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Market Testing
Mr. Thurnham: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the savings which have been achieved through market testing in his Department.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes: Savings in excess of £9.2 million have been achieved as a result of market testing under the "Competing For Quality" initiative by the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service and Science, including its agencies, Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Central Office of Information.
Citizens Charter
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many requests have been received by the citizens charter unit for copies of each of the citizens charters; how many such requests have been fulfilled by the unit; and how many have been referred to (a) other Government Departments, (b) agencies and (c)
non-departmental Government bodies.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes: Individual public services, including Government Departments, deal with requests
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for copies for their own service charters. Information about the number of requests for these charters, either made directly to the relevant service, or through the citizens charter unit, is not held centrally.Since 17 October 1994, Inform Communications has operated for the citizens charter unit a citizens charter publication line on 0345 22 32 42. This sends out on request certain citizens charter publications issued by the Office of Public Service and Science, but not the individual service charters. Customers requesting such information are sent a list showing which charters exist and where they can be obtained from individual public services. The current list is as follows:
Table I
United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Charter |Service
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contributor's Charter |091 225 5134
Social Security
Contributions Agency
Employers' Charter |091 225 7522
Social Security
Contributions Agency
Taxpayer's Charter |Please see Table II
HM Customs and Excise
Taxpayer's Charter Inland Revenue |Tax Offices, Tax Enquiry Centres or phone: 071 438 6420
Traveller's Charter HM Customs and Excise |From Ports and Airport or phone: 071 202 4227
Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales
Charter |Service
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benefits Agency Customer Charter |Please see Table II
Social Security Benefits Agency
Child Support Agency Charter |0345 133 133
Child Support Agency
Jobseeker's Charter |Please see Table II
Employment Service
Passenger's Charter |Please see Table II
British Rail
Redundancy Payments Service Charter |0800 848 489
Employment Department
|C\England and Wales Charter |Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Courts Charter |Court Service Secretariat Lord Chancellor's Department | 071 210 1722 Home Office Crown Prosecution Service
England only
Charter |Service
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London Underground's |Customer Service Centre
Customer Charter: "the best |071 918 4040
possible service"
London Underground Ltd
Charter for Further Education |Publications Centre
Department for Education |081 533 2000
Charter for Higher Education |Publications Centre
Department for Education |081 533 2000
Council Tenant's Charter |071 276 0900
Department of the Environment
Parent's Charter |Publications Centre
Department for Education |081 533 2000
Patient's Charter |Please see Table II
Department of Health
Road User's Charter |071 921 4307 (See Table II
The Highways Agency |for other availability)
The London Bus Passenger's |Passenger Services 071 918 4300
Charter
London Transport Buses
Scotland only
Charter |Service
---------------------------------------------------------
Council Tenant's Charter for |0345 741 741
Scotland Scottish Office
Further and Higher Education |0345 741 741
Charter for Scotland
Scottish Office
Justice Charter for Scotland |0345 741 741
Scottish Office
Parent's Charter for Scotland |0345 741 741
Scottish Office
Patient's Charter for Scotland |0345 741 741
Scottish Office
Wales only
Charter
--------------------------------------------------
Charter for Further Education
Welsh Office
Charter for Higher Education
Welsh Office
Council Tenant's Charter for
Wales
Welsh Office
Parent's Charter for Wales
Welsh Office
Patient's Charter for Wales
Welsh Office
Northern Ireland only
Charter |Service
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bus Passenger's Charter |From all Ulsterbus offices or
Ulsterbus/Citybus |phone: 0232 354042
Child Support Agency Charter |0345 139 700 outside Belfast
Northern Ireland |(local rate) or 0232 896700
Child Support Agency |within Greater Belfast
Tenant's Charter for Northern Ireland |0232 240588
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Courts Charter for Northern |0232 328594
Ireland
Northern Ireland Courts Service
The Citizen's Charter for |Full report from HMSO (£8.50).
