Criminal Records Bill [HL]

A Bill to amend the length of time for which an individual may have a criminal record under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

Originating House

House of Lords

Parliament last updated

8 November 2019

In Plain English

AI-generated

May contain errors — check source documents for definitive information.

The Criminal Records Bill [HL] aims to change how long a person’s criminal record can stay on file under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. It would adjust the length of time people must disclose past offences for certain purposes, and is currently being considered by the House of Lords at its second reading. The bill would affect how spent convictions are treated and how long records can influence disclosures across various sectors.

Key Points

Aims to amend how long a criminal record is retained under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Would change the required disclosure period for past offences in some situations.
Currently in the Lords at the second reading; first reading occurred in 2019.
Affects individuals with past convictions as well as organisations that require criminal record disclosures (employers, volunteers, licensing bodies).
Exact timelines and detailed provisions will be set out as the bill proceeds through Parliament.

Progress

The bill is in the Lords and at the second reading stage. It has not yet progressed to the Commons.

Who is affected?

People with past convictionsJob applicants, volunteers, and licence applicants who may need to disclose criminal recordsEmployers, HR teams and organisations that carry out criminal record checksBackground-checking agencies and regulators (e.g., DBS)Workers in regulated sectors such as health, education and childcare where disclosures matter

Generated 21 February 2026

Bill Stages

1st readingLords

22 Oct 2019

2nd readingLords

Committee stageLords

Report stageLords

3rd readingLords

1st readingCommons

2nd readingCommons

Committee stageCommons

Report stageCommons

3rd readingCommons

Royal Assent

Updates & Documents

News (1)

News - Criminal Records

1 Jan 1970

First reading took place on 22 October. This stage is a formality that signals the start of the Bill's journey through the Lords.

Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the Bill - is yet to be scheduled.

The 2017-19 Parliament dissolved at the end of the 2019 Session and this Bill will make no further progress.

Documents (1)

HL Bill 19 (as introduced)

BillLords

22 Oct 2019

Parliamentary Votes (0)

No recorded votes for this bill yet.