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Public Bodies
Dr. Wright: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open Government, (e) performed indicators and (f) provisions under the citizen's charter. [16010]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
The Lord Chancellor's Department sponsors two such bodies--the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. However, the latter has been inactive since March
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1992, when the Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone the implementation of the authorised practitioners scheme.
The Legal Aid Board is not subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission but (a) and (c) to (f) all apply to the board.
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base and which (a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntarily. [16028]
Mr. Evans:
The Lord Chancellor's Department sponsors two such bodies--the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. Both have a statutory basis. However, the latter has been inactive since March 1992, when the Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone implementation of the authorised practitioners scheme.
The Legal Aid Board does not, nor is it required to, admit members of the public to board or committee meetings or hold open meetings for members of the public.
Mr. Khabra:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to publish the Government's consultation paper on mental incapacity, following the Law Commission's report on the subject; how long the consultation period will be; and when he expects the results will be published. [16151]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
No date has yet been set for publication of the Government's consultation paper on mental incapacity. The length of the consultation period has yet to be decided.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the consistency between his statement in The Sun on 17 February as to United Kingdom arms exports to Iraq with the details of export licences provided on pages 21, 33, 34 and 77 of the appendix A of volume V of the Scott report. [16907]
The Prime Minister:
Appendix A of volume V of the Scott report confirms that the UK did not on any occasion approve the export of lethal defence equipment to Iraq. This is the point that I was making in my article in The Sun on 17 February.
Mr. Smith:
To ask the Prime Minister what guidelines he has issued to Departments in respect of the retention of papers dealing with export licences since the Scott inquiry commenced. [15979]
The Prime Minister:
No specific guidance has been issued on the retention of papers dealing with export licences. Central guidance on the retention of Government
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papers generally is issued by the Public Records Office. More detailed criteria are applied by each Government Department to meet its own needs.
Mr. Smith:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the briefing note prepared for him in support of his oral answer to the right hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown) of 12 November 1992, Official Report, column 990. [15629]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 16 February 1996]: This document was submitted as evidence to Sir Richard Scott's inquiry. Sir Richard Scott is free to publish any document which he considers relevant to his report, consistent with his procedures. I understand that he proposes to do this as soon as possible. Documents which Sir Richard does not consider relevant to his report and which contain internal discussion and advice will not be made available.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will now place in the Library a copy of the chronology of United Kingdom trade with Iraq, prepared for his Office by the Cabinet Office in November 1992. [16050]
The Prime Minister:
This document was submitted as evidence to Sir Richard Scott's inquiry. Sir Richard Scott is free to publish any document which he considers relevant to his report, consistent with his procedures. I understand that he proposes to do this as soon as possible.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Prime Minister how many Ministers have resigned in each year since 1979. [16985]
The Prime Minister:
This is a matter of public record.
Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make arrangements for the transcripts of all television and radio broadcasts made by Ministers of the Crown to be deposited in the Library. [16729]
The Prime Minister:
This is a matter for departmental Ministers. The cost of making it a universal practice would be very substantial.
11. Mr. Rathbone:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to measure the impact of the deregulation process. [15247]
Mr. Willetts:
Savings to business arising from recent deregulatory measures include £41 million a year from simplification of food temperature controls and £18 million a year by removing unnecessary gold plating from the collective redundancies directive. New guidelines on compliance cost assessment require departments to assess the impact of all regulatory proposals likely to impact on business and to place copies in the House Libraries.
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26. Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had with the United Kingdom representative office in Brussels with regard to deregulation in the United Kingdom and the EC. [15623]
Mr. Freeman:
I last discussed deregulation with the UK permanent representation to the European Union on 23 November last year. The United Kingdom representation in Brussels is fully aware of the Government's deregulatory objectives and takes every opportunity to advance the case for deregulation in its work with the Commission and other member states.
12. Mr. Hain:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to re-assess the priorities of his Department. [15248]
The Deputy Prime Minister:
I have no such plans.
13. Mr. French:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in preparing the cost benefit analyses of regulations. [15249]
Mr. Freeman:
New guidance on measuring the costs to business of regulatory proposals was issued to departments on 25 January. Guidance on measuring the benefits of regulatory proposals is currently being prepared and we hope to publish this by April. Copies of our compliance cost assessment guidance has been circulated to Ministers in other European Union nations.
14. Dr. Godman:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received concerning the presentation of Government policy relating to the Scott inquiry. [15250]
Mr. Willetts:
We have received a small number of representations concerning the Scott inquiry.
16. Ms Rachel Squire:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the presentation of Government policy relating to the Scott inquiry. [15252]
18. Ms Eagle:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Scott inquiry. [15254]
Mr. Freeman:
The Scott report will be debated later today.
24. Mr. Clapham:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received concerning open government and the export of defence-related equipment to Iraq. [15261]
The Deputy Prime Minister:
None.
23. Mr. Gunnell:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister about the implications of the Scott report for the civil service. [15260]
Mr. Freeman:
My right hon. Friend has discussed a number of the conclusions and recommendations of the Scott report with the Prime Minister. Many of these have implications for the civil service.
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27. Mrs. Jane Kennedy:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Scott report and the workings of his Department. [15264]
The Deputy Prime Minister:
The Scott report will be debated later today.
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