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GM Communications Unit
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what is the annual total running cost of the Biotechnology Presentation Unit. [112072]
Marjorie Mowlam: The GM Communications Unit comes within the budget of the Cabinet Office press office. The budget for running the Cabinet Office press office for this financial year (April 1999 to March 2000) is £1,918,000.
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list (a) the date and (b) the people present at meetings members of the Biotechnology Presentation Unit have had with (a) companies with a financial interest in genetically modified organisms, (b) special interest groups and (c) others at which a White Paper on biotechnology has been discussed. [112073]
Marjorie Mowlam: No one working in the GM Communications Unit (which the hon. Member incorrectly referred to as the Biotechnology Presentation Unit) has had meetings with (a) companies with a financial interest in genetically modified organisms, (b) special interest groups and (c) others at which a White Paper on biotechnology has been discussed.
There are no plans for a White Paper on biotechnology.
28 Feb 2000 : Column: 151W
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what is (a) the Civil Service grade and (b) the salary of each of the staff employed in the Biotechnology Presentation Unit. [112071]
Marjorie Mowlam:
The grades of those currently employed in the GM Communications Unit are as follows:
Charlotte Atkins:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what investigations have been undertaken in each Government Department to identify the existence of institutional racism in relation to employment of staff and service provision; and what remedial action has been taken as a consequence of such investigations. [111288]
Mr. Stringer:
A key aim of Sir Richard Wilson's Report on Civil Service Reform is for Government departments and agencies to achieve a dramatic improvement in diversity. Departments have been asked to produce diversity action plans and six-monthly reports on progress, including equality proofing of their processes, especially for recruitment, appraisal and promotion.
We are also undertaking research through the People's Panel into the satisfaction of members of ethnic minority communities with public services. The results will be published in the spring.
Mr. Lansley:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many officials in the Cabinet Office are currently on gardening leave. [111090]
Mr. Stringer:
One member of the Cabinet Office is currently on special leave with pay while awaiting a posting.
One at Band A
Three at Band B2
One at Band C1.
It is not our practice, nor has been the practice of successive Governments, to give personal salary details of those employed in the civil service.
Research Contracts
Dr. Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 16 December 1999, Official Report, column 300W, what was the (a) number and (b) total value of research contracts let by his Department since May 1997. [111650]
Mr. Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Economic Secretary gave him on 1 February 2000, Official Report, column 582W.
Audit and Accounts
Mrs. Lawrence:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change audit and accountability arrangements for central Government. [112404]
28 Feb 2000 : Column: 152W
Mr. Andrew Smith:
I am proposing to undertake a study to recommend suitable audit and accountability arrangements for central government in the 21st century.
The study will cover the issues raised by the Committee of Public Accounts concerning the role and powers of the Comptroller and Auditor General in their recent report on the Government Resources and Accounts Bill (9th Report 1999-2000, HC159). It will also cover other relevant issues, such as the role of audit in modernising government, including performance validation, the audit of joined-up activities and attitudes to risk-taking. It will look at the implications of devolution, the wider European context with particular reference to European directives affecting audit arrangements, possible models from other countries, and the relationship with other audit and regulatory bodies. All this must have regard to the importance of Parliamentary scrutiny and accountability, the costs and burdens of regulation and the mechanics of change.
Given the importance of Parliament's rights in these matters, its interests in scrutiny, accountability and control of expenditure will be reflected in the way the review is undertaken, including the steering group for the study. The steering group will direct a project board responsible for the delivery of the study. The project board will have an independent Chair.
Mrs. Lawrence:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have to accept the Fourth Amendment to the International Monetary Fund's Articles of Agreement. [112378]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is today laying before Parliament a Command Paper indicating formal UK Government acceptance of the Fourth Amendment to the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund. The Chancellor is also writing to the Secretary of the IMF to inform him of this action. The Command Paper is available in the Library of the House of Commons and is accessible on the Treasury's website www.hm-treasury.gov.uk.
Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the take-up rate for Working Families Tax Credit; [110284]
Dawn Primarolo:
Up to the end of January 2000, there had been 704,500 awards of the Working Families Tax Credit, of which around 325,000 were for families who were not in receipt of family credit at the time of the claim.
Mr. Coleman:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals in London have received assistance under the working families tax credit. [110499]
Dawn Primarolo:
It is estimated that about 52,500 families in the London Government Office Region had been awarded the Working Families' Tax Credit by the end of January 2000.
28 Feb 2000 : Column: 153W
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what VAT rate will apply to tolls on the Birmingham Northern Relief Road. [111692]
Dawn Primarolo:
This will depend on the outcome of a case before the European Court of Justice. The Government's policy is to exempt tolls from VAT, but the European Commission argues they should be taxed at 17.5 per cent. VAT.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are affected by the provisions which enable the Inland Revenue to tax pensions on the amount of entitlement rather than the amount received; and how much extra tax was paid on average by each pensioner in 1999-2000, as a result of these provisions. [111252]
Dawn Primarolo:
Income tax on pensions under Schedule E is chargeable on the amount to which the pensioner becomes entitled during the year and is not affected by the frequency of payment. No extra tax is payable as a result.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the suicide plus undetermined injury rate per 100,000 people in England based on a three-year average around (a) 1997 and (b) 1998. [109817]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Frank Field, dated 28 February 2000:
Mr. Alasdair Morgan:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assistance with child care expenses he will give to parents in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit who do not have access to registered childminders in their locality. [112090]
Dawn Primarolo:
Assistance with child care expenses is not restricted to parents who have access to registered childminders. The Childcare Tax Credit can be paid to parents in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit who use and pay for any form of eligible child care. For under eights, this includes child care provided by after school clubs, holiday play schemes, breakfast clubs and nurseries and playschemes registered with local authorities. For children aged eight and over it includes out of school care which is provided by the school, and from April 2000, care which is approved under the new accreditation scheme.
28 Feb 2000 : Column: 154W
(2) what estimate he has made of the take-up rate for the Working Families Tax Credit. [110700]
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent question on suicides plus undetermined injury rate per 100,000 people in England.
The European age standardised rate for the average of the years 1996 to 1998 for England is 9.2 suicides or undetermined injury deaths per 100,000 population. 1999 figures are not yet available and we are therefore unable to provide a three year average around 1998.
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