Documents to download

The Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Ratification of Convention) Bill is a House of Commons private member’s bill introduced by Eilidh Whiteford (SNP MP for Banff and Buchan) and is sponsored in the House of Lords by Baroness Gale (Labour). The Bill has completed all stages in the House of Commons and is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 10 March 2017.

The Bill seeks to encourage the Government to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (referred to as the Istanbul Convention)[ii], which the UK signed on 8 June 2012 but has yet to ratify. The Bill makes a number of provisions in this regard. It would require the Secretary of State to lay a report before each House setting out the steps required to enable the UK to ratify the Convention, and the timescale within which this is expected to happen. The report would have to be laid as soon as reasonably practicable after the Act came into force. Clause two would require the Secretary of State to lay a report before both Houses each year until ratification, setting out any changes to the timescale contained in previous reports; administrative measures taken by the government to enable the UK to ratify the Convention; legislative proposals brought forward to enable to UK to ratify; and measures to be taken and legislation required to enable the UK to ratify the Convention.

The Bill would require the first annual report to be laid no later than 1 November 2017.


Documents to download

Related posts

  • Executive oversight of the UK constitution: Lords Constitution Committee report

    In January 2025 the House of Lords Constitution Committee published a report on the responsibility of the government (the executive) to oversee the constitution. It concluded that the UK’s constitutional arrangements would benefit from several improved safeguards, such as the appointment of a senior minister to advise on constitutional matters and for advisory bodies to be put on a statutory footing.

    Executive oversight of the UK constitution: Lords Constitution Committee report
  • UK-Mauritius treaty on the Chagos Archipelago

    The Chagos Archipelago has been the subject of a long-standing dispute over its sovereignty between the UK and Mauritius. Having been retained by the UK since 1965, the largest island, Diego Garcia, later became the site of a joint UK-US military base. In May 2025, the UK reached an agreement to transfer sovereignty of the islands back to Mauritius, while maintaining an initial 99-year lease of Diego Garcia. The agreement also includes security and financial provisions.

    UK-Mauritius treaty on the Chagos Archipelago
  • Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: HL Bill 101 of 2024–25

    This bill seeks to implement the government’s commitments to modernise the asylum and immigration systems, establish a border security command and introduce enhanced powers and offences to tackle immigration crime and people smuggling gangs. It has completed its passage in the House of Commons and is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 2 June 2025.

    Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: HL Bill 101 of 2024–25