Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026: stages, votes and documents
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 12 February 2026, 155 days after its first reading in the House of Commons on 10 September 2025. MPs divided on it 2 times between 17 November 2025 and 17 November 2025; the narrowest margin was 171 (Committee: Amendment 5).
Stages taken place
14
Commons divisions
2
Documents listed
14
Royal Assent
12 February 2026
What the bill is for
The long title reads:
A Bill to make provision for and in connection with the implementation by the United Kingdom of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
Sponsors
- Yvette Cooper (Labour, Commons), Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
- Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour, Lords), Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Stages
| Stage | House | Sittings |
|---|---|---|
| 1st reading | Commons | 10 September 2025 |
| 2nd reading | Commons | 16 October 2025 |
| Ways and Means resolution | Commons | 16 October 2025 |
| Programme motion | Commons | 16 October 2025 |
| Committee of the whole House | Commons | 17 November 2025 |
| 3rd reading | Commons | 17 November 2025 |
| 1st reading | Lords | 18 November 2025 |
| 2nd reading | Lords | 2 December 2025 |
| Committee stage | Lords | 16 December 2025 |
| Report stage | Lords | 12 January 2026 |
| 3rd reading | Lords | 19 January 2026 |
| Programme motion | Commons | 2 February 2026 |
| Consideration of Lords amendments | Commons | 2 February 2026 |
| Royal Assent | Unassigned | 12 February 2026 |
Commons divisions on this bill
| Date | Division | Ayes | Noes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 November 2025 | Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: Committee: Amendment 4 | 143 | 318 |
| 17 November 2025 | Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: Committee: Amendment 5 | 147 | 318 |
Documents
Bill
- Bill 302 2024-26 (as introduced) 10 September 2025
- 5901148.pdf · 5901148.html · 5901148.xml 18 November 2025
- 5901157.pdf · 5901157.html · 5901157.xml 16 December 2025
- 5901160.pdf · 5901160.html · 5901160.xml 12 January 2026
- Bill 371 2024-26 (Lords Amendments) 20 January 2026
Explanatory Notes
- Bill 302 EN 2024-26 (as introduced) 10 September 2025
- HL Bill 148 Explanatory Notes · 5901148-EN.pdf 18 November 2025
- Bill 371 EN 2024-26 (Lords Amendments) 20 January 2026
Impact Assessments
- Marine Genetic Resource Measures Impact Assessment 10 September 2025
- Area-Based Management Tools and Environmental Impact Assessment measures 10 September 2025
Delegated Powers Memorandum
- Memorandum from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 10 September 2025
- BBNJSuppDPM.pdf 20 January 2026
Briefing papers
- Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill (2024–25) 14 October 2025
- Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: HL Bill 148 of 2024–26 24 November 2025
Official record
Sources
| Record | Read | SHA-256 |
|---|---|---|
| Bills API: bill | 25 October 2026 | ee320a3b51e1a233… |
| Bills API: stages | 25 October 2026 | 1214e0a4f132f34e… |
| Bills API: publications | 15 October 2026 | a9f5fa5f3a7ce549… |