The Legislation Programme

At the end of each year Ministers are invited, by way of a Cabinet Office circular, to put in proposals (bids) for the inclusion of Bills in the legislation programme for the up-coming year. These bids are compiled by the Legislation Coordinator (in the Cabinet Office) and submitted to LEG for a decision on which Bills are to be included in the programme and what priority they are to be given.

The priorities given to Bills for a calendar year are:

Category 1: must be passed or introduced as a matter of law in the year;

Category 2: must be passed in the year;

Category 3: to be passed if possible in the year;

Category 4: to be referred to a select committee in the year;

Category 5: instructions to the Parliamentary Counsel Office to be provided in the year;

Category 6: on hold; or

Category 7: not to proceed.

If Ministers wish during the year to have a Bill drafted that is not on the legislation programme, they must make a bid for a priority at the earliest possible time by way of a submission to LEG.

Further information on the Legislation Programme is also available in paragraphs 7.6 - 7.15 of the Cabinet Manual.

The structure for papers seeking priority for a bill on the Legislation Programme