§ Mr. du Cannasked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission how many visits have been made by each of the new Select Committees abroad and within the United Kingdom in each financial year and in the financial year to date since their appointment; and what was the cost of such visits to each Committee.
§ Mr. Arthur BottomleyThe information requested is as follows:
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Numbers and costs of visits by financial years 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 (to date) Committee Number of Total cost Number of Total cost Number of Total cost visits £ visits £ visits £ Abroad — — 3 14,781.81 1 12,775.14 Within United Kingdom 6 942.32 14 1,198.74 2 71.69 Employment Abroad — — 2 12,263.51 1 4,049.90 Within United Kingdom 4 166.75 4 4,269.81 3 1,983.14 Energy Abroad — — 2 18,542.34 1 20,690.99 Within United Kingdom — — 3 1,029.85 1 24929 Foreign Affairs Abroad — — 3 33,899.07 4 16,289.06 Within United Kingdom — — — — 1 38806 Home Affairs Abroad — — 1 10,592.17 1 33.35 Within United Kingdom — — 6 1,307.02 — — Industry and Trade Abroad — — 2 31,006.06 1 2,989.00 Within United Kingdom — — — — 1 24.15 Scottish Affairs Abroad — — 1 1,914.69 1 2,837.23 Within United Kingdom 3 2,380.76 16 5,332.29 7 2,517.78 Social Services Abroad — — — — 1 8,361.72 Within United Kingdom 2 752.54 3 1,559.89 1 2,119.64 Transport Abroad 1 916.94 1 2,154.88 2 18,352.38 Within United Kingdom 1 13.80 — — — — Welsh Affairs Abroad — — — — — — Within United Kingdom 1 471.70 1 865.74 — — Notes:
(i) In some cases expenses of visits taking place in one Financial Year may be settled in the following year.
(ii) Some accounts connected with visits in 1981–82 are still outstanding.
§ Mr. du Cannasked the Lord President of the Council which of the reports of the new Select Committees have been debated in the House; and what percentage of the total number of reports published this represents.
§ Mr. Pymthe following reports made by new Select Committees have been the subject of specific motions debated in the house:
Second Report 1979–80 of the Home Affairs Committee on Race Relations and the 'Sus' Law.
Second Report 1979–80 of the Social Services Committee on Perinatal and Neonatal mortality.
This represents under 2 per cent. of the reports produced. Other reports made by the new Select Committees have of course been within the scope of debates on related matters or Adjournment motions.
§ Mr. du Cannasked the Lord President of the Council if he will list the number of formal evidence sessions for each of the new Select Committees in each financial year to date.
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§ Mr. PymThe information requested is as follows:
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1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 to date Agriculture 8 16 15 Defence 4 30 20 Education, Science and Art 13 27 25 Employment 12 36 28 Energy 7 23 24 Environment 0 11 7 Foreign Affairs 10 22 14 Overseas Development Sub-Committee 5 18 8 Home Affairs 12 18 6 Race Relations and Immigration Sub- Committee 9 23 10 Industry and Trade 10 22 16 Scottish Affairs 5 18 16 Social Services 10 24 25 Transport 4 31 27 Treasury and Civil Service 5 22 15 Treasury and Civil Service Sub-Committee 2 9 15 Welsh Affairs 4 41 15
§ Mr. du Cannasked the Lord President of the Council if he will list the number of memoranda presented by Government Departments to each of the new Select Committees since their appointment.
§ Mr. PymThe information requested is as follows:
Agriculture 30 Defence 81 Education, Science and Arts 48 Employment 9 Energy 40 Environment 9 Foreign Affairs 122 Overseas Development Sub-Committee 65 Home Affairs 22 Race Relations and Immigration Sub-Committee 25 Industry and Trade 94 Scottish Affairs 41 Social Services 32 Transport 23 Treasury and Civil Service and Sub-Committee 102 Welsh Affairs 13
§ Mr. du Cannasked the Lord President of the Council what is the percentage attendance rate of hon. Members for each of the new Select Committees; and what is the percentage turnover of hon. Members on each of these Committees since their inception.
§ Mr. PymThe information requested is as follows:
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Average Annual Average Annual Attendance Turnover per cent. per cent. Agriculture 82 13 Defence 62 4 Education, Science and Arts 74 11 Employment 69 15 Energy 70 9 Environment 69 24 Foreign Affairs 74 9 Overseas Development Sub- Committee 67 19 Home Affairs 83 15 Race Relations and Immigration Sub- committee 91 6
Average Annual Average Annual Attendance Turnover per cent. per cent. Industry and Trade 79 7 Scottish Affairs 82 31 Social Services 71 11 Transport 70 4 Treasury and Civil Service 89 16 Treasury and Civil Service Sub- Committee 73 14 Welsh Affairs 80 12
§ Mr. du Cannasked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will list in the Official Report, the total cost of specialist advisers to all Select Committees for each financial year and the financial year to date and for the new Select Committees established in 1979, as well as listing the total number of hours and days advisers worked.
§ Mr. Arthur BottomleyThe total costs of all Specialist Advisers and the days worked by them from the setting up of the new style Select Committees in 1979 are as follows:
Financial Year Total Cost £ *Days Worked 1979–80 8,150.77 1553/4 1980–81 126,937.62 2,425¼ 1981–82 (to date) 118,264.72 1,827¼ Information included above but relating only to new style Select Committees established in 1979–80 is as follows:
Financial Year Total Cost *Days worked £ 1979–80 7,654.77 1433/4 1980–81 124,966.81 2,384¼ 1981–82 (to date) 117,963.72 1,823¼ *The figures include an aggregation of hours worked.