Legislative Programme 2012-13

The following bills will be introduced over the next twelve months:

• The Local Democracy Bill will bring greater transparency around local elections and the activities of local representatives.  It will also make reforms to the structure and functions of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales. 
• The Control of Dogs Bill will seek to introduce key changes to current Dangerous Dogs legislation to protect the public by promoting responsible dog ownership.
• The Human Transplantation Bill will provide for an opt-out system of organ donation that would improve the rates of donation in Wales. 
• The Social Services (Wales) Bill will provide a coherent legal framework to transform social services in Wales.  Changes will be made in order to meet the changing social expectations and changing demography which will enable people of all ages to maximise their wellbeing.
• The Active Travel Bill will introduce a duty to provide walking and cycling paths in areas to help the people of Wales become healthier, more active and more environmentally aware.    
• The Further and Higher Education Bill will take forward proposals for further education by seeking to reform the functions of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and the introduction of a more co-ordinated approach between all providers of post-16 education.
• The Education (Wales) Bill will set out a number of proposals.  These will include: requirements for the registration of the education workforce; reform of the statutory framework for children and young people with special educational needs, and the registration of children of compulsory school age who are home educated. 

The First Minister said that his Government wanted to create a public service working environment which values and supports public service workers.  It would be looking to introduce measures to ensure public service workers in Wales are treated fairly and consistently.  It would also provide Welsh Ministers with specific powers to issue statutory guidance on workforce matters and to strengthen partnership working arrangements. The Government is currently consulting on a Public service Workforce Green Paper and, subject to the consultation responses, will bring forward a Bill in the spring.  

In addition to these eight bills the First Minister said that White Paper consultations would also be conducted on:  an Ending Violence Against Women and Domestic Abuse Bill; a Sustainable Development Bill; an Environment Bill and a consultation on a Tenancy Reform Bill.