This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill [HL] on 11 May 2018.
Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill [HL] (154 KB , PDF)
The Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill HL is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Deech (Crossbench). The Bill proposes to replace section 25(2) of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, which deals with orders for financial provision after divorce, with “provisions about the principles to be applied in determining applications for such orders, including provision about the effect of pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements”. The law in this area has been developed by the statute’s application in the courts. Baroness Deech has argued that judicial discretion in the application of the law has resulted in a lack of clarity and consistency, and therefore that reform is necessary. The Bill received its first reading in the House of Lords on 3 July 2017 and is scheduled to receive its second reading on 11 May 2018.
Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill [HL] (154 KB , PDF)
The House of Lords is due to discuss NHS staff access to single-sex spaces on 1 May 2025. Following a recent Supreme Court judgment about the meaning of the term ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010, the Equality and Human Rights Commission issued an interim update on 25 April 2025 about the implications of this for workplaces and services provided to the public.
At present, prenuptial agreements are not automatically enforceable by courts in England and Wales. However, a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court in 2010 stated that courts should consider such agreements if entered into freely and with full understanding, unless doing so would be unfair. This has prompted calls for reforming marriage laws, including a Law Commission proposal to introduce a new form of marital property agreement.
The Holocaust Memorial Bill is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 4 September 2024. This bill seeks to make provision for expenditure on the construction and operation of a Holocaust memorial and learning centre. It would also remove restrictions on building these in Victoria Tower Gardens, next to Parliament. It is a government bill, introduced under the previous Conservative government and continued by the newly elected Labour government. The bill is a hybrid bill, meaning it applies generally but also has a particular effect on specific groups, people or places. This entails additional stages for the bill. The bill is made up of two substantive clauses. It would extend to England and Wales, and apply to England. It would come into force two months after receiving royal assent.
