§ In Northern Ireland, my Government continued to work closely with the political parties and the Irish Government to secure the full implementation of the Belfast Agreement.
482§ Acts have been passed to maintain the arrangements on decommissioning and to reform the criminal justice system, both part of the Belfast Agreement. Provision has been made for new measures to combat electoral fraud in Northern Ireland.
§ My Government has continued to co-operate with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the interests of all of the people of the United Kingdom. A White Paper was published outlining proposals for devolution to the English regions.
§ My Government invited Parliament to set up a joint committee of both Houses to enable Parliament to reach a view on the second phase of House of Lords reform. Legislation was passed to allow political parties to make positive moves to increase the representation of women in public life.
§ An Act was passed to reform the system of land registration. Legislation was also passed reforming residential leasehold law and improving leaseholders' rights and to create commonhold.
§ My Government brought forward legislation to make the age of entitlement for concessionary fares the same for men as it is for women.
§ An Act has been passed to reform adoption law to make children's welfare paramount, encourage more adoption and strengthen regulation of overseas adoptions.
§ Other important measures have been enacted.