Enquiry into thePractice and Effectsof Scientology
Report bySir John Foster, K.B.E., Q.C., M.P.
Published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, LondonDecember 1971
Contents
•
Introduction
•
1. THE BACKGROUND TO THE ENQUIRY
•(a) The Press •(b) Parliament •(c) Enquiries into Scientology abroad •(i) Australia •(ii) New Zealand •(iii) Canada •(iv) South Africa •(v) Rhodesia •
2. FORM AND SCOPE OF THE ENQUIRY
•(a) Principles •(b) Practice •
3. WHAT IS SCIENTOLOGY?
•(a) The Founder •(b) Organisation in the United Kingdom •(c) Finances •
4. THE THEORIES OF SCIENTOLOGY
•(a) Content •(b) Classification •
5. THE PRACTICES OF SCIENTOLOGY
•(a) Recruitment •(b) Contract •(c) Processing •(d) Children •
6. THE EFFECTS OF SCIENTOLOGY ON ITS FOLLOWERS
•
7. SCIENTOLOGY AND ITS ENEMIES
•
8. DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SCIENTOLOGY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
•(a) By Government Departments •(b) By local authorities •(c) In the private sector •
9. SCIENTOLOGY AND THE LAW
•(a) Therapy and claims to cure •(b) The privileged position of religious bodies •(c) Miscellaneous
Appendices
•I. Bibliographies •II. Glossary of Scientology terms •III. Correspondence with the Home Office
The Foster ReportCHAPTER 1:The Background to the Enquiry
(a) The Press
10. So far as I can ascertain, the Press in the United Kingdom first showed interest in Scientology in late 1960, when the headmistress of a private school in East Grinstead, who was undergoing a course in Scientology, was reported to be taking pupils of hers aged between 7 and 11 through an exercise in which they were asked to imagine that they were dead and turning to dust, as a result of which one small boy was said to have fainted. 11. Scientology did not become a matter of major concern for the Press again until the summer of 1966, when one of the national daily newspapers reported extensively on "The Case of the Processed Woman". From late 1967 onwards, Scientology received increasing adverse publicity in the Press. Much of this led to proceedings for libel: a schedule supplied to me by the Scientologists' Legal Officer at East Grinstead states that the Scientology Organisations started 29 libel actions in the English Courts between 1966 and 1970, but many of these are now described as "more or less inactive". One of them, in which the Scientologists sued Mr. Geoffrey Johnson-Smith, MP for what he said about them on television, has recently come to trial. Although I have seen from the newspapers that the Scientologists lost, I have not followed this trial, nor read any transcripts or reports.
(b) Parliament
12. The first mention of Scientology in Parliament came in a question put down by Lord Balneil for 7th February 1966, when he asked the then Minister of Health - "Whether he will initiate an Inquiry into the scope and practice in this country of so-called Scientology, and the practice of psychology for fee or reward by persons who have no medical or psychological qualifications". Mr. Kenneth Robinson replied: - "I am prepared to consider any demand for an inquiry, but I have not had one yet. I am aware that extravagant claims are made on behalf of Scientology, which are not generally accepted, and for my part would advise anyone who is considering a course of this kind to go to his doctor first." (2) When the question of an Inquiry into Scientology was again raised in the House on 5th December 1966, Mr. Robinson replied - "I do not think any further inquiry is necessary to establish that the activities of this organisation are potentially harmful. I have no doubt that Scientology is totally valueless in promoting health and, in particular, that people seeking help with problems of mental health can gain nothing from the attentions of this organisation." (3) 13. On 6th March 1967, Scientology was the subject of the Motion for the adjournment of the House and on that occasion came in for severe criticism from a number of Members. Replying to the debate. Mr. Robinson said: - "I do not want to give the impression that there is anything illegal in the offering by unskilled people