§ 51. Mr. S. O. Daviesasked the Prime Minister if he will appoint an expert committee or take other appropriate steps to consider ways and means of substantially lessening the spate of delegated legislation and thus remove the threat to our parliamentary institution.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. The Government have this matter well in hand, as is shown by the steady decrease in the volume of delegated legislation in recent years. The figures are:
| 1951 | … | 2335 Statutory Instruments. |
| 1952 | … | 2312 Statutory Instruments. |
| 1953 | … | 1937 Statutory Instruments. |
| 1954 | … | 1764 Statutory Instruments. |
§ The great growth and complexity of public business makes essential some degree of delegated legislation. The House of Commons has quite enough to do. What we need is more influence, not more work.
§ Mr. DaviesIs not the Prime Minister aware that his reply will not fool any hon. Member of this House, and is not the House fully aware that, although considerable numbers of controls have been taken off, a plethora of statutory rules, orders and regulations still go on, and will not the right hon. Gentleman do something if only in the interests of our Parliamentary institution?