Taxi Driver Online

Sunday Telegraph, 19th. March 2006.

Increased ministers' power a mistake, PM told

Melissa Kite, Deputy Political Editior.

Tony Blair has been warned by one of his most senior cabinet colleagues that he must abandon a highly controversial attempt to extend ministerial power.
Lord Grocott, the Government cheif whip in the Lords, has expressed serious doubts about the safety of a Bill allowing ministers to change the law without a vote.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, a copy of which has been seen by this (Telegraph) newspaper, Lord Grocott, warns that it will be "exceptionally dificult" to get the Legitslative and Regulatory Reform Bill through.
It contains sweeping powers for ministers to amend, repeal or replace primary or secondary legislation without asking Parliament and has earned the nickname at Westminster of the "Parliamentary Scrutiny (Abolition Bill)".
It was intended to cot regulations for business, but has been transformed into a wider set of measures. In a letter dated 14th March, sent to John Prescott, who is in charge of the legislation, and copied to Tony Blair, Lord Grocott says: " I have been worried about the handling of this bill in the Lords. I am concerned that by failing to consider further changes we are missing our last opportunity to avoid likely defeats" Ministers say the Bill has safeguards to ensure that no major law can be altered by a minister.
Oliver Heald, the shadow secretary for constitutional affairs who is leading resistance to the bill in the Commons, said:"This was sold as a deregulation measure that would help businesses but has ended up with ministers seeking unprecedented powers of the sort that could only be justified in times of war. Now one of the most senior figures in government agrees with the Conservatives that the powers in this Bill need to be reigned in. The time has come for the Prime Minister to listen to this advice and change the Bill. We will vote against it unless changes are made."



There are some contributors to this site who are hoping that the Bill passes into Law, I believe. Shocking, isn't it?

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Former taxi driver

I'm surprised the Tories aren't good buddies of a bill that will get rid of waste and red tape.

That said, say the bill go through and the Tories win the next election, do you really think the Tories will repeal the act?

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IDFIMH

The Tories, unlike Blair are "good buddies" of Democracy.

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Former taxi driver

I can't ever recall anyone saying so Jimbo - could you be more specific, or is this just a figment of your imagination?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

whatever happened to the four things in our regulatory act.
ignore the quotas one. oft have that.
but didnt they want to do something about zones.
cross border hiring and dual licenses?

I think zones might be sorted in the 'best practise' guidance.

As for cross-border hirings, no chance whatsoever.

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IDFIMH

The Secretary of State has said no more zones will be sanctioned and those authorities with zones should remove them. The first authority to remove zones was South Somerset.

Each authority must apply for zones to be removed and in most cases it suits them to retain Zones becuase they practice a policy of quantity control in one normally just zone. Examples, Bath, Aylesbury, Calderdale, etc etc.

Regards

JD