This In Focus briefing provides background information in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Online Safety Bill [HL] on 17 July 2015.
Online Safety Bill [HL] (132 KB , PDF)
The Online Safety Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Howe of Idlicote (Crossbench). The Bill is scheduled to receive its second reading on 17 July 2015. Baroness Howe introduced similar bills in 2012–13, 2013–14 and 2014–15, the earlier two bills received second reading, all three Bills failed to progress due to lack of parliamentary time. Baroness Howe has previously expressed her wish to “help parents make it less likely that their children will stumble across inappropriate material, either accidentally or deliberately” online and make parents aware “of how to make the most of the opt-in tool and information about online behavioural challenges that cannot be addressed by filters, such as cyberbullying and sexting”.
Online Safety Bill [HL] (132 KB , PDF)
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is scheduled for second reading in the House of Lords on 1 May 2025. The bill would make a number of changes to children’s social care and schools.
Integration and community cohesion have both been identified as important factors to enable people from different communities to live and work together. Like the previous Conservative government, the current Labour government has committed to policies intended to support integration in order to improve community cohesion. This briefing summarises how integration and community cohesion are conceptualised and measured and discusses the debate on effective integration strategies.
The UK’s approach to counter-terrorism is set out in its strategy CONTEST, which includes the scheme Prevent. Following the Southport attack in July 2024, Keir Starmer said that the threat from terrorism had changed, and the government would be reviewing its counter-extremism systems and reforming programmes such as Prevent. He also said the government would change the law to respond to the new threat if needed.
