HC Deb 13 March 1996 vol 273 cc671-2W
Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base, and which(a) publish their advice to Government, (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament (i) under a statutory requirement and (ii) voluntarily. [20091]

Mr. John M. Taylor

[holding answer 12 March 1996]: None of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department has a statutory base except the Industrial Development Advisory Board. The answers to the other questions are as follows:-

  1. (a) none except the Council for Science and Technology and the Advisory Committee on Arbitration Law who may sometimes publish their advice to Government;
  2. (b) none except the British Overseas Trade Board, the Industrial Development Advisory Board, the Regional Development Advisory Boards and the Advisory Committee on Coal Research;
  3. (c) none except the British Overseas Trade Board, the Industrial Development Advisory Board and the Regional Development Advisory Boards.

In each of the exceptions listed in (a) to (c) above it is voluntary rather than under a statutory requirement.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings (i) under a statutory requirement and (ii) voluntarily. [20108]

Mr. John M. Taylor

[holding answer 12 March 1996]I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 December 1994,Official Report, columns 912–13.