Arbitration is a form of dispute resolution that enables two or more parties to resolve a disagreement privately through a third party instead of going to court. The Arbitration Bill [HL] would amend the Arbitration Act 1996, the principal legislation governing arbitrations in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland. The changes provided for in the bill would implement recommendations from the Law Commission following consultation with the sector.
Arbitration Bill [HL]: HL Bill 1 of 2024–25 (373 KB , PDF)
The House of Lords is scheduled to consider the Arbitration Bill [HL] at second reading on 30 July 2024. The government has published explanatory notes and a delegated powers memorandum to accompany the bill. It has also published an impact assessment, a human rights memorandum and a factsheet setting out more detail on the bill’s aims and expected impact.
The Arbitration Act 1996 regulates arbitration in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland. The bill would amend the act as it applies in England and Wales—and in Northern Ireland subject to devolved consent—following recommendations by the Law Commission. The previous Conservative government agreed with all of the Law Commission’s recommendations and the bill would bring these into effect.
Law Commission bills may be subject to special procedures in the House of Lords, including being committed to a second reading committee and a special public bill committee for further scrutiny. An earlier version of the bill introduced in the 2023–24 session was subject to such procedures. It received cross-party support and was welcomed by practitioners during these earlier scrutiny stages. The new Labour government has reintroduced the bill as amended by a special public bill committee appointed to consider the bill, together with one additional change.
Arbitration Bill [HL]: HL Bill 1 of 2024–25 (373 KB , PDF)
In October 2024, a report from the House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee concluded that poor-quality diets were contributing to an obesity crisis in England. It said that successive governments had failed to tackle the issue, and more regulation was now needed. This briefing summarises the committee’s recommendations, the government’s response in January 2025, and reaction to both reports.
The European Convention on Human Rights was signed by the members of the Council of Europe, including the UK, in Rome in 1950. The UK was one of the first states to ratify it in 1951 and it is now incorporated into UK law through the Human Rights Act 1998. The UK government has recently restated its unequivocal commitment to the convention.
The crown court backlog reached a record high of 73,105 cases in September 2024. The impact on victims, witnesses and defendants has been significant as they wait longer for their cases to be resolved. The government commissioned an independent review of criminal courts that will produce reform recommendations to address crown court pressures. Whilst stakeholders have welcomed the review, some have called for more immediate action to reduce the backlog.
