This House of Lords Library briefing has been prepared in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Bill on 9 October 2017.
Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Bill (147 KB , PDF)
The Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Bill 2017–19 is a government bill that seeks to implement 100 percent relief from non-domestic rates (business rates) for all new full-fibre infrastructure over the next five years. This policy was announced in the 2016 Autumn Statement, along with a number of other measures related to digital communications. The Bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on 10 July 2017 and completed its Commons stages on 5 September 2017. It received its first reading in the House of Lords on 6 September 2017 and the second reading debate is scheduled for 9 October 2017. The rate relief was initially due to be implemented through clause 8 of the Local Government Finance Bill 2016–17, but this Bill fell when Parliament was dissolved on 3 May 2017 for the general election. The Bill applies to England and Wales only. As the National Assembly for Wales has responsibility for local government finance, the UK Government is seeking to obtain a legislative consent motion from the Welsh Assembly. A legislative consent memorandum was laid before the Welsh Assembly on 25 July 2017 and is being considered by the Welsh Assembly Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee. It will report to the Assembly on 12 October 2017.
Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Bill (147 KB , PDF)
Concerns have been raised about the state of the opera sector in England, with much of this focused on the financial pressures it is facing. Some institutions face reductions in Arts Council funding and, taken together with increasing costs, this has led to cuts in performances and concerns about the sector’s future viability. Concerns have also been raised about diversity and equality across opera, including in audiences and the workforce.
This bill aims to make it illegal to create or solicit sexually explicit or intimate images without the consent of the people in them. This would include deepfake content, where photos or video are digitally manipulated to make a person appear to be in an intimate situation. The government has said that banning the creation of non-consensual explicit deepfake content is a priority.
![Non-Consensual Sexually Explicit Images and Videos (Offences) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 26 of 2024–25](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Security-VIGs-568x426.jpg)
Academic research suggests that mobile phones in schools can adversely affect pupils’ educational attainment and contribute to problems such as bullying. But some experts point to potential learning benefits and argue that a blanket ban on phones could prove ineffective and counterproductive. Government guidance discourages the use of phones in schools but defers to school leaders on prohibiting their use. Most schools in England already have policies limiting the use of phones.
