Preparation of Public Bills (Hansard, 15 January 1996)

HC Deb 15 January 1996 vol 269 c363W 363W

§ 41. Mr. Morgan
To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the use of Parliamentary Counsel and private draftsmen and women in the preparation of Public Bills. [7483]

§ Mr. Newton
The Government and the House are, in my view, well served by Parliamentary Counsel in the preparation of legislation. As an experiment, to test the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of an alternative approach, my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has employed private sector lawyers to draft parts of the Finance Bill currently before the House.