§ Mr. PattenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those public bodies for which he retains departmental responsibility; which of these bodies have been identified as suitable for placing in the private sector; and by when it is expected each of these bodies will enter the private sector.
§ Mr. GoodladA full list of public bodies for which the FCO retains responsibility is published in the index to "Public Bodies 1994".
372WIt was announced in the Queen's Speech on 16 November 1994 that the Government plan to introduce legislation in the current Session of Parliament to transfer the Crown Agents to the private sector. It is expected that the transfer will be completed within a few months of the Bill receiving Royal Assent.
In addition, the Natural Resources Institute, currently an agency of the Overseas Development Administration, has been identified as a candidate for transfer of ownership to the private sector.