This Library Note provides information on the Modern Slavery Bill, which is due for second reading in the House of Lords on 17 November 2014.
Modern Slavery Bill (HL Bill 51 of 2014–15) (348 KB , PDF)
This Library Note provides information on the Modern Slavery Bill, which is due for second reading in the House of Lords on 17 November 2014. It provides background information on modern slavery in England and Wales, including the current legal framework, statistics on modern slavery, the current enforcement regime and the support which is available for victims. The Note outlines the key provisions of the Bill, and gives an account of the background to its introduction, including its pre-legislative scrutiny. Finally, the Note provides a summary of proceedings on the Bill in the House of Commons.
Modern Slavery Bill (HL Bill 51 of 2014–15) (348 KB , PDF)
In 2021, the government said that “as a force for good in the world” the UK would remain “sensitive to the plight of refugees and asylum-seekers”. It stated it had a “proud track record” of protecting those who need it, in accordance with its international obligations. However, the government has also spoken of the need to reform the “broken” asylum system. In 2022 it introduced new measures to implement changes.
In recent years, there has been a series of highly publicised controversies involving officers in the Metropolitan Police Service. Following criticism of her handling of the force, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service Dame Cressida Dick resigned in February 2022. Her successor, Sir Mark Rowley, has vowed to improve recruitment, conduct and discipline in the force. The government and other policing bodies have also committed to making improvements.
The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee has considered the use of artificial intelligence technologies in the criminal justice system. It found benefits to using such technology to help apply the law, but also raised concerns about a potential risk to the public’s fundamental human rights and civil liberties. This article summarises the committee’s findings and recommendations, as well as the government’s response.
