§ Rev. Martin Smythasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation to provide for elected councillors in England and Wales to sign a declaration abjuring violence along the lines of that proposed for Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeThe Widdicombe committee on the conduct of local authority business recommended that all local authority councillors in Great Britain should have to make a declaration before exercising their office; that this should have a status similar to the oath sworn, or affirmation made, by juries; and that consideration should be given whether this declaration should be specific as to what the public duty of being a councillor entails. We are considering this recommendation.