§ SIR J. LENG (Dundee)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury who he is aware that much inconvenience is caused to the members of the legal profession, Clerks of the Peace, and officials of Public Boards by the dilatory publication of the Acts of Parliament; and 360 whether anything can be done to expedite the publication of the volume of Statutes at the end of the present Session?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir J. T. HIBBERT,) OldhamMy hon. Friend is, no doubt, aware that the separate Acts are, subject to unforeseen circumstances, published at once, after the Royal Assent is signified and the correctness of the copy proved. The question of the most convenient date for the publication of the volume was not long ago considered by a Committee specially appointed for the purpose, who considered that the volume might in an ordinary Session be in the hands of the public before the commencement of the Michaelmas Term, and this was the arrangement made. A great deal of editorial and other work in connection with the volume has to be done after the close of the Session, and it was judged that if the publication were hurried—which would necessitate leaving out valuable information now given—the public would lose more than it gained by the quicker issue. I can assure my hon. Friend that both I and the Controller of the Stationery Office are fully alive to the importance of expeditious publication of the Statutes.