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Cabinet Committee on Rural Affairs
Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what level of civil service staff support is provided to the Cabinet Committee on rural affairs; and what the approximate annual cost is of this support. [140404]
Mr. Stringer: It is established practice under exemption two of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees.
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People's Peerages
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if it is a condition of appointment to a people's peerage that the applicant sits on the Cross Benches; and if she will make a statement. [140330]
Mr. Stringer: I understand that the House of Lords Appointments Commission has made clear that it is looking to recommend non-party political members of the House of Lords. Membership of a party or past political activity is not a bar to nomination but the Commission will seek to assure itself that the nominee, if recommended for appointment, will act independently of the political parties. However, once created, where a peer sits in the House of Lords is a free choice of the peer and the party whose whip he or she wishes to take.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will publish a breakdown of the applications for a people's peerage by (a) gender, (b) age, (c) ethnic background, (d) place of residence, (e) employment status and (f) occupation. [140326]
Mr. Stringer: I understand that the House of Lords Appointments Commission is still analysing the applications which it has received but hopes to make this information available soon.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when candidates for the people's peerages will have their names submitted to Her Majesty the Queen. [140327]
Mr. Stringer: I understand that the House of Lords Appointments Commission hopes to be in a position to pass its recommendations to the Prime Minister in the first three months of 2001.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if unsuccessful applicants for a people's peerage are to be given reasons for their rejection. [140328]
Mr. Stringer: I understand that the House of Lords Appointments Commission has not undertaken to give reasons as to why a nominee has been unsuccessful.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many applicants for a people's peerage are to be invited for interviews. [140329]
Mr. Stringer: I understand that the House of Lords Appointments Commission has not yet reached a decision on this.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if rejected applicants for a people's peerage will be allowed to re-apply. [140325]
Mr. Stringer: I understand that the House of Lords Appointments Commission will assess all nominations on individual merit, guided by the published assessment criteria drawn up by the Commission. Some nominees will not meet these criteria but it is of course open to them to resubmit their nominations.
NDPBs (North-East)
Mr. Beith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list those non-departmental public bodies (a) which have (i) headquarters and (ii) administrative offices within the area covered by the Government Office
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for the North East, (b) whose remit covers broadly the same area as that of the Government Office for the North East and (c) have members appointed following consultations involving the Government Office for the North East. [140699]
Mr. Stringer: This information is not held centrally. However, the annual "Public Bodies" publication provides general information on the location, remit and membership of all non-departmental public bodies. Copies of "Public Bodies 1999" have been placed in the Libraries of the House. "Public Bodies 2000" is due to be published next month.
Civil Service (Sickness)
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she plans to publish the Cabinet Office annual report on sickness in the Civil Service. [141085]
Mr. Stringer: The report on sickness absence in the Civil Service in 1999 is currently being finalised and is expected to be published shortly. A further announcement will be made at that time and copies of the report will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Business Regulation
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent representations she has received about the level of regulation on business. [139570]
Mr. Stringer: My ministerial colleagues and I have sought and received representations from a wide range of business organisations. I have met most recently with the Industry Forum and the Chemical Industries Association and have also visited local Chambers of Commerce in many parts of the country. My officials in the Regulatory Impact Unit meet regularly with the Institute of Directors, the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Forum of Private Business, the British Chambers of Commerce and the TUC.
Constitutional Convention
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance is provided to Departments on what constitutes a constitutional convention for the purposes of the Civil Service Code; and if she will make a statement. [141246]
Mr. Stringer: The Civil Service Code explains the key constitutional principles that govern the Civil Service.
Civil Servants
Mr. Livsey: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will remove the restrictions on civil servants employed in the intermediate grades to permit them to stand as parliamentary candidates. [141034]
Mr. Stringer: The rules on the conduct of civil servants with respect to political activities are set out in the Civil Service Management Code. Their scope is under review.
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Better Regulation Task Force
Mr. Steen: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what have been the administrative and running costs of the Better Regulation Task Force in each of the last three years. [140873]
Mr. Stringer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 29 November 2000, Official Report, column 671W.
