CONFERENCE AGENDA Plain text This plain text version of the Conference Agenda contains the text of the published Agenda. Note that page numbers refer to the pages in the published Agenda. Graphics and some complex page layouts are omitted. Page number references refer to the published Agenda. Welcome to the Liberal Democrat online Spring 2021 Conference Agenda. This first edition of the Conference Agenda contains the agenda for the auditorium sessions at conference and information about the conduct of the sessions. It is available as a printed document as well as online. Updated editions of the Conference Agenda will be published online at: www.libdems.org.uk/s21-agenda An updated Conference Agenda will be issued in the week before conference incorporating Conference Extra, and further updates each day during conference incorporating Conference Daily. For features, general conference information, exhibition and fringe, see the separate Conference Directory. Further information, registration and conference publications (including plain text and clear print versions) are available at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference Contents Information: 2-8 Agenda: 9-59 Agenda index and timetable 9 Friday 19 March 12 Saturday 20 March 26 Sunday 21 March 45 Standing orders 60-71 Federal Party 72 Conference will take place through our virtual conference venue Hopin. Access to all conference events requires a valid conference registration and registered attendees will be emailed details of how to log on to the Hopin platform a few days before conference - see page 2. If you have any questions whilst at conference, please email: conferences@libdems.org.uk Conference information This Agenda covers the sessions held in the virtual auditorium at Spring Conference. General conference information can be found in the Conference Directory, available online from mid February at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference If you have any questions prior to or during conference please email: conferences@libdems.org.uk If you have any tech queries, please go to the tech helpdesk in the exhibition area of the online conference (see page 4). If you wish to communicate with the chair, submit a procedural motion or ask for a separate vote, please use the following link: www.libdems.org.uk/procedural-motions If you want to comment about the session you are in, please use the chat function; do not use chat to communicate with the chair of a session. See guidance on page 3. Hopin: our virtual conference venue Registered attendees will be emailed details of how to log onto the Hopin platform at the time of their registration. A reminder will be emailed to you a few days prior to the start of the conference. For the best experience of conference when using a computer or laptop, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers are recommended. To access Hopin via an iOS mobile device, Safari is the best mobile browser to use; and for an Android device, please use Google Chrome. Ensure you turn off your ad blockers and donÕt have any other programs open. If something goes wrong, try refreshing your browser! There is a short video on how Hopin works on our website: www.libdems.org.uk/conference After the conference the auditorium sessions will be available on YouTube. Hopin navigation On the Hopin platform, the menu bar appears on the left. Home View the agenda, fringe & training events and exhibition stands (one for each entity in the exhibition area). Auditorium Watch the debates and speeches. Members can vote on motions via polls (within Hopin). There will be BSL signers during auditorium sessions. Fringe & Training Fringe is available for all to view. Fringe events happen outside auditorium hours. Training is only for party members to view and is run simultaneously alongside the auditorium sessions. See the Conference Directory for details. Exhibition You can enter this area to view the exhibition stands throughout conference, view exhibitors' videos, ask questions in the chat function and connect to their websites. See the Conference Directory for details. Networking Chat with a randomly selected participant and share common interests. If you wish to contact a particular individual to chat with them or have a live video link, please click onto 'people' next to the 'chat' function on the top right and find the person you wish to connect with. Voting Only registered members can vote at conference. Voting will be available through Hopin and the polling function in the auditorium. For the emergency motions ballot, mi-voice voting will be used and registered members will be emailed a link prior to conference to vote in the ballot. Conference Chat In each auditorium session there will be a chat feature enabled, which allows attendees to post their views and comments about events in the auditorium. The chat is public and visible to everybody: bear this in mind when posting. All comments in the chat must be respectful, lawful, and in keeping with the Members' Code of Conduct, accessible here: www.libdems.org.uk/code-of-conduct The chat will be moderated, and if your post does not meet the required standards of behaviour, sanctions start with post deletion, and more serious breaches may lead to you having your conference access revoked and/or disciplinary action within the party. Please do not use the chat to attempt to communicate with members of the FCC or the chairs and aides of debates. To raise a query with the chairs and aides use this link: www.libdems.org.uk/procedural-motions Some Q&A sessions may use the chat to solicit questions. Questions to reports should the submitted as described under 'reports' on page 7; in addition, questions may be submitted using the chat during the session and they may be selected by the chair, but that is not guaranteed. The chat is there to facilitate interactivity in our virtual conference, but it can only do this if everyone in it behaves responsibly and with courtesy and respect towards each other and the moderators. Conference Extra and Conference Daily An update to this Conference Agenda incorporating Conference Extra will be published ahead of conference, and further updates incorporating Conference Daily will be published each day of conference. They will contain updates to the agenda including information from the Federal Conference Committee, changes to session timings, amendments, topical issues, emergency motions and questions to reports. You will be able to find Conference Agenda updates online at: www.libdems.org.uk/s21-agenda Tech helpdesk If you have any tech issues during the conference, we have a tech helpdesk located in the exhibition area (first stand) which will be open at the following times: Friday, 19 March, 12.00-18.00 Saturday, 20 March, 09.30-18.00 Sunday, 21 March, 09.30-18.00 Federal Board and Federal Conference Committee helpdesk Members of the FB and the FCC will be available to give advice at their stands in the virtual exhibition at the following times: Friday, 19 March, 16.15-17.15 Saturday, 20 March, 13.00-14.00 and 16.15-17.15 Sunday, 21 March, 13.00-14.00 and 16.15-17.15 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 Amendments: all motions except emergency motions are open to amendment; amendments accepted will be published in the Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. Communications with the chair and aide: At the virtual conference you can contact the chair and aide team using the link: www.libdems.org.uk/procedural-motions Please note that this link is solely for formal communication with the chair and the aide on procedural motions and points of order. Voting: decisions on most motions and all amendments and separate votes are by simple majority of those voting. To vote, registered members must use the polls function on Hopin. That is found by selecting the tab in the top right-hand corner when in the virtual auditorium. Vote by selecting the relevant button on the screen. 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. For agenda items on Friday the request must be submitted by the emergency motions deadline and for other days by the start of conference on the previous day, using the link: www.libdems.org.uk/procedural-motions Counted vote: all votes taking place at this conference will be counted by Hopin and the result will be announced by the chair. Speaking and voting at conference Eligibility to speak and vote All party members 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). 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. A set of traffic lights will appear on the screen to show the speaker and the audience how long the speaker has left. Green means that the end of the time is at least one minute away. The amber light comes on when there is one minute to go. The red light comes on when time is up and you should stop speaking immediately. Applying to speak To make a speech in a debate you must submit an electronic speaker's card online at: www.libdems.org.uk/speakers-card Applications open on Monday 15 March and close at 16.00 on the day BEFORE the debate. Speakers selected for a debate (plus a couple of reserves) will be sent an email by 21.00 on the day before. If it is your first time speaking at this conference, you will be asked to log into a Debate Test meeting for our technical team to check your sound and vision. You will be required to download the Zoom app (or equivalent) prior to the test - a link will be in the email. Our technical team will register you before the debate commences. 10 minutes before the start of the debate you will be asked to log out of Hopin and into a Motion meeting, which will have the same title as the agenda item. You will be able to follow the debate while waiting. The chair will ask you to stand by one speech before yours and then call you to speak when required. Once you have finished speaking you must log out of the Motion meeting and return to Hopin. The email should answer any questions and will give you contact details to seek further help. Completing a speaker's card Please remember to: l Submit your card no later than 16.00 on the day before the debate. There is no guarantee late cards will be considered. l Complete the card fully so that the chair knows all about you and what you want to say, and can balance the debate. 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 emergency motions at F21 on Sunday. Registered members will vote on which of the emergency motions that have been submitted they want to debate. An email will be sent shortly before conference to enable you to vote; the closing time for votes will be 19.00 on 19 March. 