Law in bookshops quicker this year

Press, 12 November 1981, Page 27

Law in bookshops quicker this year

Parliamentary reporter The late arrival in Government bookshops of acts passed last year should not be repeated for bills passed into law this Parliamentary session. In February this year only about 50 of the 175 bills passed in 1980 were available in printed form. Fifty were still not in the hands of the Government Printer. But this year all but one of the 149 acts to receive the Royal Assent are now either available in bookshops or in the process of being printed. The Government Printer, Mr P. D. Hasselburg. said that 53 were now on-sale, a batch of 73 had returned for printing from final checking

by the Parliamentary Counsel Office. Only one act remained for final clearance for printing. Last year, the House had risen on December 12. and staff and Ministers were not available to check copies through the three draft stages. A lot of legislation was passed at the end of the session putting strains on timetables. This year the House rose on October 23. and less legislation had gone through the House in the course of the year and at final stages. A spokesman for the Clerk’s Office said all acts were expected on bookshelves in Government bookshops by the end of the year.