§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will introduce a statutory instrument under Section 2(3) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 to extend the schedule to the Act to include sub-committees of local government authorities;
42W(2) if he will take steps to compel local authorities which have failed to comply with paragraph 12 of his Department's circular 45/75 to give the public and Press the right to attend the sub-committee meetings of all local government authorities.
§ Mr. FreesonNo. The Government have no power to compel authorities in this matter, although they have made it clear that sub-committees should be open save only where the council resolves to exclude the public on grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest. I am sure local authorities act responsibly and that there is no need either for an amendment to primary legislation or a statutory instrument to compel them to open their sub-committees.