The Relevant Authorities (Standards Committee) (Amendment) Regulations 2006

Citation, commencement and application

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Relevant Authorities (Standards Committee) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 1st March 2006.

(2) These Regulations apply in relation to relevant authorities in England(1), other than parish councils, and to police authorities in Wales.

Amendment of the Relevant Authorities (Standards Committee) Regulations 2001

2.  In regulation 7 of the Relevant Authorities (Standards Committee) Regulations 2001 (application of the Local Government Act 1972)(2)—

(a) for paragraph (1), substitute—

“(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) to (4), Part 5A of the 1972 Act(3) shall apply in relation to meetings of a standards committee, or sub-committee of a standards committee, of an authority as it applies to meetings of a principal council in England.”; and

(b) for paragraph (4), substitute—

“(4) Where a meeting of a standards committee, or a sub-committee of a standards committee, is convened to consider a matter referred under the provisions of section 60(2) or (3), 64(2), 70(4) or (5) or 71(2) of the Act, the provisions of Parts 1 to 3 of Schedule 12A to the 1972 Act(4) shall apply as if, after paragraph 7 of that Schedule, the following descriptions of exempt information were inserted—

“7A.   Information which is subject to any obligation of confidentiality.

7B.   Information which relates in any way to matters concerning national security.

7C.   The deliberations of a standards committee or of a sub-committee of a standards committee established under the provisions of Part 3 of the Local Government Act 2000 in reaching any finding on a matter referred under the provisions of section 60(2) or (3), 64(2), 70(4) or (5) or 71(2) of that Act.”.”

Signed by authority of the First Secretary of State

Phil Woolas

Minister of State

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

18th January 2006