97 preceded the establishment of the Law Commission.  One of these was that Law Commission   Reports   should,   under   the   Law   Commission   Act,   have   an automatic first reading and introduction to Parliament, and be referred directly to  Select  Committee  for  consideration.   This  proposal  proved  unacceptable  to the  Cabinet  of  that  day  and  the  evaluator’s  assessment  is  that  it  would  prove unacceptable to the Cabinet of this day.  It is not recommended.    370.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  given  the  somewhat  desultory  consideration  that  has been  given  to  Law  Commission  Reports  by  successive  Governments,  there needs to be some means of getting the Reports on the agenda so that they are at least considered.    371.  In  the  end,  the  only  effective  mechanism  for  progressing  Law  Commission proposals  is  for  the  Government,  on  the  basis  that  it  supports  the  proposed policy, to provide a place on the legislative programme each year for some Law Commission projects.    372.  The  resources  necessary  to  support  the  Government’s  legislative  programme, particularly drafting resources, are scarce.  They need to be husbanded carefully.   Despite the expansion of Parliamentary Counsel Office in recent years it is still not big enough for the insistent demands that are made upon it.    373.  It is not feasible to bypass the Government’s legislative programme and no step  is  being  recommended  here  that  will  have  that  result.    But  one proposal that has been put to all the persons interviewed by the evaluator, and   which   attracted   no   opposition   and   much   support,   was   that   the Government should treat a Law Commission Report in the same way as it treats a Select Committee Report.    374.  Standing  Order  248  of  the  Standing  Orders  of  the  New  Zealand  House  of Representatives (1999) provides as follows:    248. Government response to select committee reports (1)   The Government must, not more than 90 days after a select committee report has   been   presented,   present   a   paper   to   the   House   responding   to   any recommendations of the committee which are addressed to it.    (2)   No  response  under  this  Standing  Order  is  required  in  respect  of  select committee   reports   on   bills,   Supplementary   Order   Papers,   questions   of privilege,   Estimates,   Supplementary   Estimates   and   financial   reviews   of