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Science Cabinet Committee
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Cabinet Committee on science last met; and how frequently he expects meetings to take place. [3295]
The Deputy Prime Minister: Issues relating to science and technology now come under the remit of the ministerial Committee on Competitiveness.
11 Dec 1995 : Column: 489
Publicity Material
Mr. Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many identical copies of an advertisement for the bus and coach driving manual were sent on the same day to Barton Accessories in Moreleigh road, Harbertonford, Totness, South Devon, in the same post, and for what reason; what is HMSO's policy regarding duplication of publicity information; and if he will make a statement on the cost of duplication by HMSO. [5031]
Mr. Willetts: As this question concerns a purely operational matter, I have asked the chief executive of HMSO to write direct to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mike Lynn to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 8 December 1995:
I have been asked to reply to your question (No 43N) to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster about duplicate mailings from HMSO.
I am sorry that the Manager of Barton Accessories had to suffer no less than nine envelopes containing identical information, including a letter signed by Steven Norris recommending an HMSO publication.
As you probably know, it is common commercial practice to buy in mailing lists in order to reach specialised markets. HMSO brought this one, on an electronic disk, from a company specialising in passenger carrying vehicles. It has become clear to us that this particular list contained a number of duplications, and we have complained to the firm about it. They have apologised profusely, and waived all their charges.
I recognise that this is little consolation to your constituent, but I am grateful to you for bringing the matter to my attention.
Former Prime Ministers (Funding)
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what funding Lady Thatcher continues to receive from Her Majesty's Government for her private office and staff costs; how much she has received to date since she ceased to be a Member of this House; and if he will make a statement. [4488]
11 Dec 1995 : Column: 490
Mr. Freeman: All former Prime Ministers are eligible to receive an allowance to assist them with the continuing heavy burden of office and secretarial costs arising from their special position in public life. The allowance is similar in purpose and amount to the parliamentary office costs allowance, but is paid in respect of public, not parliamentary, duties.
The maximum amount of the allowance available to former Prime Ministers during the current financial year is £42,754, plus £4,275 for contributions to pension schemes of members of staff whose salaries are paid from the allowance.
I do not think it right to disclose the amounts of this allowance claimed by individual former Prime Ministers, any more than the House discloses details of claims by individual Members under the office costs allowance.
Mr. Austin Mitchell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the reduction in the range of departmental responsibilities since 1979; and what staff savings have been made in each Department of State at each level from assistant secretary upwards, including redundancies announced but not yet implemented, together with the reduction in the numbers of Ministers. [4337]
Mr. Freeman:
Departmental responsibilities are a matter of public record, set out in the relevant edition of the "List of Ministerial Responsibilities" and elsewhere.
| Departments and their agencies | Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | -- | -1 | -5 | -4 | -13 |
| Cabinet Office and Central Statistical Office(10) | -3 | -3 | -7 | +4 | -13 |
| Central Office of Information | -- | -- | -- | -2 | -3 |
| HMSO | -- | -- | -1 | -- | -9 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | |||||
| Treasury(10) | -1 | -5 | -1 | +1 | +13 |
| Customs and Excise | -- | -1 | -2 | -1 | -13 |
| Government Actuary | -- | -- | -- | -- | +1 |
| Inland Revenue | -- | -1 | -7 | -16 | -15 |
| Department of National Savings | -- | -- | -2 | +2 | -1 |
| National Investment and Loans Office | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Registry of Friendly Societies | -- | +1 | -- | +3 | +5 |
| Royal Mint | -- | -- | -- | -- | -2 |
| Paymaster | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Defence | +1 | -19 | -47 | -20 | -76 |
| Education and Employment(10) | -- | -5 | -6 | +1 | -18 |
| Environment and National Heritage(10) | -1 | -4 | -23 | -10 | -71 |
| HSE/HSC | -- | -- | -- | +1 | +2 |
| Ordnance Survey | -- | -- | -- | -- | +5 |
| Office of Water Services(11) | -- | -- | +1 | -- | +4 |
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office | -- | -- | -- | +1 | -17 |
| Overseas Development Administration | -- | -3 | -- | -2 | -1 |
| Health and Social Security(10) | +1 | -2 | -20 | +3 | -26 |
| Office of Population Censuses and Surveys | -- | -- | -- | -1 | -2 |
| Home Office and HM Prison Service | -- | -1 | -- | -2 | +37 |
| Lord Chancellor's Department | -- | -2 | -9 | +7 | +9 |
| HM Land Registry | -- | +1 | +1 | -- | +5 |
| Public Record Office | -- | -- | -- | -- | +2 |
| OFLOT(11) | -- | -- | -- | -- | +2 |
| Northern Ireland Office | -- | -- | -- | +2 | -3 |
| Scotland | |||||
| Scottish Office | -- | -2 | -8 | +4 | -18 |
| Scottish Court Service | -- | -- | -- | +1 | -1 |
| General Register Office-Scotland | -- | -- | -- | -- | -1 |
| Registers of Scotland | -- | -- | -- | +1 | +1 |
| Scottish Record Office | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Trade and Industry and Transport(10) | -4 | -12 | -16 | +9 | -4 |
| ACAS | -- | -- | -- | +1 | -3 |
| Office of Electricity Regulation(11) | -- | -- | +1 | -- | +6 |
| Office of Gas Supply(11) | -- | -- | -- | +1 | +2 |
| OPRAF(11) | -- | -- | +1 | -- | +6 |
| Office of the Rail Regulator(11) | -- | -- | -- | +1 | +4 |
| Wales | |||||
| Welsh Office | -- | -- | -1 | +5 | -6 |
| Other Civil Departments | |||||
| Civil Service Pay Research Unit(12) | -- | -- | -- | -- | -1 |
| Charity Commission | -- | -- | -1 | +3 | -- |
| Crown Estate Office | -- | -- | -1 | -- | -1 |
| Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal | -- | -- | +2 | +5 | +22 |
| Crown Prosecution Service | -- | -1 | +4 | +13 | +40 |
| Export Credit Guarantee Department | -- | -- | -2 | -- | -- |
| Intervention Board | -- | -- | +1 | -- | +2 |
| Legal Secretariat | -- | +1 | -- | +1 | +4 |
| Lord Advocate's Department | -- | -- | +3 | -- | +1 |
| Office of Fair Trading | -- | -- | -2 | -- | +1 |
| Privy Council Office | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Serious Fraud Office(11) | -- | +1 | +1 | +1 | +8 |
| Treasury Solicitor | -- | -- | -- | +3 | -- |
| All Departments | |||||
| Total numbers 1979 | 41 | 177 | 594 | 242 | 2,547 |
| Total numbers 1995 | 34 | 119 | 448 | 258 | 2,411 |
| Change | -7 | -58 | -146 | +16 | -136 |
Notes:
(10) Departments involved in major functional changes.
(11) Departments in 1995 with no equivalent in 1979.
(12) Departments in 1979 with no equivalent in 1995.
11 Dec 1995 : Column: 491
11 Dec 1995 : Column: 491
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