§ Mr. Mike O'BrienTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) who commissioned the report "Deregulation Now" published by his Department on 21 March; [24000]
236W(2) how the membership of the Anglo-German working party on deregulation was determined; who appointed its members; and what are the political affiliations of each of the British members; [24001]
(3) how often the Anglo-German working party on deregulation met; and what resources were available to it to undertake research; [24002]
(4) what parts of the report of the Anglo-German working party on deregulation have not been accepted as his policy; [24003]
(5) what was the cost of setting up, running and publishing the report of the Anglo-German working party on deregulation; how much of these costs were met from public funds; to what extent the Health and Safety Commission was consulted over the health and safety section of the report; and if he will place a copy of its response in the Library; [24004]
(6) which British organisations (a) submitted evidence to the Anglo-German working party on deregulation, (b) were consulted on it and (c) provided staff on research facilities for it; [24005]
(7) what is the constitutional position of a policy document when its contents are not all Government policy, with particular reference to the report of the Anglo-German working party on deregulation from a Government Department submitted to the European Union; [24006]
(8) what relative weight his Department gives to the differing conclusions on health and safety regulation of the Anglo-German working party on deregulation and his own authorised review of UK health and safety regulations; [24008]
(9) how much public money was paid in disbursements or remuneration to members of the Anglo-German working party on deregulation; and if he will place in the Library an itemised list detailing to whom such money were paid. [24010]
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansThe report of the independent group of Anglo-German business men was commissioned by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and Chancellor Kohl at the Anglo-German summit in April 1994. Members of the group were appointed by their respective Governments, with United Kingdom members being drawn from the deregulation task force. Apart from the right hon. Francis Maude, I am not aware of the political affiliations of any other UK member of the group.
The group met twice and had access to a small team of UK and German officials who provided secretariat support. Assistance and research facilities were drawn from members' own organisations. Group members conducted independent consultations, collected evidence from sectoral representative bodies and their own organisations.
The report has the status of independent advice from senior business men to Government, and is not a policy document from either the UK or German Governments. I am currently consulting other Whitehall Departments, and the Health and Safety Commission, on their specific recommendations. The UK's share of publication, distribution and related costs totalled £25,240. Members of the group received no remuneration from public funds. 237W Travel and subsistence expenses totalling £2,930 were met for the five UK members of the group who are listed in the groups's report "Deregulation Now", which is available in the Library of the House.