• Research Briefing

    Automated Vehicles Bill [HL]: HL Bill 1 of 2023–24

    The Automated Vehicles Bill would put into place measures announced in the 2023 King’s Speech to set up a legal framework to enable self-driving cars in the UK. It would establish a regulatory regime for authorising the vehicles, deal with criminal liability and marketing restrictions and allow for automated passenger services, among other things.

  • Research Briefing

    Pedicabs (London) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 2 of 2023–24

    The Pedicabs (London) Bill is a government bill which would provide Transport for London with powers to regulate pedicabs, also known as cycle rickshaws, for example by introducing a licensing regime and standards for operators, drivers and their vehicles. The bill would extend to England and Wales, but only apply in England to pedicabs operated within Greater London. The bill was promised in the 2023 King’s Speech and was introduced into the House of Lords on 8 November 2023. It is due to receive its second reading on 22 November 2023.

  • Research Briefing

    Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 4 of 2023–24

    The Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill was announced as part of the King’s Speech in November 2023. It is a bill to enable the implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. It will amend aspects of domestic legislation on technical trade barriers, government procurement and intellectual property to ensure the UK is compliant when the agreement comes into force.

  • Research Briefing

    Northern Ireland Budget (No. 2) Bill: HL Bill 167 of 2022–23

    The Northern Ireland Budget (No. 2) Bill is a government bill that would authorise government departments and certain other bodies in Northern Ireland to incur expenditure and use resources for the financial year ending 31 March 2024. The House of Commons has passed the bill and the Speaker has certified the bill as a money bill. In practice this limits the extent to which the House of Lords can propose significant changes.

  • Research Briefing

    Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) (No. 2) Bill: HL Bill 128 of 2022–23

    The Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) (No. 2) Bill is a private member’s bill that would allow ministers to lower to 18 the age threshold at which qualifying workers are automatically enrolled into workplace pensions. It would also allow ministers to amend qualifying earnings limits so that pension contributions are calculated from the first pound earned. Ministers would have to obtain Parliament’s approval for any changes after first consulting on any proposals and reporting to Parliament on the consultations held.

  • Research Briefing

    Finance (No. 2) Bill: HL Bill 149 of 2022–23

    The Finance (No. 2) Bill is a government bill intended to give statutory effect to the tax measures announced in the spring budget 2023, as well as other previously announced policies. These include the introduction of full expensing of capital expenditure on plant and machinery from 2023 to 2026, the abolition of the lifetime allowance of tax relievable pension savings and the freezing of fuel duty rates for 2023/24. The bill was introduced to the House of Lords on 21 June 2023 and its second reading and all remaining stages are due to take place on 4 July 2023.

  • Research Briefing

    Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill: HL Bill 122 of 2022–23

    The Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill would prohibit the sale, offering for sale, or advertisement in England and Northern Ireland of low-welfare animal activities which take place abroad. The activity types covered would be set out in regulations, but would include those where animals are subject to unnecessary suffering or are kept in confinement.

  • Research Briefing

    British Nationality (Regularisation of Past Practice) Bill: HL Bill 144 of 2022–23

    The British Nationality (Regularisation of Past Practice) Bill would deal with a legal issue that has come to light which casts doubt on the British citizenship of some people born in the UK to European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss nationals between 1 January 1983 and 1 October 2000. The bill would amend the British Nationality Act 1981 to effectively confirm the British citizenship of these individuals.

  • Research Briefing

    Powers of Attorney Bill: HL Bill 121 of 2022–23

    The Powers of Attorney Bill would introduce changes to the existing process for making and registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA). This would include introducing identity verification when applying to register an LPA and streamlining how individuals could object to the registration. It would allow different processes and evidence to be accepted depending on whether an LPA is made digitally, on paper or a combination of the two. Additionally, it would permit chartered legal executives to certify copies of LPAs.

  • Research Briefing

    Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill: HL Bill 126 of 2022–23

    The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill is a private member’s bill sponsored by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour). The bill would give workers who have a lack of predictability regarding their working patterns, such as workers on zero hours contracts, a legal right to request a change in their terms and conditions. It was first introduced in the House of Commons and received cross-party support.

  • Research Briefing

    Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill: HL Bill 125 of 2022–23

    The Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill is a private member’s bill which provides for a new offence of causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress to a person in public because of that person’s sex or presumed sex. The bill has cross-party support and has passed all stages in the House of Commons. It is due to receive its second reading in the House of Lords on 16 June 2023.