Departmental Employees (New Deal)
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff her Department employs under the New Deal for Young People. [137958]
Mr. Stringer [pursuant to his reply, 13 November 2000, c. 551W]: As at 1 October 2000, the information on all Civil Service Departments (including their agencies) participating as employers in the New Deal is as follows:
| Main department (including agencies) | |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | 58 |
| Intervention Board | 3 |
| Cabinet Office | 13 |
| Privy Council Office | 1 |
| Charity Commission | 25 |
| Culture, Media and Sport | 4 |
| Ministry of Defence | 118 |
| Education and Employment | 2,182 |
| Office for Standards in Education | 1 |
| Environment, Transport and the Regions | 63 |
| Export Credits Guarantee Department | 4 |
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 8 |
| Government Communications Headquarters | 1 |
| Government Offices for the Regions | 8 |
| Health | 39 |
| Home Office | 89 |
| International Development | 7 |
| Law Officers' Departments | 15 |
| Lord Chancellor's Department | 38 |
| National Assembly for Wales | 36 |
| Northern Ireland Office | 11 |
| Scottish Executive | 54 |
| Registers of Scotland | 1 |
| Social Security | 603 |
| Trade and Industry | 51 |
| HM Treasury | 3 |
| Office of Government Commerce | 1 |
| HM Customs and Excise | 73 |
| Inland Revenue | 317 |
| Office for National Statistics | 10 |
| Royal Mint | 3 |
| Total | 3,840 |
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Judges' Lodgings
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list (a) the locations of judges' lodgings and (b) the number of nights each lodging was occupied in each of the last five years. [139153]
Jane Kennedy: The information requested for the three years 1997-98 to 1999-2000 is set out in the table.
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Prior to 1997 lodgings were administered locally and the requested information could be provided for the two years before 1997 only at disproportionate cost.
| Number/lodgings name | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Birmingham | 630 | 695 | 585 |
| 2 Bristol | 430 | 378 | 323 |
| 3 Caernarfon | 10 | 16 | 13 |
| 4 Cardiff | 360 | 335 | 331 |
| 5 Carlisle | 60 | 43 | 59 |
| 6 Chelmsford | 68 | 98 | 113 |
| 7 Chester | 175 | 187 | 198 |
| 8 Exeter | 110 | 118 | 73 |
| 9 Leeds | 480 | 480 | 509 |
| 10 Leicester | 100 | 45 | 62 |
| 11 Lewes | 170 | 155 | 120 |
| 12 Lincoln | 60 | 65 | 42 |
| 13 Liverpool | 430 | 400 | 529 |
| 14 Maidstone | 140 | 165 | 120 |
| 15 Manchester | 605 | 565 | 492 |
| 16 Mold | 25 | 50 | 23 |
| 17 Northampton | 20 | 25 | 23 |
| 18 Norwich | 115 | 155 | 130 |
| 19 Nottingham | 195 | 345 | 201 |
| 20 Oxford | 35 | 45 | 72 |
| 21 Plawsworth | 560 | 470 | 554 |
| 22 Plymouth | 40 | 23 | 15 |
| 23 Preston | 210 | 240 | 274 |
| 24 Reading | 115 | 99 | 110 |
| 25 Sheffield | 205 | 257 | 230 |
| 26 St. Albans | 105 | 120 | 165 |
| 27 Stafford | 130 | 135 | 146 |
| 28 Swansea | 145 | 90 | 147 |
| 29 Truro | 25 | 46 | 20 |
| 30 Warwick | 10 | 10 | 38 |
| 31 Winchester | 340 | 295 | 370 |
| 32 Worcester | 40 | 35 | 29 |
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) in respect of the Crown courts situated at (a) St. Albans, (b) Reading, (c) Chelmsford, (d) Colchester and (e) Maidstone (i) how many sitting days were held at each court in each of the last five years, (ii) how many nights the judges' lodgings were occupied in each of the last five years, (iii) how may High Court judges sitting at each of the courts (A) regularly made use of the lodgings, and (B) habitually commuted from their own residence to court and (eave) what was the annual cost of each of the lodgings for each of the last five years; [139156]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the value of judges' lodgings and associated expenditure as a benefit in kind for income tax purposes. [140787]
Mr. Lock: I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before prorogation. I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will place in the Library the guidance agreed with the judiciary on the use of lodgings. [140804]
Jane Kennedy: Copies of the general guidance on the use of lodgings agreed with the judiciary in 1997 have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
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It should be noted that the single judge allowance (referred to in the guidance as being £280 per judge week) was raised to £310 from the beginning of 2000.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will issue guidance to (a) High Court and (b) circuit judges on when it is appropriate to commute to court from home; and if he will make a statement. [140806]
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Mr. Lock: No. Such guidance is not required. I refer my hon. Friend to the written answers given to him by my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Lock) on 24 November 2000, Official Report, column 343W.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the allowances for accommodation expenses paid to circuit judges staying away from home. [140812]
Mr. Lock: The table sets out the allowances, and the current rates at which they are paid.
