§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997. [112670]
§ Mr. HainThe annual Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies" provides information on a range of public bodies. The 1997 edition lists those public bodies in existence prior to May 1997. The 1998 and 1999 editions list public bodies in existence in subsequent years. Copies of these publications have been placed in the Library of the House. Copies are also available on the Cabinet Office website (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/quango).
Since the publication of the 1999 edition of "Public Bodies", no new public bodies have been established. However the Commonwealth Institute has ceased to be a FCO non-departmental public body and is now an independent charity, as I announced to the house on 1 February 2000, Official Report, column 542W.