The UK Government’s Draft Legislative Programme 2008 - 2009

Banking reform bill

The purpose of the Bill is to improve the resilience of the financial system and support financial stability by strengthening depositor protection and dealing with banks in difficulties.

In January 2008, the UK Government launched a public consultation. This consultation closed on 23 April 2008.

Financial stability and depositor protection: further consultation was published on 01 July 2008 (closing date 15 September 2008).

A further document was published on 22 July 2008, containing draft clauses for consultation and providing more detail on the proposed special resolution regime. The closing date is 15 September 2008.

Business rate supplements bill

The purpose of the Bill is to: give upper tier local authorities (County Councils, Unitary Authorities and, in London, the Greater London Authority) the power to levy a local supplement on the business rate and retain the proceeds for economic development.

Citizenship, immigration and borders bill

The purpose of the Bill is to replace all existing immigration legislation with a simplified, clear and coherent legal framework to control our borders, manage migration and reform the path to citizenship.

The Government has already consulted on the citizenship proposals for this bill in its consultation The path to citizenship: next steps in reforming the immigration system. This consultation closed on 14 May 2008.

On 14 July 2008, the Government published a draft (partial) Immigration and citizenship bill for consultation. The final bill is expected to be published in January 2009.

Communications data bill

The purpose of the Bill is to allow communications data capabilities for the prevention and detection of crime and protection of national security to keep up with changing technology through providing for the collection and retention of such data, including data not required for the business purposes of communications service providers; and to ensure strict safeguards continue to strike the proper balance between privacy and protecting the public.

The Government plans to publish this Bill in draft for pre-legislative scrutiny later this year. The draft Bill will then be made available on the Home Office web-site. In the meantime, any comments or questions about these proposals should be directed to CommsData@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.

Community empowerment, housing and economic regeneration bill

The purpose of the Bill is to create greater opportunities for community and individual empowerment, reform local and regional governance arrangements to promote economic regeneration and continue the Government’s programme of housing reform.

The Government is consulting with a wide range of people during preparation of its Empowerment White Paper. Comments on these proposals can be sent to unlockingtalent@communities.gsi.gov.uk. The Government has also published Unlocking the talent of our communities (5 March 2008). Further information on community empowerment is available on the Communities and Local Government web-site.

Also in March 2008, the Government launched its consultation Prosperous Places: Taking forward the review of sub-national economic development and regeneration. This consultation closed on 20 June 2008.

Constitutional renewal bill

The purpose of the Bill is to redistribute power away from the centralised state by improving civil liberties, strengthening Parliament and making the executive more accountable to the people it serves.

A draft constitutional renewal bill was published on 25 March 2008. A Joint Committee on the draft Constitutional Renewal Bill considered the proposals, and published its report on 31 July 2008.

Comments on the draft bill can also be sent to the Ministry of Justice at Governance@justice.gsi.gov.uk.

Coroners and death certification bill

The purpose of the Bill is to deliver an improved system of death investigation for families so that they can be assured that the cause of death of their relative has been properly established and that, where possible, lessons can be learned to prevent future deaths.

The coroners’ section of the Bill was published in draft in June 2006 and was subject to extensive consultation. The Government set out the key changes to these proposals, resulting from the consultation process, in March 2008. The Government will be publishing shortly its response to the consultation on death certification policy and new clauses will be added to the Bill to reflect the agreed approach. Further information is available on the Ministry of Justice web-site.

Comments about the proposals can be summitted via the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons web-site.

Education and skills bill

The purpose of the Bill is to promote excellence in schools and help ensure that every school becomes a good school; ensure a customer-driven skills and apprenticeship system; and create a new regulator for qualifications and tests and a development agency for curriculum, assessment and qualifications.

A document on the National Secondary Challenge will be published in the summer, and will include proposals to help create greater excellence in Schools.

A White Paper on reform of Pupil Referral Units, including consideration of new school structures such as Studio Schools, will be published in the summer.

The Government has launched a consultation on its proposals for the reform of responsibility and funding for post-16 education and skills training and the education of young offenders. This consultation closed on 9 June.

The Government will shortly be consulting on the right to request time to train and the requirement for employers to contribute to English language training; details of the consultation will be published on the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills web-site. In the meantime, any comments about these proposals can be made via the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons web-site.

A consultation on reform of the QCA, Confidence in Standards: Regulating and developing qualifications and assessment, closed on 10 March. The Government published its response to this consultation on 26 June 2008.

The Government published a draft Apprenticeships bill for consultation on 16 July 2008. The consultation ends on 08 October 2008.

