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Solicitors (Complaints)

Mr. John Cryer: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has for the creation of an independent body to adjudicate on complaints against solicitors. [11226]

Mr. Hoon: The Department has no plans to create a new complaints handling body. The Office for the Supervision of Solicitors was set up by the Law Society in September 1996 and I agree with the legal services ombudsman that it will take two to three years before the office can be properly judged by results.

31 Jul 1997 : Column: 425

Waste Minimisation

Ms Walley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce a waste minimisation strategy for his Department. [11571]

Mr. Hoon: As Green Minister for the Lord Chancellor's Department, I am currently revising the Department's environmental strategy and associated action plans. Waste minimisation will be one of the major elements within this strategy.

Ms Walley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on existing targets set to minimise waste within his Department. [11572]

Mr. Hoon: As Green Minister for the Lord Chancellor's Department, I am currently revising the Department's waste management procedures. The information gathered during this process will be used to measure progress in the reduction of levels of waste in due course.

Ms Walley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the amount, and proportion, of paper recycled by his Department in each of the last five years. [11573]

Mr. Hoon: The information requested is not available. The Lord Chancellor's Department has 417 buildings, each with separate contracts for collection of confidential and ordinary waste. The information could not be determined without incurring disproportionate cost. As Green Minister for the Lord Chancellor's Department, I am currently reviewing the arrangements for collection of waste.

The existing arrangement is for confidential waste to be collected by specialist contractors. All other waste is collected through local authorities. Paper collected by our confidential waste contractors is either pulped prior to recycling or incinerated to produce electricity. I intend that all our paper waste should be disposed of in this way.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the Crown Prosecution Service's consideration of the unlawful killing of Mr. Shiji Lapite.[11282]

The Attorney-General: Following the concerns expressed by the divisional court, the Director of Public Prosecutions has, with my full support, commissioned an inquiry into the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to bring criminal proceedings following the deaths of Shiji Lapite and Michael O'Brien. It will be headed by His Honour Gerald Butler QC and it will inquire into the considerations by the Crown Prosecution Service of the Lapite and O'Brien cases and, more generally, the process and quality of casework decision making in deaths in custody cases.

His Honour Gerald Butler QC will make such recommendations as appear appropriate and will report to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who will then report to me. The report will be made public.

31 Jul 1997 : Column: 426

Ms Beverley Hughes: To ask the Attorney-General what are the terms of reference for the review of the CPS; from what sources evidence and opinions are being sought; and what is the timetable for the review. [12213]

The Attorney-General: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron) on 12 June, Official Report, columns 533-34.

CABINET OFFICE

Ministerial Visits

Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister without Portfolio (1) pursuant to his answer of 28 July, Official Report, column 25, for what reasons he is unable to itemise the journeys undertaken at public expense since 2 May;[11804]

(2) what were the objectives of his recent visit to France. [11811]

Mr. Mandelson: I do not propose to disclose the details of conversations, meetings or other engagements undertaken in pursuance of my duties as Minister without Portfolio.

Millennium Dome

Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister without Portfolio what independent advice he has taken in respect of the environmental impact of (a) the materials and (b) the method of construction identified for the millennium dome. [11878]

Mr. Mandelson: The New Millennium Experience Company, of which I am sole shareholder, has taken the advice of a wide range of organisations in the construction field. Specifically, the environmental consultant, Battle McCarthy, was commissioned to provide advice on the construction of the millennium dome, including its environmental impact. In preparing its report Battle McCarthy drew on the technical expertise of the dome's architects, the Richard Rogers Partnership, and the consulting engineers, Buro Happold.

Ministerial Advisers

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Minister without Portfolio if he will list the persons who are not established civil servants who advise or assist him in the performance of his ministerial duties indicating their age and previous occupations, the use they make of official accommodation, equipment, facilities, transport and secretarial services, the access they are given to official meetings or unpublished official information, and the person or organisation responsible for their remuneration.[11720]

Mr. Mandelson: I have nothing further to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 18 July, Official Report, columns 340-41.

31 Jul 1997 : Column: 427

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Computers (Century Date Change)

Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what funding is presently committed from his departmental budget for (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000 to resolve the year 2000 computer problem; and if he will make a statement. [11889]

Dr. David Clark: I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before the summer recess. I shall therefore be writing to the hon. Member and will place a copy of the letter in the Library.

Sick Leave

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list for each Department and agency (a) the average days of sick leave, (b) the total days of sick leave and (c) the index figure, taking the civil service average as 100, in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [11504]

Dr. David Clark: The information requested is shown in the tables for 1994 and 1995. It is based on figures in the report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service 1995" prepared for my department by the Occupational Health and Safety Agency Ltd. and published last month. Figures for earlier years could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

My Department regularly encourages Departments and agencies to review their approaches to sickness absence management.

