§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many statutory instruments have been referred by Government departments to the National Assembly for Wales; and if he will list the dates on which a response was received from the Assembly in each case. [122456]
§ Mr. StringerThere is no general provision for statutory instruments to be referred by Government Departments to the National Assembly for Wales. The Government of Wales Act 1998 and the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 both contain provisions which require that certain instruments are either subject to consultation with the National Assembly for Wales, or are subject to their consent being obtained.
Other contacts takes place on an information basis, as covered in the bilateral concordats between Government Departments and the National Assembly for Wales. No central record is kept of such informal contact in relation to statutory instruments; and the information could only be collected at disproportionate cost.