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Diplomatic Missions: Outstanding NationalNon-Domestic Rate Bills
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Jack Straw): Most diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom meet their obligations and pay the National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) requested from them. However, as at 31 July 2003 the following missions owed over £10,000 in respect of NNDR:
| Country | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bulgaria | £143,346.09 |
| Iran | £104,943.24 |
| Algeria | £47,022.74 |
| Sierra Leone | £43,320.65 |
| Mozambique | £32,301.67 |
| Cameroon | £30,109.53 |
| Uganda | £27,801.89 |
| Syria | £24,750.48 |
| Bangladesh | £23,356.44 |
| Zimbabwe | £21,016.08 |
| Zambia | £19,276.56 |
| Cote D'lvoire | £16,392.46 |
| Malawi | £12,606.03 |
| Cuba | £12,349.06 |
| Total | £558,592.92 |
Eleven additional Diplomatic Missions who owe £10,000 or more in respect of national non-domestic rates have made arrangements with the Valuation Office Agency to clear their outstanding debts and have not been included in this list. The total amount outstanding from all missions, including these additional diplomatic missions, is approximately £960,394.45.
PRIME MINISTER
Ninth Report of the Committee on Standards in PublicLife (Government's Response)
The Prime Minister (Mr. Tony Blair): I am today publishing the Government's response to the ninth report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life "Defining the Boundaries within the Executive: Ministers, special advisers and the permanent Civil Service". The Government has considered the
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Committee's report with great care, and I would like to place on record my thanks to the Committee for its thorough consideration of these issues. I am pleased to be able to announce the Government accepts the majority of the recommendations. Our response to the main recommendations is as follows:
- the Government agrees to the appointment of an independent adviser to provide Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with an additional source of professional advice as required on the handling of complex financial issues.
- the Government commits itself to publishing a draft bill for consultation once the Public Administration Select Committee's proposals for a Civil Service Act have been published.
Special advisers
the Government proposes a new section to the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers to clarify relationships between special advisers and permanent civil servants. An amendment to the Code is annexed to the Government's response.
- the Government agrees that, in future, the appointment of the First Civil Service Commissioner will be made following consultation with the Leaders of the main opposition parties.
Appointments
the response makes clear that the Government is committed to maintaining a permanent and impartial Civil Service where selection is made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. It also acknowledges the important role of the Civil Service Commissioners in the recruitment processes and in upholding the core values of the Civil Service. The response commits the Government to discussions with the Civil Service Commissioners to consider whether the different approaches to Civil Service and public appointments continue to be justified.
TREASURY
Futurebuilders
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Paul Boateng): Today I am announcing the result of collaborative work with the voluntary and community sector to design the futurebuilders fund.
I am publishing the final report on the fund, following consultation, along with a summary leaflet. I am also publishing a consultation report, which contains the key messages from the consultation. Copies of all three documents are being made available in the Vote Office and the Library of the House.
These reports are being published jointly with the Compact Working Group, reflecting the fact that the voluntary and community sector has been central in shaping the fund.
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Futurebuilders will invest in voluntary and community organisations, and social enterprises, to assist them in their public service work. It will enable organisations to modernise their operations so that they can increase the scale and scope of their public service delivery. It is targeted at organisations working in or across the service areas of health and social care; crime; community cohesion; education and learning; and support for children and young people.
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The fund will provide finance to acquire capital assets, through a range of funding solutions, including grants and different forms of loans. Advice and support will also be available to organisations to help them in accessing the fund.
The manager(s) of the fund will be appointed through open competition. Advertisements are being placed this week seeking expressions of interest.