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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 8 November 1995
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Government Centre for Information Systems
Mr. Patrick Thompson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will outline his proposals for the future of the CCTA, the Government Centre for Information Systems. [42350]
Mr. Freeman: The CCTA offers an advisory service to Departments on the procurement of information technology and information systems, on which Government spend over £2 billion a year. But it does not have a sufficiently central place to influence and co-ordinate the strategy of Government in relation to information systems so as to ensure that the latest technology is harnessed to improve co-ordination across Government and the effective delivery of services to the public. I therefore propose to establish a small central unit in the Office of Public Service designed to secure a strategic approach to IT across Government. It will be known as the central IT unit, and will work in close co-operation with the DTI, which is the sponsoring Department for the industry. It is expected to comprise no more than eight to 10 people drawn from the private and public sector. The unit will report through me to the Deputy Prime Minister.
At the same time, the existing CCTA will concentrate on providing intelligent customer support on IT issues to Departments and agencies which so wish to be advised and on a full repayment basis. We shall be consulting customers and staff about the appropriate status and role for CCTA and considering whether there is scope for more private sector involvement in its ownership and management. I intend to make a more detailed announcement in due course.
Executive Agencies
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 30 October, Official Report , columns 7-10 , on next steps agencies what estimates he has made of the proportion of civil servants working in next steps agencies in (a) April 1996 and (b) April 1997.
The Deputy Prime Minister: The next steps programme is on course towards the Government's expectation that it will cover about three quarters of the civil service as a whole. Projecting proportionate coverage is uncertain because decisions on whether to establish candidate functions as agencies and the exact timing of the launch have yet to be made and will depend on a variety of
considerations--and because the overall numbers of civil servants continue to fall.
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However, taking our current indications of potential launches in April 1996 and adding their current staffing into the proportions I gave for 1 April 1995 in my report of 30 October would produce the following figures:
1995 including possible April 1996 launches
|Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indicative projection of Home civil servants working on
Next Steps lines on 1 April |70
Indicative projection of civil servants in Northern Ireland
working on Next Steps lines on 1 April |72
Thereafter and on the same basis, I estimate that these proportions would rise to 75 per cent. and 78 per cent. respectively on the assumption that all functions currently under consideration were launched as agencies, mostly by April 1997.
Civil Service
Ms Jowell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will update table 8 of the Cabinet Office publication "10 Years Progress Report" on promotion rates in the administration group to include 1994 95 and extend the table to take in the higher executive grades of the service to grade 2 for the years 1991 92, 1992 93, 1993 94 and 1994 95 for men and women. [41749]
Mr. Horam: An up-dated table will appear in the data summary on equal opportunities in the civil service in 1994 5. This will be produced early in the new year, and copies will be laid in both Libraries of the House. There are no plans, however, to extend the table to the highest grades, as the numbers involved are too small to show meaningful trends.
Ms Jowell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will update table 1 of the Cabinet Office publication "10 Years Progress Report" on women's grade levels in the non-industrial home civil service at 1 April to include 1994 95. [41750]
Mr. Horam: An updated table will appear in the data summary on equal opportunities in the civil service in 1994 95. This will be produced early in the new year, and copies will be laid in both Libraries of the House. I also refer the hon. Member to figure 18 and table 4a in "Civil Service Statistics 1995"--placed in the House of Commons Library on 31 October 1995 --about the proportion of women at key grade levels and occupational groups.
Outside Consultants
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the projects undertaken since 1992 by the Office of Public Service where outside consultants have been employed; and if he will list the contract fee and consultant in each case. [39831]
Mr. Freeman: The details of individual consultancy contracts let by the Office of Public Service and its agencies where outside consultants may have been used in some part of the contract are not held centrally in the form requested. The full information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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However, the costs of external consultancy contracts let by the Office of Public Service and its agencies in the last two completed financial years are as follows:Year |£ ------------------------------ 1993-94 |5,697,880 1994-95 |5,832,044
The greater part of these totals was consultancy to CCTA, the Government Centre for Information Systems, mainly for the benefit of other Departments.
Charter Mark
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those organisations which have unsuccessfully applied for a charter mark. [42169]
Mr. Horam: Applications for a charter mark are confidential. We publicise only the names of the winners and those who are highly commended. These we will announce at the charter mark awards ceremony on 4 December.
We do not disclose the names of unsuccessful applicants. It is for those organisations to decide for themselves whether to publicise the fact that they have applied.