Working days lost through sickness absence 1994

	Average working days lost(5)	Estimated number of working days lost(6)	Index of average working days lost (Civil Service average=100)
Civil Service	9.9	4,902,000	100
Departments/Agencies of >10,000 staff
Ministry of Defence	8.1	664,300	82
Customs and Excise	8.3	218,700	84
Inland Revenue	9.6	614,300	97
Home Office	10.5	499,500	106
Lord Chancellor Department	10.7	134,500	108
Employment Service	11.3	538,300	114
Benefits Agency	12.4	849,200	125
Departments/Agencies of 5,000-10,000 staff
Department of Trade and Industry	7.0	52,700	71
Department of Transport	7.4	45,700	74
MAFF	8.0	59,600	81
Crown Prosecution Service	8.7	58,600	88
Scottish Office	8.8	53,900	89
Employment Department	10.2	62,300	103
Land Registry	10.9	96,100	110
Contributions Agency	11.3	107,000	114
Child Support Agency	11.6	65,700	117
National Savings Department	14.3	84,300	144
Departments/Agencies of 1,000-5,000 staff
Met Office	4.9	7,900	50
ADAS (MAFF)	6.2	10,700	62
HM Treasury	7.0	9,600	71
HMSO	7.3	14,900	73
Department of the Environment	7.8	35,800	79
Department for Education	8.2	13,900	83
Ordnance Survey	8.4	17,600	84
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal	8.4	8,600	85
Health and Safety Executive	8.6	35,600	87
Insolvency Service	8.6	15,900	87
Overseas Development Administration	8.6	10,800	87
Vehicle Inspectorate	8.7	12,100	88
IT Services Agency	8.9	34,300	89
Central Statistical Office	9.1	12,500	92
Welsh Office	9.5	21,500	96
Department of Health	9.7	47,700	98
OPCS	10.3	20,700	104
Intervention Board	10.7	10,700	108
Companies House	12.4	12,800	125
Department of Social Security	12.7	38,500	128
War Pensions Agency	12.8	19,800	129
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency	13.2	46,200	133
Scottish Prison Service (SO)	13.3	56,900	135
Driving Standards Agency	14.6	23,700	148
Registers of Scotland	14.7	17,100	148
Departments/Agencies of 500-1,000 staff
Natural Resources Institute	4.8	2,500	48
Nat Physical Lab.	5.1	3,500	51
Building Research Establishment	5.2	3,400	52
Office for Standards in Education	5.3	2,700	54
Central Science Lab.	6.1	4,100	62
Cabinet Office	6.8	4,200	68
Planning Inspectorate	6.9	4,000	70
COI (HMT)	6.9	3,600	70
ACAS	8.6	5,600	86
Department of National Heritage	8.6	5,200	87
Scottish Courts Service	9.9	8,000	100
Charity Commission	10.3	6,700	104
Central Vet. Lab.	10.3	6,500	104
Export Credit Guarantee	10.9	5,800	110
Paymaster General	11.6	9,600	117
Departments/Agencies of 200-500 staff
OPSS	4.5	2,000	45
Civil Service College	4.7	1,300	48
Serious Fraud Office	6.3	2,100	64
Office of Electrical Reg.	6.5	1,500	65
Northern Ireland Office	6.7	1,400	67
Government Centre for Information Systems	6.7	2,300	68
Chessington Computer Centre	7.5	3,100	76
Scottish Courts Administration	7.8	1,600	79
Nat. Engineering Lab.	7.9	1,900	80
PSA	8.1	2,400	82
Treasury Solicitor Department	8.7	3,400	88
Historic Royal Palaces	8.9	3,900	90
Fair Trading Office	9.5	4,000	96
Property Holdings	9.8	4,600	99
Teachers Pensions Agency	10.9	4,000	111
General Registers Office (SO)	11.6	3,000	117
Public Record Office	11.8	5,700	119
Departments/Agencies of <200 staff
NHS Estates	3.5	400	35
Office of Gas Supply	3.9	200	39
Vehicle Certification Agency	4.8	400	49
Warren Spring Lab.	5.0	300	51
Schools Funding Agency	5.0	1,000	51
Office of Water Services	5.5	900	55
Telecommunications Office	5.6	900	57
Government Actuary Department	5.8	500	58
Government Property Lawyers	6.1	800	62
Occ. Health Service	6.4	600	65
Buying Agency	6.4	700	65
Scottish Prison Service	6.8	800	69
Scottish Records Office	6.9	1,000	70
Friendly Societies Register	7.8	1,400	79
Crown Estate Office	8.5	1,700	86
RASA (OMCS)	10.5'	1,500	106
Resettlement Agency	16.1	3,200	163
Royal Mint	18.1	1,000	183

Excludes Departments/agencies with fewer than 50 staff.

(5) Source: Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service 1995, OHSA Ltd.

(6) Estimated by OPS from above report.