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 update to the Conference Agenda. Question & answer sessions Any voting member may submit a concise question (maximum 25 words) on any subject for the Leader's Q&A (F15). Questions will be selected by the chair and the questioner will be able to ask their question via video. Questions may be submitted by 16.00 on the day before the session using the online form at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference_submissions The chair may also decide to put questions raised in the chat function during the session. 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 8 March using the online form at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference_submissions Questions received by the deadline above will be published in the Conference Extra update to the Conference Agenda and are guaranteed a reply, in the session or in writing thereafter. Questions may also be submitted using the same online form until 16.00 on the day before the session, or through the chat function in Hopin during the 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, emergency motions and motions for debate on The COVID-19 Pandemic (F14) must be: l signed by 10 party members; OR l 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 8 March online at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference_submissions Submitters should include: l For amendments - a short explanation of the intended effect of the amendment. l For emergency motions - a short explanation of its emergency nature. The deadline for amendments to F14 is 17.00 on 17 March. Topical issues Suggestions for topical issues may be submitted by any party member by 13.00 on 8 March 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 22 February 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 and should be no longer than one side of A4. It should explain why you are appealing and any new information the FCC was unaware of when it made its decision. The email should also contain a contact name and telephone number. Appeals should be emailed by 17.00 on 18 March to: appeals@libdems.org.uk Agenda index and timetable Friday 19 March 14.00-14.05 F1 Opening of Conference 12 14.05-14.15 F2 Report: Federal Conference Committee 12 14.20-14.30 F3 Report: Federal Policy Committee 12 14.35-15.55 F4 Policy motion: Supporting Business, Workers and the Self-Employed during the COVID-19 Pandemic 13 16.00-16.20 F5 Speech: Jane Dodds, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats 17 16.20-18.45 Auditorium break and fringe (16.35 onwards) 18.45-19.40 F6 Policy motion: Lifting Barriers to Work for Disabled People 17 19.45-20.05 F7 Presentation: Liberal Democrats in Local Government 20 20.10-21.15 F8 Constitutional amendment: Complaints Procedure 20 F9 Constitutional amendment: Changes to the Role of the Vice-President 23 Saturday 20 March 09.30-09.50 F10 Reports: Parliamentary Parties 26 09.55-11.25 F11 Policy motion: Giving Consumers a Fairer Deal (Utilities Policy Paper) 26 11.30-11.50 F12 Presentation: Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidates 32 11.55-13.00 F13 Policy motion: Standing Up for Unpaid Carers 32 13.00-14.15 Auditorium break and fringe 14.15-15.10 F14 Policy motion: The COVID-19 Pandemic 36 15.15-15.55 F15 Question & answer session: Rt Hon Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats 37 16.00-16.20 F16 Speech: Willie Rennie MSP, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats 38 16.20-18.45 Auditorium break and fringe (17.40 onwards) 18.45-20.00 F17 Policy motion: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Future of the UK-EU Relationship 38 20.05-20.45 F18 Policy motion: Acting on the Russia Report 41 20.50-21.15 F19 Report: Federal Board 44 F20 Report: Campaign for Gender Balance 44 Sunday 21 March 09.30-11.05 F21 Emergency motions or topical issue discussions 45 11.10-12.10 F22 Policy motion: Autism Support 46 12.15-13.00 F23 Policy motion: International Development 49 13.00-14.15 Auditorium break and fringe 14.15-14.55 F24 Speech: Rt Hon Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats 52 15.00-16.20 F25 Policy motion: A Better Response to the Impact of COVID-19 on Education 52 16.20-18.45 Auditorium break and fringe (16.35 onwards) Consultative session 'Federal England' - see Directory 18.45-19.25 F26 Policy motion: Accessibility in Education 55 19.30-20.10 F27 Policy motion: Safe and Legal Routes to Save Lives 57 20.15-20.30 F28 Party awards and close of Conference 59 Friday 19 March 14.00 Party business Chair: Geoff Payne (Chair, FCC). F1 Opening of Conference by Dr Mark Pack, President of the Liberal Democrats @markpack, #LDConf 14.10 Party business Chair: Nick Da Costa (Vice Chair, FCC). Aides: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC) and Cllr Joe Otten. F2 Federal Conference Committee Report: questions and accountability Mover: Geoff Payne (Chair, Federal Conference Committee). See notes to F3. F3 Federal Policy Committee Report: questions and accountability Mover: Jeremy Hargreaves (Chair, Federal Policy Committee). The deadline for questions for F2 and F3 is 13.00 on 8 March. Questions selected will be published in the Conference Extra and Friday 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 online until 16.00 on Thursday 18 March, or through the chat function in Hopin during the session, but they will only be called if time allows and at the discretion of the Chair. See page 7 for further information. 14.35 Policy motion Chair: Jennie Rigg. Aides: Jenni Lang and John Bridges. F4 Supporting Businesses, Workers and the Self-Employed during the COVID-19 Pandemic 14 members Mover: Christine Jardine MP (Spokesperson for the Economy). Summation: Sarah Olney MP (Spokesperson for Business and Trade). Conference believes that: I. We must leave no one behind as we tackle this pandemic, and build a fairer, greener, more regionally balanced economy as we emerge from it. II. The continuing waves of infection from the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting restrictions make it imperative that the Government continues to support businesses - especially small businesses. III. To protect jobs, the country needs a long-term strategy that stretches through the whole of 2021; last-minute, knee-jerk responses are unnecessarily harming the economy. IV. To support the recovery, we need to empower people to develop new skills so that they can thrive in the technologies and industries that are key to the UK's economic future. Conference notes with concern that: i) The COVID-19 pandemic caused the UK's GDP to shrink by 11% in 2020 - the biggest economic hit our country has suffered since before the invention of the steam engine. ii) The Government has caused enormous uncertainty for both employers and workers with last-minute announcements, short-term sticking plasters and frequent U-turns: for example, the Chancellor resisted calls to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) beyond October 2020 until the day it was set to expire; he then made three separate announcements extending it - first to December 2020, then to March 2021 and finally to April. iii) Despite the CJRS, the UK lost more than 900,000 jobs between March and September 2020, and 370,000 people were made redundant in August to October alone. iv) Certain groups of people have been impacted particularly badly by this economic crisis, including women, Black, Asian and minority ethnic people and young workers. v) Certain sectors have been impacted particularly badly, including hospitality, tourism, charities and the creative industries. vi) An estimated 3 million people are excluded from the Government's income support schemes; in particular, the Government has excluded from the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS): a) People who became self-employed after 6th April 2019. b) Self-employed workers operating as limited companies. c) Self-employed workers earning more than 50% of their income from employment. d) Self-employed workers with profits over œ50,000. vii) Ending the CJRS and SEISS prematurely would risk mass unemployment: the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that unemployment will rise by another 840,000 in the second quarter of 2021, assuming the Chancellor goes ahead with his plan to end both schemes in April. viii) Unemployment will hamper economic growth, bring down tax receipts, add pressure to the welfare state and hurt the UK's economic recovery. ix) At just £95.85 a week, Statutory Sick Pay is not enough for claimants to survive on. x) This crisis has greatly increased the debt burden on many small businesses: research by the Federation of Small Businesses found that 34% have increased their levels of debt, and 40% of businesses in debt now describe it as 'unmanageable'. xi) The number of people starting apprenticeships in England had already fallen before COVID-19 hit - from 500,000 in 2014-15 to 393,000 in 2018-19 - and it has plummeted further during the pandemic: just 54,000 people started apprenticeships between April and July 2020, compared to 102,000 in the same period of 2019. xii) Fraudsters have exploited the Government's COVID-19 support schemes, but HMRC does not yet know the scale of this fraud: its planning assumption was that total fraud and error in the CJRS would be 5 to 10%, equating to between £2.3bn and £4.6bn by December 2020. Conference reaffirms the Liberal Democrat commitments to: A. Ensure a green recovery, with a focus on reskilling existing workers and those left unemployed by the pandemic so they can participate fully in the transition to a zero-carbon economy. B. Expand higher vocational training, including by transforming the broken Apprenticeship Levy into a wider 'Skills and Training Levy' and developing National Colleges as national centres of expertise for key sectors, such as renewable energy. C. Develop a COVID-19 Race Equality Strategy, to form part of a new Social and Race Equality Contract. Conference further calls on the Government to: 1. Immediately extend the CJRS and the SEISS until at least the end of June 2021 for all sectors of the economy, with provisions for flexible furlough arrangements. 2. Fix the SEISS by extending it to cover the self-employed people who are currently excluded. 3. Establish dedicated support schemes for the worst-affected sectors, such as hospitality, tourism, charities and the creative industries. 4. Develop a long-term economic strategy, setting out how the UK will invest in new industries, jobs and training, that will create a fairer, greener, more regionally balanced economy after the pandemic. 