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many persons in the Deputy Prime Minister's office and in the Office of Public Service are on the public payroll or employed as consultants or advisers and work on a part-time or full-time basis in relation to the Scott inquiry; if he will list their names; and how much each is paid. [42055]
The Deputy Prime Minister: There are no staff within my private office and the Office of Public Service employed on matters relating to the Scott inquiry on a full-time or part-time basis, although some will inevitably be involved from time to time. There are also no external consultants or advisers employed on such matters by my private office or the Office of Public Service. It is not the practice to name staff or external advisers.
Parliamentary Candidates
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what rules govern parliamentary candidatures for senior Crown servants. [40900]
Mr. Freeman: Section 1 of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 disqualifies for membership of the House of Commons any person employed in the civil service of the Crown, or any member of the regular armed forces of the Crown. Civil servants, except those in industrial and non-office grades, must resign from the civil service on their formal adoption as a parliamentary candidate. Industrial and non-office grade civil servants must resign before they give their consent to nomination in accordance with the parliamentary election rules.
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Deregulation Task Force
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff have been employed on the deregulation task force; and what is the total estimated cost of its operations since it was established. [42031]
Mr. Freeman: The deregulation task force is assisted by three staff in the deregulation unit of the Cabinet Office, who provide administrative support. Its members are not paid, but they receive travel and subsistence expenses.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many committees and sub-committees of the deregulation task force have been established since its inception; and how many reports have been produced by them. [42030]
Mr. Freeman: There have been 10 ad hoc working groups since the inception of the deregulation task force, of which some have included non- task force members. The task force has produced two reports: "The Charities and Voluntary Organisations Report", which was published in July; and the task force's first annual report, which was published in September. Copies of both reports have been placed in the Library of the House.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many of the 870 regulations identified by the deregulation task force were introduced since 1979. [42029]
Mr. Freeman: The 870 recommendations were made by Lord Sainsbury's eight deregulation task forces and published in 1994. The recommendations did not just identify regulations but covered other areas, such as enforcement. It would involve disproportionate cost to identify how many of the regulations on which the task force made recommendations were introduced since 1979. The text of the recommendations and the commentary on the progress made in implementing them has been placed in the Library of the House.
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by his office; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42310]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by his Department; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42311]
Mr. Freeman: I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
Information and Planning Systems
Mr. Allen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what consideration the Prime Minister's advisor on efficiency has given to the management of information and planning systems report of May 1995; [42335]
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(2) if he will list all Government Departments and agencies, specifying the precise steps being taken to ensure that their information and planning systems are up to the level of the best. [42334]Mr. Horam: I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Ministerial Transport
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost of ministerial transport in each of the past five years; what allowance has been paid to ministers who use their own vehicles; and what has been the cost in each of the past five years. [40740]
Mr. Hanley: Transport for FCO Ministers is provided by the Government car service. Payments over the last five years were as follows:
Year |£ ------------------------ 1990-91 |220,688 1991-92 |238,343 1992-93 |330,096 1993-94 |342,732 1994-95 |342,732
The figures above represent the cost of the agreed options and do not include VAT. The Government car service says that it has not been possible to calculate the outside option charges or the despatch charges in the time given.
Ministers who use their own vehicles on official business may claim a private car allowance, now 37p per mile.
Details of claims are as follows:
Year |£ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1990-91 |No information available 1991-92 |No claims received 1992-93 |364 1993-94 |2,762 1994-95 |No claims received
Official Cars
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the make and model of the official car used by each British High commissioner and ambassador serving overseas as of 21 October. [41771]
Mr. Hanley: A detailed list follows.