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| Subsistence(39) | |
|---|---|
| Hotels and private clubs in London | Actual expenditure up to a ceiling of £100 for bed and breakfast costs plus 24 hour allowance of £21 and personal incidental expenditure allowances of £5 |
| Hotels and private clubs elsewhere | Actual expenditure up to a ceiling of £80 for bed and breakfast costs plus 24 hour allowance of £21 and personal incidental expenditure allowance of £5 |
| Staying with friends/relatives in London | £32.45 |
| Staying with friends/relatives elsewhere | £31 |
| Own property in London (e.g. town flat) | Reimbursement of certain expenses necessarily incurred up to a limit of £32.45 |
| Own property elsewhere (e.g. country cottage) | Reimbursement of certain expenses necessarily incurred up to a limit of £31 |
| Rented accommodation in London | Actual expenditure up to a ceiling of £60 for rental costs plus 24 hour allowance of £21 and personal incidental expenditure allowance of £5 |
| Rented accommodation elsewhere | Actual expenditure up to a ceiling of £50 for rental costs plus 24 hour allowance of £21 and a personal incidental expenditure allowance of £5 |
| Hotels, private clubs and rented accommodation in London as an alternative to the above | £65.15 plus a personal incidental expenditure allowance of £5 |
| Hotels, private clubs and rented accommodation elsewhere as an alternative to the above | £62.40 plus a personal incidental expenditure allowance of £5 |
(39) Night subsistence per night
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Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list for each judges' lodgings (a) whether it is (i) rented, (ii) leased and (iii) owned by the Crown, (b) in the case of the lodgings which are rented or leased (i) what the length of the lease is, (ii) what the cost per annum is of (x) rent, (y) service charges and (z) rates, (iii) if the lease is a full repairing lease and (iv) whether the lease is subject to the Landlords and Tenants Act 1954, in respect of business
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tenants; and (c) in the case of those that are owned (i) what the current capital value is of the property, (ii) what the cost is for each of the last three years of maintenance and (iii) what the cost is for each of the last three years of rates. [140813]
Jane Kennedy: The information requested is contained in the tables. While the capital values of the individual freehold lodgings are classified as "Commercial in Confidence", I can confirm that the estimated total capital value of the freehold lodgings estate is £10.84 million.
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Note:
Prior to 1999-2000 Government Departments were not liable to pay non-domestic rates. A charge in lieu of rates (CILOR) was paid to the Crown Property Unit.
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Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list, for judges' lodgings, what in each case, is (a) the geographical distance between the lodging and the court it serves and (b) the average time taken to travel from (i) lodgings to court and (ii) court to lodgings, by chauffeur-driven car in time for the start of proceedings each day, and to return at the end of the day; and if he will make a statement. [140805]
Jane Kennedy: The information requested is contained in the following table. Where lodgings service more than one court, the figure quoted represents the estimated distance/travelling time between the lodgings and its principal court centre.
(40) Based on estimated travelling times and subject to the vagaries of traffic conditions
(41) Yards
(42) Walk
(43) Within the precincts of the court
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Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on which circuits and at which lodgings circuit judges are accommodated under arrangements made on those circuits; if, when circuit judges are accommodated in judges' lodgings, they are entitled to (a) no allowance in addition, (b) a lesser allowance than High Court judges and (c) the same allowance as High Court judges; and if he will make a statement. [140811]
Jane Kennedy: The network of judges' lodgings is primarily provided for High Court judges when they try serious criminal and civil cases on circuit in the principal towns and cities outside London, although occasionally circuit judges also reside there. When they do, they are charged a nominal £31 per night.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions in the last three years circuit judges' overnight hotel accommodation expenses were met, when there were vacant facilities available in judges' lodgings within reasonable travelling distance of the court where the judge concerned was sitting; and if he will make a statement. [139734]
Jane Kennedy: To provide the information requested would require a search of data held in manual form at local level and would incur disproportionate cost.
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