§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what monitoring takes place by her Department of the use of external consultants by non-departmental public bodies. [16754]
§ Mr. SproatNon-departmental public bodies are established to operate at arm's length from the Department and are often set up under specific statutory powers. An NDPB's board has responsibility for the day-to-day management and control of the body's functions, including the use of external consultants.
My Department is responsible for monitoring the performance of the NDPBs it sponsors, and for ensuring that they operate within a framework of controls drawn up between my Department and its NDPBs. Within this framework, they are given administrative delegations within which they operate. The use of external consultants is one such delegated limit. If the NDPB wishes to let a contract above its delegated limit, it must seek my Department's prior approval.