Delegated legislation:  A cautionary tale from the United Kingdom 64 The contents of this portion of the lecture relate to those of the previous portion more directly than may be apparent.  Statutory bulk leads, it seems, to unbridled pragmatism.    On  a  recent  visit  to  the  United  Kingdom,  I  was  briefed  by  First Parliamentary  Counsel  and  the  Law  Commission  in  England  on  the  Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill.  This Bill makes provision for reforming legislation on a wide scale and implementing recommendations of the United Kingdom Law Commissions.  It was introduced on 11 January 2006. 65 The breadth of the measure can best be understood by quoting its purpose clause, clause 1(1):²⁸ A  Minister  of  the  Crown  may  by  order  make  provision  for  either  or  both  of  the following purposes – (a) Reforming legislation; (b) Implementing recommendations of any one or more of the United Kingdom Law Commissions, with or without changes.    66 In effect, this is law-making by delegated legislation.  There may be a case for dealing with recommendations of the Law Commissions in the manner suggested, but I do not advocate it.²⁹  It is even more difficult to see the case for reforming legislation on a broad front by way of delegated legislation.³⁰  The powers under this Bill could also be used to amend itself.    67 The   Bill   contains   a   number   of   checks   and   balances   against   invoking   the procedure.  There are a number of pre-conditions set out on exercise of the power.   Indeed, satisfaction of these conditions may make judicial review on the exercise                                                                                                                                ·  Government  departments  and  agencies,  Ministers  and  Members  of  Parliament responsible  for  the  development  and  enactment  of  new  legislation,  and  those who make submissions on Bills. 28   Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill 2006 (UK) cl 1(1). 29   Geoffrey  Palmer  and  Matthew  Palmer  Bridled  Power:  New  Zealand’s  Constitution  and Government (4 ed, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2004), ch 11 “Regulations and Red Tape”, 202–227; see also Michael Taggart “From ‘Parliamentary Powers’ to Privatisation: The Chequered History of Delegated Legislation in the Twentieth Century” (2005) 55 U Toronto  LJ  575;  and  Caroline  Morris  and  Ryan  Malone  Regulations  Review  in  the  New Zealand Parliament (2004) Macquarie LJ 7.   30   Michael Taggart, above n 29.   22