"Legislation will be brought forward on policing in Northern Ireland."

The Police (Northern Ireland) Act is "an integral part of the government's commitment to the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the subsequent recommendations of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland (the Patten Commission)."

It is to put in legislation the commitments made by the government in its revised Patten Implementation Plan, published in August 2001, and to implement recommendations from the 2002 review of policing arrangements.

It was know at the time the Bill was introduced, that Sinn Fein has said that the revised Patten proposals do not go far enough to overhaul the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and refused to sit on the policing board.

First reading: December 5 2002 (HL Bill 15)

Second reading: December 16 2002

Committee Stage (Grand Committee)

• 1st sitting: January 8 2003
• 2nd sitting: January 9 2003
• The bill as amended in committee: HL Bill 18

Report stage: January 23 2003

Bill as amended on report: (HL Bill 23)

Third reading: January 30 2003

House of Commons

First reading: January 30 2003 (HC Bill 52)

Second reading: February 10 2003

Committee stage (SC E)

• 1st sitting: February 25 2003 (am)
• 2nd sitting: February 25 2003 (pm)
• 3rd sitting: February 27 2003 (am)
• 4th sitting: February 27 2003 (pm)
• 5th sitting: March 4 2003 (am)
• 6th sitting: March 4 2003 (pm)
• 7th sitting: March 6 2003 (am)
• 8th sitting: March 11 2003 (am)
• 9th sitting: March 11 2003 (pm)
• Bill as amended in Committee (HC Bill 64)

Remaining stages

Day 1: March 26 2003Day 2: March 27 2003

House of Lords

Consideration of Commons Amendments: April 3 2003

House of Commons

Consideration of Lords Amendments: April 7 2003

Royal Assent:April 8 2003