§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor reecived written advice from the Training Advisory Committee; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralWritten advice was last received on 29 November 1977 on the subject of obligatory refresher training for magistrates. The reconstituted committee is currently considering the detailed implementation of this advice.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Supreme Rule Committee; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThis body is not advisory, but is the rule-making authority for the Supreme Court. The Lord Chancellor is the chairman. An instrument 147W embodying amendments made to the rules in the past two weeks will shortly be laid before Parliament.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Statute Law Committee; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThis committee supervises the indexation and publication of statute law and does not offer advice. The Lord Chancellor is himself chairman of the committee and the Attorney-General is a member.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Royal Commission on legal services, England, Wales and Northern Ireland; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe report of the Royal Commission on legal services was published on 3 October 1979. The Government have accepted the commission's recommendation relating to ministerial responsibility for legal aid. An order will be laid before the House transferring to the Lord Chancellor responsibility for legal aid in criminal proceedings in England and Wales and it is intended that the Lord Chancellor will also assume responsibility for both civil and criminal legal aid in Northern Ireland when this is administratively possible.
The commission's report contains over 350 other recommendations, relating to legal services. Those whose implementation rests with the Government require consideration with interested parties. This is now taking place.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Matrimonial Causes Rule Committee; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThis body is not advisory, but is the rule-making authority for the purposes of matrimonial causes. The Lord Chancellor is the chairman.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor 148W received written advice from the Legal Services Advisory Committee and Legal Services Conference; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe Legal Services Conference does not advise the Lord Chancellor directly; it communicates its views to the Legal Aid Advisory Committee, which makes an annual report to the Lord Chancellor. The last such report was submitted on 19 October 1979, and is still under consideration. Action has been taken on three matters: a decision on ministerial responsibility for legal aid in criminal cases, the introduction of assistance by way of representation and legal advice and assistance for children in appropriate cases.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Law Reform Committee; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe last (22nd) report of this committee was received on 17 March 1980. It will be published later this month, and the Government will then consider what action to take.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Law Commission; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralOn 8 April 1980. The Bill recommended in this advice (Law Com. No. 101) has now received its First Reading in another place.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Land Registration Rules Advisory Committee; and what action they have taken as a result.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Insolvency Rules Advisory Committee; and what action they have taken as a result.
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The Solicitor-GeneralIn November 1979. Acting on this advice, the Lord Chancellor as the rule-making authority has made the Bankruptcy (Amendment) Rules 1979 (S. I. 1979/1590) and the Companies Winding Up (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 1979 (S. I. 1979/1592).
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Crown Court Rule Committee; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThis body is not advisory but is the rule-making authority for the Crown court. The Lord Chancellor is chairman. The committee last made rules amending the Crown court rules in 1978, but is shortly to consider further amendments.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the County Court Rule Committee; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThis body is not advisory but is the rule-making authority for the county courts. On 1 May 1980 the committee submitted to the Lord Chancellor certain new rules which it had made. The Lord Chancellor has allowed these rules and they will shortly be embodied in a statutory instrument.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Council of Tribunals, excluding the Scottish Committee; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe annual report of the council was laid before Parliament on 22 January 1980. The report is an account of the activities of the council during the previous year and calls for no specific action by the Government.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Circuit Advisory Committees; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralCircuit advisory committees do not submit written advice150W to the Lord Chancellor or the Attorney-General.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Advisory Council on Public Records; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe annual report of the council was received last week and will shortly be laid before Parliament, together with the forthcoming report of the Keeper of Public Records.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Advisory Committees on Juvenile Court Lay Panels (Northern Ireland); and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralOn 14 March 1980. As a result 11 new appointments have been made to the panel, and 86 existing appointments renewed.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Advisory Committee on the Juvenile Court Panel (London); and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralOn 14 December 1979. As a result 44 new appointments were made to the relevant commission on 26 March 1980 with a view to these justices sitting in due course on the juvenile court panel.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace (Northern Ireland); and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThese advisory committees—eight in all—submit written advice to the Lord Chancellor whenever appointments are needed in their areas. The most recent submission came from two of the committees in 1978. Acting on this advice the then Lord Chancellor made 24 new appointments to the appropriate commission.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the 151W Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-General97 advisory committees on justices of the peace in England and Wales, excluding the Duchy of Lancaster, regularly and frequently submit written advice to the Lord Chancellor. The most recent was received on 2 May 1980 and is now being considered.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThere are 78 advisory committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax in England and Wales which report to the Lord Chancellor. They report whenever they wish to recommend further appointments to tax divisions in their respective areas. The latest received was from the Advisory Committee for West Yorkshire on 1 May 1980. Two appointments were recommended and are being considered.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Attorney-General when last he and the Lord Chancellor received written advice from the Lay Observer; and what action they have taken as a result.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe Lay Observer does not submit written advice, but an annual report on the discharge of his functions. The last (5th) annual report was laid before Parliament on 2 April 1980.