VOLUME &
10.1
ROYAL COMMISSIONS
RESTRICTED
CHAPTER 10
COMMISSIONS
-
10.1 10.4
If the necessity arose of appointing a Royal Commission on the internal affairs of a Dependent Territory (DT) very detailed consultation with the Officer Administering the Government (OAG) would be necessary. The procedure for setting up such a Commission is described in DSP Volume 1 under ROYAL COMMISSIONS
10.2
GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONS APPOINTED BY HMG IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
A Commission might be appointed by HMG in the United Kingdom to consider the affairs of a DT (or a number of DTs). Whenever such a Government Commission is proposed, the DT geographical Department(s) immediately inform Conferences and Visits Section, Protocol and Conference Department, who consult as necessary with the Personnel Departments and with DT Staffing Section regarding the administrative requirements of the Commission.
10.3
COMMISSIONS APPOINTED BY AN OAG
Such Commissions are regularly and frequently appointed, often under some appropriate Ordinance in force in the DT itself. The OAG may appoint such a Commission either at his own discretion or under Royal Instructions, Ordinances, or other legislation. The OAG seeks the assistance of the DT geographical Department in the setting up of such a Commission including advice as to precedents for similar Commissions in other DTS or elsewhere. He may also ask for the nomination of persons suitable to be appointed as members of such a Commission. Members of Commissions dealing with matters in which impartiality and lack of any local contacts is considered to be important (such as the salaries of public servants in a DT) are usually appointed from outside the DT itself. In these cases, the DT geographical Department acts as the agent of the DT Government in sounding out and arranging the appointment of members of the Commission but the actual appointments are made by letter from the OAG or an official of the Government of the DT. If the DT Government has an Office in London, that Office may sound out and arrange the appointment of members of Commissions. For Commissions of Enquiry following crises or disturbances, see para 11.6.
10.4
LISTS OF PERSONS SUITABLE FOR APPOINTMENT ON COMMISSION
The DT Staffing Section maintains and keeps up to date lists of persons to be recommended to the Governments of DTs for appointments on Commissions. The Civil Service Department keeps a list of persons suitable for Commission or Committee work, and Legal Advisers also have access to a list, kept by the Lord Chancellor, of persons with judicial or legal experience. Departments may if necessary apply for access to such lists either direct to the Civil Service Department or (for the Lord Chancellor) through an FCO Legal Adviser.
October 1978
51
RESTRICTED