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 4128
A bill to make provision about payment terms in commercial contracts; to make provision about interest on late payment of commercial debts; to ban retention clauses in the construction sector; to expand the powers of the Small Business Commissioner in relation to payment disputes and poor payment practices; to amend the Enterprise Act 2016 in connection with other functions of the Small Business Commissioner; 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: Department for Business and Trade
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
Firstly, the Bill will include measures to improve payment practice such as imposing stricter maximum payment terms in contracts within scope.
Setting payment terms in commercial contracts at a maximum of 30 days for public authorities (where the contract is not covered by the Procurement Act 2023) and 60 days for non-public authorities, subject to limited exemptions. Or 30 days for public authorities.
Without these powers, there is a risk that the effectiveness of maximum payment terms would be weakened over time and changes to the payment periods would require further primary legislation.
Same bill, simpler words — a deeper read without the jargon.
Imagine the country is making a new rule. This one is about: Firstly, the Bill will include measures to improve payment practice such as imposing stricter maximum payment terms in contracts within scope.. The people who would notice most are: Setting payment terms in commercial contracts at a maximum of 30 days for public authorities (where the contract is not covered by the Procurement Act 2023) and 60 days for non-public authorities, subject to limited exemptions. Or 30 days for public authorities.. If it became a real law, the everyday change would be: Without these powers, there is a risk that the effectiveness of maximum payment terms would be weakened over time and changes to the payment periods would require further primary legislation..
Green Book 2026 · 5 Case Model
Firstly, the Bill will include measures to improve payment practice such as imposing stricter maximum payment terms in contracts within scope.
It is currently at 2nd reading in the Commons, sponsored by Department for Business and Trade.
Passage signals — procedural trajectory, not a merit judgement
Commercial Payments Bill [HL] is a government bill, currently at 2nd reading in the Commons. Its type and progress so far point towards it completing its remaining stages, based on how similar bills have progressed.
Government bills are backed by the governing majority and get guaranteed debating time, so the large majority become law.
The bill has completed its stages in the Lords and moved to the second House. Bills that pass one House usually go on to complete the rest.
The bill sat recently and no future date is needed yet for it to be considered active.
This outlook reads the bill's procedural trajectory only — its type, the stage it has reached, and its momentum — against how similar bills have historically progressed through Parliament. It is not a score, not a judgement on the bill's merits, and not a recommendation to support or oppose it. It sits alongside, and separate from, the Green Book five-case appraisal.
Nearby instruments in a similar policy space — lighter context while you read this UK proposal. Not a ranking, and not a recommendation.
Enacted 2026-07-20 (No. 27 of 2026)
Bill entitled an Act to amend the Planning and Development Act 2024, the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2025 and the Planning and Development Act 2000, and, in that connection, to amend certain other enactments; to amend the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 for the purpose of increasing the borrowing limit of the Housing Finance Agency; and to provide for matters connected therewith.
Matched via Oireachtas search for “finance tax” (Economy / tax).
Open sourceEU instrument (CELEX 32022L2464)
EU corporate reporting rules with economic/accountability effects.
Selected as the closest EU peer for the “Economy / tax” policy category. EU law uses directives/regulations, not Commons/Lords stages.
Open source