This House of Lords Library Briefing provides information ahead of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on 9 August 2019.
Indigenous Languages: Are They in Danger? (231 KB , PDF)
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is marked on 9 August every year. This date commemorates the inaugural session of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations at the United Nations (UN) in 1982. As part of the International Day, the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues organises an event each year that brings together relevant stakeholders such as UN member states and agencies; indigenous peoples’ organisations; and civil society groups. In 2019, the theme is “indigenous languages”, focusing on the current situation of indigenous languages around the world. The theme coincides with the UN General Assembly designating 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
Indigenous Languages: Are They in Danger? (231 KB , PDF)
Current and recent governments agree that the rule of law is a fundamental British value. However, the House of Lords Constitution Committee and legal sector organisations have raised concerns that the rule of law has been eroded. Law officers in the Labour government have committed to uphold and promote the rule of law.
This proposed law would place a duty on the government to make arrangements to ensure those serving sentences of imprisonment for public protection have been resentenced within 24 months of the act being passed.
![Imprisonment for Public Protection (Re-sentencing) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 19 of 2024–25](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Justice-568x426.png)
There are two types of property in established case law: things in possession (usually tangible objects) and things in action (like debts or the right to sue). Digital assets do not fall neatly into either category. While the law has been flexible in practice in considering them property, this Law Commission bill aims to remove uncertainty by legally establishing a third type of property. This is intended to provide more clarity in cases involving digital assets, including settlements, divorces, or disputed ownership.
![Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 31 of 2024–25](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Science-and-Technology-568x426.jpg)