This government bill would introduce powers to address protestors that cause serious disruption. This includes new criminal offences such as those relating to: locking on; tunnelling; obstructing major transport works; interfering with key national infrastructure; and interfering with the access to, or provision of, abortion services. The bill would also introduce serious disruption prevention orders, as well as give the secretary of state the power to bring civil proceedings against those causing serious disruption as a result of protest-related activities. The bill has proven controversial, with some arguing that it could threaten the right to protest. The government states that the bill would plug what it argues are gaps in existing legislation to better protect the public from serious disruption caused by protestors.
Public Order Bill (303 KB , PDF)
On 1 November 2022, the second reading of the Public Order Bill is scheduled to take place in the House of Lords.
The bill would introduce several measures that aim to address serious disruption caused by certain protestors. This includes several new criminal offences such as:
The bill would also introduce ‘suspicion-led’ and ‘suspicion-less’ stop and search powers for the police, as well as powers to enable the secretary of state to bring civil proceedings (including applying for injunctions) against individuals who carry out protest-related activity. A new preventative court order—the serious disruption prevention order (SDPO)—would also be introduced. A person who receives an SDPO could be subjected to several requirements, including electronic tagging.
Most of the bill’s provisions were originally introduced as amendments to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill during the Lords report stage. However, the House of Lords rejected these amendments in January 2022 and they did not form part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, which received royal assent on 28 April 2022. The Public Order Bill would reintroduce these measures. Amendments were made to the bill during the committee and report stages in the House of Commons. This included government new clauses that would introduce several offences on tunnelling, as well as an opposition new clause that would introduce buffer zones around abortion clinics. The bill’s provisions would extend to England and Wales only.
The bill has proven controversial, with many parliamentarians and external stakeholders arguing that it could threaten the right to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly. However, following widespread publicity about evolving tactics used by some protestors, the government has said that it remains committed to plugging what it argues are gaps in existing legislation and protecting the public from serious disruption caused by certain protestors.
Public Order Bill (303 KB , PDF)
The Hares (Closed Season) Bill [HL] would create a closed season during which it would be an offence to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or take any hare between 1 February to 30 September each year. It would also repeal the Hares Preservation Act 1892.
![Hares (Close Season) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 52 of 2024–25](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Agriculture-and-farming-568x426.png)
The UK co-founded and is a member of the Media Freedom Coalition, which advocates for media freedom, the safety of journalists, and holding those who harm journalists to account. More than 50 journalists have been killed every year since 2019, often with impunity. They can also be subject to detention and legal intimidation. The previous government worked with the UN and other multilateral organisations to promote media freedom, and the current government has said it will protect independent journalism.
In October 2024, a House of Lords committee published a post-legislative review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The committee argued that the legislation was no longer world-leading. It suggested developments worldwide had led to the UK falling behind internationally and that recent immigration legislation had limited the act’s support infrastructure for victims. It called on government policy to recognise the difference between migrants coming to the UK willingly and victims of trafficking.
