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SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Operation Lancet
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Solicitor-General what action the Crown Prosecution Service has taken regarding files on Operation Lancet forwarded by the Cleveland Police to Treasury Counsel. [108768]
The Solicitor-General: A large number of files relating to serious allegations of police misconduct have been forwarded by Operation Lancet to the Crown Prosecution Service for review to decide whether or not any prosecutions should be brought. Treasury Counsel has been instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service to advise. The Crown Prosecution Service and Treasury Counsel have undertaken a considerable amount of work in respect of these files. Further work on this complex matter is necessary before any decisions can be taken.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Solicitor-General when the Crown Prosecution Service will reach a decision on the files regarding Operation Lancet. [108806]
The Solicitor-General:
The Crown Prosecution Service has received a large number of files from Operation Lancet relating to many and complex serious
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allegations of police misconduct. Further files are expected. Decisions will be taken as soon as is properly possible. It is anticipated that decisions will begin to be taken during the course of the next two or three months.
Millennium Bug
Mr. Maclean: To ask the President of the Council if she will list the main recipients of Government expenditure on dealing with the millennium bug. [107508]
Mrs. Beckett: The main Government expenditure on dealing with the Millennium Bug was on departmental programmes to check, fix and test systems. Central Government Departments and agencies spent an estimated £380 million on tackling the Bug in their own systems. Detailed information about each department's programme expenditure is not held centrally.
Action 2000's budget to raise awareness and encourage action in the private sector and to ensure no material disruption across the national infrastructure forms the main expenditure on the Government's central programme. Action 2000 is a private company, set up by the Department of Trade and Industry in 1998, which receives grant from both the DTI and the Cabinet Office totalling approximately £58.4 million.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the President of the Council if she will list those principal individuals and organisations who gave her advice on the dangers of the millennium bug. [107494]
Mrs. Beckett:
I have received information and advice on the risks posed by the millennium bug from a considerable number of individuals and organisations in both the public and private sectors and from the governments of other countries, as well as representations from a variety of pressure groups. The advice has been both written and oral and based largely on the direct experience within these organisations of problems they have themselves experienced. I have also, of course, had advice from the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office on further action which should be pursued.
My principal advisers on this issue have been Dr. Iain Anderson, Don Cruickshank, Gywnneth Flower and Action 2000, the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency and the Year 2000 Team in the Cabinet Office.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to her answer of 8 December 1999 to my hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble, (Mr. Borrow) Official Report, column 532W, on the European Union Charter of Human Rights, if she will state (a) by what means the delegates were appointed and what consultations were undertaken concerning the appointments, (b) by what means and to whom the delegates will report and (c) if draft papers containing proposals by the European Union to the delegates will be available to hon. Members prior to their consideration by the drafting body. [105125]
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Mrs. Beckett:
Delegates were appointed after appropriate consultations through the usual channels.
The Cologne and Tampere European Council Conclusions set out the procedures for drafting and delivering the Charter. The Charter Drafting Body will produce its draft report and seek endorsement from the European Council.
The Charter drafting process is designed to be transparent. The Charter website, which will contain the various working documents can be reached through hhtp://ue.eu.int.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the President of the Council how many EU documents have been considered by the European Legislation Committee and the European Scrutiny Committee in each year since 1 May 1997; and for how many hours those committees sat during that period. [108217]
Mrs. Beckett:
The number of documents considered by the European Legislation and Scrutiny Committees are listed in the sessional returns for the relevant sessions: (1997-98) HC142, and (1998-99) HC1. Information on the length of sittings is not recorded.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many copies of the Official Report were printed during the 1998-99 session; at what (a) total and (b) unit cost; how many copies were sold; and what was the total revenue generated. [106976]
Mr. Kirkwood
[holding answer 26 January 2000]: A total of 397,486 copies of the Official Report daily part, comprising 154 issues, were printed during the 1998-99 session at a total cost of £658,167. That provides a unit cost of about £1.65. Sales to Parliament were paid for by the two Houses under a bulk charge arrangement which, in addition to the cost of copies supplied, covered all aspects of the printing process. House of Commons subscribers accounted for 47,432 copies and 168,000 copies were supplied to the two Houses under the direct delivery arrangements for distribution to Members and other uses within the House. Sales to customers outside Parliament amounted to 182,054 copies, a substantial proportion of which were sold to public libraries, local authorities and educational authorities at discounts of up to 50 per cent. off the cover price of £5. Information about the total revenue generated is not available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many House of Commons Clerks are employed by the House of Commons Commission; and how many of those are of ethnic minority origin. [106980]
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Mr. Kirkwood
[holding answer 26 January 2000]: There are presently 73 clerks in the Department of the Clerk of the House. Of these approximately 85 per cent. have supplied information on their ethnic origin. Fewer than five of these are non-white.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the current establishment of employees of the House of Commons Commission; and what percentage are of ethnic minority origin. [106979]
Mr. Kirkwood
[holding answer 26 January 2000]: The Commission currently employs 1,421 members of staff. Of these 1,073 (just over 75 per cent.) have completed ethnic monitoring forms. The table shows the percentage who say they have an ethnic minority origin.
| Ethnic minority origin | Number of staff on whom information about ethnic origin is held | Number of staff in group as percentage of those on whom information is held |
|---|---|---|
| White | 960 | 89.5 |
| Asian | 31 | 2.9 |
| Black | 72 | 6.7 |
| Other | 10 | 0.9 |
| Total | 1,073 | 100 |
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Global Free Trade
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to include in the next development White Paper the target of achieving global free trade by 2020. [109240]
Clare Short: We will be covering trade issues in the next Development White Paper. Trade is important for developing countries as a way of helping to generate the economic growth necessary for poverty eradication. The Government support the early launch of a comprehensive round of trade negotiations aimed at a substantive package to remove trade barriers and to promote growth in the world economy.
Research Contracts
Dr. Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 6 December 1999, Official Report, columns 337-38W, what restrictions were placed on contractors carrying out research projects funded by her Department in 1999 in respect of them discussing their findings with journalists (a) before and (b) after publication. [108198]
Clare Short: Our standard research contract makes no provision for veto over publication but does require contractors to obtain our agreement before communicating with the media. In 1999 no such requests were received by departments who commissioned research and therefore no requests were refused.
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