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Performance Targets
Dr. George Turner: To ask the Solicitor-General what key performance targets he has set for the Treasury Solicitor's Department in 1999-2000. [97205]
The Solicitor-General:
In 1999-2000 the performance of the Treasury Solicitor's Department will be measured against the following targets:
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| Performance | Target |
|---|---|
| Annual efficiency savings in real terms | 3% |
| To recover the full operating cost for chargeable services of the Agency | 100% |
| To achieve an improvement of 20% on 1998-99 level of income recovery from clients within 30 days of their receipt of a validated invoice from 75% to: | 90% |
| To increase the proportion of undisputed supplier invoices paid in accordance with terms or 30 days from 95% to: | 100% |
| To maintain a level of client satisfaction of--(Advisory) | 95%-100% |
| Reduction in average unit cost per chargeable hour in real terms--(Litigation) | 2.5% |
| Minimum average number of chargeable hours per caseholder per year--(Litigation) | 1,150 |
| Reduction in average unit cost per case in real terms--(Bona Vacantia) | 2.5% |
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Equal Opportunities
Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he (a) has established and (b) published a baseline for policy appraisal against which to measure progress on equal treatment. [94859]
Mr. Byers:
The Government are committed to ensuring that their policies are fair and inclusive, and focus on public service users, not providers. This aim is contained in guidance (published in 1998) which helps Departments consider the impact of their policies by gender, ethnicity and disability. In addition to considering impact, the guidance encourages consultation with women's groups and others where appropriate and action to deal with any differential impact if this appears appropriate. My Department applies the principles set out in the guidance in developing its policies. For example, a gender impact assessment was included in the Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Employment Relations Bill. We are also making increasing use of consultation, research projects and disaggregated statistics to identify the likely impact of policy.
2 Nov 1999 : Column: 140
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to fund human tissue banks in respect of humane research; and if he will make a statement. [95662]
Mr. Byers
[holding answer 26 October 1999]: In the Comprehensive Spending Review the Medical Research Council was allocated £12 million to develop collections of donated human tissue and biological samples for use in research. The approach is designed to take account of anticipated rapid developments in genetic technologies and the benefits that might ensue from the completion of the human genome project in 2003. The MRC is currently working with the Wellcome Trust, other charities, and industry to consider all the implications of these developments.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the (a) total debt owed, (b) debt written off, (c) balance outstanding, (d) interest accrued and (e) additional advances made, standing to the ECGD by each of the highly indebted poor countries for each of the financial years 1989-90 to 1998-99. [96059]
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Mr. Caborn
[holding answer 28 October 1999]: The table shows the latest available position in 1999 for debt owed, principal forgiven, interest accrued and overdue and the residual balance of amounts guaranteed for the current agreed list of highly indebted poor countries.
| Market | Debt owing | Principal forgiven | Interest accrued and overdue | Amounts guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angola | 60.89 | -- | 51.84 | -- |
| Benin | 2.69 | 5.22 | -- | -- |
| Bolivia | 11.55 | 38.39 | -- | -- |
| Burkina Faso | 0.97 | 1.94 | -- | -- |
| Burundi | 0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Central African Republic | 0.33 | 0.24 | -- | -- |
| Cameroon | 72.07 | 9.46 | -- | -- |
| Chad | 0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Congo | 140.48 | -- | 1.60 | -- |
| Congo (Dr) | 88.23 | -- | 76.60 | -- |
| Cote D'Ivoire | 31.61 | 6.57 | -- | 12.38 |
| Ethiopia | 13.47 | 3.54 | -- | 1.41 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Ghana | 1.92 | -- | -- | 215.26 |
| Guinea | 5.09 | -- | -- | -- |
| Guyana | 43.94 | 78.97 | -- | -- |
| Honduras | 0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Kenya | 36.39 | -- | -- | 20.14 |
| Laos | 0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Liberia | 8.92 | -- | 1.18 | -- |
| Madagascar | 27.22 | -- | -- | -- |
| Malawi | 3.42 | -- | -- | -- |
| Mali | 4.07 | 7.47 | -- | -- |
| Mauritania | 6.68 | 0.56 | 0.15 | -- |
| Mozambique | 89.52 | 17.6 | -- | -- |
| Myanmar | 23.07 | -- | -- | -- |
| Nicaragua | 1.04 | 0.96 | -- | -- |
| Niger | 10.8 | 1.73 | -- | -- |
| Principe and Sao Tome | 0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Rwanda | 0.1 | -- | -- | -- |
| Senegal | 1.49 | 1.94 | -- | -- |
| Sierra Leone | 3.46 | 0.13 | 0.10 | -- |
| Somali Republic | 15.66 | -- | 12.27 | -- |
| Sudan | 127.12 | -- | 207.50 | -- |
| Tanzania | 117.05 | 90.4 | -- | -- |
| Togo | 13.53 | 3.37 | 0.52 | -- |
| Uganda | 5.69 | 18.01 | -- | -- |
| Vietnam | 10.38 | 10.39 | -- | 43.96 |
| Yemen | 3.25 | 6.25 | -- | -- |
| Zambia | 195.31 | 68.8 | -- | -- |
| Total | 1,177.41 | 371.94 | 351.76 | 293.15 |
Government Office for the North East
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are currently employed at the Government Office for the North East; and what are its current annual administration costs. [96870]
Mr. Caborn: The Government Office for the North East (GO-NE) has a complement of 257 staff in the current year. As at 4 October 1999 there are 248.6 staff in post employed by GO-NE.
The Running Cost Budget for 1999-2000 is £8.2 million.
2 Nov 1999 : Column: 142
Mr. Alan Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total number of jobs (a) created and (b) safeguarded by inward investment projects into (a) the UK and (b) the area covered by the Government Office for the North East in each year since 1995. [96734]
Mr. Caborn:
The figures issued are based on information provided by companies at the time of the announcement of the decision to invest in the UK. They are based on the companies' best estimate, at that time, of the number of jobs to be created/safeguarded by the investment in its first three years.
| Year/Region | Number of projects | Total number of new jobs | Total number of safeguarded jobs | Total number of associated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | ||||
| UK | 498 | 47,497 | 52,267 | 99,764 |
| NE | 62 | 6,075 | 7,433 | 13,508 |
| 1996-97 | ||||
| UK | 497 | 46,400 | 51,939 | 98,339 |
| NE | 46 | 3,089 | 4,529 | 7,618 |
| 1997-98 | ||||
| UK | 631 | 46,562 | 82,771 | 129,333 |
| NE | 47 | 2,649 | 9,890 | 12,539 |
| 1998-99 | ||||
| UK | 658 | 44,858 | 74,777 | 119,635 |
| NE | 35 | 2,304 | 6,953 | 9,257 |
Minimum Wage
Mr. Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on enforcement of the national minimum wage. [96916]
Mr. Alan Johnson: The national minimum wage is in force and it must be paid by all employers. There is no hiding place for employers who act unlawfully and fail to pay it. I particularly welcome the recent employment tribunal decision, where a worker in a Bognor Regis sports shop became the first person to benefit from the enforcement officers' powers; that is, to take an employer to an employment tribunal and force them to pay the underpaid worker all the money that is owed them.
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