HC Deb 06 February 1991 vol 185 cc175-6W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will state in table form which of the powers of the Privy Council listed in his reply of 25 January,Official Report, column 369 (a) can and (b) cannot be scrutinised by the House.

Mr. John MacGregor

The only category of Privy Council functions subject to parliamentary scrutiny, is those powers conferred on Her Majesty in Council, or on the Privy Council, by Act of Parliament. The exercise of some of these functions is subject to the affirmative resolution procedure and of others to the negative resolution procedure; some orders made in exercise of such powers are required to be laid before Parliament but are not subject to annulment; the remainder are not subject to any form of parliamentary scrutiny. It would not be practical to tabulate the individual powers falling into these groups without disproportionate cost.