HC Deb 02 April 1963 vol 675 cc236-41
Q1. Sir B. Janner

asked the Prime Minister if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the committees of inquiry into social and economic matters including pay, appointed during the five years since 1958, naming in each case the chairman of each commission or committee, the length of time it took to report, the total number of members and the number of Members of Parliament.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)

Yes, Sir.

Sir B. Janner

Is the Prime Minister aware that a very considerable length of time elapses from the setting up of these commissions and their coming to decisions, and the time when the Government accept or refuse to accept those decisions? Will he say what he proposes to do about the jury system, which is accepted to be an anomaly? What does he propose to do between the time when the commission sits and when it comes to its findings in some way to remedy the situation that prevails?

The Prime Minister

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will study the Answer, which is very long, and then put any particular questions on it to me in due course.

Following is the information:

Appointed Subject Chairman Total number of Members Members of Parliament Time to report (in months)
Royal Commisions
Jan. 1960 Police Sir Henry Willink 15 2 17
March 1961 Press (1961–62) Lord Shawcross 7 None 18
Committees of Inquiry
Jan. 1958 Tenancy of Shops (Scotland) Mr. Ian H. Shearer, Q.C. 5 None 5
Feb. 1958 Funds in Court The Hon. Mr. Justice Pearson, C.B.E. 11 None 15
March 1958 Superannuation of University teachers Sir Edward Hale, K.B.E., C.B. 12 None 21
March 1958 Co-operation between Electricity and Gas Boards Sir Cecil Weir, K.C.M.G., K.B.E., M.C., D.L. 9 None 12
May 195S Composition of Milk Mr. J. W. Cook (now Sir James Cook) 15 None 26
May 1958 Examination of steam boilers in industry Sir George Honeyman, C.B.E., Q.C, J.P. 5 None 24
June 1958 Drug Addiction Sir Russell Brain, Bt. 8 None 30
June 1953 Business of the Criminal Courts The Hon. Mr. Justice Streatfeild, M.C. 9 None 30
June 1958 Grants to Students Sir Colin Anderson 16 None 24
July 1958 Matrimonial Proceedings in Magistrates' Courts The Hon. Mr. Justice Davies 11 2 5
July 1958 Medical Staffing Structure in the Hospital Service Professor Sir Robert Platt, Bt. 11 None 30
Sept. 1958 Human Artificial Insemination The Earl of Feversham, D.S.O. 9 None 22
Nov. 1958 Youth Service in England and Wales The Countess of Albemarle, D.B.E. 13 2 12
April 1959 Solid smokeless fuels Mr. N. M. Peech 4 None 12
April 1959 Coal Derivatives Mr. A. H. Wilson, F.R.S. 8 None 16
May 1959 Sheep Recording and Progeny Testing Mr. Ivor R. Morris, J.P. 14 None 21
May 1959 Probation Service Sir Ronald Morison, Q.C. 14 None 31 (36 mths. supplementary report on approved hostel system)
June 1959 Experimental importation of Charollaiscattle The Lord Terrington, K.B.E. 4 None 13
July 1959 Consumer Protection Mr. J. T. Molony, Q.C. 12 None 33
July 1959 Operation of the Truck Acts 1831 to 1940 Mr. David Karmel, Q.C. 9 None 20
July 1959 Control of Public Expenditure Lord Plowden, K.C.B., K.B.E. 4 None 21
Aug. 1959 Scottish Licensing Law The Rt. Hon. Lord Guest, Q.C. 12 None 16 (1st report.) Not yet reported finally.
Sept. 1959 Replacement of the "Queen" liners The Rt. Hon. Viscount Chandos, D.S.O., M.C. 3 None 8
Sept. 1959 Rural Bus Services Professor D. T. Jack, C.B.E., J.P. 12 None 18
Nov. 1959 Milk Distributors' Margins Sir Guy Thorold, K.C.M.G. 6 None 24
