Commons remaining stages: Serious Crime Bill
23 February 2015 (updated on 23 February 2015)
MPs debated the remaining stages of the Serious Crime Bill in the House of Commons on Monday 23 February 2015.
The Serious Crime Bill passed the Report Stage and Third Reading in the House of Commons with amendments and will now return to the House of Lords.
- Watch Parliament TV: Remaining stages of the Serious Crime Bill
- Read Commons Hansard: Remaining stages of the Serious Crime Bill
- Catch up on Commons news: Second reading: Serious Crime Bill
- Read current Parliamentary material in Topics: Crime, civil law, justice and rights
Related information
Summary of the Serious Crime Bill
A Bill to amend the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, the Computer Misuse Act 1990, Part 4 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009, section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, the Sexual Offences Act 2003, the Street Offences Act 1959, the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005, the Prison Act 1952 and the Terrorism Act 2006; to make provision about involvement in organised crime groups and about serious crime prevention orders; to make provision for the seizure and forfeiture of drug-cutting agents; to make it an offence to possess an item that contains advice or guidance about committing sexual offences against children; to create an offence in relation to controlling or coercive behaviour in intimate or family relationships; to make provision for the prevention or restriction of the use of communication devices by persons detained in custodial institutions; to make provision approving for the purposes of section 8 of the European Union Act 2011 certain draft decisions under Article 352 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union relating to serious crime; to make provision about codes of practice that relate to the exercise and performance, in connection with the prevention or detection of serious crime, of powers and duties in relation to communications; and for connected purposes.
Progress of the Bill
The Bill completed its House of Lords stages on 5 November 2014 and was presented to the House of Commons on 6 November 2014. This is known as the first reading and there was no debate on the Bill at this stage.
Keep up to date with all the proceedings and documentation, including amendment papers, on the Serious Crime Bill and find out how a bill becomes an Act of Parliament.
House of Commons Library analysis
The House of Commons Library produces briefing papers to inform MPs of key issues. The papers contain factual information and a range of opinions on each subject, and aim to be politically impartial.
- Library briefing paper: Serious Crime Bill: Progress of the Bill
- Commons briefing paper: Serious Crime Bill
What happens next?
If the report stage and third reading of the Bill are passed in the House of Commons it moves to the House of Lords for consideration.
What is the report stage of a bill?
The report stage gives MPs an opportunity, on the floor of the House, to consider any further amendments (proposals for change) to a bill which has been examined in a public bill committee or on the floor of the House. There is no set time period between the end of committee stage and the start of the report stage.
What happens at report stage?
All MPs may speak and vote. For lengthy or complex bills, the debates may be spread over several days. All MPs can suggest amendments to the bill or new clauses (parts) that they think should be added.
What happens after report stage?
Report stage is usually followed immediately by debate on the bill's third reading.
What happens at third reading?
Debate on the bill is usually short, and limited to what is actually in the bill, rather than, as at second reading, what might have been included.
Amendments (proposals for change) cannot be made to a bill at a third reading in the Commons. At the end of the debate, the House decides (votes on) whether to approve the third reading of the bill.
What happens after third reading?
If the bill started in the Commons it goes to the House of Lords for its first reading.
If the bill started in the Lords it returns to the House of Lords for consideration of any amendments the Commons has made.
Watching proceedings from the public gallery
UK residents and overseas visitors can watch proceedings in the House of Commons by visiting the public gallery.
This article was produced by the Commons Digital Outreach Team. Follow the @HouseofCommons on Twitter for updates on the UK House of Commons Chamber.