HC Deb 02 May 1995 vol 259 cc191-4W
Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether this in each case is (i) under statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20503]

Mr. Lang

[holding answer 25 April 1995]: The information which is requested is as follows:

  1. (a) Those executive NDPBs which are covered by the Companies Acts are required to publish annual reports and some other bodies are also required by the statute creating them to publish annual reports. These bodies are:
    • Hannah Research Institute
    • Macaulay Land Use Research Institute
    • Moredun Research Institute
    • Rowett Research Institute
    • Scottish Crop Research Institute
    • River Purification Boards
    • Scottish Conveyancing and Executry Services Board
    • Scottish Council for Educational Technology
    • Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust
    • Scottish Seed Potato Development Council
    • Scottish Vocational Educational Council.
    In a number of other cases, the body is required by statute to produce an annual report on the exercise and performance of its functions for the Secretary of State which he is obliged to lay before Parliament. These bodies are:
    • Crofters Commission
    • Highlands and Islands Enterprise
    • National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland
    • National Museums of Scotland (required by statute at least every three years, but voluntarily produces an annual report) National Galleries of Scotland (required by statute every 3 years, but voluntarily produces an annual report)
    • New Town Development Corporations
    • Red Deer Commission
    • Royal Botanic Garden
    • Scottish Agricultural Wages Board (as part of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Annual Report which is a Command Paper)
    • Scottish Enterprise
    • Scottish Examination Board
    • Scottish HomesScottish Legal Aid Board Scottish Natural Heritage Scottish Tourist Board
    Some bodies publish reports on a non-statutory basis. They are:
    • Accounts Commission for Scotland
    • Edinburgh New Town Conservation Committee
    • National Library of Scotland
    • Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
    • Scottish Arts Council
    • Scottish Community Education Council
    • Scottish Film Council
    • Scottish Further Education Unit
    • Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
    • Scottish Medical Practices Committee
    • Scottish Sports Council
  2. (b) Those bodies which are required to publish their annual accounts under the terms of the Companies Acts, the Friendly Societies Acts or other legislation are:
    • Hannah Research Institute
    • Macaulay Land Research Institute
    • Moredun Research Institute
    • Rowett Research Institute
    • Scottish Crop Research Institute
    • River Purification Boards
    • Scottish Council for Educational Technology
    • Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust
    • Scottish Seed Potato Development Council
    • Scottish Vocational Educational Council.
    Some bodies are required by statute to submit annual accounts to the Secretary of State who is obliged to pass them to the Comptroller and Auditor General. He is then obliged to lay copies of them before Parliament. These bodies are:
    • Accounts Commission Scotland
    • Highlands and Islands Enterprise
    • National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland
    • National Library of Scotland
    • National Galleries of Scotland
    • National Museums of Scotland
    • New Town Development Corporations
    • Royal Botanic Garden
    • Scottish Enterprise
    • Scottish Examination Board
    • Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
    • Scottish Homes
      • 192
    • Scottish Legal Aid Board
    • Scottish Natural Heritage
    • Scottish Tourist Board.
    The Scottish Sports Council makes its accounts available on a voluntary basis.
  3. (c) No executive NDPB sponsored by my Department is required to publish the minutes of its meetings on a statutory basis. The minutes of the General Teaching Council for Scotland are published on a voluntary basis; Livingston development corporation voluntarily makes available for public inspection the minutes of those parts of its meetings which it opens to members of the public
  4. (d) No executive NDPB sponsored by my Department is required to publish the agenda of its meetings and none does so.
    5. 193
  5. (e) Information about members' interests is available from Companies House in relation to executive NDPBs which are covered by the Companies Acts and the Friendly Societies Acts. These bodies are:
    • Hannah Research Institute
    • Macaulay Land Use Research Institute
    • Moredum Research Institute
    • Rowett Research Institute
    • Scottish Crop Research Institute
    • Scottish Council for Educational Technology
      • 194
    • Scottish Vocational Education Council
    Although registers of members' interests are held by a number of other executive NPDBs, none is required to publish them. Following the publication last year of the code of best practice for board members of public bodies, the Scottish version of which was published in September 1994 and a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, a number of executive NDPBs are considering publication of their register of members' interests on an annual basis, although none has yet done so.

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