Post-Legislative Scrutiny

My right honourable friend the Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal (Harriet Harman MP) has made the following Statement in the House of Commons. I am pleased to announce that I am today publishing Post-legislative Scrutiny—the Government's Approach (Cm7320). The new process for post-legislative scrutiny introduces a systematic approach for strengthening the scrutiny of laws after they have been enacted by Parliament. The aim is to complement the Government's internal departmental scrutiny with parliamentary scrutiny, principally by committees of the House of Commons, to provide a reality check of new laws after three to five years. Copies of the document can be obtained from the Printed Paper Office. Our decisions were informed by the Law Commission report Post-Legislative Scrutiny—Cm 6945, published on 25 October 2006, following a request from Government. We are most grateful to the commission for its thoughtful and considered review.