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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 6 June 1997
DEFENCE
Political and Special Advisers
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) the name, (b) the salary, (c) the previous occupation and salary and (d) the terms and conditions of each political and special adviser in his Department; and what was the selection process used to appoint these persons. [2424]
Mr. George Robertson: I have appointed Mr. Alasdair McGowan, who was my research assistant, as a Special Adviser.
The terms and conditions of each appointment are set out in the draft model contract, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Special Advisers are paid within a range of £24,349 to £73,484. Their salaries are negotiated individually and are confidential within this range. Details of this and of previous salary are not provided to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.
This is a personal appointment which I made following consultation with the Permanent Head of the Department and the Prime Minister.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what negotiations (a) have been held and (b) are proposed with the Indian Government about the purchase of a Harrier carrier; and what related sales would ensue from such a sale. [1886]
Mr. Spellar:
No negotiations have taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of India about the purchase of a Harrier carrier, and none is planned. Currently, no Royal Navy ships of this type are available for disposal, nor will any be in the foreseeable future.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the President of the Council if she will ensure that the Library receives a copy of each Order in Council. [1923]
Mrs. Ann Taylor:
I see no case for additional dissemination of Orders in Council. Over 600 Orders in Council, including those recording the admission of new Privy Counsellors and Ministerial appointments, are made each year. Statutory Instruments are published, in many cases following Parliamentary consideration and are thereafter available in the Library. A number of Orders, which include all those relating to the Civil Service,
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together with Royal Proclamations, are published in the London Gazette of which the Library holds copies. Proposed revisions to the Statutes of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and their colleges are laid before the House of Commons before approval by Her Majesty. Other categories of Order, including those confirming some 200 Schemes made each year by the Church Commissioners, those approving Channel Islands legislation, those approving the reports of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and those approving the grant of Royal Charters and allowing amendments to the Charters of Chartered bodies, are already in the public domain and copies can always be made available on request.
Mr. Forth:
To ask the President of the Council if she will list (a) the name, (b) the salary, (c) the previous occupation and salary and (d) the terms and conditions of each political and special adviser in her Department; and what was the selection process used to appoint these persons. [2416]
Mrs. Ann Taylor:
As indicated in my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's Answer of 2 June to the hon. Member for Chichester, three Special Advisers are being appointed in the Privy Council Office, subject to agreement on their salaries. Mr. Ian McKenzie, who was previously my Research Assistant, will act as my Special Adviser. Mr. Damian Welfare, who is currently Head of Government relations and pubic affairs with the Local Government Association and Miss Marianne Morris, who is an administrator in the Labour Party, have been offered appointment as Special Advisers to my Noble Friend, the Lord Privy Seal, in his capacity as Leader of the House of Lords. All are personal appointments by the Minister concerned following consultations with the Permanent Head of the Department and the Prime Minister.
Special Advisers are paid within a range of £24,349 and £73,484. Their salaries are negotiated individually and are confidential within the range. Details of previous salaries are similarly confidential between departments and the individuals concerned.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to meet WHO representatives to discuss the possible spread of yellow fever to Asia; and if she will make a statement.[2099]
Clare Short:
DFID representatives will be meeting with WHO to discuss yellow fever issues in June. We are a significant contributor to the work of WHO to improve disease surveillance and to ensure effective control during outbreaks. Through our support we aim to improve national infrastructures and the capacity for detection. We are also funding the revision of the International Health Regulations, which cover yellow fever.
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Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the risk of yellow fever spreading to Asia; and if she will make a statement. [2098]
Clare Short:
Professional advice is that the risk of importation of yellow fever through an infected individual is real and could result in a focused outbreak. However, such an occurrence is unlikely to lead to the disease becoming endemic. The risk is reduced by the application of international travel regulations regarding yellow fever and the increasing use of vaccine in countries where yellow fever is endemic.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to meet WHO representatives to discuss worldwide implementation of the UN Guidelines for Drug Donation; and if she will make a statement. [2100]
Clare Short:
We support the implementation of the UN guidelines for drug donations formulated by WHO's Drugs Action Programme (DAP). In addition to financial support, DFID holds the chair of the DAP Management Advisory committee which regularly reviews progress on implementation of the guidelines.
Mr. Forth:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list (a) the names, (b) the salary, (c) the previous occupation and salary and (d) the terms and conditions of each political and special adviser in her Department; and what was the selection process used to appoint these persons. [2411]
Clare Short:
DFID has two special advisers, Daniel Harris and Jessica Crow. Both DFID special advisers were previously my personal advisers.
The terms and conditions of each appointment are set out in the draft model contract, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Special advisers are paid within a range of £24,349 to £73,484. Their salaries are negotiated individually and are confidential within this range. Details of this and of previous salary are not provided in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.
These are personal appointments by me following consultation with the Permanent Head of the Department and the Prime Minister.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if she will make a statement on the current provision of aid to Myanmar; [2134]
Clare Short:
In common with its European Partners, Britain suspended non-humanitarian aid to Burma in 1988. There are no present plans to change this position.
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In 1995-96 (the latest year for which figures are available), British bilateral aid came to £324,000 of which £294,000 was for the support of refugees on the Thai-Burma border and for disaster relief. The remainder includes colonial pension payments (which are charged to the Aid Programme) and expenditure under Head of Mission discretionary schemes.
Britain's estimated share of net multilateral aid to Burma, all of which was for humanitarian purposes, came to £900,000 in 1995 (the latest available figure).
Mrs. Gillian Shephard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many political and personal appointments he has made; and at what cost to public funds. [1582]
Mr. Blunkett
[holding answer 5 June 1997]: With the Prime Minister's approval I have appointed the following special advisers: Conor Ryan, and Sophie Linden (part-time).
Their salaries will be paid from public funds.
I have also announced the following appointments of recognised experts to advise me and the Department:
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(2) if she will make a statement on her policy in respect of Myanmar. [2133]
The salary of Professor Barber will be reimbursed from public funds. I will provide the information on the total costs to the Department when agreement has been reached with the special advisers on their precise employment terms.
Standards and Effectiveness Unit
Michael Barber--(Professor of Education at the Institute of Education, London University)
Standards Task Force
Tim Brighouse--(Director of Education, Birmingham)
Chris Woodhead--(Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools)
National Advisory Group on Adult Learning
Robert Fryer--(Principal of the Northern College for residential Adult Education, Barnsley)
Alan Tuckett--(Director of NIACE)
Numeracy Task Force
David Reynolds--(Professor of Education, Newcastle University)
Martin Armstrong--(Deputy Headteacher, Marlwood School, Gloucestershire)
Margaret Brown--(Professor of Mathematics, King's College, London)
David Burghes--(Professor of Education, University of Exeter)
Margaret Dawes--(KPMG)
Patricia Petch--(Chair, National Governors Council)
Carol Robinson--(Headteacher, William Ford Primary School, Barking and Dagenham)
Anita Straker--(Director, National Numeracy Project)
Anne Waterhouse--(Headteacher, Ormskirk Asmall County Primary School, Ormskirk, Lancashire)
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