§ 45. Mr. Leslie Haleasked the Prime Minister what steps he proposes to take to reduce the volume of delegated legislation.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Winston Churchill)We may expect that as the war-time controls prolonged by the Socialist Governments are progressively removed or relaxed, the volume of delegated legislation will also dwindle.
§ Mr. HaleI appreciate that the cuts in hospital building and in public building announced recently may involve less immediate delegated legislation, but cannot the right hon. Gentleman, having said so much on this subject, now tell us that the matter is under active consideration, that every avenue is being explored, that no stone will be left unturned and that something will be done within a measurable period of time?
§ The Prime MinisterI will gladly repeat the famous utterance of the party opposite, that every avenue is being explored and no stone is being left unturned.
§ Mr. E. ShinwellIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the first Bill promoted by His Majesty's Government—the Home Guard Bill—provides for delegated legislation?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. We had to start from the point where we began.