HC Deb 20 July 1999 vol 335 cc459-60W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the non-departmental public bodies in existence on 1 May 1997 that(a) have been disbanded, indicating when they were disbanded, (b) will be disbanded in the next 12 months, (c) have had their functions transferred to (i) another non-departmental public body and (ii) a democratically elected body, (d) have been renamed but continue to perform a similar role and (e) have been unchanged; if he will indicate in (c)(ii) the relevant successor body; what new non-departmental public bodies have been established since 1 May 1997; and how many non-departmental public bodies his Department currently is responsible for. [90678]

Mr. Mudie

[holding answer 19 July 1999]: Of the non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) in existence on 1 May 1997:

  1. (a) the NDPB that has been simply disbanded is the Supported Employment Consultative Group, in June 1998 as intended. The Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research continues in operation but, following constitutional change, has been de-classified as an NDPB;
  2. (b) the Funding Agency for Schools has ceased funding activities, and will be disbanded in the autumn of this year;
  3. (c)(i) the functions of the disbanded National Advisory Council for the Employment of People with Disabilities have been transferred to the National Disability Council. The National Council for Vocational Qualifications and the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority have been merged to 460 form the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The Race Relations Employment Advisory Group has been disbanded and replaced by the Race Relations Education and Employment Forum;
  4. (c)(ii) no functions have been transferred to a democratically elected body;
  5. (d) the Education Assets Board has been renamed as the Education Transfer Council and the National Council for Educational Technology has been renamed as the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency;
  6. (e) unchanged NDPBs not mentioned above are the Construction Industry Training Board, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board, the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Further Education Funding Council, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, Investors in People UK, Remploy Ltd., Student Loans Company, Teacher Training Agency, Registered Inspectors Appeals Tribunal, Special Educational Needs Tribunal, School Teachers Review Body now classified under this Department.
New NDPB established since 1 may 1997 are; the Disability Rights Task Force, New Deal Task Force, Skills Task Force.

The Department is responsible for 21 NDPBs.

The Government are committed to keeping the number of NDPBs to a minimum and to ensuring that those which remain are open, accountable and effective. Many of the NDPBs established since 1 May are essential in helping the Government deliver their Manifesto commitments.

Forward to