The Liberal Democrats and Independent run Torbay Council have granted a foster carer couple Freedom of the Borough for their contribution towards improving the lives of Children.

Torbay Council are delighted to confirm The Civic Committee's recommendation to award Honorary Freedom of the Borough to Mr Dave and Mrs Dawn Barnett who have provided foster carer placements for children and young people for approximately 43 years.

For more up to date information from the Lib Dem Lords, follow us on twitter: @LibDemLords

Here's what our peers got up to this week.

Monday 22nd February

Each day in the Lords begins with four oral questions to the Government on different topics. Dee Doocey took the Government to task for often taking many weeks, or even months, to answer Written Questions submitted by peers. They are a critical tool for parliamentarians, she said, and government departments are working in a way that is detrimental for others trying to hold ministers to account.

Welcome to the Weekly Whip. Your one-stop shop for Lib Dem Parliamentary updates, covering the week that was and the week to come.

For up to date information from the Lib Dem Whips Office, follow us on Twitter: @LibDemWhips

Weekly Whip w/c 22nd February

Monday 22nd February

All eyes were on the Prime Minister on Monday as he delivered an address to Parliament, setting out a roadmap of rolling back restrictions as the pandemic heads into a new phase.

For years, the Liberal Democrats have been campaigning to scrap the archaic Vagrancy Act, which makes it illegal to sleep rough.

And yesterday, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick conceded that we were right, and that it's time to get rid of this cruel and outdated law.

Delighted to hear Robert Jenrick thinks the outdated, cruel Vagrancy Act should go.

Together with @tracey_crouch @CarolineLucas @ToniaAntoniazzi @LSRPlaid @Jamie4North @timfarron I've introduced a Bill that would repeal it in a heartbeat.

Time to pick it up and #ScraptheAct. pic.twitter.com/zeNE9yzVsE

- Layla Moran 🔶 (@LaylaMoran) February 25, 2021

Covid cases are down 28.6% in the South Hams this week, to a total of 15 cases

Most areas have reduced their cases numbers to fewer than 3, except for:

Yealmpton, Modbury and Aveton Gifford (up 100% to 4 cases).

Marldon, Stoke Gabriel & Kingswear (up 50% to 3 cases).

South Brent and Cornwood (up 50% to 3 cases).

Devon Liberal Democrats are backing calls to make pet theft a specific criminal offence and change the law to treat stolen dogs as animals rather than possessions.

A petition to make dog theft a specific criminal offence has so far reached 194, 171 signatures. According to the charity DogLost there has been a 170% increase in dog thefts since lockdown started.

25 years ago our former leader Paddy Ashdown laid out the stakes for Britain's position in the world:

Britain's role as the bulwark against tyranny in two wars this century was not a product of isolationism. It was the natural response of a nation used to engaging in the world and certain about its role as a European power.

Millions of people across the country have made untold sacrifices in the past year.

Boris Johnson must not squander the months of sacrifice by millions of people and businesses across the country

People have been isolated from their families, hundreds of thousands of businesses have been shuttered and our precious freedoms have been curtailed.