§ Mr. Adamsasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an undertaking that prospective justices of the peace will not be vetted for their political opinions.
§ Mr. YoungerThe justices of the peace advisory committees for each district and islands area, which advise me on the appointment of justices of the peace, are aware that the first and most important consideration is that those recommended should be personally suitable in character, integrity and understanding and recognised as such by those among whom they live and work. It has, however, been the established policy for many years that commissions of the peace should be broadly representative of all sections of the community which they serve. The advisory committees are therefore asked to have regard to, and to indicate, the political affiliations, if any, of those whom472W they recommend for appointment, with the object of ensuring that the justices as a whole reflect as far as possible the balance of political opinion among the general public in each commission area. This does not mean that an individual candidate's politics are either a qualification for or a disqualification from appointment; and indeed many of those appointed have not disclosed any political affiliation.