5. Use the extension of the CJRS and SEISS to facilitate the transition to a new greener economy. 6. Legally require companies that use the CJRS to demonstrate they are offering equal pay for equal work and treating women fairly and equally in terms of restructuring, recruitment, retention and promotion. 7. Increase Statutory Sick Pay to the equivalent of two-thirds of the National Living Wage (currently œ220 per week), and extend it to the 2 million workers who are currently excluded because they earn less than œ120 a week. 8. Provide more support to small businesses struggling with cash flow and debt, including by: a) Extending business rates relief, VAT reductions and tax deferrals to avoid a potential cliff-edge. b) Extending the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, and extending the period before businesses have to repay their loans. 9. Do more to tackle fraud and error in the CJRS and other COVID-19 support schemes, and to recoup taxpayers' money that has been paid to fraudsters. Applicability: Federal; except xi) (lines 56-60), B. (lines 70-73), and 8 a) (lines 99-100), which are England only. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion - see page 8 - and for requests for separate votes - see page 5 - is 13.00 on 8 March. Those selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Friday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. 16.00 Speech Chair: Cllr Joe Otten. F5 Jane Dodds, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats @DoddsJane, #LDConf 16.20 Auditorium break Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. 18.45 Policy motion Chair: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). Aides: Cllr Joe Otten and Jennie Rigg. F6 Lifting Barriers to Work for Disabled People 14 members Mover: Wera Hobhouse MP (Spokesperson for Equalities). Summation: Wendy Chamberlain MP (Spokesperson for Work and Pensions). Conference notes that: A. Of the eight million working-age people in the UK who have a disability, just 52% are in work; for non-disabled people the employment rate is 81%, meaning the disability employment gap stands at 29 percentage points. B. On average, non-disabled workers earn £2.10 per hour more than disabled workers - a disability pay gap of 20%. C. The majority of disabled people are not born with their disabilities, but acquire them later in life; it could happen to anyone. D. Many employers are still hesitant to employ disabled people: in polling commissioned by Leonard Cheshire, one in five employers said that a declared disability would make them less likely to employ someone; 56% said the practicalities of making workplace adjustments was a barrier to employing disabled people, and 54% said the cost of adjustments was a barrier. E. As well as the devastating impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on their health and care, disabled people have also been disproportionately affected at work - whether through being furloughed, having their hours reduced, being unable to return to work or being made redundant. F. A survey by Unison found that half of disabled workers have been working entirely from home during the pandemic, with another 15% working from home some of the time; 73% of these said they were as or more productive working from home, and 54% of all disabled workers felt they would benefit from being able to work from home once the pandemic is over. G. The Chancellor's 'Plan for Jobs' in response to the pandemic made only one reference to disabled people - and that was merely to state that expanding the Work and Health Programme "will have no impact on the existing provision for those with illnesses or disabilities". Conference believes that: I. Despite progress since the Disability Discrimination Act was passed in 1995, there is still much further to go to end discrimination against disabled people - including in the workplace. II. We must do far more to tackle barriers to work for disabled people, including by providing more support for employers to change the way they view disability. Conference reaffirms the Liberal Democrat commitments to: a) Increase funding for the Access to Work scheme and raise employers' awareness of it. b) Make flexible working a 'day one' right: flexible working should be open to anyone from when they start a job, with employers required to advertise jobs accordingly, unless there are significant business reasons why that is not possible. c) Require large employers with more than 250 employees to monitor and publish data on disability employment levels and pay gaps, as well as for gender, ethnicity and LGBT+ employees. Conference further calls on the Government to: 1. Implement a targeted strategy to support disabled people into work, with a Jobs Guarantee for newly unemployed disabled people and specialist disability employment support. 2. Give disabled people a 'day one' right to work from home if they want to, unless there are significant business reasons why it is not possible. 3. Improve the Access to Work scheme by simplifying and speeding up the application process to make it easier for employers - especially small businesses. 4. Introduce 'Adjustment Passports' to record the adjustments, modifications and equipment a disabled person has received, and ensure that Access to Work support and equipment stays with the person if they change jobs. 5. Increase Employment Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payments by £20 a week. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion - see page 8 - and for requests for separate votes - see page 5 - is 13.00 on 8 March. Those selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Friday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. 19.45 Presentation Chair: John Bridges. F7 Liberal Democrats in Local Government This session will give an opportunity for Liberal Democrat leaders in local government to set out what they have been achieving for their communities. Speakers to be announced. 20.10 Constitutional amendments Chair: Geoff Payne (Chair, FCC). Aides: Bex Scott and Kevin Lang. F8 Complaints Procedure Federal Board Mover: Dr Mark Pack (President of the Liberal Democrats). Summation: Alice Thomas. Conference notes that Conference has passed two different processes for amending the party's complaints process. When Conference last approved the complaints process, it permitted the Federal Board to make changes to it, provided they are afterwards reported to Conference. However, when Conference last approved the constitutional clauses governing the complaints process, it agreed wording that requires all changes to come to Conference first. Conference believes that: 1. Requiring all changes to the complaints process, however small, to come to Conference first is impractical and, in an extreme case, could leave the party with a complaints process with a substantial deficiency (or deficiencies) for some time. Such a deficiency may prevent the party from suitably protecting members and its reputation, or complying with a decision of a court or other external body. This issue has been highlighted by the cancellation of Spring conference 2020, which has caused much needed changes to the procedure to be substantially delayed. 2. Accordingly, there should be a mechanism by which the Complaints process Procedure can be amended with immediate effect, provided that any amendments are reported to Conference and that conference has the opportunity to express a view on them and hold to account those who have supported the changes. Conference therefore resolves to amend the Constitution so that it is in line with the Complaints Procedure by deleting Article 23.3 and inserting the following: 23.3 The Federal Board shall have power, after appropriate consultations, to make and from time to time vary procedures for the handling of complaints (the 'Complaints Procedures'). These Complaints Procedures shall include an appeals process. The Federal Board shall report any variations made to the Complaints Procedures in its written report to conference under Article 8.7. Such variations shall be effective from the date of approval by the Federal Board. The current Federal Party constitution is available at www.libdems.org.uk/constitution The existing text of Article 23.3 of the constitution is as follows: 23.3 The Federal Board shall have power, after appropriate consultations, to make and from time to time vary procedures for the handling of complaints (the 'Complaints Procedures'). These Complaints Procedures shall include an appeals process. The Federal Board shall report any variations made to the Complaints Procedures in its written report to conference under Article 8.7. Such variations shall be effective from the date on which such report is made. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion - see page 8 - and for requests for separate votes - see page 5 - is 13.00 on 8 March. Those selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Friday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority to pass. Chair: Geoff Payne (Chair, FCC). Aides: Bex Scott and Kevin Lang. F9 Changes to the Role of Vice President Federal Board Mover: Isabelle Parasram (Vice President of the Liberal Democrats). Summation: Ade Adeyemo. Conference notes that: I. The 2019 General Election Review (the Thornhill Review) specifically recommended that the party "embed at all levels the concerns and interests of [ethnic minority] communities". II. The post of Vice President is currently elected by the Federal Board rather than party members, and does not have a vote at the Federal Board. Conference further notes that the Constitution refers to the Vice President as "the Vice President responsible for working with BaME communities" in Articles 14.3 (b) and 20.2 (d) and that "Ethnic minority communities" is preferable in this context. Conference believes that a post as important as this one should be elected by all party members by a process of one member, one vote, as in the case of the Party President; such a process would: a) Be more democratic. b) Raise more awareness of the role. c) Give the Vice President a clearer mandate. d) Simplify the election process. Conference resolves that from the end of the current term of office, to reform the role of the Vice President ("responsible for working with BaME communities") and the rules associated with it by: 1. Making the Vice President a voting member of the Federal Board, inserting a new Article 9.2 (i) (i): 'a Vice President responsible for working with ethnic minority communities;' (renumbering subsequent articles as appropriate). 