HC Deb 29 October 1957 vol 575 c14W
Captain Kerby

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) why the number of general statutory rules and orders and Statutory Instruments rose from 657 in 1955 to 722 in 1956;

(2) why the number of local statutory rules and orders and Statutory Instruments rose from 1,350 in 1955 to 1,402 in 1956.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

There is no one cause for these variations, which are the resultants of increases and decreases in the different types of instrument. For example, the increase from 10 to 78 in special orders declaring areas to be infected areas for the purpose of restrictions on movement by reason of foot-and-mouth disease (or varying previous declarations) is greater than the increase in the total number of local instruments; while the increase in the number of general instruments is partly attributable to 35 made under the Mines and Quarries Act, 1954, 7 under the Army Act, 1955, and 7 under the Air Force Act, 1955, all of which Acts came into operation on 1st January, 1957.