§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if, for each of the last three White Papers issued by his Department, or its predecessor, for which legislation has been started, he will state the time elapsed between their publication and the First Reading of any Bill connected with them; and if he will do the same for the last three. White Papers issued by the Department of Health and Social Security prior to May 1979.
§ Mr. MellorThe last three White Papers published by the Department of Health and Social Security, in which legislation was proposed and has been subsequently started or completed, were: "Promoting Better Health", "Law on Child Care and Family Services" and "Reform of Social Security: Programme for Action". These were 293W published on November 1987, January 1987 and December 1985 respectively and the First Readings of the Health and Medicines Act 1988, Children Bill and Social Security Act 1986 took place on November 1987, November 1988 and January 1986. It is not for me to answer for the record of the previous Government in this matter, but the information requested should be available in the Library.