§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Attorney-General what areas of statute law are currently being considered for consolidation legislation; and if he will indicate at what stage the procedures are in each case.
The Attorney-GeneralDuring the current Session, 11 consolidation Bills have been introduced into Parliament. 457W Seven of these Bills have already received Royal Assent and have become the Social Security Administration Act 1992, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, the Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992, the Social Security (Consequential Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 and the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992. Of the other four Bills, the Protection of Badgers Bill, the Radioactive Substances Bill and the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Bill are awaiting their Second Reading in this House, while the Tribunals and Inquiries Bill is awaiting its Committee stage in another place.
Work is continuing at the Law Commission to prepare consolidation Bills on clean air, education, stamp duties, the armed forces, merchant shipping, the powers of criminal courts and solicitors. Work is continuing at the Scottish Law Commission to prepare consolidation Bills on crofters, the Scottish Land Court, the national health service, criminal procedure, lands clauses and town and country planning. In Northern Ireland, work is continuing on a consolidation Bill on pension schemes.