Research Briefing
The Pet Abduction Bill is a House of Commons private member’s bill. It would create two new offences of dog and cat abduction, and give ministers powers to create similar offences for other pet species. It has government and cross-party support.
In Focus
The UN recently published a toolkit for law enforcement officials to promote and protect human rights in the context of peaceful protests. It includes key principles for the use of digital technologies in relation to protests. This comes at a time when there are debates around the use of live facial recognition technology in public spaces by police in England and Wales. The government supports developing it as a crime-fighting tool, but others are concerned about its impact on privacy and other rights.
In Focus
A House of Lords special inquiry committee has recommended that the government proceeds with caution on the development and use of artificial intelligence in weapon systems. This includes adopting an operational definition for autonomous weapon systems and ensuring human control at all stages of such systems’ lifecycle. The government has committed to ensuring meaningful human control and accountability throughout the lifecycle of AI-enabled military systems, but not to adopting an operational definition.
Current Affairs Digest
A breakthrough in gene editing has brought hope of a pain-free life to thousands with sickle cell disease and beta-thalassaemia. But will it reach the people who need it most? This briefing looks at the literature on patient experiences, barriers to global access and potential UK rollout.
In Focus
The UK and India have a complex and multifaceted history. In recent years, their relationship has focused on political and economic cooperation. Both countries have agreed to a framework setting out future relations and are currently negotiating a free trade agreement. With India’s next general election scheduled to take place between April and June 2024, this briefing analyses the potential trajectory of UK-India relations.
In Focus
The government has committed to increase house building and improve the UK’s infrastructure while also protecting and improving the natural environment. The balance between these two objectives has been considered by the House of Lords Built Environment Committee in a report on the impact of environmental regulations on development. This article summarises the committee’s conclusions and the government’s response ahead of a House of Lords debate on the report.
In Focus
In a report published in November 2023 the House of Lords Horticultural Sector Committee highlighted the importance of the horticultural sector to the UK. The report detailed impacts of the sector on the economy, food supply, wellbeing and net zero ambitions. However, it said the industry faced a number of challenges and was not being given the attention or support it deserved. The committee’s report listed 93 recommendations for the government to help the sector meet these challenges and realise its potential.
Research Briefing
The Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill proposed by Lord Holmes of Richmond (Conservative), which would introduce a new body, the AI Authority, which would have various functions designed to help address AI regulation in the UK. It would also put regulatory principles for artificial intelligence into law.
Research Briefing
The Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill was announced as part of the King’s Speech on 7 November 2023. The bill would mandate that the oil and gas regulator hold annual licensing rounds for offshore petroleum production, subject to two tests being met.
In Focus
There are 4,500 miles of overhead electricity transmission lines in England and Wales. This contrasts with just over 900 miles of underground cables. ‘Undergrounding’, the replacement of overhead cables with underground cables, is used in limited circumstances, such as in nationally designated landscapes. There have been calls for an increase in undergrounding. However, the government has pointed to several issues, including the higher cost of underground cables.
In Focus
Only 14% of rivers in England have a good ecological status and none have a good chemical status. Agriculture, wastewater and diffuse urban pollution are the main sources of pollution affecting water bodies in England. In recent years, the failure of water companies to prevent sewage discharges has attracted attention, and questions have been asked about whether the government and bodies such as Ofwat and the Environment Agency are doing enough to regulate water companies and enforce environmental law.
In Focus
Following concern over several issues including pollution and poor customer service, the remuneration of senior executives in the water industry has come under scrutiny. Ofwat, the economic regulator of the sector, has announced tighter measures on water company executive bonuses when they have not been sufficiently earned. Ofwat is also to consult on measures to ban water company executives from receiving bonuses if a company has committed serious criminal breaches.
In Focus
The government has committed to improving the energy efficiency of domestic properties, including by providing support to help households to insulate their homes. This briefing considers the government’s recent announcements concerning improving home insulation.
In Focus
Thousands of primates are being kept as pets in the UK. The government is legislating to introduce licensing and higher welfare standards to end primates being kept in low welfare domestic environments. This briefing looks at the issue and the legislation.
In Focus
In 2023, the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee published a report on digital exclusion in which it called for the government to devise a new strategy and create a dedicated unit to address the issue. The committee argued the government’s approach lacked ambition. The government has said the issue is a priority and has established a dedicated ministerial group.
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