Non-departmental public bodies

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on non-departmental public bodies. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
29.03.2012	Orders under the Public Bodies Act 2011
	The Public Bodies Act 2011 received royal assent on 14 December 2011. The Act provides for orders to be brought forward to abolish, merge, modify the constitutional arrangements of; modify the funding arrangements of; and modify or transfer the functions of public bodies.
02.03.2012	Parliamentary involvement in public appointments
	This note sets out the background to pre-appointment hearings; considers the operation of the hearings to date; and outlines the findings of research commissioned by the Cabinet Office and the Liaison Committee on the impact of the pilot. It also briefly reviews the Liaison Committee's proposals for reforming pre-appointment hearings in the light of that research.
24.11.2011	The Public Bodies Bill [HL] : Commons and remaining stages
	This standard note covers the Commons stages of the Public Bodies Bill [HL]
11.05.2011	Progress of the Public Bodies Bill [HL] 2010-11
	This note briefly sets out the outcome of the review of public bodies before providing information on the progress of the Bill in the Lords so far. There is a Library Standard Note SN/PC/5609, Quangos, which sets out the background to the bill and general information about the 'quango debate'.
31.01.2011	Quangos
	This note provides a short history of public bodies in the United Kingdom before looking at the size and cost of the quango state. It considers why the number and cost of quangos has been hard to control. It then looks at the accountability of public bodies and appointments mechanisms. It also sets out the main provisions of the Public Bodies Bill [HL] as introduced. The Library Standard Note SN/PC/5845, Progress of the Public Bodies Bill [HL] 2010-11 provides more detailed information on the Bill

Research Papers

Date	Description
14.06.2011	Public Bodies Bill [HL]
	The Public Bodies [HL] Bill is largely enabling legislation. It would allow ministers, by order, to abolish, merge or transfer the functions of the public bodies listed in the appropriate schedules to the Act. It is the main legislative vehicle for taking forward the Government's review of public bodies, the results of which were published in October 2010.
23.04.2008	Parliamentary Involvement in Public Appointments

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
03.11.2010	Constitution Select Committee (HL) sixth report on the Public Bodies Bill (HL).
	Constitution Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]
13.07.2009	Pre-appointment hearing with the Chair-elect of the Science and Technologies Facilities Council, Professor...
	Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee report [Commons]
13.05.2009	Pre-appointment hearing with the Chair-elect of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council,...
	Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee report [Commons]
05.05.2009	Pre-appointment hearing with the Chair-elect of the Economic and Social Research Council, Dr Alan Gillespie...
	Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
21.01.2011	PUBLIC BODIES
	That this House recognises the good work done by many of the non-departmental public bodies included in the Public Bodies Bill [Lords]; is concerned that a single Bill gives Ministers ...
20.10.2009	ROYAL MINT
	That this House notes with concern the conclusions of a review of the Royal Mint, published as part of the Treasury's operational efficiency programme, that there should be an introduction ...
18.05.2009	LEGAL SERVICES COMMISSION
	That this House notes that the proposed restructuring of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) will lead to approximately 600 redundancies in England and Wales; is concerned that the ...
18.02.2008	QUASI-AUTONOMOUS NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS
	That this House notes with alarm that quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations (quangos) are now responsible for 21 per cent. of public expenditure, spending £123 billion a year, ...