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Departmental Assets

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what stocks of (a) antiques, (b) paintings and (c) fine wines are held by his Department; if he will list such assets sold over the last three years together with the sale proceeds from such transactions; what plans he has to sell further such assets over the period of the current Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement. [10841]

Dr. John Reid: I refer the hon. Member to the National Asset Register (Cm5221 July 2001), which gives full details of departmental asset holdings. A reference to the Northern Ireland Office's pure heritage assets may be found on page 808 of that report.

Computer Crime

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department recorded in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001; and on how many occasions in those years computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (A) within and (B) outside his Department. [13131]

Dr. John Reid: There was one case of computer hacking in the Northern Ireland Office in 2000, and there have been two to date this year. Of these, two were perpetrated by insiders, and one was an attack by an outsider on one of the Department's web pages.

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There were no cases of computer theft (including fraud) in 2000, and there have been two to date this year. Both of these were perpetrated by outsiders.

Departmental Publications

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on information literature, advertising and campaign material in the financial years (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1997–98, (d) 1998–99 (e) 1999–2000 and (f) 2000–01; and if he will make a statement. [12266]

Dr. John Reid: The advertising campaigns for each of the past six years incurred the following costs:

Year£
1995–96(11)
1996–97135,938.07
1997–98477,726.16
1998–99887,303.00
1999–2000330,630.95
2000–0185,827.00

(11) Not available


Royal Ulster Constabulary (Overtime)

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what overtime costs have been incurred each month during 2001 by the RUC dealing with public disorder. [11072]

Jane Kennedy: The table details the monthly overtime cost for the current year to 30 September (regular and full-time reserve). The Police Service of Northern Ireland cannot readily identify that part of the overtime costs which relates to police officers dealing with public disorder. It is intended to introduce activity analysis data collection but this will not be implemented until April 2002.

In the absence of a database, the task of ascertaining definitive figures would represent a major undertaking and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

£000

MonthOvertime
April3,531
May3,035
June4,232
July4,520
August7,809
September5,160
Total28,287

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Computer Crime

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department has recorded in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001; and on how many occasions in those years computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (A) within and (B) outside his Department. [13134]

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Mr. MacShane: The number of recorded cases is as follows:

20002001
Hacking23
Fraud00
Theft72

Of the five cases of computer hacking in 2000 and 2001, one was carried out by an insider and the remaining four by persons outside the Department.

Euro

Mr. Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is being provided to British travellers about the effect of the introduction of euro notes and coins. [14306]

Peter Hain: Euro notes and coins will be introduced on 1 January 2002. They will replace national notes and coins in the 12 countries that participate in the single currency. We estimate that in 2002 British citizens will make 40 million visits to those countries. So I am today launching a leaflet that provides basic factual information for UK travellers on the transition to euro notes and coins in the relevant countries. Copies of the leaflet have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

The leaflet is a joint production with HMT and DTI. It will supplement the information already available on the FCO website www.fco.gov.uk.

San Francisco

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministers from his Department have visited San Francisco since May 1997; and how many have stayed at the consul general's house. [13526]

Mr. MacShane: Our records show that there have been no FCO ministerial visits to San Francisco since May 1997.

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Permanent Under- Secretary of his Department has visited San Francisco since his appointment. [13532]

Mr. MacShane: Sir John Kerr has not visited San Francisco as Permanent Under-Secretary, but of course did so when Ambassador to the United States.

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many serving Prime Ministers have visited San Francisco since 1979. [13527]

Mr. MacShane: Since 1979, there have been no prime ministerial visits to San Francisco.

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has undertaken with (a) the local chamber of commerce and (b) other business organisations in San Francisco with respect to the impact of the sale of the consul general's house there. [13529]

Mr. MacShane: Issues relating to the sale of the current house have been covered in correspondence this year between FCO Ministers and officials with the British

9 Nov 2001 : Column: 487W

American Chamber of Commerce, Northern California, which represent many British business organisations in the San Francisco area.

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to sell the consul general's house in San Francisco. [13525]

Mr. MacShane: The consul general, in conjunction with Estates Strategy Unit at the FCO, is seeking alternative property opportunities that will not only provide better value for money than the present house, but will also fully support the wider, especially commercial, objectives of the consulate general.

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has consulted the DTI on the forthcoming sale of the consul general's house in San Francisco. [13530]

Mr. MacShane: Yes.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Departmental Assets

Mr. Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what stocks of (a) antiques, (b) paintings and (c) fine wines are held by his Department; if he will list such assets sold over the last three years together with the sale proceeds from such transactions; what plans he has to sell further such assets over the period of the current Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement. [10838]

Mr. Wills: The stocks of antiques, paintings and fine wines held by the Lord Chancellor's Department are as follows:




There have been no disposals in the last three years and no disposals are planned for the next three years. It is not the Department's policy to capitalise non-operational antiques such as paintings and works of art. Such items are not therefore included in our National Asset Register entry. The information given here is taken from a recent valuation exercise, undertaken both to assess the materiality of such items and for stewardship purposes.

Operational antiques are included in the register under furniture and fittings.

Departmental Publications

Dr. Cable: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much his Department spent on information literature, advertising and campaign material in the financial years (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1997–98, (d) 1998–99 (e) 1999–2000 and (f) 2000–01; and if he will make a statement. [12255]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not readily available. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as the information has been collated.

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