House of Commons Committee of Public Administration Minutes of Proceedings Session 2006–07 HC ?????? by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £0.00 The Public Administration Select Committee The Public Administration Select Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the reports of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, of the Health Service Commissioners for England, Scotland and Wales and of the Parliamentary Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, which are laid before this House, and matters in connection therewith, and to consider matters relating to the quality and standards of administration provided by civil service departments, and other matters relating to the civil service. Current membership Dr Tony Wright MP (Labour, Cannock Chase) (Chairman) Mr David Burrowes MP (Conservative, Enfield Southgate) Paul Flynn MP (Labour, Newport West) David Heyes MP (Labour, Ashton under Lyne) Kelvin Hopkins MP (Labour, Luton North) Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger MP (Conservative, Bridgewater) Julie Morgan MP (Labour, Cardiff North) Mr Gordon Prentice MP (Labour, Pendle) Paul Rowen MP (Liberal Democrats, Rochdale) Mr Charles Walker MP (Conservative, Broxbourne) Jenny Willott MP (Liberal Democrats, Cardiff Central) Powers The Committee is one of the select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 146. These are available on the Internet via www.parliament.uk. Publications The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at http://www.parliament.uk/pasc. Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are Eve Samson (Clerk), James Gerard (Second Clerk), Louise Glen (Committee Assistant), Anne Woolhouse (Secretary) and James Bowman (Senior Office Clerk). Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Public Administration Select Committee, Committee Office, First Floor, 7 Millbank, House of Commons, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 3284; the Committee’s email address is [email protected]. 3 Proceedings of the Committee THURSDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2006 Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair David Burrowes Gordon Prentice Kelvin Hopkins Paul Rowen 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Propriety and Honours Ordered, That the letter dated 13 November 2006 from Acting AC Yates be reported to the House. [Adjourned till Thursday 23 November at 9.45 a.m. THURSDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2006 Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair Paul Flynn Gordon Prentice David Heyes Paul Rowen Kelvin Hopkins Jenny Willott Julie Morgan 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. Resolved, That memoranda be published on the internet. 2. Skills for Government Ordered, That the following memoranda be reported to the House: CIPD, Dr Ruth Levitt and William Solesbury, Intellect, Sir Robin Mountfield, PCS, IIP UK, PHSO, NSG, CBI, Prospect, FDA, and Cabinet Office. 4 3. Oral Evidence Government Communications: Howell James CBE, Permanent Secretary, Government Communication, Cabinet Office, and Simon Mac Dowall, Director of Communications, Ministry of Defence gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Thursday 30 November at 9.45 a.m. THURSDAY 14 DECEMBER 2006 Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair David Heyes Paul Rowen Kelvin Hopkins Jenny Willott Julie Morgan Gordon Prentice 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Oral Evidence Skills for Government: Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP, the Rt Hon Baroness Shephard of Northwold and the Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP. [Adjourned till Thursday 11 January at 10.15 a.m. THURSDAY 11 JANUARY 2007 Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair David Burrowes Julie Morgan Paul Flynn Gordon Prentice Kelvin Hopkins 1. Inquiry on third sector commissioning The Committee considered this matter. 2. Ethics and Standards The Committee considered this matter. 3. Witness feedback 5 The Committee considered this matter. [Adjourned till Thursday 18 January at 10.15 a.m. THURSDAY 18 JANUARY 2007 Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair David Burrowes Julie Morgan Kelvin Hopkins Gordon Prentice Jenny Willott 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Consideration of the Chairman’s Draft Report: The Work of the Committee 2005/06 Draft Report [The Work of the Committee in 2005-06], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read. Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph. Paragraphs 1 to 42 read and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the First Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House. 3. Oral Evidence Public services: putting people first: Ann Abraham, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman gave oral evidence [Adjourned till Thursday 25 January at 9.45 a.m. 6 THURSDAY 25 JANUARY 2007 Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair David Burrowes Gordon Prentice David Heyes Paul Rowen Kelvin Hopkins Jenny Willott Julie Morgan 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Publication of NAO Briefing Report Ordered, That the National Audit Office Briefing Paper be reported to the House. 