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Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the appointments made to public bodies by his Department since April 1992 have been advertised.

Mr. Gummer [holding answer 10 December 1993] : A vacancy for the post of local commissioner--local government ombudsman--was advertised early in 1993.

Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's policy regarding the use of executive search consultants in making appointments to public bodies ; and if he will (a) list the appointments where such consultants have been used and (b) list the cost in each case since April 1992.

Mr. Gummer [holding answer 16 December 1993] : Executive search consultants may be used where this is considered necessary to identify suitable candidates for appointment.

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Consultants were employed by my Department to assist with the selection of a local commissioner--local government ombudsman--earlier this year.

The total fee paid to the consultants was £21,810.93, including VAT. Public advertisements cost a further £17,704.

Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if will publish a table showing for each of the non-departmental public bodies --NDPBs--sponsored by his Department, whether the public have a statutory right to (a) attend all board meetings and (b) inspect the minutes of the meetings.

Mr. Gummer [holding answer 16 December 1993] : There is no statutory right for the public to attend board meetings or inspect the minutes for any of the executive NDPBs sponsored by the Department.

Water Charges

Mr. Tyler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the likely impact on water charges for each of the years 1994-95 to 1997-98 of the outcome of discussions on the implementation of the urban waste water treatment and bathing waters directives.

Mr. Yeo [holding answer 16 December 1993] : We welcome the decision of the European Council that a large proportion of Community legislation on water should be recast to make it consistent with the principle of subsidiarity. The Commission must now bring forward proposals for new and revised directives for consideration by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. They would not become law until agreed by the Council of Ministers. It is too early to assess the impact of any changes on water charges, but arrangements which allow more flexibility to member states should reduce costs.

Environment Council

Mr. Bates : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Environment Council on 15 December.

Mr. Yeo : The Environment Council resumed its discussions on 15 December. I represented the United Kingdom. The Council agreed a common position on the packaging directive by qualified majority vote. The directive will set targets for member states for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste and will provide a framework which allows free circulation of packaging

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which meets essential requirements. The Council also adopted the decision agreed last March enabling the Community to ratify the United Nations framework convention on climate change. The United Kingdom strongly supports Community ratification, but abstained because of doubts about the choice of legal base.

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