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Mr. Alastair Campbell

Mr. Collins: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish (a) the latest functions and (b) the salary of Mr. Alastair Campbell; and what changes have been made to them following the announcement of his new role relating to the Central Office of Information.[37158]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 26 February 2002]: Alastair Campbell is appointed under Article 3(3) of the Civil Service Order in Council. He is responsible for Communication and Strategy and in that role covers the work of the Press Office, the Strategic Communications Unit and the Research and Information Unit.

The Cabinet Office have already announced that following the quinquennial review of the Central Office of Information the Chief Executive of the COI will have an additional role as the Government's chief adviser on marketing communications and information campaigns and works with the Director of Communications and Strategy at No. 10. This will strengthen the co-ordination and planning of departmental publicity strategies across Whitehall and changes should be in place by 1 April 2002. The Chief Executive of the COI remains fully accountable to Cabinet Office Ministers for the work of the COI, and they remain accountable to Parliament. Individual departments remain responsible for individual campaigns.

Under the terms of the Order in Council Alastair Campbell is not restricted to an advisory role and is allowed to direct and manage permanent civil servants. On pay, I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Blunt) on 6 February 2002, Official Report, column 850W.

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Official Visits

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the official visits within the UK outside London he made in 2001 giving for each trip (a) the origin and destination and (b) the mode of travel used; and what guidance was used on the choice of mode of travel for official visits. [38160]

The Prime Minister: In 2001, I have undertaken the following official visits within the UK outside of London.

Date	Destination
9 January	Bristol
25–26 January	Teeside
1–2 February	Kettering, Birmingham
18 February	Glasgow
1–2 March	Gloucester, Swansea
7–9 March	Aldergrove, Inverness
14–15 March	Teeside
22–24 March	Carlisle, Exeter
27 March	Worcester
30 March	Carlisle, Newcastle
3 April	Colchester
3 April	Cardiff
6 April	Leeds/Bradford
11 April	Exeter/Torquay
18–19 April	Teeside
26 April	Carlisle, Cumbria, East Midlands
4 May	Teeside
22 June	Teeside
26–27 July	Carlisle, Penrith, Keswick, Hull
1–2 September	Edinburgh, Aberdeen
7–8 September	Teeside
11 September	Brighton
30 October	Bristol, Cardiff
5 November	Birmingham
22–23 November	Birmingham, Teeside
6 December	Reading
10 December	Essex
20–21 December	Teeside

My visits covered a range of matters including health, education, foot and mouth disease and tourism.

I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the official visits to (a) Paris and (b) Brussels made by him in 2001 and the mode of travel used; and what guidance was used on the choice of mode of travel for such visits. [38161]

The Prime Minister: Lists of overseas visits undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing more than ÿ500 during the period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 were placed in the Library of the House and published in the Official Report on 20 July 2001, column 467W. The list for the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year.

I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set

28 Feb 2002 : Column 1451W

out in chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers.

Catering Services

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his office in each of the last four years. [38925]

The Prime Minister: My office does not have an in-house canteen.

For the total cost to my Office for all official entertainment at 10 Downing Street and Chequers, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) today at column 1444W.

Mr. Martin Sixsmith

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Prime Minister if he will initiate an inquiry into the conduct of Sir Richard Mottram in relation to Mr. Martin Sixsmith. [38447]

The Prime Minister: No. Sir Richard Mottram has already provided a detailed account of his involvement in matters relating to Mr. Martin Sixsmith.

United Nations

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Prime Minister which Minister has responsibility for UK relations with the United Nations. [38500]

The Prime Minister: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane).

No. 10 Delivery Unit

Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the names of those in the No. 10 Delivery Unit, who are responsible for overseeing the work in the areas of (a) transport, (b) health, (c) crime and asylum and (d) education. [38405]

The Prime Minister: The Delivery Unit reports to me under the day to day supervision of the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Macdonald, and is headed by Michael Barber. The unit is working closely with the Treasury and other Departments to ensure that the Government achieve their delivery priorities during this Parliament across the key areas of public service: health, education, crime, asylum and transport. At 1 January 2002, 17 full-time and three part-time civil servants were employed in the Delivery Unit, and no special advisers.

Business Contracts

Mr. Chope: To ask the Prime Minister, (1) pursuant to his answer of 25 February 2002, Ref 36802, Official Report, column 701W, under what provision of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information he has declined to say on how many occasions in the past two years he has written to foreign Governments about the award of contracts to companies with British interests. [39032]

28 Feb 2002 : Column 1452W

(2) on how many occasions in the past two years he has written to the Prime Minister of Romania about the award of contracts to companies with British interests.[39039]

The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to my previous answer for the reasons I explained. It is not normal practice to release letters from the Prime Minister to another Head of Government under exemption 1(b) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Exemption 13 of the Code also applies with regard to commercial confidentiality.

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will name the person or persons responsible for drafting the letter to the Romanian Prime Minister regarding LNM-Ispat International's contract for the SIDEX steel plant;[39041]

(2) how many drafts were made of the letter to the Romanian Prime Minister, Adrian Nastasi, regarding LNM-Ispat International's contract for the SIDEX steel plant; [39042]

(3) on whose advice and authority the letter to the Romanian Prime Minister regarding LNM-Ispat International's contract for the SIDEX steel plant was (a) drafted, (b) signed and (c) sent. [39040]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him and the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) on 14 February 2002, Official Report, columns 610–11W.

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Prime Minister on behalf of how many companies (a) in the United Kingdom, (b) on the Isle of Wight and (c) in Leicestershire he has written to overseas leaders seeking support for investment contracts since 1997. [39333]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him and the hon. Member for East Carmarthen and Dinefwr (Adam Price) on Thursday 14 February, Official Report, columns 610–11W.

Hammond Inquiry

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Prime Minister for what reason he decided to re-open Sir Anthony Hammond's inquiry into the Hinduja passport affair; how many representations, and from whom, he received to do so; and when the first such representation was received. [39334]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on Tuesday 5 February 2002, Official Report, column 864W.

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