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Written Answers
Thursday, 11 March 2004.
Questions for Written Answer: Reply Times
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked the Leader of the House:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 12 February (WA 170), what has been the Government's record in meeting the target of answering Written Questions within two weeks in each department, apart from the Scotland Office and the Wales Office, for each of the past five years.[HL1403]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): This information is only available from 23 January 2002.
From 23 January 2002 to 22 January 2004, 9,013 Questions for Written Answer were tabled. Of these, 5,384 (58 per cent) were answered within the two-week deadline. The table below gives a breakdown by department (for completeness, I have included both the Scotland and Wales Offices).
I continue to review all outstanding questions with my ministerial colleagues on a weekly basis and am pleased to say that since 22 January 2004 to date, 890 Questions for Written Answer have been tabled, of which 73 per cent have been answered within the two week deadline—a big improvement on the previous figures.
| Departments | 23 January 2002 to 22 January 2003 | 23 January 2003 to 22 January 2004 | ||
| Number of Questions Tabled | Number of Questions Tabled | % answered within the 14 day deadline | % answered within the 14 day deadline | |
| Cabinet Office | 141 | 39.72 | 134 | 58.65 |
| Chairman of Committees | 25 | 100 | 34 | 91.18 |
| Chief Whips Office (HoL) | 7 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Department for Constitutional Affairs | 14.5 | 59.31 | 220 | 52.73 |
| Department for International Development | 59 | 33.90 | 218 | 53.21 |
| Department for Transport | 301 | 86.38 | 243 | 84.77 |
| Department for Work and Pensions | 83 | 36.14 | 156 | 58.97 |
| Department of Health | 642 | 47.82 | 618 | 59.48 |
| Department of Trade and Industry | 168 | 47.62 | 269 | 51.67 |
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport | 141 | 71.63 | 169 | 88.76 |
| Department for Education and Skills | 135 | 65.19 | 203 | 70.94 |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 441 | 64.85 | 331 | 55.29 |
| Foreign & Commonwealth Office | 381 | 66.40 | 541 | 47.22 |
| Her Majesty's Treasury | 225 | 85.33 | 234 | 84.19 |
| Home Office | 354 | 55.08 | 483 | 51.97 |
| Law Officers' Department | 19 | 63.16 | 40 | 55.00 |
| Leader of House of Lords and Lord President of the Council | 20 | 70 | 25 | 84 |
| Ministry of Defence | 205 | 62.44 | 326 | 55.83 |
| Northern Ireland Office | 426 | 32.63 | 694 | 21.77 |
| Office of the Deputy Prime Minister | 95 | 53.19 | 126 | 71.43 |
| Other Departments | 35 | 80 | 0 | 0 |
| Scotland Office | 15 | 6.67 | 2 | 100 |
| Wales Office | 1 | 0 | 3 | 100 |
| Totals | 4,063 | 58.04 | 4,950 | 55.73 |
Lord Jopling asked the Leader of the House:
- Whether she will propose to the Procedure Committee that it invites the Secretary of State for Health, together with the department's Permanent Secretary, to give evidence to the committee to explain why on 8 March four of the seven Questions awaiting answer for more than 21 days were addressed to the Department of Health, when the target time is 14 days.[HL1824]
Baroness Amos: I have no plans to do so.
I review all the outstanding Questions with my ministerial colleagues on a weekly basis and I would like to assure the noble Lord that the Department of Health, as with all other government departments, endeavours to answer all Parliamentary Questions accurately and promptly.
Northern Ireland Civil Service: Remuneration
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the current salary, plus bonuses and other expenses, paid to the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service; what is the amount paid on the same basis to an administrative officer; and how each will be affected by the proposed annual increases.[HL1432]
Baroness Amos: The remuneration levels of senior departmental officials including the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service are shown in the respective departmental accounts, except where an individual exercises their right, by virtue of the Data Protection Act, to withhold consent to publication. Copies of those accounts are available in the Library.
