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PRIME MINISTER

Special Advisers

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 21 January 2002, Official Report, column 594W, on special advisers, how many special advisers have left his Department since May 1997; on how many occasions the Head of his Department has recommended a gap between leaving employment in his Department and taking up outside employment; if he will list the gap for each occasion this has occurred; and if he will make a statement. [30300]

The Prime Minister: As with all civil servants, special advisers are covered by the Business Appointment Rules. They are only required to seek permission to take up outside appointments in the circumstances set out in the rules. Since May 1997, 10 special advisers have left my office. Four submitted applications under the Business Appointment Rules to take up outside appointments. One appointment was subject to a three month waiting period and a restriction and another subject to a restriction only. A further three special advisers have resigned from my office, one to join my political office, one to become a full-time civil servant, and one has been appointed as special adviser to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

4 Feb 2002 : Column 685W

Arthur Andersen

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister what the total cost to his Department has been of services provided by (a) Andersen and (b) Accenture, Andersen Consulting for (i) accountancy services, (ii) consultancy work and (iii) other work in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [32105]

The Prime Minister: No expenditure has been made by my office since 1997.

Energy Industry

Tom Brake: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from (a) BP, (b) Shell, (c) Exxon-Mobil, (d) Enron, (e) Conoco, (f) Texaco and (g) TotalFinaElf with regard to the Performance and Innovation Unit Energy Review; what meetings he held with each company; when the representations were received and the meetings held; if he will place related documentation in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [33223]

The Prime Minister: Over 400 responses have been received, most of which are available on the PIU website, www.piu.gov.uk.

The PIU energy review will make recommendations on a range of issues and will be published in due course.

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions since 1997 when he has discussed UK energy policy with members of the American embassy in London; and if he will make a statement. [32506]

The Prime Minister: I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Tom Brake: To ask the Prime Minister on what occasions he and his Department have held meetings since May 1997 with representatives from (a) BP, (b) Shell, (c) Exxon-Mobil, (d) Enron, (e) Conoco, (f) Texaco and (g) TotalFinaElf; if he will state the purpose of each meeting; and if he will provide details of the outcomes and agreements reached as a result of each meeting. [33217]

The Prime Minister: As my official spokesman has already confirmed, I have not had formal meetings with representatives from Enron.

I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions on which he has met senior executives of energy companies since 7 June 2001; and if he will make a statement. [32810]

The Prime Minister: As my official spokesman has already confirmed, I have not had formal meetings with representatives from Enron.

I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings.

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Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 19 November 2001, Official Report, column 102W, on BP, for what reason his normal practice did not apply in respect of Enron; and if he will disapply it in respect of BP. [33303]

The Prime Minister: As with previous Administrations, it is not normal practice to provide details of ministerial meetings. However on this occasion because unsubstantiated and unjustified allegations were made against the Government it was thought right to make clear, without setting a precedent, where there had been meetings with the DTI as that is the lead Department dealing with energy policy.

Railtrack

Chris Grayling: To ask the Prime Minister what information from the Railtrack administrator he has received to indicate that they have uncovered greater financial difficulties at the company than had previously been recognised. [33395]

The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to my previous answer.

Parliamentary Questions

Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Prime Minister what guidance he has given to Ministers on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions. [32855]

The Prime Minister: The Government have made it clear that they are committed to providing prompt and accurate answers to parliamentary questions. The Secretary to the Cabinet has written to all Departments reminding them of the importance of answering parliamentary questions helpfully and within the required time scales.

Broadcasting

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the work of his special adviser with responsibility for issues relating to the broadcasting industry. [33325]

The Prime Minister: The special adviser works in the No. 10 Policy Directorate, which covers domestic policy including the broadcasting industry.

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) integrated digital and (b) analogue television sets have been bought by his Department in each of the last 24 months; and if he will publish the guidance given to officials making decisions on television purchases. [33225]

The Prime Minister: My office has not bought any televisions during the last 24 months.

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Prime Minister who is responsible for making the decision about the switch off of the analogue television signal. [33326]

The Prime Minister: A decision to switch off analogue terrestrial television transmissions will be taken collectively by the Government. A number of Government Departments have an interest in managing the terrestrial broadcasting spectrum, in particular the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Trade and Industry.

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Ministerial Meetings

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Prime Minister in relation to the meeting that he had on 2 December 1999 with Lou Gerstner, what the criteria were according to which that meeting was arranged; what its outcome was; and if he will make a statement. [33670]

The Prime Minister: It is not the normal practice of the Government to release details of meetings or discussions with private individuals or companies.

UK-Japan 21st Century Group

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the agenda for the February conference of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group. [32256]

The Prime Minister: The UK-Japan 21st Century Group is a non-governmental organisation.

Acquis Communautaire

Mr. Soames: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement defining his interpretation of the acquis communautaire. [33262]

The Prime Minister: The acquis communautaire is generally understood to mean everything decided and agreed upon by the Communities and the state of Community law at any given time. It covers the whole range of principles, policies, laws, practices and obligations that have been agreed or that have been developed within the European Communities.

Ispat International

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from employees or directors of Ispat International between May 1997 and December 2001; and if he will list them by date and subject. [33117]

The Prime Minister: On the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office I wrote to the Romanian Prime Minister on 23 July 2001 welcoming the contract for the privatisation of the Romanian steel plant SIDEX with the British LNM group.

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what meetings have taken place and on which dates between (a) himself, (b) officials within the Prime Minister's office and (c) special advisers within the Prime Minister's office and representatives of Ispat International since May 1997. [33116]

The Prime Minister: It is not the normal practice of the Government to release details of meetings or discussions with private individuals or companies.

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