§ Sir Antony Buckasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether the Government accept the recommendations of the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration contained in its fourth report, Session 1983–84; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HayhoeYes. We plan to extend the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to include certain executive non-departmental public bodies and will introduce legislation in due course to amend the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration Act 1967. Although the Select Committee found no evidence of any significant maladministration by any of the bodies recommended for inclusion in the PCA's jurisdiction, the Government agree that there is a case in principle for including certain non-departmental public bodies whose impact on citizens may be as significant as that of Government Departments. The Government's response is published today and has been laid before Parliament as a White Paper, Cmnd. 9563. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.