HC Deb 21 March 1996 vol 274 cc273-4W
Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which(a) the Government are required to consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) the Government are required to publish their response to advice supplied by them. [21856]

Sir Paul Beresford

A list of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department can be found in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1995". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.

There are statutory requirements for Ministers to consult the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances, the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment, the Building Regulations Advisory Committee and the Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council in specified circumstances. Proposals for secondary legislation to effect boundary and structural changes in local government can only be put forward by the Government after the Local Government Commission has made recommendations.

There is no statutory requirement for the Government to publish responses to advice from advisory bodies.