§ 27. Mr. SpearingTo ask the Attorney-General what is the latest date to which statutes in force are up to date.
§ The Solicitor-General (Sir Nicholas Lyell)The publication of new Acts in statutes in force is up to date as at 11 February 1991, other than part of one 1990 Act. Information on the repeal of whole Acts is up to date as at 1 January 1991. Information on the amendment, or partial repeal, of existing Acts is brought up to date periodically.
§ Mr. SpearingEven if they are brought up to date periodically, does the Solicitor-General agree that statutes in force, published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, can never be up to date because statutes enforceable in the 639 United Kingdom include self-acting regulations of the European Economic Community? Does the Solicitor-General agree that, since agreement on the package for 1992 involving financial and commercial matters, the change in enforceable statutes is now even greater? Should not there be some warning in front of the volumes of statutes in force to put lawyers and others on their guard?
§ The Solicitor-GeneralLawyers who advise on matters relating to the European Community are well aware of the hon. Gentleman's point. The longer-term methods for dealing with statutes in force must be computerisation and projects on that are coming forward for financial approval.