HC Deb 02 December 1991 vol 200 cc8-9W
Mr. Fraser

To ask the Attorney-General how many Law Commission reports recommending legislation remain to be acted upon and for what reasons it has been decided not to present Bills to implement the recommendations.

The Attorney-General

Since 1965 the Law Commission, often in conjunction with the Scottish Law Commission, has published 37 reports relating to the consolidation of existing legislation which, except for the one most recently published, have all been implemented. It has published 14 reports recommending the repeal of obsolete enactments, all of which have been implemented. It has published 93 other reports containing draft legislation of which 59 have been implemented.

The Government have not presented Bills to implement the remaining 34 reports for one or more of the following reasons:

  1. (i) the underlying policy has been rejected;
  2. (ii) the case for reform has not been thought to justify parliamentary time;
  3. (iii) the recommendations have been superseded by later events;
  4. (iv) the report is being given further consideration either within Government or at the Law Commission;
  5. (v) although the recommendations have been accepted, there has been no suitable legislative opportunity.