(ii) Minor Bills
2
Page 427
Civil Defence (Grants).
Civil Defence (Mobile Columns).
Whaling Industry (Scotland)............
National Museum of Antiques (Scotland). Geneva Convention on Road Traffic: Road Traffic.
Highways.
Notes on these Bills are given in the Annex.
4. We would draw the attention of the Cabinet to the following points:- (a) Existing emergency legislation is due to expire on 10th December, 1951, and a further year's renewal will be necessary by that date, involving Addresses in both Houses of Parliament. A few Defence Regulations will be replaced by certain of the Bills which have been suggested. (b) We have added the House of Commons Disqualification Bill to the provi- sional programme because it cannot get beyond formal introduction and First Reading during the current Session. We have also added the following Bills for which time is not likely to be available during the 1950-51 Session:-
Beet Sugar Industry.
Northern Ireland Fisheries.
Local Authorities Loans.
(c) We assume that the Full Employment Bill (C.M. (51), 14th Conclusions,
Minute 8) will not be proceeded with for the present.
(d) Time for Private Members' Bills will no doubt be provided during 1951-52 and at the end of the Annex two Bills are mentioned which might be suitable for introduction by Private Members. We shall need a better supply for issue to Government supporters who may succeed in the Ballot and ask for suitable Bills. It may be that some of the Bills listed in Groups IV and VI of the provisional programme would be appropriate for this purpose.
5. Lastly, the Committee wish to stress the following points connected with the preparation of legislation for the 1951-52 Session:-
(i) We must provide for having a substantial number of Bills ready for introduction as soon as the new Session begins. The bulk of the Bills in the programme should be ready before Christmas if we are to avoid the sort of situation which arose last autumn when the House on several occasions adjourned early through shortage of Bills, although there was a substantial programme of legislation for the Session.
(ii) Too heavy a burden of legislation should not be placed on any one
Department.
(iii) The approval of this memorandum by the Cabinet does not authorise any Minister to anticipate The King's Speech on the Opening of Parliament by promising that a Bill mentioned in the annexed list will be introduced next Session.
6. To sum up, the Cabinet are invited:
(1) To agree that, pending the formulation of a final legislative programme for the 1951-52 Session, Parliamentary Counsel should proceed with the preparation of the Bills listed in the Annex, subject to prior policy approval being secured in each case.
(2) To authorise the Committee on Future Legislation to review from time to time the progress made with the preparation of legislation for the 1951-52 Session and to make such minor amendments in the provisional programme as may seem desirable.
J. C. E.
Home Office, S.W.17
Page 425th, 1951.
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Bill
3
ANNEX
319