Research Briefing
This private member’s bill seeks to establish a public advocate who would advise representatives of the deceased after major incidents, and who would establish a panel similar to the Hillsborough Independent Panel if a majority of representatives of the deceased requested it.
In Focus
Imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences were indeterminate sentences given to serious offenders who posed a significant risk of serious harm to the public. Although the IPP sentence was abolished in 2012, thousands of people subject to such a sentence are still in prison. In February 2023, the government rejected a recommendation from the House of Commons Justice Committee to conduct a resentencing exercise. It says its recently updated IPP action plan will support those serving an IPP sentence to progress towards release.
In Focus
This article presents recent data on violent crime in England and Wales published by the Office for National Statistics.
In Focus
In 2021, the government announced it would reduce the size of the army from 82,000 to 73,000 trained regulars. It also said the army would be modernised to take advantage of new technologies. This article looks at the current size of the army, the government’s 2021 integrated review and the findings of a recent inquiry on UK defence policy by the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee.
In Focus
Several thousand prisoners in England required support from custodial mental health services between July and September 2021, according to new research. One such service included psychologically informed planned environments (PIPEs), which are designed to support offenders with personality-related difficulties. An evaluation of PIPEs commissioned by the government analysed whether the PIPE model had been effective. This article looks at how PIPEs work and what the evaluation found.
Research Briefing
The Illegal Migration Bill seeks to fulfil the commitments made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 4 January 2023 to “stop the boats and tackle the unfairness of illegal migration”. Provisions in the Illegal Migration Bill would introduce a duty on the home secretary to remove all adults entering the UK illegally (as defined in clause 2) after 7 March 2023. It would also introduce powers to detain those individuals prior to removal. The bill provides the secretary of state with greater powers to decide the place and duration of an individual’s detention. In addition to the duty to remove adults, the bill contains a power to remove those under 18 years of age; this would become a duty upon the child reaching 18. It would disapply aspects of modern slavery protections and provide that asylum and human rights claims by those subject to clause 2 were inadmissible. Immigration is a reserved matter, most of the bill’s provisions would apply in all four parts of the UK.
In Focus
In recent years, there has been a series of high-profile cases of gross misconduct and illegal behaviour by police officers. The government and policing bodies have recognised this has led to a loss of public trust and confidence in the police. This article examines some of the key inquiries into police standards and culture and discusses some of the commitments made by politicians and the police to restore public trust.
Research Briefing
The Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill would allow the secretary of state to make regulations to deter the theft of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). This government-supported private member’s bill has passed its stages in the House of Commons and is awaiting second reading in the House of Lords.
In Focus
During the 2017–19 session, the House of Lords appointed a committee to examine citizenship and civic engagement in the UK. In 2022, the House of Lords Liaison Committee held a follow-up to this inquiry, considering issues including citizenship education in schools, the ‘life in the UK’ test, and whether the government’s policies in this area are coordinated effectively. The House of Lords is scheduled to debate its report on 17 April 2023.
Research Briefing
The Offenders (Day of Release from Detention) Bill is a private member’s bill that was introduced in the House of Commons by Simon Fell (Conservative MP for Barrow and Furness). The bill is sponsored in the Lords by Lord Bird (Crossbench). It is supported by the government.
In Focus
In 2022 music, performance and visual arts contributed an estimated £11.5bn to the UK economy. The government supports the performing arts primarily through Arts Council England (ACE), which received £943mn from the government and National Lottery in 2021/22. To support its levelling up agenda, the government has asked ACE to distribute more of its funding outside London.
In Focus
Newly recruited prison officers can draw their full occupational pension between the ages of 65 and 68, depending on their date of birth. The prison officers’ union argues such officers do a demanding physical job and regularly face violence, so requiring them to work until their late 60s is inappropriate and harmful. Ministers say they are open to discussions with the union but there are no plans to adjust prison officers’ retirement age.
Research Briefing
The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill is a private member’s bill that has government support. The purpose of the bill is to amend the Equality Act 2010 to make employers liable for harassment of their employees by third parties (such as customers or clients) and to introduce a specific duty on employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent the sexual harassment of their employees.
Research Briefing
Before an employer can make an employee on maternity, adoption or shared parental leave redundant, redundancy protection regulations require an employer to give that employee first refusal on a suitable alternative vacancy where one exists. The Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill would give the secretary of state powers to introduce regulations that would enable redundancy protections to apply from the point an employee told their employer that they were pregnant, and six months after returning from maternity, adoption or shared parental leave.
In Focus
Police and crime panels are local bodies that scrutinise police and crime commissioners in England and Wales. There have been some concerns that they lack the right resources, training and powers to carry out the role effectively. A recent government review concluded they had the right powers at their disposal. Following the review, the government updated guidance for panel members and support officers.
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