This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Parking (Code of Practice) Bill on 18 January 2019.
Parking (Code of Practice) Bill: Briefing for Lords Stages (317KB PDF)
The Parking (Code of Practice) Bill is a private member’s bill which would require the government to prepare a code of practice that contains guidance on good practice in the operation and management of private car parks, in addition to guidance on appeals against parking charges imposed in such car parks. The bill also provides for the creation of an independent appeals service and for a levy on the parking industry to cover the costs associated with issuing, administering and investigating a failure on individuals to act in accordance with the code.
The bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 19 July 2017 by Sir Greg Knight (Conservative MP for East Yorkshire). The bill received its second reading in the House of Commons on 2 February 2018 and completed its stages with cross party support on 23 November 2018. The bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 26 November 2018 under the sponsorship of Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative) and is scheduled to have its second reading on 18 January 2019.
Parking (Code of Practice) Bill: Briefing for Lords Stages (317KB PDF)
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.
Social media and other technologies have made it easier, quicker and cheaper for foreign powers to spread false information online aimed at undermining UK democracy. Such disinformation campaigns are one type of interference operation. In parallel, researchers have noted a link between declining public trust and societal polarisation, which can be exacerbated by online discourse. This briefing provides introductory reading to these issues, including recent reports and government announcements.
Concerns about abuse and intimidation towards elected representatives have increased in recent years. The Jo Cox Civility Commission made a number of recommendations in a 2024 report to address this because of concerns that this activity would dissuade people from standing in elections and encourage existing representatives to stand down. The government has instigated a number of policies to tackle the abuse and intimidation of elected representatives.
