| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Empty Properties
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 6 February 2002, Official Report, column 943W, what the total area in square feet of all empty properties owned by (a) his Department, (b) his agencies and (c) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility was in each year since May 1997. [37916]
Mr. Leslie: Information requested, covering 1997–98 to 2000–01 (inclusive), is as follows.
11 Mar 2002 : Column 778W
| Square feet | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 179,000 |
| 1998–99 | 292,000 |
| 1999–2000 | 292,000 |
| 2000–01 | 160,000 |
With one exception, which is the subject of a forthcoming PFI, all buildings were surplus to the Department's requirements and were in the process of being disposed.
11 Mar 2002 : Column 779W
Notes:
1. The figures are for the "core" of the Department as none of its agencies, nor non-departmental public bodies have owned any empty properties.
2. Excluded from the figures is the project, commenced in 1998–99, to refurbish three vacant buildings. The first of these (Admiralty Arch) was completed and occupied by staff in 2000–01. When the other two buildings (Kirkland House and the Ripley Building) are completed in 2002–03, they will form 22 Whitehall; one of the Department's major buildings.
Press and Public Relations
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 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. [40031]
Mr. Leslie: The Cabinet Office released 159 press notices between 1 May and 31 December 1997.
The number of press notices the Cabinet Office released for each calendar year from 1998 to 2001 is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 277 |
| 1999 | 343 |
| 2000 | 433 |
| 2001 | 203 |
The Cabinet Office press office also issues press releases on behalf of the Privy Council Office. The figures for 1997, 1998 and 1999 include operational notes/invitations. The figures for 1999 and 2000 also include press notices issued by the Year 2000 Media Co-ordination Unit, which operated from the Cabinet Office.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people were employed in a press or public relations function in his Department on 1 January in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002. [39934]
Mr. Leslie: Before 1998 the number of press officers in the Cabinet Office press office is available only as an average for financial years. In the financial year 1996–97 the average number of press officers was seven.
The number of press officers employed in the Cabinet Office press office since 1998 is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| January 1998 | 11 |
| January 1999 | 14 |
| 1 January 2000 | 20 |
| 1 January 2001 | 16 |
| 1 January 2002 | 18 |
The Cabinet Office press office does not have specific personnel for performing public relations functions. Where required the press officers would fulfil some of this role.
Government Regional Offices (England)
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) running cost and (b) total budget is of the English Government regional offices in 2001–02. [33993]
11 Mar 2002 : Column 780W
Mrs. Roche: The administrative running costs (including a small capital allocation) for each of the Government Offices for the Regions for 2001–02 are given in the table.
| GO | Running costs 2001–02 |
|---|---|
| North East | 9,694 |
| North West | 15,255 |
| Yorkshire and Humber | 10,467 |
| West Midlands | 10,184 |
| East Midlands | 8,388 |
| East | 9,238 |
| South West | 11,707 |
| South East | 10,330 |
| London(48) | 21,325 |
| Total | 106,588 |
(48) GO London figures include the Regional Co-ordination Unit
Job Sharing
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in his Department. [41013]
Mr. Leslie: The Cabinet Office currently employs 12 members of staff on a job share contract.
The Cabinet Office is committed to supporting part- time working, job-sharing and other forms of alternative working patterns. It is Cabinet Office policy that all advertised posts will normally be open to anyone wishing to work an alternative working pattern, including part-timers and job sharers although there will be some instances where this is not possible due to the nature of the work. The flexibility of any alternative working pattern is decided in conjunction with local management to suit an individual's needs and the needs of their work.
Non-Governmental Organisation
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the non-Governmental organisations operating in the South West Region that receive public funds from his Department; and what amount of annual funding they received in the most recent year for which figures are available. [39133]
The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: Details of non-governmental organisations which receive grants from the Cabinet Office can be found on page 143 of the Cabinet Office Departmental Report 2001 (Cm 5119).
Information is not held about the regions covered by the non-governmental organisations which receive grants from the Cabinet Office.
11 Mar 2002 : Column 781W
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
BSE
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when, and by whom, she was informed of the latest cases of meat from the offspring of BSE-infected cows entering the food chain; and when she informed the Food Standards Agency. [37864]
Margaret Beckett: DEFRA headquarters were verbally informed by the Animal Health Divisional Office on Friday 8 February. Ministers and the Food Standards Agency were informed on Monday 11 February when a more detailed report of the incident was received.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she is taking in relation to the latest instances of meat from the offspring of BSE infected cows which has entered the food chain; and if she will make a statement. [37865]
Margaret Beckett: We are urgently checking to see whether there are any more cases and enhancing our computer systems to reduce the risk of this happening in future. We have also reminded farmers that animals subject to restriction notice must not enter the food chain.
