§ Mr. Moateasked the Lord President of the Council if he will publish figures showing the total figures for the latest convenient 12-month period of the number of House of Commons debates on statutory instruments under (a) the affirmative procedure and (b) the negative procedure; and if he will further publish figures for the same period showing the total number of statutory instruments and EEC regulations divided into appropriate categories.
§ Mr. FootIn Session 1977–78 the following number of statutory instruments were debated in the House of Commons:
(a) the affirmative procedure On the Floor of the House 58 In Standing Committee 97 (b) the negative procedure On the Floor of the House 7 In Standing Committee 40 The total number of statutory instruments issued between 1 November 1977 310W and 31 October 1978 was 2,016, of which 1,074 were general orders and 942 were local. The general orders can be subdivided as follows:
Commencement Orders 59 Legal Services 41 Northern Ireland Series 30 Scottish Series 182* * Includes 8 instruments which are also commencement orders. 342 draft EEC instruments were deposited in Parliament, of which 244 were draft regulations, 45 were draft directives and 53 were draft decisions.