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Roman Road
Ms Gordon: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the extent of the surviving Roman road on the site of the HAT redevelopment of the Lefevre Walk estate on the Parnell road, Old Ford site; and what measures are planned to ensure that the surviving Roman road remains (a) undisturbed and (b) accessible for further investigation. [31308]
Mr. Sproat: Archaeological remains, including a small part of the Roman road which extended from London to Colchester, exist at the Lefevre Walk estate redevelopment site and have been properly investigated in accordance with English Heritage's advice. As recommended in Government guidance on archaeology and planning, a condition has been included in the planning permission given by the London borough of Tower Hamlets to ensure that the foundations for the new housing development will have as little impact as possible on these remains.
10 Jun 1996 : Column: 35
Euro 96
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what emergency accommodation arrangements local authorities are providing for fans attending the Euro 96 football championships; what is the estimated cost involved in making these arrangements; and who is meeting the cost of this accommodation. [31328]
Mr. Sproat: I understand that local authorities have been examining ways of meeting accommodation needs for fans attending Euro 96. The costs involved are a matter for the local authorities themselves.
Recruitment
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much her Department spent in recruiting staff to her Department and its executive agencies during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 financial years; and how many staff were recruitment in each of these years. [31403]
Mr. Sproat: My Department and its agencies spent £101,793.05 on recruiting 60 staff during the financial year 1994-95. During 1995-96, we spent £136,449.75 recruiting 57 staff.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what use her Department and its executive agencies have made of executive search agencies or employment companies in filling vacancies within her Department or executive agencies administered by her Department during the financial years 1994-95 and 1995-96; what agencies were employed; what was the cost in each case; how many staff were recruited in each case; and what was the total cost in each financial year of these contracts; [31418]
- (2) in what circumstances her Department or its executive agencies uses an executive search or employment agency to recruit staff in preference to using personnel staff within her own Department or its executive agencies. [31531]
Mr. Sproat: Neither this Department nor its executive agencies have used executive search agencies or employment companies to fill any vacancies during the financial years 1994-95 or 1995-96. Therefore, the question of whether we use executive search agencies or employment companies in preference to using personnel staff is not applicable.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) pursuant to her answer of 26 March, Official Report, column 518, how much her Department estimated it would have cost to provide the information requested; [31459]
- (2) pursuant to her answer of 28 March, Official Report, column 724, how much her Department estimated it would have cost to provide the information requested. [31452]
Mr. Sproat: More than £450, the current threshold above which answers are deemed to incur disproportionate cost.
10 Jun 1996 : Column: 36
Women (Promotion)
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures her Department has implemented during the last 12 months to encourage the promotion of women into senior positions with her Department and its executive agencies; and what progress her Department has made in encouraging the promotion of women over the last five years. [31533]
Mr. Sproat: Since the Department was created in April 1992, promotees into senior positions in the Department of National Heritage and its agencies have been selected on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. The Department is committed, through the departmental equal opportunities policy statement and action plan, to monitor the progress of women at key stages in their career development, and to take any action appropriate to remove any significant barriers to career progress.
The agencies abide by the principles set out in the policy statement and action plan. The Department has been developing non-discriminatory personnel practices, and procedures including flexible working arrangements, child care provision for employees, and appraisal and promotion systems, which are fair, and do not discriminate against a particular group. As a result of these, the Department and agencies have a good record in respect of the employment and promotion of women.
British Academy of Sport
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to her answer of 10 May, Official Report, column 294, about the British Academy of Sport (1) what factors led to her inability to provide the information requested; [31585]
- (2) when she expects to be able to provide the information requested. [31584]
Mr. Sproat: The detailed analysis of the consultation exercise is an internal document, never itself intended for publication. It is the basis of internal discussion and advice on a policy which has yet to be finalised and announced. The selective release of some elements of the information from the exercise would be misleading. It would also be premature, given that I have said in my previous parliamentary answer that a summary of the main conclusions of the consultation exercise will be published along with the bid prospectus.
Museums and Coal Mining
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps she is taking to implement the recommendations in the Museums and Galleries Commission report on museums and coal mining. [31635]
Mr. Sproat: The report on museums and coal mining has been prepared by an independent consultant for the Museums and Galleries Commission. The commission is currently considering the recommendations in the report. If, following that consideration, the commission wishes to raise any specific aspects of the report with the Government, my Department will be prepared to consider these, in consultation with the Scottish Office and the Welsh Office.
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Royal Fine Art Commission
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement regarding Sir Geoffrey Chipperfield's report into the royal fine art commission. [31573]
Mr. Sproat [holding answer Friday 7 June 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) on 9 May 1996, Official Report, columns 213-14.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Kashmir (Elections)
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the electorate in all Kashmir constituencies voted in the recent national elections; how many United Kingdom nationals observed those elections on behalf of Her Majesty's Government; if he will arrange to place their report in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [31420]
Mr. Hanley: Official Indian election commission figures for the voting in the recent elections in Kashmir are as follows: Jammu 49.1 per cent., Ladakh 83.3 per cent., Anantnag 39 per cent., Baramulla 46.6 per cent., Srinagar 41 per cent. and Udhampur 52 per cent. A member of our high commission in New Delhi visited the Kashmir constituencies during the elections. The high commission's reports on those visits are internal documents and will not be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report, column 386, how much his Department estimated it would have cost to provide the information requested; [31447]
- (2) pursuant to his answer of 29 March, Official Report, column 796, how much his Department estimated it would have cost to provide the information requested. [31450]
Mr. Hanley: More than £450, the current threshold above which answers are deemed to incur disproportionate cost.
Recruitment
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent in recruiting staff to his Department and its executive agencies during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 financial years; and how many staff were recruited in each of these years. [31392]
Mr. Hanley: The cost of recruiting permanent staff to this Department and its agencies, and the numbers in each period were:
| 1994-95 | 1995-96 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (£) | 996,806 | 962,711 |
| Number | 253 | 188 |
10 Jun 1996 : Column: 38
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what use his Department and its executive agencies have made of executive search agencies or employment companies in filling vacancies within his Department or executive agencies administered by his Department during the financial years 1994-95 and 1995-96; what agencies were employed; what was the cost in each case; how many staff were recruited in each case; and what was the total cost in each financial year of these contracts. [31407]
Mr. Hanley: This Department and its agencies have not used executive search agencies during the financial years 1994-95 and 1995-96, but have used the following employment companies:
| 1994-95 | 1995-96 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of staff recruited | 46 | 66 |
| Cost | £48,167 | £51,177 |
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances his Department or its executive agencies uses an executive search or employment agency to recruit staff in preference to using personnel staff within his own Department or its executive agencies. [31520]
Mr. Hanley: This Department and its agencies use employment agencies to recruit staff in preference to using personnel staff since it represents best value for money.
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