Government bills are managed through the Legislation Programme.
Towards the end of each year, Ministers are invited, through a Cabinet Office circular, to put in proposals (bids) to include bills in the Legislation Programme for the upcoming year. The Legislation Programme comprises groups of existing or proposed government bills in descending priority order.
The priorities given to bills for the 2024 Legislation Programme will be as follows:
- Category 1 - must be passed in 2024 as a matter of law. This category is reserved for legally mandated legislation, such as appropriation bills, or secondary legislation confirmation bills.
- Category 2 - must be passed by the end of 2024. This category is for legislation that must be passed in 2024, due to either a Government commitment or other deadline.
- Category 3 - a priority to be passed by the end of 2024. This category is for legislation for which passage in 2024 is a Government priority, but there is no mandatory deadline.
- Category 4 – to be passed by the end of 2024 if possible. This category is for legislation which is able to be passed within 2024, but which does not fit into either of the above categories.
- Category 5 – to proceed to select committee by the end of 2024. This category is for legislation which, for reasons of size, complexity, timing, or priority, is intended to be referred to a select committee in 2024, but not be enacted within the year.
- Category 6 – drafting instructions to be issued by the end of 2024. This category is for legislation for which drafting instructions will be issued to PCO within the year, but the legislation is not expected to be ready for introduction.
- Category 7 – policy development to continue in or beyond 2024. This category is for legislation for which policy development is either ongoing, or expected to commence, in or beyond 2024, but no drafting instructions are expected to be issued by the end of 2024.
- Category 8 - on hold. This category is for legislation which is at any stage in the legislative or policy development process, but is currently paused and not expected to advance within 2024.
- Category 9 - to be withdrawn. This category is for legislation which has not yet been fully drafted or introduced, and is no longer going to proceed.
These bids are compiled by the Legislation Co-ordinator in the Cabinet Office (see the Cabinet Office circular 2024 Legislation Programme: Requirements for Submitting Bids [CO (23) 13] for contact information), and submitted to the Cabinet Legislation Committee (LEG) for a decision on which bills are to be included in the Legislation Programme, and the priority that they will be given. There is a form that should be used when seeking priority for bills on the Legislation Programme.
If, during the year, Ministers would like to have bills drafted that are not on the Legislation Programme, they must make a bid for a priority at the earliest possible time. This bid should include the information contained in the form.
The Legislation Programme is amended as demands on the government change, new issues arise requiring legislation, and priorities change over time. Further information on the Legislation Programme is in paragraphs 7.6 to 7.15 of the Cabinet Manual.