§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Water Services which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter; [21452]
(2) which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Water Services have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21436]
§ Mr. ClappisonI refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 22 July 1996,Official Report, column 29.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21710]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordDetails of the advisory non-department public bodies sponsored by my Department are listed in the Cabinet office publication, "Public Bodies 1996". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.
I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on Tuesday 12 March 1996, Official Report, column 518. The information contained in that answer remains correct.
Since then, three new advisory non-departmental public bodies have been established: the Advisory Committee on Building Materials Exports; the Advisory Committee on Plant and Machinery and the Water Regulations Advisory Committee. None of these bodies has been set up on a statutory basis. There is no requirement for them to publish their advice to government, to publish an annual report or to lay an annual report before Parliament.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21736]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordDetails of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department are listed in the Cabinet office publication."Public Bodies 1996". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.
923WI refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on Thursday 21 March 1996, Official Report, columns 273–74. The information contained in that answer remains correct.
Since then, three new advisory non-departmental public bodies have been established: the Advisory Committee on Building Materials Exports; the Advisory Committee on Plant and Machinery and the Water Regulations Advisory Committee. The Government are under no obligation to consult these bodies on legislative proposals or to publish any response to advice from them.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21693]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordDetails of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department are listed in the Cabinet office publication,"Public Bodies 1996". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.
I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on Wednesday 20 March 1996, Official Report, columns 213–14. The information contained in that answer remains correct.
Since then three new advisory non-departmental public bodies have been established: the Advisory Committee on Building Materials Exports; the Advisory Committee on Plant and Machinery and the Water Regulations Advisory Committee. All three bodies conduct public consultation exercises and conduct consultation exercises with outside
£ million 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 Body Budget Running costs (estimate) Budget Running costs (estimate) Budget Running costs (estimate) Budget Running costs (estimate) London Docklands Development Corporation1 84.7 23.9 97.4 23.7 — — — — Waltham Forest Housing Action Trust2 31.1 3.9 32.4 2.8 20 rent2 2.2 18.5 rent2 2.1 Tower Hamlets Housing Action Trust2 12.5 2.8 13 3 10 rent2 3.1 10 rent2 3 Stonebridge Housing Action Trust2 9.5 3.6 12.9 2.8 11 rent2 3 16 rent2 3.3 1 London Docklands Development Corporation wound up on 31 March 1998. 2 HAT budgets for 1998–99 to 1999–2000 do not include rental income, which will cannot yet be estimated with accuracy being dependent on progress in redevelopment. In addition, a number of national bodies responsible to my Department, including the Housing Corporation, the Health and Safety Executive, English Partnerships and the Environment Agency, are responsible for delivery of services in London. Expenditure and running costs associated with these activities are not readily separable from overall national expenditure. I refer the hon. Member to my Department's annual report, published yesterday, copies of which are available in the Library.
924Wcommercial interests. These are not a statutory requirement. These bodies do not carry out any of the other activities specified in the question.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those of the Office of Water Services advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21749]
§ Mr. ClappisonNone.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Water Services(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21726]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Office of Water Services national consumer council is a non-statutory advisory body established by the Director General of Water Services. Accounts of the council's activities are published in its annual report, copies of which are in the Library. There is no statutory requirement on the council to publish or lay any papers.