§ 60. Mr. Carlisleasked the Lord President of the Council which of those recommendations involving change put forward in the Report of the Renton Committee on the Preparation of Legislation have so far been implemented; and which others the Government intend to implement and not to implement, respectively.
§ 61. Mr. David Walderasked the Lord President of the Council why the Statute Law Committee has not yet announced its decision on the report of its Sub-Committee on recommendations 108 and 109 of the Renton Committee on Legislation; and when an announcement will be made.
§ Mr. FootThe Renton Report contained 121 separate recommendations.
As regards those recommendations which related to the staffing of the Parliamentary Counsel Office, I would refer to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence) on 14th November.—[Official Report, Vol. 939, c. 10.] With regard to those relaing to consolidation legislation, I refer to the oral answer which my right hon. Friend the Solicitor-General gave to the same hon. Member on 13th June.—[Official Report, Vol. 933, c. 26.] The Government have decided, after very full and careful consideration, not to implement recommendations 108 and 109, which concern proposals for the regular review of legislation by the Statute Law Committee. The majority of the Committee's other recommendations relate to detailed matters of drafting practice. As previously indicated, the Government regard these recommendations as a comprehensive and valuable summary of the best drafting practice, and they are being taken into account in the drafting of all current Government legislation. It is considered essential, however, that parliamentary draftsmen should retain discretion to apply the recommendations in 330W accordance with the requirements of particular legislation.