Domestic Abuse Bill 2019-21: Progress of the Bill

The Domestic Abuse Bill 2019-21 has completed its Committee stage and is due to have its Report stage and Third Reading on Monday 6 July 2020.

The Domestic Abuse Bill 2019-21 was introduced to the House on 3 March 2020. Second Reading took place on 28 April 2020.

The Bill was considered by a Public Bill Committee over 12 sittings between 4 – 17 June 2020. The Committee took evidence from expert witnesses for the first two sittings. A range of external stakeholders submitted written evidence to the Committee.

The only significant amendment made during Committee Stage was the Government’s New Clause 16 (now clause 66 of the Bill) on homelessness. New Clause 16 was agreed without a vote. A number of minor and technical Government amendments were also agreed without a vote (these are not discussed in this paper).

There was only one division: on an Opposition amendment relating to the definition of “personally connected” in clause 2 of the Bill. The amendment – which would have extended the definition to cover carers – was negatived on division by 9 votes to 6.

Several of the amendments and new clauses debated by the Committee are now the subject of Government new clauses that have been tabled for Report. These cover the definition of domestic abuse as it applies to children, special measures and cross-examination in the family and civil courts, and the so-called ‘rough sex defence’.

A wide range of other issues were debated. This paper does not cover these in full, but provides a list of issues and debate references.

The Bill, together with its Explanatory Notes and an overview of its parliamentary progress, is available on the Parliament website. Overarching documents are available on Gov.uk, including two new documents added after Committee Stage:

• Domestic Abuse Bill: European Convention on Human Rights – Supplementary Memorandum by the Ministry of Justice, 30 June 2020
• Home Office, Draft Statutory Guidance Framework, July 2020

Full policy background to the Bill as introduced is set out in Library Briefing Paper 8787 Domestic Abuse Bill 2019-20.