§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Prime Minister how many non-departmental public bodies have been abolished since December last year; and what has been the consequent saving to public funds.
§ The Prime MinisterI list below the bodies which have been abolished since my last announcement on this subject on 3 December 1980.—[Vol. 995, c.222–28.] The 6W net effect is to eliminate a further 158 non-departmental public bodies, with a total annual saving which will approach £1½m in a full year.
Department and Bodies wound up Approximate Annual Saving £ Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Regional panels—reduced from 7 to 5* 7,000 Experimental centres advisory committees—reduced from 22 to 21* 10,000 Department of Employment group Disablement advisory committees (220)—replaced by 87 committees for the employment of disabled people 60–100,000 Standing Commission on Pay Comparability 600,000 Department of the Environment Harlow development corporation 40,000 Runcorn development corporation 10,000 Noise Advisory Council 75,000 Scientific Authority for Animals 10,000 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Overseas Development Administration) Inter-University Council* 300,000 by 1982–83 Technical Education and Training Organisation for Overseas Countries Department of Health and Social Security Training Council for Orthotists 17,000 Home Office New town licensed premises committees—reduced from 17 to 11 — Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure 200,000 Department of Industry Waste Management Advisory Council* 30,000 Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments Community Education Forum 5,000 Visiting Committees—reduced from 6 to 5* — Scottish Office Scottish Horticultural Research Institute† — Scottish Society for Research in Plant Breeding† — Committee of Inquiry into Local Government in Scotland* 36,000 Department of Transport Inquiry on Lorries, People and the Environment 60,000 * The decisions to abolish these bodies have been announced since 3 December 1980 † Amalgamated to form Scottish Crop Research Institute In addition to the changes which I announced on 3 December and those recorded above, the following six bodies are to be wound up in due course.
7W
Department and Bodies to be wound up Approximate Annual Saving £ Department of the Environment Advisory Committee on the Protection of Birds for England and Wales 10,000
Approximate Annual Saving £ Home Office 2 further licensing planning committees — Scottish Office Advisory Committee on the Protection of Birds for Scotland 2,000 Advisory Council on Social Work 23,000 Committee on National Museums and Galleries 3,000