§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what(a) controls, (b) monitoring and (c) guidance exist in respect of the use of external consultants by non-departmental public bodies. [15610]
§ Mr. FreemanNon-departmental public bodies are established to operate at arm's length from Government, often under specific statutory powers. An NDPB's governing board is responsible for the management and control of the body's functions.
Ministers and their Departments are responsible for monitoring the performance of the NDPBs they sponsor, and for ensuring that they operate within the framework of controls set out in the Treasury and Cabinet Office guidance "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: A Guide for Departments".
Guidance on best practice on the procurement and management of external consultants is contained in the efficiency unit scrutiny report, "The Government's Use of External Consultants", which is available to all NDPBs.