Criminal Justice Bill

Key Points

• Extend offences to Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a requirement to consult Scottish Ministers and the Northern Ireland Department of Justice before regulations are made
• Bring more offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (criminal lifestyle offences), including extending this to Northern Ireland
• Allow drug testing of controlled drugs when arrested at places other than a police station and align with the Drugs Act 2005
• Introduce new counter-terrorism–related regimes, including applying notification requirements to domestic or service offences and extending arrest/search powers
• Emphasise cross-border consistency and safeguards through committee discussions and rights-focused material, including training and policing capacity measures
• Police/justice system enhancements alongside broader safeguards, such as specialist rape/serious sexual offences units and capacity-building, with parallel government letters discussing human rights considerations and data use

Progress

The bill is at Report Stage in the Commons (as of 15 May 2024). In Committee stage the government secured agreement on several extensions and cross-border provisions, but in the Report Stage three government-initiated new clauses were voted on and defeated, despite broad cross-party support for some amendments. The bill continues to progress to later stages.

Voting

In the three report-stage divisions, the non-Conservative parties generally voted in favour of the new clauses, while the Conservative MPs voted against. New Clause 91 (17 Aye, 268 No), New Clause 59 (171 Aye, 272 No), and New Clause 44 (167 Aye, 275 No) were defeated. Across parties, Labour (and most other non-Conservative groups) supported the amendments, whereas Conservative MPs opposed them; the divisions indicate ongoing debate about expanding powers versus safeguards and regionalisation of the bill.