§ Mr. ForthTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the appointments made by his Department since 1 May 1997 of chairmen of(a) non-departmental public bodies, (b) commissions, (c) inquiries, (d) agencies and (e) task forces; and if he will list their (i) term of office, (ii) salary and (iii) known political affiliation (A) past and (B) present. [33887]
§ Ms KeebleMinisters in my Department have appointed or reappointed chairs since 1 May 1997 as follows:
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Name (i) Term of office (ii) Salary (£) Reopened Formal Investigation into the loss of the MV Derbyshire Hon. Mr. Justice Colman Appointed April 2000, report published November 2000 No salary from the Reopened Formal Investigation Reopened Formal Investigation into the loss of the FV Gaul Mr. Justice Steel Appointed May 2000, currently adjourned. Likely to reopen late February/early March No salary from the Reopened Formal Investigation 1 A new chair is currently being appointed to the Audit Commission. The deputy chair has been acting chair since Dame Helena stood down last November. 2 In May 1999, during Sir Alan Cockshaw's chairmanship, the Urban Regeneration Agency and Commission for the New Towns came together as a single operating entity with the name English Partnerships. A new chair is currently being appointed, the deputy chair has been acting chair since Sir Alan stood down. 3 Sir Alastair was appointed chair of British Railways Board—one of Strategic Rail Authority's predecessor bodies on 1 April 1999. 4 The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 provides for appointment of Traffic Commissioners until their compulsory retirement at age 65. 5 This post runs concurrently with the tenure of Mr. Redmond's appointment as a Commissioner for Local Administration. Commissioners may be relieved of office at their own request or may be removed from office on the grounds of incapacity or misbehaviour and shall vacate office on completing the year of service in which they attain the age of 65. (d) This Department does not designate a chair to head its agencies.
(e) Information on the number, remit and membership of task forces, ad hoc advisory groups and reviews has been published by the Cabinet Office on a regular basis. The first report was published on 11 January 2000 and gives information for the period between 1 May 1997 to 31 October 1999. A second report was published on 27 July 2000, and covered the period 1 November 1999 to 30 April 2000. A third report was published on 13 December 2000 covering the period I May 2000 to 31 October 2000. The most recent report, "Task Forces, Ad Hoc Advisory Groups and Reviews," issued in October 2001, covers the period of the financial year 2000–01. Copies of these reports have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
(iii) Information on chairs political affiliation is not collected.