The Government does not plan a formal consultation on the proposed changes to student loans but will consult with stakeholders such as the credit and debt counselling industries. In the meantime, any comments about these proposals can also be made via the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons web-site.

The Government is consulting on statutory guidance on Children’s Trusts (ended 26 June 2008). Views were also invited through a Written Ministerial Statement on 3 April 2008, on whether further changes, including to the legislative framework, were needed. Options for further consultation are under consideration.

Equality bill

The purpose of the Bill is to: make Britain a fairer place where people have the opportunity to succeed whatever their race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief. Fairness and an absence of discrimination are the hallmarks of a modern decent society, with a strong economy, which draws on the talents of all.

The Government consulted on these and related proposals in 2007, and published its response to the consultation on 21 July 2008.

On 26 June 2008, the Government published Framework for a Fairer Future – the Equality Bill, which outlines the steps which will be taken to streamline and strengthen the law.

Geneva Conventions and United Nations personnel bill

The purpose of the Bill is to fulfil the commitment to provide protection for the new humanitarian symbol (a red crystal) and to extend the legislative protection afforded to United Nations and Associated Personnel.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is consulting the British Red Cross. Any comments about these proposals can also be made via the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons web-site.

Heritage protection bill

The purpose of the Bill is to create a more open, accountable and transparent heritage protection system and to safeguard the cultural property of the United Kingdom and other nations during armed conflict.

In March 2007 the Government published a White Paper: Heritage Protection for the 21st Century

The Heritage Protection Bill (April 2008) and the Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill (January 2008) have been published separately in draft for pre-legislative scrutiny. The consultation on the draft Heritage Protection Bill closed on 27 June 2008. The consultation on the Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill has now closed. Further information is available on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) web-site.

Law reform, victims and witnesses bill

The purpose of the Bill is to deliver a more effective, transparent and responsive justice system for victims, witnesses and the wider public.

The Sentencing Commission Working Group published its consultation paper A Structured Sentencing Framework and Sentencing Commission on 31 March 2008. The consultation closed on 2 June 2008. The consultation takes forward one of the recommendations made by Lord Carter of Coles in his Review of Prisons (Ministry of Justice, December 2007).

In his Review, Lord Carter recommended a further expansion of the prison estate. In response, the Government has committed to increasing overall capacity, including up to 3 Titan prisons, about which the Government published a consultation paper on 05 June 2008. The consultation ends on 28 August 2008.

Marine and coastal access bill

The purpose of the Bill is to improve and simplify arrangements for managing marine development and protecting the marine environment and biodiversity, including a new planning system for the marine area, and provide greater recreational access to the English coast.

National Health Service reform bill

The main purpose of the Bill is to take forward those proposals arising from Lord Darzi’s ‘NHS Next Stage Review’ of the NHS in England that would require legislation to enable their implementation.

There has already been extensive stakeholder engagement throughout England to develop the Next Stage Review in consultation with patients, clinicians and managers. Almost 100 consultation events have been held and the views of approximately 60,000 people – clinicians, patients and the wider public – have been captured through a variety of means – via e-mail or in meetings.

High quality care for all: NHS Next Stage Review final report (Lord Darzi) was published on 30 June 2008. There will be consultation as necessary on any proposals that may require legislation.

Further information is available on the Department of Health web-site.

Policing and crime reduction bill

The purpose of the Bill is to reduce bureaucracy and increase accountability in the Police Force and help reduce crime further.

A policing green paper was published for consultation in July 2008.

Other aspects of the Bill have either been consulted on already or no formal consultation is planned, but any comments can be submitted via the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons web-site.

Saving Gateway bill

The purpose of the Bill is to provide a financial incentive to saving among the poorest in society.

The Government consulted on how the scheme will operate. The consultation closed on 04 June 2008.

Transport security bill

The purpose of the Bill is to establish new arrangements for airport security and implement the UK’s international obligations to combat terrorist acts at sea.

Airport security: The Department for Transport launched a consultation on its proposals on 16 July 2008. The consultation closes on 08 October 2008.

Maritime security: No further consultation is planned as these proposals were consulted on prior to being adopted as part of the 2005 Protocols to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation.

Welfare reform bill

The purpose of the Bill is to further reform the welfare and benefit systems to improve support and incentives for people to move from benefits into work, to provide greater choice and control for disabled people. The Government remains committed to make progress towards the target on child poverty. The bill will be preceded by a green paper and full consultation which will look at options to modernise the benefit system, delivering value for money for the taxpayer while providing support for people at the time they need it most. The changes will also focus on promotion of personal responsibility and independence, making clearer the relationship between the support people can receive and the expectations of them to participate fully in society.