§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what monitoring takes place by his Department of the use of external consultants by non-departmental public bodies. [16762]
§ Mr. BoswellNon-departmental public bodies are established to operate at arm's length from government, often under specific statutory powers. An NDPB's governing board is responsible for the management and control of the body's functions.
Sponsoring divisions within the Ministry are responsible for monitoring the performance of the NDPBs they sponsor, and ensuring that they operate within the framework of controls set out in the Treasury and Cabinet Office guidance "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: A Guide for Departments".