§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish his consultative document on the law of trespass; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitelawAs indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn and Hatfield (Mr. Murphy) on 11 November—[Vol. 31, c. 218]—the examination of the law of trespass which I have carried out in consultation with my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor and my right hon. and learned Friend, the Attorney-General, identified a number of issues on which I believe wider consultation and public discussion to be necessary before conclusions can be reached on the need for changes in the law. As a basis for such discussions I am issuing today a consultative document, copies of which are being sent, for comment, to a wide range of organisations and interested individuals. Copies of the paper are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses and will also be available from my Department on request.