HC Deb 12 March 1996 vol 273 cc499-501W
Dr. Wright

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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. [20096]

Mr. Jonathan Evans

The Lord Chancellor's departments sponsor the following advisory non-departmental public bodies:

  • Insolvency Rules Committee
  • County Court Rule Committee
  • Supreme Court Rule Committee
  • Land Registration Rule Committee
  • Family Proceedings Rule Committee
  • Crown Court Rule Committee
  • Advisory Council on Public Records
  • Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct
  • Council on Tribunals
  • Law Commission
  • Legal Aid Advisory Committee (NI)
  • Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax (NI)
  • Advisory Committees on JPs in Northern Ireland
  • Advisory Committees on Juvenile Court Lay Panel (NI)
  • Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax
  • Advisory Committees on JPs in England (excluding the Duchy of Lancaster) and Wales
  • Judicial Studies Board
  • Honorary Investment Advisory Committee

All but the last seven have a statutory base.

(a) None is under a statutory requirement to publish its advice to Government;

(b) The Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct, the Law Commission and the Council of Tribunals are all required by statute to make annual reports to the Lord Chancellor. While there is no statutory requirement on the Advisory Council on Public Records to submit an annual report, there is a requirement that any report by it to the Lord Chancellor should be included in the Public Record Office's own annual report, for which there is a statutory requirement; and

(c) all of the annual reports in (b) are laid before Parliament by the Lord Chancellor, under a statutory requirement.

The Legal Aid Advisory Committee (NI) is required to consider the Law Society's annual report on legal aid in Northern Ireland and the Lord Chancellor is required to lay before Parliament a copy of any comments or recommendations made by the committee.

The other bodies do not publish advice or produce annual reports.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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.[20113]

Mr. Evans

For the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department, the answers are as follows:

  1. (a) none
  2. (b) The following advisory bodies have carried out public consultation exercises:
    • the Supreme Court Rule Committee
    • the County Court Rule Committee
    • the Family Proceedings Rule Committee
    • the Law Commission
    • the Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct the Judicial Studies Board.
  3. (c) the Supreme Court Rule Committee, the County Court Rule Committee and the Family Proceedings Rule Committee regularly consult with individuals and organisations which have a professional or commercial interest in the amendment of rules of court.
    • The Law Commission does conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests but this is encompassed within
  4. (b) above.
  5. (d) none
  6. (e) none
  7. (f) none
  • There is no statutory requirement for these bodies in these areas.