Public Bodies (Hansard, 25 April 1995)

§ Dr. Wright
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20496]

§ Sir Paul Beresford
Details of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my department are listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1994". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library. In addition to the bodies listed in that publication the Department now sponsors two further executive non-departmental public bodies. These areStonebridge housing action trust, Brent The National Forest Company
Each of these organisations produces and publishes an annual report and accounts. Production of the annual report is a statutory requirement except for the Letchworth Garden City corporation and the UK Eco-Labelling Board. Production of the annual accounts is a statutory requirement in all cases.
Housing action trusts voluntarily make the agendas and minutes for their meetings, except for confidential items, available to the public. Letchworth Garden City corporation voluntarily provides summary minutes available to the public. The minutes and agenda of meetings of the National Rivers Authority statutory committees—the flood defence, rivers advisory and fisheries advisory committees—are open to inspection by members of the public who attend meetings of these committees.
From 1995, registers of members' interests will voluntarily be made available for public inspection by all of the listed organisations with the exception of Letchworth Garden City corporation, the London residuary body, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the British Board of Agrement.

§ Dr Wright
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators, and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20656]

§ Sir. Paul Beresford
Details of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my department are listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1994". A copy is available in the House474W of Commons Library. In addition to the bodies listed in that publication the Department now sponsors two further executive non-departmental public bodies. These are: Stonebridge housing action trust, Brent The National Forest Company
All these 33 organisations are subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner with the exception of the Audit Commission, the British Board of Agrement, Letchworth Garden City corporation, the National Forest Company, the six housing action trusts and the London Pensions Fund Authority. The six housing action trusts and the London Pensions Fund Authority are subject to investigation by the Commission for Local Administration.
The London Pensions Fund Authority and the London residuary body are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission.
All the organisations can be subjected to scrutiny by the National Audit Office.
All the Departments' executive non-departmental public bodies are expected to adopt the Department's code of practice on open government or adopt a similar code of their own. This is not a statutory code. They are all expected to have key performance measures and targets, information on which is reported in their annual reports; and to abide by the citizens charter.