HC Deb 25 May 1995 vol 260 cc716-9W
Mr. Forman

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all the departmental committees of inquiry which have been established since November 1990, and in each case the date of establishment and the name of the chairman. [23145]

Mr. David Hunt

I list in the table those inquiries of which I am aware. I assume that "departmental committee of inquiry" should include any ad hoc inquiry set up by a Minister or Ministers bringing in expert or lay opinion and chaired by someone from outside Government to investigate either a specific event or a more general issue.

Departmental Committees of Inquiry
Department Committee Established Chairman
MAFF Advisory Committee on Flood and Coastal Defence Research and Development December 1990 Mr. P. Ackers
MAFF Expert Group on Animal Feeding-stuffs February 1991 Professor G. E. Lamming
MAFF Committee on Sea Level and Wave Recording February 1991 Mr. M. J. Tucker
MAFF Committee on the Ethics of Genetic Modification and Food Use September 1992 Reverend Dr. J. C. Polkinghorne FRS
MAFF Review of the Hygiene and Structural Requirements in a Sample of Slaughterhouses which have applied for temporary derogations under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992 October 1992 Dr. A. M. Johnston Mr. B. J. Spun
MAFF Committee to Review Fertility Aspects of Sewage Sludge Application to Agricultural Land January 1993 Professor A. D. Bradshaw
MAFF Ad Hoc Committee to consider the Ethical Implications of Emerging Technologies in the Breeding of Farm Animals May 1993 Professor Michael Banner
Attorney General Possible merger of SFO with CPS July 1994 Rex Davie
MOD MOD Policy Study December 1993 Sir John Blelloch
MOD Independent Review of Armed Forces' Manpower, Career and Remuneration Structures April 1994 Michael Bett
MOD Review of Representational Entertainment in the Armed Forces October 1994 Sir Peter Cazalet
DFE Review of the Further Education Unit and Further Education Staff College January 1993 Ken Young CBE
DFE Review of the National Curriculum and Assessment Framework April 1993 Sir Ron Dearing
DFE A short study to investigate the potential of emerging technologies to improve the effectiveness of the learning process for pupils of statutory school age January 1995 Peter Seaborne
DFE Review of the 16–19 Qualifications Framework April 1995 Sir Ron Dearing
DOE Inquiry into the Rating of Plant and Machinery June 1991 Derek Wood QC
DOE Enquiry into the Planning System in North Cornwall District August 1992 Miss Audrey M. Lees
DOE Task Force on Government Departments' Empty Houses December 1992 John Baker
DOE Inquiry into the Investment arrangements of the National Rivers Authority March 1993 Sir Michael Kerry
DOE Review of the Procurement and Contracting in the Construction Industry July 1993 Sir Michael Latham
DoH Committee of Enquiry into Complaints about Ashworth Hospital April 1991 Sir Louis Blom-Cooper
DoH Fundamental Review of the Existing System of Remuneration of General Dental Practitioners July 1992 Sir Kenneth Bloomfield KCB
DoH Panel of persons appointed under the Medicines Act 1968 to hear company representations on the proposed revocations of the product licences for Halcion/Triazolam January 1993 Miss Diana Cotton QC
DoH The Allitt Enquiry May 1993 Sir Cecil Clothier
DoH Review of NHS Complaints Procedures June 1993 Professor Alan Wilson
DoH Advisory Group on Osteoporosis November 1993 Professor P. J. Barlow
DoH Task Force to Review Services for Drug Misusers May 1994 Reverend Dr. John Polkinghorne FRS
DoH Expert Group to Investigate Cot Death Theories November 1994 Lady Sylvia Limerick
HO Royal Commissionon Criminal Justice July 1991 Viscount Runciman of Droxford
HO Enquiry into Police Rewards and Responsibilities July 1992 Sir Patrick Sheehy
HO Enquiry into the Escape of IRA Prisoners from Whitemoor Jail September 1994 Sir John Woodcock
HO Enquiry into Prison Security December 1994 Sir John Learmont
LCD An Inquiry into Access to Civil Justice March 1994 Conducted by Lord Justice Woolf
DNH Review of press Self-Regulation July 1992 Conducted by Sir David Calcutt QC
DNH Fire protection measures for the Royal Palaces January 1993 Sir Alan Bailey
NI Taxi Industry November 1991 Mr. R. Stirling
NI Operational Policy in Belfast Prison from Management of Paramilitary Prisoners December 1991 Viscount Colville of Culrose QC
NI Overtime Inquiry January 1993 Sir John Blelloch
NI Northern Ireland Energy Efficiency Action Group March 1993 Dr. William J. McCourt
NI Stormont Fire and Safety in Crown Buildings January 1995 Sir Reginald Doyle

I have not included inquiries set up routinely in pursuance of responsibilities under a statutory requirement, for example public inquiries held under planning legislation.

Departmental Committees of Inquiry
Department Committee Established Chairman
OPSS Expert Working Group on Human Genome Research February 1993 Professor Kay E. Davies
OPSS Review of UK Microbial Culture Collections January 1994 Professor Roger Whittenbury CBE
OPSS Committee to Review the Contribution of Scientists and Engineers to the Public Understanding of Science, Engineering and Technology January 1995 Sir Arnold Wolfendale FRS
PM Committee on Standards in Public Life October 1994 Lord Nolan
SO Committee to review Curriculum and Examination in the Fifth and Sixth years of Secondary Education in Scotland March 1990 Prof. John M. Howie CBE
SO The Cairngorms Working Party March 1991 Magnus Magnusson KBE
SO The Loch Lomond and Trossachs Working Party November 1991 Sir Peter Hutchinson Bt CBE
SO Committee to review Initial Training of Further Education College Lecturers May 1992 Prof. Janette Anderson
SO Inquiry into Cervical Cytopathology at Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Greenock April 1993 Dr. Euphemia McGoogan
DSS The Pension Law Review Committee June 1992 Prof. Roy Goode
DTI Coal Task Force November 1990 Dr. Eoin Lees
DTI Renewable Energy Advisory Group September 1991 Dr. Martin Holdgate
DTI Radio Spectrum Review Committee Stage 3: 28–470 Mhz July 1992 Sir Colin Fielding CB
DTI Inquiry into the Export of Defence Equipment and Dual-Use Goods to Iraq 1984–90 November 1992 Sir Richard Scott
DTp Review of London Underground Limited's response to fires and other emergencies September 1991 Dr. Brian Appleton
DTp Inquiry into river safety December 1991 John W. Hayes
DTp Inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping January 1993 Lord Donaldson
DTp Assessment of what further work should be undertaken to identify the cause of the sinking of the MV Derbyshire March 1995 Lord Donaldson
DTp Review of Coastguard actions during and after the Lyme Bay canoe tragedy May 1995 John Reeder QC
DTp Study into aircraft noise mitigation measures at Redhill Aerodrome and Wycombe Air Park November 1990 A. J. O'Connor
HMT Inquiry into the Supervision of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International July 1991 Rt Hon. Lord Justice Bingham
HMT Report on the role and functions of the Securities and Investments Board July 1992 Andrew Large