2. In Article 14.3 (b), changing 'BaME' to 'ethnic minority'. 3. In Article 20.2 (d) changing 'BaME' to 'ethnic minority' and replacing 'the Federal Board' with 'the members of the Party for a term of three years starting from 1st January in the year immediately following the election and shall hold office until death, incapacity, resignation or the election of a successor; this Vice President shall be eligible for re-election once only'. 4. Making any necessary alterations to any and all further documents to be consistent across Party documentation. The current Federal Party constitution is available at www.libdems.org.uk/constitution The existing text of the relevant parts of the Articles are as follows: 9.1. There shall be a Federal Board (FB), which shall be responsible for directing, coordinating and overseeing the implementation of the Party's strategy and the work of the Federal Party. 9.2. It shall consist of: (i) voting members: (a) ... ... 14.3 The Committee [The FPDC] shall comprise: ... (b) the Vice President responsible for working with BaME communities; ... 20.2 The Vice Presidents of the Party shall be: ... d) a Vice President responsible for working with BaME communities, elected by the Federal Board. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion - see page 8 - and for requests for separate votes - see page 5 - is 13.00 on 8 March. Those selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Friday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority to pass. 21.15 Close of session Saturday 20 March 09.30 Party business Chair: Bex Scott. Aides: Cllr Jon Ball (Vice Chair, FCC) and Jenni Lang. F10 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). The deadline for questions to these reports is 13.00 on 8 March. 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 online until 16.00 on Friday 19 March, or through the chat function in Hopin during the session, but they will only be called if time allows and at the discretion of the Chair. See page 7 for further information. 09.55 Policy motion Chair: Jennie Rigg. Aides: Nick Da Costa (Vice Chair, FCC) and Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). F11 Giving Consumers a Fairer Deal (Utilities Policy Paper) Federal Policy Committee Mover: Sarah Olney MP (Spokesperson on Business and Energy). Summation: Neil Stockley (Chair of the Policy Working Group). Conference notes the importance of utility industries and infrastructures - energy, water, telecommunications and rail: A. In the daily lives of everyone in the UK, as highlighted by the coronavirus crisis. B. To delivering Liberal Democrat aims of a lasting recovery from the coronavirus crisis and building an economy that is more balanced across the UK, more environmentally sustainable and more resilient to future shocks. Conference believes that: i) The current system of utility regulation will not deliver the scale of investment needed to deliver our longer-term aims. ii) Liberalised utility markets and the regulation of network monopolies do not work to the benefit of all consumers, particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers. Conference calls for reforms of utility regulation to: I. Give consumers, especially vulnerable consumers, a fairer deal. II. Ensure that utilities contribute to Liberal Democrats' aims of establishing long-term growth across all the regions and nations of the UK and making the transition to net zero carbon by 2045 at the latest. Conference therefore endorses policy paper 140, Giving Consumers a Fairer Deal, and in particular its proposals to: 1. Create fair retail markets for consumers by: a) In energy: i) Enabling disengaged customers to save money by bringing in collective opt-out switching. ii) Protecting consumers using energy management and 'auto-switching' services. iii) Protecting customers from company failures by ensuring that the customers given a new supplier under Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) receive a competitive tariff. b) In telecoms: i) Preventing mobile operators from applying roaming charges for calls to and from EU countries. ii) Requiring companies to inform customers of the cost when they attempt to access bundled services, so that they can end the call without charge. iii) Requiring telecoms companies to continue to provide a webmail service at a regulated price to customers who switch provider. 2. Secure a better deal for consumers from network monopolies by: a) Eliminating regional differentials on consumer electricity bills. b) Bringing in a simpler fares structure for rail passengers. c) Ensuring that price reviews deliver a fair balance between promoting the interests of consumers, securing the investment needed to deliver net-zero and resilient networks and making sure there is a reasonable return for shareholders. d) Introducing outperformance sharing mechanisms to allow consumers to share in the benefits that equity investors achieve from high gearing. e) In telecoms, moving towards regulation of the service being provided, rather than regulating particular players in the market, as part of a package of measures to address the growing power of 'big tech' companies. 3. Address the difficulties faced by vulnerable consumers, including elderly people, disabled people and people on low incomes by: a) In energy: i) Reforming the price cap, to target customers in vulnerable circumstances, with a new capped tariff set lower than the existing price cap. ii) Ensuring that the Warm Homes Discount (and any successor scheme) is available to all customers in vulnerable circumstances. iii) Ensuring that prepayment customers pay for their energy on the same basis as credit customers. b) In water: i) Asking Ofwat and the water companies to set minimum criteria for the value, scope and eligibility criteria for social tariff schemes across the country. ii) Requiring water companies to put a share of their own profits into social tariffs. iii) Encouraging water companies to work more collaboratively to raise awareness of priority services and to be more pro-active in identifying customers in need of temporary support. iv) Expanding opportunities for customers to reduce their water bills. 4. Reduce the 'digital divide' between different areas of the UK and different groups of the population by ensuring that regulation delivers: a) Telecoms services that are accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live or their socio-economic status, and remain available for as long as they are needed. b) Universal coverage and good performance of telecoms services to all consumers - our minimum standard will be access to broadband of at least 30Mbit/s downstream and 5Mbit/s upstream at an affordable price, and this will be reviewed as technology improves. 5. Strengthen consumer redress and advocacy by: a) Pursuing a strategic re-design of regulation, to coordinate advice, advocacy, redress and regulation. b) Promoting improved coordination between the regulators, to develop common approaches on consumer protection. c) Giving Citizens Advice the statutory role to represent and support consumers in telecoms, building on its knowledge and expertise in energy. d) Ensuring that protection is extended to areas which are currently unregulated, such as electric vehicles, heat networks and heat pumps. 6. Facilitate a more strategic approach by industries, government and regulators to future investment by: a) Issuing strategic policy statements for each of the regulated sectors, consistent with Liberal Democrats' longer-term objectives. b) Establishing a new Railway Agency, responsible for the strategic management of the rail system and for planning new investments, working to a policy framework set by the government. c) Modernising the way price controls are conducted, to encourage innovation by enabling more competition. 7. Ensure that regulators encourage companies and consumers to behave more consistently with our commitment to tackle the climate emergency by: a) Giving Ofgem, Ofwat, Ofcom and the new Railway Agency a primary duty to help deliver our net-zero target and to assist in building network resilience. b) Requiring the regulators to show how their policies and decisions are aligned with, and promote the achievement of, our emissions targets and climate adaptation policies. 8. Make utility regulators more accountable by: a) Ensuring that Parliamentary Select Committees can scrutinise the regulators' performance in respect of their statutory duties and public policy aims, as set out in the strategic policy statements. b) Improving monitoring and reporting, by requiring regulators to develop better and more accessible performance measures covering investment, quality of service, environmental protection and resilience. 9. Promote a public benefit company model for electricity distribution, gas distribution and water companies, so that particular economic and environmental policy objectives must be considered explicitly in the running of the companies. Applicability: Federal; except 3. b) (lines 68-79), which is England and Wales. Mover and summation combined: 16 minutes; movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00, Monday 8 March see page 8. Amendments selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Saturday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.30 Friday 19 March; see page 5. 11.30 Presentation Chair: Chris Maines. F12 Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidates This session will give an opportunity for Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidates to outline their campaign priorities. 