Pre-legislative Scrutiny
26th July 2010
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown calls on the Leader of the House to ensure that in future pre-legislative scrutiny for a Bill will be the norm rather than the exception.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (The Cotswolds) (Con): The Deputy Leader of the House will be aware that in the previous Parliament many Bills were almost totally rewritten during their passage through the House. In due course, after the Government have had time to write their Bills, will the Deputy Leader of the House be able to say that pre-legislative scrutiny will be the norm, and not the exception, for a Bill in this Parliament?
Mr Heath: The hon. Gentleman makes the important point that what is most important is that Bills are written correctly and are made right first time, rather than having them rewritten, as was so often the case under the previous Administration. [Interruption.] We hear protestations from Opposition Members, but may I remind them that in the 2009-10 Session only five Bills were submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny and in the 2008-09 Session there were only four, whereas we have already announced three.