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{{Main|June 2010 United Kingdom Budget}} | {{Main|June 2010 United Kingdom Budget}} | ||
{{Expand section|date = August 2010}} | {{Expand section|date = August 2010}} | ||
===Public spending cuts=== | |||
{{main|United Kingdom Conservative-Liberal coalition government austerity programme}} | |||
] closed due to spending cuts]] | |||
The coalition has instituted public spending cuts, in an attempt to reduce the ongoing deficit of the UK government. The closure programme was initially focused upon public bodies funded by government, often known as ], which were abolished or merged. By July 2010, a total of 54 such bodies had either been abolished or had their funding withdrawn.<ref name=ind20100727>Nigel Morris The Independent, 27 July 2010</ref> In October 2010 a list of 192 quangos to be abolished was officially released, with 118 to be merged.<ref>{{cite news |title=Quango list shows 192 to be axed |author=Staff writer |newspaper=] |date=14 October 2010 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11538534 |accessdate=23 October 2010}}</ref> These include: | |||
{{div col|3}} | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] (HPA) | |||
*] (NPSA) | |||
*] | |||
*] (by end of this Parliament) | |||
*] | |||
*] (to be made a self-funding body by charging a levy on regulators) | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] (BECTA) | |||
*] | |||
*Eight out of nine ] (excluding London) | |||
*] | |||
*UfI/] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] (withdrawn funding) | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] - functions will transfer to ] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] - will become a charity similar to the National Trust | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
In addition, several agencies will merge:<ref name=ind20100727/> | |||
*] will merge with the ] | |||
*] will merge with ] after the ] | |||
*] will merge with the ] | |||
*] has merged with the ] | |||
*] will merge into the newly created ] | |||
*] will merge with the ] ] | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
A number of agencies including the ] and the ] were marked 'Under consideration' in the official Government release, subject to future reviews by the end of 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_191543.pdf |title=PUBLIC BODIES REFORM – PROPOSALS FOR CHANGE |author=] |date=14 October 2010 |work= |publisher=] |accessdate=23 October 2010}}</ref> | |||
{{Expand section|date = August 2010}} | |||
The coalition has also closed a number of programmes or services provided directly by Government Departments, such as the public health ]. | |||
===Legislation enacted=== | ===Legislation enacted=== |
Revision as of 03:06, 5 October 2012
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "United Kingdom coalition government" 2010–2015 – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition is the present Government of the United Kingdom, formed after the 2010 general election, which had ended in a hung parliament with the Conservatives having the most seats but no party having an overall majority.
The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats entered into discussions which culminated in the 2010 coalition agreement, setting out a programme for government until the next general election, scheduled for 2015. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats both wanted to be 'green governments' with Nick Clegg spearheading electoral reform. Michael Gove led efforts to reform education to 'drive up education standards'. The Coalition Government also led efforts to help the Arab Spring, most notably pushing for NATO action on the Libyan civil war. In 2012, a consultation to legalize same-sex marriage was opened. In 2012, the coalition government also introduced plans to monitor the emails of all UK citizens.
Following two consecutive quarters of negative growth, the UK entered a double-dip recession in the first quarter of 2012.
Coalition agreement
Main article: Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition AgreementThe initial agreement between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats spelled out eleven key areas on which the coalition would focus.
- Deficit reduction
- A spending review - concerning the National Health Service, schools and a "fairer society"
- Tax measures
- Banking reform
- Immigration
- Political reform (including changes to the electoral system)
- Pensions and welfare
- Education
- The UK's relationship with the European Union
- Civil liberties
- The environment
A final agreement followed.
Coalition members
Main articles: Cameron ministry and Premiership of David CameronFollowing the general election on 6 May 2010 ending in a hung parliament, negotiations took place between the Liberal Democrats and the governing Labour Party (led by Gordon Brown), and between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. It became clear that Labour and the Liberal Democrats could not form a coalition government, while David Cameron made a "big, open, comprehensive offer" to the Liberal Democrats to form a coalition with them. Having agreed on a coalition, David Cameron (Con) accepted the Queen's invitation on 11 May 2010 to form the government as Prime Minister, with George Osborne (Con) as the Chancellor of the Exchequer, William Hague (Con) as the Foreign Secretary, Theresa May (Con) as Home Secretary, while other key positions went to Nick Clegg (LibDem) as the Deputy Prime Minister, Liam Fox (Con) as Defence Secretary, Michael Gove (Con) as Education Secretary, Andrew Lansley (Con) as Health Secretary, Vince Cable (LibDem) as Business Secretary and Kenneth Clarke (Con) as Justice Secretary. The Constitution Unit conducted a year-long research project into the coalition, interviewing 120 Parliamentarians, civil servants and ministers, and concluded that the coalition hasn’t been beset by partisan rancour but has been remarkably stable and decisive.
Policy changes introduced
2010 budget
Main article: June 2010 United Kingdom BudgetThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2010) |
Legislation enacted
The following acts have been passed:
- Academies Act 2010
- Appropriation (No. 3) Act 2010
- Appropriation Act 2011
- Armed Forces Act 2011
- Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011
- Charities Act 2011
- Consolidated Fund Act 2010
- Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012
- Education Act 2011
- Energy Act 2011
- Equitable Life (Payments) Act 2010
- European Union Act 2011
- Finance (No. 2) Act 2010
- Finance (No. 3) Act 2010
- Finance Act 2011
- Finance Act 2012
- Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011
- Health and Social Care Act 2012
- Identity Documents Act 2010
- Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
- Loans to Ireland Act 2010
- Local Government Act 2010
- Localism Act 2011
- London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (Amendment) Act 2011
- National Insurance Contributions Act 2011
- Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011
- Pensions Act 2011
- Police (Detention and Bail) Act 2011
- Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011
- Postal Services Act 2011
- Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
- Public Bodies Act 2011
- Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Act 2010
- Scotland Act 2012
- Sovereign Grant Act 2011
- Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Act 2012
- Superannuation Act 2010
- Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2012
- Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2011
- Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2012
- Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011
- Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc. Act 2010
- Water Industry (Financial Assistance) Act 2012
- Welfare Reform Act 2012
Legislation proposed
The following bills have been introduced:
- Civil Aviation Bill
- Crime and Courts Bill
- Defamation Bill
- Electoral Registration and Administration Bill
- Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill
- European Union (Approval of Treaty Amendment Decision) Bill
- Financial Services Bill
- Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill
- House of Lords Reform Bill
- Justice and Security Bill
- Local Government Finance Bill
- Small Charitable Donations Bill
- Trusts (Capital and Income) Bill
See also
- Cameron Ministry
- Premiership of David Cameron
- List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 2010
References
- "UK economy in double-dip recession". BBC News. 25 April 2012.
- Interim agreement (pdf).
- Final agreement (pdf)
- http://www.ethosjournal.com/home/item/269-ruling-by-consensus
- "Government Bills before Parliament 2010-12". UK Parliament Website.
- "Government Bills before Parliament 2010-11". UK Parliament Website.
External links
- Full Text: Conservative-Lib Dem deal BBC News, 12 May 2010
- Interim agreement (pdf)
- Final agreement (pdf)
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