From plmlp@mail.bris.ac.uk Tue Aug 15 15:32:16 BST 1995

The following is the Home Office's response to the many letters to the
Home Secretary asking for a full enquiry into Scientology. (The thousands
of leaflets handed out around the country by Families Under Scientology
Stress included the letter as a tear-off-and-sign section)

HOME OFFICE
Queen Anne's Gate London SW1H 9AT

Dear Mr Poulter

Thanks you for your recent letter in support of a Government enquiry into
scientology.

The Government has considerable sympathy for those whose lives have been
adversely affected by their involvement in new religious movements. It
understands the concerns that you have about new religious movements,
including scientology, and considers that some of these groups may have an
influence that is unhealthy. The Government does, however, have no powers
to proscribe such groups. Anyone who suspects any group of acting
illegally, for example, by acting fraudulently or obtaining money by
deception, should have no hesitation in contacting the police. Thus, for
example, if you have any evidence of allegedly criminal activity on the
part of those involved in scientology in the UK, then this evidence should
be brought to the attention of the police who have full powers to
investigate. 

You may wish to know that the Government has recently announced, in reply
to a Parliamentary Question from Alex Carlile, MP, that it has no plans
for an enquiry in to the activities and status of scientology.

					Yours sincerely,

					MISS F HAWKSLEY
					D Division

Reaction to this: at least there has been *some* response -a question has
been asked in Parliament- but there's still no sign of action
from the government. Ho hum; time for another round of letter-writing.

That the government has no power to proscribe the Co$ is irrelevant: as
far as I know, nobody associated with FUSS wants to ban them. What we want
is common-sense legislation to protect people from unscrupulous or
unethical systems of therapy. If such laws were in place, Scientology
would have to choose between severely cleaning up its act and giving up
the sale of auditing. As well as being dictated by common sense, these
recommendations were made in the government's own enquiry into
scientology; the Foster Report of 1971. We are still waiting to know why
after 24 years these recommendations have not been taken up.

FUSS also has other concerns. For example, why is Scientology allowed to
present itself as a church (like writing "Church of Scientology" in huge
letters on the front of their shop in central London) when in this country
it is legally a *business*?? Does this not give a misleading image to the
public (to the financial advantage of the Co$)?