National Security (State Threats) Bill – in the House of Commons at 6:00 pm on 17 June 2026.
Votes in this debate
Division number 30
National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee: Amendment 8
The Committee divided: Ayes 143, Noes 249.
Question accordingly negatived.
Amendment proposed: 13, page 7, line 8, at end insert—
“17D Self-directing acts in support of a designated body
(1) A person commits an offence if the person engages in conduct of any kind which is—
(a) inspired by the ideology, actions, and self-promotion of a designated body, and
(b) prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.
(2) A person commits an offence if the person—
(a) engages in UK-related activities that are likely to assist the stated, or assumed, aims of a designated body, and
(b) knows, or having regard to other matters known to them ought to reasonably to know, that their activities are likely to assist the stated, or assumed, aims of a designated body.
(3) “UK-related activities” means—
(a) activities taking place in the United Kingdom;
(b) activities taking place outside the United Kingdom which are prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.
(4) Subsections (1) and (2) apply to conduct outside the United Kingdom, but apply to conduct taking place wholly outside the United Kingdom only if the person engaging in the conduct—
(ab) is a UK person, or
(b) acts for or on behalf of, or holds office under, the Crown, or is in Crown employment (whether or not they engage in the conduct in that capacity).
(5) In proceedings for an offence under this section it is a defence to show that the person engaged in the conduct in question—
(a) in compliance with a legal obligation under the law of the United Kingdom which is not a legal obligation under private law,
(b) in the case of a person having functions of a public nature under the law of the United Kingdom, for the purposes of those functions,
(c) as a lawyer carrying on a legal activity, or
(d) in accordance with, or in relation to Uk-related activities carried out in accordance with, an agreement or arrangement to which—
(i) the United Kingdom was a party, or
(ii) any person acting for, or on behalf of, or holding office under, the Crown was (in that capacity) a party.
(6) A person is taken to have shown a matter mentioned in subsection (5) if—
(a) sufficient evidence is adduced to raise an issue with respect to it, and
(b) the contrary is not proved beyond reasonable doubt.
(7) A person who commits an office under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years or a fine (or both).
(8) The following terms have the same meaning as in section 3—
“Crown employment” ;
“financial benefit” ;
The “law of the United Kingdom”;
“lawyer” ;
“legal activity” ;
“UK person” .”—(Alicia Kearns.)
This amendment creates a new offence of undertaking conduct harmful or prejudicial to UK interests that is inspired by a designated body, rather than actively commissioned on behalf of a designated body.
Question put, That the amendment be made.
Division number 31
National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee: Amendment 13
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
A person involved in the counting of votes. Derived from the word 'tallier', meaning one who kept a tally.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
