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Relocation Expenses

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her policy is on the payment of relocation expenses to staff in her Department. [41030]

Clare Short: Our policy is to offer support for the additional costs staff necessarily incur in relocating. The level of support, which is currently under review, depends on the nature of the relocation, particularly whether it is in the UK or overseas. Relocation assistance normally includes the costs associated with preparing for relocation, securing accommodation, and a range of travel, freight, storage and other necessary expenses.

SCOTLAND

Unsung Heroines Award Ceremony

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total cost to her Department was of hosting the Unsung Heroines' awards ceremony at Edinburgh Castle on 7 March. [42527]

Mrs. Liddell: The reception, which honoured Unsung Heroines in the context of International Women's Day, will cost approximately £3,900.

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list those hon. Members who submitted nominations for the Unsung Heroines awards ceremony. [42528]

12 Mar 2002 : Column 900W

Mrs. Liddell: All right hon. and hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies were invited to submit nominations. The Members representing the following constituencies put nominations forward:

Aberdeen Central (Mr. Doran)


Aberdeen North (Mr. Savidge)


Aberdeen South (Ms Begg)


Airdrie and Shotts (Mrs. Liddell)


Angus (Mr. Weir)


Argyll and Bute (Mr. Alan Reid)


Ayr (Ms Osborne)


Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Viscount Thurso)


Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes)


Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington)


Clydesdale (Mr. Hood)


Coatbridge and Chryston (Mr. Tom Clarke)


Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Ms McKenna)


Cunninghame South (Mr. Donohoe)


Dumbarton (Mr. McFall)


Dumfries (Mr. Russell Brown)


Dundee East (Mr. Luke)


Dunfermline East (Mr. Gordon Brown)


Dunfermline West (Ms Squire)


East Kilbride (Mr. Ingram)


East Lothian (Ms Picking)


Eastwood (Mr. Murphy)


Edinburgh Central (Mr. Darling)


Edinburgh East and Musselburgh (Mr. Strang)


Edinburgh North and Leith (Mr. Lazarowicz)


Edinburgh Pentlands (Dr. Lynda Clark)


Edinburgh South (Mr. Griffiths)


Falkirk East (Mr. Connarty)


Falkirk West (Mr. Joyce)


Glasgow Anniesland (Mr. Robertson)


Glasgow Maryhill (Ms McKechin)


Glasgow Rutherglen (Mr. McAvoy)


Glasgow Springburn (Mr. Speaker)


Gordon (Mr. Bruce)


Greenock and Inverclyde (Mr. Cairns)


Hamilton North and Bellshill (Dr. John Reid)


Hamilton South (Mr. Tynan)


Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber (Mr. Stewart)


Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Mr. Des Browne)


Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell)


Livingstone (Mr. Cook)


Motherwell and Wishaw (Mr. Roy)


North East Fife (Mr. Campbell)


Paisley North (Mrs. Adams)


Paisley South (Mr. Alexander)


Ross, Skye and Inverness West (Mr. Kennedy)


Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood)


Stirling (Mrs. McGuire)


Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Mr. Lyons)


West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Sir Robert Smith)


West Renfrewshire (Mr. Sheridan).

12 Mar 2002 : Column 901W

Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many appointments to public bodies have been made through her Department (a) from April 2000 to March 2001 and (b) since 31 March 2001; and how many of these were (i) men and (ii) women. [42152]

Mrs. Liddell: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999.

I have made no appointments to public bodies since that date.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND

THE REGIONS

Business Contracts

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he will list the (a) title, (b) date of award, (c) length of contract, (d) cost and (e) terms of reference of research or other contracts awarded since (i) 1 May 1997 and (ii) 1 January 2001 by (A) his Department and (B) the Health and Safety Executive to (1) Balfour Beatty plc, (2) Bombardier Transportation (formerly Adtranz), (3) WS Atkins plc, (4) Amey/Amec, (5) Bechtel-Halcrow, (6) Jarvis and (7) AEA Technology; [38962]

(2) if he will list the projects on which (a) Balfour Beatty plc, (b) Bombardier Transportation (formerly Adtranz), (c) WS Atkins plc, (d) Amey/Amec, (e) Bechtel-Halcrow, (f) Jarvis, (g) Seeboard Group plc, (h) Thames Water plc and (i) AEA Technology are engaged (i) for and (ii) with his Department; [38988]

(3) if he will list the (a) title, (b) date of award, (c) length of contract, (d) cost and (e) terms of reference of all technical support framework agreements since (i) 1 May 1997 and (ii) 1 January 2001 between (A) his Department and (B) the Health and Safety Executive with (1) Balfour Beatty plc, (2) Bombardier Transportation (formerly Adtranz), (3) WS Atkins plc, (4) Amey/Amec, (5) Bechtel-Halcrow, (6) Jarvis and (7) AEA Technology; if he will list all (x) published documentation and (y) unpublished written reports; and if he will place copies of related documentation in the Library. [38970]

Dr. Whitehead: The information requested is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. With reference to information on published and unpublished documentation, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 4 March 2002, Official Report, columns 90–91W.

Resignations

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on what date his Department received a written letter of resignation from (a) Jo Moore and (b) Martin Sixsmith. [40211]

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his statement of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 563–64, on the resignation of Mr. Martin Sixsmith, what evidence he has collated that (a) at least one of his officials briefed the press that the line used by

12 Mar 2002 : Column 902W

the Prime Minister's official spokesman on 14 February was incorrect and (b) an official said that he was ringing on behalf of Mr. Sixsmith; and whether he knows the identity of those officials. [39905]

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when Mr. Martin Sixsmith's three conditions for resignation described in Sir Richard Mottram's statement of 25 February were met. [39906]

Mr. Byers: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made to the House on 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 563–64, and that of Sir Richard Mottram, the Permanent Secretary of my Department, made on Monday 25 February, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the date was on which Mr. Martin Sixsmith ceased to be employed by his Department. [39511]

Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his oral statement on 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 574, if he will place in the Library the letter of resignation from Mr. Martin Sixsmith dated 15 February; and by what means Mr. Sixsmith formally tendered the resignation announced on the same day. [40081]

Mr. Byers [holding answer 1 March 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement of Sir Richard Mottram, the Permanent Secretary of my Department, made on Monday 25 February 2002. A copy of this is available in the Libraries of the House.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) whether Mr. Martin Sixsmith was receiving a salary from his Department on 26 February; [40088]

(2) if he will make a statement on the investigation into authorised briefings by civil servants in his Department; and by when he expects the investigation to be completed; [40097]

(3) if he will publish the terms of Mr. Martin Sixsmith's resignation; [40094]

(4) whether the investigation into authorised briefings by civil servants in his Department is confined to his Department's press office; [40096]

(5) whether Mr. Martin Sixsmith is to receive a one-off payment from public funds in relation to his resignation. [40093]

Mr. Byers [holding answer 4 March 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by Sir Richard Mottram, the Permanent Secretary of my Department, on Monday 25 February 2002. A copy of this is available in the Libraries of the House.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) on what date Mr. Martin Sixsmith's employment ceased; [40087]

(2) what (a) direct and (b) indirect involvement he had in the negotiations with Mr. Martin Sixsmith over one-off payment from public funds in relation to his resignation. [40095]

12 Mar 2002 : Column 903W

Mr. Byers [holding answer 4 March 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made to the House on 26 February 2002, Official Report, columns 463–64, and that of Sir Richard Mottram, the Permanent Secretary of my department, made on 25 February, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

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