HC Deb 15 December 1977 vol 941 cc353-4W
Mr. Brittan

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to take steps to implement the recommendations of the Interdepartmental Committee of the Law of Contempt as it affects Tribunals of Inquiry, Command Paper Number 4078, June 1969.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

In May 1973 the then Government, in a White Paper (Cmnd. 5313) stating their views on the Report of the Interdepartmental Committee, said that since future tribunals would have the benefit of the Committee's Report to serve as a guide when considering whether any particular action should be treated as contempt, legislation to amend the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 was not called for. I see no reason to differ from that view.