A Chronology of State Medicine, Public Health, Welfare and Related ...

zones; introduced the category of foundation schools financed by local education authorities
through
1998 Cont 1
1998 cont delegated budgets in place of the grant maintained schools (1988); and other
matters. See 1999.
Teaching and Higher Education Act (c.30) established General Teaching Councils for
England and Wales with respect to the registration, qualifications and training of teachers;
made new provisions regarding grants and loans to students in higher and further education,
and the fees payable by students; the funding councils in Scotland; and provisions to enable
young persons to have time off work for study or training.
Audit Commission Act (c.18) consolidated previous acts relating to the audit
commissions for local authorities and the NHS.
Community Care (Residential Accommodation) Act (c.19) altered the amount of a
person's capital that may be taken into account by a local authority in determining whether
the authority should fund residential accommodation.
Social Security Act (c.14) was concerned with appeals under enactments relating to
social security, child support, vaccine damage and war pensions.
National Minimum Wage Act (c.39) introduced a national minimum wage; to start on
1st April 1999.
Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act (c.8) amended the law relating to
dismissal procedures; and changed the name of Industrial Tribunals to Employment
Tribunals. See 1999.
Data Protection Act (c.29) made new provisions for the regulation of the processing of
information relating to individuals, including the obtaining, holding, use and disclosure of
such information. The act repealed the 1984 and 1987 acts and parts of the 1990 health
records act.
Pesticides Act (c.26) set out powers to make regulations concerning pesticides and in
enforcing provisions relating to the control of the use of pesticides.
The Department of Health proposed a single NHS region for London.
The Government announced its intention to set up a Foods Standards Agency, to be an
independent body with powers to monitor the safety of the production, processing and sale of
food. See 1999.
A White Paper on local government reform, "Modern Local Government. In Touch
with People", Cm.4014, suggested the introduction of elected mayors and annual elections for
one third of the councillors; and placing a new duty on local government to promote
economic, social and environmental well-being of their areas. See 1999.
A White Paper "Local Voices: Modernising Local Government in Wales", Cm.4028,
published.
"Compact. Getting It Right Together", Cm.4100, set out principles of the relations
between government and the voluntary and community sectors in England.
"Standards in Public Life. The Funding of Political Parties in the UK", Cm.4057, the
report of a committee chaired by Lord Neill, published.
The Jenkins Independent Commission on the Voting System, Cm.4090, (chairman,
Lord Jenkins) recommended an "alternative vote plus" system for electoral reform, in order to
achieve broad proportionalety and stable governments, and maintain the link between MPs
and their constituencies.
"Modernising Justice", Cm.4155, set out the government's proposals for reforming
legal services and court procedures. See 1999.