Dr. Tony WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a list of (1) task forces and (2) policy reviews established by his Department since May 1997 which(a) had external members recruited by way of public advertisement, and details of any person so appointed and (b) engaged in public consultation exercises, and the form that these took. [74459]
§ Mr. TimmsMost task forces and reviews are short-term bodies established to give thorough consideration to important and difficult issues. External members are invited to sit on some reviews and task forces because they are able to contribute specific experience and expertise. In such cases, public advertising would be inappropriate and disproportionate.
Since 1 October 1998, appointments to those task forces which qualify for classification as advisory non-departmental public bodies have come within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Since May 1997, the Department has consulted publicly on proposals outlined in the following documents which have arisen from policy reviews:
- Pensions Review Consultation Document
- Stakeholder Pensions: a Consultation Document
- New Ambitions for Our Country: A new contract for welfare (Cm 3805)
- Children First: a new approach to child support (Cm 3992)
- Beating Fraud is Everyone's Business: securing the future (Cm 4012)
- A New Contract for Welfare: Support for Disabled People (Cm 4103)
- A New Contract for Welfare: Support in Bereavement (Cm 4104)
- Supporting People: a new policy and funding framework for support services
- A New Contract for Welfare: Partnership in Pensions (Cm 4179) Strengthening the Pensions framework: a Consultation Document.