The Department for Constitutional Affairs is planning a new online database of UK primary and secondary legislation

Tony Hopkins, head of the Statutory Publications Office at the DCA, announced the provision of a new editorial system that would be used to maintain an electronic database of the UK Statute Book.

"Giving the public access to consolidated legislation is also a prime business objective, and it is planned to make an internet based service available during spring of next year."

He said there are proposals for the development of two enquiry databases: one for government employees operating through the Government Secure Intranet; the other for the public through the website.

The former will include prospective legislation that has been passed by Parliament but not yet come into force. It will not include draft bills still going through the legislative process.

HM Stationery Office website contains legislation as passed going back to 1988, but the new site also contains details of how legislation has changed.

There are plans to include some value added features such as historical data. Search facilities – responding to subjects, short titles and text strings - will make it possible to trace versions of primary legislation going back to 1991.

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