Lords private members' bills in the 2023-24 session

Jump to specific bill:

• Alternative Investment Fund Designation Bill
• Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill
• British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Bill
• Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Bill
• Commercial Organisations and Public Authorities Duty (Human Rights and Environment) Bill
• Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Bill
• Conversion Therapy Prohibition (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) Bill
• Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill
• Foetal Sentience Committee Bill
• Genocide (Prevention and Response) Bill
• High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) Bill
• Paternity Leave (Bereavement) Bill
• Pet Abduction Bill
• Schools (Mental Health Professionals) Bill
• Succession to Peerages and Baronetcies Bill
• Zoological Society of London (Leases) Bill.

What is a private member’s bill?   

A private member’s bill is a type of public bill introduced by an individual member of the House (rather than the government). Public bills affect everyone. Private members' bills must go through the same set of procedures as other public bills.   

See the list of bills drawn in this session's ballot.

Podcast

Find out more about private members' bills, the process behind them and hear from members about their bills in the House of Lords Podcast.

Bills under consideration

Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill

Introduced by Lord Holmes of Richmond (Conservative), this bill aims to introduce a legal regulatory framework for artificial intelligence.

Second reading took place on Friday 22 March.

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Read background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, took place on Wednesday 24 April.

As no amendments were put forward the order of commitment was discharged and the bill progressed straight to third reading which took place on Friday 10 May.

The bill now passes to the House of Commons for its consideration.

Alternative Investment Fund Designation Bill

Introduced by Baroness Altmann (Conservative), this bill seeks to remove certain businesses from the Alternative Investment Fund designation in order to recognise a company's share price as having costs included and to remove unnecessary reporting requirements.

Second reading took place on Friday 1 March.

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, took place on Wednesday 1 May.

As no amendments were put forward the order of commitment was discharged and the bill progressed straight to third reading which took place on Friday 10 May.

The bill now passes to the House of Commons for its consideration.

British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Bill

Introduced by Lord Hay of Ballyore (Democratic Unionist Party), this bill will allow Irish citizens who have been resident in the United Kingdom for five years to be entitled to British citizenship.

Second reading of the bill took place on Friday 17 May.

• Watch on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, took place on Friday 24 May, followed by third reading. No amendments were made at either stage.

Following agreement by both Houses on the text of the bill, it received Royal Assent later the same day. The bill is now an Act of Parliament (law).

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Bill

Introduced by Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour), this bill aims to place building societies on an equal footing with banks and other deposit-takers so that they compete more efficiently in the financial services sector.

Second reading of the bill took place on Friday 10 May

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, took place on Friday 24 May, followed by third reading. No amendments were made at either stage.

Following agreement by both Houses on the text of the bill, it received Royal Assent later the same day. The bill is now an Act of Parliament (law).

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Commercial Organisations and Public Authorities Duty (Human Rights and Environment) Bill

Introduced by Baroness Young of Hornsey (Crossbench), this bill will require commercial organisations and public authorities to prevent human rights abuses and environment harms, and to produce due diligence assessments on their operations, subsidiaries and value chains. The bill also lays out the penalties for failing to comply with the new law.

Second reading of the bill took place on Friday 10 May.

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, is yet to be scheduled.

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Bill

Introduced by Baroness D'Souza (Crossbench), this bill aims to enable the government to treat the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the International Committee of the Red Cross in a manner comparable to that of an international organisation of which the UK is a member.

Second reading of the bill took place on Friday 17 May.

• Watch on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, is yet to be scheduled.

Conversion Therapy Prohibition (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) Bill

Introduced by Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrats), this bill aims to place a ban on conversion therapies designed to alter a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.

Second reading took place on Friday 9 February.

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, is yet to be scheduled.

Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill

Introduced by Lord Woodley (Labour), this bill aims to provide safeguards for workers against dismissal and reemployment on inferior terms by changing the law relating to workplace information, consultation, employment protection and trade union rights.

Second reading took place on Friday 1 March.

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, took place on Monday 22 April.

As no amendments were put forward the order of commitment was discharged and the bill progressed straight to third reading which took place on Friday 10 May.

The bill now passes to the House of Commons for its consideration.

Foetal Sentience Committee Bill

Introduced by Lord Moylan (Conservative), the aim of this bill is create a new committee to review current understanding of the sentience of the human foetus and to inform policy-making.

Second reading took place on Friday 22 March.

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, is yet to be scheduled.

Genocide (Prevention and Response) Bill

Introduced by Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (Labour), the aim of this bill is to create provisions surrounding the prevention of and response to genocide and other atrocity crimes.

Second reading took place on Friday 22 March.

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, took place on Monday 29 April.

As no amendments were put forward the order of commitment was discharged and the bill progressed straight to third reading which took place on Friday 17 May.

The bill now passes to the House of Commons for its consideration.

High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) Bill

Introduced by Lord Whitby (Crossbench), this bill will require local authorities to designate up to three streets in their area as high streets and develop an associated improvement plan, including proposals for the preservation and enhancement of those areas.

Second reading of the bill took place on Friday 17 May.

• Watch on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, is yet to be scheduled.

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Paternity Leave (Bereavement) Bill

Introduced by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour), this bill aims to provide paternity leave in cases where a mother, or a person with whom a child is placed or expected to be placed for adoption, dies.

Second reading of the bill took place on Friday 17 May.

• Watch on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Check members expected to contribute.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, took place on Friday 24 May, followed by third reading. No amendments were made at either stage.

Following agreement by both Houses on the text of the bill, it received Royal Assent later the same day. The bill is now an Act of Parliament (law).

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Pet Abduction Bill

Introduced by Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative), this bill will criminalise the abduction or detention of a cat or dog from its lawful owner, and provide a pathway for the law to be extended to other domesticated animals in the future.

Second reading of the bill took place on Friday 10 May

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, took place on Friday 24 May, followed by third reading. No amendments were made at either stage.

Following agreement by both Houses on the text of the bill, it received Royal Assent later the same day. The bill is now an Act of Parliament (law).

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Schools (Mental Health Professionals) Bill

Introduced by Baroness Tyler of Enfield (Liberal Democrats), this bill would require all schools to have access to a qualified mental health professional.

Second reading took place on Friday 1 March.

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, took place on Tuesday 14 May.

As no amendments were put forward, the bill now goes straight to third reading. A date for third reading is yet to be scheduled.

Succession to Peerages and Baronetcies Bill

Introduced by Lord Northbrook (Conservative), this bill aims to change the law to enable female heirs to inherit hereditary peerages or baronetcies that can currently only be inherited by male heirs.

Second reading took place on Friday 9 February.

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, is yet to be scheduled.

Zoological Society of London (Leases) Bill

Introduced by Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative), this bill will amend the Crown Estate Act 1961, to increase the maximum term of the Zoological Society of London’s lease to occupy land in Regent’s Park from 60 to 150 years.

Second reading of the bill took place on Friday 10 May

• Catch up on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.
• Find out more about the bill.

Committee stage, the first chance for line-by-line scrutiny of the bill, took place on Friday 24 May, followed by third reading. No amendments were made at either stage.

Following agreement by both Houses on the text of the bill, it received Royal Assent later the same day. The bill is now an Act of Parliament (law).

Read the background on the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Image: House of Lords / Roger Harris