§ Mr. BryantTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what task forces, ad hoc advisory groups and reviews established since 2 May 1997 were in existence between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001. [15832]
§ Mr. LeslieI have today placed this information in the Libraries of the House, in the form of an annual report; a copy is also being placed in the Vote Office. Future reports will be published annually.
Task forces, advisory groups and reviews provide independent, expert advice to Government on a wide range of issues. These are an effective means of securing high quality advice on matters of real public concern and they seek to operate in as open and transparent a way as possible. While they are not a new phenomenon, it is only since 1997 that detailed information on them has been public.