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Northern Ireland Office

Answer

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens' Charter. [20937] Sir John Wheeler: [holding answer 19 March 1997]: The remit of the Parliamentary Commissioner does not extend to executive non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland. The Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland investigates complaints of alleged injustice as a consequence of maladministration by Northern Ireland Departments, including their agencies, while the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints investigates similar complaints against local and public bodies. The current list of executive non-departmental public bodies which are subject to the jurisdiction of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints is as follows: Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland Arts Council of Northern Ireland Council for Catholic Maintained Schools Education and Library Boards Enterprise Ulster Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland Fire Authority for Northern Ireland Fisheries Conservatory Board for Northern Ireland General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland Industrial Training Boards Labour Relations Agency Laganside Corporation Livestock and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland Local Enterprise Development Unit Metal Health Commission for Northern Ireland Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Housing Executive Northern Ireland Local Government Officer's Superannuation Committee Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment Northern Ireland Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority Northern Ireland Museums Council Northern Ireland Tourist Board Office of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Protection Against Unlawful Industrial Action Office of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Union Members Sports Council for Northern Ireland Staff Commission for the Education and Library Boards Trustees of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum Trustees of the Ulster Museum Ulster Sheltered Employment Limited Youth Council for Northern Ireland. There are no executive non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland which are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission. The following executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Northern Ireland Office are subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office. Police Authority for Northern Ireland Probation Board for Northern Ireland Independent Commissioner for Police Complaints Training School Management Board Rathgael and Whiteabbey. The responsibility of the National Audit Office does not extend to the six Northern Ireland Departments which have their own similarly appointed body--the Northern Ireland Audit Office. The following executive non-departmental public bodies are subject to scrutiny by the NIAO. Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland Arts Council of Northern Ireland Belfast Education and Library Board North Eastern Education and Library Board South Eastern Education and Library Board Southern Education and Library Board Western Education and Library Board Council for Catholic Maintained Schools Enterprise Ulster Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland Fire Authority for Northern Ireland General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland Labour Relations Agency Laganside Corporation Local Enterprise Development Unit Local Government Staff Commission Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Council for Post Graduate, Medical & Dental Education *Northern Ireland Commissioner for Protection Against Unlawful Industrial Action *Northern Ireland Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Union Members Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum Examination and Assessments Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority Northern Ireland Housing Executive Northern Ireland Museums Council Northern Ireland Tourist Board Sports Council for Northern Ireland Staff Commission for Education & Library Boards Ulster Folk and Transport Museum Ulster Museum Ulster Sheltered Employment Ltd Youth Council for Northern Ireland. There are no statutory provisions for open government. However, those executive non-departmental public bodies under the jurisdiction of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints are subject to the code of practice on access to Government information. All executive non-departmental public bodies listed in the publication "Public Bodies 1996" are subject to performance indicators and the provisions under the citizen's charter. A copy of "Public Bodies 1996" has been placed in the Library.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

20937; 292 c825-8W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Accountability Audit Commission Citizen's Charter Freedom of information Government departments Non-departmental public bodies Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration National Audit Office Standards Northern Ireland Office