§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Working Party on Magistrates' Courts; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. BrittanThe Working Party on Magistrates' Courts is a group in which568W officials and people who work in the magistrates' courts can exchange views on practical questions about the administration of and procedure in magistrates' courts. The eleventh report of the working party was issued to justices' clerks on 7 January 1980.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Television Advisory Committee; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. BrittanThe Television Advisory Committee was asked in January 1971 by the then Minister of Posts and Telecommunications to consider the technical developments which might affect broadcasting in the period after 1976. Its report submitted in November 1972 was not of a kind requiring specific action. The committee has not since been reconvened.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Standing Committee on Probation Manpower Needs; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe Committee, which tenders advice by discussion with my officials, last met on 28 November 1979. On its advice, I have made provision in the Government's expenditure plans for expansion of the probation and after-care service.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last received advice from the Standing Committee on Crime Prevention; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. BrittanAt its last meeting in November 1979 the committee recommended the publication of advice to the customers of cash-carrying companies on how to protect themselves against armed robbery. The Home Office will be publishing a guide on this subject shortly.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Race Relations Research Advisory Committee; and what action he has taken since as a result.
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§ Mr. RaisonWe have not so far had occasion to seek the advice of this committee.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Policy Advisory Committee on Sexual Offences; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. BrittanThis committee published a working paper last June on the age of consent in relation to sexual offences on which it has sought comments. We are awaiting its final views on this aspect of the law.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Police Advisory Board; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe board, which meets under my chairmanship, provides oral rather than written advice. It last met on 28 November 1979.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Mobile Radio Committee; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe advice I receive from the Mobile Radio Committee is recorded in the minutes of its meetings, the most recent of which was held on 19 February. Among the matters discussed then were the outcome of the World Administrative Radio Conference as it affected users of land mobile radio. Also discussed were the licensing of common base stations and the remote control of base stations, where action is being taken on the basis of the committee's advice.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received advice from the Home Office Committee on Training for Justices' Clerks' Assistants; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. BrittanThe Committee on Training for Justices' Clerks' Assistants considered in April 1979 a report on aspects of the future organisation of training, which the Home Office subsequently sent to interested bodies for comment. A570W working party of the committee will meet shortly to resume consideration of the matter.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Criminal Law Revision Committee; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. BrittanWe recently received the committee's report on offences against the person, which was published in March (Cmnd. 7844). We are studying its advice.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. BrittanThe council meets in May and November each year to consider a wide range of fire service matters; it last met in November 1979. Its recommendations are conveyed to us by its chairman—my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State. Following the November meeting my right hon. Friend received the written views of the constituent members of the council concerning his power to appoint chief fire officers. Those views are still being considered.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Central Committee on Common Police Services; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. BrittanThis is a working committee which enables the annual expenditure on common police services to be jointly examined and agreed by the Home Office and local authorities. This is usually done without any special difficulty and it is not necessary for the committee to give formal written advice.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugs; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. RaisonThe last written advice which we received from the council was in a report " Drug Dependants within the 571W Prison System in England and Wales" which was submitted last December. Arrangements are in hand for the report to be made available to the public and its recommendations are being studied.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last be received written advice from the Advisory Council on Race Relations; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. WhitelawI take the chair of the Advisory Council on Race Relations which includes ministers from other departments in its membership. The council's advice is tendered in the course of the discussions at its meetings and not in written form. The last meeting of the advisory council was held on 12 December 1979. The main items on the agenda concerned relations between ethnic minorities and the police and communications with ethnic minorities and activity in these fields will take account of those discussions.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Advisory Committee on Suspension and Revocation of Authorities for Wireless Personnel; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. RaisonA radio operator whose authority to operate has been suspended under section 7(2) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 has the right to require me to refer his case to this committee for advice. The last occasion on which advice was given was in November 1975 when the committee recommended in two cases that the suspension of the authority to operate should be terminated. This advice was accepted.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Advisory Committee on Service Candidates; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. BrittanThis committee was established by resolution of the House of Commons in 1963 to advise Service Ministers on the bona fides of Service personnel wishing to stand for Parliament. It last met before the May 1979 general elec-572W tion to interview three prospective candidates. I understand that on the recommendation of the committee two were released to contest the election.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Advisory Committee on Animal Experiments; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. WhitelawThis advisory committee, whose constitution I announced on 28 March, met for the first time on that day. I have already accepted its advice, conveyed orally to my officials, on a number of applications for authority to carry out experiments.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last he received written advice from the Advisory Board on Restricted Patients; and what action he has taken since as a result.
§ Mr. BrittanOn 12 March 1980. The board regularly sends written advice about proposals for the discharge or transfer of individual patients detained in hospital who are subject to the restrictions provided in section 65 of the Mental Health Act 1959. A summary of the advice received and action taken for the latest period for which figures are readily available was provided on 16 January 1980 in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Price).—[Vol. 976, c. 731–2.]