§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) who determined the criteria used in drawing up lists of those invited to(a) give oral evidence to the Burns Inquiry, (b) attend seminar sessions to discuss commissioned research and (c) set up public meetings for the Burns Inquiry team; [109949]
(2) who set down the criteria used to determine which organisations were consulted in drawing up the list of hunting events for members of the Burns Inquiry to attend. [109954]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Committee of Inquiry into Hunting has been set up as a committee which is independent of Government. Terms of reference have been given to the Committee, as set out in the reply by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) on 9 December 1999,Official Report, columns 617–18W.
The conduct of the Committee, within those terms of reference, is a matter for the Chairman and the members of the Inquiry team.
§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the(a) individuals put forward by interested parties and (b) organisations approached for nominations for membership of the Burns Inquiry. [109953]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienOrganisations and Government Departments approached for suggestions for names of potential members of the Inquiry team into hunting included:
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- The Cabinet Office;
- Campaign 2000 (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and The League Against Cruel Sports);
- The Country Landowners Association;
- The Countryside Agency;
- The Countryside Alliance;
- The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions;
- The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food;
- The National Trust;
- The office of the Secretary of State for Wales; and
- The Wildlife Network.
We consulted organisations on the basis that nominations would be received in confidence. It would not be right, therefore, for me to divulge individual names.