In this area you will find information on changes to the law that relate to our work and objectives, and the briefings we issue as legislation is debated. Visit 'Our views' for our statements and responses.
You can jump to the relevant section using the links below:
- House of Lords Reform Bill
- Electoral Registration and Administration Bill
- Scotland Act
- Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act
- Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act
For information on how a Bill becomes law, visit Parliament's website.
House of Lords Reform Bill
The Bill provides for a House of Lords that is 80% elected using semi-open list elections for large regional seats, with most members serving non-renewable fifteen year terms.
In advance of its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 9 and 10 July 2012, we issued a briefing paper outlining our views on key aspects of the Bill.
Electoral Registration and Administration Bill
The Electoral Registration and Administration (ERA) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 10 May 2012. The Bill provides for the introduction of individual electoral registration (IER) in Great Britain, and a number of changes relating to electoral administration and the conduct of elections.
View the latest developments and background information on our IER webpage.
Our latest briefings
- Read our briefing on Commons consideration of Lords amendments to the ERA Bill (29 January 2013) (PDF)
- Read our update briefing on amendments to the ERA Bill table before Lords Report Stage (23 January 2013) (PDF)
- Read our briefing issued ahead of Report Stage of the ERA Bill in the House of Lords (23 January 2013) (PDF)
View the briefings we have issued throughout the progress of the ERA Bill...
In advance of Committee Stage in the House of Lords on 29 October 2012, we issued a briefing paper to all Peers outlining our views on key aspects of the Bill. We subsequently issued an update briefing commenting on amendments tabled for Committee Days 1 and 2.
- Read our briefing issued ahead of Committee Stage Day 2 of the ERA Bill in the House of Lords (14 January 2013) (PDF)
- Read our briefing issued ahead of Committee Stage of the ERA Bill in the House of Lords (29 October 2012) (PDF)
- Read our update commenting on amendments for Committee Days 1 and 2 of the ERA Bill (29 October 2012) (PDF)
- Read our further update commenting on amendments for revised Committee Day 2 of the ERA Bill (date to be confirmed) (PDF)
- Read our briefing issued ahead of the Second Reading of the ERA Bill in the House of Lords (24 July 2012) (PDF)
- Read our update briefing issued ahead of Committee Day 3 of the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill (27 June 2012) (PDF)
- Read our briefing issued ahead of Committee Days 2 and 3 of the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill (25 and 27 June 2012) (PDF)
- Read our briefing on Part 1 of the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, in advance of Committee Stage (18 June 2012) (PDF)
- Read our briefing on the Second Reading of the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill (23 May 2012) (PDF)
Scotland Act
The Scotland Act became law on 1 May 2012. The Act implements recommendations of the Final Report of the Commission on Scottish Devolution (the Calman Commission). It makes changes to the finances of the Scottish Parliament, including a new Scottish rate of income tax, and makes a number of adjustments to the boundary of devolved responsibilities.
In advance of its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 27 January 2011, we issued a briefing paper outlining our views on key aspects of the Bill.
Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act
The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act became law on 15 September 2011. The Act replaces police authorities with directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners, with the aim of improving police accountability. The first set of elections will take place on 15 November 2012.
We issued the following briefing papers outlining our views on key aspects of the Bill during its debate in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
View the briefings we issued during debate of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill...
- Briefing on the Second Reading in the House of Commons of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (13 December 2010) (PDF)
- Briefing on the Second Reading in the House of Lords of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (27 April 2011) (PDF)
- Briefing on the Committee Stage in the House of Lords (Day 1) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (11 May 2011) (PDF)
- Briefing on Report Stage in the House of Lords of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (29 June 2011) (PDF)
- Briefing on House of Lords Third Reading of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (20 July 2011) (PDF)
- Briefing on Commons Consideration of Lords Amendments to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (12 September 2011) (PDF)
- Briefing on Lords Consideration of Commons Amendments of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (14 September 2011) (PDF)
- Briefing on consulation on draft secondary legislation for PCC elections (14 September 2011) (PDF)
- Briefing on the Draft Police and Crime Commissioner Elections (Welsh Forms) Order 2012 (25 October 2012) (PDF)
Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act
The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies (PVSC) Act provided for a referendum to be held on the voting system for UK Parliamentary elections on 5 May 2011. This was the same day as scheduled elections were taking place in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and some parts of England.
View the briefings we issued during debate of the PVSC Bill...
House of Commons stages
We issued the following briefing papers to MPs outlining our views on key aspects of the PVSC Bill during its debate in the House of Commons.
- Briefing on the Second Reading of the PVSC Bill (6 September 2010) (PDF)
- Briefing on Report Stage and Third Reading of the PVSC Bill (1 and 2 November 2010) (PDF)
- Briefing on the Committee Stage of the PVSC Bill - Day one (PDF)
- Briefing on the Committee Stage of the PVSC Bill - Days two to four (PDF)
- Briefing on the Committee Stage of the PVSC Bill - Day five (PDF)
House of Lords stages
The PVSC Bill entered the House of Lords on Monday 15 November. We issued the following briefings to Peers in advance of each debate.
- Briefing on the Second Reading of the PVSC Bill in the House of Lords (PDF)
- Briefing on the Committee Stage of the PVSC Bill in the House of Lords - Day one (30 November 2010) (PDF)
During the second day of Committee Stage consideration of the PVSC Bill in the House of Lords on 6 December 2010, an amendment was accepted which removed the date previously specified for the proposed referendum. Instead, the Bill as amended now provides for the referendum to be held before 31 October 2011, but does not provide a specific date for the poll to be held.
- Our statement on the PVSC Bill amendment (date of the referendum) (PDF)
- Briefing on the Committee Stage of the PVSC Bill in the House of Lords - Days four and five (13 and 15 December 2010) (PDF)
- Briefing on the Committee Stage of the PVSC Bill in the House of Lords - Day five (15 December 2010) (PDF)
The PVSC Bill has now started Report Stage in the House of Lords. We have issued a briefing paper to all Peers in advance of the debates on 7, 8 and 9 February.
The PVSC Bill received its Third Reading in the House of Lords on Monday 14 February. Below is the briefing we issued to Parliament in advance.
Consideration of amendments
The PVSC Bill has now returned to the House of Commons for their consideration of the amendments made by the House of Lords. We issued a briefing paper to all MPs before this debate.
The PVSC Bill has now returned to the House of Lords for their consideration of the latest House of Commons amendments to the Bill. We issued a briefing paper to all Peers before this debate.
Other briefings
If you are looking for any briefings we issued during the passage of the Acts below, please contact us.
- Political Parties and Elections (PPE) Act
- Fixed Term Parliaments Act
- Localism Act
- European Union Act
- Constitutional Reform and Governance Act
