Too many laws planned - Lib Dems

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/6292714.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Gordon Brown wants to bring in too many laws in the next year and should focus on "quality not quantity", Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell has said.

The prime minister outlined 23 bills, with raising the school-leaving age and building more homes among his plans.

But Sir Menzies said Labour's mantra had gone from being "education, education, education" to "legislation, legislation, legislation".

He called for "more pre-legislative scrutiny than there has been".

Mr Brown outlined his proposed bills to MPs, breaking the tradition of announcing the government's programme in the Queen's Speech in November.

'Concerned'

He told the Commons he wanted more "affordable" homes to be built, 25-year fixed-rate mortgages and more government-owned land to be used for building.

Mr Brown also proposed raising the minimum education leaving age in England and Wales to 18, with more young people doing apprenticeships.

Sir Menzies told MPs: "If these proposals represent a genuine attempt on the part of the government to consult in advance of the Queen's Speech, then they most certainly should be welcomed.

"But I hope I may say to the prime minister that we should be concerned about the quality of legislation as much as about the quantity.

"And I hope he will feel it appropriate to ensure that there's much more pre-legislative scrutiny during his time in Number 10 Downing Street than there has been up till now."

Sir Menzies said that, since 1997, there had been 382 Acts of Parliament - including 10 on health, 12 on education, and 29 on criminal justice - and that more than 3,000 criminal offences had been created.

He added: "Now the mantra may have been education, education, education, but the reality has been legislation, legislation, legislation."