HL Deb 09 March 2000 vol 610 cc155-7WA
Lord Alexander of Weedon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many statutory instruments subject to the negative resolution procedure were laid before Parliament in each of the following years: (a) 1980; (b) 1985; (c) 1990; (d) 1995; and (e) 1999. [HL1209]

Baroness Jay of Paddington

Some statutory instruments are laid before the House of Commons only. Accordingly the Answer refers to the number of instruments laid before that House. Records are kept on a sessional rather than an annual basis. The records for Session 1980–81 and 1985–86 indicate the number of the instruments considered by the Joint Committee and the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments rather than those laid, but this excludes only any Orders in Council or draft Orders in Council under paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland Act 1974.

Taking those Sessions which fall towards the middle of a Parliament, and so were of roughly equivalent length, the numbers were as follows:

Session
1980–81 793
1985–86 861
1990–91 1,071
1995–96 1,309
1998–99 1,266

Lord Alexander of Weedon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many statutory instruments subject to the affirmative resolution procedure were laid before Parliament in each of the following years: (a) 1980; (b) 1985; (c) 1990; (d) 1995; and (e) 1999. [HL1210]

Baroness Jay of Paddington

Some statutory instruments are laid before the House of Commons only. Accordingly the Answer refers to the number of instruments laid before that House. Records are kept on a sessional rather than an annual basis. The records for Session 1980–81 and 1985–86 indicate the number of instruments considered by the Joint Committee and the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments rather than those laid, but this excludes only any Orders in Council or draft Orders in Council under paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland Act 1974.

Taking those Sessions which fall toward the middle of a Parliament, and so were of roughly equivalent length, the numbers were as follows:

Session
1980–81 130
1985–86 158
1990–91 201
1995–96 199
1998–99 178

Lord Alexander of Weedon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

On how many occasions statutory instruments have been debated on the floor of the House of Commons in each of the last 10 years. [HL1211]

Baroness Jay of Paddington

Records are kept on a sessional rather than an annual basis, and several related instruments may be debated on a single occasion. The figures are as follows:

Session No. of Debates No. of Instruments debated
1989–90 47 56
1990–91 41 48
1991–92 25 42
1992–93 76 82
1993–94 60 88
1994–95 44 81
1995–96 36 67
1996–97 26 48
1997–98 23 34
1998–99 16 22