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Bills · Became law

Victims and courts

The bill has been signed off by the King and is now law.

In plain words

This law changes how the justice system deals with victims and offenders. It makes offenders attend their sentencing hearings and limits parental responsibility for certain sex offenders.

Summary drafted by AI, checked by Jonathan on 4 Oct 2026. Source: Parliament Library briefing.

Official title: Victims and Courts Act 2026

  1. 1Introduced1st reading
  2. 2Main debate2nd reading
  3. 3Detailed checksCommittee
  4. 4ChangesReport stage
  5. 5Final vote3rd reading
  6. 6Other houseLords or Commons
  7. 7Becomes lawRoyal Assent

Nothing more. This bill is now law.

Put forward by Shabana Mahmood, Baroness Levitt.

Votes so far

DateVoteCountResult
25 Mar 2026Victims and courts: changes from the House of Lords290 for, 163 againstAgreed
25 Mar 2026Victims and courts: changes from the House of Lords292 for, 162 againstAgreed
25 Mar 2026Victims and courts: changes from the House of Lords300 for, 149 againstAgreed
25 Mar 2026Victims and courts: changes from the House of Lords286 for, 163 againstAgreed
25 Mar 2026Victims and courts: changes from the House of Lords295 for, 162 againstAgreed
25 Mar 2026Victims and courts: changes from the House of Lords291 for, 158 againstAgreed
27 Oct 2025Victims and courts: a proposed change153 for, 332 againstRejected
27 Oct 2025Victims and courts: a proposed change166 for, 322 againstRejected
27 Oct 2025Victims and courts: a proposed change165 for, 323 againstRejected
27 Oct 2025Victims and courts: a proposed change152 for, 337 againstRejected

Votes in the Lords

DateVoteCountResult
15 Apr 2026Lords vote 2270 content, 200 not contentAgreed
15 Apr 2026Lords vote 1209 content, 260 not contentRejected
10 Mar 2026Lords vote 5189 content, 157 not contentAgreed
10 Mar 2026Lords vote 4217 content, 170 not contentAgreed
10 Mar 2026Lords vote 3252 content, 171 not contentAgreed
10 Mar 2026Lords vote 2257 content, 174 not contentAgreed
10 Mar 2026Lords vote 1273 content, 180 not contentAgreed
Full timeline
DateStageHouse
7 May 20251st readingCommons
20 May 20252nd readingCommons
20 May 2025Programme motionCommons
20 May 2025Money resolutionCommons
17 Jun 2025, 19 Jun 2025, 24 Jun 2025Committee stageCommons
27 Oct 2025Report stageCommons
27 Oct 20253rd readingCommons
28 Oct 20251st readingLords
16 Dec 20252nd readingLords
9 Feb 2026, 11 Feb 2026Committee stageLords
10 Mar 2026Report stageLords
17 Mar 20263rd readingLords
25 Mar 2026Programme motionCommons
25 Mar 2026Consideration of Lords amendmentsCommons
15 Apr 2026Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasonsLords
20 Apr 2026Consideration of Lords messageCommons
23 Apr 2026Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasonsLords
29 Apr 2026Royal AssentUnassigned

In the bill’s own words: A Bill to Make provision about the experience of victims within the criminal justice system; about the functions of the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses; and about procedure and the administration of criminal justice.

Official page on Parliament’s site

Source: Parliament Bills API · Commons votes from the Commons Votes API.