Nov. 1959 Levy on Betting on Horse Races Sir Leslie Peppiatt, M.C. 7 None 5
Appointed Subject Chairman Total number of Members Members of Parliament Time to report (in months)
Committees of Inquiry—continued
Jan. 1960 Issue of sub pænas to secure attendance of witnesses and the production of documents before disciplinary tribunals The Rt. Hon. Viscount Simonds 3 None 4
Jan. 1960 Oriental, African, Slavonic and East European Studies Sir William Hayter, K.C.M.G. 5 None 16
Jan. 1960 Company Law The Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Jenkins 14 None 29
Feb. 1960 Need for further research into the effects of toxic sprays in agriculture Professor H. G. Sanders 10 None 20
July 1960 Magistrates' Courts in London His Honour Judge Aarvold, O.B.E., T.D. 7 None 16
July 1960 Future of Sound and Television Broadcasting Sir Harry Pilkington 11 None 21
July 1960 Policy and arrangements for dealing with Fowl Pest Professor Sir Arnold Plant 7 2 18
Oct. 1960 Legal Education for Students from Africa The Rt. Hon. Lord Denning 21 None 3
Oct. 1960 Difficulties in the Port of London concerning Ocean Shipowners' Tally Clerks Mr. H. Lloyd-Williams, C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C. 3 None 1
Oct. 1960 Sugar Confectionery and Food Preserving Wages Council (Great Britain) Sir George Honeyman, C.B.E., Q.C., J.P. 7 None 9
Jan. 1961 Limitation of Actions in cases of Personal Injury The Hon. Mr. Justice Davies 11 None 19
Feb. 1961 Higher Education The Lord Robbins, C.B. 12 None Not yet reported
March 1961 Scottish Electricity Mr. Colin Mackenzie, C.M.G. 7 None 18
March 1961 Docks and harbours of Great Britain Viscount Rochdale, O.B.E., T.D. 5 None 16
April 1961 Selection and training of supervisors Mr. D. C. Barnes (Undersecretary Ministry of Labour) 16 None 12
April 1961 Shipping Services to Northern Ireland Mr. D. V. House 3 None 18
May 1961 Law relating to Children and Young Persons (including that relating to Juvenile Courts in Scotland) The Hon. Lord Kilbrandon 13 None Not yet reported
June 1961 Grouping of London post-graduate institutes and hospitals and their joint use of facilities Sir George White Pickering 6 None 15
July 1961 Sunday Observance Law The Lord Crathorne 8 4 Not yet reported
Oct. 1961 Transport needs in the next twenty years Sir Robert Hall, K.C.M.G., C.B. 12 None 16
Nov. 1961 Award and withdrawal of teachers' certificates in Scotland The Rt. Hon. Lord Wheatley 22 None Not yet reported
Dec. 1961 Baking Wages Council (Scotland) Professor H. S. Kirkaldy, C.B.E. 7 None 12
Appointed Subject Chairman Total number of Members Members of Parliament Time to report (in months)
Committees of Inquiry—continued
Dec. 1961 Traffic signs on roads other than motorways Sir Walter Worboys 12 None Not yet reported
Dec. 1961 ways Decimal Currency The Earl of Halsbury 6 None Not yet reported
March 1962 The administrative and clerical staffing arrangements of the hospital service Sir Stephen Lycett Green, Bt. J.P. 7 None Not yet reported
March 1962 Scottish Salmon and trout fisheries Lord Hunter 7 None Not yet reported
April 1962 Marketing and Distribution of Fatstock and carcase meat Sir Reginald Verdon-Smith 7 None Not yet reported
Oct. 1962 To study contractual methods in the building and the civil engineering industries Sir Harold Banwell 12 None Not yet reported
Oct. 1962 Recruitment for the Veterinary Profession The Duke of Northumberland, K.G. 7 None Not yet reported
Nov. 1962 Demand for Agricultural Graduates Mr. C. I. C. Bosanquet 9 None Not yet reported