§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply, Written Answers, Official Report, 11 June, column 83, quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations, if he will list the costs of these, the membership and salaries and expenses of the members, the meetings held and what action he proposes to take to reduce this aspect of Government expenditure.
§ Mr. MayhewThe latest estimates of total costs to my Department of the bodies listed relate to the year 1979–80 and are as follows:
£ Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service 10,127,000 Central Arbitration Committee 1,030,900 Certification Office for Trade Unions and Employers Associations 167,100 Health and Safety Commission 53,516,000 Industrial Tribunals 5,995,000 Manpower Services Commission 621,083,000 Included in this figure are the costs of Industrial Training Boards £42,600,000 and Levy Exemption Referees (Industrial Training) expenses £,1000. National Dock Labour Board Contribution by Department of Employment to salaries of Chairman and Vice-Chairman 13,990 Remploy Ltd. 31,049,000 Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal Panel to consider Representations about Licences. (Employment Agencies Act1973). -78,000 (separate provision not readily identifiable) Wages Councils
Memberships of the principal bodies concerned are shown in the publication "A Directory of Paid Public Appointments made by Ministers", a copy of which is in the Library. The salary rates shown therein have since been updated 343W in accordance with the recommendations of the Review Body on Top Salaries, reports Nos. 10 and 11.
It is not possible to identify separately the expenses paid to members, but such payments involve reimbursement of necessary expenditure on travel, meals, etc.
Meetings of the bodies concerned are held to meet their own requirements and, because of the work involved, I could not undertake to provide a list of such meetings. At the request of the Prime Minister I am undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility. The dissolution of the Royal Commission on the distribution of income and wealth has been announced. The figure given above for the Manpower Services Commission reflects a reduction in 1979–80 of £72 million compared with the Estimates published by the previous Administration. We shall also be considering expenditure plans for 1980–81 and beyond of the Commission and the other bodies.