Northern Ireland |For copy of summary Guide,
Department of Finance and |phone: 0800 243 174
Personnel
Parent's Charter |0247 279366
Department of Education for
Northern Ireland
Charter for Patients and Clients |HPSS Management Executive
Department of Health and Social |0232 524282
Services, Northern Ireland
Railway Passenger's Charter |Northern Ireland Railways
Northern Ireland Railways |Headquarters 0232 899400
Royal Ulster Constabulary Charter |From police stations, or phone
Royal Ulster Constabulary |RUC Headquarters:
|0232 650222 xt 22525
Social Security Agency Charter |Chief Executive's Office
Northern Ireland Social Security | 0232 522457
Agency
Training and Employment |0232 541613
Agency Charter
Training and Employment
Agency
TABLE PART II
Taxpayer's Charter (Customs and Excise)
Available from your Local VAT Enquiry Office. Their addresses and telephone numbers can be found in the phonebook under `Customs and Excise'.
Benefits Agency Customer Charter
Available from all district offices of the Agency. Their addresses and telephone numbers can be found in the phonebook under `Benefits Agency'. For bulk orders you can write to:
DSS Distribution Centre
DSS Leaflet Unit
Manchester Road
Heywood
Lancashire OL10 2PZ (Quote CUST 1).
Jobseeker's Charter
Available from all local Jobcentres and Unemployment Benefit Offices. The addresses and telephone numbers of which can be found in the phonebook under `Employment Service'.
Passenger's Charter
Available from all British Rail stations and outlets or by writing to:
British Railways
Euston House
24 Eversholt Street
PO Box 100
London NW1 1DZ.
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Patient's CharterCopies of the Patient's Charter for England can be obtained by writing to (no stamp required):
The Patient's Charter
FREEPOST
London SE99 7XU.
Road User's Charter
Copies are available from most motorway service areas, AA shops and offices, the regional offices of the Department of Transport and the Highways Agency or from the Agency's Headquarters at the following address:
The Highways Agency
Room 12/23
St. Christopher House
Southwark Street
London SE1 OTE.
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list for each edition of each citizens charter (a) the date of publication, (b) the department or agency responsible for its publication, (c) the name of the responsible Minister, (d) the cost of publication, (e) the cost of its distribution, (f) the means of its distribution, (g) the company, agency or other organisation responsible for its distribution and (h) the payment to such company, agency or other organisation.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes: I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Syndicated Oral Questions
44.
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Lord President of the Council what measures he intends to take to prevent syndicated oral questions.
Mr. Newton: I have no plans to recommend any changes to the existing arrangements. If my hon. Friend wishes to make any proposals, he might wish in the first instance to put his thoughts to my right hon. Friend the Chairman of the Procedure Committee.
Parliamentary Recesses
45.
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make it his policy to reduce the length of parliamentary recesses.
Mr. Newton: I have no such plans.
Parliamentary Timetable
46. Mr. Ian Bruce: To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make it his policy to publish the estimated full year's parliamentary timetable at once, revise the programme monthly and give a firm programme of the business of the House a fortnight in advance.
Mr. Newton: The unpredictable nature and demands of parliamentary work would make the advance publication of an annual timetable impractical. I am, however, seeking to give earlier notice of recesses wherever possible.
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Committee Membership
47.
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has to clarify the entitlements of appointment to Committees of hon. Members deprived of a party Whip; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Newton: The membership of Standing Committees is a matter for the Committee of Selection under the terms of reference set by Standing Order No. 86.
Ministerial Travel
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Lord President of the Council how many train journeys of one hour's duration or more he has made in Britain in 1994 in the course of his official duties.
Mr. Newton: In my duties as Lord President, none.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Indonesia
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of7 December, Official Report , column 264 , about the export of weapons to Indonesia, if he will list export equipment refused a licence because it was deemed likely to be used for internal repression; and if he will give dates.
Mr. David Davis: This Government, like all previous Governments, does not comment in detail on information on specific export licence applications since this information is commercially confidential.
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to inquire from British civil personnel working on arms sold to Indonesia by Britain whether the arms have been used for internal repression.
Mr. Goodlad: We have made inquiries of those sources likely to be well informed on this question. No evidence has emerged that British- supplied defence equipment has been used against civilians in Indonesia or East Timor.
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring of the use of
British-manufactured armaments and aircraft in Indonesia is undertaken by British diplomatic representatives.
