§ 40. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will publish a list of official advisory committees of Her Majesty's Government giving the terms of reference, when each was appointed and the names and qualifications of the chairman and each of its members.
§ Mr. H. BrookeThere are a great number of such committees, and I am afraid it would involve a quite disproportionate amount of time and work to collect a complete list of them, with the names and qualifications of each of their members.
§ Mr. FreemanIs it not a fact that this information is of great importance to hon. Members, and that there is no information on the subject even in the Library? Can the hon. Gentleman take some steps to publish this information upon which the country develops its activities, in view of its great importance to the public?
§ Mr. BrookeThese committees are concerned with a number of different Departments. If the hon. Gentleman will indicate some particular subject in which he is specially interested. I, or the Minister concerned, will do our best.
§ Mr. FreemanAre not hon. Members interested in one or more of these advisory committees, in view of the fact that the Government rely upon them to a large extent? Should we not, therefore, have that information, and could it not be published in the form of a White Paper, or otherwise?
§ Mr. BrookeI think that all the information is available but this Question asks that an enormous amount of research be undertaken to collate it and print it in HANSARD.