Clause 14 - Negative resolution procedure
Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill
6:00 pm
Oliver Heald (Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs & Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Assisted By Shadow Solicitor General), Constitutional Affairs; North East Hertfordshire, Conservative)
I am not satisfied with that. I fully accept the Minister’s point that there is a case for using the negative procedure to amalgamate forms, for example. However, it is not right that a law-making power to sub-delegate should be given under the negative procedure. As far as I can see from our discussion this morning, the Bill provides for such a power. That could happen by way of a negative order, although, as the Minister says, choices would be available to the Minister, and the Select Committee would have its role. However, it is not right to give an order-making power to sub-delegate under a negative procedure. I would therefore like to remove clause 14 from the Bill so that there is no explanation of the negative resolution procedure, which would make it very difficult to implement.