House and Parliamentary Papers

HC Deb 29 October 1986 vol 103 cc146-7W

Mr. Roger King

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement about the format of House and Parliamentary papers in the forthcoming Session.

Mr. Biffen

On 2 May 1984, the House approved the First Report of the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) of Session 1983–84, entitled "House and Parliamentary Papers". The main recommendation of the report was that the process of transferring the House's papers to the larger, A4 format, which had begun with theOfficial Report, should be extended to other House papers.

In paragraph 15, the Committee informed the House that it was proposed that the change would be effective for the Vote bundle in October 1986. I am informed that Her Majesty's Stationery Office's programme for these changes is on target. Accordingly, at the beginning of the new Session, hon. Members will find that the Order Paper, the Notice Paper and all other papers included in the Vote bundle are being printed in the new format.

The change will also affect Bills and Acts, although until the end of 1986 some of these, if they are expected to receive Royal Assent before 31 December 1986, will for technical reasons continue to be produced in the old form. Other Sessional papers and delegated legislation will also convert to A4 at the beginning of the new Session.