HL Deb 10 July 1946 vol 142 cc316-7

3.56 p.m.

LORD BROUGHSHANE

My Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name.

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether all Orders having the force of law receive the approval of a Minister of the Crown before publication.]

THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD JOWITT)

My Lords, all Orders, unless those of a purely routine or unimportant character, are approved before publication either in draft or as regards their general contents by the appropriate Minister, who is, in any case, responsible for them.

LORD BROUGHSHANE

Do I understand from that that there are certain Orders which are signed and made by unknown officials, who are not Ministers and who are not even Members of Parliament, which have the force of law and render the citizens of this country liable to penalties? The point in respect of which I wish to have information is this. Has each of those Orders, before publication, received the personal scrutiny and approval of the Minister, or has he delegated his powers to an unknown official in his Department?

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

I think if the noble Lord reads the answer I have given he will see that I have dealt with that point. Except in the case of merely routine and consequential Orders, every Order receives the personal consideration of the Minister.