Mr. Alan WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the contracts of Secretary of State appointees to quangos expire by April 1999. [9552]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesOf the appointments to public bodies which I make, singly or jointly with other Ministers, 399 are due to expire before 1 April 1999. I announced on 13 June 1997 the new procedures for making public appointments in Wales, and I will write to my right hon. Friend with details of that announcement.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the management costs of all-Welsh quangos. [9556]
§ Mr. DaviesI refer my right hon. Friend to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) on 4 June 1997,Official Report, column 204.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what action he proposes to reduce unnecessary quango administrative costs before April 1999; [9551]
(2) what action he will take to abolish quangos before April 1999; [9555]
(3) what action he proposes better to coordinate the Welsh Development Agency, the Land Authority for Wales and Development Board for Rural Wales before April 1999. [9557]
§ Mr. DaviesI will announce my proposals in the White Paper, which is to be published tomorrow.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what studies have been undertaken of unnecessary quango administrative costs; and if he will place them in the Library. [9553]
§ Mr. DaviesAll non-departmental public bodies are subject to a comprehensive review at least every five years. The reviews test firstly whether an NDPB's function is required at all and, if so, the scope for contracting out, privatising or transferring any of the functions to another body. The second stage considers the whole system of financial management and control, including administration costs, within the body.
Copies of the action plans of the financial management and policy reviews are available in the Library of the House.