§ The Minister for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael)The Department is undertaking a financial management and policy review of the Commons Commissioners.
The Commissioners are an independent tribunal, sponsored jointly by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Assembly Government. They were established under the provisions of the Commons Registration Act 1965 to deal with disputed registrations of common land.
The review will comprise an investigation of the functions carried out by the Commissioners, whether these functions still need to be undertaken and, if so, whether they should continue to be carried out by the Commissioners or whether another body in the public, private or voluntary sector could undertake the work.
If it is considered that the Commissioners should be retained the review will consider issues such as cost effectiveness, staffing, finance and their relationship with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Lord Chancellor's Department. The full terms of reference are:
Stage 1.
To consider whether there is a continuing need for the functions carried out by the Commons Commissioners and, if so, whether the Commissioners provide the best means of doing so or whether the work could more effectively be carried out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) or another body in the public, voluntary or private sectors.
10WSStage 2.
If the conclusion from Stage 1 is that the Commissioners should be retained, the review will then look at all aspects of their financial management, accountability and relationship with Defra, WAG and the Lord Chancellor's Department. The review will consider and make recommendations on:
- the Commissioner's cost effectiveness, and the value of its work;
- the composition, operation, management and staffing of the Commissioners;
- the financial regime applying to the Commissioners and the effectiveness of
- financial and other management controls;
- the way in which Defra and WAG sponsor the body and monitor its performance and the role of the Lord Chancellor's Department in appointing Commissioners.
The review will also consider and take account of the work of related reviews, such as the Leggatt review of tribunals and the policy and legislative review of common land being undertaken by Defra and WAG.
The review will be undertaken in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines, and we expect it to be completed in April 2003.