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Last updated: 08 July 2009
2.1 The Government will introduce a programme of legislation in each session of Parliament. This normally consists of up to 30 Bills although the exact number will depend on the length of the session and the time individual bills are expected to take during their passage. Each of those Bills is part of the wider legislative programme and cannot be considered in isolation. Legislation Committee manages the Government's current legislative programme on behalf of Cabinet, and advises Cabinet on strategic management of the forthcoming programme. It aims to ensure that the Government's legislative programme reflects the Government's overall priorities, and that the passage of each of those Bills through Parliament is as smooth as possible. The membership of Legislation Committee is available.
2.2 Legislation Committee usually receives twice as many bids for legislative slots as there are slots available. Many potential Bills are not awarded a place in the programme. Bills that are awarded a slot but are not ready on time waste slots that could otherwise have been awarded to other Bills. It is crucial therefore that Bills are ready for introduction at the start of the session.
2.3 Bills that require a lot of amendments after introduction place additional pressure on Parliamentary time and drafting resources. No more than one third of time in the Commons tends to be available for scrutiny of Government legislation; often less is available. Legislation Committee and Legislation Secretariat manage the programme to ensure that this limited time is used as effectively as possible. Departments must be well prepared for each stage of their Bill's passage through Parliament, and manage it effectively, keeping the number of amendments to a minimum.
2.4 Timetabling of Bill stages across the two Houses is a complex exercise, so time lost on one Bill can have a knock-on impact on the programme as a whole. Poor management will reflect badly on the Government, and on the departments and Ministers concerned.
2.5 Legislation Committee's systems for scrutinising bids for legislation and managing the legislative programme are therefore intended to balance the interests of departments and the interests of the Government as a whole. They involve setting the Government's priorities for what the programme should deliver; rigorous scrutiny of preparedness and progress throughout the drafting process, and sanctions for failure to translate policy into drafted legislation to a satisfactory timetable – including dropping Bills, or postponing them to a future session.
2.6 Producing papers for collective agreement, briefing material and speaking notes to sometimes very tight timescales, adhering to procedure and above all sharing information with Business Managers, are the keys to a successful Bill. Frequent and frank communication between Bill teams and their Ministers, and between Bill teams and Legislation Secretariat, is critical. During the drafting phase, Legislation Secretariat will want to meet regularly with Bill teams to monitor progress in preparing the Bill. Bill teams should always alert the Secretariat to any significant changes to the Bill delivery plan, such as delays in delivering instructions to Parliamentary Counsel, any political changes that may impact on the Bill, and any other emerging risks. This information will assist the Secretariat in planning for the session ahead.
2.7 The Secretariat will seek contributions from Bill teams for the Government's Draft Legislative Programme and the Queen's Speech, which it prepares on behalf of Legislation Committee. After introduction, Legislation Secretariat will seek weekly updates from Bill teams and should be kept informed of any emerging issues.
2.8 Bill teams should not hesitate to contact the Secretariat about any issues that may arise relating to their Bill. The earlier the Secretariat is alerted to a potential issue, the more likely it is to be able to help, or to recommend handling strategies if the issue cannot be resolved. Parliamentary Counsel can also help with queries about Parliamentary procedure. In section navigation