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Data Series
Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what new data series separated by gender, race, disability and age have been commissioned by her Department since June 1997. [90533]
Mr. Foulkes: Statistics on employment by gender and ethnic origin have, from this year, been published in our Annual Report. These series were maintained but not published in earlier years. We have within the last year undertaken a survey of staff who are suffering from disabilities, and statistics will be included in the next Annual Report. No new data series on age has been commissioned pending the acquisition of a personnel management database system.
CABINET OFFICE
Senior Salaries Review Board
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what is the level of the lowest salary currently set by recommendation of the Senior Salaries Review Board. [91517]
15 Jul 1999 : Column: 287
Mr. Kilfoyle:
£17,560, which the Senior Salaries Review Board recommended for Junior Ministers in the Scottish Parliament, in addition to their salary as Members of the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Government Car Service cars if run as privately owned private/light goods vehicles would qualify for the lower rate of vehicle excise duty. [91524]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car and Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. Nick Matheson, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Nick Matheson to Mr. Shaun Woodward, dated 15 July 1999:
Gillian Merron:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he intends to publish results from the third wave of research using the People's Panel; and if he will make a statement. [91864]
Dr. Jack Cunningham:
The third wave of results from the People's Panel looks at: what levels of services people expect from public agencies, and where they would like to obtain them from; where people live and the housing they live in; helping children learn to read; and gas safety. The results also include other research carried out using the Panel, notably on attitudes to biosciences which was first published on 21 May. I have today placed in the Libraries of the House copies of the results from this third wave of research.
Mr. Singh:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what targets he has set for the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate for 1999-2000. [91865]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
I have set PACE the following targets for 1999-2000:
15 Jul 1999 : Column: 288
Mr. Rooney:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what performance targets he has approved for the Central Office of Information for 1999-2000. [91866]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
I have approved the following key performance targets for Central Office of Information for 1999-2000:
The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me in my capacity as Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the number of Government Car Service vehicles that could qualify for lower vehicle excise duty.
This Agency has no cars which would qualify for the lowest rate of vehicle excise duty if they were operated privately.
1. To identify savings from proposals to be agreed with departments for the co-ordination of property activities on the Civil Estate which in net present value terms should be at least 12 times the agency's related running costs;
2. To deliver on time at least 93 per cent. of the Central Advice Unit's annual work plan;
3. To recover 100 per cent. of the costs of providing intelligent client services and to increase the percentage of all the agency's running costs recovered to 12 per cent.;
4. To dispose of 68 freeholds and leaseholds and to maintain expenditure and receipts within the voted provision;
5. To achieve an improvement in overall customer satisfaction for the agency's services.
1. To achieve a financial surplus of £0.1 million on an accruals basis;
2. To achieve efficiency improvements of a unit cost reduction of 2 per cent.;
3. To achieve a customer satisfaction index of 8.25 (out of 10).
Civil Service College
Mr. Stephen Twigg: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what performance targets he has approved for the Civil Service College for 1999-2000. [91862]
Mr. Kilfoyle: I have approved the following key performance targets for the Civil Service College:
- 1. To achieve financial breakeven on an accruals basis;
- 2. To generate an income on consultancy of £1.1 million;
- 3. To have 1,900 students from the Senior Civil Service;
- 4. To have 900 students from the private sector;
- 5. To achieve 89 per cent. of course evaluations by students in the top two boxes of a six box scale.
DEFENCE
Weapons Exports
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which budget the Paveway III bombs, supplied to Saudi Arabia, were paid for; and to which other countries the JP 233 Runway Denial Systems have been exported. [90435]
Mr. George Robertson: The cost of the Paveway III bombs gifted to Saudi Arabia will be met from the defence budget. JP233 has been exported only to Saudi Arabia.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review the arrangements for the movement of nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom following the RAF's relinquishing of its nuclear capability. [91863]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
On 1 April 1999 the Chief of Defence Logistics (CDL) assumed overall responsibility for the movement of nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom. The responsibility for the day-to-day movement of nuclear weapons is being moved, in phases, from RAF personnel to the Ministry of Defence Police with support from AWE civilians and the Royal Marines. An Implementation Team has been established to manage the transfer, which will be completed by 31 March 2002. The process will occur gradually in recognition of the importance and complexity of the task and the MOD will continue to maintain the highest levels of safety and security during convoy operations.
15 Jul 1999 : Column: 289
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the mandate and activities of the EU Working Group on European Armament Policy. [90434]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
I have been asked to reply.
The Ad Hoc EU Working Party on a European Armaments Policy (POLARM) was established by COREPER in July 1995 to consider a report produced by governmental experts and see if work should be taken forward within the EU. Since December 1997, POLARM has considered a draft common position on framing a European armaments policy on which there has been no agreement to date.
Espionage (Russia)
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the current espionage threat level from Russia. [89609]
Mr. Robin Cook [holding answer 2 July 1999]: In accordance with her Majesty's Government's long- standing policy, I cannot comment on intelligence matters.
UN Civilian Administration (Kosovo)
Mr. Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the number of UN personnel earmarked for the UN civilian administration in Kosovo; how many UN personnel have been recruited for the UN civilian administration in Kosovo; and how many UN personnel earmarked for the UN civilian administration in Kosovo have already been deployed. [90128]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: The United Nations is planning to deploy 3,200 international police personnel to Kosovo and has received pledges for 2,400 officers. The UN is not yet in a position to provide detailed information on its overall staffing requirements for the Interim Civil Administration or on the number of personnel so far recruited. It is still in the process of identifying and recruiting qualified personnel from within the UN itself, from other international organisations and from member states. As of 5 July, the UN had 257 staff on the ground in Kosovo.
Panel 2000
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 30 June 1999, Official Report, column 168, on Panel 2000, if he will list the progress which has been made in respect of each of the recommendations listed. [90499]
Mr. Hoon: I shall write to the hon. Member with details of the progress which has been made on each of the Panel 2000 recommendations listed in my answer of 30 June 1999, Official Report, column 168.
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