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E-mail and Internet Service
Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee if he will make a statement concerning the continued provision of free remote access to the parliamentary e-mail and internet service. [114055]
Mr. Allan: There are currently no plans to withdraw the arrangements for free access to the PDVN. As the hon. Member knows, the Parliamentary Communications Directorate is presently conducting trials of Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology, which would enable Members' constituency offices to connect to the PDVN using an Internet Service Provider (ISP). VPN access to the PDVN would be quicker and more reliable than the current system. No choice of ISP has yet been made and no decision about any charging arrangements has been taken. The Information Committee is closely monitoring developments.
Committee members generally are committed to the principle of providing the best information services at the least cost to Members. We will consider the proposals
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from PCD from that point of view and make recommendations accordingly. However, the Committee does not have the authority to make spending decisions of this nature and any recommendation from the Committee with financial implications will have to be passed to the Finance and Services Committee and then on to the House of Commons Commission for decision.
Miss Kirkbride:
To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the salaries are for the two most senior positions in the Refreshment Department in financial year 1999-2000; and what the percentage increase in those salaries will be in the next financial year. [115252]
Mr. Kirkwood:
Information on the salary ranges of staff of the House is published in the Commission's Annual Report (Annexe B, Appendices 1 and 2). The pay rates shown in Appendix 2 to Annexe B were increased by 2.9 per cent. and 2.3 per cent. for Band 3 and Band A2 respectively, on 1 April 1999. The pay remit for the next financial year has not yet been approved by the Commission. Pay increases for staff in these pay bands are linked to performance and the salaries of individual members of staff are not published.