The parliamentary practice of legislating only for small portions of a subject at a time can create undue complexity in statute law. Acts relating to a particular subject often end up scattered over many years, and through the operation of clauses partially repealing or amending former acts, the specific meaning of the law regarding the subject becomes enveloped in intricate or contradictory expressions. For clarity, the law as expressed across many statutes is sometimes recast in a single statute, called a consolidation bill.[3]
These observations apply to the public general acts of the legislature. On the other hand, in settling local acts, such as those relating to railway and canal enterprise, the legislature always inserted certain clauses founded on reasons of public policy applicable to the business in question. To avoid the necessity of constantly re-enacting the same principles in local acts, their common clauses were embodied in separate statutes, and their provisions are ordered to be incorporated in any local act of the description mentioned therein. Such are the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act 1845 (8 & 9 Vict. c. 18),the Companies Clauses Act 1863 and the Railways Clauses Act 1863.[3]
Procedure
Consolidation bills are introduced in the House of Lords which, by convention, has primacy in these matters. The Lords has the only substantive discussion on the bill, at its second reading, before the bill is sent to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills, which may propose amendments to it. Subject to this, the Lords' third reading and all readings in the House of Commons are usually formalities and pass without debate.[1]
Most consolidation bills are proposed in the first instance by the Law Commission,[4][5] and it is this prior consideration that gives rise to the expedited process afforded to these bills.[5][6] Every consolidation bill proposed by the Law Commission has been passed by Parliament.[7]
The Petroleum Act 1998 (c. 17) and the Audit Commission Act 1998 (c 18) are consolidation acts.[17] The Audit Commission Act 1998 primarily consolidated the provisions of Part III of the Local Government Finance Act 1982, along with certain other legislation relating to the Audit Commission.[18]
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 2008. TSO. 2009. ISBN9780118404693. Part V (tables and index). Page 3211.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 2006. TSO. 2007. ISBN9780118404471. Part VI (tables and index). Pages i, j and 4941. (Each of these acts is a "Consolidation or Tax Law Rewrite Act").
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1999. The Stationery Office Limited. 2000. ISBN0 11 840381 8. Part III (tables and indexes). Page h.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1998. The Stationery Office Limited. 1999. ISBN0 11 840373 7. Part IV (tables and indexes). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1997. The Stationery Office Limited. 1998. ISBN0 11 840369 9. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1996. The Stationery Office Limited. 1998. ISBN0 11 840360 5. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998, section 1(2)(c), amending section 48 of 1996 c. 17.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1995. The Stationery Office Limited. 1997. ISBN0 11 840356 7. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1994. HMSO. London. 1995. ISBN0 11 840337 0. Part IV (tables and index). Pages g and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1993. HMSO. London. 1994. ISBN0 11 840330 3. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1992. HMSO. London. 1993. Part V (tables and index). ISBN0 11 840323 0. Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1991. HMSO. London. 1993. ISBN0 11 840314 1. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1990. HMSO. London. 1991. ISBN0 11 840302 8. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i and i.
^The Public General Acts 1989. HMSO. London. 1990. ISBN0 11 840292 7. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1988. HMSO. London. 1990. ISBN0 11 840290 0. Part V (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1987. HMSO. London. 1988. ISBN0 11 840275 7. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1986. HMSO. London. 1987. ISBN0 11 840272 2. Part V (tables and index). Pages k, l and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures Act 1985. HMSO. London. 1986. ISBN0 11 840256 0. Part V (tables and index). Pages k, l and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1984. HMSO. London. 1985. ISBN0 11 840244 7. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1983. HMSO. London. 1984. ISBN0 11 840234 X. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1983. HMSO. London. 1984. ISBN0 11 840234 X. Page i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1982. HMSO. London. 1983. ISBN0 11 840225 0. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1981. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840214 5. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1980. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840200 5. Part IV. Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1979. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840194 7. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1978. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840185 8. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1977. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840179 3. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1976. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840159 9. Part III (tables and index). Pages j, k and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1975. HMSO. London. 1976. Part I. Pages j to l.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1974. HMSO. London. 1975. ISBN0 11 840139 4. Part I. Pages i and j.
^The Public General Acts 1973. HMSO. London. 1974. ISBN0 11 840124 6. Part I. Pages i and j.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1972. HMSO. London. 1973. SBN 11 840114 9. Part I. Pages k and l.
^The Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1971. HMSO. London. 1972. Part I. Pages k and l.
^The Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1970. HMSO. London. 1971. Part I. Pages k and l.
^The Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1969. HMSO. London. 1970. Part I. Pages k and l.
^The Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1968. HMSO. London. 1969. Part I. Pages j and k.
^The Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1967. HMSO. London. 1968. Part I. Pages j to l. (The footnotes to the acts from c. 32 onwards read "Consolidated Act", but this looks like a typo).
^The Public General Acts 1966. HMSO. London. 1966. Pages i and j.
^The Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1965. HMSO. London. 1966. Part I. Pages j to l.
^The Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1964. HMSO. London. 1965. Volume I. Page j.