Vol. 372 No. 12
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the plans, if any, he has regarding the continuation of the management committee on industrial policy comprising of all the chief executives of the relevant State agencies as established by the previous Government, ensuring co-ordination of the Government's approach in this area and the orderly development and implementation of Government policies.
23.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce his views on whether the Management Committee on Industrial Policy of which he, or the secretary of his Department, is chairman, meeting seven times in 30 months, is sufficient to give impetus to the implementation of Government policy on industrial relations and the co-ordination of the activities of the industrial agencies; and the plans, if any, he has to ensure the effective and efficient management of industrial policy of the agencies under his control.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 23 together.
I intend to keep in existence the management committee on industrial policy, which consists of the chief executives of the prinicpal industrial development agencies, and a representative of the Department of Finance, under the chairmanship of my Department. The committee's brief is to ensure the prompt implementation of Government policy on industrial development and the co-ordination of the activities of the industrial agencies and does not relate to industrial relations.
I would not propose to comment on the number of times the committee met prior to my taking up office but I would point out that they met as recently as 18 May 1987, to discuss the Review of Industrial Performance 1986 issued by my Department earlier this year. I would envisage that the Committee will continue to meet as and when matters relevant to their brief require action or discussion.
As to my plan for the effective management of industrial policy, I have already endorsed the recommendation in the Review of Industrial Performance 1986 that, with a view to facilitating a smoother and more integrated implementation of industrial policy and ensuring that the best and most cost-effective services are provided to industry, there should be a study (i) as to the extent to which the services at present provided by State agencies could be significantly rationalised and (ii) how rationalisation could most effectively be implemented.
