HC Deb 23 January 1986 vol 90 cc288-93W
Mr. George

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many days are estimated to have been worked by specialist advisers in respect of each departmental Select Committee for each year since their appointment, together with the total number of days worked for each year.

Mr. Biffen

The information is set out in the following table.

Mr. George

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many visits have been made by each of the departmental Select Committees, including visits by Sub-Committees, since their appointment, abroad and within the United Kingdom; and what is the total cost for each Committee, together with the global cost for each Committee and for all departmental Committees since their inception.

Mr. Biffen

The information is set out in the following table.

Committee Number of visits 1979–80 £ Number of visits 1980–81 £ Number of visits 1981–82 £ Number of visits 1982–83 £ Number of visits 1983–84 £ Number of visits 1984–85 £ Number of visits 1985–86 £ Grand total
Total 11 15,445 5 7,272 6 30,765 1 259 2 26,559 1 19 80,319
Energy
Abroad 2 18,542 1 20,691 1 6,593 1 5,571 1 31,105 1 1,249
Within United Kingdom 4 153 2 877 5 1,570 2 85 5 2,869 2
Total 6 18,695 3 21,568 6 8,163 1 5,571 3 31,190 6 4,118 2 89,305
Environment
Abroad 1 11,693 3 17,252 3 17,280
Within United Kingdom 1 23 1 38 4 2,838 3 4,173 6 6,024
Total 1 23 1 38 5 14,531 6 21,425 9 23,304 59,321
Foreign Affairs
Abroad 2 22,322 5 33,680 3 42,355 5 21,246 3 28,940 5 23,126
Within United Kingdom 1 18 3 190 2 365
Total 2 22,322 6 33,698 3 42,355 8 21,436 3 28,940 7 23,491 172,242
Home Affairs
Abroad 1 10,592 2 19,392 2 17,982 3 22,628
Within United Kingdom 2 1,152 4 259 6 949 9 3,380 5 1,868
Total 2 1,152 5 10,851 2 19,392 6 949 11 21,362 8 24,496 78,202
Industry and Trade
Abroad 2 31,006 1 3,003 1 2,606 1 28,633 1 1,554 1 12,029
Within United Kingdom 2 1,153 2 196 3 1,127 9 8,317
Total 2 31,006 1 3,003 3 3,759 3 28,829 4 2,681 10 20,346 89,624
Scottish Affairs
Abroad 1 1,915 1 2,837 3 11,994 1 7,483
Within United Kingdom 16 7,211 10 3,190 8 4,357 7 4,131 6 11,793 2 4,839
Total 17 9,126 11 6,027 11 16,351 7 4,131 7 19,276 2 4,839 59,750
Social Services
Abroad 1 8,362 1 4,541 1 3,249 1 21,654
Within United Kingdom 2 753 4 3,535 3 2,763 8 6,588 10 3,504 2 55
Total 2 753 5 11,897 1 4,541 4 6,012 9 28,242 10 3,504 2 55 55,004
Treasury and Civil Service
Abroad 1 17,659 2 6,486
Within United Kingdom 1 193 1 85
Total 1 17,659 1 193 3 6,571 24,423
Transport
Abroad 2 3,072 2 21,374 2 9,701 2 36,130 1 3,048
Within United Kingdom 2 19 1 1,046 4 1,942 6 8,460 11 6,068 2 602
Total 4 3,091 2 21,374 1 1,046 6 11,643 8 44,590 12 9,116 2 602 91,462
Welsh Affairs
Abroad 1 2,427 2 9,682
Within United Kingdom 1 472 1 866 1 286 1 10 1 404 6 6,058 3 1,042
Total 1 472 1 866 2 2,713 3 9,692 1 404 6 6,058 3 1,042 21,242
Grand totals 79 132,680 67 159,316 56 182,083 60 172,721 73 244,669 91 173,654 13 2,863 1,067,986

The accounts for 1984–85 and 1985–86 are not yet complete.

Mr. George

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many reports have been published by each departmental Select Committee for each Session since their appointment; and if he will list those published in the last Session.

