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5 Dec 2002 : Column 977W—continued

Probation

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the expected gross increase in the National Probation Service budget is for the next financial year; how much of that increase will be spent on (a) National Directorate administration and programmes, (b) probation officer training, (c) hostels revenue grant and (d) probation board revenue resource allocation; and how much of the Probation Board allocation will be spent on (i) property and estate charges and (ii) national information technology increases. [84303]

Hilary Benn [holding answer 2 December 2002]: The National Probation Service budget for the next financial year is expected to rise from £675.8 million to £746 million, an increase of just over £70 million. This is analysed as follows:

£ million

	2002–03	2003–04	Change
(a) National Probation Directorate (NPD) Admin and Programmes	52.8	50.7	-2.1
(b) Probation Officer Training	42.0	53.0	11.0
(c) Hostels Revenue Grant	42.7	49.0	6.3
(d) General Revenue Allocation	520.0	575.0	55.0
(e) Estate and Hostels	18.3	18.3	0.0
Total	675.8	746.0	70.2

It is estimated that the property and estate charges (excluding approved premises) will be about £62 million in 2003–04. The Home Office does not have precise information from probation boards about expenditure on property and estate charges in 2002–03. It is estimated that the costs in 2002–03 are about £52 million. The total budget of £62 million represents about 10 per cent. of the combined expenditure on the main service including training.

It is estimated that the information technology costs will increase from £16 million to £21 million. Most of this increase is required to provide a superior network. The total budget of £21 million for boards represents 3.1 per cent. of the combined board expenditure on main service activities, hostels and training.

Substance Misuse

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on preventive measures to tackle the misuse of (a) alcohol, (b) tobacco, (c) cannabis, (d) ecstasy, (e) amphetamines, (f) LSD, (g) heroin, (h) cocaine and (i) crack cocaine, in each of the last five years. [83466]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 28 November 2002]: With regard to expenditure related to alcohol and tobacco I refer the hon. Member to the response given by my hon. Friend the Member for Salford (Ms Blears) to his question on 28 October 2002, Official Report, column 665W.

Separate figures are not available for the different illicit drugs specified. The nature of the expenditure can however be broken down by purpose. Figures for

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planned preventative expenditure across Government on all illicit drugs for the period 2000–01 to 2002–03 as follows:

preventing drug misuse by young people, including education, and early interventions which are particularly targeted at vulnerable young people—2000–01: £63 million, 2001–02: £92 million, 2002–03: £102 million;


prevention of misuse by initiatives to disrupt trafficking and to reduce the supply of drugs—2000–01: £353 million, 2001–02: £373 million, 2002–03 : £376 million; and


preventative initiatives to strengthen communities and reduce the impact on them of drug misuse—2000–01: £45 million, 2001–02: £139 million, 2002–03: £171 million.

Visa Conditions

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those granted visas to visit the UK, with conditions attached, failed to abide by those conditions in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001. [85137]

Beverley Hughes: Information on those people granted visas to visit the UK who failed to abide by the conditions of those visas in 2000 and 2001 is not available.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

College Green Ticket Office

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the (a) budgeted and (b) outturn cost was of the College Green ticket office. [84721]

Mr. Kirkwood: The budget for the College Green ticket office was £53,000. The outturn cost is forecast at £53,019.

New Palace Yard (Security Arrangements)

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost was of the new security arrangements in New Palace Yard. [84719]

Mr. Kirkwood: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Sir Nicholas Winterton) on 21 October 2002, Official Report, column 6W.

Westminster Hall Cafeteria

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what was (a) the capital cost and (b) the gross and net annual budgeted running cost of the Westminster Hall cafeteria in the last three years. [84720]

Mr. Kirkwood: Westminster Hall Cafeteria has been closed since December 2000 while being converted into new visitor facilities, including a new café, lavatories and a lift for disabled access to the Grand Committee Room and other areas. No costs were therefore incurred after that date.

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There was no capital expenditure on the Westminster Hall Cafeteria in the two years before its closure.

During the nine months April to December 2000, the actual gross running cost was £197,000; after a contribution from sales of £85,000, the net running cost for 2000–01 was £112,000.

For the year April 1999 to March 2000, the actual gross running cost was £318,000; after a contribution from sales of £132,000, the net running cost was £186,000.

Payroll budgets are not disaggregated, and so the budgeted gross and net annual running costs are not available.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

EU Equality Directives

36. Joyce Quin: To ask the Minister for Women what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the implementation of EU equality directives. [83641]

Ms Hewitt: I have had no specific discussions with my EU counterparts on the implementation of EU equality directives.

Pay Differentials

37. Mr. Bercow: To ask the Minister for Women what assessment she has made of the extent of differences in pay between men and women; and what her policy is towards it. [83643]

Ms Hewitt: Since the Equal Pay Act was introduced in 1970, the pay gap has reduced from 37 per cent. to 19 per cent. today. We are tackling the various causes of this pay gap, in particular by helping mothers to balance work and family responsibilities.

Women (Public Life)

38. Linda Gilroy: To ask the Minister for Women how the work of her Department supports women in social enterprise. [83644]

Ms Hewitt: Women already play an important part in social enterprises and DTI supports them through a wide range of activities. This will be strengthened through implementation of the Government's three year strategy for social enterprise, which I launched in July.

39. Laura Moffatt : To ask the Minister for Women what progress she is making encouraging women to apply for posts on public bodies. [83645]

Ms Hewitt: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Reed).

Female Clergy

40. Mr. Edwards: To ask the Minister for Women what representations she has received about granting employment rights for female clergy and ministers of religion. [83646]

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Ms Hewitt: We are currently engaged in a wide-ranging consultation on the issue of employment status, and have had discussions with representatives of the clergy, and different faith communities and religious organisations, on the issue of extending employment rights. We have not had specific representations concerning female clergy to date, in response to the consultation, though I am aware of the case of Norma McNab which my hon. Friend recently raised with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

Retirement

Mr. Syms: To ask the Minister for Women what assessment she has made of the amount of financial provision women have made for retirement. [83640]

Ms Hewitt: The Government's forthcoming Green Paper on pensions will address the impact and effectiveness of the pension system for women.

The Government are committed to ensuring that women are not disadvantaged regarding pension provision and enjoy a decent income in retirement. We have already introduced a range of measures, including Stakeholder Pensions and State Second Pension to help with this.

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