The redevelopment of Bermuda's hospital will get special planning permission under legislation tabled in the House of Assembly.

The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (Special Planning Permission) Bill 2009 was given its first reading by Health Minister Walter Roban on the opening day of the new parliamentary session on Friday.

Bermuda Hospitals Board is teaming up with the private sector for the $315 million upgrade as part of a plan to bring the ailing hospital up to modern-day standards. Construction is due to start late next year, and is aimed to be completed by late 2013.

Other bills given their first reading on Friday included the Internal Audit Bill 2009, which sets up an Internal Audit Department to independently and objectively examine the performance and cost of Government policies, programmes and operations.

According to the bill, the Department will "provide reasonable assurance that persons entrusted with public funds carry out the functions effectively, efficiently, economically, ethically, equitably and in accordance with the law".

The Child Day Care Allowance Amendment Act 2009 states day care allowance will only be for children under the age of four who have not yet begun public or private preschool.

The Development and Planning (Draft Bermuda Plan 2008 Extension) Act 2009 extends the period of operation of the Draft Bermuda Plan to June 30, 2010. Without this legislation, the draft plan was due to cease operating by December this year unless it gets approved by the legislature.

And the Statistics Amendment Bill 2009 changes the title of the head of the Statistics Department from "chief statistician" to "director of statistics".