A blueprint for coherent reform of the way law is done was unveiled today by the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer.

Update on Scottish Executive action on recommendations within the Strategic Group on Women's Report: "Improving the position of women in Scotland: an agenda for action"

An evaluation of the Glasgow and Fife Drug Courts and their aim to reduce drug use and drug related reoffending.

To seek views of consultees on proposed approach to the regulation and any additions they would like to see made to it.

This consultaton document sets out a strategic framework for the promotion and support of breastfeeding and other aspects of infant nutritution through integrated multi-agency action, and invites all those who are...

Scotland Climate Change Programme

Scotland's Climate Change programme

Edward Cousins, the Adjudicator to HM Land Registry, is pleased to announce the appointment of the following persons as full-time Deputy Adjudicators to the Office of the Adjudicator, namely, Ann McAllister and ...

Today (March 30th) Lord Bach and the Rural Payments Agency met the British Bankers' Association and other representatives of the major lending banks to discuss the situation of farmers awaiting payment under the...

Patients will benefit from new reforms giving power back to local NHS

A group of former Chago islanders and their descendants today set off to visit their previous homes and family graves on the islands. The trip has been organised jointly by the Governments of Britain and Mauritius...

Asked if there was a decision not to go to Washington to make the third speech next week and if that was a result of something at our end, or was it at the American end, the PMOS replied that...

Asked what was happening next week on Northern Ireland, the PMOS said that we would announce it whenever we are ready to announce it. However, we had been in the process of putting together a package of proposals...

Put that throughout the debate about security issues in recent years, the Government had made repeatedly the point that the key thing was to listen to what the security professionals had said, and to take their ...

Asked for further information regarding a mosque in Blackburn who had withdrawn its invitation to Condaleeza Rice to visit it this weekend, apparently because of the prospect of protests locally, and what was the...

Put that the Spectator had reported that before the Prime Minister went on his trip, he and the Chancellor had met to discuss the succession, and it claimed they had agreed dates, that they had discussed the process...

Put that the Prime Minister had said in his speech last week that there were some people who just couldn't get past Iraq, and was he concerned that that seemed to include an awful lot of Muslims in Indonesia, the...

Put that the BBC had been extensively reporting about the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) Investigation Board's report into the July 7th bombing, and did this represent a security breach, the PMOS replied...

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) told journalists that before this trip had started, he had said that in many ways, this trip was an illustrated guide to speeches and the themes that the Prime Minister...

The OFT today referred the anticipated acquisition by Safenet Inc of nCipher plc to the Competition Commission (CC).

Residents of the Thames Gateway are set to benefit from a funding boost of around £15 million for transport to support new homes, announced today by Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman and Minister for ...

The Army is to get a new air-portable battlefield communications network called FALCON under a contract worth in excess of £200m, Minister for Defence Procurement, Lord Drayson, announced today.

Please note that the Highways Agency Business Plan is available from

The London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Bill has today received Royal Assent and become an Act of Parliament.

The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, which creates two new organisations charged with conserving and enhancing England's valuable natural environment and giving a stronger voice to rural communities...

As the UK works toward reaching its own goals for halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010, it is also making considerable effort to help other countries meet their own targets.

Millions of consumers will enjoy greater protection from unscrupulous lenders as a result of the Consumer Credit Bill, which gets Royal Assent today.

DTI today announced that six organisations have been awarded contracts under the Sector Sustainability Challenge following a successful tender process. The Challenge is funded jointly by DTI and DFERA.

Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Sainsbury, today announced a £52million investment in the next generation High End Computing service, HECToR.

Tony Blair has concluded his week-long trip to the Asia-Pacific region by holding talks with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta.

Press briefing from the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman on: Visit to Indonesia, Intelligence and Security Committee Report, Prime Minister's speeches/Iraq, Succession/Spectator, Dr. Condoleezza Rice visit, Wilson...

An evaluation of the Glasgow and Fife Drug Courts and their aim to reduce drug use and drug related reoffending.

Chris Martin, currently a senior civil servant in HM Treasury's Finance and Industry Directorate, has been appointed Head of Communications at HM Treasury.

An academy which has demonstrated the benefits of businesses and public organisations working together to improve deprived areas was today boosted by a further two-year grant from the Government.

Housing and Planning Minister, Yvette Cooper, today announced final allocations for a £135 million cash injection in to the planning system, with the latest allocation of the Planning Delivery Grant (PDG...

Important new measures to boost Government powers to tackle illegal working and strengthen UK borders became law today.

The Identity Cards Bill received Royal Assent today, placing on the statute book important measures which will help Britain meet the challenges of the 21st century. The National Identity Scheme will provide all ...

Powerful new laws to help the police and law enforcement agencies tackle the threat of terrorism were given the go-ahead today as the Terrorism Bill received Royal Assent.

The Government has today published a summary of responses to the recent consultation on the restructuring of the Probation Service.

Highways Agency Business Plan 2006/07 published

The Criminal Defence Service Bill, which includes provisions to ensure that defendants who can afford to pay for their defence costs are made to do so, today received Royal Assent. The new Act paves the way for ...

Quote from Care Services Minister Liam Byrne

Fire Minister Jim Fitzpatrick today announced that ODPM had let a contract for a new multi-million pound digital radio communications system that will help provide a modern more resilient Fire and Rescue Service...

A £160 million National Traffic Control Centre giving the fullest real time picture ever of what is happening across the motorway network will help drivers to plan their journeys better, by enabling them...

The National School of Government is to have more autonomy to develop its role as a centre of excellence for learning and development across the public sector. Cabinet Office Minister Jim Murphy announced to Parliament...