11.55 Policy motion Chair: Chris Adams. Aides: Bex Scott and Duncan Brack. F13 Stand up for Unpaid Carers 13 members Mover: Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey MP (Leader of the Liberal Democrats). Summation: Cllr Ruth Dombey. Conference believes that: I. People who care for others - whether paid or unpaid, young or old - do a remarkable and important job; they deserve our support, but are far too often forgotten and ignored. II. Millions of carers face big challenges every single day: many are living in poverty, many find it impossible to juggle work with caring responsibilities, and many struggle with their own physical and mental health; these challenges have been made even harder by the COVID-19 pandemic. III. As this pandemic has reminded everyone, caring for people's health doesn't stop at the hospital exit or the GP's surgery door; we can only truly improve the NHS if we properly support carers. IV. Throughout this pandemic, Ministers have let carers down and shown that they are just an afterthought for the Government - whether it's about supporting them financially, enabling them to visit their loved ones in care homes, or vaccinating them against COVID-19. V. We must do far more to support our wonderful carers; the Liberal Democrats must stand up for carers and lead the way to a more caring society as we emerge from this pandemic. VI. Supporting carers is a vital part of building a fairer society, championing social justice and achieving gender equality. Conference notes that: A. Carers UK estimates that there are 11.5 million people across the UK who give unpaid support to someone who is elderly, seriously ill or disabled; it estimates that, by doing so, unpaid carers are saving the Government £193 billion a year. B. Most unpaid carers are having to spend more time looking after loved ones during the pandemic; most haven't been able to take a single break since it started; most are simply exhausted. C. Millions of people juggle work with unpaid caring responsibilities, and this can be hard: every day, an estimated 640 people give up paid work altogether in order to care. D. According to a survey by the Disability Law Service, 52% of carers who apply for flexible working have their applications refused. E. The Government plans to introduce one week of 'Carer's Leave' a year, but is proposing that it be unpaid. F. 900,000 full-time unpaid carers - most of them women - rely on Carer's Allowance, which at only £67.25 a week is the lowest benefit of its kind. G. Many carers are currently excluded from receiving Carer's Allowance, including: i) Carers in full-time education or studying for 21 hours or more a week. ii) Carers earning more than £128 a week - less than 15 hours a week on the National Living Wage. iii) Carers who spend less than 35 hours per week on their caring responsibilities. H. Thousands of carers are facing extreme financial hardship: a recent survey by Carers UK found that more than a third of those on Carer's Allowance are struggling to make ends meet; many have been struggling for months, often relying on foodbanks to feed themselves and the people they care for. I In response to the outbreak of the pandemic, the Government increased the Universal Credit standard allowance and the Working Tax Credit basic element by £20 a week above the planned uprating in April 2020, but Conservative Ministers have refused to increase Carer's Allowance. J. Liberal Democrats successfully campaigned alongside carers and carers organisations to add unpaid carers to the priority list for vaccination against COVID-19. Conference reaffirms the Liberal Democrat commitments to: a) Introduce a statutory guarantee of regular respite breaks for unpaid carers. b) Make flexible working a 'day one' right: flexible working should be open to anyone from when they start a job, with employers required to advertise jobs accordingly, unless there are significant business reasons why that is not possible. c) Introduce a package of carer benefits including free leisure centre access and self-referral to socially prescribed activities and courses, as well as free bus travel for young carers and young adult carers. d) Lift the ban on carers in full-time education receiving Carer's Allowance. Conference further calls on the Government to support unpaid carers by: 1. Providing emergency funding for respite care so that carers can take breaks. 2. Introducing paid Carer's Leave. 3. Making caring a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. 4. Requiring employers to make reasonable adjustments to enable employees with caring responsibilities to provide that care. 5. Raising Carer's Allowance by £20 a week. 6. Increasing the Carer Element of Universal Credit by £20 a week, so carers' other benefits are not reduced as a result. 7. Increasing the Carer Premium and Carer Addition by £20 a week as well, and providing an equivalent payment to carers who are entitled to Carer's Allowance but not receiving it, so older carers on low incomes also benefit. 8. Raising the amount carers can earn before losing Carer's Allowance from £128 to £160 a week and reducing the number of hours' care per week required to qualify for it. 9. Providing additional funding to local authorities and relevant leisure providers to enable them to provide a package of carer benefits. Applicability: Federal; except a) (lines 63-64), c) (lines 69-72), 1. (lines 75-76) and 9. (lines 92-93), which are England only. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00, Monday 8 March; see page 8. Amendments selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Saturday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.30 Friday 19 March; see page 5. 13.00 Auditorium break Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. 14.15 Policy motion Chair: Nick Da Costa. (Vice Chair, FCC). Aides: Chris Adams and Bex Scott. F14 The COVID-19 Pandemic To ensure a timely and relevant debate on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Conference Committee have decided to reserve this space on the agenda and to invite members to submit motions about the health response to the pandemic up to the emergency motions deadline. The deadline for submission of motions on the pandemic is 13.00 on Monday 8 March. The selected motion will be available online the following week and will be published in the Conference Extra and Saturday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 17.00, Wednesday 17 March. Amendments selected for debate will be published in the Saturday Conference Daily update to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.30 on Friday 19 March; see page 5. 15.15 Question & answer session Chair: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). Aides: John Bridges and Chris Maines. F15 Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Members may put questions on any topic to the Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Concise questions (maximum 25 words) may be submitted via the website until 16.00 on Friday 19 March or using the conference chat whilst the session is in progress. See Page 7. 16.00 Speech Chair: Jenni Lang. F16 Willie Rennie MSP, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats @willie_rennie, #LDConf 16.20 Auditorium break Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. 18.45 Policy motion Chair: Geoff Payne (Chair, FCC). Aides: Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC) and Kevin Lang. F17 The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Future of the UK-EU Relationship 37 members Mover: Layla Moran MP (Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs). Summation: Duncan Brack. Conference believes that the Conservative government's EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: A. Is a threadbare deal, bad for jobs, business, security, and the environment. B. Is the only 'free' trade deal in history to put up new barriers to trade instead of pulling them down, and leaves the UK services sector in total limbo. C. Represents a comprehensive betrayal of the promises made by the Leave campaigns during the referendum and by the Conservatives' 2019 election manifesto. Conference further believes that this botched deal will make the British people poorer and less safe by, among other things: i) Erecting new and significant non-tariff barriers to trade in UK goods and services with the EU, putting at risk at least 3.3 million jobs, and pushing many businesses already struggling as a result of COVID-19 over the edge. ii) Putting up barriers to future foreign investment in the UK through creating permanent uncertainty over the UK's potential future divergence from EU standards. iii) Withdrawing from Europol, Eurojust and the Schengen Information System database. iv) Removing the rights to free movement of UK citizens to live, work, study and retire within the EU. v) Failing to put in place any frameworks for UK-EU cooperation on foreign, external security or defence policy. vi) Ending UK participation in the Erasmus programme. Conference condemns the UK government for ensuring that the bill implementing the new treaty was pushed through Parliament with only a charade of democratic accountability and no opportunity to scrutinise its flaws. Conference accordingly congratulates the Liberal Democrat parliamentary parties in the Commons and Lords for opposing the bill. Conference notes that the Labour Party supported the bill, leaving the Liberal Democrats as the only major UK-wide pro-European party in Parliament. Conference further notes that the new Agreement will be reviewed every five years and that, in any case, provides for the UK to join EU programmes by mutual agreement. Conference believes that the future UK-EU relationship must be strengthened, to the benefits of both the UK and EU, and recognises that there are many ways in which this could be achieved, including, but not limited to, UK membership of the EU Customs Union, the European Single Market or both, and closer cooperation over health, climate change, environment, crime and policing, education, scientific research, foreign, security and defence policy. Conference reaffirms the Liberal Democrats' support for a longer-term objective of UK membership of the EU, as set out in the September 2020 conference motion 'The UK and Europe'. Conference therefore: 1. Instructs the Federal Policy Committee to carry out a programme of work, including consulting widely within the party, to determine the best possible future framework for the UK-EU relationship across all policy areas, with the aims of: a) Demonstrating the benefits to UK citizens and businesses of a much closer relationship compared to the government's inadequate measures; and b) Maximising public support for eventual UK membership of the EU. 2. Calls on the Liberal Democrat parliamentary parties in the Commons and Lords to expose the inadequacies of the government's arrangements and to promote the benefits of closer relations between the UK and EU. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00, Monday 8 March; see page 8. Amendments selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Saturday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.30 Friday 19 March; see page 5. 