§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, for each of the last three White Papers issued by his Department, for which legislation has been started, he will state the time elapsed between their publication and First Reading of any Bill connected with them; and if he will do the same for the last three White Papers issued by his Department prior to May 1979.
§ Mr. HurdThe last three White Papers published by my Department in which legislation was proposed and has been subsequently started or completed, were: "Criminal Justice Bill Plans for Legislation" (Cm 9658); "Firearms Act 1968: Proposals for Reform" (Cm 261) and "Reform of Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911" (Cm 1108). These were published on 6 March 1986, 2 December 1987 and 29 June 1988 respectively and the First Readings of the Criminal Justice, Firearms (Amendment) and Official Secrets Bills resulting from them took place on 14 November 1986, 17 December 1987 and 30 November 1988. 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.