23 Jul 1999 : Column: 667
Written Answers to Questions
Friday 23 July 1999
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Millennium Compliance
Mr. Savidge: To ask the President of the Council what recent assessment she has made of the state of readiness of Government Departments and the wider public sector for millennium compliance. [93205]
Mrs. Beckett: Good progress continues to be made with work on the Government's business critical systems and in most Departments the bulk of the work is already complete.
However, I remain concerned that a number of programmes continue to show slippage in their planned completion dates. Four departments are indicating for the first time that they will not now complete their programmes until September or later. They are the Intervention Board, the Serious Fraud Office, the Inland Revenue and the Northern Ireland Prison Service. In all these cases I have written to Cabinet colleagues asking them personally to monitor progress very carefully, and to ensure that any necessary remedial action is taken.
The Government will continue to manage the process closely. This includes ensuring that full Business Continuity Plans are in place, and tested, by October--indicating how seriously the Government are taking this problem, and how hard we are working to resolve it. However we should remember that slippage at this stage is an inevitable part of the process. Across the private and public sectors, those working on this problem find that the more they do, the more they find there is to do.
Although there has been good progress in the wider public sector since I last reported, organisations in many sectors have still to complete their programmes. However, all infrastructure providers reported an improved position at the National Infrastructure Forum on 13 July. This included the NHS, and police and fire services, which no longer have any organisations assessed as having "red" status (severe risk of material disruption which there may not be enough time to rectify)--and all of whom included some organisations with "blue" status (the assessment has not identified any risk of material disruption). In local government, the assessment process was started later, and this sector still shows a small percentage of red authorities--2 per cent. in England and 12 per cent. in Scotland. Government Offices in England and the Scottish Executive will continue to work with these authorities, and with the others, to meet the target of blue status by the next Forum meeting in October. The great majority of infrastructure providers are currently rated "amber", that is, there is still some risk of material disruption but plans are in place to deal with this, and the target is again "blue" by October.
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In order that hon. Members can see at a glance the position in central Government and the wider public sector, I am publishing a set of tables showing progress in Government Departments up to the end of June, and a table of the Action 2000 colour codes for the wider public sector, as announced to the National Infrastructure Forum on 13 July. In addition, a full set of the returns completed by Government Departments, agencies and key bodies in the wider public sector will be placed in the Libraries of the House and published on the internet. This is in line with the Government's commitment to openness that has characterised our handling of the millennium bug issue since day one.
I said last month that I would report to the House on a monthly basis from now on. As the next returns from Government Departments and agencies will be received during the parliamentary recess, we propose to write to all Members in late August.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Council on what date she last used a train in the course of her official duties. [92650]
Mrs. Beckett:
On 20 July 1999.
Mr. Geraint Davies:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the Government's Annual report for 1998-99 will be published. [93258]
Dr. Jack Cunningham:
The Report will be published on 26 July. Copies will be laid before the House (Cm 4401) and placed in the Libraries of the House. Members of this House, Ministers in the House of Lords and Opposition spokesman in the Lords will each be sent a copy of the Report. In addition, I shall be placing in the Libraries of the House a summary of the comments received on last year's report. I understand that my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House intends to find time for the report to be debated when the House returns after the summer recess.
Mr. Roy:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he expects to publish the fourth annual Civil Service Fast Stream report. [93259]
Dr. Jack Cunningham:
I have today placed in the Libraries of the House the Fourth Annual Civil Service Fast Stream Recruitment Report. It covers the year from 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999, and reports the results of Fast Stream competitions completed during that period and action undertaken for future competitions.
The report shows that in most areas the Civil Service did not fill all its Fast Stream vacancies in 1998, in line with the experience of other major employers. Recruits continued to be drawn from a variety of backgrounds and the standard of entry to the Fast Stream Development Programme has remained consistently high. Despite the fall in numbers, the quality of the applicant field has continued to increase.
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 669
Mr. Tyrie:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will estimate the average cost of providing (a) office accommodation and (b) secretarial support for (i) a departmental special adviser and (ii) one official at Grade 5 and above in the last year for which figures are available. [87964]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
There are no set rules on the level of provision of office accommodation and secretarial support for civil servants, including special advisers. Information on actual costs is not held centrally. It is therefore not possible to provide the information requested. However, in respect of the Cabinet Office, members of the Senior Civil Service with a JESP score of between 7 and 12 (equivalent to an old style Grade 5) normally have their own office and a dedicated secretary. The two special advisers appointed by my right hon. Friend, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, share an office and a secretary.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. [92652]
Dr. Jack Cunningham:
In accordance with the terms of the Ministerial Code, Ministers are required always to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. Trips in and around London (Edinburgh/Cardiff/Belfast), which account for the majority of my working week, will normally be made by Government car. The last time I used a train in the course of my official duties was yesterday when visiting Lancaster in my capacity as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the expenditure on the Government Car Service in the last year for which figures are available, separately identifying the cost of ministerial cars. [92674]
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. Norman Baker, dated 23 July 1999:
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Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Mr. Marsden) of 24 June 1999, Official Report, column 456, on consultation papers, if the statement in the Cabinet Office guide on conducting written consultation exercises, concerning using the internet to publish and receive replies, indicates that the Government's policy is that responses to consultations should be published. [92772]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
The Cabinet Office guide on conducting written consultation exercises states that, where circumstances permit, a summary of views and information collected from the consultation exercise should be produced and made available. But where respondents request confidentiality for their comments, their wishes should be respected, in accordance with the existing Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Following the best practice principles contained in the guide is the responsibility of individual Departments, agencies and other relevant bodies.
The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me in my capacity as the Chief Executive responsible for the Government Car Service to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the cost of the Government Car Service.
The total cost of providing all Government Car Service services in 1997/98 (the last year for which figures are available) was £7.79 million. The estimated cost of vehicles and drivers allocated to Minsters and their private offices was £4.3 million, although they are also used for several other purposes such as the movement of documents and for use by officials as directed by the ministerial private office.
The Government Car and Despatch Agency charges customer departments for the services provided on a basis that recovers all costs.
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