20.05 Policy motion Chair: John Bridges. Aides: Jennie Rigg and Nick Da Costa (Vice Chair, FCC). F18 Acting on the Russia Report 14 members Mover: Layla Moran MP (Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs). Summation: Alistair Carmichael MP (Spokesperson on Home Affairs). Conference notes that the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament's 'Russia Report' was published in July 2020, after many months of delay by the Conservative Government. Conference notes with particular concern the report's findings that: I. "The UK is clearly a target for Russia's disinformation campaigns and political influence operations". II. The Conservative Government failed to take action to protect the UK against potential Russian interference in the 2016 EU referendum, and has commissioned no retrospective assessment of whether such interference took place. III. The Government has continued to fail to take the threat that Putin's Russia poses to our democracy seriously, despite clear evidence that it interfered to help Donald Trump become US President in 2016. IV. Lax regulation has turned London into a 'laundromat' for illicit finance, and the National Crime Agency lacks the resources required to tackle it. V. Members of the Russian elite with close links to Putin are, through involvement in political organisations and donations to political parties, in positions "to assist Russian influence operations" in the UK. Conference further notes with concern that: A. Transparency International has identified more than œ5 billion worth of UK properties bought using suspicious wealth, one fifth of which originates from Russia. B. The Government has still not introduced legislation to establish a public beneficial ownership register of overseas entities that own UK property, despite promising it nearly five years ago. Conference reaffirms the Liberal Democrat commitments to: i) Take big money out of politics by reforming party funding in line with the Committee on Standards in Public Life's 2011 report, including a cap on donations. ii) Substantially increase funding for the National Crime Agency. Conference calls on the Government to: a) Commission a wide-ranging and properly-funded investigation into potential Russian interference in our democracy, including the 2016 EU referendum, and publish the report as soon as possible. b) Make it a national security priority to protect the UK's democratic processes - including local democracy - from any threats or interference, with proper resourcing and clear ministerial responsibility. c) Introduce the Registration of Overseas Entities Bill without further delay. d) Amend the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 to include serious and organised crime as grounds for introducing sanctions. e) Cease its attempts to undermine parliamentary scrutiny, including by interfering in the membership of committees. Conference further calls for the independence of the Intelligence and Security Committee to be strengthened by: 1. Enabling the Houses of Parliament to elect its members. 2. Giving it the power to decide what it publishes and when. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00, Monday 8 March; see page 8. Amendments selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Saturday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.30 Friday 19 March; see page 5. 20.50 Party business Chair: Cllr Jon Ball (Vice Chair, FCC). Aides: Jenni Lang and Geoff Payne (Chair, FCC). F19 Federal Board Report: questions and accountability Mover: Dr Mark Pack (President of the Liberal Democrats). The Federal Board report is the chance for party members to hear how the party is being run and what is being done to implement the election review, and to put questions direct to the Party President. See notes to F20. F20 Campaign for Gender Balance Report: questions and accountability Mover: Julia Cambridge (Vice Chair, Campaign for Gender Balance). The deadline for questions to F19 and F20 is 13.00 on 8 March. 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 online until 16.00 on Friday 19 March, or through the chat function in Hopin during the session, but they will only be called if time allows and at the discretion of the Chair. See page 7 for further information. 21.15 Close of session Sunday 21 March 09.30 Emergency motions or topical issue discussions Chair: Duncan Brack. Aides: Bex Scott and Chris Adams. F21 Emergency Motions or Topical Issue Discussions This slot has been reserved for the debate of emergency motions and / or discussion of topical issues. The deadline for emergency motions and for suggestions for topical issues is 13.00 on 8 March. See pages 7 and 8. The motions selected for debate or the motions proposed for the ballot will be published in the Conference Extra and Saturday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. Emergency motion timing - mover of motion: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. Topical issue timing - introducer of issue and spokesperson's response: 5 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate see page 6. 11.10 Policy motion Chair: Jenni Lang. Aides: Chris Maines and Bex Scott. F22 Autism Support Young Liberals Mover: Katharine Macy. Summation: Janey Little. Conference notes that: i) Autism is a part of daily life for 2.8 million people in the UK. ii) The National Autistic Society found that 80% of autistic people wish they had more information about laws around autistic individuals. iii) Currently every autistic person has the right to a needs assessment under the Autism Act 2009, completed by an assessor with the skills, competency and knowledge of autism sufficient to undertake that assessment - however this is not always accessible for individuals. iv) Only 8% of autistic people and 5% of family members felt that health and care services had improved since the Autism Act. v) Only 16% of diagnosed autistic individuals are in full time employment and 32% in part time employment, but many adults remain undiagnosed due to unnecessary hurdles in the assessment system. vi) 77% of unemployed diagnosed autistic individuals want to work. vii) Misdiagnosis of autistic individuals is far too common - especially in ethnic minorities, women, girls and non-binary individuals. viii) Due to social misunderstandings, autistic individuals can unknowingly end up on the wrong side of the law - 4.5% of young offenders in Feltham have a diagnosis. ix) Autistic people are up to seven times more likely than the general population to be involved in the criminal justice system. x) Autistic people and their families may be eligible for a Blue Badge to access disabled parking spaces. xi) Autistic individuals are included in many invisible disability campaigns including the London 'Please offer me a seat' campaign. Conference believes that: a) Every individual should be able to achieve their potential - neurodivergent or neurotypical. b) Autistic and other neurodivergent individuals not only are equal workers but can provide unique perspectives and be a substantial addition to the workplace. c) A diagnosis should not be a label, it is a tool there to support individuals in getting the help needed. Conference resolves that: 1. Guidance on employment must be updated to ensure the Equality Act 2010 is fulfilled and employers can support autistic individuals in their employment. 2. Education about neurodivergence should be included on the curriculum in the same way mental health is currently. 3. Diagnosis must be made more accessible, by stopping gatekeeping and reducing steps required for diagnosis to be official in NHS terms. 4. Wait lists for diagnosis must be reduced by increasing funding and space for diagnosis. 5. Autistic women, girls, non-binary individuals and ethnic minorities must have equal access to support and diagnosis. 6. There should be increased training for teachers to acknowledge neurodiverse individuals, to both recognise behaviour and support different styles of learning. 7. There should be further improvements to the Autism Act 2009, to create obligations on employers and local authorities to support autistic people with their care assessments. 8. Autistic offenders should be met with support and not punishment when the crime is non-violent. 9. Sensory spaces should be provided for autistic individuals engaging with the justice system - whether as complainants or defendants or witnesses or staff. 10. Autism must not be represented as decreasing quality of life. Applicability: England only; except 1. (lines 37-39), which is Federal; and 8. and 9. (lines 55-59), which are England and Wales. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00, Monday 8 March; see page 8. Amendments selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Sunday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.30 Saturday 20 March; see page 5. 12.10 Policy motion Chair: Cllr Joe Otten. Aides: Cllr Jon Ball (Vice Chair, FCC) and Kevin Lang. F23 International Development 19 members Mover: Layla Moran (Spokesperson on Development). Summation: Alistair Fernie. Conference notes that: A. The UK Government announced in June 2020 the integration of the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) into a new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; the decision was taken with little sector consultation and in advance of the Government's 'Integrated Review' of its international policies. B. The '2020 Aid Transparency Index' found that DFID is one of the world's most transparent donors, rating it as 'very good'; but other ODA spending government departments do not meet the same standards. C. The UK Government announced in November 2020 its intention to renege on its commitment to spend 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) on Official Development Assistance (ODA) and introduce legislation to reduce this to 0.5%, despite the reduction resulting anyway from the fall in GNI. D. Coronavirus poses particular challenges to development, not least in potentially reversing decades of progress in reducing poverty. E. The UK can play a key role in supporting developing countries to address the immediate consequences of the pandemic - through providing humanitarian aid and support for health system. strengthening - but also in supporting their longer-term recovery, which has important implications for our own future prosperity. F. A high-quality international development programme, as part of an open, generous, globally-engaged UK will not only be of direct benefit to those who need that support, but also sends an important message about our values and priorities, and a recognition that many of the challenges we face can only be addressed as a global community. G. The Liberal Party committed in 1970 to 0.7% gross national income (GNI) aid spending, the first UK political party to do so; and it was the Liberal Democrats who enshrined this commitment in law while in Coalition Government. Conference reaffirms its commitment to: 1. Retaining DFID as a separate Department of State with its own Cabinet Minister. 