§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Prime Minister what percentage of Government legislative drafting is carried out by lawyers not permanently employed as parliamentary counsel; and what plans there are for change.
§ The Prime MinisterIn terms of primary legislation, all Government Bills, except those relating exclusively to Scotland and the Appropriation and Consolidated Fund Bills, are drafted by members of the parliamentary counsel office. From time to time some consolidation Bills have been drafted by lawyers who have been members of the parliamentary counsel office but who are no longer employed in the public service. The proportion of work undertaken in this way is not significant and it is not practicable to specify it as a percentage of the total drafting work undertaken by the members of the parliamentary counsel office. There are no plans for change at the moment.