Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I have a succession of questions and I will not ask them altogether, partly because it might confuse me apart from anybody else. I like the delicate reference in the explanatory memorandum that the originals of many of these early statutes are either in London or were lost in the destruction in 1922. It makes one feel that there are two equal horrors — one is destruction and the other is being in London. We know what happened in 1922.

I do not dispute the principle that there must be some basis for all this ancient legislation. How is the Minister of State sure there are no conflicts between records of this early legislation in all of these sources? Have the experts searched and found or what? It seems that these are the records of 800 years done by people who had limited skills or access. What happens if there are conflicts?