2. Maintaining the UK commitment to spend 0.7% of GNI on ODA, recognising that the programme will reduce substantially anyway in the short term as a result of the overall reduction in GNI caused by the impact of coronavirus. 3. Ensuring that the UK plays a significant role in supporting developing countries address the economic and health consequences of coronavirus, including through playing a proactive role in debt forgiveness and relief initiatives. 4. Ensuring that the use of ODA continues to be consistent with the OECD/DAC rules/guidelines, and with UK legislation, and in particular its primary purpose should remain the economic development of, and poverty reduction within, the partner country. 5. Ensuring that a Parliamentary select committee with a remit of examining all British Government ODA expenditure is retained, as well as the Independent Commission on Aid Impact (ICAI). 6. Ensuring that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), agreed in September 2015, lie at the heart of the UK's international development policy, recognising that the five 'Ps' of Prosperity, People, Planet, Peace and Partnerships provide an overarching framework for progress. 7. Reinvigorating internationalism and multilateralism, noting that challenges like climate change and pandemics have no respect for national borders and can only be addressed by countries working together. 8. Re-establishing the development education programme, linked to the SDGs, to increase public understanding of the links between progress elsewhere and the UK and the universal nature and applicability of the SDGs. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00, Monday 8 March; see page 8. Amendments selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Sunday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.30 Saturday 20 March; see page 5. 13.00 Auditorium break Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. 14.15 Speech Chair: Geoff Payne (Chair, FCC). F24 Speech by The Leader of the Liberal Democrats, the Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey MP #LDConf 15.00 Policy motion Chair: Chris Adams. Aides: Duncan Brack and Cllr Joe Otten. F25 A Better Response to the Impact of COVID-19 on Education Cambridge Mover: Cllr Cheney Payne. Summation: Cllr Lucy Nethsingha. Conference notes that: i) Young people's education and opportunities have been hit hard by COVID-19. ii) The cumulative impact of disruption to education during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been evenly spread among those in education, and that those with fewer resources have been hit disproportionately hard. iii) The impact on educational opportunities has also been unevenly spread across English regions, with some regions hit with far greater disruption to schooling than others. iv) The pandemic has had a very serious impact on young people's mental health, as well as their educational opportunities. v) LGA analysis shows spending by local authorities on youth services nationally has reduced by 69 per cent since 2010/11, from œ1.4 billion to œ429 million, with the loss of more than 4,500 youth work jobs and the closure of 750 youth centres. Such youth services offer young people safe places to meet, support them to succeed in school, training, or employment, and help them avoid long-term unemployment, mental health problems, and being lured into criminal activity. vi) The pandemic has made the need for such services greater than ever. vii) Meanwhile the National Citizen Service (NCS) receives an estimated 95 per cent of the Government's youth services budget, despite only one in six eligible young people taking part and a fall of eight per cent in participants in the past year; National Citizen Service offers just two to four weeks of voluntary activity for 16 to 17-year-olds, receiving œ1.26 billion in government funding from 2016 to 2020. viii) The government's apprenticeship levy has cost businesses millions of pounds, but there has been little or no analysis of the impact of the levy. ix) Much of the apprenticeship levy remains unspent. Conference believes that: a) More must be done to ensure that the impact of the pandemic on the life chances of young people is recognised and urgent action must be taken to ensure that young people are not disadvantaged in the long term. b) Given the uneven nature of the impact of the pandemic on children in different areas of England and with different home circumstances and access to online learning, to continue to base the assessment of GCSEs, AS and A levels on exams alone would be deeply unfair. c) Investment is needed in youth work, mental health support and pastoral care in schools to ensure young people are able to recover from both educational and emotional damage as a result of the pandemic. d) Some of the National Citizen Service funding would be better spent on all-year-round provision for young people of all ages, rather than a time-limited programme which is restricted to a narrow age group and is attracting only a relatively small number of teenagers. e) At this time of national crisis, which is hitting the work opportunities of the young particularly hard, young people at the start of their careers should be the main beneficiaries of unspent apprenticeship levy money. Conference therefore recommends that: 1. Given the ongoing disruption to education in many areas of England, over a prolonged period, while the move to alternative assessment is welcome for students due to take exams in 2021, thought needs to be given now to how students taking exams in 2022 can be assessed fairly. 2. The money allocated to the National Citizens Service and the œ500 million Youth Investment Fund programme for 2020 and 2021 be passed to local authorities to provide expanded and targeted year-round youth work and education recovery programmes to improve the mental health and wider life chances of young people hit by the pandemic. 3. Any unspent by companies which would be clawed back by the Treasury be allocated to local authorities in partnership with FE colleges and schools to ensure the maximum number of apprenticeship placements are available for young people leaving school and college in 2021. 4. Such local authority funded apprenticeship schemes should be granted flexibility over the work placement requirements until July 2022, as the need to get young people into training is urgent, and the number of employers with whom to partner in such schemes is likely to be restricted in the coming year. Applicability: England only. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00, Monday 8 March; see page 8. Amendments selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Sunday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.30 Saturday 20 March; see page 5. 16.20 Auditorium break Please see the Conference Directory for our fringe and exhibition programme. 18.45 Policy motion Chair: Cllr Jon Ball (Vice Chair, FCC). Aides: Nick Da Costa (Vice Chair, FCC) and Jenni Lang. F26 Accessibility in Education Young Liberals Mover: Sam Cumber. Summation: Janey Little. Conference notes that: i) Being able to easily access online learning resources and activities is imperative for networks, learning and communication in the modern digital age, allowing people to collaborate and overcome physical barriers and limitations. ii) Many young people cannot access the internet for various reasons, such as regional or financial inequality. iii) During a time where educational institutions are being disrupted, either due to COVID-19 or other reasons, technology is important for the continuation of learning, allowing teachers and students to access each other and share work and resources. iv) Under the leadership of Liberal Democrat Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, the re-purposing of existing stocks of laptops and distribution of internet routers to disadvantaged learners happened far more quickly in Wales than in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Conference believes that: a) Those unable to access online learning resources and activities for financial or other reasons are at a significant disadvantage. b) Material should be readily available in all formats (including large print, audio and Braille). c) Internet connections vary across the country and can affect the usability and efficacy of some technologies. d) Every student should have access to online resources and up-to-date technology and software. e) Where modules are disrupted through emergencies such as COVID-19, colleges and universities should adopt a no-detriment policy when grading students. Conference calls for: 1. The government to offer universities funding to establish digital inclusion bursaries for items such tablets or laptops for students from disadvantaged families in order to help with home and remote learning. 2. The government to ensure every disadvantaged family and students have access to broadband that would be sufficient enough for home learning, by requiring internet service providers to offer a social tariff for broadband. 3. Universities to offer guidance on working and learning from home. 4. Greater communication between Universities and government to allow them to deliver these bursaries. 5. The use of 4G/5G routers as a temporary fix for places without a proper broadband infrastructure in order to improve internet access in parts of the country where internet speeds are slow. Applicability: England only. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00, Monday 8 March; see page 8. Amendments selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Sunday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.30 Saturday 20 March; see page 5. 