• Research Briefing

    Front-loaded Child Benefit Bill [HL]: HL Bill 6 of 2022–23

    The Front-loaded Child Benefit Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Lord Farmer (Conservative). It aims to allow recipients of child benefit to receive, if they wish, a higher rate of child benefit when a child is younger in exchange for a lower rate when the child is older. This would be an alternative to the current system whereby a flat rate is paid throughout childhood. Two thinktanks put forward similar proposals prior to 2010. The bill is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 8 July 2022.

  • In Focus

    The Equality Act 2010: Impact on disabled people

    The Equality Act 2010 is the main piece of domestic legislation governing disabled people’s rights in the UK; it replaced several separate pieces of discrimination legislation. A 2016 House of Lords committee review contained recommendations for improvements to the 2010 Act. In September 2021, the House of Lords Liaison Committee examined whether these recommendations had been implemented. The committee’s 2021 report is due to be discussed in the House of Lords on 21 June 2022.

  • In Focus

    Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill

    On 1 April 2022, the House of Lords is due to debate the second reading of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill. The private member’s bill would raise the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership in England and Wales to 18. It would also expand the scope of legislation dealing with forced marriage to include any conduct to facilitate the marriage of someone under the age of 18.

  • Research Briefing

    Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill

    The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill is a government bill that is being fast-tracked through Parliament. It completed its second reading and remaining stages in the House of Commons on 7 March 2022. The bill would make provision in three areas: part 1 would introduce a register of the beneficial owners of overseas entities that owned land in the UK; part 2 would make changes to strengthen unexplained wealth orders; and part 3 would make changes to sanctions legislation to help deter and prevent breaches of financial sanctions.

  • In Focus

    International Women’s Day 2022: gender gaps across the world

    Despite years of international attention on the issue, global gender gaps remain. Data published by the World Economic Forum in 2021 showed that global gender gaps remained in education, health, economics and politics. This article looks at findings from the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, as well as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on women and girls.

  • Research Briefing

    Judicial Review and Courts Bill

    This government bill would make several changes to judicial review and introduce new procedural measures in criminal courts, employment tribunals and coroner’s courts, amongst others. According to the Government, the bill would strengthen judicial review, modernise the court and tribunal system, and help to address case backlogs caused by the pandemic.

  • In Focus

    Data protection regulations and the immigration exemption

    In May 2021, the Court of Appeal ruled there was an unlawful incompatibility between provisions in the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation. In response, the Government introduced the Data Protection Act 2018 (Amendment of Schedule 2 Exemption) Regulations 2022 to remedy the issue. These will come into force on 31 January 2022. Critics have alleged that the regulations introduce insufficient data protection safeguards.

  • In Focus

    Motion to annul regulations to clarify when bailiffs can recover VAT on enforcement fees from debtors

    Secondary legislation governing when VAT is recoverable on the fees of enforcement agents, formerly known as bailiffs, has recently changed. The Government says the changes clarify that in some circumstances enforcement agents can take control of goods worth the cash equivalent of the VAT on their enforcement fees from debtors. A Lords motion to stop the changes will be discussed on 13 January 2022.

  • In Focus

    Freedom of speech in universities

    Discussions regarding freedom of speech in universities have become increasingly prominent in recent years. A Government bill which seeks to “strengthen freedom of speech and academic freedom in higher education” is currently in the House of Commons. Critics of the bill have suggested that there is little evidence to suggest freedom of speech in universities is under threat; an opposition amendment seeking to prevent the bill’s passage was defeated at second reading.

  • Research Briefing

    Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill [HL]

    This proposed law seeks to reform pensions across the public sector. It would also make other changes to the rules related to judicial offices. The pension reforms partly respond to a finding of unlawful discrimination in existing schemes and are partly aimed at improving the operation of public sector pensions. The changes relating to judicial offices are intended to improve recruitment and retention in the judiciary.

  • In Focus

    To sign or not to sign? Sign language in law, parliament and Covid-19 briefings

    Following Deaf Awareness Week this month, this article looks at British sign language and a campaign for the Government to provide an on-set BSL interpreter at the live televised Covid-19 briefings. It also looks at the introduction of BSL interpretation to certain parliamentary proceedings, most notably for prime minister’s questions.

  • In Focus

    Covid-19: Empowering women in the recovery from the impact of the pandemic

    Women have been specifically affected by the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Reasons for this include that they are over-represented in some of the worst-hit sectors, and that they do a greater share of unpaid care. The Government has said it wants women’s economic empowerment to be a focus in the post-pandemic recovery period. But it has faced criticism for not taking enough account of gender equality in its approach.

  • In Focus

    Family Allowances Act 1945

    In 1945, Parliament passed the Family Allowances Act. This article summarises the campaign to provide financial support to families with children and the passing of the Act. It also provides statistics on child benefits today.

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