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PART 1 - POWER TO REFORM LEGISLATION The first Part of the Bill, entitled "Power to reform legislation", permits a government minister to make press release, 11 January 2006 . A similar procedure is possible under the existing RRA, which permits a minister to make Regulatory Reform Order s (RROs). A review of the first 4 years of operation of the RRA, published by the Cabinet Office in July 2005, concluded that the RRA "presented a number of hurdles which inhibited the production of RROs", its powers were "too technical and limited", and the procedure should be "extended to deliver non-controversial proposals for simplification".Explanatory notes, paragraph 5.. Under clause 1 of the Bill, a minister can only make an order for two purposes: "reforming legislation" or "implementing recommendations" made by the Law Commission , the Scottish Law Commission or the Northern Ireland Law Commission , with or without changes. Part of the justification for the Bill is that reports of the Law Commissions are often not acted upon for years after they are published. Under clause 2, an order may amend, repeal or replace any Primary or Secondary Legislation . Before making an order, clause 3 of the Bill requires a minister to be satisfied that a legislative change is required to secure the policy objective, and that the proposed order is "proportionate", "strikes a fair balance" between the public interest and the interests of any persons adversely affected, and does not remove any "necessary protection", and does not prevent anyone from exercising rights or freedoms that they "might reasonably expect to continue to exercise". The Bill contains some express limitations. Clause 5 prevents the Bill being used to "impose or increase taxation"; clause 6 prevents orders under the Bill being used to create any new Criminal Offence that is punishable by imprisonment for more than 2 years; and clause 7 prevents the Bill being used to authorise any forcible entry, search or seizure, or compel the giving of evidence (subject to exceptions where merely restating existing legislation, or implementing the recommendations of a Law Commission). Clause 8 prevents orders being made in relation to matters within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament , and Clause 9 prevents orders being made to alter the functions of the Welsh Assembly without its prior consent. Ministers are required to consult widely before making an order under the Bill, lay a draft of a proposed order before Parliament with an explanatory documents. The draft order may pass through Parliament to become a Statutory Instrument under the existing "negative resolution" or "affirmative resolution" procedures, or a new "super-affirmative resolution" procedure. Criticism Controversially, the order-making powers in the Bill are potentially very wide. Although, for example, the Bill (if it is enacted as drafted) cannot be used to introduce new , 6 February 2006 . The Bill has been criticised heavily in articles and correspondence published in the press. In '' press release, 18 March 2006 . In a letter published in ''The Times'', six professors of law at the '', 28 February , 2006 . Barristers Sir '', 20 February 2006 . An article in ''The Guardian'' on '' , 5 March , 2006 . After the Bill completed its committee stage in the House of Commons, an article in ''The Telegraph'' reported a complaint from the House of Commons Procedure Committee, that complained that the Bill "tips the balance between the executive and Parliament too far in the Government's favour". MPs angry at Bill to end all Bills , '' The Telegraph '', 18 March , 2006 . Support The government minister responsible, '', 9 February 2006 . although there is no such restriction in the text of the Bill itself. Respected Barrister Francis Bennion (formerly Parliamentary Counsel , and author of the authoritative ''Bennion on Statutory Interpretation'') wrote in a letter to '' The Times '' on 20 February 2006 that "The Bill opens the door to much-needed reforms in what is called lawyer's law". PART 2 - REGULATORS The second Part of the Bill, entitled "Regulators", implements recommendations of a review led by for regulators. PART 3 - EUROPEAN COMMUNITY LEGISLATION The third Part of the Bill, entitled "Legislation Relating to the European Communities etc", makes provision about legislation relating to the European Communities , to reduce the number of UK Statutory Instruments required to transpose EU legislation into domestic UK law. These provisions were copied from the European Union Bill which is also before Parliament, but which has made little progress. PROCEDURAL HISTORY The Bill was introduced in the House of Commons by '', Col. 305, 11 January 2006 . A Bill of this nature would usually be introduced by a more senior minister, such as the Chancellor Of The Duchy Of Lancaster or the Cabinet Office Minister , but a replacement for John Hutton had not been announced in over two months since he was promoted to replace David Blunkett as Secretary Of State at the Department Of Work And Pensions on 2 November 2005 . The Bill had its '', Col. 1106, 9 February 2006 . The Bill was considered by House of Commons '', 28 February , 3 March , 7 March , 9 March 2006 Standing Committee. A number of government amendments were agreed, but none of the amendments proposed by the opposition parties were passed. As of 1 April 2006 , a date for the Report Stage of the Bill in the House of Commons has not been set. After the Report State, the Bill should complete its passage through the Commons with a Third Reading and then move to the House Of Lords . REFERENCES Notes Other references
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