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Relationships (Civil Registration) Bill

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact enactment of the Relationships (Civil Registration) Bill would have on his Department; and if he will make a statement. [29845]

Mrs. Roche: Civil partnership registration and associated rights and responsibilities raise a number of complex issues, which have prompted a growing debate within society and the Government are watching this debate with interest.

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These issues potentially have significant financial and administrative implications and the Government cannot commit themselves to making any changes in these areas before undertaking a comprehensive analysis of all the implications. The Government are examining the issues in detail. The Home Office will contribute to the work, which the Cabinet Office is co-ordinating.

Television Sets

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Deputy 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. [33228]

Mr. Leslie: The information in (a) and (b) could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

My Department follows the Government's requirement to consider the whole-life cost when making any purchasing decision. Whole-life costs take account of possible future obsolescence.

Computer Hacking

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions in 2001 attempts were made to gain unauthorised access to computers in his Department by hacking; and of those how many were successful. [32737]

Mr. Leslie: During 2001 there have been no identified cases of successful attempts to gain unauthorised access to computers in my Department and its agencies by hacking.

Lost/Stolen Property

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list those items valued at more than £50 which have been stolen or lost from his Department in each of the last four years. [28006]

Mr. Leslie [pursuant to his reply, 29 January 2002, c. 251]: I regret that my answer on lost or stolen items from my office was incorrect, and the Prime Minister's Office should not have been included. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's answer to an identical parliamentary question from the hon. Member for Buckingham is to be found on 28 January 2002, Official Report, column 26W.

Regulatory Reform

Valerie Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Government's regulatory reform action plan will be published. [33655]

Mr. Leslie: The Government have today published their regulatory reform action plan. This fulfils a commitment given in July 2001 to produce a list of reforms, including those that could be delivered through the new streamlined process under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001.

This action plan contains 63 new proposals for regulatory reform orders. It is also wide-ranging, covering reform at all levels, across all sectors and by all routes and bringing together over 260 proposals for change that will benefit businesses, charities, the voluntary and wider public sectors, and the individual citizen.

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The Government are committed to better regulation. This involves legislating only where necessary and in the most efficient way, and deregulating and simplifying existing legislation wherever possible. The action plan brings together our proposals for deregulation and better regulation.

The plan represents a beginning, and the Government will report on progress. In the plan, we also ask people to come forward with detailed suggestions for what more could be done to reduce bureaucratic burdens and to simplify legislation.

Copies of the plan are available from the Libraries of the House.

SCOTLAND

Air Traffic Control

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what preparatory work has been completed in the building of the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick; [29101]

Mrs. Liddell: My hon. Friend the Minister of State and I met with Richard Everitt, the CEO of National Air Traffic Services Ltd. (NATS) on 16 January. It was a useful and constructive meeting, at which I stressed the importance of the NATS new Scottish Centre (NSC) at Prestwick to the Scottish economy.

Mr. Everitt confirmed that NATS remained committed to a two-centre strategy, and to the construction of the NSC at Prestwick to bring it into operation in the

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2008–09 time scale. he has agreed to keep me informed over the coming months about NATS plans for implementation of the project.

I continue to have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on a wide range of transport issues which affect Scotland, including matters relating to the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick.

I have not received any requests from NATS asking for financial assistance for the centre at Prestwick.

NATS have indicated that their intention is to transfer staff from the existing centre at Prestwick to the new centre when it is completed. It is not expected that the operation of the new centre will result in additional jobs; however, there will be some additional short-term employment opportunities during the construction and commissioning phase.

Although construction of the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick is being deferred, contracts for the design of the building and initial site works are in progress and will be completed. The value of these contracts is a commercial matter between NATS and the contractors. Construction of the building and the design and installation of equipment systems will be subject to a competitive procurement process, which will determine the total costs of the new centre.

Television Sets

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) integrated digital and (b) analogue television sets have been bought by her Department in each of the last 24 months; and if she will publish the guidance given to officials making decisions on television purchases. [33239]

Mrs. Liddell: My Department has not purchased any television sets in the last 24 months. There are no specific guidelines for making television purchases but Departments are required to consider the whole life cost when making any purchasing decision. Whole life costs take account of possible future obsolescence.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Freedom of Information Act

Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what proposals he has for reviewing the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and what representations he has received on its operation. [32075]

Mr. Wills: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is not yet fully in force. The Lord Chancellor set out his proposals for the implementation of the Act in his report to Parliament in November 2000. When the Act is in operation, it is for the Information Commissioner to draw to the Government's attention any changes to the Act she wishes to see, in her annual statutory report to Parliament.

As the Act is not yet fully in force, no representations have been received on its operation.

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IT Consultants

Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much his Department spent on IT consultants in 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95. [32050]

Mr. Wills: Prior to 1995–96 information was not held centrally. On the best information available, I can provide total expenditure for external consultants for the specified period as set out in the table, but this cannot be broken down specifically for IT consultants.

£ million
1992–934.706
1993–942.070
1994–952.254

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