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Operation Quantum
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the (a) cost and (b) number of consultants hired to advise Operation Quantum. [10099]
Ms Quin: Since the inception of the project in April 1996, seven consultancy firms have been employed by the Prison Service to provide specialist advice on legal issues, corporate finance, procurement procedures and specification processes. The need for consultants has been steadily reduced as skills transfer into the service has taken place. The service now retains four consultancy firms.
To date, the Prison Service has spent £2.5 million on consultancy fees. The costs of the whole procurement process, including consultancy fees, are expected to be recovered from the net savings generated by implementation of the project.
Prisoners (Diet and Behaviour)
Mr. Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department commissioned (a) before and (b) after 1 May to consider the effect of diet on prisoners' behaviour. [11936]
Ms Quin: The Prison Service has not commissioned such research. However, as previously stated to the hon. Member, it has agreed to facilitate the nutritional rehabilitation project being run by Natural Justice Ltd. in Aylesbury young offender institution which started in 1996. This is expected to finish this year.
Police Scientific Development Branch
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which scientific journals and other publications staff from the police scientific development branch, Sandridge, have published papers since 1990; and if he will list the date of publication in each case. [11963]
Mr. Michael: A list is being compiled in order to be able to respond fully to the hon. Member.
As soon as the list is complete, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library.
Mr. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the (a) published and (b) internal reports the police scientific development branch, Sandridge, produces outlining its activities. [11966]
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 572
Mr. Michael:
The information is as follows:
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the savings planned in his departmental budget for (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99 in order to allow for the higher than planned expenditure on the Prison Service announced in his statement of 24 July; and if he will make a statement. [11518]
Mr. Straw:
It is too early for me to be able to identify the savings in the Home Office budget which might cover the extra spending on the Prison Service. For both 1997-98 and 1998-99, I will be looking rigorously at my whole programme to find offsetting savings. I expect this process to take several months.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the amount, and proportion, of paper recycled by his Department in each of the last five years. [11543]
Mr. Straw:
The Home Office takes its responsibilities to the environment seriously and increasingly participates in local paper recycling schemes. For example, the Department has been operating the Westminster city council's "Green Bin" scheme very successfully for almost two years in its central London headquarters buildings. However, no central record is kept of the amount of paper utilised or recycled.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce a waste minimisation strategy for his Department. [11541]
Mr. Straw:
The Home Office is committed to seeking improvements to its green housekeeping and is currently revising its energy and environmental strategy and will address waste minimisation as part of this. A draft of the new strategy and accompanying guidance material will be discussed at a property managers seminar to be held on 15 September. The expectation is that the new strategy will be adopted as Home Office policy and receive its official launch by the end of the year.
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 573
In the meantime, the current Home Office green housekeeping strategy, published in August 1993, requires that property managers carry out an annual audit against environmental objectives which include waste minimisation. Specific reference is made to the continued need for attention to the efficient use of all resources, to the effective and economic use of paper and to extending the recycling of other departmental waste, such as glass, plastics, cans and batteries. The Department has also promulgated all the central guidance on waste minimisation and can claim considerable success with its recycling of paper, bottles and toner cartridges and most recently with reuse of its computers and printers.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on existing targets set to minimise waste in his Department. [11542]
Mr. Straw:
My Department is strongly committed to minimising waste. In encouraging its local property managers to make the most effective use of the limited effort they are able to devote to green housekeeping, the Home Office has sought their full co-operation with local and central environmental initiatives for improving waste management in preference to their administering the setting up and monitoring of specific waste minimisation targets. Once a year, the local property managers are asked to report progress against their action plans under the terms of the 1993 Home Office green housekeeping strategy. The Department is in the process of revising its energy and environmental strategy and, in line with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions' recommendations, will be giving due consideration to the appropriateness of future waste minimisation targets.
Mr. Terry Lewis:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the refurbishment of ministerial offices in his Department; and what is the estimated cost of the works and date of completion. [11874]
Mr. Straw:
I have no current firm plans for the refurbishment of ministerial offices, but decoration and window glazing work estimated at £8,500 may be carried out later this year.
Mr. Colvin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the names of the new members of the Firearms Consultative Committee. [11943]
Mr. Michael:
There have been three new members since the committee last reported in July 1996.
They are:
Mr. McWalter:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when repairs to the roof at Wormwood Scrubs will be completed. [11953]
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Ms Quin:
A bid has been made for repairs to be carried out to the roof at Wormwood Scrubs in the financial year 1998-99.
Mr. Stephen Twigg:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the development of the UK Passport Agency. [11586]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
I have recently approved the UK Passport Agency's plans for the introduction of a new, more secure British passport from the end of next year. The agency has awarded two contracts under the public-private partnership arrangements to the private sector. Siemens Business Services will undertake the receipt of passport applications, and the collection, storage and transmission of the data needed or the new passport. The Stationery Office Ltd. will undertake the printing and issuing of the new passport. The enhanced security features will include digitised photographs and signatures.
(a) Published reports
There are a number of published reports which outline the police scientific development branch activities:
(i) Home Office annual report
(ii) Home Office memorandum on the prior options review of PSDB--1997, in the Library;
(iii) Technical papers included in conference proceedings--both in the United Kingdom and overseas;
(iv) Technical papers in scientific and technical publications;
(v) Office of Science and Technology forward look of Government-funded science, engineering and technology;
(vi) Annual review of government research and development.
(b) Internal reports
PSDB internal reports, which are sent out to specific customer contacts include:
(i) two-page PSDB overview, by director PSDB;
(ii) PSDB annual report;
(iii) PSDB technical reports and standards.
Mr. J. D. Hoare: Secretary of the National Small-bore Rifle Association
Mr. B. Hughes: Crown Prosecution Service
Mr. V. Clayton: Home Office
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