A BILL to help families of missing people deal with the affairs of their loved ones has moved another step closer to law.

The changes have been dubbed Claudia’s Law, named after the University of York chef Claudia Lawrence, who went missing in March 2009.

They have been supported by Peter Lawrence – the father of missing Claudia - and the Missing People charity.

The new bill will create a new legal status of guardian of the property and affairs of anyone missing for 90 days or longer, to aid the families and friends of missing people to manage their affairs.

Mr Lawrence has long campaigned to make it easier for families to deal with the financial affairs of missing relatives. Legislation was agreed in 2015 but has not been passed into law.

Now the bill has passed the committee stage in the House of Commons, and will now go to a third reading, after MP Kevin Hollinrake raised the issue last month.

A date has not yet been confirmed for the third reading of the bill, but if it passes the next reading in the Commons, it will go before the House of Lords.