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Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 14 January 1997

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Civil Service Management Functions

Dr. Goodson-Wickes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what delegations were made in 1996 under the Civil Service (Management Functions) Act 1992; to whom those delegations were made; and what were the main conditions attached to them.[11011]

Mr. Freeman: Since the last report to Parliament, Official Report, 11 January 1996, columns 285-86, Ministers and statutory office holders in charge of Departments ¹ have been given delegated authority--from 1 April 1996--under the Civil Service (Management Functions) Act 1992 to:

(a) prescribe the qualifications (so far as they relate to age, knowledge, ability, professional attainment, aptitude and potential) for the appointment of home civil servants (with the exception of the Fast Stream Development Programme) in their respective departments; and


(b) determine in respect of home civil servants in their respective departments the number and grading of posts outside the Senior Civil Service and the terms and conditions of employment in so far as they relate to the following:


i. classification of staff, with the exception of the Senior Civil Service;


ii. remuneration and allowances, with the exception of the Senior Civil Service;


iii. allowances for the Senior Civil Service in respect of service overseas;


iv. expenses;


v. holidays, hours of work and attendance;


vi. part-time and other working arrangements;


vii. performance and promotion;


viii. retirement age and redundancy;


ix. re-deployment of staff within and between departments.

In some cases, for staff appointed by statutory office holders, the Minister for the Civil Service was statutorily required to give consent to terms and conditions of service. For such staff, delegation has been effected by waiving that requirement, subject to the conditions attached to delegation.

The delegation was subject to the condition that recipients comply with the provisions of the civil service management code as amended from time to time. Copies of the civil service management code are available in the Libraries of both Houses. All previous delegations and authorisations made under the Civil Service (Management Functions) Act 1992 were revoked with effect from 1 April 1996.

Similar authorisations were also made to the Health and Safety Executive and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (other than in respect of qualifications

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for the appointment of staff where they already had such powers). These came into effect on 1 June and 11 June 1996 respectively and were also subject to the condition that they comply with the provisions of the civil service management code as amended from time to time. These authorisations replaced all previous authorisations made to HSE and ACAS under the Civil Service (Management Functions) Act 1992, which were revoked with effect from 1 June and 11 June respectively.

¹ The statutory office holders are:

Commissioners of Inland Revenue
Head of the Registry of Friendly Societies, being the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies and the First Commissioner of the Building Societies Commission
Chief Charity Commissioner
Commissioners of Customs and Excise
Crown Estate Commissioners
Director General of Electricity Supply
Director General of Fair Trading
Director General of Gas Supply
Director General of National Lottery
Director of National Savings
Director of Passenger Rail Franchising
Director General of Telecommunications
Director General of Water Services
Director General of Public Prosecutions
Director of The Serious Fraud Office Government Actuary
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in Wales
International Rail Regulator
Public Works Loan Commissioners
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioners
Rail Regulator
Registrar General for Scotland.

Government Information

Dr. Goodson-Wickes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in the revision of the code of practice on access to Government information. [11012]

Mr. Freeman: The revised code of practice on access to Government information and its associated guidance on interpretation have today been published. The changes made to both documents include a number which result from recommendations made in recent reports by the Public Service Committee and the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. I am grateful to both Committees for their helpful contributions and believe that the revised code and guidance are improved as a result.

I have also today published the revised "Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees" which now includes the code of practice on access to Government information as the clear, recognised minimum standard for providing information to Parliament in evidence given to Select Committees.

In so far as the requirements of these documents differ from those in their earlier versions, Government Departments have been asked to ensure implementation from 1 February.

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These revised documents represent a further development of this Government's policy of openness.

I am placing copies of all three documents in the Library of the House. In addition, I have already recently placed in the Library draft versions of all these documents highlighting the changes between the original and revised documents.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Pools Industry

Mr. Elletson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of the consultation on further deregulation of the pools industry. [11055]

Mr. Kirkhope: On 16 August last, I issued a consultation paper with proposals for further deregulation of the pools industry. The consultation period ended on 31 October 1996.

I have carefully considered the views expressed in response to our consultation document and am now in a position to report our conclusions and the way forward.

As a first step, I laid yesterday the draft Deregulation (Football Pools) Order to facilitate midweek football pools competitions. The order removes the requirement that football pools competitions retailed through premises must be based on forecasts of matches played on weekends and public holidays. The draft order is now subject to the scrutiny of the Deregulation Committees in both Houses.

I also yesterday relaxed the rules on rollover of prizes in pool competitions. When rollover was first introduced in November 1994, rollover in the pools had to follow rollover in the national lottery. This restriction has now been removed. Rollover will now be subject only to the requirement that the top prize must not be rolled more than three weeks in succession and subject to an overall annual limit of nine rollovers in each series of pool competitions. I have placed a copy of the direction in the Library.

In addition, I am considering proposals to allow the payment of football pools winnings in retail outlets and plan to bring forward a further deregulation order as soon as possible.

I have also reached conclusions on the wider proposals contained in the consultation document. The following proposals were put forward for consideration:

relaxation of the restrictions on the types of sporting events for which pools competitions can be retailed through shops and other premises; and, as a consequence, reduction of the minimum age for participation in all pools competitions from 18 to 16 (16 is already the minimum age for participation in football pools competitions);

removal of the restrictions on the timing of those events;

allow payment of small pools winning in all premises;

remove the requirement for promoters to notify their weekly profits and expenses percentage in advance to the local authority accountant.

Concerns were expressed by the bookmakers, the racing bodies and a range of organisations at the impact of allowing unlimited competitions on horseracing and

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sporting events to be retailed through premises, particularly if this were to include payment of winnings in public houses. It was considered this could change the pools into a harder form of gambling with frequent opportunities to participate and chase losses.

I have taken careful account of these views in deciding the extent to which further deregulation is appropriate.

I have decided that it would not be appropriate to bring forward a measure to allow the retailing of pool competitions on horseraces in premises. In addition, competitions on events other than football should not be allowed in liquor licensed premises or clubs.

Any further proposals to allow retailing of competitions on other sporting events would require further consultation with interested parties.

I have discussed the way forward with the pools companies and interested parties and I am satisfied that this package of measures will help the industry to compete without undermining the regulatory framework or changing the nature of the pools as a soft form of gambling.

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