§ LORD AIREDALEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how the Hairdressing and Allied Services Industry Training Board contrived to lay before Parliament on August 7, 1972, their Report and Statement of Accounts for the period ending September 30, 1972.
THE EARL OF GOWRIEMy Lords, as it appeared possible that this Paper, pursuant to the Industrial Training Act 1964, would be presented before the end of the Summer Recess, it was necessary to present it in dummy in order to avoid delay in its publication.
§ LORD AIREDALEMy Lords, I am obliged to the Minister for that Answer. Was this Paper one of 85 Parliamentary Papers that were laid in dummy between July 25 and August 8? Does this practice do any good at all or does it merely waste clerical time in the Departments and in Parliament? If that is so, is it not worth looking at the practice of laying in dummy, with a view to getting it abolished?
THE EARL OF COWRIEMy Lords, I confess that I suspected that the noble Lord's Question was perhaps more concerned with Parliamentary practice than with the affairs of the Hairdressing and Allied Services Industry Training Board. However, I spent this morning trying to find out the state of play on the implementation of the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the publication of Proceedings in Parliament. The noble Lord will appreciate that this was not entirely easy as many people, particularly the officials concerned, are on leave and as the other place is in Recess. However, the information I was able to obtain suggests that the implementation of these recommendations is really a matter for decision by the other place. If the noble Lord wishes, however, I will take steps to see that he is given more information when the other place reassembles. He will appreciate also that this is not wholly a matter for the Department of Employment.
§ LORD AIREDALEMy Lords, I am much obliged for that answer.