HC Deb 21 March 1997 vol 292 cc1010-4W
Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Telecommunications(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. [21715]

Mr. John M. Taylor

The following is the information:

  • English Advisory Committee on Telecommunications
  • Northern Ireland Advisory Committee on Telecommunications
  • Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications
  • Welsh Advisory Committee on Telecommunications
  • Business Advisory Committee on Telecommunications
  • Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Disabled and Elderly People.

All six ACTs have a statutory basis—section 54 (1) or 54 (4) of the Telecommunications Act 1984—and are remitted by that Act to advise the Director General of Telecommunications (OFTEL).

ACT advice given to Oftel in response to public consultations undertaken by Oftel is made available for public reference in Oftel's library, along with other responses received. Advice given to Oftel in other circumstances may by published, in whole or part, by Oftel or by the ACT itself at the discretion of the chairman by way of press release, newsletter or annual report.

A summary annual report by each ACT is submitted to the director general and published by him as part of Oftel's annual report, which is laid before Parliament. This is a statutory requirement. Each ACT also publishes and disseminates widely a more detailed annual report of its own activities and views. This is voluntary. Copies are not laid before Parliament, but are available to Members of both Houses—and to the public—on request and free of charge.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those of the Office of Telecommunication'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. [21752]

Mr. Taylor

None.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Telecommunications(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interest, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21703]

Mr. Taylor

The following is the information:

  • English Advisory Committee on Telecommunications
  • Northern Ireland Advisory Committee on Telecommunications
  • Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications
  • Welsh Advisory Committee on Telecommunications
  • Business Advisory Committee on Telecommunications
  • Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Disabled and Elderly People.

None of the ACTs hold their regular meetings in public. Some of the information received by them is commercially sensitive to telecommunications companies and the ACTs would not wish to compromise their access to and use of it. However, at the Chairmen's discretion they can invite external observers to meetings. ACTs may conduct both open/public and closed/targeted consultation exercises, assist Oftel with its own exercises and commission consumer research.

The ACTs published annual reports list the main external activities of their members, however, these do not constitute a full register of interests. For instance, details of private shareholdings in BT, although required by members' term of appointment to be disclosed to the director general, are not published.

ACTs do not publish the formal agendas for, nor minutes of, their meetings. However, their annual reports are intended to give a substantial insight into their work.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. [21700]

Mr. Taylor

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the then President of the Board of Trade on 19 December 1994,Official Report, Column 912.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. [21751]

Mr. Taylor

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 27 March 1996,Official Report, columns 606–07.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. [21725]

Mr. Taylor

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 March 1996,Official Report, column 672.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department 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. [21440]

Mr. Taylor

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 22 February 1996,Official Report, column 250. The information given then is still current with the amendment that the Coal Authority now holds an annual open meeting, on a voluntary basis.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those of Export Credits Guarantee 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. [21738]

Mr. Nelson

The Export Credits Guarantee Departments takes advice from one non-departmental public body, the Export Guarantees Advisory Council. The answers to the specific questions are none in each case.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Export Credits Guarantee 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. [21704]

Mr. Nelson

The Export Credits Guarantee Department takes advice from one non-departmental public body, the Export Guarantees Advisory Council. For answers to the specific questions I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 18 July 1996,Official Report, column 611.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Exports Credits Guarantee 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. [21716]

Mr. Nelson

The Export Credits Guarantee Department takes advice form one non-departmental public body, the Export Guarantees Advisory Council. The answers to the specific questions are none in each case except for(a), the Export Guarantees Advisory Council is appointed under the terms of the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991.

Dr. Wright

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will list those of the Office of Electricity Regulation'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; [21737]

(2) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Electricity Regulation (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; [21702]

(3) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Electricity Regulation (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. [21714]

Mr. Page

I will write to the hon. Member.