§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his Department's policy is regarding the use of executive search consultants in making appointments to public bodies; and if he will(a) list the appointments where such consultants have been used and (b) list the cost in each case since April 1992.
§ Mr. LangI shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible. Copies of my reply will be placed in the Library of the House.
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§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria are used in the selection of the chair and the executive members of(a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise, (c) the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and (d) Scottish Homes, in respect of relevant experience and qualifications; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StewartMy right hon. Friend is required by the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990 to appoint to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise persons who appear to him to have knowledge or experience relevant to the discharge of the functions of those bodies (regard being had to the principle that equality of opportunity should be promoted as between men and women).
Criteria for the selection of the chairman and executive members of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council are set out in the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992 and are as follows:
(a) persons who appear to the Secretary of State for Scotland to have experience of, and to have shown capacity in, the provision of higher education or to have held, and to have shown capacity in, any position carrying responsibility for the provision of higher education and, in appointing such persons, he shall have regard to the desirability of their being currently engaged in the provision of higher education or in carrying responsibility for such provision; and(b) persons who appear to the Secretary of State for Scotland to have experience of, and to have shown capacity in, industrial, commercial or financial matters or the practice of any profession.The appointment of members of Scottish Homes is also made having regard to the relevant experience and qualities of potential candidates and according to the particular expertise required by Scottish Homes at the time.
Individuals are appointed by the Secretary of State in their own right and not as representatives of any organisation, or interest group.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the appointments made to public bodies by his Department since April 1992 have been advertised.
§ Mr. LangNo specific non-executive appointments to public bodies sponsored by my Department have been advertised since April 1992. However, there is a major publicity campaign, including press advertisement, each year seeking members for children's panels. In the summer of 1992 advertisements also sought applications from those interested in serving on health boards and NHS trusts.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the minimum and maximum numbers of possible board members of(a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) Highlands and Island Enterprise, (c) local enterprise companies and (d) Scottish Homes; what guidelines he has issued concerning the composition of these boards; and what specific guidance has been given on how many board members should be (i) from ethnic minorities, (ii) women, (iii) from the local business sector, (iv) from local authorities and (v) from trade unions.
§ Mr. StewartThe minimum and maximum numbers of possible board members of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are laid down in the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990 while the maximum number of board members for Scottish Homes is laid down in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988, all as set out880W in the table. My right hon. Friend is responsible for making appointments to the boards of each of these bodies guided by the requirements of the relevant Act.
Guidelines published by the Scottish Office Industry Department before the initial award of operating contracts to local enterprise companies stipulated that at least two-thirds of their board members should be drawn from the local private sector, that boards should number a maximum of 12 and minimum of nine (for those contracting with Scottish Enterprise) or seven (for those contracting with Highlands and Islands Enterprise), and that each local enterprise company would have to demonstrate that it had obtained the commitment of a broad range of interested parties in the area it was to cover.
Possible numbers of board members Minimum Maximum Scottish Enterprise 9 12 Highlands and Islands Enterprise 7 12 Scottish Homes 1— 10 1No statutory minimum. Note: Minimum and maximum numbers quoted are inclusive of the chief executive at each of the three bodies, who is an ex-officio board member in all cases.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of chairpersons and non-executive board members of local enterprise councils.
§ Mr. StewartThere are 22 local enterprise companies (the Scottish equivalent of training and enterprise councils) each of which has a chairman. Arrangements governing the appointment of non-executive board members are operational matters for individual companies, within national guidelines which stipulate that boards should number a maximum of 12 and minimum of nine (for those contracting with Scottish Enterprise) or seven (for those contracting with Highlands and Islands Enterprise).