Advisory Committees (Hansard, 20 December 1994)

§ Sir Paul Beresford

The information requested is set out for each body in turn:

Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment

The Committee was established to provide a forum for strategic level dialogue between Government and business on environmental issues; to mobilise the business community in demonstrating good environmental practice; and to provide a link with, and focus attention on, international business initiatives on the environment.

The committee was reconstituted in November 1993 and five new working groups established. Since then the main committee has met five times and 26 working group meetings have taken place.

The secretarial work of the main committee is shared between the DOE and DTI while the DOE provides secretarial support for four working groups and the DTI the other.

The DOE's expenditure on secretarial support, reports and publicity in 1993–94 was approximately £150,000. There was no separately allocated budget for this work. DTI related costs are not available.

Reports published include:

ACBE's Fourth Progress Report (Oct 94)
Financial Section Working Group Report (Nov 93)
A Guide to Environmental Best practice for Company Transport (Nov 93)
The Environment—a business guide (1993)

Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council

The council's function is to provide longer-term strategic advice to British Waterways and the Minister on amenity and recreational aspects.

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The council meets about six times each year.

The secretarial services are provided by British Waterways and costs are shown in British Waterways annual report and accounts. The Department's expenditure in 1993–94 for the chairman's remuneration was £13,900 against a budget of £18,500.

No reports were issued in 1993–94.

Property Advisory Group

The group's function is to keep under review changes in the land and property market, advise on matters concerning the development process, and advise the Department generally on property issues.

The group held 10 main meetings and six sub-group meetings during 1993–94.

The secretariat is provided by the DOE. The Department's expenditure in 1993–94 was approximately £23,000. There was no separately allocated budget.

No reports or submissions were published during 1993–94.

Assessment Panel for Construction Research

The panel provides independent expert advice on the evaluation of the Department's construction research programme and on development of its future strategy.

The panel, in its present form came into being in May 1994 and has met three times.

Secretarial services are provided by the Department at an estimated cost for 1994–95 of £8,700.

No reports have been issued yet.

Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment

The committee provides advice to Ministers and others on the exercise of specified powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990; on releases to the environment of animals, plants and genetically modified organisms; on human health aspects of releases to the environment; and on research needs.

The committee met six times in 1993–94.

The secretarial services are provided by the Department. The budgeted expenditure for 1993–94 was £21,700 and actual expenditure £15,600.

Reports are published jointly by the Department and the committee and include:

Note 1—The Regulation and control of the Deliberate Release of Genetically Modified Organisms.
Note 2—Fast Track Procedures for Certain GMO Releases
Note 3—Reduced information Requirements for releases of Plants under the GMO Regulations
Note 4—Guidance for experimental releases of genetically modified plants
Note 5—Guidance for experimental releases of genetically modified micro-organisms (excluding viruses and similar agents)
ACRE Newsletter No. 1
ACRE Annual Report 1993–94