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Correspondence

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter sent to him on 27 April by the right hon. Member for Wells about the European budget rebate, about which reminders were sent on 2 July, 21 July, 9 September, 8 October and 8 December. [102984]

Mr. Andrew Smith: The former Chief Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) wrote to the right hon. Gentleman on 4 October 1999.

16 Dec 1999 : Column: 301W

NIRS2

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many items of data were inputed on to national insurance records held on the NIRS2 computer system in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000 to date. [102795]

Dawn Primarolo: Small amounts of data were inputed to National Insurance records held on NIRS2 from 28 January to 18 June 1998. From 13 July 1998, input of data increased incrementally as additional parts of the NIRS2 system were implemented.

I regret that the full and complete information requested for 1998-99 and 1999-2000 is not available.

The largest single source of data for inputting to records held on NIRS2 is the annual National Insurance update received from employers. The vast majority of this data is inputed to records during the tax year following the year it is collected. Inputting to NIRS2 started at the end of August 1998 and the following volumes of data have been inputted so far: for the 1997-98 tax year, 45.1 million items; for the 1998-99 tax year, 46.4 million items.

The main daily inputs to records held on NIRS2 in terms of volume have been estimated from samples taken in November 1999 and December 1999. The average is:

	Per day
External inputs	214,000
Transactions processed	1,964,000
On-line Inputs	251,300
Update of contribution information from employers	199,000

Departmental Transport

Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what motor mileage allowance rates his Department offers to (a) ministers and (b) civil servants using their own vehicles for official business; and what has been the cost of each in each of the last five years; [98688]

(2) how much his Department has spent on civil servants' transport in each of the last two years; [98687]

(3) how much his Department has spent on ministerial transport in each of the last two years. [98686]

Miss Melanie Johnson: For information on civil servants' transport costs, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to her by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 1 December 1999, Official Report, columns 255-56W. Travel undertaken by civil servants (including use of cars) complies with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code.

The Treasury always provides ministerial vehicles for official purposes. However, if Ministers prefer to use their own vehicles for official business, they will be able to claim mileage allowance in the same circumstances and on the same terms as civil servants in the Minister's Department.

16 Dec 1999 : Column: 302W

The standard and public transport motor mileage rates the Department offers to civil servants is:

i. Standard rate of Mileage Allowance:

Paid for journeys where public transport is not reasonably practicable and the claimant holds a fully comprehensive insurance policy.

Pence

	Up to 1500cc	1501-2000cc	Over 2000cc
First 5,000 miles at	35.7	40	43
Over 5,000 miles at	17	21	27

ii. Public Transport Rate of Mileage Allowance:
Paid in other circumstances
Rate per mile 22.36p
Cost of each of the last five years:

	£
1994-95(27)	21,000
1995-96(27)	12,000
1996-97(27)	7,000
1997-98	6,000
1998-99	11,000




(27) Includes the cost of car hire

Ministerial transport is provided by the Government Car Service (GCS). For information on spend on the Government Car Service, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to her by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 1 December 1999, Official Report, columns 255-56W.

Departmental Employees (Ethnic Minorities)

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the total work force in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department. [102726]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Current records show that about 12.7 per cent. of staff in the Treasury, 6.8 per cent. of staff in Customs and 6.3 per cent. of staff in Inland Revenue have self-declared themselves as of ethnic minority origin.

Each Department has a variety of measures in place to ensure equal treatment for people of ethnic minority origin, and to ensure that they meet their legal obligations to protect people of ethnic minority from discrimination in the field of employment.

EU Structural Funds (Wales)

Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total amount of PES cover required over the period of nine years from 2000 in respect of the Objective 1 funding available for Wales over that period. [102969]

Mr. Andrew Smith: West Wales and the Valleys has been allocated a total of 1,788 million euros under Objective 1.

16 Dec 1999 : Column: 303W

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Departmental Employees (Ethnic Minorities)

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of the total work force in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department. [102730]

Mr. Lock: As at 30 September 1999, 9.3 per cent. of staff in my Department (including Associated Offices, Court Service and Public Trust Office), who had completed a questionnaire, were of an ethnic minority origin. If all the staff who did not make a declaration were white, the figure would be 8.9 per cent.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office set out in her reply the corporate action being taken to encourage the employment of people from ethnic minorities. In this Department we provide sponsorship for undergraduates of ethnic minority origin each year under the Windsor Fellowship scheme. We also provide sponsorship and mentors annually for the National Mentoring Consortium, which brings professionals together with students of African, Caribbean and Asian origin to offer expertise, experience and support, as well as contributing to the Department's efforts to attract high calibre staff of ethnic minority origin. An officer has recently been appointed to develop interchange, outreach and recruitment; to take forward key aspects of the Modernising Government agenda; and generally increase the Department's profile at recruitment fairs and among potential ethnic minority recruitees.

We have recently appointed an Equality and Diversity Adviser to provide guidance on all aspects of the application of equal opportunities across the Department and its business. Furthermore, in response to the Report into the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, we are conducting a wide-ranging audit of all our policies and procedures, including recruitment. The Equality Audit will be making its recommendations in January.

WALES

Devolution

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans Her Majesty's Government have for further devolution of power to Wales. [101965]

Mr. Paul Murphy: None. Our aim is to make sure that the settlement we have under the Government of Wales Act 1998 operates smoothly and for the good of the people of Wales.

EU Structural Funds

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meeting he has held in the last three months with Ministers from the Treasury to discuss Objective 1 match funding for Wales. [102168]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I have had a number of meetings and discussions with Treasury colleagues when we have discussed Objective 1 funding.

16 Dec 1999 : Column: 304W

We have also arranged for officials at the Treasury to work with officials from my Department, and the National Assembly, to look at the issues of Objective 1 funding as preparation for the next Spending Review, which is due to get under way in the new year.

Ministerial Visits

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales to which countries he has paid official visits since 1 July. [102869]

Mr. Paul Murphy: In my capacity as Secretary of State for Wales, I have made one official visit abroad, to Belgium.

Departmental Employees (Disabled People)

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is registered as disabled; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people in his Department. [102040]

Mr. Paul Murphy: My Department has a staff of 37 and none are registered as disabled.

However, my Department has an Equal Opportunities policy that all eligible people should have equality of opportunity for employment and advancement on the basis of their ability, qualifications and suitability for work. This means that no job applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of disability.

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