This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill on 18 January 2019.
Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill: Brefing for Lords Stages (246KB PDF)
The Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill is a private member’s bill consisting of six clauses. The bill would facilitate the move from a paper-based system of marriage registration towards a partially electronic system (allowing several connected changes to how marriages are registered) and would grant opposite-sex couples the right to form civil partnerships (currently, only same-sex couples can form civil partnerships). It would also require the Government to publish reports on whether the law should be changed to allow the registration of pregnancy losses which occur before 24 weeks gestation and on whether coroners should be allowed or required to investigate still-births.
It is due to receive second reading in the House of Lords on 18 January 2019, having completed its Commons stages, with cross-party and Government support, on 26 October 2018. It is sponsored in the House of Lords by Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative).
Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill: Brefing for Lords Stages (246KB PDF)
In January 2026, the government announced a new scheme to support urgent repairs and essential improvements to listed places of worship. Called the ‘Places of worship renewal fund for England’, it replaced the ‘Listed places of worship grant scheme’ which had run since 2001. This briefing provides an overview of both schemes, the government’s reasoning for the change and the reaction of stakeholders.
There have been big differences in expenditure across different forms of healthcare for a number of years. In 2024/25, spending on acute care was £74.7bn, compared to £14.5bn on primary care and £13.8bn on community services. Both the 2024 Labour Party manifesto and the subsequent 10 year health plan for England contained an emphasis on shifting towards more care being delivered in local communities rather than in acute settings, dubbed a ‘neighbourhood health service’.
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.
