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Welsh Office

Answer

Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings, (b) hold public meetings, (c) have lay or consumer representatives on their boards and (d) operate some form of appeal or complaints procedure; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69988] Mr. Michael: (a) The Countryside Council for Wales (CCW); Welsh Language Board (WLB); the Sports Council for Wales (SCW); the Welsh Development Agency (WDA); and the Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (WNB) admit the public to all Board meetings. This is not a statutory requirement. (b) All except the agricultural wages committees hold, or are making arrangements to hold, meetings with the public, press and customers. This is not a statutory requirement. (c) The Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC); ACW; Cardiff Bay Development Corporation (CBDC); the Further Education Funding Council for Wales (FEFCW); the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW); the National Museums and Galleries of Wales (NMGW); SCW; WDA; and WNB. This is a statutory requirement for ACCAC, FEFCW, HEFCW, and the WDA; for the NMGW it is a requirement of its Royal Charter. (d) All except the agricultural wages committees have an appeal or complaints procedure in place. It is not a statutory requirement. It is now policy to encourage such bodies in Wales to be as open as possible in their work and to bear in mind that following the transfer of powers, these issues will be a matter for the National Assembly.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

69988; 325 c395-6W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Complaints Disclosure of information Freedom of information Government departments Public meetings Non-departmental public bodies Welsh Office