A Bill to facilitate access by members of the public to the registers of the Criminal Records Office.
The Bill would require that a criminal records office (defined as "the Criminal Records Bureau or any successor body with similar statutory functions") must keep copies of all Magistrates’ Courts Registers, and any other registers produced by a court listing convictions, in electronic form, and must make these accessible to the public. It would provide that such information would not be considered 'personal information' for the purpose of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
This bill would require the Criminal Records Bureau (or any successor body with similar duties) to keep electronic copies of all Magistrates’ Court Registers and other registers listing convictions, and to make these records publicly accessible. It also states that this information would not be treated as 'personal information' under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, enabling public disclosure. In short, it widens and formalises public access to conviction records held by the courts.
The bill is at the Second Reading stage in the House of Commons, having originated there and been introduced by Sir Christopher Chope. No further stages have been noted in this description.
Generated 21 February 2026
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
