HC Deb 07 March 1935 vol 298 cc2125-6
45. Sir MURDOCH McKENZIEWOOD

asked the Prime Minister whether, fn view of the increasing practice of leaving the working out of enactments to Government Departments through the medium of regulations or orders which have to be laid upon the Table of the House, he will consider the advisability of appointing a special orders committee, such as has been set up in another place, to which all orders or regulations laid upon the Table of the House shall be referred for consideration and report to the House?

Mr. BALDWIN

The committee set up in another place, to which allusion is made in the hon. Member's question, does not deal generally with regulations or orders which have to be laid upon the Table, but only with certain rules, regulations or other documents which require an affirmative resolution. The Committee on Ministers' Powers reported that special orders cannot usefully be regarded as a separate and well defined: class of delegated legislation. The hon. Member's question, therefore, involves the consideration of the report of the Committee on Ministers' Powers which, as was stated in an answer to the hon. Member for Dundee (Mr. D. Foot) on? the 3rd December last, raises a large? number of important issues with which the Government cannot hope to find any opportunity of dealing as a whole in present circumstances.

Mr. DINGLE FOOT

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that after a lapse of two years the House might have an opportunity of discussing the report of the committee on Ministers' powers?

Mr. PALING

In view of what has happened in regard to regulations which have recently been issued, is it not time that we had an opportunity of dealing with this question? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that last night his Government stood in danger of defeat because of a regulation which has been issued?

Sir M. McKENZIE WOOD

Will the right hon. Gentleman keep the suggestion in the question in mind when the Government again consider this matter?

Mr. BALDWIN

Yes, certainly.

Mr. H. WILLIAMS

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider introducing some special procedure in connection with provisional regulations to deal with action taken by Ministers in anticipation of subsequent confirmation by Parliament—