2007 Legislative Programme
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Legislative Programme was drawn up by the Government of the United Kingdom for the parliamentary session
beginning 6 November 2007 and ending on the 22 July 2008. The Legislative Programme
was compiled by Gordon Brown
's government, approved by his Cabinet
, and laid out in the Speech from the Throne
on the first day of the parliamentary session by the Monarch.
Unlike previous years, the Government outlined a draft legislative programme on 11 July 2007. This was done, according to a statement by Prime Minister
Gordon Brown, because "it is now right in the interests of good and open government and public debate that each year the Prime Minister make a summer statement to this House so that initial thinking, previously private, can now be the subject of widespread and informed public consultation."
that the Government intended to introduce over the coming parliamentary session. As of 21 June 2008, five had been enacted by Royal Assent
, 18 were in progress, and 7 were at draft stage and hadn't been submitted to Parliament.
The discrepancy between the 29 proposed bills in the Legislative Programme and the 30 bills listed below is caused by the Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008
, which was introduced as emergency legislation by Chancellor of the Exchequer
Alistair Darling
in February 2008 in order to nationalise Northern Rock
.
Before being submitted to Parliament, a draft is written by the Government. This becomes a bill in Parliament and passes through both houses in 9 sequential stages, finally achieving Royal Assent
and being enacted as law (Act
). It passes through one house (five stages) and then the other (four stages), and may start in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords. If the bill is rejected at any stage, it does not pass to the next stage in the process.
In the first house, the bill passes through five stages 1st Reading (1), 2nd Reading (2), Committee (3), Report (4), and 3rd Reading (5). In the second house, the bill passes through four stages: 1st Reading (6), 2nd Reading (7), Committee (8), and Report (9).
Parliamentary session
A legislative session is the period of time in which a legislature, in both parliamentary and presidential systems, is convened for purpose of lawmaking, usually being one of two or more smaller divisions of the entire time between two elections...
beginning 6 November 2007 and ending on the 22 July 2008. The Legislative Programme
Legislative programme
A legislative programme is a list of bills which the United Kingdom government intends to introduce to Parliament during a parliamentary session. The programme is an outline of the Government's intended direction and emphases in the coming year...
was compiled by Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
's government, approved by his Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
, and laid out in the Speech from the Throne
Speech from the Throne
A speech from the throne is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign reads a prepared speech to a complete session of parliament, outlining the government's agenda for the coming session...
on the first day of the parliamentary session by the Monarch.
Unlike previous years, the Government outlined a draft legislative programme on 11 July 2007. This was done, according to a statement by Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Gordon Brown, because "it is now right in the interests of good and open government and public debate that each year the Prime Minister make a summer statement to this House so that initial thinking, previously private, can now be the subject of widespread and informed public consultation."
Government Bills
The programme outlined 29 billsBill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
that the Government intended to introduce over the coming parliamentary session. As of 21 June 2008, five had been enacted by Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
, 18 were in progress, and 7 were at draft stage and hadn't been submitted to Parliament.
The discrepancy between the 29 proposed bills in the Legislative Programme and the 30 bills listed below is caused by the Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008
Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008
The Banking Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that entered into force on the 21 February 2008 in order to enable the UK government to nationalise high-street banks under emergency circumstances by secondary legislation...
, which was introduced as emergency legislation by Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
Alistair Darling
Alistair Darling
Alistair Maclean Darling is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament since 1987, currently for Edinburgh South West. He served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010...
in February 2008 in order to nationalise Northern Rock
Northern Rock
Northern Rock plc is a British bank, best known for becoming the first bank in 150 years to suffer a bank run after having had to approach the Bank of England for a loan facility, to replace money market funding, during the credit crisis in 2007. Having failed to find a commercial buyer for...
.
Before being submitted to Parliament, a draft is written by the Government. This becomes a bill in Parliament and passes through both houses in 9 sequential stages, finally achieving Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
and being enacted as law (Act
Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom
An Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom is a type of legislation called primary legislation. These Acts are passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster, or by the Scottish Parliament at Edinburgh....
