§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether, in accordance with procedures laid out in the Civil Service Department's guide on non-departmental public bodies, he has recently carried out checks on staff numbers and gradings in the Welsh Water Authority; and whether these have enabled him to identify areas for savings in expenditure and manpower in either the authority or his Department;
(2) whether, in accordance with procedures laid out in the Civil Service Department's guide on non-departmental public bodies, he has recently carried out checks on staff numbers and gradings in the Sports Council for Wales; and whether these have enabled him to identify areas for savings in expenditure and manpower in either the council or his Department;
(3) whether, in accordance with procedures laid out in the Civil Service Department's guide on non-departmental public bodies, he has recently carried out checks on staff numbers and gradings in the Wales Tourist Board; and whether these have enabled him to identify areas for savings in expenditure and manpower in either the board or his Department;
(4) whether, in accordance with procedures laid out in the Civil Service Department's guide on non-departmental public bodies, he has recently carried out checks on staff numbers and gradings in the Welsh Development Agency; and whether these have enabled him to identify areas for savings in expenditure and manpower in either the agency or his Department;
(5) whether, in accordance with procedures laid out in the Civil Service Department's guide on non-departmental public bodies, he has recently carried out checks on staff numbers and gradings in the Development Board for Rural Wales; and whether these have enabled him to identify areas for savings in expenditure and manpower in either the board or his Department.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsA programme of comprehensive and periodic reviews of the Welsh Water Authority, Sports Council for Wales, Wales Tourist Board, Welsh Development Agency and Development Board for Rural Wales has been planned according to the procedures for reviews of executive bodies set out in section 7 of "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: a Guide for Departments". In addition, there are arrangements to monitor the staffing levels of these bodies through staff inspections and/or regular returns of manpower statistics. Savings have been achieved wherever possible both in the bodies concerned and in my Department, and I shall look to the periodic reviews to identify any further scope for reductions. The Welsh Water Authority is being reviewed this year: in July I published a consultation paper in which I set out my proposals for a reduction in the size of the authority which would lead to savings in expenditure.