Consultations
WAG: Plans to reduce free single-use plastic carrier bags in Wales were unveiled by Jane Davidson, Minister for the Environment, Sustainability & Housing when she launched a consultation (closes on 21 September 2009)asking for views on proposals to introduce a charge on single use carrier bags at the annual Welsh Litter summit at the Swalec Stadium, Cardiff.
Supermarket members of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) had already agreed to reduce the amount of single-use carrier bags they give out by 50% by spring 2009. The Republic of Ireland introduced a charge in 2002 and they have seen huge over 90% reduction in the amount of single use plastic bags.
Press release ~ Consultation on proposals to introduce a charge on single use carrier bags in Wales ~ WAG - Climate change ~ Campaign to cut single use carrier bags ~ ‘Get Carried Away’ ~ British Retail Consortium – Carrier Bags ~ Keep Wales Tidy ~ The Sustainability Committees report into the Banning of Plastic Bags
HMT: The Government has published a consultation (closes on 25 September 2009) document on a code of practice on tax for banks. The code sets out the behaviours the Government expects from banks in the management of their tax affairs and in their relationship with HMRC (including governance, tax planning and the relationship between banks & HMRC).
Feedback is being sought on a range of issues, including introducing & complying with the code, how uncertainties arising in interpreting the code could be dealt with and what support banks can expect from HMRC in return. The Government & HMRC will be speaking directly with banks operating in the UK to develop a shared understanding of the principles and implications of the Code. The Code of Practice will be introduced in Autumn 2009.
ScotGov: Proposals to widen the use of electric vehicles have been published as part of a consultation (closes on 2 October 2009) on the use of low carbon vehicles. The consultation proposes twin targets:
* 100% use of low carbon vehicles by public sector vehicles by 2020
* 95% of all new vehicles to be low carbon in 2020
Press release ~ Consultation on low carbon vehicles and alternative fuels ~ DfT: Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Programme ~ Allied Vehicles ~ Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicles in the UK ~ New Automotive Innovation and Growth Team (NAIGT) ~ TSB - Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation ~ Cenex ~ Energy Technologies Institute
SSRB: A consultation (closes on 31 July 2009) has been launched on allowances in the House of Lords by the Review Body on Senior Salaries (SSRB). The cross-party House Committee in the House of Lords, which deals with the internal management of the House, agreed in May this year to seek a comprehensive & independent review of the Lords’ allowance system.
The Prime Minister therefore asked the SSRB ‘to review options for the system of financial support for Members of the House of Lords … and to make recommendations’. The Prime Minister has asked SSRB to pay particular attention to the need for transparency, accountability & value for money and the desirability of reducing costs to the taxpayer. The SSRB has been asked to report to the Prime Minister and the Lord Speaker by the end of October.
Press release ~ Review of the financial assistance available to Members of the House of Lords ~ Written statement by Lord Brabazon of Tara, Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords, announcing the review to the House of Lords
WAG: Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones has published proposed measures, for consultation (closes on 22 September 2009), to protect farmers of traditional & conventional crops from the possible economic disadvantages of accidental contamination from GM crops.
Views are being sought on proposals including the imposition of strict liability on GM crop growers, a statutory redress mechanism, GM-free zones and a prohibition on GM crop cultivation in National Parks & Sites of Special Scientific Interest. In addition to the implicit need for consultation with neighbours, in order to ensure compliance with separation distances, it is also proposed that there will be a statutory requirement to inform all neighbours & landowners.
The proposed measures include options for imposing strict liability on GM crop growers and introducing a voluntary industry funded compensation scheme. Consideration is also given to an option for a statutory redress mechanism.
Press release ~ Consultation on proposals for managing the co-existence of genetically modified, conventional and organic crops in Wales ~ WAG - Farming and countryside ~ WAG - Environment and countryside ~ Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) (Wales) Regulations 2009 ~ Greenpeace – GM Crops ~ Defra – GM Crops
DCMS: A consultation has been published (closes on 22 September 2009) on proposals for a contained, contestable element of the television licence fee to fund sustainable, independent & impartial news, in the Nations, locally and in the regions. The Digital Britain White Paper made clear a particular case for the need for top-up funding to prevent a decline in the provision of impartial news in the Nations, locally and in the regions.
