§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many non-Government public bodies funded by his Department have an interest in environment matters; how many of these have been in existence since October 1988 and how many existed before that date.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThree of the executive non-departmental public bodies (the Countryside Commission, the National Rivers Authority and the Nature Conservancy Council) and two of the advisory bodies (the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee and the Royal Commission on environmental pollution) currently sponsored by the Department have major environmental responsibilities. Of these only the National Rivers Authority, created in September 1989, did not exist in October 1988. Many of the other non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department also make significant contributions to restoring, protecting or enhancing the urban or rural environment. All non-departmental public bodies are listed in the annual Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies".