Government?s Social Agenda is expected to be formally launched this Friday as Governor Sir John Vereker opens a new session of Parliament with the reading of the Throne Speech.

The speech will contain promises of housing schemes, improvements in the lives of seniors, a focus on sustainable development and movement on the discussion on Independence.

But much of the legislative initiatives to be announced will likely be left over legislation from last year.

Chief among these is Public Access to Information legislation, which would establish guidelines for Government documents and information to be made publicly available.

Senior citizens will be pleased with plans to amend financial assistance regulations which penalise our elders for owning a home.

And finishing touches to the Bermuda Health Council will be announced.

The Governor is also likely to announce Government plans to push ahead with absentee balloting legislation, and draw up regulations for the new office of the Ombudsman ? an autonomous agency for citizens with complaints against Government services.

Anyone expecting a raft of new legislative initiatives to be announced for the coming year is likely to be disappointed. Premier Alex Scott has already said this Throne Speech will be a statement of policy and contain the ?seeds? of the Social Agenda.

?I think the details will come out of the Throne Speech. The specific initiatives will then be further hammered home by the Ministers,? Mr. Scott said immediately after his opening address to the Progressive Labour Party?s annual conference.

?We?re basically saying we have a programme, a policy commitment for the next three to ten years.?

But this Throne Speech will effectively pave the way for a more streamlined legislative process, he said.

?Legislatively we are going to have for the first time ? certainly in this country ? next year, this will be policy statement this year. Next year when the Governor articulates whatever legislative programme the Government puts forward, it can be done the next day. So organisationally we are putting the Government on a structured path like never before.?