Public Bodies (Hansard, 15 May 1995)

§ Mr. Lang

As regards executive NDPBs, I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Cannock and Burntwood (Dr. Wright) on 1 May,Official Report, column 10–11. No advisory NDPBs are subject to the scrutiny of the Parliamentary Commissioner per se, although the administrative actions of administrative staff of the Scottish Office acting on behalf of the body would fall within his remit, as would those of the Horse Race Betting Levy Appeal Tribunal for Scotland and the Rent Assessment Panel for Scotland. The actions of members of the children's panel advisory commitees, which are administered by the local authorities, are subject to the scrutiny of the Local Authority Commissioner, as are the administrative actions of the administrative staff of children's panels, who are local authority employees. The expenditure of advisory NDPBs, the Horse Race Betting Levy Appeal Tribunal for Scotland and the Rent Assessment Panel for Scotland forms part of the total expenditure of the Scottish Office, whose accounts are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The financial affairs of children's panels, which form part of official authority expenditure, are scrutinised by the Accounts Commission for Scotland. There are no other statutory monitoring officers which scrutinise the work of NDPBs, although all such bodies sponsored by my Department are answerable through me to Parliament. In accordance with the recommendations of a joint report by the Treasury and the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service in 1988, all NDPBs sponsored by my Department are subject to a comprehensive review at least every five years.

The only NDPBs sponsored by my department whose members are subject to surcharge are the seven river purification boards.