10 Jun 1998 : Column: 557
Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 10 June 1998
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Secondary Legislation
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the President of the Council if she will make a statement on trends in the use of secondary legislation. [43512]
Mrs. Ann Taylor: In the ten years to 1996-97 an average of 185 instruments have been laid each session under the affirmative procedure and 1,127 under the negative procedure. While there has been a slight growth in the number of instruments laid under the negative procedure, the number of affirmatives has not altered significantly and the total (including instruments not requiring parliamentary procedure) has declined slightly. No information is yet complete for the sessions since May 1997 but I have no reason to suppose there have been any significant changes. Although the Delegated Powers and Deregulation Committee in the House of Lords examines the order-making powers in legislation laid before Parliament, no statistics are compiled on the incidence of such order-making powers in primary legislation.
Spending Review
Ms Squire: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what plans the Commission has to commission a fundamental spending review of the departments of the House. [44583]
Mr. Kirkwood: The Commission will be reviewing the House's administrative spending plans for the coming three years shortly. In doing so, the Commission will seek to keep expenditure to a minimum, consistent with providing the quality of services required by Members. But the Commission has no plans for a separate review exercise.
Portcullis House
Ms Squire: To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee if he will estimate the (a) capital and (b) revenue expenditure on Portcullis House (i) for 1997-98 and (ii) in total to date. [44590]
Sir Sydney Chapman: Up to the end of 1997-98, a total of £98.3 million has been spent on Portcullis House, including £39.9 million in 1997-98, all of which is capital expenditure. In addition some £29,000 was spent in 1997-98 on electrical power supplies for the construction work classified as revenue expenditure.
Recycling Sacks
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee, pursuant to her answer of 18 May 1998, Official Report, column 246, on recycling sacks, how many sacks were sent to be recycled in 1997-98. [45416]
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Mrs. Roe:
Records of the number of sacks sent for recycling are not maintained. However, in the year ending 31 December 1997, 737 tonnes of mixed paper and cardboard were sent for recycling.
Mr. Fabricant:
To ask the President of the Council what steps she is taking to ensure that Government initiatives are announced in the House before being released to the Press. [25364]
Mrs. Ann Taylor:
Due to the administrative error following the transfer of this Parliamentary Question, this answer is unacceptably late and apologies have been conveyed for this.
I can assure the hon. Member that I regularly remind Ministers that, as set out in the Ministerial Code (July 1997), they should bear in mind the desire of Parliament that the most important announcements of Government policy should be made in the first instance in Parliament.
Departmental Energy Use
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much (a) oil, (b) gas and (c) electricity was purchased for the heating, lighting and powering of accommodation occupied by his Department within the United Kingdom in each year since 1989-90; and what was the total cost in real terms of each in each year. [44085]
Mr. Tom Clarke: My Department was created in April 1992 by transferring certain areas of responsibility from six Departments. However, the following details of energy consumption and costs are only available from 1993 when the Department commenced occupation of its own buildings:
| Oil | Gas | Electricity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KWH | Cost | KWH | Cost (£) | KWH | Cost (£) | |
| 1993-94(1) | Nil | Nil | 221,808 | 3,810 | 586,372 | 49,400 |
| 1994-95 | Nil | Nil | 1,059,183 | 14,599 | 1,074,541 | 64,066 |
| 1995-96(2) | Nil | Nil | 1,593,599 | 15,247 | 1,194,927 | 67,023 |
| 1996-97 | Nil | Nil | 1,450,385 | 11,967 | 1,342,571 | 78,655 |
| 1997-98(3) | Nil | Nil | 1,593,731 | 12,939 | 1,206,320 | 78,634 |
(1) Occupation during part financial year
(2) Additional premises acquired part way through the financial year
(3) Replaces provisional 1997-98 figures included in my reply of 6 May 1998, Official Report, column 408.
Staff Car Mileage Allowance
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the total real terms value of (a) staff car mileage claims paid and (b) staff rail fares paid; and what was the amount of staff car mileage for which reminbursement was made and the percentage change year on year, for each year since 1989-90. [44080]
Mr. Tom Clarke:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 6 May 1998, Official Report, column 408.
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Mr. Allan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list, for each of the last four years, the departmental inquiries and reviews instigated by Ministers which have been chaired by individuals outside his Department; and in each case if he will give the date of establishment and the name of the chairman. [44360]
Mr. Tom Clarke:
The information requested is as follows:
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Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will issue guidance to local library authorities producing annual library plans not to reduce funding for large print books; and what guidance he has issued on this matter to date. [44368]
Mr. Fisher:
The Government recognise the importance of specialist library services, and require library authorities to report on them in their Annual Library Plan. The actual level of expenditure on different types of book is for library authorities to determine, based on local priorities and resources.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with UNESCO concerning the repatriation of cultural artefacts. [44378]
Mr. Fisher:
Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor I have had discussions with UNESCO on this issue. Officials have taken part in meetings which have touched on the issue of restitution in the normal course of business.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the Chairman and members of the Forum Working Group into Tourism. [44933]
Mr. Tom Clarke:
There are 12 working groups attached to the Tourism Forum. The Chairmen and members are listed.
10 Jun 1998 : Column: 559
1995
Working Group on University Sports Scholarships. Sir Roger Bannister. October.
1996
National Reading Initiative. Joanna Trollope. October.
1997
Review of Area Museum Councils of England. Tony Pender. CBE. January.
Report into IT in Public Libraries. Matthew Evans. February.
Film Policy Review. Stewart Till (joint chairman with Right Hon. Tom Clarke, CBE MP) May.
Football Task Force. Right Hon. David Mellor. July.
England's World Heritage Sites, Tentative List Review. Oliver Pearcey. October.
Review of Lyric Theatre in London. Sir Richard Eyre. November.
1998
Working Group on Legal Deposit. Sir Anthony Kenny. January.
Report on the Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle Richard Foster. DL. April.
Note:
Organisations listed were correct at the time the Working Groups were established.
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