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Automatic Teller Machines
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will assess the benefits of ensuring that cash withdrawals from automatic teller machines located in post offices are not subject to bank charges. [113905]
Mr. Alan Johnson: My right hon. Friend considers that the imposition of charges for cash withdrawals from automatic teller machines will impact disproportionately on the socially excluded and those in rural areas. People on fixed budgets, particularly pensioners and the unemployed, should not suffer high charges to withdraw small amounts of cash. If charges are to be introduced, we will ensure that consumers know what they are before they proceed with a transaction. If the banks do not do this voluntarily, my right hon. Friend has powers under the Prices Act 1974 to compel them.
I understand from the Post Office that commercial and contract arrangements with the proposed partners for the installation of 3,000 more cash machines at post offices have not yet been finalised. Access and charging arrangements will, in the first instance, be commercial matters for the Post Office and its partners.
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 198W
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has to expand banking and financial services in the national network of post offices; and if he will make a statement. [114909]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
The Horizon project to equip the post office network with a modern on-line IT platform, towards the capital costs of which the Government is contributing nearly £500 million, will enable the Post Office to improve its services to existing clients and to attract new clients and services. In particular, Horizon offers the potential to move into automated network banking on an agency basis enabling post offices to restore a vital service to many rural areas and smaller communities. The Post Office already has arrangements with Girobank/Alliance and Leicester, LloydsTSB and the Co-operative Bank and they are currently in discussion with other High Street banks. An agreement has recently been reached on a pilot scheme in Cornwall to offer counter services on behalf of Barclays.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if it is his policy to regard energy from waste schemes as renewable energy; and if he will make a statement. [114148]
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 199W
Mrs. Liddell:
Yes. Wastes produced by households, industry and commerce pose a difficult, costly and potentially environmentally damaging problem. Our draft national waste strategy provides for waste reduction, materials recycling and energy recovery. Where there is no better alternative, using waste materials to produce energy can reduce environmental problems and at the same time save fossil fuels.
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list (a) the offices (i) owned and (ii) rented by his Department and its agencies in Scotland and (b) the number of staff (y) employed and (z) that can be accommodated (1) in total and (2) at each site. [114239]
| (a) Location(4) | (b)(i) Staff | (b)(ii) Approximate potential capacity |
|---|---|---|
| DTI Headquarters | ||
| Atholl House, Aberdeen | 65 | 160 |
| 376 Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh | (8), (9)20 | 20 |
| Tay House, Glasgow | 51 | 80 |
| Employment Tribunals Service | ||
| Aberdeen | 3 | 4 |
| 13 Albert Square, Dundee | 3 | 4 |
| 52-56 Melville Street, Edinburgh | 10 | 10 |
| Eagle Building, Glasgow | 30 | 36 |
| Total | 162 | 314 |
(4) Excluding offices owned or rented by other Departments where DTI or its agencies are minor occupiers
(5) Number of contractors
(6) No DTI staff are employed at this location
IT Strategy
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress he has made with the development of the Government's information technology strategy; and if he will make a statement. [113897]
Mr. Ian McCartney: I have been asked to reply.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Valerie Davey) on 14 February 2000, Official Report, column 353W.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Press Releases
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for the period 2 May 1997 to 29 February 2000 what was (a) the number of occasions on which couriers were used to distribute news releases from her Department and (b) the total cost of using couriers to distribute news releases. [113979]
Clare Short:
We do not use couriers to distribute news releases.
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Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the (a) national, (b) regional and (c) local newspapers and media bodies to which her Department sent news releases during the period 2 May 1997 to 29 February 2000. [113990]
Clare Short:
We do not keep records of all newspapers or media bodies to which press releases are sent, and it would be disproportionately expensive to seek to identify a full list. However, departmental press releases are available to the press through the News Distribution Service managed by the COI, and are also available through our internet site. More targeted distribution of press releases varies depending on the subject and content of the press release involved.
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list (a) the offices (i) owned and (ii) rented by her Department and its agencies in Scotland and (b) the number of staff (y) employed and (z) that can be accommodated (1) in total and (2) at each site. [114236]
Clare Short:
My Department owns Abercrombie House in East Kilbride. It can accommodate 485 people, which equates to the proposed staffing levels for 2000-01. We also rent the property at 43 Fairfield Place, East Kilbride. This is an unstaffed file store.
RAF Personnel Management Agency
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) those targets of the RAF Personnel Management Agency for 1998-99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement. [111740]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 6 March 2000]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the RAF Personnel Management Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.
Letter from Alan Cowpe to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 15 March 2000:
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 201W
I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the RAF Personnel Management Agency's performance against its Key Targets; the Air Secretary is out of the office on duty.
The information requested is contained in the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts 1998-99, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. I enclose for your convenience, however, a copy of the relevant pages which summarise performance against the Targets. You will see that of the Agency's five Targets, four were achieved, the exception being one which was overtaken by the SDR.
Performance Against Key Targets
Overview
The RAF PMA has achieved 4 out of its 5 Key Targets. Key Target 3, which required the expansion of the active strength of the Reserve Air Forces to exceed 2,900 by 31 March 1999, was in effect overtaken by the Strategic Defence Review which placed a temporary cap on the recruitment of Reserves and disbanded some reservist squadrons. Work now continues to define a new establishment for the Reserves.
Performance
Key Target 1a
To fill peacetime established posts, as a ratio of the overall manning level, to the following percentages:
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 1998-99 | > 91.7 |
| 1999-2000 | > 91.8 |
| 2000-01 | > 91.9 |
| 2001-02 | > 92.0 |
| Performance | > 92.3 |
Key Target 1b
To man War, Crisis and MOD authorised Unestablished tasks to the following percentage: > 95%
Performance--99.9%
Key Target 2
To ensure that 80% or more of personnel given a posting that qualifies for a domestic move receive the required notice:
Performance--80.5%
Key Target 3
To meet the Air Force Board's target to increase the number of operationally employable reservists to > 2900 by 31 March 1999.
Performance--Target discontinued
Key Target 4
To ensure that the percentage variation between the actual average trained strength and that forecast by the Agency is no greater than: +/- 1%
Performance--0.38%
Key Target 5
To deliver the 3% savings that accrue from the efficiencies planned for the Financial Year 1998-1999.
Performance--Spend contained within reduced cash allocation.
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