§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which non-departmental public bodies within the responsibility of his Department are subject to scrutiny by(a) ombudsmen, (b) the National Audit Office, (c) the Audit Commission and (d) other monitoring officers; which are covered by citizens charters; in which performance indicators apply; and in which members are liable to surcharge. [23953]
Mr. John M. TaylorThe Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible for two executive non-departmental public bodies: the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. However, the latter has been inactive since March 1992 5W when the Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone implementation of the authorised practitioners scheme.
The Legal Aid Board is not subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission or other monitoring officers and members are not liable to surcharge. It is subject to scrutiny by the Parliamentary Commissioner and the National Audit Office. It is covered by provisions under the citizens charter and performance indicators apply.
The immigration appeal tribunal and adjudicators, the lands tribunal, the pensions appeal tribunal, the value added tax tribunal and the transport tribunal are subject to the scrutiny of the ombudsman and the National Audit Office, to the extent that the courts are. Tribunals have performance indicators.
The Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct is subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office. For other advisory committees, and the tribunals, the expenditure which is incurred forms part of the Department's total expenditure. The Department's accounts are subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office.