§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those responsible for making appointments of(a) chairs and (b) members of the boards to each of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department.
§ Mr. Gummer[holding answer 15 December 1993]: Appointments to the Rural Development Commission are made by Her Majesty the Queen.
I am responsible for all appointments to the Department's other executive non-departmental public bodies except the following where responsibility is shared:
Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Seven of the 11 voting members are provided by English Nature, the Scottish and Welsh county councils and the Countryside Commission.Letchworth Garden City Corporation
One each of the six members is appointed by Hertfordshire county council and North Hertfordshire district council respectively.National Rivers Authority
Two of the 14 members are appointed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and one by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.United Kingdom Eco Labelling Board
All members appointed jointly with my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the appointments made to public bodies by his Department since April 1992 have been advertised.
§ Mr. Gummer[holding answer 10 December 1993]: A vacancy for the post of local commissioner—local government ombudsman—was advertised early in 1993.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's policy 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. Gummer[holding answer 16 December 1993]: Executive search consultants may be used where this is considered necessary to identify suitable candidates for appointment.
1102WConsultants were employed by my Department to assist with the selection of a local commissioner—local government ombudsman—earlier this year.
The total fee paid to the consultants was £21,810.93, including VAT. Public advertisements cost a further £17,704.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if will publish a table showing for each of the non-departmental public bodies—NDPBs—sponsored by his Department, whether the public have a statutory right to(a) attend all board meetings and (b) inspect the minutes of the meetings.
§ Mr. Gummer[holding answer 16 December 1993]: There is no statutory right for the public to attend board meetings or inspect the minutes for any of the executive NDPBs sponsored by the Department.