The draft legislative programme set out plans for a Digital Economy Bill in the next Parliamentary session.
Press release ~ Consultation on sustainable, independent and impartial news in the Nations, locally and in the regions ~ Digital Britain White Paper: Update 30 June 2009 - Actions and implementations ~ Commentable version of the Digital Britain final report
SGC: The Sentencing Guidelines Council published a draft guideline on the principles which apply when courts sentence young offenders (consultation closes on 28 August 2009). Far more than with adults, the approach to sentencing young offenders will be individualistic, the Council says in the draft guideline. This recognises that young people under 18 can be significantly different in maturity and that the individual circumstances of each offender will need to be considered carefully.
The guideline is set in the context of new laws for sentencing young people that are expected to come into force later in 2009. It deals with the approach to the new youth rehabilitation order, including the order with intense supervision & surveillance which is an alternative to an immediate custodial sentence. The guideline also covers the length of custodial sentences, where it is particularly important to consider maturity as well as age, in addition to the circumstances of the offence.
Press release ~ Consultation guideline: Overarching principles – Sentencing youths ~ Letter to consultees ~ Advice: Sentencing principles - youths ~ Sentencing Guidelines Council ~ Youth rehabilitation order
DECC: A single, easily identifiable, body for regulating the civil nuclear energy sector has been proposed for consultation (closes on 22 September 2009) by the Government. The new body would combine responsibility for overseeing safety, security and transport of civil nuclear sites and material. Legislation is required to create the new body as a legal entity to give it statutory functions & powers, and will take the form of a Legislative Reform Order.
The Government has already transferred the operations of the Office for Civil Nuclear Security and the UK Safeguards Office to the Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Directorate in 2007, and by naming the new body in legislation as responsible for these functions, the proposals would be used to consolidate the earlier reform.
Press release ~ Consultation on the ‘Restructuring of the Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Directorate’ ~ Safety Executive’s Nuclear Directorate
BIS: The Government has begun a consultation (closes on 2 October 2009) on how employment tribunals can pass on details about whistleblowing cases to appropriate regulators. The measure is designed to make it easier for regulators to assess whistleblowing claims and decide whether further action needs to be taken.
This consultation aims to create a clear mechanism for keeping regulators informed, whilst ensuring that unsubstantiated allegations against companies are not made public.
Press release ~ Consultation on employment tribunal claims and the Public Interest Disclosure Act ~ Public Concern at Work (PCaW)
ScotGov: Should information held by public authorities be made available for public viewing earlier than is currently the case? That is the question being asked by Minister for Parliamentary Business Bruce Crawford as the Scottish Government invites views on proposals to reduce the lifespan of certain exemptions in the Freedom of Information Scotland Act (FOISA) from 30 years to 15 years.
The consultation (closes on 30 September 2009) follows the recent decision by Scottish Ministers to open Scottish Government files from the period 1979 to 1994, 15 years earlier than has previously been the case.
Press release ~ FOI consultation ~ Early release of Scottish Government historic files ~ Freedom of Information
LLUK: Lifelong Learning UK is currently reviewing the National Occupational Standards for Learning and Development. The standards were last updated by ENTO in 2001 and the suite will be reviewed to ensure they are 'fit for purpose' and still reflect the functions for which they were written. The standards are applicable to a large workforce and Lifelong Learning UK is offering the opportunity to those people and organisations who are involved in the delivery of learning to input into this review.
They are now inviting all interested parties to contribute to Stage One of the Learning and Development National Occupational Standards review, by submitting your views on the current standards until Monday 20 July 2009.
Cabinet Office: The consultation (closes on 30 September 2009) - Equality Bill: Making it work – ending age discrimination in services and public functions - sets out how the legislation will enable things that are beneficial to continue such as age-based holidays and discounts for pensioners. Banning age discrimination is particularly important as the population ages: by 2050, over half of the UK’s population will be over 50 years old – See also Cabinet Office item in ‘In the News’ section for more details.
