HC Deb 20 March 1997 vol 292 cc822-8W
Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and if this is in each case (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20898]

Department of Economic Development
Name of body Publish annual report Public annual accounts Publish minutes of meetings Publish agendas of meetings Publish register of members' interests
Yes
Construction Industry Training Board Yes (S) Yes (S) No No Yes (wef 6/97)
Enterprise Ulster Yes (S) Yes (S) No No 1Yes
Equal Opportunities Commission Yes (S) Yes (S) No No 1No
Fair Employment Commission Yes (S) Yes (S) No No 1No
General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland Yes (S) Yes (S) No No Yes
Labour Relations Agency Yes (S) Yes (S) No No 1No
Local Enterprise Development Unit Yes (S) Yes (S) No No 2Yes (S)
Northern Ireland Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Union Members Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
Northern Ireland Commissioner for the Protection Against Unlawful Industrial Action Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
Northern Ireland Tourist Board Yes (S) Yes (S) No No 1No
Ulster Sheltered Employment Ltd. Yes (S) Yes (S) No No 2Yes (S)
(S) Statutory requirement.
1 Maintain a Register of Members' interests, voluntarily, which are open for inspection at their offices upon request.
2 Details regarding alternative directorships forms part of the Annual Return to the Registrar of Companies by all companies. The Annual Returns for LEDU and USEL are available to the public in Companies House.

Impartment of Health and Social Services
Name of body Publish annual report Publish annual accounts Publish minutes of meetings Publish agendas of meetings Publish register of members'interest
National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for NI Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
Northern Ireland Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education No No No No No
Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
(S) = Statutory requirements. (V) = Voluntary.
1 - Report is published biannually.
2 - Report is published biennially.

Department of the Environment (NI)
Name of body Publish annual report Publish annual accounts Publish minutes of meetings Publish agendas of meetings Publish register of members' interest
Fire Authority for NI Yes1 (S) Yes (S) No No No
Laganside Corporation Yes (V) Yes (V) No No No
NI Housing Executive Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
NI Transport Holding Company Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
NI Local Government Officers' Staff Commission Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
(S) = Statutory requirements (V) = Voluntary

Department of Finance and Personnel

The Department does not sponsor any executive non-departmental public bodies.

Department of Education
Name of body Publish annual report Publish annual accounts Publish minutes of meetings Publish agendas of meetings Publish register of members' interest
Arts Council of Northern Ireland Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools No Yes (S) No No No
Trustees of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
Trustees of the Ulster Museum Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards Yes (V) Yes (S) No No No

Sir John Wheeler

[holding answer 19 March 1997]: The information requested is as follows:

Department of Education
Name of body Publish annual report Publish annual accounts Publish minutes of meetings Publish agendas of meetings Publish register of members' interest
Belfast Education and Library Board Yes (V) Yes (S) Yes (V) No No
North-Eastern Education and Library Board Yes (V) Yes (S) Yes (V) No No
South-Eastern Education and Library Board Yes (V) Yes (S) Yes (V) No No
Southern Education and Library Board Yes (V) Yes (S) Yes (V) No No
Western Education and Library Board Yes (V) Yes (S) Yes (V) No No
Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment No Yes (S) No No No
Northern Ireland Museums Council Yes (V) Yes (S) No No No
Sports Council for Northern Ireland Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
Youth Council for Northern Ireland Yes (V) Yes (S) No No No
(S) = Statutory requirements. (V) = Voluntary.
Department of Agriculture
Name of body Publish annual report Publish annual accounts Publish minutes of members Publish agendas of meetings Publish register of members' interest
Livestock and Meat Commission Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
Agricultural Wages Board 1Yes (S) No No No No
Agricultural Resource Institute Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
Foyle Fisheries Commission Yes (S) Yes (V) No No No
Fishery Harbour Authority Yes (V) Yes (V) No No No
Fisheries Conservancy Board Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
(S) = Statutory requirements. (V) = Voluntary.
1 Report is published biannually.