The fees local authorities charge for regulating air pollution and other emissions from industrial processes will increase, Defra announced today.

Defra, on behalf of the United Kingdom Agricultural Departments, today published Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2005.

Figures produced by the Government show today that emissions of the basket of six greenhouse gases fell by about 14 1/2 per cent between the base year and 2005. The UK has agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions ...

A new strategy outlining the changes needed to improve the conditions in which ships are recycled has been published today for consultation.

Secretary of State for Health Patricia Hewitt today announced 'fair and affordable' pay awards for NHS staff.

Protecting vulnerable workers, cracking down on rogue employers and lightening the load for legitimate business will be the focus of the Government's employment relations policy for this Parliament.

The drive to increase Britain's offshore wind energy was given a significant boost today as details were announced of how their connection to the electricity network onshore would be funded and operated.

A report out today shows the UK has made progress in raising productivity. High productivity is harder to achieve when employment is high, yet this has been achieved as the economy creates record numbers of jobs...

People on low incomes will be able to access affordable loans more easily after changes to the Social Fund were announced today.

Asked for a reaction to the report on Deepcut, the PMOS said that we had had the review, which the MOD had made clear was a detailed and painstaking report. It did contain serious recommendations, which would be...

Asked when the Prime Minister planned to meet newly elected Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the PMOS said that the phone call between the Prime Minister and Mr Olmert had taken place literally just before Mr...

Asked what the objectives were for the visit to Indonesia, the PMOS said that in terms of police co-operation, that would be one of the issues discussed tomorrow. There had already been close co-operation as could...

Asked if the Government had a strategy to rescue the ID cards Bill from pinging back and forth between the Commons and the Lords, the PMOS said that the consistent majority of votes in the Commons for ID cards reflected...

Asked if the Prime Minister had told John Prescott his timetable, the PMOS referred journalists to the John Prescott's words at PMQs. Asked what those words meant, the PMOS said that was for them to work out. Asked...

Asked if Ashok Kumar still had his job, the PMOS said that this was a matter for the chief whip. Asked if the Prime Minister had a view on Mr Kumar appearing to say that the Prime Minister should leave...

Asked if the Prime Minister might be required to give evidence to the police as part of their investigation into political funding, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that he didn't give a running...

Press briefing from the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman on: Police Investigation, Ashok Kumar, John Prescott, ID Cards Bill, Indonesia, Israel and Deepcut

Local authorities in England and Wales are continuing to take action against anti-social behaviour, according to the latest set of quarterly ASBO statistics published today.

The fees local authorities charge for regulating air pollution and other emissions from industrial processes will increase, Defra announced today.

Environment Secretary, Margaret Beckett, today launched a nationwide clampdown on litter as part of a package of new powers for local authorities.

Defra today published provisional 2005 estimates for its climate change sustainable development indicator, as well as final figures for 2004 air pollutant emissions for the UK.

STATISTICAL PRESS RELEASE

Productivity growth increases

Experimental: 0.9% 3 monthly rise into Jan

Nations across the world have to be "very bold" if they are to tackle the environmental problems facing us all, Tony Blair stressed during a speech in New Zealand.

The Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally cleared the anticipated acquisition of Ottakar's plc by HMV Group plc through Waterstone's Booksellers Ltd, after concluding that the merger would not lead to a ...

It is expected that the Finance Bill will be published on Friday 7 April. Explanatory Notes on the Bill's clauses will be available in the Vote Office and the Printed Paper Office and in the Libraries of both Houses...

Following the publication in November 2005 of "Transformational Government—enabled by technology" (Cm 6683) I am today giving notice of the publication of an implementation plan for that strategy.Transformational...

Charges to cover the costs of local enforcing authorities in regulating processes which are subject to Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Local Air Pollution Control (LAPC)) were introduced in April...

On 4 April 2005, the then Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with responsibility for human rights, my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Bill Rammell), announced to the House the beginning...

The approval of the Department's Spring Supplementary Estimate via the Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) (No 2) Bill will not occur until the end of the month. Parliamentary approval for additional resources of &...

Today I am publishing a report on the review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act public consultation. The consultation ran from 16 August to 25 November 2005. A total of 535 responses were received from...

In my written ministerial statements dated 1 December 2005 and 14 December 2005, I explained that I had agreed that proposals for the reconfiguration of strategic health authorities (SHAs), the reconfiguration of...

During the debate on the Forensic Science Service Trading Fund (Revocation) Order 2005, which took place on Wednesday 14 December, I undertook to clarify the criteria we intend to apply when considering whether ...

The Department for International Development (DFID) will launch its Disaster Risk Reduction Policy on 30 March 2006. This policy provides a framework for DFID to integrate disaster risk reduction measures more effectively...

The Chairman of the Robert Hamill Inquiry, Sir Edwin Jowitt wrote to the Permanent Secretary of the Northern Ireland Office on the 9 December to request formally that I convert the statutory basis of the Robert ...

Today the Government are issuing a consultation paper—"Convicting Rapists and Protecting Victims—Justice for Victims of Rape", following a review of the law concerning rape.This paper sets out a range of proposals...

My Department is announcing today that it is approving a proposal for ports development in the south-east—following a public inquiry in 2004—for the new Bathside Bay Container Terminal at Harwich. The Office of ...

I have today published a consultation paper which seeks views on proposed changes to the regulations governing on-road and off-road motor events, the Motor Vehicles (Competitions and Trials) Regulations 1969 (as...

Council tax, pensioners and education were on the agenda at this week's PMQs, taken by John Prescott in the absence of Tony Blair, who is overseas. You can watch the session again here, or read the transcript.