HC Deb 22 February 1996 vol 272 cc253-4W
Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [16024]

Mr. Norris

Listed below are the answers for each of the Department of Transport's non-departmental public bodies.

Trinity House Lighthouse Service—THLS:

  1. (a) is subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner.
  2. (b) 1is subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission.
  3. (c) 1is subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office.
  4. (d) the statutory provisions for open government do not apply.
  5. (e) a system of performance indicators is currently the subject of discussion and should be implemented soon.
  6. (f) is encouraged to follow the principles of the citizen's charter.

Northern Lights Board—NLB:

  1. (a) is subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner.
  2. (b) 1is subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission.
  3. (c) 1is subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office.
  4. (d) the statutory provisions for open government do not apply.
  5. (e) a system of performance indicators is currently the subject of discussion and should be implemented soon.
  6. (f) is encouraged to follow the principles of the citizen's charter.

London Regional Passengers Committee:

  1. (a) is subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner.
  2. (b) is not subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission.
  3. (c) is subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office.
  4. (d) the statutory provisions for open government do not apply.
  5. (e) has no performance indicators.
  6. (f) is not subject to the provisions of the citizen's charter.

Traffic Director for London:

  1. (a) is subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner.
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  2. (b) 1is not subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission.
  3. (c) 1is subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office.
  4. (d) complies with the code of practice on open government.
  5. (e) has performance indicators.
  6. (f) is subject to the provisions of the citizen's charter.

1Audit arrangements are set out in "Public Bodies 1995", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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. [16176]

Mr. Norris

Listed below are the answers for each of the Department of Transport's non-departmental public bodies.

Trinity House Lighthouse Service—THLS:

  1. (a) has a statutory base;
  2. (b) there is no statutory right for the public to attend board;
  3. (c) there is no statutory requirement to hold open meetings in public.

Northern Lights Board—NLB:

  1. (a) has a statutory base;
  2. (b) there is no statutory right for the public to attend board;
  3. (c) there is no statutory requirement to hold open meetings in public.

London Regional Passengers Committee:

  1. (a) has a statutory base;
  2. (b) there is no board to which the public could be admitted;
  3. (c) no open meetings, as such, are held but voluntary arrangements were made to enable members of the public to attend meetings at the time of public consultation for the red route proposals.

Traffic Director for London:

  1. (a) has a statutory base;
  2. (b) there is no statutory right for the public to attend board;
  3. (c) there is no statutory requirement to hold open meetings in public.