§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has information available to him on the number of local authorities which do not admit the press or public to meetings of their committees; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. KingLocal authorities are required by law to admit the public to meetings of their committees. A404W committee may, however, by resolution exclude the public, and this includes the press, from all or part of a meeting if publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest because of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted or for other special reasons stated in the resolution. The provisions are contained in section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 as applied by section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972.
I have no information about the extent to which committees make use of the power to exclude the public.