Archive: Bills

The week in Westminster: April 22nd to 26th

Both houses debate, discuss, propose and vote on everything from visa restrictions on visitors from Brazil to the unlawfulness of caste discrimination.

The Week in Westminster: 28-24 January 2013

The week in Westminster: March 26th – 30th

The week in Westminster: June 18th – 22nd

Equality bill is 'homophobic', campaigner says

The government's far-reaching is equality bill is homophobic, a leading gay right activists has said.

'Chilling' expenses bill pressures govt

Parliamentary standards bill ruffles MPs' feathers

More pressure was placed on the government to retreat on the original clauses of the parliamentary standards bill as debate continued in the Commons this afternoon.

Govt in retreat over expenses privilege fear

Expenses watchdog poses parliamentary privilege risk

Attempts to include a code of conduct for MPs in the parliamentary standards bill were dropped last night over fears it could fundamentally undermine Britain's constitution.

Critics round on marine bill

Fish stocks are dangerously low, authorities have warned

The government is coming under pressure from green groups over the level of protection for marine reserves in today's marine and coastal access bill.

Equality bill 'will make BNP illegal'

The upcoming equality bill will make the British National party's (BNP) membership criteria illegal, Harriet Harman has confirmed.

MPs accused of ignoring fuel poverty vote

The fuel poverty bill was unable to make progress last week because so few MP's turned out to vote, a lobby group said today.

Gay free speech amendment voted down

An amendment to the law banning incitement to hatred on the basis of sexual orientation has been shot down by MPs.

Round two for the coroners bill

Debate went on well into the night yesterday

The second day of debate on the coroners bill will take place in parliament this afternoon, following angry scenes in the chamber yesterday.

Anger at coroners bill timetabling

Douglas Hogg said the coroners bill timetabling "stinks"

Conservative backbencher Douglas Hogg says he will oppose timetabling of all bills - even if the Tories win the next election.

Straw to present rights bill to parliament

Justice secretary Jack Straw is set to present his bill of rights and responsibilities green paper to the Commons today after a tortured birth process.

Fuel poverty bill fails in Commons

An attempt to force the government to accelerate its efforts against fuel poverty fell just 11 votes short of success in the Commons today.

Unions angry at welfare reform plans

Public employment services face shake-up in welfare reform bill

Opposition is growing from the Labour backbenches towards proposals making claimants work for their benefits contained in the welfare reform bill.

Autism bill gets through second reading

MP welcomes Conservative-backed proposals to improve services for children and adults

Lib Dems launch freedom bill

Lib Dems want rollback of civil liberties infringements

A campaign to roll back the government's alleged incremental undermining of civil liberties has been launched today by the Liberal Democrats.

Heathrow expansion vote bill passes first stage

MPs backed Ms Kramer's bill with a majority of 44

A bill that would give Parliament a vote on whether Heathrow airport should be expanded passed is first parliamentary stage today.

Search powers right to be dropped

New bill would have given electoral commission more powers than police

Powers to raid political candidates' homes and offices without a warrant broke human rights law and were right to be dropped, according to report out today.

House of Lords in peers cash controversy

The leader of the House of Lords is to look into allegations that four peers discussed taking payments to make amendments to legislation.

Protestors attempt to storm Parliament

Demonstrators attempt to rush Westminster

Demonstrators opposed to expansion at Stansted airport have attempted to storm the Houses of Parliament while the Lords voted on the terror bill.

Rush for Britain's new nuclear power stations

Gordon Brown threw his weight behind an accelerated push for nuclear energy in Britain last night.

Climate change bill pulls through

The government's climate change bill - the first of its kind in the world - pulled through its first reading in the Commons yesterday despite coming under fire from environmentalists and sceptics.