Panel 2000

From Hansard Answers 31 July 1998:

Since 1 May 1997 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has established one advisory group which includes independent members--Panel 2000 set up on 1 April 1998--but no task forces. Panel 2000's remit is:

to produce a strategy to improve the way Britain is seen overseas;

to look at the methods and tools available to do this;

to make sure that the public and private sectors are working together to do this; and

to modernise the way the Foreign and Commonwealth Office communicates with the public.

Membership

'drawn from both the public and private sectors':

• Waheed Alli, Zeinab Bedawi, Martin Bell MP, Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, Dr. Frances D'Souza, David John, Mark Leonard, Lord Levy,Ruth Mackenzie, Sir Colin Marshall,

Lord Paul, Shahwar Sadeque, Judy Simpson, Martin Sorrell, John Sorrell, Harriet Ware-Austin, Baroness Blackstone, Lord Clinton-Davies, Dr. David Drewry, Mark Fisher MP, Andrew Fisher, Tom Harris, Roger Liddle, Peter Mandelson MP, David Quarmby, Baroness Symons, Sir John Kerr, Sir Michael Jay, Claire Fulton, Priya Guha and Vivien Life.

From Hansard Written Answers (12 Dec 2000 : Column: 122-3W):

Panel 2000 Task Force

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the members of the Panel 2000 Task Force; on how many occasions it has met since its establishment; who was present at each meeting; what was discussed; what work it is currently undertaking; and what conclusions it has reached to date; [142074]

(2) if he will make a statement on the work of the Panel 2000 Task Force; [142075]

Mr. Battle: Panel 2000 set up in 1997 has included the following:

Sir David John; Lord Alli; Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge; Mr. John Sorrell; Ms Zeinab Badawi; Ms Frances de Souza; Mr. Mark Leonard; Mrs. Shahwar Sadeque; Sir Martin Sorrell; Lord Levy; Lord Paul Marylebone; Ms Judy Simpson; Mr. Martin Bell MP; Mr. Mark Fisher MP; Lord Clinton-Davis; right hon. Peter Mandelson MP; Baroness Blackstone of Stoke Newington; Baroness Chalker of Wallasey; Mr. Tom Buchanan; Mr. Andrew Fraser; Mr. Roger Liddle; Dr. David Quarmby; Ms Ruth Mackenzie; Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC, Sir John Kerr; Sir Michael Jay; Mr. Tom Harris; Ms Claire Evans; Ms Priya Guha; Ms Vivien Life; and Ms Harriet Ware-Austin.

The committee has met five times in plenary sessions, and in working groups on 14 occasions. The majority of Panel 2000 members participate in the main meetings, discussing a strategy to improve the way the UK is seen overseas; looking at the methods and tools to achieve this; examining ways of ensuring that the public and private sectors work together; and considering how the FCO might communicate in a more modern way with the public.

Panel 2000 has produced a total of 21 recommendations. A key proposal was the creation of a "Britain Abroad Task Force", to foster more co-ordinated presentation and projection of the UK. We are now establishing such a group. A joint Chair has been appointed as well as a Director and two staff, and an initial strategy for the new organisation is planned to be produced in March 2001.