The Succession to the Crown Bill makes changes to the laws of succession to the Crown. This Library Note summarises the proceedings which have taken place on the Bill during its passage through the House of Commons, ahead of the Bill’s second reading debate in the House of Lords on 14 February 2013.
Succession to the Crown Bill (HL Bill 81 of 2012–13) (374 KB , PDF)
The Succession to the Crown Bill ends the system of male preference primogeniture which favours male over female heirs in the line of succession; removes the bar on an heir to the throne marrying a Roman Catholic; and replaces the current requirement that all descendants of George II must obtain the Monarch’s permission for their marriage with a requirement that the Monarch must approve the marriage of the six people nearest in line to the Crown. This Library Note summarises the proceedings which have taken place on the Bill during its passage through the House of Commons, ahead of the Bill’s second reading debate in the House of Lords on 14 February 2013.
Succession to the Crown Bill (HL Bill 81 of 2012–13) (374 KB , PDF)
The motion “that this bill do now pass” is moved immediately after a bill’s final stage in the House of Lords (known as third reading). It is amendable and so provides an opportunity for the House to oppose, delay or record a view on a measure if there is enough support. This briefing provides examples of amendments to the motion and what the outcome was each time.
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.
National policy statements (NPSs) inform decision-making for nationally significant infrastructure projects. The current NPS for nuclear power generation (EN-6) has effect for listed nuclear projects capable of being deployed by the end of 2025. Both the current and previous governments have consulted on a new NPS (EN-7) that would apply to nuclear power stations expected to be deployed after 2025. This briefing gives an overview of NPSs, the proposed new NPS for nuclear power generation and the reaction to it, as well as the current government’s policy on nuclear energy.