List of all embassies and High Commissions
together with their flag cars
|Model
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abidjan |Jaguar SOV
Abu Dhabi |Jaguar XJ6
Accra |LR Discovery
Addis Ababa |Rover 825 SLD
Algiers |Range Rover
Almaty |Volvo 850
Amman |LR Discovery
Ankara |Rover 825
Antananarivo |LR Discovery
Asuncion |JAG Daimler
Athens |Jaguar XJ6
Bahrain |Jaguar XJ6
Baku |LR Discovery
Bandar Seri Begawan |Rover 827
Bankok |Daimler Limo
Banjul |Range Rover
Beirut |Jaguar SOV
Belgrade |Jaguar XJ6
Belmopan |LR Discovery
Berne |Rover 827
Bogota |Range Rover
Bonn |Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
Brasilia |Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
Bratislava |LR Discovery
Bridgetown |Rover 825
Brussels |Jaguar SOV
Bucharest |Volvo 960
Budapest |Rover 827
Buenos Aires |Rover 825 SD
Cairo |Rover 825
Canberra |Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
Caracas |Ford Grand Marquis
Castries |LR Discovery
Colombo |Range Rover
Copenhagen |Jaguar XJ6
Dakar |Rover 825
Damascus |Jaguar XJ6
Dar Es Salaam |LR Discovery
Dhaka |Daimler Limo
Doha |Rover 827
Dubai |Rover 827
Dublin |Rover 827
Freetown |LR Discovery
Gaborone |LR Discovery
Georgetown |Range Rover
Guatemala City |Range Rover
Hanoi |Rover 825
Harare |Jaguar XJ6
Havana |Jaguar SOV
Helsinki |Jaguar XJ6
Ho Chi Minh City |LR Discovery
Holy See |Rover 827
Honiara |LR Discovery
Islamabad |Daimler Limo
Jakarta |Range Rover
Kampala |LR Discovery
Kathmandu |Range Rover
Khartoum |LR Discovery
Kiev |Rover 825 SLD
Kingston |Rover 827
Kingstown |LR Discovery
Kinshasa |Range Rover
Kuala Lumpur |Jaguar Sov
Kuwait |Jaguar Sov
Lagos |Range Rover
La Paz |LR Discovery
Lilongwe |Rover 825
Lima |Range Rover
Lisbon |Rover 827
Ljubljana |Rover 820
Luanda |Range Rover
Lusaka |LR Discovery
Luxembourg |Rover 827
Managua |Range Rover
Manila |Range Rover
Maputo |Jaguar Sov
Maseru |LR Discovery
Mbabane |LR Discovery
Mexico City |Cadillac de Ville
Minsk |LR Discovery
Montevideo |Rover 820
Moscow |Range Rover
Muscat |Jaguar XJ6
Nairobi |Rover 825
Nassau |Rover 827
New Delhi |Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
Nicosia |Jaguar V12
Nuku'Alofa |Range Rover
Oslo |Jaguar XJ6
Ottawa |Jaguar XJ6
Panama |Rover 827
Paris |Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
Peking |Rolls Royce Silver Spur
Phnom Penh |Range Rover
Port Louis |Rover 825
Port Moresby |LR Discovery
Port of Spain |Range Rover
Prague |Rover 827
Quito |Jaguar V12
Rabat |LR Discovery
Rangoon |Rover 825
Reykjavik |LR Discovery
Riga |LR Discovery
Riyadh |Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
Rome |Rover 827
San Jose |Jaguar V12
San Salvador |Range Rover
Sanaa |Range Rover
Santiago |Rover 827
Sarajevo |LR Defender 110
Seoul |Jaguar XJ6
Singapore |Daimler Limo
Skopje |LR Discovery
Sofia |Jaguar V12
St. George's |LR Discovery
St. John's |LR Discovery
Stockholm |Daimler Limo
Suva |LR Discovery
Tallin |LR Discovery
Tashkent |LR Discovery
Tegucigalpa |Range Rover
Tehran |Rover 820
Tel Aviv |Rover 827
The Hague |Rover 827
Tirana |LR Discovery
Tokyo |Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
Tripoli |Range Rover
Tunis |Jaguar Sov
Ulaanbaatar |LR Discovery
Valletta |Rover 827
Victoria |Peugeot 605
Vienna |Rover 827
Vila |Range Rover
Vilnius |Volvo 850 GLE
Warsaw |Rover 827
Washington |Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
Wellington |Jaguar Sov
Windhoek |LR Discovery
Yaounde |Rover 820 SLI
Zagreb |Rover 827
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by his Department; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42315]
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Mr. Hanley: I shall write to the hon. Gentleman shortly.
Fraud
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total number of cases of all forms of fraud committed by employees of his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies for each year from 1991 92 to 1994 95; and for each of these years, what was the total monetary sum (1) misappropriated in such frauds and (2) subsequently recovered. [39128]
Mr. Hanley [holding answer 24 October 1995]: The answer is as follows:
1991 1992:
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO): One fraud valued at £19, 206. No recoveries.
Overseas Development Administration (ODA): Two frauds valued at £2,400. No recoveries.
Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC): One fraud valued at £17,100. No recoveries.
British Council: Eight frauds valued at £26,881. £2,957 recovered.
1992 93
FCO: Nil
ODA: Nil
British Council: Eight frauds valued at £585,377. £30,100 recovered.
CDC: One fraud valued at £58,000. No recoveries.
1993 94
FCO: Four frauds valued at £13,479. £4,000 recovered.
