HC Deb 07 April 1982 vol 21 cc368-71W
Mr. George

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will set out for each three-month period since March 1981 the number of meetings held by each departmental Select Committee and the number of pages of (a) evidence and (b) reports each has so far produced.

Mr. Biffen

The information is as follows:

1 April—30 June 1981
Committee No. of meetings Pages of evidence published Pages of reports published
Agriculture 10 203 6
Defence 15 357 45
Education 14 203
Employment 12 232
Energy 11
Environment 7 43
Foreign Affairs 10 112 23
Overseas Development
Sub-Committee 10 104 N/A
Home Affairs 11 72 14
Sub Committee on Race
Relations and
Immigration 12 145 N/A

Committee No. of meetings Pages of evidence published Pages of reports published
Industry and Trade 12 143 41
Scottish Affairs 11 221 7
Social Services 17 482
Transport 15 146 3
Treasury and Civil Service 12 152 25
Treasury and Civil Service Sub-Committee 6 21 N/A
Welsh Affairs 5 265

1 July to 30 September 1981
Committee Number of meetings Pages of evidence published Pages of reports published
Agriculture 3 40 52
Defence 5 120
Education 9 67
Employment 4 40 2
Energy 9 426 15
Environment 3 27 88
Foreign Affairs 7 128 237
Overseas Development
Sub-Committee 4 37 N/A
Home Affairs 4 212 133
Sub-Committee on Race
Relations and
Immigration 4 21 N/A
Industry and Trade 3 141 6
Scottish Affairs 6 433
Social Services 5 445 18
Transport 3 333 34
Treasury and Civil Service 5 366 35
Treasury and Civil Service
Sub-Committee 3 86 N/A
Welsh Affairs 5 86 74

1 October-31 December 1981
Committee No. of meetings Pages of evidence published Pages of reports published
Agriculture 6 24 5
Defence 7 139
Education 14 101 3
Employment 7 65 5
Energy 10 345 2
Environment 4 111
Foreign Affairs 9 17
Overseas Development Sub-Committee 6 31 N/A
Home Affairs 5 43 41
Sub Committee on Race
Relations and
Immigration 7 31 N/A
Industry and Trade 6 133
Scottish Affairs 4 48
Social Services 7 234 106
Transport 7
Treasury and Civil Service 7 80 5
Treasury and Civil Service Sub-Committee 9 91 N/A
Welsh Affairs 7 123

1 January-31 March 1982
Committee No. of meetings Pages of evidence published Pages of reports published
Agriculture 8 230
Defence 12 232 10
Education 11 147 104
Employment 9 138 5

Committee No. of meetings Pages of evidence published Pages of reports published
Energy 16 241 14
Environment 10 184
Foreign Affairs 9 138
Overseas Development
Sub-Committee 9 70 N/A
Home Affairs 9 140 1
Sub Committee on Race
Relations and
Immigration 4 89 N/A
Industry and Trade 12 201 17
Scottish Affairs 11 148
Social Services 14 313
Transport 10 193 5
Treasury and Civil Service 12 16 4
Treasury and Civil Service
Sub-Committee 6 271 N/A
Welsh Affairs 11 197

Mr. George

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the average period that has elapsed from the publication of reports of the new Select Committee to the departmental response; and if he will give a breakdown of the average period elapsing relating to each of the new departmental Select Committees.

Mr. Biffen

Details of the time elapsing between publication of individual Select Committee reports and of the departmental responses in Sessions 1979–8(1 and 1980–81 were given in reply to the right hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. du Cann) on 1 March.—[Vol. 9, c. 1–6] Details for the current Session to date are attached:

Report Date of Publication Government Response
Agriculture
Defence
First 19 March 1982
Education
First 7 December 1981 *1 February 1982
Second 16 February 1982
Third 8 March 1982
Fourth 15 March 1982
Employment
(to the First Report, Session 1980–81) 17 March 1982 *(to the Third Report, Session 1980–81)
18 March 1982
First 15 December 1981
Energy
First 16 February 1982 No reply required
Second 11 March 1982 *1 April 1981
Environment
Foreign Affairs
*(to the Seventh Report, Session 1980–81)
15 February 1982
First 18 January 1982
Home Affairs
First 15 December 1981

Report Date of Publication Government Response
Industry and Trade
First 4 March 1982
Second 25 February 1982
Third 1 March 1982
Scottish Affairs
First 23 December 1981 19 February 1982
Social Services
Transport
First 11 March 1982 No reply required
Treasury and Civil Service
First 18 December 1981 No reply expected
Second 15 March 1982
Third 1 April 1982
Welsh Affairs
* Indicates the date on which the Committee received the response, which has not yet been published.

Mr. George

asked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough as representing the House of Commons Commission if he will list the number of temporary Select Committee assistants appointed for each of the departmental committees, their salary scales and the period for which they have been appointed.

Mr. Arthur Bottomley

Details of the temporary assistants that have so far been appointed to departmental Committees are given below:

Select Committee Number of Temporary Assistants
Treasury and Civil Service 2
Environment 1
Social Services 1
Education, Science and Arts 1
Transport 1

Their salaries, which were fixed on appointment according to age, qualifications and experience, are within the salary ranges £10,319 to £12,352 per annum—Civil Service senior executive officer scale—and £8,554 to £10,271 per annum—higher executive officer scale. All appointments are for two years, with the possibility of renewal by mutual consent for a further period not exceeding two years.