HC Deb 12 March 1996 vol 273 cc561-2W
Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [20088]

Mr. Hague

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 28 April 1995 by my predecessor, the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood),Official Report, column 728.

I regret that in that answer the Local Government Boundary Commission was described as under a statutory requirement to publish an annual report and lay it before Parliament; it published its report voluntarily. In addition, the Staff Commission for Wales publishes its advice voluntarily and the National Rivers Authority advisory committee lays an annual report before Parliament voluntarily.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [20105]

Mr. Hague

The information requested is as follows:

  1. (a) None;
  2. (b) the Local Government Boundary Commission has a statutory duty to conduct public consultation exercises. The Staff Commission for Wales conducts such exercises voluntarily;
  3. (c) to (f) none.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [16174]

Mr. Hague

[pursuant to his reply, 22 February 1996, c. 298–99]: I regret that there were two errors in the original reply.

There is no requirement for the Cardiff Bay development corporation to admit members of the public to its board meetings and access is not allowed because of the commercial in confidence nature of board business. The corporation has held many other meetings voluntarily with the public and the business community about its activities and plans.

The Land Authority for Wales is required to open its board meetings to the public under schedule 1 to the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, as amended, but the public may, by resolution, be excluded if the nature of the business is confidential or for other special reasons.