1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86
Agriculture 1(1) 2(3) 2 1(1) 2 6(3) (1)
Defence 3(2) 4(3) 2(1) 4(1) 3 5 1
Education 5(1) 3 9 2(1) 2 1 0
Employment 2(2) 3(1) 5(6) (2) 2 1 0
Energy (2) 3 5(1) 3(1) 12 7 0

Mr. Biffen

The following table shows the number of reports published by each departmental Select Committee in each Session since their appointment.

1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86
Environment 1 3 2 3(2) 4(5) 4(3) 0
Foreign Affairs 5(1) 7 5(1) 4(2) 5(1) 5(1) 1
Home Affairs 5 5 7 3 1 7 0
Scottish Affairs 2(1) 2(3) 2(2) 2(1) 2(1) 2 1
Social Services 3 4(1) 3 1(1) 4(1) 8 0
Trade and Industry 4 5(4) 8(3) 3(3) 4(5) 3(4) 1
Transport 2(1) 5(3) 5(1) 3(3) 2(1) 7 1
Treasury and Civil Service 5(3) 8(2) 6(2) 5(3) 8(5) 13 2
Welsh Affairs 1(1) 2(1) 1(1) 1(1) 1(2) 1 1

The numbers in parenthesis refer to special reports published.

The following reports were published in the last Session:-

AGRICULTURE

First Special Report—The Effect of Feedstuff Prices on the United Kingdom Pig and Poultry Industries (Government Response)

First Report—The Implementation of Dairy Quotas

Second Special Report—The Beef Variable Premium Scheme

Second Report—Comment on the Government's Response to the Committee's Report on the Implementation of Dairy Quotas

Third Report—The Financing and Organisation of the Aujeszky's Disease Eradication Scheme

Fourth Report—The Beef Variable Premium Scheme

Fifth Report—The Accession of Spain and Portugal to the EEC, with Special Reference to United Kingdom Agricultrual and Food Imports and Exports

Sixth Report—The United Kingdom Government Agricultural Development and Advisory Services, including Lower Input Farming

Third Special Report—The Accession of Spain and Portugal to the EEC, with Special Reference to United Kingdom Agricultural and Food Imports and Exports

DEFENCE

First Report—The The Use of Merchant Shipping for Defence Purposes (HC 114)

Second Report—Security at Royal Ordnance Factories and Nuclear Bases (HC 217)

Third Report—Defence Commitments and Resources and the Defence Estimates 1985–86 (HC 37)

Fourth Report—The Future of the Royal Dockyards (HC 453)

Fifth Report—The Appointment and Objectives of the Chief of Defence Procurement (HC 430)

Sixth Report—the Trident Programme (HC 479)

EDUCATION

First Report: The Future of the Science Budget HC 46.

EMPLOYMENT

First—Equal Opportunities Commission draft Code of Practice

Second—Proposals for Changes in Skillcentres

Third—Implications for industrial relations and employment of the introduction of the polygraph

Fourth—MSC Corporate Plan 1985–89

Fifth—Wages Councils

Sixth—Dismissal of NCB employees.

ENERGY

(b) 1984–85

First—The Report and Accounts of the Electricity and Gas Industries for 1983–84—HC 34

Second—The Government's Response to Committee's Ninth Report (Session 1983–84) on Energy Research, Development and Demonstration in the United Kingdom—HC 75

Evidence relating to the Gas Depletion Enquiry—HC 76-i to 76-ix

Third—The Government's Observations on the Committee's Tenth Report (Session 1983–84) on the Implications of the Petroleum Stocks (Amendment) Order 1983—HC 88

Fourth—The Winter Supplementary Estimate for £45 million in respect of BNOC—HC 126

Energy Efficiency Office Minutes of Evidence from the Secretary of State—HC 87-i

Fifth—Government Oil Price Policy and the Spring Supplementary Estimate for £20 million in respect of BNOC—HC 234

