CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM BILL

The purpose of the bill is to:

• take forward the initial legislative elements of the Constitutional Renewal package to be set out in the Government's green Paper 'The Governance of Britain' published on 3 July. Following the Green Paper, the shape of  future legislation will be determined by a process which will include consultation and discussions.

The main benefits of the bill are to contribute to the Government's commitments:

• to rebalance power between Parliament and Government, and give Parliament more ability to hold Government to account.
• to strengthen our democracy, with people proud to participate in decision-making at every level;
• to clarify the role of Government, both central and local;

The main elements of the bill are in many cases dependent on subsequent consultation exercises. They could include:

• placing on a statutory footing the role of parliament in the process for ratifying treaties;
• implementation of  any changes arising from the consultation on the role of the Attorney General; 
• placing the Civil Service on a statutory footing

The Bill would apply to:

• The United Kingdom. The constitution is a reserved matter; however the Government will work closely with the Devolved Administrations on matters which may have an impact on their responsibilities.

Related Documents:

• Green Paper 'Renewing the Governance of Britain' published on 3 July.

Existing Legislation in this area is:

• Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
• Various statutes relating to the role of the Attorney General, in particular, the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.

Comments:

If you have any comments on the draft programme or individual bill being proposed, you can email them to:

legislation@commonsleader.x.gsi.gov.uk