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Ministerial Responsibilities

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Minister in his Department is responsible for the oversight of fair employment legislation and personnel matters. [20405]

Sir Patrick Mayhew [holding answer 20 March 1997]: Baroness Denton, by virtue of her responsibility for the Department of Economic Development, has ministerial responsibility for the fair employment legislation in Northern Ireland. My right hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) is the Minister responsible for the Department of Finance and Personnel and hence for the general management and control of the Northern Ireland civil service. In that capacity he has a responsibility to oversee how the Northern Ireland civil service, as an employer, complies with good personnel practice including the relevant provisions of fair employment legislation.

Public Bodies

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and if this is in each case under a statutory requirement. [21433]

Mr. Moss: The information is as follows:

21 Mar 1997 : Column: 927

	Publish annual reports	Publish annual accounts	Publish the minutes of meetings	Publish the agendas of meetings	Publish register of members' interests
Health and Social Services Boards	(9)Yes	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	(9)Yes
Health and Social Services Councils	(10)Yes	(9)Yes	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	(9)Yes
Health and Social Services Trusts	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	No	No	(9)Yes
Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	No	No	(9)Yes
Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	(9)Yes
Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	No	No	(9)Yes
Northern Ireland Central Services Agency	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	No	No	(9)Yes
Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency	(10)Yes	(10)Yes	No	No	(9)Yes

(9) On a voluntary basis.

(10) A statutory requirement.

21 Mar 1997 : Column: 929

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the pubic to all board committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21442]

Sir John Wheeler: I will write to the hon. Member.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement; [21721]

(2) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary; [21762]

(3) if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21744]

Sir John Wheeler: I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; and if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of

21 Mar 1997 : Column: 930

the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21761]

Mr. Moss: The information is as follows:

	Statutory base	Admit public to board committee meetings	Open meetings for the public
Health and Social Services Boards	Yes	No	(11)Yes
Health and Social Services Councils	Yes	No	No
Health and Social Services Trusts	Yes	No	(11)Yes
Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency	Yes	No	No
Northern Ireland Central Services Agency	Yes	No	No
Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency	Yes	(11)Yes	No
Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency	Yes	No	No
Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency	Yes	No	No

(11) A statutory requirement.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter.[21727]

Mr. Moss: The information is as follows:

21 Mar 1997 : Column: 929

	Investigation by parliamentary commissioner	Scrutiny by the audit commission	Scrutiny by the national audit office	Statutory provisions for open government	Performance indicators	Provision under the citizens' charter
Health and Social Services Boards	Yes		(12)No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Health and Social Services Councils	Yes		(12)(13)No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Health and Social Services Trusts	Yes		(12)No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency	Yes	not relevant in	(12)No	Yes	Yes	No
Northern Ireland Central Services Agency	Yes	Northern Ireland	(12)No	Yes	Yes	No
Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency	Yes		(12)No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency	Yes		(12)No	Yes	Yes	No
Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency	Yes		(12)No	Yes	Yes	No

(12) These bodies are scrutinised by the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

(13) Health and Social Services Councils expenditure is identified in Health and Social Services Boards accounts.

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Sectarian Harassment

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when (a) he and (b) the Under-Secretary first learned that a sum of money had been paid to a civil servant formerly in her private office for sectarian harassment; and if he had to approve the payment. [20402]

21 Mar 1997 : Column: 930

Sir Patrick Mayhew [holding answer 20 March 1997]: I was not required to approve this payment, but I was advised of the key elements of the proposed settlement, and agreed that the case should be settled in January 1997. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State was advised at the end of December 1996 of the key elements of the proposed settlement.

21 Mar 1997 : Column: 931

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Hayes inquiry into allegations of sectarian harassment in the office of the Economy Minister will be in public. [20403]

Sir Patrick Mayhew [holding answer 17 March 1997]: No. Dr. Hayes has been invited to undertake a review, not a public inquiry. The nature of the personnel issues to be examined by Dr. Hayes are unsuitable for public hearings.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the report of the Hayes inquiry will be published in full. [20404]

Sir Patrick Mayhew [holding answer 20 March 1997]: Yes, subject to such matters as may derive from security and personal confidentiality considerations.

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