Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill

The Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill was announced in the May 2005 Queen's speech. One clause of the Bill drastically expands the power of ministers to modify laws passed by Parliament. According to a briefing document published by UK law firm Clifford Chance,


 * The Bill will permit the Government to amend primary legislation (or any other statutory legislation) by secondary legislation which either reforms legislation, or which implements proposals by one or more of the Law Commissions ("with or without changes"). The Government can therefore change any Act of Parliament or any piece of secondary legislation using the new procedure. Secondary legislation implementing Law Commission proposals may, additionally, amend the common law. The Bill would also permit such secondary legislation to give Ministers, and others, powers to make further legislation, not subject to the new procedure.

The Bill is being steered through Parliament by Cabinet Office Minister Jim Murphy.

SourceWatch resources

 * Jim Murphy
 * Labour Party
 * Tony Blair

Articles

 * "Henry VIII Redux - The government's new law-making powers", Clifford Chance LLP, January 2006.
 * "New Bill to enable delivery of swift and efficient regulatory reform to cut red tape - Jim Murphy", press release, Cabinet Office, January 11, 2006.