HL Deb 25 March 1980 vol 407 c781WA
The EARL of SELKIRK

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (i) under what authority "Statutes in Force"are issued;
  2. (ii) whether "Statutes in Force" are regarded by the Courts as authoritative or as a guide to authoritative sources; and
  3. (iii) in what respect do Acts which have been consolidated differ from Acts prepared for inclusion in "Statutes in Force".

The LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone)

Statutes in Force are issued under the authority of the Government, responsibility for publication lying with the Statute Law Committee which exercises a general supervision over the form of Statute Law. Although the edition is not yet widely used because it is still incomplete, it is an authoritative and up-to-date text of public general statutes. The main difference between a consolidated Act and an Act which is prepared for inclusion in Statutes in Force is that the former usually replaces a number of independent enactments with a single Act and is in itself definitive, whereas the latter can only incorporate such textural amendments as are effected in subsequent legislation. Statutes in Force do, however, draw attention to any relevant non-textual amendments.