§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which(a) have a statutory base, (b) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (c) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntarily. [16178]
§ Mr. HealdThe Occupational Pensions Board is the only executive non-departmental public body sponsored by this Department. Its statutory base is in the Pensions Schemes Act 1993. There is no statutory requirement to admit members of the public to board or committee meetings, nor is it the practice to do so. There is a statutory requirement, under the provisions of the Occupational Pensions Board (Determinations and Review Procedure) Regulations 1973 to hold public hearings, in connection with reviews of the board's determinations, unless the board for any special reasons directs otherwise. If such a hearing is held privately, a member of the Council on Tribunals is entitled to attend.