§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why prints of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1968, which received the Royal Assent on 25th October, 1968, were not available until 21st November, 1968.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonMy right hon. Friend has no responsibility for the printing of any Act of Parliament; but he understands from the House authorities concerned that the time required for publication of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1968, was lengthy because an unusual number of large Acts passed on 25th October and it was necessary to give precedence in publication to those which contained provisions operative immediately upon the Royal Assent.
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why the Town and Country Planning Act, 1968 (Commencement No. 1) Order, 1968, was not printed and available until the afternoon of 6th December, 1968, the day on which its provisions came into operation.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonMy right hon. Friend believed that all concerned would wish to take the earliest possible advantage of certain improvements and simplifications provided by the Town and Country Planning Act, 1968; but he regrets that this resulted in too short an interval between the making and the coming into operation of the first Commencement Order.