Research Briefing
The Commons is due to consider Lords Amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill on Tuesday 17 April 2012. This note draws attention to the principal changes, additions and deletions that were made in the Lords.
Research Briefing
This note summarises the Lords amendments to the Protection of Freedoms Bill, which are due to be considered by the Commons on 19 March 2012.
Research Briefing
This is a report on the House of Commons committee stage of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill. It complements Research Paper 11/53. In the Bill’s remaining stages, it is likely that the areas that will prove most contentious will be the restrictions on legal aid, the introduction of new offences and possible Government amendments on squatting and self-defence and sentences of imprisonment for public protection.
Research Briefing
This Bill is a Private Members’ Bill introduced by Sir Paul Beresford. It has received Government support. This Bill was introduced into the Commons on 30 June 2010, and received its second reading without debate on 18 March 2011. The Government tabled a series of amendments for the Bill’s committee stage, which were welcomed by Sir Paul. These amendments were all added to the Bill without division. The Bill is due to have its report stage on Friday 21 October 2011.
Research Briefing
This note looks at the possible roles of the police and armed forces in controlling riots. A separate Library standard note 6048 deals with compensation and insurance for those affected by riots.
Research Briefing
This note outlines procedures and legislation surrounding insurance claims for damage caused by rioting.
Research Briefing
This Research Paper has been prepared for the second reading of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill. The Bill covers a diverse range of issues, including legal aid; litigation funding and costs; sentencing; bail, remand and release on licence; prisoners’ pay and employment; out of court disposals and knives.
Research Briefing
This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Protection of Freedoms Bill. It complements Research Paper 11/20 prepared for the Commons Second Reading.
Research Briefing
During the Committee stage, several Government amendments were made to the provisions on police reform. Some (for example, on police complaints, police and crime plans and disqualifying people convicted of imprisonable offences from becoming or being police and crime commissioners) were on matters of substance. By contrast, there were only minor amendments to the provisions of the misuse of drugs and no substantive amendments to the parts of the Bill covering licensing, protests in Parliament Square or universal jurisdiction.
Research Briefing
The Home Secretary Theresa May criticised ASBOs in a speech in July 2010. Her criticisms were rejected by former Labour Home Secretaries. ASBOs were introduced by the Crime and Disorder Act 1988. Their use was slow to start with, but peaked in 2005 before declining again. Some commentators argue that authorities are using alternative remedies. Evaluations have highlighted the relatively high breach rate, but also their role in deterring anti-social behaviour. Publication of a Home Office review is awaited.
Research Briefing
This note sets out the role and powers of special constables as well as looking at some of the initiatives to increase their numbers.
Research Briefing
This Paper summarises the committee stage of the Crime and Security Bill 2009-10. It supplements Research Paper 09/97 which was produced for the Bill’s second reading. The remaining stages of this Bill in the Commons are due to be taken on Monday 8 March 2010.
Research Briefing
The End of Custody Licence (ECL) was introduced in June 2007 to help deal with prison overcrowding. Eligible prisoners may be released up to 18 days before their release date, but can be recalled if they misbehave. Some prisoners are disqualified, including those convicted of certain violent offences. Since its introduction, over 36,000 prisoners have been released early under ECL. The Government have said that they intend the scheme to be a temporary one. The Conservatives have pledged to abolish the scheme, and the Liberal Democrats have also criticised it.
Research Briefing
The Bill would amend the law governing the taking, retention and destruction of fingerprints and DNA data from persons arrested for, charged with or convicted of criminal offences. It would reduce the requirements on the police to record information following a stop and search. It would introduce new 'go' orders for suspected perpetrators of domestic violence, which could mean excluding them from their homes in order to protect the victim. The Bill would also, in effect, extend new injunctions for gang-related violence to 14-18 year olds, and require courts to issue a Parenting Order where a child under 16 had breached an Anti-social Behaviour Order. It would require wheel clamping companies to be licensed, and create a new offence of possessing an authorised mobile phone in a prison. It also creates a new offence of preventing a person under 18 from gaining unauthorised access to air weapons.
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