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17 Dec 2007 : Column 1078W—continued
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |||||
| Staffing | Admin | Staffing | Admin | Staffing | Admin | Staffing | Admin | |
| (1) Costs include salaries, national insurance, pensions, staff and board members. (2) Administration costs are those costs incurred in the running of the organisation, excluding salaries. | ||||||||
Severn Barrage
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what feasibility studies have been commissioned by his Department on the possibility of (a) a tidal barrage and (b) tidal lagoons in the Severn Estuary since the Sustainable Development Commission published its report “Turning the Tide: Tidal Power in the UK”; and if he will make a statement. [172603]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 10 December 2007]: On 21 September my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced a new feasibility study that will look at the potential for tidal power in the Severn Estuary.
The detailed remit of the feasibility study is now being scoped and a statement on this will be made early in the new year.
Small Businesses: Greater London
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many small businesses in London applied for small business tax relief in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [169274]
John Healey: I have been asked to reply as Minister responsible for business rates.
The information requested is not available. However, as at 31 December 2006, 43,100 businesses in London were in receipt of small business rate relief.
Tidal Power: Finance
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what funding his Department has allocated to the development of tidal power for the production of energy in the last five years. [173265]
Malcolm Wicks: The following table gives the amount of funding committed to the development of tidal power technologies by the Department for each of the last five years.
| Total committed (£) | |
Tidal Power: River Severn
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress has been made in his Department’s review of the options for Severn tidal power; when he expects the review to be completed; and what estimate he has made of the likely effects on (a) the capital cost of a tidal power scheme and (b) levels of UK carbon dioxide emissions of each year which passes before a scheme comes into effect. [174091]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 13 December 2007]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson) on 3 December 2007, Official Report, column 908W.
Tidal Power: Swansea
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what measures are being considered by the Department to support the proposed tidal lagoon demonstration project in Swansea; and if he will make a statement. [172604]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 10 December 2007]: On 19 November my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that Tidal Lagoons (below 1 gigawatt capacity) such as that proposed for Swansea Bay will be included within the scope of the Renewables Obligation.
The detail of any changes to the Renewables Obligation will be published early next year.
Duchy of Lancaster
Admiralty House
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the provision of official ministerial residences in Admiralty House includes the supply of (a) linen and laundry services, (b) porters, (c) internal plants, (d) catering services, (e) telephones, (f) cable or satellite TV and (g) internet access. [166199]
Edward Miliband: The provision of services to ministerial residences is a matter for occupying departments in accordance with the ministerial code.
The charge paid to Cabinet Office by occupying departments covers a share of the capital charge, utilities, security guards as well as a facilities management charge which includes cleaning of the buildings' common parts.
Admiralty House: Empty Property
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for how long the official ministerial residences in Admiralty House previously occupied by the (a) right hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon) and (b) the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) have been empty. [173474]
Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Member for North-West Durham (Hilary Armstrong) to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) 6 November 2006, Official Report, column 860W and to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 23 October 2006, Official Report, column 1631W. Further to these answers, my right hon. Friend, the former Lord Chancellor's use of the flat for official entertaining and other engagements ceased on his departure from ministerial office.
Charity Commission: Finance
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the budget of the Charity Commission was in (a) each of the last five years and (b) each year of the 2007 comprehensive spending review period. [173156]
Phil Hope: This is a matter for the Charity Commission as the Non-Ministerial Government Department responsible for the regulation of charities in England and Wales. The Chief Executive of the Charity Commission will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library for the reference of Members.
Christmas
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his Department's policy is on the selection of (a) real and (b) artificial Christmas trees for his Department's festive decorations; and how real trees are disposed of. [173521]
Gillian Merron: A mixture of real and artificial Christmas trees are situated at certain points throughout the Cabinet Office Estate. Real Christmas trees are disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
Complaints
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many complaints from civil servants against (a) special advisers and (b) Ministers were formally recorded in his Department since 27 June. [173363]
Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to my reply of Monday 19 November 2007, Official Report, column 596-7W to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker).
Data Protection
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the terms of reference are of the review data sharing in the public sector. [173476]
Gillian Merron: The terms of reference for the review Sir Gus O’Donnell is leading on data handling procedures in Government are:
“To examine:
the procedures in Departments and agencies for the protection of data
their consistency with current Government-wide policies and standards;
the arrangements for ensuring that procedures are being fully and properly implemented;
and to make recommendations on improvements that should be made"
Departmental Correspondence
Mr. Horam: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidelines he has provided to Government Departments on responding to letters and e-mails from (a) members of the public and (b) right hon. and hon. Members (i) acknowledging receipt of the correspondence and (ii) giving the time allowed for a substantive answer to be sent. [174167]
Edward Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 22 October 2007, Official Report, column 45W.
Departmental ICT
James Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many attempted hacking or suspected cyber attacks or other malicious computer security breaches were committed against the computer systems at No. 10 Downing street in each of the last three years for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [167974]
Mr. Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many attempted breaches of (a) Government and (b) private systems as a result of cyber-based espionage were recorded in the UK in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [172531]
Edward Miliband: It is not in the interests of the UK’s national security for Departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK’s IT defences.
Departmental Manpower
Mr. Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the full-time equivalent headcount in his Department is; what the forecast full-time equivalent headcount for his Department is for (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement. [163987]
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