HL Deb 18 October 1999 vol 605 cc103-4WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether procedures are being devised to enable local authorities to seek advice and guidance from government departments about the implementation of the Human Rights Act 1998. [HL4109]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Whitty)

Under our Central Local Partnership arrangements, the Local Government Association (LGA), is a member of the Government's Human Rights Task Force. Jointly with the LGA we have issued to every council copies of our introductory guidance,Putting Rights into Public Service, and councils will receive more detailed guidance for public bodies, to be published shortly. We are continuing to work with the LGA to enable councils to have the advice they need from central government.