To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2009, Hansard, column 1453W, on the Public Service Forum,

(1) what the (a) remit and (b) function of the Forum is;

(2) on what dates the Public Service Forum has met; who attended each meeting; and what the dates are of meetings of the Forum scheduled in the next 12 months.

The Public Services Forum (PSF) was formed in 2003. Its aim is to improve dialogue between Government, public service employers and trade unions on workforce reform issues in public services.

It has met three times a year until 2008 when this was increased to four times a year. The last meeting of the PSF took place on 5 March 2009.

The ministerial chair invites public service employers and trade union representatives in roughly equal numbers to attend the PSF and to engage in dialogue with the Government on public service workforce issues. Since 2008, the CBI, Business Services Association, Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations and the National Council of Voluntary Organisations have also sent representatives to some meetings.