§ 16. Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to ensure that all meetings of police authorities should be held in public.
§ Mr. Elystan MorganIt is open to police authorities to meet in public, and I hope that they will do so when their business is not confidential. I see no need for legislation.
§ Mr. AshleyIs my hon. Friend aware that the practice of the Stoke-on-Trent police authority of admitting the Press has been overruled by the Stafford members since the enforced amalgamation, and does he agree that the holding of meetings behind closed doors is to be strongly deplored?
§ Mr. MorganIt is not for me to comment upon the marriage between Stoke and Stafford police authorities but, whilst agreeing that there may be occasions when it is in the interests of confidentiality that such meetings should take place in private, nevertheless there are many occasions when it would be in the public interest for the information to be made public.