Parliamentary.ai

Overview

This bill aims to enhance legal protection for members of the UK armed forces by increasing penalties for crimes committed against them and prohibiting discrimination in the provision of goods and services.

Description

The bill makes two key changes to existing legislation:

Amendment of the Criminal Justice Act 2003: The bill amends the 2003 Act to treat crimes against service personnel as aggravated offences, leading to harsher sentences. This applies if the victim is a service person or if the crime was motivated by hostility towards service people. The definition of "service person" includes family members.

Amendment of the Equality Act 2010: The bill adds "status as a member or former member of the armed forces" as a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, making discrimination against service personnel in the provision of goods and services illegal.

Government Spending

The bill is unlikely to lead to significant increases in government spending. The increased prison sentences resulting from aggravated offences may lead to higher costs related to incarceration, however no figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

The bill primarily affects:

• Members of the armed forces: They will benefit from increased legal protection against crimes and discrimination.
• Businesses and individuals providing goods and services: They will be legally obligated not to discriminate against service personnel.
• The Judiciary: They will be responsible for applying the amended legislation in criminal and civil cases.