Conditions for making emergency regulations
Civil Contingencies Bill
4:45 pm
Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Parliamentary Leader; Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, Plaid Cymru)
In rising to support the hon. Gentleman, I want to say that I think it is quite remarkable that the paragraph has been included. We have a provision that states:
''the existing legislation cannot be relied upon without the risk of serious delay'',
and then there is the provision that states:
''existing legislation might be insufficiently effective.''
I really cannot see the excuse for paragraph (b). If it is to stand, and the Government say, ''We can't be bothered to use the Library over there to find out whether there is a provision to help us. We'll carry on regardless, and find out some day that we've brought in legislation that wasn't necessary,'' that is an astonishing state of affairs.