Hospitals (Accident and Emergency) Bill

What the bill does

A Bill to place a duty on the Secretary of State to ensure that patients spend no longer than 12 hours between arriving at the accident and emergency department of a hospital and being admitted to hospital, transferred for care elsewhere or discharged; to require the Secretary of State to publish proposals for measures to eliminate the provision of accident and emergency care services in corridors and other spaces not intended for the provision of such services; and for connected purposes.

Progress through Parliament

What 2nd reading means, and what happens next

Second reading is the first full debate on the principle of the bill. The House votes on whether it should proceed at all.

If it passes, the bill goes to committee stage, where it is examined line by line and amendments are considered.

Read the full guide to this stage: What happens at second reading of a bill

Questions about the Hospitals (Accident and Emergency) Bill

What stage is the Hospitals (Accident and Emergency) Bill at?

The Hospitals (Accident and Emergency) Bill is currently at 2nd reading in the UK Parliament.

Has the Hospitals (Accident and Emergency) Bill become law?

Not yet. A bill becomes law only when it has passed both Houses and received Royal Assent. The Hospitals (Accident and Emergency) Bill is currently at 2nd reading.

What happens next to the Hospitals (Accident and Emergency) Bill?

If it passes, the bill goes to committee stage, where it is examined line by line and amendments are considered.

Who sponsored the Hospitals (Accident and Emergency) Bill?

The Hospitals (Accident and Emergency) Bill was sponsored by Helen Morgan.

When was the Hospitals (Accident and Emergency) Bill introduced?

It was introduced to Parliament on 14 January 2026, at first reading.

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