§ Mr. DevlinTo ask the Prime Minister if he will transfer responsibility for funding citizens advice bureaux from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Office of Public Service and Science.
§ The Prime MinisterCitizens advice bureaux are funded directly by local authorities. The Department of Trade and Industry provides grant-in-aid to the National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux and Citizens' Advice Scotland which provide the support services to citizens advice bureaux. The Government do not believe that it would be helpful to separate the funding of either body from the wider consumer protection role of the Department of Trade and Industry.