The Parliamentary Bill

A

Bill

To

Establish a Ministry of Peace with the function of promoting conflict resolution

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and

consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present

Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1       

The Ministry of Peace

(1)   

There shall be a Ministry of Peace which shall have the following functions—

(a)   

to advise the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and

Commonwealth Affairs during a military conflict or when a military

conflict is likely;

(b)   

to advise Ministers of the Crown about non-violent conflict resolution

in respect of the negotiation of treaties and at other times as may be

specified in the Prime Minister’s report under subsection 3(1) below;

(c)   

to advise Ministers of the Crown, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the

Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales about the

resolution of conflicts or potential conflicts and other matters which

disturb or threaten to disturb the peace in the United Kingdom or in

other countries;

(d)   

to educate the public about conflict resolution;

(e)   

to facilitate public participation in the development and

implementation of solutions to local, regional, national, and

international conflicts; and

(f)   

to advise—

(i)   

the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on the

preparation of programmes of study relating to peace education

to be included in the National Curriculum;

(ii)   

the Department of Education in Northern Ireland on the

preparation of programmes of study relating to peace education

to be included in the National Curriculum; and

(iii)   

the Scottish Executive Education Department on the

preparations of guidelines relating to peace education.

(2)   

The Prime Minister may by order create additional functions for the Ministry

of Peace.

(3)   

An order made under this section shall not come into effect unless a draft of it

has been laid before, and approved by resolution of, each House of Parliament.

2       

Commission for Peace

As part of the Ministry for Peace there shall be established a Commission for

Peace with the following functions, namely to—

(a)   

monitor and report to Parliament from time to time on the effectiveness

of the Government and local government in preventing and resolving

conflict at local, regional, national and international levels

(b)   

provide advice to the Secretary of State;

(c)   

seek to improve the links between universities, the research councils

and other research institutions and local, national and international

organisations concerned with the promotion of peace or the prevention

and resolution of conflict;

(d)   

assist non-governmental organisations in analysing, sharing their

experience of, and learning from, peace-building work in regions

where there are conflicts;

(e)   

determine criteria for the establishment of local and regional peace

commissions, with discretion to provide financial or other assistance to such

commissions where these criteria are satisfied;

(f)   

facilitate collaboration between organisations concerned with the

promotion of peace or the prevention and resolution of conflict and the

Government; and

(g)   

encourage public support for peace-building.

3       

Report and draft Bill on the work of the Ministry for Peace and the

Commission for Peace

(1)   

Within 100 days after this Act is passed the Prime Minister shall publish a

report (“the Report”) and a draft Bill (“the Bill”) which shall include—

(a)   

the further steps which need to be taken to establish a Ministry for

Peace and a Commission for Peace within the Ministry for Peace; and

(b)   

which of the matters listed in Schedule 1 should be addressed by the

Ministry for Peace and what additional functions it should have.

(2)   

When preparing the Report and Bill, the Prime Minister shall have regard to

the sources and texts listed in Schedule 2.

(3)   

Before laying the Report before Parliament and publishing the Bill the Prime

Minister shall consult as many persons falling within each of the categories

listed in Schedule 3 as is reasonably practicable.

4       

Financial provision

There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament—

(a)   

any expenditure of the Secretary of State in consequence of this Act; and

(b)   

any increase attributable to this Act in the sums payable out of money so

provided by virtue of any other Act.

5       

Citation, extent and commencement

(1)   

This Act may be cited as the Ministry of Peace Act 2003.

(2)   

This Act extends to England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

(3)   

This Act shall come into force on the date on which it is passed.

Schedules

Schedule 1

Section 3

Matters which might be addressed by, and potential functions of, the Ministry

of Peace for the purposes of section 3

Within the United Kingdom

1          

In relation to the United Kingdom, the following are to be considered as

potential matters to be addressed by the Ministry of Peace—

(a)   

domestic violence, including spousal abuse, child abuse, and

mistreatment of older people;

(b)   

drug and alcohol abuse;

(c)   

crime, punishment, and rehabilitation;

(d)   

the implements of violence, including handguns;

(e)   

school violence and gangs;

(f)   

violence on the grounds of sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or

national origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability and

police-community relations disputes;

(g)   

unlawful violence against animals; and

(h)   

the use of excess force by employees or agents of public authorities.

International relations

2          

In relation to international relations, the following are to be considered as

potential matters to be addressed by the Ministry of Peace—

(a)   

potential and existing conflicts that threaten or appear to threaten the

United Kingdom whether from sovereign nations or other external

influences;

(b)   

other existing, potential or threatened international armed conflicts;

and

(c)   

post-conflict reconstruction and demobilization in the United

Kingdom and other countries.

