The Bills before the UK Parliament (either Commons or Lords) 2017-2019 are comprehensively listed on UK Parliament’s website.
The list below is a select few that caught our attention.
#1 Certificate of Loss Bill
The Bill seeks to make provision for a certificate to be issued to mothers in respect of miscarried and still-born children not eligible for registration under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953; to establish a database for archiving the certificate and recording information about the miscarriage or still-birth; and for connected purposes.
The Bill is sponsored by Baroness Benjamin.
#2 Anonymity (Arrested Persons) Bill
The Bill seeks to prohibit the publication of certain in formation regarding persons who have been arrested until they have been charged with an offence and to set out the circumstances where such information can be published without committing an offence.
Clause 1 of the Bill provides that where a person is arrested for an offence then neither their name nor address, nor any still or moving picture, of that person shall be published in England and Wales in any publication available to the public in written, electronic or any other form, or be included in a relevant programme for reception in England and Wales, if it is likely to lead members of the public to identify that person as the person by whom the offence is suspected or alleged to have been committed.
The Bill is sponsored by Lord Paddick.
#3 Business of the House Commission Bill
This is a Private Member’s Bill that seeks to create a Business of the House Commission to regulate the timetabling of business in the House of Commons.
Clause 2 provides that the initial function of the Commission shall be, within six months of the date on which this Act is passed, to prepare a report making proposals to regulate the timetabling of business in the House of Commons. The report shall be laid before the House of Commons as soon as practicable after it is agreed to.
Clause 3 provides that a resolution of the House, following on from a report of the Commission under section 2 or this section, may confer functions upon the Commission to regulate the timetabling of business in the House of Commons. It further provides that the Commission may make such further reports as it considers appropriate containing further proposals to regulate the timetabling of business in the House of Commons. The report shall be laid before the House of Commons as soon as practicable after it is agreed.
#4 Victims of Terrorism (Pensions and Other Support) Bill 2017
This is a Private Member’s Bill sponsored by Emma Little Pengelly MP. It seeks to make provision about support for victims who have been severely injured or bereaved as a result of acts of terrorism by an unconnected person or organisation in the United Kingdom. It seeks to establish a review of pension support for such victims and to require that review to make proposals for additional support taking account of the effects on occupational pension provision for such victims.
# 5 Unsolicited Calls (Prevention) Bill 2017
This is a Private Member’s Bill sponsored by Stephen Kerr MP. It seeks to make provision to prevent unsolicited calls.
#6 Unpaid Work Experience (Prohibition) Bill 2017
This Bill makes provision for the prohibition of unpaid work experience exceeding four weeks.
#7 Unpaid Trial Work Periods (Prohibition) Bill 2017
This Private Member’s Bill, sponsored by Stewart Malcolm McDonald, seeks to prohibit unpaid trial work periods in certain circumstances.
Thus, under Clause 2, an employer requiring a person (P) to participate in a trial work period must prior to the trial work period:
- inform P how long the trial work period will last
- provide P with a job description outlining the qualities P needs to demonstrate in the trial work period
- inform P how many jobs are available for people who can demonstrate the qualities necessary to be offered a contract of employment
- agree to provide P with feedback from the trial work period
- inform P what arrangements will be made for notifying P of the outcome of the trial work period
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Image credit: Parliament of UK