§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the women's organisations which have been consulted on proposed legislation by her Department since its creation; and whether their responses have been published. [66734]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 4 July 2002]: DEFRA guidance on consultations, and that previously available in the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, stresses the importance of including in consultation exercises all relevant interest groups, including consumer and general public interest groups. Included in the list of relevant bodies in the guidance are the Women's National Commission, the Co-operative Women's Guild, the National Federation of Women's Institutes, the National Housewives Association and the Townswomen's Guilds. Other organisations are added to individual consultation exercises according to the subject matter, however no central register of all bodies consulted in a particular period is kept.
Individual responses are not generally published but can be obtained from the DEFRA library on request, for which an administrative charge is made to cover photocopying and postage.