My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Filkin, for his years of hard work as Merits Committee chairman, and congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Rosser, on his recent appointment as chairman. I also thank the Merits Committee for the report on post-implementation reviews, and I thank noble Lords for...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Filkin, for his years of hard work as Merits Committee chairman, and congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Rosser, on his recent appointment as chairman. I also thank the Merits Committee for the report on post-implementation reviews, and I thank noble Lords for...

My Lords, I very much welcome this report from the Merits Committee. I am a member of the committee but I was not at the time this report was produced. Rather, my interest stems from my period as chairman of the Constitution Committee when we produced the report Parliament and...

My Lords, I very much welcome this report from the Merits Committee. I am a member of the committee but I was not at the time this report was produced. Rather, my interest stems from my period as chairman of the Constitution Committee when we produced the report Parliament and...

That the Grand Committee do consider the report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee on What Happened Next? A Study of Post-implementation Reviews of Secondary Legislation. (30th Report, Session 2008–09, HL Paper 180). That the Grand Committee do consider the report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee on...

That the Grand Committee do consider the report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee on What Happened Next? A Study of Post-implementation Reviews of Secondary Legislation. (30th Report, Session 2008–09, HL Paper 180). That the Grand Committee do consider the report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee on...

My Lords, I welcome this debate on the most timely report from the Merits Committee of which I am also a member. Perhaps I may say how much we value our two advisers, Jane White and Grant Oliver, without whom we simply could not operate. The committee members are just...

My Lords, I welcome this debate on the most timely report from the Merits Committee of which I am also a member. Perhaps I may say how much we value our two advisers, Jane White and Grant Oliver, without whom we simply could not operate. The committee members are just...

My Lords, I should like to use the gap to make one small but very important point, which I do not think has been covered by any speaker so far. It arises out of my observations over the three years I have spent on this committee. When the National Audit...

My Lords, I should like to use the gap to make one small but very important point, which I do not think has been covered by any speaker so far. It arises out of my observations over the three years I have spent on this committee. When the National Audit...

My Lords, first, I say that this report was undertaken during the excellent chairmanship of my predecessor in that role, my noble friend Lord Filkin. Our report was prompted by earlier reports and inquiries that the committee had undertaken, not least one on the cumulative impact of statutory instruments on...

My Lords, first, I say that this report was undertaken during the excellent chairmanship of my predecessor in that role, my noble friend Lord Filkin. Our report was prompted by earlier reports and inquiries that the committee had undertaken, not least one on the cumulative impact of statutory instruments on...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his comprehensive and largely helpful reply. I thank all noble Lords who have participated and contributed so much to this important debate. It would also be appropriate if I expressed the committee’s thanks, which has already been done in part, to the...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his comprehensive and largely helpful reply. I thank all noble Lords who have participated and contributed so much to this important debate. It would also be appropriate if I expressed the committee’s thanks, which has already been done in part, to the...

My Lords, I apologise to the Grand Committee for arriving a moment late for this debate. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Rosser, and his committee for producing this report and for giving the Grand Committee the opportunity to consider it, together with the Government’s response. Post-implementation reviews should be...

My Lords, I apologise to the Grand Committee for arriving a moment late for this debate. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Rosser, and his committee for producing this report and for giving the Grand Committee the opportunity to consider it, together with the Government’s response. Post-implementation reviews should be...

My Lords, the Department for Children, Schools and Families did not have its statutory instruments under the scrutiny of the committee of which I am a member and was a member when our report was published. But that department stands out as one that requires considerable enthusiasm within it to...

My Lords, the Department for Children, Schools and Families did not have its statutory instruments under the scrutiny of the committee of which I am a member and was a member when our report was published. But that department stands out as one that requires considerable enthusiasm within it to...

Lords debate on motion that the Grand Committee do consider the report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee on What Happened Next? A Study of Post-implementation Reviews of Secondary Legislation (HL 180 2008-09). Agreed to on question.

