HC Deb 27 July 1999 vol 336 cc361-2W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [90673]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 19 July 1999]: (a) The following non-departmental public bodies have been disbanded since 1 May 1997:

Body Date disbanded
Nine advisory Regional Panels 28 May 1997
Consultative panel on Badgers and Bovine Tuberculosis 17 August 1998
Sugar Beet Research and Education Committee 30 March 1999

(b) None

(c) Nine of the MAFF non-departmental public bodies have had their functions transferred to:

  1. (i) another non-departmental public body
  2. (ii) a democratically elected body

(d) None of the MAFF non-departmental public bodies have been renamed but continue to perform a similar role.

(e) Details of all other non-departmental public bodies in existence on 1 May 1997 are listed in "Public Bodies 1997", which is available to Members in the Libraries of the House.

The Potato Industry Development Council (known as the British Potato Council) was established on 1 July 1997. The Council is funded by a levy on the industry.

The Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding Stuffs was set up, and the full list of members announced by my hon. Friend the Minister of State on 13 July 1999, Official Report, column 176. The first meeting will be held in September.

My right hon. Friend is currently responsible for 33 non-departmental public bodies, of which three are multiple bodies.

The Government are committed to keeping the number of non-departmental public bodies to a minimum and to ensuring that those which remain are open, accountable and effective. Many of the new non-departmental public bodies established since 1 May 1997 are essential in helping the Government deliver their Manifesto commitments.