Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Bill (HL Bill 47)
A
BILL
TO
Make provision as to matters to which a court must have regard in
determining a claim in negligence or breach of statutory duty.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1 When this Act applies
This Act applies when a court, in considering a claim that a person was
negligent or in breach of statutory duty, is determining the steps that the
person was required to take to meet a standard of care.
2 5Social action
The court must have regard to whether the alleged negligence or breach of
statutory duty occurred when the person was acting for the benefit of society
or any of its members.
3 Responsibility
10The court must have regard to whether the person, in carrying out the activity
in the course of which the alleged negligence or breach of statutory duty
occurred, demonstrated a generally responsible approach towards protecting
the safety or other interests of others.
4 Heroism
15The court must have regard to whether the alleged negligence or breach of
statutory duty occurred when the person was acting heroically by intervening
in an emergency to assist an individual in danger and without regard to the
person’s own safety or other interests.
5 Extent, commencement and short title
(1) 20This Act extends to England and Wales only.
Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism BillPage 2
(2)
Sections 1 to 4 come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by
regulations made by statutory instrument appoint.
(3)
Regulations under subsection (2) may include such transitional provision as
the Secretary of State considers appropriate.
(4) 5This section comes into force on the day on which this Act is passed.
(5)
This Act may be cited as the Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act
2014.