§ Norman BakerTo ask the President of the Council how many Government Bills were announced in the Queen's Speech and were not introduced in the same Session of Parliament in the(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–12000 and (d) 2000–01 Sessions of Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [42123]
§ Mr. Robin CookSubject to the exceptions set out, all legislation announced in Queen's Speeches from 1997–2000 was introduced during the same Session of Parliament.
Queen's Speech 1998 announced our intention to introduce legislation to promote electronic commerce; the Electronic Communications Act was introduced the following Session.
Queen's Speech 1999 announced our intention to introduce legislation to increase the effectiveness of the power to remove regulatory burdens and to improve the education of children with special educational needs; the Regulatory Reform Act and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act were introduced the following Session.
Queen's Speech 2000 announced our intention to re-introduce legislation on giving courts the power to decide whether certain defendants should be tried by jury or by magistrates; the Government have subsequently announced their intention to bring forward legislation to reform the criminal courts system in the light of the recommendations from the review by Lord Justice Auld.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the President of the Council if he will list the average number of days of consideration for Government Bills in(a) the House of Commons and (b) the House of Lords in each parliamentary Session since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [42125]
§ Mr. Robin CookThe information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Records are not kept in precisely the form required. The table' provides information on the time taken to consider Government Bills.
1 Supplied by the Journal Offices in the Lords and the Commons.
707W
House of Commons Session 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 Government Bills considered—floor 53 31 40 26 Time taken debating 781 hours 53 minutes 396 hours 38 minutes 565 hours 5 minutes 243 hours 35 minutes Average time per Bill 14 hours 45 minutes 12 hours 48 minutes 14 hours 8 minutes 9 hours 22 minutes Government Bills considered' 31 26 37 17 Sittings1 228 207 341 121 Average sittings per Bill 7.35 7.96 9.22 7.12 1 Standing Committee
House of Lords Session 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 Government Bills considered1 50 29 42 27 Time taken debating 806 hours 55 minutes 622 hours 45 minutes 791 hours 33 minutes 223 hours 38 minutes Average time per Bill 16 hours 8 minutes 21 hours 28 minutes 18 hours 51 minutes 8 hours 17 minutes 1 Floor or Grand Committee
§ Norman BakerTo ask the President of the Council (1) how many Government Bills were introduced in each Parliamentary Session since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [42122]
(2) if he will list each Bill introduced by the Government which failed to complete its passage through Parliament in each Parliamentary Session since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [42124]
§ Mr. Robin CookThe information is in the table.
Number of Government Bills session Bill Introduced Which failed to complete their passag 1997–98 European Parliamentary Elections 53 1 1998–99 Northern IrelandSexual Offences (Amendment)Financial Services and Markets1Railways }13 }4 1999–2000 Criminal Justice No. 1 2Criminal Justice No. 2 2European Parliamentary Elections }42 }3 2000–01 Adoption and ChildrenCommonhold and LeaseholdCulture and RecreationHomesHuntingInternational DevelopmentTobacco Advertising and Promotion }28 }7 2001–02 So far 31 — 1 Carried over 2 Mode of Trial