§ Mr. SimsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to take steps, ahead of Royal Assent, to implement any provisions of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Bill.
§ Mr. HowardI intend that the new police authorities should be set up this autumn to prepare for the assumption of their full responsibilities from 1 April 1995. Under the terms of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Bill currently before Parliament, the new authorities will include independent members who are neither councillors nor magistrates. I intend to undertake an advertising exercise at a cost not exceeding £40,000, so that members of the public can apply for appointment as an independent560W member of their police authority. No appointments will be made until the Police and Magistrates' Courts Bill has become law. The appointments will be made by the councillor and magistrate members of the new police authorities.
Parliamentary approval for expenditure on this new service will be sought in a summer supplementary estimate for the Home Office administration, immigration, probation and police support services, England and Wales vote, class VIII, vote 3. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £40,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.