§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, for each of the last three White Papers issued by his Department, for which legislation has been started, he will state the time elapsed between their publication and the576W First Readings of any Bills connected with them; and if he will do the same for the last three White Papers issued by his Department prior to May 1979.
§ Mr. ParkinsonOnly one such White Paper has been issued by my Department since 1979. This was the White Paper "Privatising Electricity" (Cm. 322, 25 February 1988). The Electricity Bill had its First Reading on 30 November 1988. It is not for me to answer for the record of the last Government in this matter, but the information requested should be available in the Library of the House and theOfficial Report.