§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish as at 8 March 1979 the total number of quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations in existence and their total annual costs, including all costs for administration and office upkeep on an annual basis, together with similar details for October 1974.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisThere is no official definition of the term quasi autonomous non-governmental organisation. Public bodies to which Ministers make paid appointments are listed in the "Directory of Paid Public Appointments made by Ministers" first published in 1976 and re-issued in 1978 when the total number of such bodies was 360. No equivalent figure for 1974 is available.
Information about the total annual costs or costs for administration and office up keep, of these organisations is not held centrally, but I refer my hon. Friend to the replies being provided by the Ministers responsible to a series of questions from the hon. Member for St. Marylebone (Mr. Baker).