Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960
Encyclopedia
The Public Bodies Act 1960 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
which allowed members of the public and press to attend meetings of certain public bodies. The Act is notable for having been initiated as a private member's bill
drawn up by Margaret Thatcher
, and also for being introduced in a maiden speech
, a unique feat for successful legislation. On 5 February 1960, Thatcher's speech was delivered without notes, and was lauded as the best maiden speech amongst the 1959
new intake.
The Act was introduced primarily to prevent circumvention of rules prohibiting councils from excluding the press by calling a Committee of the Whole
, a tactic that had been used by Labour
-controlled councils during an industrial dispute in the printing industry in 1958. A similar bill had been introduced a number of years earlier by Lionel Heald
, who helped guide Thatcher through the legislative process.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
which allowed members of the public and press to attend meetings of certain public bodies. The Act is notable for having been initiated as a private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
drawn up by Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, and also for being introduced in a maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
, a unique feat for successful legislation. On 5 February 1960, Thatcher's speech was delivered without notes, and was lauded as the best maiden speech amongst the 1959
United Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
new intake.
The Act was introduced primarily to prevent circumvention of rules prohibiting councils from excluding the press by calling a Committee of the Whole
Committee of the Whole
A Committee of the Whole is a device in which a legislative body or other deliberative assembly is considered one large committee. All members of the legislative body are members of such a committee...
, a tactic that had been used by Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
-controlled councils during an industrial dispute in the printing industry in 1958. A similar bill had been introduced a number of years earlier by Lionel Heald
Lionel Heald
Sir Lionel Frederick Heald, QC, PC, was a British barrister and Conservative Party politician.At the 1950 general election, Heald was elected as Member of Parliament for the Chertsey constituency in Surrey...
, who helped guide Thatcher through the legislative process.