Public education and participation

3          

In relation to public education and participation, the following are to be

considered as potential matters to be addressed by the Ministry of Peace—

(a)   

with a view to the inclusion of the subject as a foundation subject in

the National Curriculum pursuant to section 354 of the Education

Act 1996 (c. 56) and in other levels of education, commissioning

research on peace education which shall include, but not be limited

to, studies of—

(i)   

the civil rights movement in the United Kingdom and other

countries and the contribution that individuals and groups

have made towards advancements in peace;

(ii)   

peace agreements and circumstances in which peaceful

intervention has worked to stop conflict; and

(iii)   

practical conflict resolution tools to prevent and resolve

conflict in domestic, social and commercial environments;

and

(b)   

educating and enabling the general public to participate in the

development and implementation of solutions to local, regional and

national issues facing the United Kingdom and other countries.

Research and the media

4          

In relation to research and the media, the following are to be considered as

potential matters to be addressed by the Ministry of Peace—

(a)   

the development and implementation of approaches to peaceful co-

existence and non-violent conflict resolution;

(b)   

the role of the media in the resolution of conflict both in the United

Kingdom and in other countries, with special reference to—

(i)   

seeking assistance in the design and implementation of non-

violent policies from journalist;

(ii)   

studying the role of the media in the escalation and de-

escalation of conflict within the United Kingdom and in other

countries; and

(iii)   

making recommendations to professional media

organisations in order to provide opportunities to increase

media awareness of peace-building initiatives;

(c)   

the impact of new technologies on the creation and maintenance of

peace within the United Kingdom and in other countries, including

analysis of technologies in transportation, communications and

energy that—

(i)   

are non-violent in their application; and

(ii)   

encourage the conservation and sustainability of natural

resources in order to prevent future conflicts regarding scarce

resources;

(d)   

the impact of war, especially upon—

(i)   

the physical and mental condition of children;

(ii)   

the environment; and

(iii)   

public health

(e)   

effective community peace-building activities;

(f)   

human rights abuses, both within the United Kingdom and in other

countries; and

(g)   

the scarcity of natural resources as a source of conflict, including but

not limited to, studies of—

(i)   

non-violent prevention of such scarcity and peaceful

intervention in the case of such scarcity;

(ii)   

the development of assistance for people experiencing such

scarcity, whether due to armed conflict, inequitable

distribution of resources or natural causes; and

(iii)   

the sustainability and management of the distribution of

overseas development funds from national and international

agencies, the conditions regarding the receipt of such funds

and the impact of those conditions on the peace and stability

of the recipient nations.

Consultation

5          

The following are to be considered as potential matters relating to non-

violent conflict resolution about which the Ministry of Peace should be

consulted at relevant times by the Prime Minister—

(a)   

a conflict or an impending conflict between the United Kingdom and

any other government or group of individuals; and

(b)   

drafting bilateral or multilateral peace treaties and agreements.

Schedule 2

Section 3

Sources and texts for purposes of section 3

1          

The Seville Statement on Violence, Spain, 1986 (subsequently adopted by

UNESCO at the Twenty-Fifth Session of the General Conference on 16

November 1989.

2          

The Hague Agenda for Peace and Justice for the 21st Century (UN Ref A/

54/98) and Supplement)

3          

Children and Violence – Report of the Commission on Children and

Violence convened by the Gulbenkian Foundation, 1995.

4          

Declaration and Agenda for Action of the UN Millennium Forum on the

Strengthening of the UN for the 21st Century, 2000.

5          

European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental

Freedoms, 1950.

6          

European Council Resolution on Integrating Gender in Development, 1995.

7          

European Parliament Resolution on Gender Aspects on Conflict Resolution

and Peace Building.

8          

European Parliament Resolution on the Application of the Geneva

Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, 1984.

9          

European Parliament Resolution on Women in Decision-making, 2000.

10         

European Parliament Resolutions (2) on the Rape of Women in the Former

Yugoslavia, 1992; 1993.

11         

Geneva Conventions and additional Protocols, 1949; 1977.

12         

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

Against Women, 1979.

13         

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Race

Discrimination, 1965.

14         

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966.

15         

International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, 1966.

16         

Outcome documents of public hearings on gender specific human rights

violations and rape as a war crime in Bosnia, 1993; 1995.

17         

Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 1998.

18         

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 1995.

19         

The proposed UN Commission on Peace and Crisis Prevention

20         

The Rio Declaration, 1992.

21         

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989.

22         

UN General Assembly Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel,

Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 1984.

23         

UN General Assembly Declaration 3318 on the Protection of Women and

Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict, 1974.

24         

UN General Assembly Resolution 3519 on Women’s Participation in the

Strengthening of International Peace and Security, 1975.

25         

UN Security Council Resolution 1265 on the Protection of Civilians in

Armed Conflict, 1999.

26         

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 – Women Peace and

Security.

27         

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948.

28         

Vienna Declaration and Program of Action, 1993.

Schedule 3

Section 3

Categories of persons to be consulted for the purposes of section 3

1          

Public authorities including Ministers of the Crown and Government

Departments, Ministers of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Scottish

Administration, the National Assembly for Wales.

2          

Local authorities.

3          

Voluntary bodies.

4          

Bodies representing the interests of persons carrying out business in the UK.

5          

Governing bodies of schools and institutions of further and higher

education.

6          

Political parties.

7          

Women’s organisations.

8          

Bodies representing the interests of different religious groups.