A Bill to require ministers to carry out an assessment of the impact of government policies on families by giving statutory effect to the family test; to place a duty on the Secretary of State to make a report on the costs and benefits of requiring local authorities to carry out equivalent tests on their policies; to require the Secretary of State to establish, and make an annual report on, indicators of and targets for the government’s performance in promoting family stability; and for connected purposes.
House of Commons
12 May 2016
The bill would require ministers to assess how government policies affect families, giving legal weight to a 'family test'. It would also require a government minister to report on the costs and benefits of asking local authorities to carry out similar family tests, and to establish indicators and targets for promoting family stability with an annual performance report.
The bill is at the 2nd Reading stage in the House of Commons. After this, it would typically proceed to a committee stage for detailed scrutiny and then onward through the parliamentary process.
Generated 21 February 2026
The 2015-16 session of Parliament has ended and this Bill will make no further progress.
The second reading debate of this Bill began on Friday 4 December 2015 but was adjourned.
The Bill was presented to Parliament through the ballot procedure on 24 June 2015. This is known as the first reading and there was no debate on the Bill at this stage.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.