Laws of the Land

The Bill has two purposes. One is to raise the financial ceiling on support to industry outside assisted areas allowed under the Industrial Development Act 1982 (these limits were last changed by legislation in 2003). The second is to widen the support allowed by the Export Credits Guarantee Department under the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991.…

The Bill is the latest to seek to amend the law on immigration, asylum and nationality. It includes the citizenship and child protection aspects of the Draft (Partial) Immigration and Citizenship Bill which was published for consultation in July 2008. It incorporates aspects of other consultation exercises on the Common Travel Area (the UK, the Channel Is…

The Bill provides Parliamentary authority for funds requested by the Government. It is part of ‘supply procedure’, which is how Parliament grants the Government’s requests for resources. Two Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) Bills are passed each year, in March and July. They are sometimes referred to simply as ‘Appropriation Bills…

This short Bill establishes a Government-subsidised savings scheme for people of working age on low incomes and in receipt of specified benefits. The scheme is voluntary and eligibility is on an individual basis. The Saving Gateway has been trialled in several regions of the UK; the Bill establishes a scheme for the whole country.

The Bill makes some amendments to the regulation of party funding and election expenditure that is set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. It will cover the whole of the UK. The Bill aims to: strengthen the regulatory powers of the Electoral Commission, to provide new powers of investigation and the option of civil sanctions…

The Bill provides for a statutory Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and Commissioner for Parliamentary Investigations. The Authority will be responsible for devising a scheme for Members' allowances and for determining claims. It will also be required to devise rules on Members' financial interests, superseding the current register which is es…

This short Bill enables the UK to ratify two international agreements to protect humanitarian workers and military medical personnel: the Third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions; and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel. Key areas: Sanctions the Red Crystal as a new symbol to protect…

The main purpose of the Bill is to rewrite the charge to corporation tax and the primary corporation tax legislation used by companies in computing their income. This is the fifth Bill produced by the Tax Law Rewrite Project; the Bill rewrites the law without changing its general effect. Rewrite Bills are subject to a streamlined procedure for Parliamenta…

The Bill will create a new power for upper tier local authorities in England and Wales to levy a local supplement on the business rate and to retain the proceeds for investment in that area. Key areas: Only the highest tier of local authority will be entitled to levy rates; in London the power will rest with the Greater London Authority business rate supp…

The Bill updates the 1988 Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act and will give the Authority various new powers. It will combine the Navigation and General Accounts into one fund. The Bill will enable the Authority to: effectively apply the National Boat Safety Scheme to reduce the risk of fire and explosions introduce compulsory third party insurance for boats i…

Crossrail is the plan to integrate the mainline railways to the east and west of London through the construction of two tunnels beneath central London from Paddington to Liverpool Street. The main purpose of the Bill was to secure the powers necessary to build Crossrail. This Bill received Royal Assent in July 2008 and Crossrail is now proceeding. It was…

To remove existing funding limits in respect of building societies, subject to regulation by the Financial Services Authority; to provide consequential rights to building society members; and to enable specified categories of mutual organisations to transfer engagements to one another or to a company.

This Bill is designed to assist with the devolution of policing and justice to Northern Ireland by making amendments to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Key areas Adds to the options for appointing the Policing and Justice Minister already set out in the Northern Ireland Act 1998 Amends the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 and the Justice (Northern Ir…

The annual Finance Bill encompasses all the changes to be made to tax law for the year. Its formal description is 'a Bill to grant certain duties, to alter other duties, and to amend the law relating to the National Debt and the Public Revenue, and to make further provision in connection with finance.' The Bill will enact many of the measures announced in…

The Energy Bill contains the legislative provisions required to implement UK energy policy following the publication of the Energy Review 2006 and the Energy White Paper 2007. This policy is driven by the two long-term energy challenges faced by the UK: tackling climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and ensuring secure, clean and affordable…

The Bill provides parliamentary authority for funds requested by the Government. It is part of the supply procedure, which is how Parliament grants the Government’s requests for resources. Two Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) Bills are passed each year, in March and July. They are sometimes referred to simply as Appropriation Bills. These, together…

This Bill would repeal a number of statutes which have become obsolete. It follows recommendations in the 18 th report of the UK Law Commission, which is responsible for modernising and simplifying the statute book to make it more accessible. There have been 17 previous Statute Law Repeal Bills since 1965, repealing 2000 Acts in their entirety. Key areas…

The Bill proposes to amend the Education Act 1996 in relation to the provision and publication of information about children who have special educational needs (SEN). Key areas Seeks to highlight both the quality and efficiency of special educational needs support for children within schools and Local Education Authorities by ensuring the publication of o…

The Bill contains measures to enable a programme of sales of the Government's Student Loans Portfolio. The sale of the student loan book is part of an ongoing Government strategy to transfer ownership of all public assets that are not essential to the Government's public service delivery objectives. The student loan book is worth around £18.1 billio…

The Bill would allow local councils to set targets in their areas for on-site renewable energy, on-site low carbon electricity and energy efficiency standards in addition to national requirements. The Bill would cover England and Wales. Key areas It would also require developers to source at least 10 per cent of any new building’s energy from renewa…