty in Westminster Hall

There are Oral Questions from Joan Walmsley on the encroachment of grammar schools onto satellite sites and from Roger Roberts on electoral registration and young people on 27 March, whilst Jenny Tonge (formerly of the Liberal Democrat benches) will be encouraging HM Government to promote the connection between sustainable development and family planning at the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development on 19 March.

In the Committee corridors, still not much to report. EU Sub-Committee G continues to take evidence on the Creative Europe programme on 22 March, but probably the most intriguing meeting, and surprisingly open to the public, it seems, the National Security Strategy Joint Committee will be seeking to beat a confession out of taking evidence from the recently appointed National Security Advisor, Sir Kim Darroch on 26 March. Apparently, I won’t be arrested if I tell you that they will be meeting from 4 p.m. in Committee Room 3, in the Palace of Westminster…

This column now takes a break whilst the Lords takes a well-earned break, but we’ll be back on 10 April for the session’s big finish. There may be ping-pong involved…