HC Deb 17 December 2003 vol 415 c966W
Brian Cotter

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. [142487]

Mr. Stephen Twigg

The Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultation came into effect on 1 January 2001. In the period 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2002, the Department for Education and Skills has published 110 consultations covered by the Code, of which 24 were less than 12 weeks.

There is not always a direct correlation between Government consultations and individual regulations. For example, there would not be a public consultation prior to the making of statutory instruments designating bodies as eligible to be funded by the Teacher Training Agency.