Draft Legislative Programme 2008-09
Preparing Britain for the Future – the Draft Legislative Programme sets out the UK Government's plans for legislative and key non-legislative action in next year's Parliamentary session.
On 11 July 2007, for the first time, the Prime Minister made a statement [External website] setting out a draft version of the legislative programme, several months ahead of the Queen's speech. The Government wanted to open up the law-making process and increase public involvement across the United Kingdom. The innovation was widely welcomed. People do want to be involved in the decision-making process and would like to see this new approach repeated in future.
In continuing this approach and publishing the second Draft Legislative Programme, the Government's aim is to make active public engagement an established part of the annual legislative cycle – and through that to improve the quality of the legislation which it introduces to Parliament. The programme is being published two months earlier than in 2007 to give more of an opportunity for people to make their views known.
This year the proposed bills and other non-legislative actions are organised into four themes. These are:
- Economic Stability: ensuring that the economy and people of the United Kingdom weather tough times and are well prepared for future opportunities and challenges. To that end, the Government proposes taking important steps which would address the impact of issues in the credit and housing markets, and;
- Making the most of your potential: by increasing investment in education, skills and work support to ensure that the benefits of economic growth are available to all, not just some, and build on support for families as well as ensuring all Britain's workers are fairly treated as they seek to support their families;
- Personalisation and Improvement of Public Services: continue to invest in better services, but also make changes to put the user, in control of the services they receive, and how and when they get them;
- Handing Back Power to the People: the people of the United Kingdom want to work with their Government to enable it to deliver for them. By giving people and local communities more say in how their neighbourhoods, towns and cities are run we can make sure that Government acts for and with the people of this country.
More information on the Draft Legislative Programme can be found at: Draft Legislative Programme [External website]
If you want to make Your Voice heard, you can comment on the programme: Your Voice [External website].
You can also see what is going on in your region at: Regional Activity [External website].
To access last year's Draft Legislative Programme please go to: Archive – Draft Legislative Programme.