). It passes through one house (five stages) and then the other (four stages), and may start in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords. If the bill is rejected at any stage, it does not pass to the next stage in the process.
In the first house, the bill passes through five stages 1st Reading (1), 2nd Reading (2), Committee (3), Report (4), and 3rd Reading (5). In the second house, the bill passes through four stages: 1st Reading (6), 2nd Reading (7), Committee (8), and Report (9).
| Name | Status | Date of status |
|---|---|---|
| Apprenticeship Reform Bill | Draft | n/a |
| Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008 Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008 The Banking Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that entered into force on the 21 February 2008 in order to enable the UK government to nationalise high-street banks under emergency circumstances by secondary legislation... |
Royal Assent | 2008-02-21 |
| Channel Tunnel Rail Link (Supplementary Provisions) Act 2008 Channel Tunnel Rail Link (Supplementary Provisions) Act 2008 The Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which amends the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996... |
Royal Assent | 2008-05-22 |
| Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 The Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It was enacted to establish the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, to amend various child support provisions, and to regulate lump-sum payments for... |
Royal Assent | 2008-06-05 |
| Children and Young Persons Bill | Committee, Commons (stage 8) | 2008-06-24 |
| Climate Change Bill | Committee, Commons (8) | 2008-06-24 |
| Constitutional Renewal Bill | Draft | n/a |
| Counter-Terrorism Bill Counter-Terrorism Bill 2008 The Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which increased police powers for the stated purpose of countering terrorism... |
1st Reading, Lords (6) | 2008-06-12 |
| Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 The Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which makes significant changes in many areas of the criminal justice system in England and Wales and, to a lesser extent, in Scotland and Northern Ireland... |
Royal Assent | 2008-05-08 |
| Crossrail Bill | Committee, Lords (8) | 2008-02-19 |
| Cultural Property (Armed Conflict) Bill | Draft | n/a |
| Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill | 1st Reading, Commons (6) | 2008-02-27 |
| Education and Skills Bill | Committee, Lords (8) | 2008-06-25 |
| Employment Bill | 1st Reading, Commons (6) | 2008-06-03 |
| Energy Bill | Committee, Lords (8) | 2008-06-12 |
| European Communities (Finance) Act 2008 European Communities (Finance) Act 2008 The European Communities Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was given Royal Assent and became law on 19 February 2008.-Passage of the bill:... |
Royal Assent | 2008-02-19 |
| European Union (Amendment) Bill | Report, Lords (9) | 2008-06-04 |
| Health and Social Care Bill Health and Social Care Act 2008 The Health and Social Care Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Section 170 - Commencement:Orders made under section 170* * *... |
Report, Lords (9) | 2008-06-16 |
| Heritage Protection Bill | Draft | n/a |
| Housing and Regeneration Bill | Committee, Lords (8) | 2008-05-13 |
| Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 The Bill's discussion in Parliament did not permit time to debate whether it should extend abortion rights under the Abortion Act 1967 to also cover Northern Ireland... |
Committee, Commons (8) | 2008-05-19 |
| Immigration Bill | Draft | n/a |
| Local Transport Bill | Committee, Commons (8) | 2008-04-22 |
| Marine Bill | Draft | n/a |
| Marine Navigation Bill | Draft | n/a |
| National Insurance Contributions Bill | Committee, Lords (8) | 2008-06-09 |
| Pensions Bill Pensions Act 2008 The Pensions Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The principal change brought about by the Act is that all workers will have to opt out of an occupational pension plan of their employer, rather than opt in... |
Committee, Lords (8) | 2008-06-17 |
| Planning Bill | 3rd Reading, Commons (5) | 2008-06-25 |
| Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill | Committee, Commons (8) | 2008-06-17 |
| Sale of Student Loans Bill | Report, Lords (9) | 2008-06-02 |