§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what monitoring takes place by his Department of the use of external consultants by non-departmental public bodies. [16749]
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Mr. John M. TaylorNon-departmental public bodies are established to operate at arm's length from Government, often under specific statutory powers. The NDPB's governing board is responsible for the management and control of the body's functions.
My Department is responsible for monitoring the performance of the NDPBs it sponsors, 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 of external consultants is contained in the efficiency unit scrutiny report, "The Government's Use of External Consultants", which is available to all the Department's NDPBs.