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Sunset Clauses

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans he has for the future use of such clauses. [49621]

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Ruth Kelly: None has contained sunset clauses applying to the Bill as a whole. Section 107 of Finance Act 2001 incorporates a sunset clause (sub-section (5)) applying to that section alone. The need for any such provision would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

WALES

Consignia

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what correspondence he has had with Consignia in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on what was discussed; [49324]

(2) what meetings he has had with Consignia in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on what was discussed at these meetings. [49737]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I have not received any correspondence or held any meetings with Consignia in the last 12 months.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the cost was to his Department of answering written parliamentary questions in 2001; and how that cost was calculated. [49104]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to you today 17 April 2002 by my right hon. Friend Robin Cook, Leader of the House.

Ministerial Duties

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) site visits and (b) official openings (i) he and (ii) the Under- Secretary of State for Wales have attended in each month since July 1999. [49329]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Since July 1999 both my hon. Friends the Parliamentary Under-Secretaries and I have undertaken a wide range of visits and official engagements in Wales. These have included site visits and official openings as well as equally important visits to local authorities, police authorities, farms, tourism outlets, universities and voluntary organisations.

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings (a) he and (b) the Under-Secretary of State for Wales have had in the National Assembly for Wales since 17 March. [49330]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Since my Department has offices in the National Assembly building at Cardiff Bay, my hon. Friend and I meet regularly there both with Assembly Members and with other people.

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what planned meetings (a) he and (b) the Under-Secretary of State for Wales have not attended in the National Assembly for Wales in the past month; and if he will state the reasons for non-attendance. [49331]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Both myself and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary attend a large number of formal and informal meetings in the National

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Assembly. However we are both aware that there will be an enormous number of meetings held in the Assembly and we are only invited to a small fraction of them.

Foreign Trade Missions

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many foreign trade missions (a) he and (b) the Under-Secretary of State for Wales have attended in each month since July 1999. [49332]

Mr. Paul Murphy: One, a mission led by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary Member to the Czech Republic. The reports of this visit from those companies accompanying my hon. Friend were very positive. The companies concerned have reported many new contacts made during the mission, which have directly resulted in some cases in requests for business partnerships and quotations for work in the Czech Republic.

Structural Funds

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he had with the Treasury on ensuring that (a) the full amount of European Structural Funds is drawn down to the National Assembly for Wales above the block grant and (b) full public match funding for the projects over and above the Barnett formula is provided during the next period of the next Comprehensive Spending Review. [49812]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I refer my hon. Member to the answers I gave the House on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 9.

Criminal Damage

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last four years. [44825]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Since my Department came into existence in July 1999 such costs have been de minimis.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

University Students

Mr. Davidson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many and what percentage of the British population attended (a) Oxford or Cambridge universities, (b) independent schools and (c) both, pursuant to his answer of 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 822W, on permanent secretaries in the Home Civil Service, what steps are being taken to ensure that there is equality of opportunity for appointment to senior posts; and if he will make a statement. [48702]

Mr. Leslie: The figures are not available in the form requested. However, in 2000 2.4 per cent. of students in higher education were studying at Oxford or Cambridge University, and 7 per cent. of pupils aged 14 were attending assisted or independent schools. Also in 2000, 45 per cent. of the 5,900 students entering Oxford or Cambridge University came from independent schools.

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All appointments to senior posts, as with all permanent civil service posts, are made on the basis of merit and an individual's ability to do the job.

Consultants

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 821W, regarding the use of external consultants, if he will list each of the projects, and the purpose for which external consultants were used, in each of the last four years. [50392]

Mr. Leslie: In the last four years my Department has used external consultants on a number of projects and assignments, which have included work on: e-Government; Y2K; civil service and public sector reform; the new civil service pensions scheme; social exclusion; and domestic IT systems.

Details of individual projects are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many private finance initiative projects have been subject to refinancing after the contracts have been signed; and what has been the financial effect in each case. [50291]

Mr. Leslie: The Cabinet Office does not currently have any PFI projects for which contracts have been signed.

Engineering Technology Board

Mr. Page: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many civil servants have member status of key institutions which are represented on the Engineering Technology Board. [49299]

Mr. Wilson [holding answer 15 April 2002]: I have been asked to reply.

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

PRIME MINISTER

Lord Levy

Mrs. May: To ask the Prime Minister what are the official title and responsibilities of Lord Levy. [49890]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Ms Coffey) on 9 July 2001, Official Report, column 350W.

Mrs. May: To ask the Prime Minister how many Government press conferences Lord Levy has attended in his capacity as a representative of the Government. [49893]

The Prime Minister: Lord Levy has attended press conferences when accompanying me or the Foreign Secretary.

Mrs. May: To ask the Prime Minister whether Lord Levy is obliged to report gifts, hospitality and services he receives in the course of his duties to a (a) permanent secretary and (b) representative of the Cabinet Secretariat. [49892]

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The Prime Minister: Lord Levy passes any gifts of value to my office, which handles them according to the usual procedures for Government gifts. Any hospitality and services provided to Lord Levy in the course of his duties as my envoy are known to the FCO and the UK diplomatic missions involved.

Mrs. May: To ask the Prime Minister if Lord Levy adheres to the Ministerial Code. [49891]

The Prime Minister: Lord Levy is not a Minister.

Mrs. May: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list (a) each foreign visit that Lord Levy has undertaken acting as a representative of the Government and (b) the cost of each trip to public funds since 23 October 2001. [49895]

The Prime Minister: Lord Levy has visited Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan, France and Germany in his role as the Prime Minister's envoy since 23 October 2001. Lord Levy received no remuneration and travels at his own expense. The FCO and diplomatic missions overseas provide him with practical support, the cost of which is not separately itemised.

Mrs. May: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will list the speeches that Lord Levy has made since his appointment as a representative of the Government; [49894]

(2) if speeches by Lord Levy on foreign policy issues are cleared by the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary of State. [49897]

The Prime Minister: Yes. Lord Levy has given one public speech in his capacity as my envoy, to the Foreign Affairs and Finance Committees of the Venezuelan National Assembly during his visit to Venezuela in November 2000.

Mrs. May: To ask the Prime Minister if Lord Levy informs the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary of State before making any foreign visit on behalf of the Government. [49896]

The Prime Minister: Lord Levy's foreign visits as my envoy are agreed in advance by the Foreign Secretary and me.

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