New legislation is pending in respect of all this, if U understand Lord Bassam of Brighton's reply above in Hamish's initial post.

This would mean that somewhere someone, or more likely a committee of some kind, has been given the job of drawing up draft legislation. And that would normally include a duty of consulting with relevant people, and allowing member of the public to make representations.

So that is the information that we need, so that people like us can make our representations. It's obviously better if possible to get these sort of things right while the legislation or regulations are being drafted, rather than try to get them amended at a later stage.

So any information about that Hamish, or anyone?

This seems to have developed into an exchange between four of us - but there must be other people with useful contributions to make. Especially maybe on that point I raised about what happens elsewhere, especially perhaps Ireland.

Since this is getting rather long, I've started a part 2, with a new title, since that might get a few other people involved.Sessions under threat in the UK?. So I suggest that we adjourn there.