Lords debate on motion that the Grand Committee do consider the report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee on What Happened Next? A Study of Post-implementation Reviews of Secondary Legislation (HL 180 2008-09). Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I shall speak briefly, mostly because my former colleagues will give me a further hard time if I do not, but also because I do not wish to repeat what is in the report or has been set out eloquently by my noble friend Lord Rosser. I very...

My Lords, I shall speak briefly, mostly because my former colleagues will give me a further hard time if I do not, but also because I do not wish to repeat what is in the report or has been set out eloquently by my noble friend Lord Rosser. I very...

My Lords, I should like to start by endorsing the comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, about the chairman of the Merits Committee, the noble Lord, Lord Filkin. It is for me also a huge pleasure and an instruction to be a member of the committee that he...

My Lords, I should like to start by endorsing the comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, about the chairman of the Merits Committee, the noble Lord, Lord Filkin. It is for me also a huge pleasure and an instruction to be a member of the committee that he...

My Lords, I add my thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Filkin, for introducing the debate and also, more importantly, for the report itself. It is clear, succinct and incisive; the same cannot always be said about the instruments which are being discussed. Indeed, Oxford council and the diocese of...

My Lords, I add my thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Filkin, for introducing the debate and also, more importantly, for the report itself. It is clear, succinct and incisive; the same cannot always be said about the instruments which are being discussed. Indeed, Oxford council and the diocese of...

Lords debate on motion to take note of the report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee on the cumulative impact of statutory instruments on schools (HL 45 2008-09). Agreed to on question.

Lords debate on motion to take note of the report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee on the cumulative impact of statutory instruments on schools (HL 45 2008-09). Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I thank most warmly all noble Lords who have spoken in this debate, which has exceeded my expectations. I should also like to thank my noble friend. She is right. The department has responded positively to many, if not all, of the committee’s recommendations. I very much hope...

My Lords, I thank most warmly all noble Lords who have spoken in this debate, which has exceeded my expectations. I should also like to thank my noble friend. She is right. The department has responded positively to many, if not all, of the committee’s recommendations. I very much hope...

My Lords, I start by paying tribute to our urbane and effective chairman, the noble Lord, Lord Filkin. It has been a pleasure to serve with him on the committee. The Merits Committee seems to me to involve sifting through a large quantity of material with a great deal of...

My Lords, I start by paying tribute to our urbane and effective chairman, the noble Lord, Lord Filkin. It has been a pleasure to serve with him on the committee. The Merits Committee seems to me to involve sifting through a large quantity of material with a great deal of...

My Lords, in moving this debate, I shall briefly set out why the committee felt an inquiry was desirable, what it found and what it recommended and then conclude with one or two thoughts about what might be some wider implications of its inquiry recommendations. Before launching into that, I...

My Lords, in moving this debate, I shall briefly set out why the committee felt an inquiry was desirable, what it found and what it recommended and then conclude with one or two thoughts about what might be some wider implications of its inquiry recommendations. Before launching into that, I...

That this House takes note of the Report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee on the cumulative impact of statutory instruments on schools (9th Report, HL Paper 45).

That this House takes note of the Report of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee on the cumulative impact of statutory instruments on schools (9th Report, HL Paper 45).

My Lords, I, too, am a member of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee and endorse the comments already made about its chairmanship under my noble friend Lord Filkin. Other noble Lords, my noble friend in particular, have given a very thorough résumé of the findings in the committee’s report...

My Lords, I, too, am a member of the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee and endorse the comments already made about its chairmanship under my noble friend Lord Filkin. Other noble Lords, my noble friend in particular, have given a very thorough résumé of the findings in the committee’s report...

My Lords, the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee is a wonderful committee on which to serve, not only because of the distinguished and incisive chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Filkin, but because of the range and perspective over the entire workings of Government and the impact of those rules...

My Lords, the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee is a wonderful committee on which to serve, not only because of the distinguished and incisive chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Filkin, but because of the range and perspective over the entire workings of Government and the impact of those rules...