HC Deb 25 June 1981 vol 7 cc189-96W
Mr. George

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the percentage attendance rate of hon. Members for each of the new Select Committees; and what is the percentage turnover of hon. Members on each of these Committees since their inception.

Mr. Pym

The approximate percentage attendance rate, and annual percentage turnover, of members of each of the Select Committees related to Government Departments, and their Sub-Committees, have been:

Committee Attendance Turnover
per cent per cent
Agriculture 82 22
Defence 74 6
Education, Science and Arts 76 Nil
Employment 72 15
Energy 77 12
Environment 69 24
Foreign Affairs 75 12
Overseas Development Sub-Committee 60 *13
Home Affairs 89 12
Race Relations and Immigration Sub-Committee 92 13
Industry and Trade 91 6
Scottish Affairs 84 21
Social Services 71 22
Transport 72 6
Treasury and Civil Service 91 12
Treasury and Civil Service Sub-Committee 75 19
Welsh Affairs 79 12
* In addition, five members have been discharged from the Sub-Committee without other members being nominated in their place.

Committee Number of Witnesses Number of appearances Ranks of Witnesses
Agriculture 29 33 Permanent Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Senior Principal
Principal
Chief Scientist, Agriculture and Horticulture
Deputy Director General, Agricultural Development and Advisory Service
Assistant Chief Veterinary Officer
Senior Economic Adviser
Assistant Economic Adviser
Senior Dairy Husbandry Advisory Officer
Poultry Husbandry Specialist
Pig Husbandry Adviser
Deputy Regional Veterinary Officer
Senior Medical Officer
Scientific Adviser

Mr. George

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the number of memoranda presented by Government Departments to each of the new Select Committees since their appointment.

Mr. Pym

The number of memoranda presented by Government Departments to each of the Select Committees related to Government Departments and their Sub-Committees and reported to the House is as follows:

Number of Memoranda
Agriculture 15
Defence 23
Education, Science and Arts 30
Employment 8
Energy 15
Environment 6
Foreign Affairs 36
Overseas Development Sub-Committee 49
Home Affairs 20
Race Relations and Immigration Sub-Committee 21
Industry and Trade 79
Scottish Affairs 23
Social Services 19
Transport 15
Treasury and Civil Service Treasury and Civil Service Sub-Committee 66
Welsh Affairs 11

Mr. George

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the number of witnesses from Government Departments who have appeared before each of the new Select Committees since their appointment; what is the number of times they have given evidence; and if he will list their departmental grade.

Mr. Pym

The number of witnesses from Government Departments, excluding Ministers of the Crown, who have given evidence to Select Committees related to Government Departments, the number of their appearances and their ranks are as follows:

Committee Number of Witnesses Number of appearances Ranks of Witnesses
Defence 73 118 Permanent Under Secretary of State
Chief of Defence Procurement
Scientific Adviser (Nuclear)
Deputy Under Secretary of State
Assistant Under Secretary of State
Assistant Secretary
Director
Deputy Director
Vice Admiral
Rear Admiral
Captain RN
General
Major General
Brigadier
Colonel
Air Chief Marshal
Air Vice Marshal
Air Commodore
Group Captain
Education, Science and Arts 74 114 Permanent Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Principal
Senior Executive Officer
Senior Chief Inspector
Divisional Inspector
Staff Inspector
Her Majesty's Inspector
Chief Engineer and Scientist
Department of Industry Chief Executive
Employment 14 14 Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Principal
Senior Executive Officer
Chief Statistician
Departmental Solicitor
Chief Wages Inspector
Principal Research Officer
Energy 15 35 Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Principal
Environment 6 8 Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Senior Economic Adviser
Foreign Affairs 59 123 Permanent Under Secretary of State and Head of Diplomatic Service
DS1 (=Permanent Secretary)
DS2 (=Deputy Secretary)
DS3 (=Under Secretary)
DS4 (=Assistant Secretary)
DS5 (=Principal)
Overseas Development Sub-Committee 40 73 Permanent Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Principal
Deputy Chief Scientific Officer
Senior Economic Adviser
Economic Adviser
Statistician
Adviser
Home Affairs 34 42 Permanent Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Principal
Chief Inspector of Constabulary
Assistant Legal Adviser

