This House of Lords Library briefing considers the increasing use of civilian drones and the regulations governing their use.
Civilian Drones (86 KB , PDF)
The use of civilian drones has increased significantly in recent years, and this has raised a number of concerns over their usage. For example, there have been reports of near-misses between aircraft and drones, while some commentators have noted the privacy implications of drones fitted with cameras. In addition, it has also been suggested that drones could potentially be used by groups hostile to the United Kingdom. Further, this In Focus considers the existing regulatory regime governing their use, and recent regulatory developments at the national and EU level.
Civilian Drones (86 KB , PDF)
While international attention has largely been focused on the Middle East and Ukraine, the civil war in Sudan continues. The UN has characterised the conflict as the “world’s largest hunger crisis”. As peace negotiations stall, concerns are rising not only for the people of Sudan but also about the conflict spreading to neighbouring states.
Currently, cyclists who drive dangerously or carelessly can be prosecuted for various offences, including those contained in the Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended). In 2024, the Conservative government said it was introducing a new offence of causing death by dangerous cycling. However, this change in the law was not enacted before the 2024 general election. This briefing summarises the existing laws ahead of a debate in the House of Lords.
This briefing provides a summary of a recent report by the international children’s rights charity Save the Children entitled ‘Stop the war on children: Let them live in peace’, as well as UK government policy in this area. It has been prepared ahead of Baroness Anelay of St Johns’ (Conservative) upcoming debate on 12 September 2024 on the government’s assessment of the impact of international conflict on children and the recommendations proposed in Save the Children’s report.
