HC Deb 25 April 1996 vol 276 cc273-4W
Dr. Wright

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings (i) under a statutory requirement and (ii) voluntarily. [20117]

Mr. Boswell

[holding answer 12 March 1996]: The information is as follows:

  1. (a) None
  2. (b) The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes
    • The Farm Animal Welfare Council
    • The Food Advisory Committee
  3. (c) The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes
    • The Farm Animal Welfare Council
    • The Food Advisory Committee
  4. (d) The Consumer Panel and the Veterinary Products Committee publish a register of members' interests.
    • The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and the Food Advisory Committee state members' interests in their annual reports.
    • The interests of the members of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Committee are made available each year via an arranged PQ.
  5. (e) The Consumer Panel, the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes and the Food Advisory Committee publish agendas for its meetings.
  6. (f) The Consumer Panel publishes the minutes of its meetings.

There is no statutory requirement for any of the above.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base, and which(a) publish their advice to Government, (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament (i) under a statutory requirement and (ii) voluntarily. [20104]

Mr. Boswell

[holding answer 12 March 1996]: The following advisory non-departmental public bodies have a statutory basis:

  • The Advisory Committee on Pesticides
  • The Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committees
  • The Consumers' Committee for Great Britain The Committee of Investigation for Great Britain
  • The Committee on Agriculture Valuation
  • The Hill Fanning Advisory Committee
  • The Veterinary Products Committee

(a) Advice to Government is published by:

  • The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes
  • The Consumer Panel
  • The Farm Animal Welfare Council (majority of reports)
  • The Food Advisory Committee

Publication is carried out on a voluntary basis by these bodies:

(b) Annual reports are published by:

  • The Veterinary Products Committee under a statutory requirement; and on a voluntary basis by:
  • The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes
  • The Advisory Committee on Pesticides
  • The Consumer Panel
  • The Food Advisory Committee

(c) An annual report is laid before Parliament by the Veterinary Products Committee under a statutory requirement.