HC Deb 15 February 1994 vol 237 cc655-7W
Dr. Wright

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, for each of the non-departmental bodies sponsored by his Department, whether the public has a statutory right to attend all board or committee meetings and to inspect(a) minutes of meetings, (b) the annual reports and (c) the annual accounts.

Mr. John M. Taylor

There is no statutory right to attend the board or committee meetings, or to inspect the minutes, of any of the Lord Chancellor's Department's non-departmental public bodies. However, as far as the tribunals are concerned, it is open to the public to attend the hearings.

The following bodies are required by statute to produce annual reports which are laid before Parliament:

  • Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct
  • Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board
  • Legal Aid Board
  • Council on Tribunals
  • Legal Aid Advisory Committee
  • Legal Aid Advisory Committee (NI)
  • Transport Tribunal
  • >Law Commission

The first four of these bodies include their accounts in their reports; the others do not produce accounts. In addition: —the annual report of the Advisory Council on Public Records is included in the annual report of the Keeper of Public Records which is required by statute to be laid before Parliament; and —the Judicial Studies Board produces periodic reports which are published by HMSO, but no accounts.

The remaining bodies produce neither reports nor accounts.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will publish a table showing, in 1992–93 prices, the gross public spending for each year since 1990–91 and the projected expenditure for each year to 1995–96 for each executive non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department, as listed in "Public Bodies 1993".

Mr. John M. Taylor

My Department has two executive non-departmental public bodies: the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board and the Legal Aid Board.

Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board
£ million
1990–91 0.290
1991–92 0.349
1992–93 0.231

The figure for 1990–91 was the cost of setting up the board, which has been inactive since March 1992. The costs in 1992–93 relate to on-going costs and the scaling down of its operations. No provision was made for its financing after 31 March 1993.

Legal Aid Board Gross public expenditure
£ million
1990–91 634
1991–92 886
1992–93 1,117
1993–-94 11,328
1994–95 11,592
1995–96 11,808
1 estimated outturn.

Mr. Kilfoyle

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board.

Mr. John M. Taylor

[holding answer 3 February 1994]: The membership of the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board at 31 January 1994 is as follows:

Members

  • Alan Brakefield Esq
  • Ms Tamara Goriely
  • Alan Mills Esq
  • Ms Katharine Mortimer
  • Mrs. June P. O'Dell OBE

There is currently a vacancy for the post of chairman.

Mr. Kilfoyle

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to the Advisory Council on Public Records.

Mr. John M. Taylor

[holding answer 3 February 1994]: The membership of the Advisory Council on Public Records as at 31 January 1994 is as follows:

Chairman

Sir Thomas Bingham, the right honourable Master of the Rolls

Members

  • Professor Bernard Alford
  • Sir John Blelloch
  • Dr. Alan Borg
  • Mrs. Lynne J. Brindley
  • Alexander Charles Carlile Esq. MP
  • Professor Richard Chapman
  • Terence Anthony Gordon Davis Esq. MP
  • Professor Richard Barrie Dobson
  • Miss Andrea Duncan
  • Victor Gray Esq
  • Mrs. Lynette Lithgow
  • Professor Shula Marks
  • David Sumberg Esq. MP
  • David Vaisey Esq. FSA

Mr. Kilfoyle

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to the Legal Aid Board.

Mr. John M. Taylor

[holding answer 3 February 1994]: The present members of the Legal Aid Board are John Pitts, chairman, Martin Acland, Diana Beale, Valerie Boakes, Fred Collins, Peter Jones, Kate Markus, Steve Orchard, Penelope Pearce, George Pulman QC, David Sinker, John Smith and Andrew Thomas.

Mr. Kilfoyle

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to the General Commissioners of Income Tax.

Mr. John Taylor

[holding answer 3 February 1994]: This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost. The latest figures available show that there are 3,948 general commissioners in England and Wales. If the hon. Member wishes me to give the names of general commissioners on particular divisions I shall be pleased to do so.