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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 22 April 2002
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Departmental Functions
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the functions of her Department that have been (a) market tested and (b) outsourced in each of the last five years, specifying the (i) money saving and (ii) percentage saving in each case. [42987]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 18 March 2002]: In relation to the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible, the answer is as follows:
The CPS has not conducted any formal market testing activity in the last five years.
The CPS has, however, let a major contract for the provision of IT services under private finance initiative (PFI) principles in December 2001. The service provision is due to commence in April 2002.
Treasury Solicitor's Department
In March 1999 a new cleaning contract was awarded by the Treasury Solicitor's Department following a competitive tendering exercise. Another contract was let, after a further tendering exercise, for the Department's security guarding function in December 1999, as a consequence of the withdrawal of the previous (public sector) supplier. There were no cost savings in either case.
In the last five years the Serious Fraud Office has market tested and outsourced IT, telecoms and off-site storage services. The remaining information requested could be provided only by the individual consideration of all relevant finance files for the last five years. This would involve disproportionate cost.
Public Service Agreements
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what recent assessment she has made of whether the PSA target to reduce unit costs per case in real terms by 1.3 per cent. by March will be met. [47815]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Information about progress on PSA targets will be published in the Law Officers' 2002 departmental report.
Property Protection
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what new measures her Department took in 2001–02 to protect its property from theft or damage. [47322]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 10 April 2002]: It is not the practice of the Law Officers to make public details of security arrangements for the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible.
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Ministerial Travel
Mr. Burns: To ask the Solicitor-General how many times Ministers in her Department have travelled abroad at taxpayers' expense since March 2001; what countries they visited; and what the total cost of each visit was. [47111]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Since 1999 this Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. The 1999 list contained information on all such visits undertaken from 2 May 1997 to 30 April 1999. Details for travel undertaken in the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year.
All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
Special Advisers
Mr. Burns: To ask the Solicitor-General how many times special advisers have accompanied Ministers on overseas visits in each of the last five years; which countries were visited; and what the total cost of each individual visit was. [47150]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 9 April 2002]: Neither the Attorney-General nor I employ special advisers.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Solicitor-General how much was spent by departmental special advisers on food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for entertainment purposes in each of the last five years. [46832]
The Solicitor-General: Nothing has been spent as neither the Attorney-General nor I employ special advisers.
Performance Targets
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what the target has been in each of the last five years for efficiency savings as a percentage of total running costs for each of the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible; and if the target was met. [49647]
The Solicitor-General: The Attorney-General is not responsible for any non-departmental bodies.
New Deal
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General how many people employed by the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible under the New Deal for Young People in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseekers' allowance or other benefits. [49612]
The Solicitor-General: The Attorney-General is not responsible for any non-departmental bodies.
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Porton Down
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Solicitor-General on what time scale she expects to reach conclusions in relation to the inquiry by Wiltshire Police into experiments at Porton Down, with special reference to (a) the file submitted to the Attorney-General in January 2001 concerning L.A.C. Ronald Maddison and (b) the police reports referring to experiments on the common cold. [47732]
The Solicitor-General: Wiltshire police commenced this inquiry in 1999.
As regards a possible prosecution, files of evidence for consideration by the CPS have been sent in stages since September 2001. A large quantity of material has been submitted and is in the process of being reviewed.
Further papers are expected from the police within the next few weeks. When all the evidence has been received, the CPS will conclude the review process promptly. There are no specific police reports referring to experiments on the common cold. These assertions are contained in numerous statements throughout the many evidential files and are being fully considered in conjunction with the other evidence.
Separately, an application has been made by HM Coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon for authority to apply to the Hight Court for a fresh inquest into the death of Ronald Maddison at Porton Down. The application has been granted by the Attorney-General.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
National Stadium
Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps will be taken to recover the £120 million of Lottery funding invested in the project should the decision be taken not to proceed with the development of a new national football stadium at Wembley after 30 April. [50928]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 18 April 2002]: This would be a matter for discussion between Sport England and the Football Association, and Wembley National Stadium Ltd.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans she has to withdraw her Department's support for the National Stadium project; what assessment she has made of the effect withdrawal would have on the future of the project; and if she will make a statement; [51761]
- (2) what assessment she has made of the impact of the FA's failure to satisfy the conditions she set out in her statement of 19 December 2001 on the future of the National Stadium project; and if she will make a statement. [51762]
Tessa Jowell: I set out to the House on 19 December 2001, Official Report, columns 291–93, the requirements that would need to be addressed by the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Limited, for the Government to be able to give support to the National Stadium project. That remains the Government's position
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and I understand the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Limited are working towards meeting those requirements.
Football
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last attended a Nationwide Football League match. [50848R]
Mr. Caborn: I attended the match between Norwich City and Stockport County on Sunday 20 April at Carrow Road.
Voluntary Sector
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire of 25 January 2002, Official Report, columns 1185–86W, on Government funding of the voluntary sector, if she will list the grant schemes and other mechanisms by which (a) her Department, (b) the Arts Council of England, (c) English Heritage and (d) Sport England distributes funding to voluntary sector organisations. [51404]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 19 April 2002]: The Department has no grant scheme by which it distributes Government funding to the voluntary sector. However, during the financial year 2000–01 we provided the Community Service Volunteers £67,000 towards the cost of their Lending Time project. We have contacted the Arts Council of England, English Heritage and Sport England to request the information required, and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the Libraries of both Houses.
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