On 24 March 2020, through a ten minute rule motion—backed by MPs from every major party—Caroline Lucas MP introduced the “Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill” to the House of Commons.
“It is essential to deal with coronavirus as it is—a global emergency—but it is clear we must work harder to predict and prepare for the existential risks we face. Not only the threat of pandemics, but the climate crisis” too, she said in her introductory remarks. “That is the nub of the Today for Tomorrow campaign.” It is backed not just by all the sponsors of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill, but by over 70 MPs have so far signalled their support as part of the campaign.
“When we are rebuilding on the other side of this pandemic, we can choose to do so with greater consideration than ever to future generations, with stronger compassion for every person and their wellbeing, and with an unshakeable commitment to building an economy and society that works for everyone now and for the future. It is these values of compassion and consideration, co-operation and courage that hold us together in times of disaster, and the same values are at the heart of this Bill, which it wants to centre in our politics at all times.”
The Bill is inspired by the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which has at its heart a duty on all public bodies, including Welsh ministers, to act in accordance with a sustainable development principle, which seeks to ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. As well as creating a ‘future generations test’ for all new policy changes, the Bill calls for national well-being goals for the whole country to work towards, creates a UK Future Generations Commissioner to act as a guardian for the unborn, sets up a Joint-Committee on Future Generations in Parliament, and requires budgets to measure and increase their preventative spending.
In addition to the independent UK commissioner for future generations, key provisions in the Bill include: a duty on the Secretary of State to publish national indicators that measure progress towards wellbeing goals and report annually to Parliament; a duty on all non-devolved public bodies to balance the needs of the present with the needs of the future; a requirement on companies of medium size and above to consider how their activities relate to the wellbeing of the UK; provisions for the establishment of a joint parliamentary Committee for the future, to scrutinise legislation for its effect on future generations, to hold Ministers to account for short-term decision making and to report on future trends; and a requirement on public bodies to report on and seek to increase their preventive expenditure.
FDSD is playing a leading role in developing the campaign for a UK Future Generations Act in partnership with Lord Bird and the Big Issue. Earlier in the month, Lord Bird led the second reading of the bill in the House of Lords proceedings.
Links
- Open letter by the Co-Sponsors of the bill: “Even at a time of crisis, we need long-term thinking for future generations“, The Guardian
- Open letter by Lord Bird and others in the Financial Times: “Let’s be the good ancestors our descendants deserve“
- Read about the bill in detail via todayfortomorrow.org
- The transcript and video of the debate can be accessed via the parliament website.
A version of this post also appeared on the APPG on Limits to Growth website.
