§ Lord ALLEN of ABBEYDALE asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ What progress has been made to implement Recommendations 33 to 35 1058 of the Report of the Royal Commission on Standards of Conduct in Public Life.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Harris of Greenwich): The Government accept in principle Recommendations 33–35 of the Report of the Royal Commission on Standards of Conduct in Public Life. New procedures, based on those recommended by the Royal Commission, have been prepared in consultation with those concerned, and are set out in a circular to chief officers of police in England and Wales with the request that they be implemented as soon as possible. A copy of the circular has been placed in the Library.
§ Similar arrangements will apply in Northern Ireland. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland hopes to make an announcement shortly about the arrangements in Scotland.
§ The Government hope that these arrangements will receive wide publicity. The National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux is being sent information about the new arrangements. In response to the Royal Commission's recommendations, H.M. Chief Inspector of Constabulary and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis will comment on public sector corruption in their annual reports to my right honourable friend.
§ The Government are satisfied that these new arrangements will meet the Royal Commission's objectives of ensuring that the arrangements are such that no one should feel inhibited from reporting any allegation of corruption in public life and that inquiries into such reports will be properly co-ordinated.
§ House adjourned for the Whitsun Recess at twenty minutes before twelve o'clock.