§ 36. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Attorney-General whether he will seek to arrange that members of the Council on Tribunals attending tribunals in their official capacity are not expelled from 420 the room whilst the tribunal goes into private session.
§ The Attorney-General (Sir Elwyn Jones)I presume that the hon. Gentleman has in mind National Insurance and Industrial Injuries Tribunals. The Regulations relating to these require that, for the purpose of arriving at their decision or discussing any question of procedure, the tribunal shall order all persons other than the clerk to withdraw.
These provisions were inserted on the advice of the National Insurance Advisory Committee and the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. These are statutory bodies appointed to advise my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance on the discharge of her functions under the relevant Acts. Any amendment of the Regulations would be a matter for my right hon. Friend. I understand that she has it in mind to refer this point to her advisory bodies at the next convenient opportunity.
§ Mr. KingI thank the Attorney-General for his concluding words. Is it not a fact that the intentions of Parliament are completely defeated if members of the Council are expelled from the room at the very point where decisions are taken?
§ The Attorney-GeneralIt depends on the nature of the tribunal. Many tribunal hearings are concerned with intimate personal or financial matters, for instance, the General and Special Commissioners of Income Tax Tribunal. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman would not desire publicity to be given to what goes on in private in such a tribunal.