Reading the bill’s publication files and writing a plain-English Green Book note…
Reading the bill’s publication files and writing a plain-English Green Book note…
Proposal 2709
To make provision in relation to domestic abuse; to make provision for and in connection with the establishment of a Domestic Abuse Commissioner; to prohibit cross-examination in person in family proceedings in certain circumstances; to make provision about certain violent or sexual offences, and offences involving other abusive behaviour, committed outside the United Kingdom; and for connected purposes.
Appraisal prepared just now from the official papers. Next scheduled update after the next sitting or within about 24 hours.
Sponsor: Home Office
Open publications on bills.parliament.ukPlain-English note and Green Book five-case reading from the official papers — the heart of this page.
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In plain English
efinition of “domestic abuse” 2 Definition of “personally connected” 3 Children as victims of domestic abuse PART 2 THE DOMESTIC ABUSE COMMISSIONER Domestic Abuse Commissioner 4 Appointment of Commissioner 5 Funding 6 Staff etc Functions of Commissioner 7 General functions of Commissioner 8 Reports 9 Advice and assistance 10 Incidental powers Framework document 11 Framework document Advisory Board 12 Advisory Board Strategic plans and annual reports 13 Strategic plans 14 Annual reports Domestic Abuse Billii Duties of public authorities in relation to Commissioner 15 Duty to co-operate with Commissioner 16 Duty to respond to Commissioner’s recommendations 17 Duty to send conclusions of domestic homicide review to Commissioner Disclosure of information 18 Disclosure of information Miscellaneous and supplementary 19 Restriction on exercise of functions in individual cases 20 Duty to report
Children as victims of domestic abuse (1) This section applies where behaviour of a person (“A”) towards another person (“B”) is domestic abuse. (2) Any reference in this Act to a victim of domestic abuse includes a reference to a child who— (a) sees or hears, or experiences the effects of, the abuse, and (b) is related to A or B.
efinition of “domestic abuse” 2 Definition of “personally connected” 3 Children as victims of domestic abuse PART 2 THE DOMESTIC ABUSE COMMISSIONER Domestic Abuse Commissioner 4 Appointment of Commissioner 5 Funding 6 Staff etc Functions of Commissioner 7 General functions of Commissioner 8 Reports 9 Advice and assistance 10 Incidental powers Framework document 11 Framework document Advisory Board 12 Advisory Board Strategic plans and annual reports 13 Strategic plans 14 Annual reports Domestic Abuse Billii Duties of public authorities in relation to Commissioner 15 Duty to co-operate with Commissioner 16 Duty to respond to Commissioner’s recommendations 17 Duty to send conclusions of domestic homicide review to Commissioner Disclosure of information 18 Disclosure of information Miscellaneous and supplementary 19 Restriction on exercise of functions in individual cases 20 Duty to report
Same bill, simpler words — a deeper read without the jargon.
Imagine the country is making a new rule. This one is about: efinition of “domestic abuse” 2 Definition of “personally connected” 3 Children as victims of domestic abuse PART 2 THE DOMESTIC ABUSE COMMISSIONER Domestic Abuse Commissioner 4 Appointment of Commissioner 5 Funding 6 Staff etc Functions of Commissioner 7 General functions of Commissioner 8 Reports 9 Advice and assistance 10 Incidental powers Framework document 11 Framework document Advisory Board 12 Advisory Board Strategic plans and annual reports 13 Strategic plans 14 Annual reports Domestic Abuse Billii Duties of public authorities in relation to Commissioner 15 Duty to co-operate with Commissioner 16 Duty to respond to Commissioner’s recommendations 17 Duty to send conclusions of domestic homicide review to Commissioner Disclosure of information 18 Disclosure of information Miscellaneous and supplementary 19 Restriction on exercise of functions in individual cases 20 Duty to report . The people who would notice most are: Children as victims of domestic abuse (1) This section applies where behaviour of a person (“A”) towards another person (“B”) is domestic abuse. (2) Any reference in this Act to a victim of domestic abuse includes a reference to a child who— (a) sees or hears, or experiences the effects of, the abuse, and (b) is related to A or B.. If it became a real law, the everyday change would be: efinition of “domestic abuse” 2 Definition of “personally connected” 3 Children as victims of domestic abuse PART 2 THE DOMESTIC ABUSE COMMISSIONER Domestic Abuse Commissioner 4 Appointment of Commissioner 5 Funding 6 Staff etc Functions of Commissioner 7 General functions of Commissioner 8 Reports 9 Advice and assistance 10 Incidental powers Framework document 11 Framework document Advisory Board 12 Advisory Board Strategic plans and annual reports 13 Strategic plans 14 Annual reports Domestic Abuse Billii Duties of public authorities in relation to Commissioner 15 Duty to co-operate with Commissioner 16 Duty to respond to Commissioner’s recommendations 17 Duty to send conclusions of domestic homicide review to Commissioner Disclosure of information 18 Disclosure of information Miscellaneous and supplementary 19 Restriction on exercise of functions in individual cases 20 Duty to report .
