House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 11 May 2001 (pt 20)

BBC

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make representations to the BBC to transmit (a) BBC Online and (b) Westminster Live in ADSL broadband. [161056]

11 May 2001 : Column: 446W

Janet Anderson: I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Dissolution. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.

Listed Buildings

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if English Heritage's Grant Aid Budget for privately-owned Grade I and II* listed buildings will remain unchanged in the current year; and what plans it has to alter the balance of funding between such buildings and those owned by English Heritage. [161042]

Mr. Alan Howarth: English Heritage's (EH) Strategic Plan indicates that they currently plan to offer £12.3 million in Grant Aid to privately owned Grade I and II* listed buildings in this financial year, and the same amount in each of the next two years ie 2002-03 and 2003-04 respectively.

The outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) has had an adverse impact on revenue from EH's historic properties and sites that are open to the public. Consequently, all aspects of the organisation's 2001-02 budget are currently under review. It is too early to predict the full impact of FMD on EH and firm decisions about budget allocations have yet to be taken. It is for EH to decide on grant allocations within the resources available to them.

Union Flag

Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he will take to encourage the Union Flag to be flown the correct way up. [161104]

Mr. Alan Howarth: I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Dissolution. I shall therefore write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.

WALES

Proportional Representation

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the operation of proportional representation in elections to the National Assembly of Wales. [161036]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The National Assembly for Wales has 40 directly elected constituency Members and 20 additional Members who are elected on the basis of the formula set out in the Government of Wales Act 1998.

This retains local constituencies while giving a strong element of proportional representation to ensure that the membership of the National Assembly reflects more accurately the number of votes cast for each party.

CABINET OFFICE

St. George's Day

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many headquarters buildings of

11 May 2001 : Column: 447W

Government Departments with (a) policy and (b) funding responsibilities relating to England displayed the Cross of St. George on St. George's Day 2001. [161105]

Mr. Alan Howarth: I have been asked to reply.

I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Dissolution. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.

Departmental Surveys

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list for (a) 1992-93, (b) 1993-94, (c) 1994-95, (d) 1995-96, (e) 1996-97, (f) 1997-98, (g) 1998-99, (h) 1999-2000 and (i) 2000-01, (I) her

11 May 2001 : Column: 448W

Department's total spending on quantitative and qualitative surveys of policy issues by focus groups, opinion polling, task forces or other means and (II) the cost of each individual project. [146581]

Marjorie Mowlam: Details of my Department's expenditure on quantitative and qualitative surveys of policy issues since 1997 is listed in the table. Information prior to 1997-98 are not available because the Department's previous accounting systems did not enable expenditure on these services to be identified separately.

I. Total Expenditure

(f) 1997-98: £660,826

(g) 1998-99: £281,906

(h) 1999-2000: £190,401

(i) 2000-02: £871,177

11 May 2001 : Column: 447W

II. Individual Projects

(f) 1997-98

Description	Cost (£)
Research focus group study	2,938
Opening up Quangos--consultation paper	5,234
Evaluation of effectiveness of Charter Mark in improving public service	22,912
Survey assessing effectiveness of Charter Mark promotion public awareness	24,000
Your right to know--consultation for White Paper	33,954
Civil servants' views and experiences on lifelong learning	54,788
Electronic government "The view from the queue"	517,000

Total	660,826

(g) 1998-99

11 May 2001 : Column: 447W

Description Cost (£)

Focus groups--consultation on Citizen's Charter programme 4,700

Research into better government 5,875

GDCA--Customer Satisfaction Survey 6,568

Usage and attitude study of direct access government 8,577

Government websites and the delivery of public services. 18,271

People's Panel--attitudinal opinion survey into public services 237,915

Total 281,906

Description	Cost (£)
Focus groups--consultation on Citizen's Charter programme	4,700
Research into better government	5,875
GDCA--Customer Satisfaction Survey	6,568
Usage and attitude study of direct access government	8,577
Government websites and the delivery of public services.	18,271
People's Panel--attitudinal opinion survey into public services	237,915

Total	281,906

11 May 2001 : Column: 447W

(h) 1999-2000

11 May 2001 : Column: 447W

Description Cost (£)

People's Panel: Analysis of the views and attitudes of people towards public services 4,500

National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal Consultation and Analysis 4,569

Expanded qualitative research into Charter Mark holders 9,000

Research on Neighbourhood Renewal Management for Policy Action Team 4 11,370

Literature review of evidence on the performance of mainstream education services in deprived and non-deprived areas 16,925

