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Mesothelioma (Compensation)

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action he will take to help sufferers from mesothelioma who, as a result of the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal in the Fairchild case, are unable to obtain compensation from their former employers through the courts. [36527]

Mr. Byers: The compensation scheme administered by the Department under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979 will be used to make payments

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to qualifying sufferers from mesothelioma who are affected by the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the Fairchild case.

This is a terrible disease and it would be wrong for employees, former employees and their families to be left without help as a result of this court judgment. As an interim measure, I am extending the compensation scheme my Department operates for sufferers of respiratory industrial diseases to cover qualifying employees. I am discussing with colleagues in government what further action might be taken in the longer term in response to the Fairchild judgment.

Electoral Modernisation

Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions further to his announcement on 5 February 2002, Official Report, column 829W, on local authorities who have been approved to run electoral modernisation pilot schemes in the May 2002 local elections, what other authorities have been approved to run schemes; and if he will make a statement. [36971]

Mr. Raynsford: I am pleased to announce that Middlesbrough council will join the 13 other local authorities to pilot an all postal ballot at local and mayoral elections this May.

I announced the other successful pilots for the May 2002 local elections on 5 February, when I gave the go-ahead for 30 councils to pilot new ways of voting and counting. These included testing early voting, all postal ballots and mobile ballot kiosks. Over half will explore innovative ways in which people can vote electronically including via the internet.

The pilot programme aims to build on the successes of earlier pilots—in the 2000 local elections—and explore other techniques to make the voting process simpler, accessible and more efficient for the electorate. We are particularly keen to engage younger voters and feel the new innovations will help.

In addition I have agreed that Kerrier district council who is due to hold a by-election for a casual vacancy can pilot an all postal ballot on that occasion.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION

Al-Yamamah Arms Agreement

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission how many copies of the 1992 National Audit Office report about the Al-Yamamah arms agreement were produced. [35029]

Mr. Alan Williams: 10 copies of the 1992 National Audit Office report on the Saudi Arabian Airforce Project—known as project Al-Yamamah—were produced.

The report looked at the use of taxpayers' money by the Ministry of Defence in relation to the project. It referred to confidential arrangements between the governments of the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. The report was not published because publication would have breached that pledge of confidentiality.

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The then PAC chairman (now Lord Sheldon) was quoted as saying after he and the then senior Conservative member of the PAC had considered the report in private in February 1992:

"I did an investigation and I find no evidence that the [MOD] made improper payments. I have found no evidence of fraud or corruption. The deal . . . complied with Treasury Approval and the rules of government accounting."

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Golden Jubilee

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what events (a) he is and (b) other Ministers in his Department are planning to attend as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations; and what events his Department is planning to arrange to celebrate the Golden Jubilee. [33244]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on 11 February 2002, Official Report, column 58W.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans there are to change the Cabinet Office departmental expenditure limit and the administration costs limit for 2001–02. [36855]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: Subject to parliamentary approval of the spring supplementary estimate the Cabinet Office DEL (resources and capital) will be increased by £54,599,000 from £348,264,000 to £402,863,000 and the administration costs limit will be increased from £246,753,000 to £267,704,000.

Within the DEL change the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the table:

	£000
Resources
Change	50,647
New DEL	315,096
of which:
Voted	306,349
Non-voted	8,747
Capital
Change	3,952
New DEL	87,767
of which:
Voted	87,767
Non-voted	—

The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from transfers from other Departments for Machinery of Government changes and other arrangements, additional provision for key priorities and improving public services and for improving security and communications systems following the events of 11 September.The change in the capital element of the DEL arises from transfers from other Departments for Machinery of Government changes and other arrangements and a reallocation from resource to capital.

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The increases will be offset by inter-departmental transfers or charged to the DEL reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Lost/stolen Property

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list those items valued at less than £50 each which have been stolen or lost from his Department in each of the last four years. [34220]

Mr. Leslie: Two items with a value equal to or less than £50 were reported stolen or lost within the last four financial years. Both incidents occurred in 1997–98.

Corresponding figures for the 2001–02 financial year have yet to be collated.

Kitchen equipment: £20


Foreign currency: £50.

Charity Law Reform Advisory Group

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Charity Law Reform Advisory Group is due to publish its conclusions. [35334]

Mrs. Roche: his is not a matter for the Government. The Charity Law Reform Advisory Group, was set up by NCVO—National Council for Voluntary Organisations. The conclusions for the group were published as a consultation document "For the public benefit?" in January 2001. Their consultation period ended on 31 July 2001.

Government Office for the West Midlands

David Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people are directly employed by the Government office for the west midlands; and how many equivalent full-time posts this represents. [34807]

Mrs. Roche: 263 people are directly employed by the Government office for the west midlands. This represents 250 full-time equivalent posts.

Working Conditions and Practices

Dr. Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment has been made of the effect of the working time directive on his Department's employees; how many employees are working in excess of 48 hours per week; what steps he is taking to reduce this number; and if he will make a statement. [35885]

Mr. Leslie: The standard terms and conditions of service for staff employed by the Cabinet Office and its agencies are within the limits set by the working time regulations. Those employees whose duties require them to work in excess of 48 hours on a regular basis are asked to sign an opt-out agreement. 170 members of staff have signed such an agreement.

Persistent working in excess of 48 hours per week is discouraged. My Department is committed to reducing the number of employees who are required to work long hours (by adjusting working hours or re-designing jobs) to an absolute minimum commensurate with meeting their operational needs. Work/life balance policies are in place to give managers greater flexibility in reducing the number of excess hours worked.

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E-democracy Projects

Margaret Moran: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list local authorities which have undertaken interactive e-democracy projects. [32222]

Mr. Leslie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Dr. Whitehead), on 13 February 2002.

Civil Servants

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of senior civil servants have

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previously been employed (a) in the private sector, (b) in local government administration and (c) in Government Offices for the Regions. [32906]

Mr. Leslie: Comprehensive information is not held centrally on what proportion of senior civil servants have previously been employed in (a) the private sector, (b) local government administration and (c) Government Offices for the Regions.

The table shows the number and proportion of people recruited through open competition to the senior civil service, by their previous employment sector, for the last five years.

	Civil service		Other public sector		Private sector		Total
Year	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
1996–97	32	33.3	37	38.5	27	28.1	96	100.00
1997–98	27	32.5	36	43.4	20	24.1	83	100.00
1998–99	32	29.9	44	41.1	31	29.0	107	100.00
1999–2000	55	34.8	59	37.3	44	27.8	158	100.00
2000–01	77	38.1	98	48.5	27	13.4	202	100.00

The proportion of senior civil servants working in Government Offices for the Regions posts at 1 April 2001 was around 1.6 per cent.

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