§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people494W are employed by the (a) Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine and (b) Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment; what their roles and terms of reference are; and what their annual budget for each year since 1997–98 was and their projected budget for the coming year. [75972]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine does not employ personnel. The Committee is composed of four appointed Masters of Wine and a Chairman who give their time without remuneration. A civil servant from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office acts as Secretary to the Committee. The roles of members of the Committee and terms of reference are defined in its Annual Reports, available in the library of the House. The Committee is advisory and holds no budget.
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) is within the remit of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. However, I understand that there are 36 people currently employed by CABE. Their roles are detailed in CABE's Annual Report and Accounts 2001–02 which is in the libraries of both Houses. CABE does not have formal terms of reference but its vision and objectives are set out in its Annual Report.
CABE was established in 1999 and its annual budget since then has been:
- 1999–2000: £3,330,000
- 2000–2001: £1,530,000
- 2001–2002: £1,538,000
- 2002–2003: £3,500,000
Projected Budget for 2003–4 is £3,500,000.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the performance of the(a) Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine and (b) Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment; what performance targets he has set; what reports were published on their performance in the last three years; and if he will place copies in the Library. [75973]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine is an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB). Its members give their time voluntarily and meet only on four half days each year. Members are bound by the Terms of Reference of the Committee, against which they have and continue to deliver the highest quality advice on wines and cellar-management. The terms of reference of the Committee are included in the annual report of the Committee, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) is within the remit of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport but the FCO collaborates closely with it. However, I understand that the Secretary of State reviews CABE's performance through the following review meetings:
January/February: Ministerial endorsement and signing of funding agreement495WMay/June: Review of performance in previous financial yearNovember/December: Mid-year review of performance.CABE published an Annual Report and Accounts for 2000–01 and 2001–02, copies of which have been placed in the libraries of both Houses.