19.30 Policy motion Chair: Chris Maines. Aides: Geoff Payne (Chair, FCC) and Cara Jenkinson (Vice Chair, FCC). F27 Safe and Legal Routes to Save Lives 13 members Mover: Alistair Carmichael MP (Spokesperson on Home Affairs). Summation: Tim Farron MP (Spokesperson on Communities and Local Government). Conference believes that: I. Refugees who have been forced to flee their homes to escape war and persecution are some of the most vulnerable people in the world; we must do all we can to protect them. II. The UK has a proud history of providing sanctuary to those in need, but now the Conservative Government is turning its back on refugees and failing to live up to our obligations to them. III. Providing refugees with safe and legal routes to sanctuary in the UK is the best way to combat people smuggling and human trafficking, and to prevent people from making dangerous attempts to cross the Channel or the Mediterranean. IV. The UK must welcome refugees and treat all seekers of sanctuary with dignity and compassion. Conference notes with dismay the lack of safe and legal routes to sanctuary in the UK. In particular: a) The Government closed the 'Dubs scheme' for unaccompanied refugee children elsewhere in Europe after resettling just 480 children. b) The Government closed the UK's refugee resettlement schemes in March 2020. In July 2019, it announced a new 'global resettlement scheme' to replace these schemes from 2020, but it has not yet opened the new scheme or committed any funding for refugee resettlement beyond 2021-22. c) The Government has chosen to withdraw the UK from the Dublin System, which enables people applying for asylum in the EU to be reunited with their family members in another member state. d) Unlike every EU country except Denmark, the UK does not allow unaccompanied child refugees to sponsor family members to join them; Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Hamwee has tabled the Refugees (Family Reunion) Bill that would rectify this. e) In December, the Government changed the rules governing asylum applications so the Home Office can declare claims inadmissible if the applicant has passed through or has a connection to a 'safe third country' - even if that country refuses to readmit them; this is a breach of the UK's commitments under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. f) The Government plans to introduce new legislation to further restrict people's rights to claim asylum in the UK. Conference condemns the Conservative Government's heartless and inhumane response to desperate people attempting to seek sanctuary in the UK. Conference calls on the Government to provide safe and legal routes to sanctuary in the UK by: 1. Immediately restarting refugee resettlement and making a new, fully-funded commitment to resettle 10,000 vulnerable refugees each year. 2. Establishing a new Dubs Scheme to resettle a further 10,000 unaccompanied child refugees from elsewhere in Europe over the next ten years. 3. Guaranteeing the rights of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Europe to be reunited with family members in the UK. 4. Supporting Baroness Hamwee's Bill to expand family reunion rights so that unaccompanied child refugees in the UK can sponsor close family members to join them. 5. Providing all unaccompanied asylum-seeking children with support and specialist legal advice. 6. Upholding the Refugee Convention, reversing the recent changes to asylum rules that contravene it, and abandoning plans to further restrict the right to seek asylum. Applicability: Federal. Mover: 7 minutes; summation of motion and movers and summation of any amendments: 4 minutes; all other speakers: 3 minutes. For eligibility and procedure for speaking in this debate, see page 6. The deadline for amendments to this motion is 13.00, Monday 8 March; see page 8. Amendments selected for debate will be published in the Conference Extra and Sunday Conference Daily updates to the Conference Agenda. The deadline for requests for separate votes is 09.30 Saturday 20 March; see page 5. 20.15 Party business Chair: Geoff Payne (Vice Chair, FCC). F28 Party Awards The Leaders Award: A new award given for exemplary leadership skills at any level in the party, open to all members who have taken on the hard work of leading others to success. Albert Ingham Award: Named for one of the party's great election agents, Albert Ingham, this award is open to any election agent or senior member of a campaign team. It is awarded for excellence, tenacity or novelty in campaigning from which others could learn. The Bertha Bowness Fischer Award: Named for the party's, and country's, first woman to become a qualified election agent, this award is open to any newer (less than two years) member of the party. It is awarded to those who have shown outstanding energy and/or ingenuity in supporting their new-found political home. 20.30 Close of Conference Standing orders 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. [Note: this does not apply to a virtual conference.] 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, original 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 a conference held phyiscally 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 each 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 17 of the Federal Party's Constitution, the Federal Board, the Federal Policy Committee 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, state parties, regional parties in England, local parties, Specified Associated 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, Specified Associated Organisations and 10 party members. e) 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 at least two days before the start of conference, except for questions to the reports of the Parliamentary Parties in the House of Commons, House of Lords and European Parliament, where the closing date shall be at least one hour before the start of the business session at which the report is due to be considered. e) Notwithstanding 1.5(d), questions may always be submitted to any of the reports listed in the agenda arising from events occurring after the deadline specified in 1.5(d). The deadline for these questions shall be one hour before the start of the business session at which the report is due to be considered. 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. [Note: this Standing Order will NOT apply to a virtual conference; voting will be undertaken in a different way if needed.] 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 organise the debates on the motions in the order chosen by conference in the ballots. 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. [Note: this Standing Order will apply with modifications to a virtual conference: the Chief Steward may designate people to act as lead moderators for the conference chat.] 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. [Note: this Standing Order will apply with modifications to a virtual conference: speakers cards must be submitted electronically and by no later than 16.00 on the day before the relevant debate, although the chair has a discretion to accept cards submitted after the deadline.] 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. [Note: this Standing Order will NOT apply to a virtual conference if the new set of Standing Orders for a virtual conference is passed; instead a secure online poll or alternative shall be used.] 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. [Note: this Standing Order will NOT apply to a virtual conference.] 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. [Note: this Standing Order will apply with modifications to a virtual conference: the chair must be contacted via debates@libdems.org.uk.] 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. [Note: this Standing Order will NOT apply to a virtual conference.] 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 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. 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 sub-committees 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 Officers of the Federal Party Leader - Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey MP President - Dr Mark Pack Vice President (England) - Alison Rouse Vice President (Scotland) - Sheila Ritchie Vice President (Wales) - Paula Yates Vice President (BAME) - Isabelle Parasram Chair of FFRC - Anthony Harris Chair of FPDC - Bess Mayhew Treasurer - Lord German Chief Executive - Mike Dixon Federal Conference Committee (FCC) The FCC is responsible for organising the two federal conferences each year. This includes choosing the agenda from the policy and business motions submitted by conference representatives, local, regional and state parties, specified associated organisations and federal committees, and taking decisions on venues, registration rates and other organisational matters. It works within a budget set by the FFRC. The FCC has 22 voting members: the Party President; the party's Chief Whip in the House of Commons; three state party representatives; one representative from the FB, two from the FPC, one from the Federal Communications & Elections Committee (FCEC), one from the Federal People Development Committee (FPDC); and fifteen directly elected members. It elects its own chair, who must be one of the directly elected representatives. Federal Policy Committee (FPC) The FPC is responsible for researching and developing policy and overseeing the Federal Party's policy-making process, including producing policy papers for debate at conference and drawing up (in consultation with the relevant parliamentary party) the Federal election manifestos for Westminster and European elections. The FPC has 29 voting members: the Party Leader and six other parliamentarians, the Party President; two local councillors, three state party representatives, one member of the FCEC and 15 members directly elected by members. It must be chaired by the Leader. Federal Board (FB) The FB is responsible for directing, co-ordinating and overseeing the implementation of the Party's strategy and the work of the Federal Party. The FB also has responsibility, at least once per Parliament, for preparing a document outlining the Party's Strategy, for submission for debate and agreement by Conference. The FB has 35 voting members: the Party President (who chairs it), the Party Leader and three other parliamentarians; the chairs of the three state parties; the chairs of each of the Federal Committees including a vice-chair of the FPC; a local councillor; a Young Liberals representative; three state party representatives; and 15 directly elected members. Federal Finance and Resources Committee (FFRC) The FFRC is responsible for planning and administering the budget and finances of the Federal Party, overseeing its administration and ensuring compliance with the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, as well as overseeing the Party's risk management operations and its Risk Register. The FFRC has 14 voting members: the Registered Treasurer (who chairs it); the Registered Treasurers of the three state parties; five other members (elected by the FB); the Party Treasurer; the Party President; one representative of the Parliamentary Office of the Liberal Democrats; the Chief Executive; and one member of Federal staff.