3. Oral Evidence A Debt of Honour: Derek Twigg MP, Minister for Veterans, and Jonathan Iremonger, Director of Veterans Policy Unit gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Thursday 1 February at 9.45 a.m. 7 THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2007 Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair David Burrowes Gordon Prentice Paul Flynn Paul Rowen Kelvin Hopkins Jenny Willott 1. Amendments to Pensions Bill Ordered, That Amendments be prepared to the Pensions Bill. 2. Law Commission Programme of Work The Committee considered this matter. 3. Consideration of Draft Reports The Committee considered this matter. [Adjourned till Tuesday 6 February at 2.30 p.m. TUESDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2007 Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair Kelvin Hopkins Julie Morgan Ian Liddell-Grainger Gordon Prentice 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Amendments to the Pensions Bill The Committee considered this matter. 3. Uncaged Campaigns The Committee considered this matter. 4. Oral Evidence 8 The Work of the Cabinet Office: Sir Gus O’Donnell KCB, Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service gave oral evidence [Adjourned till Thursday 22 February at 9.45 a.m. THURSDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2007 Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair David Burrowes Julie Morgan Paul Flynn Gordon Prentice Kelvin Hopkins Jenny Willott Ian Liddell-Grainger 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Amendments to the Pensions Bill The Committee considered this matter. 3. Publication of annual list of Public Bodies The Committee considered this matter. 4. Consideration of the Chairman’s Draft Report: Governing the Future Draft Report [Governing the Future], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read. Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph. Paragraphs entitled Summary read and postponed. Paragraphs 1 to 109 read and agreed to. Postponed paragraphs entitled Summary read again and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Second Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House. Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 134. Several papers were ordered to be appended to the Report 9 Ordered, That the Appendices to the Report be reported to the House. [Adjourned till Thursday 1 March at 9.45 a.m. THURSDAY 1 MARCH Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair Paul Flynn Gordon Prentice David Heyes Charles Walker Kelvin Hopkins Jenny Willott 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Any other business The Committee considered this matter. 3. Oral Evidence Public service: putting people first: Paul Gray CB, Chief Executive, HM Revenue and Customs gave oral evidence [Adjourned till Tuesday 6 March at 3.00 p.m. 10 TUESDAY 6 MARCH Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair David Burrowes Paul Rowen Kelvin Hopkins Charles Walker Gordon Prentice 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Any other business The Committee considered this matter. 3. Oral Evidence The Work of the Cabinet Office: Rt Hon Hilary Armstrong MP and Mr Ian Watmore gave oral evidence [Adjourned till Thursday 8 March at 9.45 a.m. THURSDAY 8 MARCH Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair David Burrowes Ian Liddell-Grainger Paul Flynn Gordon Prentice David Heyes Charles Walker Kelvin Hopkins 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Any other business The Committee considered this matter. 3. Oral Evidence Public services: putting people first: Tom Steinberg, MySociety website, Ross Ferguson, Hansard Society, William Heath and Ruth Kennedy, Kable Ltd gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Thursday 15 March at 9.45 a.m. 11 THURSDAY 15 MARCH Members present: Dr Tony Wright, in the Chair Paul Flynn Mr Gordon Prentice David Heyes Mr Charles Walker Kelvin Hopkins 1. Propriety and Honours The Committee considered this matter. Motion made, and Question put, That the letter from Assistant Commissioner Yates be published on the website without any further commentary (other than a note that it was not prejudicial to the inquiry) or press release [The Chairman.] The Committee divided. Ayes, 3 Noes,1 Paul Flynn Mr Gordon Prentice David Heyes Kelvin Hopkins 2. Consideration of the Chairman’s Draft Report: Politics and Administration: Ministers and Civil Servants Draft Report [Politics and Administration : Ministers and Civil Servants], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read. Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph. Paragraphs entitled Summary read and postponed. Paragraphs 1 to 141 read and agreed to. Postponed paragraphs entitled Summary read again and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the Third Report of the Committee to the House.