HC Deb 25 July 1980 vol 989 cc443-4W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the quasi-autonomous bodies responsible to him which he has disbanded since he took office; if he will itemise the unfinished business of each such body at the time of his decision to disband; and what will be the total savings in expenditure in a full year.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin

A complete list of the non-departmental bodies which are to be abolished, merged with other bodies or made independent of Government appears in the report on non-departmental public bodies (Cmnd. 7797). It is estimated that total savings of the order of £600,000 are likely to be achieved but the costs quoted for individual bodies will not always represent savings, as in some cases their functions will fall to the Department or NHS in future. The following bodies have already been disbanded:

  • Advisory Committee on NHS Laundries
  • Advisory Group on Resource Allocation
  • Central Pathology Committee
  • Consultative Group on Food Matters withiD the EEC
  • Consumers' Consultative Group on Artificial Limbs
  • Good Neighbour Campaign Group
  • Laboratory Development Advisory Group
  • Invalid Three-Wheeler and Wheelchair
  • Repair and Maintenance Liaison Group
  • London Co-ordinating Committee
  • National Consultative Committee for the UN European Social Development Programme
  • National Development Group for the Mentally Handicapped
  • Personal Social Services Council
  • Working Party on the Training of Operating Department Assistants

Only three of these bodies had unfinished business to complete. In the case of the Personal Social Services Council, I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my hon. Friend's replies to him on 24 January and 13 June. The advisory group on resource allocation has reported to me listing a number of matters needing further consideration, and a copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House. As regards the National Development Group for the Mentally Handicapped, I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to him on 23 July.—[Vol. 977 c. 335; Vol. 986 c. 330; Vol. 989, c. 285.]