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Press Releases
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many press releases were issued by his Department (a) between 1 May and 31 December 1997 and (b) in each year from 1998 to 2001 inclusive. [40037]
Dr. John Reid: Press releases issued by my Department are as follows:
| Month/year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1 May to 31 December 1997 | 844 |
| 1998 | 1,313 |
| 1999 | 1,055 |
| 2000 | 231 |
| 2001 | 248 |
| 2002 as of 1 March | 60 |
Police Injuries
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers were injured in the course of performing their duties in Northern Ireland in 2000. [35338]
Jane Kennedy: The table provides details of police officers injured as a result of terrorism or serious public disorder. Statistics on the number of police officers injured by other means (eg RTAs, and assaults while dealing with routine inquires) are not included.
| Police officers injured as a result of the security situation/serious public disorder | Number |
|---|---|
| Regular | 350 |
| Reserve | 96 |
| Total | 446 |
Consultants
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) which non-accounting and non- information technology external organisations have won new contracts with (a) his Department and (b) executive agencies in each of the past five years; [38735]
- (2) if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999, (c) May 1999 to April 2000, (d) May 2000 to April 2001 and (e) May 2001 to the latest date, indicating in each case the values of the contracts and the companies with which the contracts were placed; [38737]
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(3) which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations which previously held contracts with his Department (a) won new contracts at the culmination of the existing contracts and (b) won new contracts after a period of inactivity with his Department in each of the past five years. [38736]
Dr. John Reid: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Capita Group
Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many contracts the Department has with Capita; and how much they are worth. [38373]
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Fair Trade
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whether fair trade products are sold in his Department. [39824]
Mr. Wills: The Lord Chancellor's Department also replies on behalf of its associated offices and the Court Service.
Within the context of the Department's limited opportunity to buy fair trade goods, we take every opportunity to encourage their purchase in line with Government policy.
For instance, at our headquarters building, our caterers currently offer fair trade coffee. In addition, our caterers in our courts in the northern, north-eastern and north Wales regions offer both fair trade tea and coffee.
Both these suppliers have also agreed to promote the Fairtrade Foundation during Fair Trade Fortnight that runs from 4 to 17 March.
CAFCASS
Mr. Lepper: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on how the recommendations of the Advisory Board on Family Law: Children Act Sub-Committee to the Lord Chancellor on the question of parental contract in cases where there is domestic violence have been adopted by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. [40408]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) have ensured that the Advisory Board on Family Law: Children Act Sub-Committee's guidelines on parental contact where there are allegations of domestic violence have been promulgated to its staff. The Lord Chancellor's Department are monitoring the effectiveness of the guidelines, including their use by CAFCASS. CAFCASS is also a member of the Lord Chancellor's Working Group on Child Contact Centres to improve procedures for referral to contact centres in cases, including those where there has been domestic violence.
7 Mar 2002 : Column 527W
Human Rights
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he will review the United Kingdom's position under the various international human rights instruments. [42171]
Mr. Wills: The Lord Chancellor's Department will conduct a review with the following terms of reference:
- "To review the United Kingdom's position on international human rights instruments in the light of experience of the operation of the Human Rights Act, the availability of existing remedies within the UK, and law and practice in other EU member states; and to report by spring 2003".
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Sports Bodies
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 409W, on sports clubs, (1) on what evidence base the Government drew up proposals for reforming the system of rate relief for voluntary sports clubs contained in the White Paper, "Strong Local Leadership-Quality Public Services"; [39971]
- (2) whether official figures on rateable values define non-profit making sports bodies as a distinct category; and on what evidence the Government drew up the proposals for reforming the system of rate relief for voluntary sports clubs contained in the White Paper, "Strong Local Leadership-Quality Public Services". [39975]
Dr. Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
Rateable values for all non-domestic properties are published in the rating list for each billing authority in England. These indicate the type of each property, but do not record information about the occupiers of those properties. Sporting properties are identified by a number of categories, including bowling greens, clubhouses, cricket grounds/pitches, pavilions, golf courses, polo grounds, sports grounds, tennis courts/clubs, football grounds, football pitches, rugby union grounds. However, the rating lists do not show whether or not the occupiers of those properties are non-profit making sports bodies.
The proposals on rate relief for voluntary sports clubs in the White Paper "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services", follow consultation in the Green Paper, "Modernising Local Government Finances", which was published in September 2000. They are based on discussions with sports representative bodies and representations from many individual sports clubs. The White Paper proposals also take account of the decision of the Charity Commission, announced on 30 November 2001, to recognise community amateur sports clubs for charitable status. Both the White Paper proposals on rates and the Charity Commission announcement took account of evidence proved by the sports bodies and other sports clubs.
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Public Appointments (Warrington, North)
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people from Warrington, North she has appointed to non-departmental public bodies since 1997. [39451]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 5 March 2002]: Since 1997 my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) and I have made around 280 public appointments to non- departmental public bodies. Our records indicate that, while two of these live in Warrington, none live in the Warrington, North constituency.
WALES
Secondments
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in his Department have been seconded to jobs in the (a) private and (b) public sector in each of the last four years. [31772]
Mr. Paul Murphy: In respect of the former Welsh Office (up to June 1999): figures are not available for 1998–99; there was one secondment to the private sector and 30 secondments to the public sector in 1999–2000.
In respect of the Wales Office (since July 1999): there were no secondments in 1999–2000; there have been two secondments to the public sector in 2001–02.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the names of staff who have been seconded to his Department from the private sector since May 1997, indicating (a) the names of the organisation from which each has come, (b) their responsibilities and civil service grades within his Department, (c) the organisation responsible for paying their salary and (d) the start and end dates of their secondment. [35832]
Mr. Paul Murphy [holding answer 12 February 2002]: Figures are not available for 1997–98.
For 1999–2000 there were three people seconded to the Welsh Office (up to 30 June 1999) from the private sector.
For 2000–01 and 2001–02 there were no staff seconded to the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales from the private sector.
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