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Bill · started in the Commons

Defamation Act

To amend the law of defamation.

Now an Act of Parliament

The story so farThe Defamation Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 10 May 2012 by Mr Kenneth Clarke (Conservative). It completed its passage through Parliament and became law as the Defamation Act, receiving Royal Assent on 25 April 2013.

What the bill does

<p>The aim of the Bill is to reform the law of defamation to ensure that a fair balance is struck between the right to freedom of expression and the protection of reputation. The Bill makes a number of substantive changes to the law of defamation, but is not designed to codify the law into a single statute.</p><p><strong>Key areas</strong></p><ul><li>includes a requirement for claimants to show that they have suffered serious harm before suing for defamation</li><li>removes the current presumption in favour of a jury trial</li><li>introduces a defence of "responsible publication on matters of public interest"</li><li>provides increased protection to operators of websites that host user-generated content, providing they comply with the procedure to enable the complainant to resolve disputes directly with the author of the material concerned</li><li>introduces new statutory defences of truth and honest opinion to replace the common law defences of justification. and fair comment.</li></ul>

Progress through Parliament

  1. 1st reading Commons 10 May 2012
  2. 2nd reading Commons 12 Jun 2012
  3. Programme motion Commons 12 Jun 2012
  4. Committee stage Commons 19 Jun to 26 Jun 2012
  5. Report stage Commons 12 Sep 2012
  6. 3rd reading Commons 12 Sep 2012
  7. 1st reading Lords 8 Oct 2012
  8. 2nd reading Lords 9 Oct 2012
  9. Committee stage Lords 17 Dec 2012 to 17 Jan 2013
  10. Report stage Lords 5 Feb 2013
  11. 3rd reading Lords 25 Feb 2013
  12. Programme motion Commons 16 Apr 2013
  13. Consideration of Lords amendments Commons 16 Apr 2013
  14. Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasons Lords 23 Apr 2013
  15. Consideration of Lords amendments Commons 24 Apr 2013
  16. Royal Assent Unassigned 25 Apr 2013

Source: the official bill page. Last updated 18 Mar 2021.