Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

Ever since this Government came to power we have always published explanatory memorandums, and we have every intention of continuing to do so. We publish them in relation not only to treaties but to a wide range of other documents that we publish, and that is the right thing to do. The hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Grieve) rightly said that sometimes the explanatory memorandums are not exactly very explanatory. Indeed, sometimes a greater cloud of unknowing than before descends on one after reading the explanatory memorandum. However, there is a technical difficulty with explanatory memorandums, which is that if we enter into too much explanation, we are to some extent extemporising on the text itself, and the danger is that we are then entering into a further level of debate, rather than explaining in legal terms what the treaty does.