PM’s draft legislative programme in full
The prime minister Gordon Brown has set out his plans for reform, unveiling a list of bills and policies for consultation and debate.
Introducing the proposals to MPs, Mr Brown said: “To respond to the rising aspirations of the British people we must deliver new and better opportunities – in education, employment, the provision of housing and health – and ensure that in a fast changing world there is opportunity and security not just for some but for all.”
The draft legislative reform programme will form the basis of this year’s Queen’s Speech.
Brown’s legislative programme in full
- Children in care bill – will provide a regulatory framework to guarantee support for children in the care system
- Child maintenance bill – amends the Child Support Act 1992 to simplify the assessment for child maintenance payments and strengthen enforcement.
- Climate change bill – will set legally binding targets to reducing carbon emissions.
- Constitutional reform bill – seeks to pass into law the prime minister’s existing announcements on constitutional reform.
- Counter terrorism bill – part of wide reaching measures to improve the detection and policing of terrorism. Will involved post-charge questioning and could introduce the use of intercept evidence.
- Criminal justice bill – sets out new powers to be added to the existing bill. The government wants to extend the period of pre-charge detention and toughen sentencing for terrorism related crimes.
- Cross rail bill – push forward with the proposed Crossrail transport scheme, including its construction, maintenance and operation.
- Educational opportunity bill – will raise the school leaving age to 18 and improve skills to prepare school leavers for the workforce.
- Employment simplification bill – will simplify employment law and strengthen existing powers with an enhanced enforcement regime.
- Energy bill – contains the government’s commitment to nuclear power, as part of efforts to secure energy supplies and address climate change.
- European communities bill – would amend the European Communities Act 1972
- Health and social care bill – designed to put power for the health service in the hands of patients and staff and improve patient treatment.
- Housing bill – to create a Housing and Regeneration Agency to support house building and social housing. This will help the government build 3 million new homes by 2020.
- Human tissues and embryos bill – to update the regulation of reproductive technologies and embryo research.
- Local transport bill – continues efforts to address road congestion by improving public transport. Grants local authorities the power to address local transport needs.
- National insurance contributions bill – carries out the tax and benefit system reforms outlined in the 2007 Budget.
- Pensions bill – will carry out the reforms in the pensions white paper, including a pension scheme for all employees.
- Planning gain supplement bill – will enable local authorities to benefit from the increase in land values following full planning permission.
- Planning reform bill – designed to streamline the planning process to speed up new projects.
- Regulatory enforcement and sanctions bill – established the Local Better Regulation Office.
- Sale of students loans bill – designed to allow the secretary of state to sell off aspects of the student loan portfolio.
For the full draft legislative programme, visit the Cabinet Office website.
