The Infrastructure Bill makes provision for the Government’s proposals to fund, plan, manage and maintain the UK’s national infrastructure.
Infrastructure Bill [HL] (HL Bill 2 of 2014–15) (329KB PDF)
The Infrastructure Bill makes provision for the Government’s proposals to fund, plan, manage and maintain the UK’s national infrastructure. It includes a diverse range of measures, including replacement of the Highways Agency with strategic highways companies; provision for the control of invasive non-native species; reform of planning law and provision for nationally significant infrastructure projects; and for a community electricity right. As introduced to the House of Lords, however, the Bill does not include measures which had been widely speculated upon prior to its publication pertaining to hydraulic fracturing or fracking, and to zero carbon homes.
Infrastructure Bill [HL] (HL Bill 2 of 2014–15) (329KB PDF)
The Nature’s Rights Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill sponsored by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party). The bill would recognise nature as a legal subject, granting it specific rights for protection and restoration. The bill would set out a legal framework for how this would operate, including an integrated rights framework and mechanisms for how nature’s rights would be implemented and enforced.
![Nature’s Rights Bill [HL]: HL Bill 7 of 2026–27](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Environment-568x426.png)
The Railways Bill would implement parts of the government’s plan to nationalise the railways, which was a manifesto commitment. It would create Great British Railways, a new publicly owned body that would be a “directing mind” for the railways, bringing “track and train together”. It would also give new powers to the Passengers’ Council and require the government to publish a long-term strategy for rail, among other things.
Rural areas contribute a significant proportion of England’s economic output. The government has announced several policies intended to support growth in the rural economy, including farming. However, it has faced criticism for the delay in outlining its overall strategy for the agricultural sector. This briefing provides data on the rural economy and summarises government policy and stakeholder reaction
