The Bar Council Public Affairs team engages with parliamentarians of all parties, government, and the Opposition on a wide range of issues affecting the Bar and wider justice system. We do this through a range of parliamentary activity, including working on relevant legislation, written and oral evidence to committees, meetings, and events.
In the current parliamentary session, we have worked on the following bills:
- Bill of Rights
- Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill
- National Security Bill
- Online Safety Bill
- Public Order Bill
- Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill
- Victims and Prisoners Bill
- Illegal Migration Bill
Parliamentary briefings
December
June
May
March
February
January
September
- Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill: briefing summary
- Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill: long briefing
- Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill: briefing on remote juries
June
- Environment Bill: briefing for Peers - committee stage
- Professional Qualifications Bill: briefing for Peers - committee stage
April
December
- Internal Market Bill: briefing for MPs - ping pong
- Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct): briefing for Peers
November
October
September
- Internal Market Bill: briefing for MPs - report stage
- Internal Market Bill: briefing for MPs - committee stage
- Internal Market Bill: briefing for MPs - second reading
July
June
May
April
- Briefing note: Lord Chancellor's evidence to the Justice Select Committe evidence session
March
- Coronavirus Bill briefing
- Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill: briefing for Peers
January
- EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill: briefing for Peers
- Queen's Speech debate on home affairs, justice, constitutional affairs and devolved affairs: briefing for Peers
Parliamentary inquiries
- Bar Council’s response to the Home Affairs Committee’s inquiry into fraud
- Bar Council’s response to the Lords International Agreements Committee’s inquiry into the UK-Swiss Professional Qualifications Agreement
- Bar Council’s response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights inquiry into the legislative scrutiny of the Victims and Prisoners Bill
- Bar Council’s response to the Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee’s inquiry on Post-Brexit UK-EU security cooperation – follow up
- Bar Council’s response to the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry on the Court Reform Programme: progress review
- Bar Council's response to the DCMS Committee’s inquiry on non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the blockchain [PDF]
- Bar Council’ s response to the Lords European Affairs Committee’s inquiry into the future of the UK-EU relationship
- Bar Council’s response to the Lords Constitution Committee’s inquiry into the work of the Lord Chancellor and the Law Officers
- Bar Council’s response to the European Scrutiny Committee’s inquiry into retained EU law – where next? (PDF)
- Bar Council’s response to the Lords Fraud Act 2006 and Digital Fraud Committee’s inquiry into the fraud act 2006 and digital fraud
- Bar Council’s response to the Justice Committee’s inquiry into fraud and the justice system (PDF)
- Bar Council’s response to the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry into reducing the backlog in the criminal courts
- Bar Council’s response to the Justice Committee’s inquiry into open justice – court reporting in the digital age
- Bar Council’s response to the Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry into NHS litigation reform (PDF)
- Bar Council’s response to the Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee’s inquiry into new technologies and the application of the law
- Bar Council’s response to the Women and Equalities Committee’s inquiry into menopause and the workplace (PDF)
- Bar Council’s response to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s inquiry into the scrutiny of the international treaties
- Bar Council’s response to the Lords International Agreements Committee’s inquiry into the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
- Bar Council’s response to the Lords EU Services Sub-Committee’s inquiry into the future UK-EU relations on trade in services
- Bar Council’s response to the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry of MoJ recall: Covid-19 impact on courts and prisons
Consultation responses
We provide evidence-based responses to Government and other consultations. Read our latest consultation responses.
Our Brussels office
We have an active office in Brussels, which seeks to influence EU law and policy developments that may impact on law and legal practice in England and Wales. Find out more about our Brussels office.
For further information and public affairs enquiries, email our Public Affairs Officer, Nikita Feifel.