To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people were serving on the boards of the non-departmental public bodies which his Department sponsors at the latest date for which figures are available. (203727)

The Cabinet Office publication “Public Bodies 2007” lists the number of people serving on the boards of public bodies as at 31 March 2007. These figures are broken down by individual Departments. As my Department was created by machinery of government changes in June 2007, its non-departmental public bodies are listed within those of its predecessor Departments, namely the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Education and Science.

For ease of reference, the relevant non-departmental public bodies are as follows:

British Hallmarking Council

Commission for Employment and Skills (Executive Non-Departmental Public Body and Company Limited by Guarantee)

Design Council

Higher Education Funding Council for England

Learning and Skills Council

National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts

Office for Fair Access

Research Councils

Student Loans Company

Technology Strategy Board

Council for Science and Technology

“Public Bodies 2007” can be downloaded from www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/public/bodies.asp. Copies are also available in the Library of the House.