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Correspondence

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress in 2001–02 with the target for response to correspondence within 15 days of receipt. [24758]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I have taken a number of measures, including better monitoring of performance; more rigorous enforcement of internal deadlines; and the appointment of an additional member of staff.

Fuel Poverty

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many homes in Wales are defined as fuel poor households; and how many of these include (i) pensioners and (ii) children. [23950]

Mr. Paul Murphy [holding answer 19 December 2001]: Housing issues in Wales are generally a matter for the National Assembly for Wales. However, the Government and devolved Administrations are working in partnership to tackle fuel poverty throughout the UK through the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy. One of the Government's initiatives in this area is the payment of winter fuel payments, now at £200 a year, helping up to 460,000 pensioner households in Wales.

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The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy did not provide statistics on households in Wales in the form requested. However, using a proxy of households in Wales eligible for the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (based on the Welsh House Condition Survey 1997–98), the strategy estimated that of the approximately 222,000 such households in Wales, 117,000 contain at least one person over the age of 60; 40,000 are lone parents; 32,000 contain at least one person who is sick or disabled and 33,000 are other forms of households with children.

The Assembly are considering a possible general household survey in 2003 which will contain one element to cover fuel poverty.

Special Advisers

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many complaints have been reported in his Department under paragraph 11 of the Civil Service Code since 13 May 1999; and how many of them related to special advisers. [25327]

Mr. Paul Murphy: None.

SCOTLAND

Local Bodies

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list those local bodies which were set up under legislation which is the responsibility of her Department since May 1997. [17605]

Mrs. Liddell: For the period between May 1997 and 30 June 1999 there were no local public spending bodies set up under legislation which was the responsibility of the former Scottish Office.

The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. There have been no local public spending bodies set up since that date.

New Deal (Young People)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people are employed by the Department under the new deal for young people; and at what cost to public funds. [21313]

Mrs. Liddell: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. Out of five staff employed under the new deal, the Department has employed one person under the new deal for young people but there are currently no staff in post in this category. New deal recruits take up existing vacancies so extra costs are limited to the subsidy, where appropriate, and any additional training and development which may be needed. The cost of the subsidy to the Scotland Office was £2,860. The cost of training and development cannot readily be identified.

Departmental Staff (Home Working)

Mr. Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps her Department is taking to encourage staff to work from home; and how many staff do so on a regular basis. [21834]

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Mrs. Liddell: A number of alternative working patterns, including home working, are available to staff in the Scotland Office. Currently no staff within the Scotland Office work permanently from home, although some do so on an occasional basis. In a recent survey staff were invited to declare an interest in alternative working. My Department is considering the survey results with a view to setting up pilot studies into a number of alternative working patterns.

Channel Tunnel

Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment she has made of the effects on Scotland of the SNCF restriction of channel tunnel rail freight services. [24099]

Mrs. Liddell: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answers given by the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Mr. Jamieson), on 18 December 2001, Official Report, column 225W.

This is a matter of considerable concern to the Government. It is having a severe impact on cross-channel rail freight operators and their customers in Scotland and in other parts of the UK.

The Government are working at all levels with the French authorities to try and resolve this matter as quickly as possible.

Golden Jubilee

David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans she has for celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee in Scotland. [25428]

Mrs. Liddell: All of Scotland, including myself, will celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Details of Her Majesty's programme in Scotland will be made available to the House in due course.

Special Advisers

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints have been reported in her Department under paragraph 11 of the Civil Service Code since 13 May 1999; and how many of them related to special advisers. [25326]

Mrs. Liddell: The procedures for making complaints under the civil service code are set out in the Department's staff handbook. Civil servants are encouraged, in the first instance, to raise complaints made under paragraph 11 of the civil service code with their line manager. IF for any reason this is not felt to be possible, perhaps because the line manager is part of the complaint, individuals may take their complaint to a nominated official (or officials). It is not possible to provide a comprehensive figure for the number of complaints made within this Department under paragraph 11 of the code as there is no requirement for managers to report to the centre details of complaints made under the civil service code which are resolved within the management line.

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"Government Expenditure and

Revenue in Scotland"

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date she received the Scottish Executive document, "Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland"; and on what date she publicised its contents. [25540]

Mrs. Liddell: A joint Scottish Executive/Scotland Office News Release was issued, along with the Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS) Report, on 17 December 2001.

Consistent with normal practice, advance copies of the final text of the GERS report were available prior to publication, on 12 December.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Ministerial Duties

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Solicitor-General in what matters she deputises for the Attorney-General. [23683]

The Solicitor-General: The Law Officers Act 1977 provides that any function of the Attorney-General may be exercised by the Solicitor-General. I therefore deputise for the Attorney-General across the range of his responsibilities.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Euro

Paul Flynn: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what arrangements are being made for the use of euro notes and coins in restaurants and souvenir shops in the House. [24387]

Mr. Kirkwood: Many UK businesses, particularly those serving tourists from overseas, already accept payment in foreign currencies, including the euro. However, the House's restaurants and souvenir shops provide services primarily to Members and staff who work here, and to constituents visiting the House. The Refreshment Department is therefore not planning to accept payment for its catering or retail services in euros or any other foreign currency.

However, the hon. Member will have noted from the Administration Committee's First Report on the 2001 trial opening of the Summer Line of Route (HC 433 of Session 2001–02) that at least 50 per cent. of the 86,000 visits last year came from overseas. If the Committee's recommendation that the summer opening of the Line of Route become a permanent feature is accepted, the potential benefits, costs and risks of accepting payment for tickets, souvenirs and refreshments in foreign currencies, including the euro, will be considered for this project.

Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

Peter Bottomley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of

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18 December 2001, to what extent the commitment to provide the resources required to support the role of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards will be judged by (a) the Commission, (b) by the internal auditors and (c) by the Commissioner. [25149]

Mr. Kirkwood: The Commission will base its judgment on the findings of the review which it has asked the Internal Review Service to carry out. In reaching that judgment, the Commission will take full account of the views both of the Chairman of the Committee on Standards and Privileges, and of the incoming Commissioner for Standards, as to the expected workload and the resources required.

Peter Bottomley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 17 December 2001, Official Report, column 2W, on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, when the Chairman of the Commission was first told the letter dated 28 November had been openly made available to the media on the afternoon of Tuesday 4 December; and when he was first told that some of its contents had been confirmed on the forenoon. [25037]

Mr. Kirkwood: The Speaker knew on the morning of 4 December that his office was confirming media reports that the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards had written to him informing him that she did not wish to apply for reappointment but that his office was also making clear that the text of the letter would not be released. The Speaker was informed later that day that the text had become available to the media from other sources.

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