Committee Number of Witnesses Number of appearances Ranks of Witnesses
Race Relations and Immigration Sub-Committee 52 63 Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Principal
Chief Medical Officer
Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Chief Inspector of Schools
Staff Inspector of Schools
HM Inspector of Schools
Assistant Legal Adviser
Senior Legal Assistant
Industry and Trade 33 44 Permanent Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Principal
Accounting Officer
Principal Finance Officer
Deputy Chief Scientific Officer
Engineer Surveyor-in-Chief
Principal Surveyor
Senior Principal Scientific Officer
Economic Adviser
Chief Executive Officer
Assistant Solicitor
Hydrographer
Scottish Affairs 33 41 Permanent Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Senior Principal
Principal
Economic Adviser
Social Services 19 33 Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Chief Scientist
Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Senior Principal Medical Officer
Deputy Chief Nursing Officer
Transport 16 30 Permanent Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Principal
Senior Economic Adviser
Treasury and Civil Service Committee 31 73 Government Adviser (Sir Derek Rayner)
Permanent Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Treasury and Civil Service Sub-Committee 19 22 Government Adviser (Sir Derek Rayner)
Permanent Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Welsh Affairs 28 47 Permanent Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Under Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Senior Principal
Principal
Economic Adviser
Senior ADAS Officer
Superintending Engineer

Mr. George

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the number of formal evidence sessions for each of the new Select Committees for Session 1979–80 and Session 1980–81, up to May 1981.

Mr. Pym

The information requested is as follows:

1979–80 1980–81 (to 31 May 1981)
Agriculture 16 14
Defence 23 16
Education, Science and Arts 20 24
Employment 21 21

1979–80 1980–81 (to 31 May 1981)
Energy 25 6
Environment 11 nil
Foreign Affairs 22 14
Overseas Development Sub-Committee 15 9
Home Affairs 18 13
Race Relations and Immigration Sub-Committee 23 11
Industry and Trade 23 13
Scottish Affairs 18 10
Social Services 13 21
Transport 30 11
Treasury and Civil Service 23 5
Treasury and Civil Service Sub-Committee 10 1
Welsh Affairs 21 28

Mr. George

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the reports published by each of the Select Committees in the last two Sessions of Parliament, the date of publication and the date of publication of the Government's observations.

Mr. Pym

I am having the information assembled and I shall let the hon. Gentleman have a full reply as soon as it is available.

Mr. George

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which of the reports of new Select Committees have been debated in the House; and what percentage of the total number of reports published this represents.

Mr. Pym

The following reports made by Select Committees have been the subject of specific motions debated in the House:

Second Report, 1979–80, of the Home Affairs Committee on Race Relations and the "Sus" Law.

First to Thirty Fifth Reports, 1979–80 of the Public Accounts Committees.

Second Report, 1979–80, of the Social Services Committee, on Perinatal and Neonatal Mortality.

Excluding special reports and the reports of the Committees on European Legislation &c., and on Statutory Instruments, that represents about 31 per cent. of the total number of the reports which have been made. Other reports made by Select Committees have been within the scope of debates on related matters.

Mr. George

asked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will list in the Official Report the total cost of specialist advisers to all Select Committees for 1977–78, 1978–79, and for the new Select Committees established in 1980, as well as listing the total number of hours and days these advisers worked.

Mr. Arthur Bottomley

The information requested is as follows:

Financial year Total Cost *Days Worked
£
1977–78 26,662.78 944
1978–79 27,092.58 939
1979–80† 8,150.77 155¾
1980–81† 126,937.62 2,425¼
* The figures include an aggregation of hours worked.
† New Select Committees.

Mr. George

asked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many visits have been made by each of the new Select Committees abroad and within the United Kingdom since their appointment; and what was the cost of such visits to each Committee.

Mr. Arthur Bottomley

The information requested is as follows:

Visits Abroad Visits within United Kingdom
Committee No. Total cost to date No. Total cost to date
£ £
Agriculture 4 7,489 6 3,858
Defence 3 12,583 9 6,975
Education Science and Arts 4 11,470 23 2,013
Employment 2 11,025 12 5,050
Energy 3 18,542 6 1,030
Environment 1 23
Foreign Affairs* 5 34,179
Home Affairs† 1 8,011 6 1,411
Industry and Trade 2 31,006
Scottish Affairs 1 1,915 20 8,153
Social Services 1 200 6 3,985
Transport 2 3,072 2 19
Treasury and Civil Service‡
Welsh Affairs 2 1,338
* Including Sub-Committee on Overseas Development.
† Including Sub-Committee on Race Relations and Immigration.
‡ Including Treasury and Civil Service Sub-Committee.