HC Deb 14 March 1996 vol 273 cc711-3W
28. Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria he uses in deciding appointments to public bodies for which he has responsibility. [19011]

Mr. Howard

My appointments to public bodies are governed by the overriding principle of selection based on merit, taking account of the skills and experience needed by the bodies concerned.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [20097]

Mr. Howard

[holding answer 12 March 1996]: The following advisory non-departmental bodies which are sponsored by my Department:

(i) are on a statutory basis

  • Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
  • Animals Procedures Committee
  • Boards of Visitors, prison establishments
  • Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council
    • 712
  • Firearms Consultative Committee
  • Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England
  • Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales
  • Parole Board
  • Poisons Board
  • Police Negotiating Board

(ii) publish their advice to Government

  • Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs1
  • Animals Procedures Committee
  • Firearms Consultative Committee1
  • Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England1
  • Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales1
  • Poisons Board1

(iii) publish an annual report and lay it before Parliament

  • Animals Procedures Committee1
  • Firearms Consultative Committee1
  • Metropolitan Police Committee
  • Parole Board1

In addition, boards of visitors may at the discretion of each board publish their annual reports.

1 In these cases, the bodies concerned meet a statutory requirement. In other cases, the bodies act voluntarily.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [20114]

Mr. Howard

[holding answer 12 March 1996]: The following advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department:

(i) hold public meetings

  • Metropolitan Police Committee
  • Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England
  • Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales

(ii) conduct public consultative exercises

  • Animals Procedures Committee
  • Firearms Consultative Committee
  • Metropolitan Police Committee
  • Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England
  • Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales

(iii) conduct consultative exercises with outside commercial interests

  • Animals Procedures Committee
  • Crime Prevention Agency Board
  • Firearms Consultative Committee
  • Metropolitan Police Committee

The activities listed are undertaken voluntarily by the bodies concerned except for the parliamentary Boundary Commissions which are statutorily required to hold local inquiries in public if certain conditions are met and also to conduct public consultation exercises.

None of the advisory non-departmental public bodies which my Department sponsors publishes a register of members' interests, agendas for meetings or minutes of meetings.