GDCA--Customer Satisfaction Survey 17,037

Young people and Gender: A review of research 20,000

National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal Consultation with hard to reach groups 21,100

Neighbourhood Statistics Quality Assurance 21,150

Staff attitude survey 25,000

PCSPS 2000 attitude survey 28,000

Total 190,401

Description	Cost (£)
People's Panel: Analysis of the views and attitudes of people towards public services	4,500
National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal Consultation and Analysis	4,569
Expanded qualitative research into Charter Mark holders	9,000
Research on Neighbourhood Renewal Management for Policy Action Team 4	11,370
Literature review of evidence on the performance of mainstream education services in deprived and non-deprived areas	16,925
GDCA--Customer Satisfaction Survey	17,037
Young people and Gender: A review of research	20,000
National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal Consultation with hard to reach groups	21,100
Neighbourhood Statistics Quality Assurance	21,150
Staff attitude survey	25,000
PCSPS 2000 attitude survey	28,000

Total	190,401

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(i) 2000-01

11 May 2001 : Column: 447W

Description Cost (£)

Contacting departments/agencies directly re: uptake of qualifications within certain key occupational areas 3,583

Women in ITEC employment 10,000

Establishment of the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit 13,105

Parents' perceptions of and attitudes towards government work-life balance initiatives 15,000

To seek views of public on privacy and data sharing 16,500

To seek views of the public on e-government 18,500

Literature and data review of evidence on the performance of mainstream health services in deprived and non-deprived areas 19,600

Qualitative work on communications issues 23,000

Review of the Policy Action Team Approach to Policy Development 24,990

National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal Consultation and Analysis 26,032

Women's individual incomes research 32,145

Research to identify how poor areas changed in the 1990s 33,520

Staff attitude survey 39,285

Crisis management and how the public viewed a crisis 48,410

National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal Consultation with hard to reach groups 52,300

People's Panel: Satisfaction with public services and what people expect from them; perceptions about how public services deal with complaints 64,400

People's Panel: Research into what people from ethnic minority communities think of the services they receive and how their opinions differ across and between different ethnic minority groups 68,100

People's Panel: To establish which out-of-hours services people want access to; what sort of business will they want to be able to contact; and how 68,600

Equality in performance review 71,381

Equality in performance review 222,726

Total 871,177

Description	Cost (£)
Contacting departments/agencies directly re: uptake of qualifications within certain key occupational areas	3,583
Women in ITEC employment	10,000
Establishment of the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit	13,105
Parents' perceptions of and attitudes towards government work-life balance initiatives	15,000
To seek views of public on privacy and data sharing	16,500
To seek views of the public on e-government	18,500
Literature and data review of evidence on the performance of mainstream health services in deprived and non-deprived areas	19,600
Qualitative work on communications issues	23,000
Review of the Policy Action Team Approach to Policy Development	24,990
National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal Consultation and Analysis	26,032
Women's individual incomes research	32,145
Research to identify how poor areas changed in the 1990s	33,520
Staff attitude survey	39,285
Crisis management and how the public viewed a crisis	48,410
National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal Consultation with hard to reach groups	52,300
People's Panel: Satisfaction with public services and what people expect from them; perceptions about how public services deal with complaints	64,400
People's Panel: Research into what people from ethnic minority communities think of the services they receive and how their opinions differ across and between different ethnic minority groups	68,100
People's Panel: To establish which out-of-hours services people want access to; what sort of business will they want to be able to contact; and how	68,600
Equality in performance review	71,381
Equality in performance review	222,726

Total	871,177

Note:

All figures include recoverable VAT.

11 May 2001 : Column: 449W

Civil Service (Management Functions) Act

Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what delegations have been made in 2000 under the Civil Service (Management Functions) Act 1992; to whom these delegations were made; and what the main conditions attached to them were. [146459]

Marjorie Mowlam: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Mr. Hope) on 6 February 2001, Official Report, column 489W.

Special Advisers (Overseas Visits)

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions between 31 March 2000 and 31 March 2001 (a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity. [158556]

Mr. Stringer: A total of five visits were made by the special advisers between 31 March 2000 and 31 March 2001. In addition the UK anti-drugs co-ordinator and his deputy made a total of 20 visits overseas. These trips abroad, by the UK anti-drugs co-ordinator and his deputy, sometimes included more than one country. All travel complied with the requirements of the civil service management code.

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