HC Deb 13 July 1978 vol 953 cc774-5W
Mr. Wigley

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table listing (a) the number of members, (b) the annual administrative cost, and (c) the total annual expenditure within its authority of each of the nominated bodies in Wales which will come under the control of the Assembly provided for in the Wales Bill.

Mr. John Morris

The following are the principal nominated statutory bodies which the Wales Bill, as it stands at present, provides should become responsible to the Welsh Assembly, together with the number of members:

Ancient Monuments Board for Wales 13
Area health authorities 117
Central Advisory Council for Education (Wales) None at present
Historic Buildings Council for Wales 7
Library Advisory Council (Wales) 16
Cwmbran Development Corporation 9
Wales Tourist Board 10

Expenditure by the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales, the Historic Buildings Council for Wales and the Library Advisory Council for Wales on general administrative expenses etc. in 1976–77 was £656, £1,443 and £1,087 respectively. Total expenditure by the area health authorities in Wales, including the Welsh Health Technical Services Organisation, in 1976–77 was £300,491,000.

With the exception of the Central Advisory Council for Education (Wales), which has not met for some time, all the other bodies publish reports or annual accounts, copies of which are available in the Library.

Mr. Wigley

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the estimated capital expenditure, by function, for the areas of government whose capital expenditure will become the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly when it is set up.

Mr. John Morris

Outturn figures for capital expenditure in 1975–76 by local authorities and public corporations, by function, are given in Table 1 of the White Paper, "Devolution: Financing the Devolved Services", Cmnd. 6890. The corresponding figures for central Government expenditure are not readily available, but it is estimated that about 22 per cent. of the total figure of £426 million given in table 1 relates to capital expenditure.