STATUTE LAW REVISION. (Hansard, 10 March 1898)

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, I rise to move— That it is desirable that all Statute Law Revision Bills and Consolidation Bills of the present Session be referred to a Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament. The subject of this Resolution is a Joint Committee, to which are annually referred all Statute Law Revision Bills and Consolidation Bills. Your Lordships have been good enough to consent to a similar Resolution in many previous years, and I trust that those who have already done 1191 valuable service in past years on the dry and thankless work which goes before this Committee will be willing to serve again. I desire to remand the House that the appointment of a Joint Committee does not remove Parliamentary control from the Bills referred to it, but, on the contrary, ensures that no kind of law shall creep in under the names of Revision or Consolidation, a risk which is undoubtedly incurred when Bills of this kind are passed through ordinary Committees of either House. The work is essentially that of experts. It is the office of the Joint Committee to certify that no Amendment of the law is contained in any Bill referred to it, and it is not understanding that Parliament has confidence in that certifical that the members of the Committee are invited to enter on their task.