31 Jul 1997 : Column: 429

Working days lost through sickness absence, 1995

	Average working days lost(7)	Estimated number of working days lost(8)	Index of average working days lost (Civil Service average=100)
Civil Service	10.7	5,125,000	100
Departments/Agencies of >10,000 staff
Ministry of Defence	8.9	709,200	83
Customs and Excise	9.6	240,400	90
Inland Revenue	10.8	661,100	101
Home Office	11.3	540,000	106
Court Service (LCD)	11.6	127,400	108
Employment Service	12.4	520,600	116
Benefits Agency	12.7	872,300	119
Departments/Agencies of 5,000-10,000 staff
Defence Research Agency	4.7	40,400	44
Department of Trade and Industry	8.2	69,600	77
Department of Transport	8.7	65,500	81
MAFF	9.1	62,600	85
Scottish Office	9.6	64,000	90
Crown Prosecution Service	9.7	64,000	91
Land Registry	10.5	63,900	98
Contributions Agency	12.5	71,800	117
Child Support Agency	13.4	72,200	125
National Savings Department	16.1	86,700	150
Departments/Agencies of 1,000-5,000 staff
Meteorological Office	5.7	8,000	53
ADAS (MAFF)	6.2	7,300	58
Ordnance Survey	8.3	16,700	78
Department of Environment	8.3	36,400	78
HM Treasury	8.4	9,300	79
HMSO	8.5	19,500	79
Overseas Development Administration	8.6	18,400	80
Health and Safety Executive	9.1	40,100	85
Central Vet. Lab.	9.4	9,500	88
Vehicle Inspectorate	9.4	12,700	88
Insolvency Service	9.5	15,600	89
IT Services Agency	9.7	30,500	91
Department of Health	9.8	42,900	92
Welsh Office	10.0	21,400	93
DFEE	10.3	22,100	96
Crown Office and Proc. Fiscal	10.4	10,600	97
DSS	10.5	30,500	98
OPCS	11.4	21,700	107
Central Statistical Office	11.5	15,100	107
Employment Department	11.5	50,800	107
Scottish Prison Service	12.5	54,000	117
War Pensions Directorate	13.0	19,300	121
DVLA	13.4	46,000	125
Registers of Scotland	13.6	14,800	127
Driving Standards Agency	16.6	27,800	155
Departments/Agencies of 500-1,000 staff
Transport Research Lab.	3.7	1,600	35
Natural Resources Institute	4.0	1,900	37
Office of Public Service	4.9	2,700	46
Building Research Estab.	5.6	3,600	52
Central Science Lab.	5.6	3,800	52
Cabinet Office	6.9	4,300	64
Ofsted	7.0	3,600	65
Planning Inspectorate	7.4	4,400	69
ACAS	8.1	5,300	76
Lord Chancellor Dept.	8.7	7,500	81
Dept. of National Heritage	9.8	5,900	92
Paymaster General Office	10.5	7,700	98
Charity Commission	11.3	6,700	106
Scottish Courts Service	12.1	10,500	113
Intervention Board	12.6	12,300	118
Companies House	14.1	13,800	132
Public Trust Office	14.7	7,900	137
Departments/Agencies of 200-500 staff
Civil Service College	4.1	1,100	38
Schools Funding Agency	4.4	1,100	41
Northern Ireland Office	5.1	1,200	48
Govt. Centre for Info. Systems	5.2	1,500	49
Serious Fraud Office	5.3	1,800	50
Lab. of the Govt. Chemist	5.8	1,600	54
Treasury Solicitors Dept.	6.9	2,800	64
Office of Electrical Reg.	7.1	1,700	66
Chessington Computer Centre	8.2	3,300	77
Office of Fair Trading	8.4	3,400	79
Historic Royal Palaces	8.6	3,500	80
General Register Office(SO)	9.4	2,200	88
Property Holdings	9.9	4,200	93
Export Credit Guarantee	10.3	4,900	96
COI (HMT)	10.6	5,000	99
Public Record Office	10.6	4,900	99
Departments/Agencies of <200 staff
Ofgas	3.9	300	36
NHS Estates	5.4	500	50
Vehicle Certification Agency	5.8	400	54
Government Actuary Department	5.8	500	54
PSA	5.8	600	54
Ofwat	6.1	1,00	57
Crown Estate Office	6.5	1,200	61
Telecommunications Office	7.1	1,100	66
Monopolies and Mergers Comm.	7.1	500	66
Scottish Record Office	7.5	1,100	70
Government Property Lawyers	8.5	1,100	79
Occ. Health and Safety Agency	8.6	800	80
Buying Agency	8.9	1,000	83
Nat. Engineering Lab (DTI)	9.4	1,500	88
Scottish Courts Admin.	9.8	1,500	92
RAS	10.8	1,600	101
Friendly Societies Register	11.8	2,00	110
Resettlement Agency	17.2	1,600	161

Excludes Departments/agencies with fewer than 50 staff.

(7) Source: Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service 1995, OHSA Ltd.

(8) Estimated by OPS from above report.

31 Jul 1997 : Column: 431

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