Crime and Policing Bill: HL Bill 111 of 2024–25

Approximate read time: 1 hour 20 minutes

The Crime and Policing Bill would introduce wide-ranging criminal justice reforms. Topics covered by the bill’s provisions are broad in scope and include: anti-social behaviour, offensive weapons, retail crime, criminal exploitation of children, stalking, public order, police powers, management of offenders and abortion. The government has said the bill would support the delivery of its ‘safer streets’ mission. The bill also contains provisions carried over from the previous Conservative government’s Criminal Justice Bill 2023–24 which fell prior to the 2024 general election, in addition to other legislative changes related to previous government consultations or other work, as well as Law Commission reviews.

The government introduced the Crime and Policing Bill in the House of Commons on 25 February 2025. It was debated at second reading on 10 March 2025. Committee stage took place over 15 sittings between 27 March and 13 May 2025. The government introduced 90 amendments at committee stage, including 35 new clauses and one new schedule. The government introduced a further 31 new clauses and three new schedules at report stage, which took place on 17 and 18 June 2025. In addition, one non-government amendment was added to the bill. This would disapply the existing criminal law on abortion in England and Wales for women acting in relation to their own pregnancies at any gestation. The House of Commons passed the bill at third reading on division, by 312 votes to 95. The government has committed to introducing further amendments to the bill during its passage through the House of Lords. The bill's second reading in the House of Lords is scheduled to take place on 16 October 2025.

Whilst MPs have largely supported the bill, some have called for the government to go further to address issues such as child grooming, rural crime and extreme pornography. Criminal justice stakeholders, unions and trade bodies, academics and campaign groups have also called for the government to amend certain provisions including those related to anti-social behaviour and retail crime.

The government published explanatory notes and an updated delegated powers memorandum to accompany the version of the bill introduced in the House of Lords. It has also published a human rights memorandum, together with a series of factsheets and impact assessments.

Image by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash.

This briefing was originally published on 3 July 2025. An update was made on 7 August 2025 to include material from reports on the Crime and Policing Bill by the Joint Committee on Human Rights, published on 14 July 2025, and the House of Lords Constitution Committee, published on 24 July 2025. Minor updates were also made on 10 September 2025 to reflect changes to ministerial positions following the government reshuffle.