House of Lords - Annual Report and Accounts 2000-01

Annual Report and Accounts 2000-01

OFFICE REPORTS

Legislation Office
(Clerk Assistant and Clerk of Legislation: Paul Hayter)

The Legislation Office comprises offices responsible for Public Bills, Private Bills and support for the Chairman of Committees.

Financial Performance

Budget provision for 2000-01 was £848,900 and net expenditure was £868,383. The out-turn for public bills was £525,456 (£487,318 in 1999-2000) and for private bills and the Chairman of Committees, net of fee income, £342,927 (£259,641 in 1999-2000). Fee income from private bills was £19,000, (£37,948 in 1999-2000). The major increase in expenditure was largely attributable to the weight of the legislative programme in 2000.

Public Bills
(Clerk of Public Bills: Rhodri Walters, who succeeded Edward Ollard in September 2000)

1 Purpose

The Office supervises the passage of public legislation in accordance with the requirements of the House and authorises, on behalf of the Clerk of the Parliaments, the publication of Acts of Parliament and Measures.

2 Organisation

The complement consists of the Clerk Assistant, 2 Clerks, a Higher Executive Officer and an Executive Officer.

3 Activities and Financial Performanc

45 public bills received Royal Assent. The Office drafted, or assisted in the drafting of, 17 bills for private members, and supervised the tabling of 11,020 amendments, of which 4,761 were agreed to by the House.

A new format for bills and Acts was adopted (see the Review of the Year, paragraph 14).

Consolidation Bills: The Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills met twice, reporting two bills, one of which was not proceeded with.

Measures: The Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure was laid before Parliament, following consideration by the Ecclesiastical Committee, and approved. The Churchwardens Measure was further considered by the Committee, and again withdrawn and re-presented whereupon it was found expedient, laid and approved.

Tax Law Rewrite Bills: A Joint Committee met three times to consider the Capital Allowances Bill, the first bill to be presented under the rewrite project (see paragraph 12).

4 Future Activities

Developing and refining the new software for electronic processing of legislation in the new format.

Office accommodation in the Palace will be re-arranged and improved.

Private Bills and Chairman of Committees
(Clerk of Private Bills and Examiner: Philippa Tudor)

1 Purpose

The Office supervises the passage of private legislation in accordance with the requirements of the House and supports the Chairman of Committees.

2 Organisation

The complement comprises 6 posts (including 2 part-time Counsel who share a post). The Clerk of Private Bills also acts as Clerk to the Delegated Powers and Deregulation Committee; a second Clerk acts as Private Secretary to the Chairman of Committees.

3 Activities and Financial Performance

5 private Acts (compared with 7 in 1999-200) received Royal Assent, including a Scottish Order Confirmation Act. Two (4) private bills were deposited in November 2000. Five (9) private bills were carried over to the new session, and 2 were subsequently revived. No (2) petitions were deposited against private bills.

2 (9) unopposed bill committees sat. Two Special Procedure Orders were laid, neither of which was opposed.

Since the start of the 2000-01 session, private bills, and information about them, have been published on the Parliamentary website. Private bills and Acts are now published in the new format.

In July 2000 the House agreed to uprate the Private Business fees in line with inflation.

In March 2001 the House agreed to a large number of amendments to the Private Business Standing Orders.

Delegated Powers and Deregulation Committee

The work of the Committee is described in the Review of the Year (paragraph 15). The Committee made a special report outlining its work during the 1999-2000 session and making recommendations for the future. It also reported twice on the Regulatory Reform Bill, which is expected to lead to an expansion in the Committee's workload.

4 Future Activities

A new edition of Private Business Standing Orders was published in May 2001.