Foot and Mouth
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the farms in North Yorkshire which became foot and mouth infected premises after their appeal against her Department's decision to cull on their land was upheld by the Divisional Veterinary Manager. [37528]
Margaret Beckett: The seven farms were premises under the following ownership:
- D. M. and R. E. Capstick of Bellbusk parish, Settle— IP 2001/1739
P. T. Stephenson of Bishopdale parish—IP 2001/1812
Mr. and G. D. Beresford of Haltonwest parish, Settle— IP 2001/1663
J. H. Clarke Partners of Kepwick parish, Thirsk—IP 2001/1930
Bainbridge Partners of Lealholm parish, Whitby—IP 2001/1815
Wade and Son of Linton parish, Settle—IP 2001/1770
W. and D. Scaife and Son of Nether Silton parish, Thirsk— IP 2001/1847.
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 28 February 2002]: During the foot and mouth outbreak the following number of animals were slaughtered in Cumbria as a result of 3km cull arrangements:
11 Mar 2002 : Column 782W
In the 3km cull animals were culled under the powers in the Animal Health Act 1981, on the basis that they had been exposed to infection. However, it was implemented by dealing first with those farms where keepers were willing to co-operate with the cull, hence the use of the term "voluntary cull" as a shorthand for the 3km cull operation.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the flock of sheep in Kirkby Stephen in which one animal was found to be foot and mouth antibody positive was tested for the presence of antibodies prior to its arrival on the farm. [38825]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 28 February 2002]: Yes, the flock of sheep from which the seropositive sheep originated had been tested previously for the presence of antibodies, with negative results.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether confirmed cases of foot and mouth are determined according to clinical signs of the disease, the presence of disease antibodies, the presence of a live virus, or by other means; and if she will make a statement on whether the criteria for determining infected premises has changed since 30 September. [38831]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 28 February 2002]: During last year's outbreak, diagnosis of food and mouth disease (FMD) was normally confirmed by the National Disease Control Centre on the basis of clinical observations of a veterinary inspector on the spot. Some cases were confirmed on the basis of laboratory tests which confirmed the presence of FMD antibodies or virus. It is nearly five months since the last outbreak of foot and mouth and confirmation of any future case would need to be based on laboratory tests that confirm the presence of the virus.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what reports she has received from police officers on police involvement in the culling of animals during the foot and mouth epidemic. [41219]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 11 March 2002]: The Department has received no reports on police involvement in the culling of animals during the foot and mouth epidemic.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many suspected cases of foot and mouth disease there have been since 30 September. [40370]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 4 March 2002]: Since 30 September there have been 75 suspected cases of foot and mouth disease reported in the United Kingdom. All have been thoroughly investigated and in all cases no evidence of the foot and mouth virus was found.
11 Mar 2002 : Column 783W
Notes:
This figure includes:
Report cases which were later cleared on clinical examination;
Slaughter on Suspicion (SOS) and Test on Suspicion (TOS) animals slaughtered on the grounds of suspected clinical signs of the disease.
Not included in this figure:
Flocks and animals in flocks which were slaughtered on the basis of sero-positive reactions where there were no clinical signs of disease are not classified as suspect cases as these animals were slaughtered because DEFRA had evidence that the animals had been exposed to infection but there were no grounds to suspect disease.
Source:
DEFRA Disease Control System database as at 12:00 on 4 March 2002—figures are subject to change as more data become available.
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 4 March 2002]: The Department keeps stocks of a range of warning notices for the control of food and mouth disease. The following orders were placed by the Animal Disease Control Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, with the Department's own printing services.
- (i) On 22 February 2001, an order for the printing of notice FM44 which says "Please keep out".
- (ii) On 6 March 2001, an order for the printing of notice FM25, which says "No admittance on account of FMD".
- (iii) On 24 may 2001, an order for the printing of poster FM28 "Notice to the General Public in FMD Infected Areas".
Information on orders placed by local Animal Health Offices and Disease Control Centres is not readily available.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the contractors involved in the slaughter and disposal of animals at Sparum Farm, Kidderminster, during the foot and mouth epidemic; and what the cost to public funds of their work was. [40369]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 4 March 2002]: The contractors involved in the slaughter and disposal of animals at Sparum Farm, Kidderminster, during the foot and mouth epidemic were: F. M. Caine and Sons, Ruttle Plant Hire Ltd. and Farm Assist Ltd. The invoices and accounts for this work have not been finalised.
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 212W, on culls, what measures she is taking to compensate those animal owners whose appeals against culls were upheld; and if she will make a statement. [41970]
Mr. Morley: Compensation at market value is paid to farmers whose animals are slaughtered as part of foot and mouth disease control measures taken under the Animal Health Act 1981.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what basis the decision was taken for interviews with Ministers and
11 Mar 2002 : Column 784W
senior officials not to be recorded verbatim during the Anderson Lessons Learned inquiry; and if she will make a statement. [40704]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 5 March 2002]: This is a matter for the Lessons Learned inquiry. The conditions under which any person will be interviewed (not just Ministers and senior officials) in London by the inquiry are outlined in Dr. Anderson's "Procedures for Gathering Information at Inquiry Meetings", which is available on the Lessons Learned website.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 212W, on foot and mouth disease monitoring, how many sentinel animals have been tested for foot-and-mouth since restocking of culled premises began; and what proportion were identified as carrying the foot-and-mouth (a) live virus and (b) antibody. [41973]
Mr. Morley: 189,694 blood samples from sentinel animals have been tested since restocking began. Six samples (0.003 per cent.) have tested positive for Foot and Mouth Disease antibodies. No live virus has been detected.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |