HC Deb 11 July 1963 vol 680 cc174-5W
66. Mr. Fletcher

asked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the criticisms contained in the annual report of the Council on Tribunals, he will seek to strengthen the powers of the Council to protect the rights of the individual against the Administration; and whether he will now give effect to the recommendations of the Whyatt Report.

67. Mr. D. Foot

asked the Attorney-General what consideration Her Majesty's Government have given to the Annual Report of the Council on Tribunals for 1962; and whether they will now introduce legislation to amend the Tribunals and Inquiries Act, 1958, by providing that the Council shall not be confined to consideration of statutory inquiries which Ministers are under a duty to hold but may in future concern itself with statutory inquiries which Ministers in the exercise of their discretion may hold.

The Attorney-General

The proposal to extend the Council's jurisdiction in regard to statutory inquiries requires careful consideration. My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is not satisfied that the suggestion made by the Council in its Report would be found satisfactory in practice, but he has told Lord Tenby that he is prepared to consider any further suggestions which the Council may put forward. So far as the recommendations in the Whyatt Report are concerned, I have nothing to add to the statement I made on the 8th November last year.

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