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1 May 2003 : Column 478W—continued
Manufacturing
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on manufacturing industry in Wales. [109965]
Peter Hain: The Government recognise that manufacturing in the UK, including Wales, has had a tough time and is still enduring the effects of the general global economic slowdown.
Manufacturing represents 30 per cent. of GDP in Wales and still has a fundamental role as a generator in the Welsh economy. While some traditional manufacturers are moving to Asia and the Far East, many new jobs are being created in Wales in hi-tech sectors.
The Chancellor's recent Budget announced a number of measures to support manufacturing which will help companies in making the transition from high volume/low worth to low volume/high worth production. These include a further extension of volume based Research and Development tax credit to all companies, the continuing process of establishing regional centres of manufacturing excellence, and an independent review aimed at ensuring a strong supply of highly skilled scientists and engineers.
In the past, when the world economy did badly, Wales did much worse—always first into the recession and last back out. Today, with the global economy again contracting, Wales is doing far better.
Parental Leave
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in his Department have used their leave entitlement under the Parental Leave Directive since it came into force. [108418]
Public Service Agreement
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (a) how many and (b) what grades of officials are responsible for the monitoring of progress towards the public service agreement targets of his Department. [109470]
Peter Hain: My Department does not have a Public Service Agreement.
Secondments
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many civil servants have been seconded from his Department to (a) the private sector, (b) NGOs and (c) other, broken down by (i) grade of civil servants seconded, (ii) location and (iii) dates of secondments, in each year since 1999–2000. [108088]
1 May 2003 : Column 479W
Peter Hain: The permanent civil servants in my Department are all on loan or secondment from other organisations. As such their home departments are responsible for forward secondments and loans to elsewhere. There have been two such secondments, one to the Home Office and the other to Buckingham Palace.
ADVOCATE-GENERAL
Accountancy Services
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Advocate General what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in 2002. [101858]
The Advocate-General for Scotland: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Agricultural Holdings Bill
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Advocate General if she will publish her decision on the compatibility of the Agricultural Holdings Bill and the Scotland Act 1998. [108955]
The Advocate-General for Scotland: Under section 33 of the Scotland Act 1998 I have the power, within four weeks of the passing of a Bill, to refer the question of whether a Bill or any provision of a Bill would be within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. With regard to the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill I decided not to refer the Bill or any provision of it to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Industrial Action
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Advocate-General how many working days were lost owing to industrial action by staff in her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies in 2002. [101957]
The Advocate-General for Scotland: None.
Ministerial Transport
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Advocate General what her estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for her Department in 2002. [101852]
The Advocate-General for Scotland: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
SCOTLAND
Shotgun Licences
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for a shotgun licence have been received during the last year for which figures are available from residents of (a) Dumfries and Galloway and (b) Scotland; and how many of these were refused. [108957]
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Mrs. Liddell: The most recent available information on applications for shotgun certificates in Scotland is for 2001.
In that year, in the Dumfries and Galloway police area, there were 1,495 applications—new and renewals—for shotgun certificates. Of these, six were refused.
For Scotland as a whole, in 2001, there were 16,632 applications for shotgun certificates, of which 61 were refused.
Full details are published in the Scottish Executive's statistical bulletin CrJ/2002/4, Firearm Certificates Statistics, Scotland, 2001.
Accountancy Services
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in 2002. [101857]
Mrs. Liddell: Accountancy services to my Department are provided, when required, by the Scottish Executive and separate costs are not available. The Scotland Office has not used other external accountancy services.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in 2002–03. [109495]
Mrs. Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to his earlier question of 7 March 2003, number 101857.
Civil Service Travel
Mr. Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what grades in the Civil Service in her Department are allowed to travel by air (a) first class and (b) business class at public expense when on official duties. [104966]
Mrs. Liddell: The Scotland Office follows the conditions set out in the Civil Service Management Code which requires departments and agencies to ensure that staff use the most efficient and economical means of travel in the circumstances, taking into account any management benefit or the needs of staff with disabilities.
The Department meets the cost of business air tickets for staff flying on official business; no distinction is made by grade. Senior civil service staff may travel first class in exceptional circumstances at official expense only with prior approval of theHead of Department.
Commercial Confidentiality
Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance her Department issues to civil servants on how to deal with claims from organisations that the information they provide to the Department is commercially confidential. [105482]
Mrs. Liddell : No guidance has been issued by my Department. Such issues would normally arise only where there is a question of whether or not the information should be disclosed to a third party. In such cases, the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, and the related guidance, would help
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officials determine whether information should be disclosed or withheld in response to an individual request.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her estimate is of total spending on Ministers' (a) private offices, (b) entertainment, (c) UK travel, (d) international travel, (e) pay and (f) other costs for each year from 1996–97 to 2002–03; and if she will make a statement. [90444]
Mrs. Liddell: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. From that date, the information requested is as follows:
(a) In the period 1 July 1999 to 31 March 2000 the costs of Ministers' private offices were not recorded separately. The costs of ministerial private offices after
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 522,721 |
| 2001–02 | 614,146 |
| 2002–03 (est) | 594,486 |
The figures do not take account of accommodation costs and other overheads.
(b) Expenditure on hospitality and entertainment was:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 10,638 |
| 2000–01 | 41,275 |
| 2001–02 | 25,789 |
| 2002–03 (est) | 38,789 |
All such expenditure is made in accordance with published guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.
(c) In the period 1 July 1999 to 31 March 2000 the cost of ministerial travel was not recorded separately. From 1 April 2000, the cost of ministerial travel within the UK was:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 39,585 |
| 2001–02 | 34,915 |
| 2002–03 (est) | 22,756 |
(d) Since 1999, the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers covering £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Details of travel undertaken during the period 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2002 were published on 24 July 2002. The cost of Ministers' visits overseas for 2002–03 will be published as soon as possible. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House.
1 May 2003 : Column 482W
(e) Ministers' pay costs were as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 152,102 |
| 2000–01 | 155,328 |
| 2001–02 | 175,843 |
| 2002–03 (est) | 185,307 |
(f) Other non-pay costs are not separately identifiable.
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