ODA: Nil
British Council: Nine frauds valued at £168,718. £99,994 recovered.
1994 95
FCO: Five frauds valued at £79,283. £6,338 recovered to date. ODA: One fraud valued at £5,000. No recoveries.
National Resources Institute (NRI): One fraud valued at £4,200. No recoveries.
British Council: Seven frauds valued at £68,246. £2,052 recovered.
Vigorous action for recovery and restitution continues.
European Parliament (Subsidised Visits)
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the European Parliament spent on subsidising the visit of parties of visitors organised by Members of the European Parliament to it for each financial year since 1983 84; how many visits were subsidised; how many visitors were covered by these payments; and what representations the British Government has made to the European Union about these arrangements. [39407]
Mr. David Davis [holding answer 26 October 1995]: The European Parliament annual budget for inward visits was 7.82 million ecu from 1992 to 1994, and 7.88 million ecu in 1995. The EP advises that it subsidised 3,218 and 3,463 group visits to EP sites in 1992 and 1993 respectively, and 1,223 visits to the EP in Brussels in 1994--figures for 1994 are not available for visits to
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EP sites in Luxembourg and Strasbourg. Corresponding figures for 1983 to 1991, and for the total number of visitors subsidised, are not available. The EP sets its own administrative budget, within the limits agreed by the Council. The European Court of Auditors examines the expenditure of the EP and publishes its findings in its annual report.NORTHERN IRELAND
Work-related Death and Illness
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what published statistics underlie the Northern Ireland Information Service press statement of 29 September on work-related deaths and illness. [40888]
Mr. Moss: I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
Deregulation
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what regulations his Department proposes to repeal by the end of 1995; if he proposes to conduct a compliance cost assessment on each regulation repealed; and what is the estimated cost of undertaking a compliance cost assessment to assess the advantages or disadvantages of such a repeal; [41551]
(2) if he will list the rules and regulations he proposes to repeal or amend by means of a reference to the Deregulation Committee before the end of 1995; and if he will make a statement. [41525]
(3) what is the estimated saving to the Exchequer by the repeal of each rule and regulation which has been the subject of a reference to the Deregulation Committee from his Department; and on how many cases a compliance cost assessment has been carried out. [41526]
Mr. Ancram: I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Export Marketing Research Scheme
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many businesses in Northern Ireland will now be eligible for help from the export marketing research scheme. [41910]
Sir John Wheeler: Over 4,300 manufacturing businesses in Northern Ireland are eligible for assistance under the export marketing research scheme. Information on the number of tradeable services companies which would be eligible for the scheme is not available.
Making It Back Home Scheme
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications are currently under consideration for the making it back home scheme. [41897]
Sir John Wheeler: To date, the Local Enterprise Development Unit has received approximately 1,000 expressions of interest and is currently processing 40 live applications.
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It is estimated that approximately 10 per cent, of the expressions of interest and approximately 66 per cent. of applications currently being processed will become firm projects.New Jobs
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new jobs, created in each of the past 10 years with the assistance of LEDU, were located in (a) the borough of Ards, (b) the borough the Castlereagh and (c) district of Down. [41907]
Mr. Ancram: My noble Friend will write to the right hon.Gentleman as possible.
Newcastle Orange Hall (Attack)
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the reason for the delay in the issue of the Chief Constable's certificate, relating to the attack on Newcastle Orange hall. [42086]
Sir John Wheeler: The Chief Constable's certificate in respect of the attack on Newcastle Orange hall was issued as soon as the Chief Constable was able to form the opinion that the act was committed maliciously by a person acting on behalf of, or in connection with, an unlawful association.
Terrorist Campaigns (Unsolved Deaths)
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaths, arising from the terrorist campaigns by Republicans and Loyalists, remain unsolved; and if he will make a statement. [42139]
Sir John Wheeler: I will write to the right hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by his Department; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42321]
Sir John Wheeler: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by his Department; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42319]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Unfortunately, in the time available, it is not possible to answer this question. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Divorce
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the timetable for divorce (a) proposed for the United
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Kingdom and (b) currently applicable in other EUcountries. [42159]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The White Paper proposal is that the minimum waiting period before a divorce decree can be applied for should be 12 months, provided arrangements for children, and financial and property matters have been decided.
The information requested about other European Union member states is currently being updated. I shall write to the hon. Member.
Kidderminster Court
Mr. Anthony Coombs: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Government expect a start date for work to start on the new Kidderminster court complex. [42330]
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Mr. John M. Taylor: Unfortunately, in the time available, it is not possible to answer this question. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
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