Three new Bills become law
Three new Bills have become law after Royal assent was granted on Thursday.
The Bills are: the Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2004, Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004, Employment Relations Act 2004.
Perhaps the most influential of these bills is the Employment Relations Act, which contains measures for both businesses and trade unions.
One key feature of the Employment Relations Act is the creation of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs). These, which follow an earlier pilot project, provide for an extra levy on the local business rate to fund improvements to the business area, such as cleanliness or security.
The improvements will be provided by the local authority, if specifically requested, and voted on by the local business community.
Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford said that BIDs will “strengthen the role of local authorities as community leaders- a key aspect of our vision for the future of local government. This will encourage local authorities to improve links with their business communities, whilst businesses themselves will become more involved in decisions affecting their local area.”
The Employment Relations Act also contains changes to trade union and employment law. Specific measures include the implementation of a TUC and CBI agreement on information and consultation in the workforce, new arrangements for statutory recognition of trade unions, and the establishment of a modernisation fund for unions.
Employment Relations Minister Gerry Sutcliffe highlighted what he considers important, saying: “The Act underpins our initiatives to support the modernisation of unions and to develop a no surprises culture at work through regular communication between employers and their workforce.
“It also extends from eight weeks to 12, automatic protection against unfair dismissal for employees taking lawfully-organised, official industrial action.
“In addition, it enables unions to tackle racist activists within their ranks ensuring that their good work should not be undermined by those who seek to use unions as a vehicle for spreading hatred and intolerance.”
The Public Audit (Wales) Act will merge the Audit Commission in Wales and the National Audit Office Wales in order to create a new Wales Audit Office, to be headed by an Auditor General. The new body will be responsible for overseeing public spending in Wales.
The Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act will grant the relevant Secretary of State more powers under the Buildings Act, particularly in stipulating minimum building standards for new buildings, including minimum energy efficiency requirements.