The head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service is a member of the Senior Civil Service. The pay for the Senior Civil Service is determined by the Government following receipt of the Senior Salaries Review Body report. In 2003–04 the Senior Civil Service was awarded salary increases of between 2° per cent and 9 per cent with the vast majority of increases being up to 5 per cent. From 1 April 2003, the pay scale for an administrative officer in the 11 departments of the Northern Ireland Administration is £10,723 to
£15,383. Under the terms of the 2003 pay award, which is worth 3.67 per cent overall, the majority of administrative officers in the 11 departments of the Northern Ireland Administration will see their pay increase between 2.3 per cent and 5.8 per cent. Those who are already on the maximum of the pay scale will receive a non-consolidated payment worth 2 per cent of their existing salary. In addition, staff whose performance is more than satisfactory will receive an additional bonus payment of £140 or £250.Northern Ireland: Railways
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 24 February (WA 41), why the line from Coleraine to Londonderry is not promoted as a tourist attraction; and whether any studies have been carried out on this issue.[HL1573]
Baroness Amos: The railway line between Coleraine and Londonderry is a picturesque link between Londonderry and the Causeway Coast, two of Northern Ireland's most important tourist attractions. Although it is recognised as a scenic route no studies have been carried out and no current evidence exists which would indicate major benefits from promoting it specifically as a tourist attraction.
Cross-Border Implementation Bodies
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the current definition of care and maintenance with regard to Cross-Border Implementation Bodies.[HL1668]
Baroness Amos: As indicated in the statement of clarification on 18 December 2002, the British and Irish Governments intend, under the agreement contained in the exchange of notes of 19 November 2002, to take only those decisions required to ensure proper care and maintenance of the implementation bodies and Tourism Ireland in the performance of their necessary public functions. As the statement set out, the two Governments intend only to pursue the policies and actions already agreed in the North/South Ministerial Council and not to introduce any new policies.
Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What was the cost of the production of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan; and what is the projected date for its publication.[HL1671]
Baroness Amos: The to-date cost of the production of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan is £2,761,772.
The publication date for the plan has not yet been finalised.
Ulster Scots Future Search
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the purpose of the Ulster Scots future search organised by the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure if the department will not make further resources available to the Ulster Scots community.[HL1713]
Baroness Amos: Future Search is a process whereby interested parties come together to determine and address issues of concern. The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure hosted a Future Search for Ulster Scots in November 2002. The department and representatives of the Ulster Scots community are now looking at how the issues raised can be taken forward. The availability of resources will be considered as part of this implementation process. —Clean
European Elections: Post Office Deliveries
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What arrangements are being made with the Post Office to guarantee that freepost items for the European elections are delivered to electors in good time and, in regions with all-postal elections, at an appropriate interval before the date of despatch of the ballot papers.[HL1560]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Lord Filkin): The service level agreement drawn up between Royal Mail Group plc and the Department for Constitutional Affairs obliges the Post Office to deliver such items within seven days of receipt from candidates. It is for candidates, including those in any regions in which all-postal elections are to be piloted, to ensure that they provide their material to Royal Mail in a timely way.
Victims' Advisory Panel
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Who are the members of the Victims' Advisory Panel; and, where appropriate, which organisations they represent.[HL1421]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The panel consists of 10 voluntary lay members—recruited through open competition in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Commissioner for Public Appointments—who have either experienced victimisation themselves, or are family members or very close friends of murder victims.
In addition there are representatives from the following victims groups: Victim Support, Support After Murder and Manslaughter, Victims Voice and Birmingham Racial Attacks Monitoring Unit.
The panel is chaired by myself and is also attended by Chris Leslie MP, of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, and Harriet Harman MP, the Solicitor General.
The panel also includes senior representatives of the following agencies: the Crown Prosecution Service, the Department for Constitutional Affairs, the police, and the National Probation Service.
Other officials and ministers are invited as and when the agenda is relevant to their area.
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