The Genocide (Prevention and Response) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill, sponsored by Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (Labour), which would make provision about how the government monitors and reports on activities to prevent and respond to genocide and other atrocity crimes.
Genocide (Prevention and Response) Bill [HL] (319KB PDF)
The House of Lords is due to debate the Genocide (Prevention and Response) Bill [HL] at second reading on 22 March 2024.
The bill is a private member’s bill sponsored by Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (Labour). It would make provision about how the government monitors and reports on activities to prevent and respond to genocide and other atrocity crimes, by requiring the government to:
Baroness Kennedy has argued that these measures would follow similar changes adopted in the United States and help to ensure that the UK government was better equipped to prevent and respond to genocide and other atrocity crimes.
Genocide (Prevention and Response) Bill [HL] (319KB PDF)
The UK is a signatory to the convention establishing an international claims commission for Ukraine. The commission would assess claims for compensation for damage and losses caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The House of Lords International Agreements Committee has broadly welcomed the convention, but also raised concerns about the scope and efficacy of the commission.
Recent tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina have raised concerns about stability and security in the country, particularly due to reports of external influence and recent secessionist rhetoric in Republika Srpska. This briefing outlines recent developments, international responses and the UK government’s position on Bosnia and Herzegovina ahead of a House of Lords debate on the subject.
The UK is required to contribute towards the prevention of atrocity crimes globally. Successive UK governments have used various mechanisms aimed at preventing mass atrocities. Nevertheless, concerns have been raised in recent years regarding the continued occurrence of large-scale violence worldwide. This has prompted some parliamentarians and external stakeholders to call on the government to do more to prevent such atrocities.
