§ MR. J. H. LEWISI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to the growing inconvenience arising out of the system of legislation by reference; and whether, in cases where Government Bills refer to other statutes, the material portions of the statutes so referred to will be set out in a schedule to such Bills.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)I quite admit that inconvenience has been caused by legislation by reference to other statutes. I do not believe it will be possible to prevent that system of legislation in view of the time which, in modern conditions, the House takes to deal with controversial matters. I do not think the hon. Gentleman's suggestion is the best way of meeting the difficulty. I imagine that whenever an important Bill is under discussion dealing with any proposed legislation by reference there would be no objection to printing as a Parliamentary Paper the statutes already passed to which reference has been made. That course has been on more than one occasion adopted, and I think we should be ready to adopt it again.
§ MR. J. H. LEWISWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the convenience of the legal profession and of the general public?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am anxious to consult the convenience of the legal profession.
§ MR. J. H. LEWISAnd the public, too?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIf they require this information they can only obtain it by the method that I have suggested.
*MR. GIBSON BOWLESasked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that the more material parts of the statutes referred to had been scheduled to the Behring Sea Fisheries Bill with great advantage.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI was not concerned in that particular case. The plan I have suggested does not differ materially from that suggested by the hon. Gentleman, and it seems, on the whole, to be the more convenient plan.