§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [21445]
§ Mr. HowardThe following executive non-departmental public bodies have a statutory base:
- Alcohol Education and Research Council
- Commission for Racial Equality
- Criminal Cases Review Commission
- Data Protection Registrar
- Gaming Board for Great Britain
- Horserace Betting Levy Board
- Horserace Totalisator Board
- Parole Board
- Police Complaints Authority.
None of the NDPBs for which I am responsible admits members of the public to all board or committee meetings either under a statutory requirement or voluntarily.
The Commission for Racial Equality holds conferences and seminars on race relations issues, but none of the NDPBs for which I am responsible is under a statutory requirement to hold open meetings.
936W
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [21719]
§ Mr. HowardThe following advisory non-departmental public bodies are sponsored by my Department:
(a) are on a statutory basis
- Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
- Animal Procedures Committee
- Firearms Consultative Committee
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales
- Poisons Board
- Police Negotiating Board.
(b) publish their advice to Government
- Animal Procedures Committee
- Firearms Consultative Committee1
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England1
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales1.
(c) publish an annual report and lay it before Parliament
- Animal Procedures Committee1
- Firearms Consultative Committee1
- Metropolitan Police Committee.
1 In these cases, the bodies concerned meet a statutory requirement. In other cases, the bodies act voluntarily.In my reply of 14 March 1996 at column 711, I indicated that the Poisons Board and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs published their advice to Government. I regret that was incorrect.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if police authorities 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. [21767]
§ Mr. MacleanPolice authorities established under the provisions of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 now incorporated in the Police Act 1996 are not open to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, but by the Commissioner for Local Administration. Similarly, they are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission, not the National Audit Office. Also, the Audit Commission's citizens charter performance indicators include a range of indicators that apply to the police service, and police authorities are required to publish these annually. As regards statutory provision for open government, police authorities are bound by rules similar to those that apply for local government.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [21741]
937W
§ Mr. HowardThe Government are required to consult the following advisory non-departmental public bodies before relevant legislative proposals:
- Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs;
- Animal Proceduares Committee;
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England;
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales;
- Poisons Board.
In addition, the Government's response to advice supplied by the following bodies must be published:
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England;
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [21696]
§ Mr. HowardThe following advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department:
(a) hold public meeting
- Metropolitan Police Committee
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales.
(b) conduct public consultation exercises
- Animal Procedures Committee
- Firearms Consultative Committee
- Metropolitan Police Committee
£000 Budgeted expenditure Estimated running costs 1996–97 1997–98 1996–97 1997–98 Metropolitan Police 1,713,494 1,738,884 1,663,829 1,705,000 Metropolitan Police Committee 399 405 399 405 Inner London Probation Service 46,144 45,555 40,619 40,042 North-east London Probation Service 10,693 10,348 9,636 9,521 South-east London Probation Service 7,003 6,910 6,403 6,326 South-west London Probation Service 5,733 5,820 4,894 4,797 Middlesex Probation Service 19,174 18,972 17,421 17,133 Budgets for subsequent years are not yet determined.