The Environmental Audit Committee is appointed under
Standing Order 152(A) to consider to what extent the policies
and programmes of government departments and non-departmental
public bodies contribute to environmental protection and sustainable
development; to audit their performance against such targets as
may be set for them by Her Majesty's Ministers; and to report
thereon to the House.
The Committee consists of sixteen Members. It has
a quorum of four. Unless the House otherwise orders, all Members
nominated to the Committee continue to be members of it for the
remainder of the Parliament.
The Committee has power:
(a) to send for persons, papers and records,
to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House, to adjourn
from place to place, and to report from time to time;
(b) to appoint specialist advisers to supply
information which is not readily available or to elucidate matters
of complexity within the committee's order of reference;
(c) to communicate its evidence and any other
documents relating to matters of common interest to any committee
appointed by this House or by the Lords; and
(d) to meet concurrently with any committee appointed
under Standing Order No. 152 (Select committees related to government
departments), or any sub-committee thereof, or with any committee
appointed by the Lords, or any sub-committee thereof, for the
purposes of deliberating or examining witnesses.
The membership of the Committee since its appointment
on 10th November 1997
Mr Norman Baker (appointed
2 December)
Mr Bob Blizzard
Mrs Helen Brinton
Mr Cynog Dafis (appointed 17 November)
Mr Dominic Grieve
Mr John Horam
Dr Brian Iddon
Mr Tim Loughton
Rt Hon Michael Meacher (appointed 19 December)*
Mr Laurence Robertson
Mr Malcolm Savidge
Mr Jonathan R. Shaw
Mr Matthew Taylor (appointed 17 November, discharged
2 December)
Mr Gareth R. Thomas
Mr Paul Truswell
Joan Walley
Mr John Horam was elected Chairman on 25 November
1997.
*The Minister for the Environment has ex-officio
membership of the Committee in like manner to the Financial Secretary's
membership of the Committee of Public Accounts.
The texts of Committee Reports and Press Notices
are available on the Internet (www.parliament.uk).
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