Website of the UK government

The main elements of the Bill

The main elements of this Bill are:

• reform of some aspects of the criminal law on homicide - the detail of this depends on the outcome of the current review which is considering Law Commission recommendations for improvements to the partial defences of provocation and diminished responsibility, complicity in relation to murder, and infanticide
• increase provisions in courts for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, including witnesses in cases involving guns and other offensive weapons, by amending and extending special measures such as live video links and screens around witness boxes
• prevent criminals from profiting from books and other publications about their crimes through the introduction of a civil recovery scheme
• strengthening data protection laws through the audit powers of the Information Commissioner
• subject to government’s consideration of the conclusions of the Sentencing Commission Working Group chaired by Lord Justice Gage, establish a structured sentencing framework and a Sentencing Commission to enable better alignment of the demands and resources for correctional services