The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13) is an Act

Act of Parliament

An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...

 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom

Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...

. It transfers the control of police forces from police authorities to elected "police and crime commissioners". The first police commissioner elections

England and Wales police commissioner elections, 2012

Elections of Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales are scheduled to take place on 15 November 2012, having been put back from the originally planned date of May 2012 in order to secure the passage of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 through the House of Lords.The...

 will be held in November 2012, and every four years thereafter.

The Act repeals the provisions in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

The Serious Organized Crime and Police Act 2005 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom aimed primarily at creating the Serious Organised Crime Agency, it also significantly extended and simplified the powers of arrest of a constable and introduced restrictions on protests in the...

 which prohibits protests near Parliament Square

Parliament Square

Parliament Square is a square outside the northwest end of the Palace of Westminster in London. It features a large open green area in the middle, with a group of trees to its west. It contains statues of famous statesmen and is the scene of rallies and protests, as well as being a tourist...

, and instead restricts certain "prohibited activities" in Parliament Square garden and the adjoining footways.

The Act removed the statutory requirement for the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is a statutory and non-executive non-departmental British public body, which was established under the UK's Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.-Mandate:Its terms of reference, according to the Act, are as follows:...

 to include scientists. The move follows the sacking of David Nutt

David Nutt

David John Nutt is a British psychiatrist and neuropsychopharmacologist specialising in the research of drugs that affect the brain and conditions such as addiction, anxiety and sleep. He was until 2009 a professor at the University of Bristol heading their Psychopharmacology Unit...

 from the council in 2009.

Section 153 of the Act amends section 1 of Magistrates' Courts Act 1980

Magistrates' Courts Act 1980

The Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It codifies the procedures applicable in magistrates' courts in the United Kingdom and largely replaces the Magistrates' Courts Act 1952...

 so that an arrest warrant

Arrest warrant

An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual.-Canada:Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under the Criminal Code of Canada....

 for an offence of universal jurisdiction

Universal jurisdiction

Universal jurisdiction or universality principle is a principle in public international law whereby states claim criminal jurisdiction over persons whose alleged crimes were committed outside the boundaries of the prosecuting state, regardless of nationality, country of residence, or any other...

 cannot be issued without the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions

Director of Public Prosecutions (England and Wales)

The Director of Public Prosecutions of England and Wales is a senior prosecutor, appointed by the Attorney General. First created in 1879, the office was unified with that of the Treasury Solicitor less than a decade later before again becoming independent in 1908...

, unless applied for by a Crown Prosecutor

Crown Prosecutor

Crown Prosecutors are the public prosecutors in the legal system of Australia.Crown Prosecutors represent the Crown in right of the Commonwealth and in right of each State or Territory in criminal proceedings. Crown Prosecutors are appointed not elected and not public servants; they are private...

.