Non-departmental Public Bodies

HC Deb 27 November 2003 vol 415 c366W

23. Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for health if he will make a statement on plans to review the number of health service non-departmental public bodies. [142566]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The Secretary of State for Health announced his intention to review the Department's non-departmental public bodies along with its other arm's length organisations to the Health Committee on 30 October. We want to ensure that roles of the Department's arm's length bodies are in line with current expectations and that the oversight of front-line health and social services is kept to an acceptable minimum. We expect that the review will reach its conclusions by the middle of next year.