Mr. Goodlad: It would be impracticable on a regular basis to monitor, after transfer, equipment which we have licensed for export. We are, however, ready where necessary to ask recipient countries, on a confidential basis, about the location and use of defence equipment we have supplied. The Indonesians have assured us that
British-supplied defence equipment will not be used against civilians, in Indonesia or East Timor.
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support was given by the British embassy in Indonesia to the recent trip made by a delegation of hon. Members from the all-party anglo-Indonesian Committee to Indonesia.
Mr. Goodlad: The embassy provided an oral briefing. Her Majesty's ambassador gave a dinner in the group's honour. The deputy head of mission invited the group to meet representatives of Indonesian non-governmental
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organisations. Embassy representatives accompanied the group on most of their official calls.Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of official entertainments, both at diplomatic residences, whether owned or rented and elsewhere, in Indonesia for each of the last three years.
Mr. Goodlad: The costs for entertainment at diplomatic residences cannot be extracted from the overall cost of entertainment in Indonesia. These are as follows:
1991 92: £44,554
1992 93: £49,227
1993 94: £51,423
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of ministerial and civil servants' commercial overseas flights to Indonesia in each of the last three years.
Mr. Goodlad: Expenditure for duty travel to Indonesia for both Ministers and civil servants located in Britain in the FCO and ODA in 1993 and 1994 is as follows:
1993 (January to December): £20,416
1994 (January to November): £12,319
It is not possible to provide a figure for expenditure in 1992.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of upkeep of diplomatic residences owned by Her Majesty's Government in Indonesia in each of the last three years.
Mr. Goodlad: The information requested is not immediately available. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as it has been obtained.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of entertaining officials and representatives of the Government of Indonesia in each of the last three years.
Mr. Goodlad: These cannot be extracted from the overall cost of entertainment by our diplomatic mission in Indonesia and on Indonesian visitors to the United Kingdom. These are as follows: 1991 92: £105,221
1992 93: £ 73,452
1993 94: £ 83,238
The costs in the United Kingdom include the cost of accommodation and transport for official visitors.
Ministerial Travel
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many train journeys of one hour's duration or more he has made in Britain in 1994 in the course of his official duties.
Mr. Goodlad: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made only one train journey this year in the course of his official duties. This was from Brussels to London by Eurostar on November 28.
Sudan
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he
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has made of changes in the level of respect for human rights in the Sudan.Mr. Douglas Hogg: The grave human rights situation in Sudan has not improved over the past year. The latest report by the UN special rapporteur, Dr. Biro, catalogued numerous abuses committed by the Government of Sudan and also the Sudan People's Liberation Army and other groups.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will sponsor a peace initiative aimed at containing the civil war in the Sudan; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: We fully support the ongoing peace initiative sponsored by four regional countries, members of the
Inter-Governmental Authority for Drought and Development. We provide practical support for this initiative and, together with EU partners, have urged all parties to the conflict to negotiate in good faith.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about British arms manufacturers supplying arms to either side in the civil war in the Sudan; and if he will name them.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: We are not aware of any violations by British companies to the EU arms embargo imposed on Sudan in March this year.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the disappearance of children from the Nuba mountains of Sudan; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: There are disturbing reports of widespread human rights violations committed against civilians in the Nuba mountains region by Government of Sudan forces. References to these abuses are contained in the recent report by the UN special rapporteur.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current extent of rebel-held areas in the south of Sudan.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: In large areas of southern Sudan, Government forces hold the main towns while the forces of the Sudan People's Liberation Army and other factions control much of the countryside. The precise areas held by the various forces varies constantly.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens travelled to the Sudan in each of the past five years; and how many Sudanese citizens entered Britain over the same period.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: We have no means of calculating how many British citizens travel to Sudan, nor do we keep statistics on the number of visas issued worldwide to Sudanese nationals. The numbers of visas issued by HM embassy in Khartoum during the past five years were: 1993 4,450; 1992 3,730; 1991 8,030; 1990 7,490; 1989 7,450.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to review Her Majesty's Government's policy on the Sudan; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: We remain concerned about a number of issues including: the civil war, the appalling human rights situation, and problems over the distribution of humanitarian relief supplies. We shall continue to raise
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