Northern Ireland Office
Name of body Publish annual report Publish annual accounts Publish minutes of meetings Publish agendas of meetings Publish register of members interest
Police Authority for Northern Ireland Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
Probation Board for Northern Ireland Yes Yes (S) No No No
Rathgael and Whiteabbey Training Schools Management Board No No No No No
The Independent Commission for Police Complaints for Northern Ireland Yes (S) Yes (S) No No No
(S) = Statutory requirements.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open Government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens' Charter. [20937]

Sir John Wheeler

[holding answer 19 March 1997]: The remit of the Parliamentary Commissioner does not extend to executive non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland. The Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland investigates complaints of alleged injustice as a consequence of maladministration by Northern Ireland Departments, including their agencies, while the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints investigates similar complaints against local and public bodies. The current list of executive non-departmental

public bodies which are subject to the jurisdiction of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints is as follows:

  • Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland
  • Arts Council of Northern Ireland
  • Council for Catholic Maintained Schools
  • Education and Library Boards
  • Enterprise Ulster
  • Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland
  • Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland
  • Fire Authority for Northern Ireland
  • Fisheries Conservatory Board for Northern Ireland
  • General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland
  • Industrial Training Boards
  • Labour Relations Agency
  • Lagans ide Corporation
  • Livestock and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland
  • Local Enterprise Development Unit
  • Metal Health Commission for Northern Ireland
  • Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland
    • 827
  • National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland
  • Northern Ireland Housing Executive
  • Northern Ireland Local Government Officer's Superannuation Committee
  • Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
  • Northern Ireland Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education
  • Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority
  • Northern Ireland Museums Council
  • Northern Ireland Tourist Board
  • Office of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Protection Against Unlawful Industrial Action
  • Office of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Union Members
  • Sports Council for Northern Ireland
  • Staff Commission for the Education and Library Boards
  • Trustees of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
  • Trustees of the Ulster Museum
  • Ulster Sheltered Employment Limited
  • Youth Council for Northern Ireland.

There are no executive non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland which are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission.

The following executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Northern Ireland Office are subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office.

  • Police Authority for Northern Ireland
  • Probation Board for Northern Ireland
  • Independent Commissioner for Police Complaints
  • Training School Management Board Rathgael and Whiteabbey.

The responsibility of the National Audit Office does not extend to the six Northern Ireland Departments which have their own similarly appointed body—the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

The following executive non-departmental public bodies are subject to scrutiny by the NIAO.

  • Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland
  • Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland
  • Arts Council of Northern Ireland
  • Belfast Education and Library Board
  • North Eastern Education and Library Board
  • South Eastern Education and Library Board
  • Southern Education and Library Board
  • Western Education and Library Board
  • Council for Catholic Maintained Schools
  • Enterprise Ulster
  • Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland
  • Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland
  • Fire Authority for Northern Ireland
  • General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland
  • Labour Relations Agency
  • Laganside Corporation
  • Local Enterprise Development Unit
  • Local Government Staff Commission
  • Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland
  • National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland
    • 828
  • Northern Ireland Council for Post Graduate, Medical & Dental Education
  • * Northern Ireland Commissioner for Protection Against Unlawful Industrial Action
  • * Northern Ireland Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Union Members
  • Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum Examination and Assessments
  • Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority
  • Northern Ireland Housing Executive
  • Northern Ireland Museums Council
  • Northern Ireland Tourist Board
  • Sports Council for Northern Ireland
  • Staff Commission for Education & Library Boards
  • Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
  • Ulster Museum
  • Ulster Sheltered Employment Ltd
  • Youth Council for Northern Ireland.

There are no statutory provisions for open government. However, those executive non-departmental public bodies under the jurisdiction of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints are subject to the code of practice on access to Government information.

All executive non-departmental public bodies listed in the publication "Public Bodies 1996" are subject to performance indicators and the provisions under the citizen's charter. A copy of "Public Bodies 1996" has been placed in the Library.