Sixth—Her Majesty's Treasury's Consultation Proposals for Legislation in respect of the Nationalised Industries—HC 302

Seventh—Development and Depletion of United Kingdom's Gas Resources—HC 76

Eighth—The Energy Efficiency Office—HC 87

First Special—The Government's Response to the Committee's Seventh Report on the Development and Depletion of the United Kingdom's Gas Resources—HC 621

ENVIRONMENT

First Report Session 1984–85—Operation and Effectiveness of

Part II of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (HC 6)

Second Report Session 1984–85—British Board of Agrément (HC 156)

Third Report Session 1984–85—Department of the Environment Main Estimates for 1985–86 (HC 414)

Fourth Report Session 1984–85—Property Services Agency Main Estimates for 1985–86 (HC 415)

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

First—Abuse of Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges (HC 127) Second—Famine in Africa (HC 56)

Third—Events Surrounding the Weekend of 1-2 May 1982 (HC 11)

Fourth—1985–86 Overseas Programme Expenditure (HC 295)

Fifth—United Kingdom membership of UNESCO (HC 461)

First Special—1–2 May 1982: Allegations against the hon.

Member for Linlithgow (HC 568)

HOME AFFAIRS

First Report on 'Compensation and Support for Victims of Crime'

Second Report on the 'Chinese Community in Britain'

Third Report on 'Refugees and Asylum, with special reference to the Vietnamese'

Fourth Report on 'Special Branch'

Fifth Report on 'Misuse of hard drugs (Interim Report)'

Sixth Report on 'Immigration and Nationality Department of the Home Office'

Seventh Report on 'United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service'

SCOTTISH AFFAIRS

First Report—The Impact of Airport Privatisation on Scottish Lowlands Airport Policy (HC 117)

Second Report—Highlands and Islands Development Board (HC 22).

SOCIAL SERVICES

DHSS Supplementary Estimates, Class XI, Vote 1, Subhead F5, Compensation Payments to NHS Staff—HC No. 112.

Community Care, with special reference to adult mentally ill and mentally handicapped people—HC No. 13.

UGC Cuts and Medical Services Report: Follow-up—HC No. 397.

Misuse of Drugs, with special reference to treatment and rehabilitation of misusers of hard drugs—HC No. 208.

Medical Education Report: Follow-up—HC No. 303.

Public Expenditure on the Social Services—HC No. 339.

Government Reply to the First Report—HC No. 380.

The Government's Green Paper "Reform of Social Security"— HC No. 451.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

(b)

  1. 1. The Operation of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
  2. 2. The British Steel Corporation.
  3. 3. Trade with China.

TRANSPORT

First Special Report—Government Observations on the 1st and 2nd Reports 1983–84.

Second Special Report—Government Observations on the 1st and 2nd Reports 1984–85.

First Report—Road Safety.

Second Report—"Buses" White Paper.

Third Report—Her Majesty's Treasury's Consultation Proposals in respect of Nationalised Industries.

Fourth Report—Transport Aspects of the 1985 Public Expenditure White Paper.

Fifth Report—Marine Pilotage.

TREASURY AND CIVIL SERVICE

1st—The Government's Economic Policy: Autumn Statement.

2nd—The Structure and Form of Financial Documents presented to Parliament.

3rd—Special Supplementary Estimate, Class II, Vote 10 (Budget of the European Communities).

4th—The Financial and Economic Consequences of United Kingdom Membership of the European Communities: Harmonisation of VAT.

5th—Exchange Rate Policy.

6th—The Government's Expenditure Plans 1985–86 to 1987–88.

7th—Financial Documents and Budget Papers.

8th—The 1985 Budget.

9th—The Government's Response to the Sixth Report (Public Expenditure White Paper).

10th—Financial Documents: Treasury Proposals.

11th—The 1985 Budget Report: The Treasury Reply.

12th—International Monetary Arrangements.

13th—The Financial and Economic Consequences of United Kingdom Membership of the European Communities: the European Monetary System.

WELSH AFFAIRS

Public Transport in Wales HC 35, Session 1984–85.

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