Green Book 2026 · 5 Case Model
efinition of “domestic abuse” 2 Definition of “personally connected” 3 Children as victims of domestic abuse PART 2 THE DOMESTIC ABUSE COMMISSIONER Domestic Abuse Commissioner 4 Appointment of Commissioner 5 Funding 6 Staff etc Functions of Commissioner 7 General functions of Commissioner 8 Reports 9 Advice and assistance 10 Incidental powers Framework document 11 Framework document Advisory Board 12 Advisory Board Strategic plans and annual reports 13 Strategic plans 14 Annual reports Domestic Abuse Billii Duties of public authorities in relation to Commissioner 15 Duty to co-operate with Commissioner 16 Duty to respond to Commissioner’s recommendations 17 Duty to send conclusions of domestic homicide review to Commissioner Disclosure of information 18 Disclosure of information Miscellaneous and supplementary 19 Restriction on exercise of functions in individual cases 20 Duty to report
It is currently at Royal Assent in the Unassigned, sponsored by Home Office.
Accountability · outcome beside Green Book evidence
Domestic Abuse Act 2021 became law. The official papers we read covered most of the Green Book five cases with concrete detail. That does not prove the outcome was “right” — it means the case on paper was relatively complete for accountability scrutiny.
Strategic: efinition of “domestic abuse” 2 Definition of “personally connected” 3 Children as victims of domestic abuse PART 2 THE DOMESTIC ABUSE COMMISSIONER Domestic Abuse Commissioner 4 Appointment of Commissioner 5 Funding 6 Staff etc Functions of Commissioner 7 General functions of Commissioner 8 Reports 9 Advice and assistance 10 Incidental powers Framework document 11 Framework document Advisory Board 12 Advisory Board Strategic plans and annual reports 13 Strategic plans 14 Annual reports Domestic Abuse Billii Duties of public authorities in relation to Commissioner 15 Duty to co-operate with Commissioner 16 Duty to respond to Commissioner’s recommendations 17 Duty to send conclusions of domestic homicide review to Commissioner Disclosure of information 18 Disclosure of information Miscellaneous and supplementary 19 Restriction on exercise of functions in individual cases 20 Duty to report
Economic: Gap — The papers we read for this bill do not give a figure in pounds for what it would cost or save. That is not a yes or no on the bill.
Commercial: This prohibition applies where this letter is provided by an appropriate health professional listed in subsection (4) who either (i) wholly or mainly provides services under a qualifying medical services contract listed in subsection (5), or (ii) has assessed the patient in the course of providing services under such a contract. This level of scrutiny is considered appropriate given the purpose of the regulation making power is to ensure that the underlying policy intention, of preventing appropriate health professionals providing services under qualifying medical contracts charging for domestic abuse evidence letters or reports, can be readily carried forward to any further circumstances in which it might apply in the future.
Financial: Funding (1) The Secretary of State may make payments to the Commissioner out of money provided by Parliament for the purpose of enabling the Commissioner to meet expenditure incurred in the exercise of the Commissioner’s functions.
Management: PART 2 THE DOMESTIC ABUSE COMMISSIONER Domestic Abuse Commissioner 4 Appointment of Commissioner (1) The Secretary of State must appoint a person as the Domestic Abuse Commissioner (“the Commissioner”). Funding (1) The Secretary of State may make payments to the Commissioner out of money provided by Parliament for the purpose of enabling the Commissioner to meet expenditure incurred in the exercise of the Commissioner’s functions.
This is an accountability reading, not a recommendation and not a score. It does not say whether Parliament should have passed or rejected the bill. It only sets the actual parliamentary outcome beside how complete the Green Book five-case evidence was in the official papers.
These UK Acts sit in a similar policy space and are already law. Pairing uses this proposal’s official papers (and the plain-English note themes). It is not a verdict that the proposal is redundant or unnecessary.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2023-08-10
Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Act 2023
Same policy area (“Justice / crime”) with overlapping title wording. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — useful context when asking whether this bill adds something new or mainly revisits covered ground.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2018-05-11
Secure Tenancies (Victims of Domestic Abuse) Act 2018
Same policy area (“Justice / crime”) with overlapping title wording. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — useful context when asking whether this bill adds something new or mainly revisits covered ground.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2012-03-09
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims (Amendment) Act 2012
Same policy area (“Justice / crime”) with overlapping title wording. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — useful context when asking whether this bill adds something new or mainly revisits covered ground.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2014-03-14
Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2026-05-11
Crime and Policing Act 2026
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.