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3 Jun 2003 : Column 126W—continued
Sport England
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on funding for Sport England. [115313]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 22 May 2003]: Sport England's planned Exchequer Funding allocation is set out in the following table.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 2003–04 | 61.575 |
| 2004–05 | 74.075 |
| 2005–06 | 80.375 |
Sports Funding
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the projects removed from the sports funding agency programme for 2003–04. [115308]
Mr. Caborn: Sport England is reviewing projects as part of its Lottery reprioritisation programme. No decisions have yet been reached.
PRIVY COUNCIL
EU Committees
Mr. Bercow: To ask the President of the Council how many officials in the Department serve on EU committees or working parties. [116086]
Euro
Norman Lamb: To ask the President of the Council when he received the Treasury documents relating to the five economic tests and the 18 background studies; what discussions he has held with ministerial colleagues on the tests since receipt of the documents; when he expects to complete his analysis of the documents; and what representations (a) he and (b) departmental officials will make to other Departments before a decision is reached on the economic tests. [115383]
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Dr. John Reid: The Treasury's eighteen supporting studies on EMU were sent to Cabinet Ministers on 16 May. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor are holding meetings with Cabinet Members. There was an initial discussion at Cabinet on 22 May and this will be followed by a special Cabinet meeting on 5 June. The Chancellor will make a statement to the House of Commons on 9 June.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Khabra: To ask the President of the Council how many written questions were tabled in the last Parliamentary session; and at what cost to public funds. [116595]
Dr. John Reid: The total number of questions tabled in the House of Commons last session was 72,905 1 at an estimated cost of some £9.842 million.
- 1 House of Commons Sessional Returns 2001–02
Privy Council Committees
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Council if he will list the (a) ad hoc and (b) standing committees of the Privy Council, indicating in each case their membership. [114121]
Dr. John Reid: The only current ad hoc Committee is one established to consider a petition of the Royal Town Planning Institute for the grant of a Supplemental Charter. Its members are the President of the Council, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the Attorney General.
The standing committees of the Privy Council and their members are:
The membership consists of the Lord Chancellor, the President of the Council, former holders of those offices and Privy Counsellors who are or have been Lords of Appeal in Ordinary or who hold or have held high judicial office in the United Kingdom or in certain Commonwealth countries. A person ceases to be a member of the Judicial Committee on attaining the age of 75 unless he or she is the Lord Chancellor.
The Scottish Universities Committee
The President of the Council, The First Minister, Lord Justice General, Lord Justice Clerk and Lord Advocate (if Privy Counsellors), a member of the Judicial Committee and any other Privy Counsellors who may be appointed. The quorum is three, one of whom must be a member of the Judicial Committee or a Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland.
The Committee for the Affairs of Jersey and Guernsey
- The President of the Council
- The Lord Chancellor
- The right hon. Baroness Scotland of Asthal
- The Honours Scrutiny Committee (formerly The Political Honours Scrutiny Committee)
- The right hon. Lord Thomson of Monifieth
- The right hon. Lord Hurd of Westwell
- The right hon. Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde
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- The Crown Office Act 1877 Committee
- The Lord Chancellor
- The Lord Privy Seal
- A Secretary of State
- The Universities Committee (dormant)
- The President of the Council
- The Archbishop of Canterbury
- The Lord Chancellor
- The Chancellor of the University of Oxford
- The Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
- Up to two other members of the Privy Council, at least one of whom should be a member of the Judicial Committee.
- The Baronetage Committee
- President of the Council
- Lord Chancellor (as successor to the Home Secretary)
- The Earl Marshal
- The Lord Chamberlain
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Age Discrimination
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what steps her department is taking to address the issue of age discrimination. [109452]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 28 April 2003]: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is currently in the process of reviewing its policy on age. The CPS Board considered and approved a paper in February 2003 that the retirement age to be extended from 60 to 65. All those in grades ranging from administrative assistants to grade six lawyers are now able to continue working up until the age of 65 should they wish. For those in higher grades, if the Cabinet Office approves the changes, the retirement age for Senior Civil Service grades will also follow suit and increase from 60 to 65 within the CPS.
The CPS also plans to draw up a new generic equality scheme, which will encompass all aspects of race, sex, disability and age discrimination. It is hoped that this will be finalised in 2004 and take on board good practice measures in advance of the passage of legislation on age in 2006.
The CPS ran an awareness campaign in 2001 and 2002 called "Dignity at Work". The document that accompanied the campaign established standards of behaviour for all staff and included reference to age discrimination with regards to how people are treated at work.
In November 2002 the Serious Fraud Office's (SFO) Management Board agreed changes to the SFO's retirement policy for staff below the Senior Civil Service (SCS) which, in most cases, previously required individuals to retire at age 60. With effect from 1 January 2003, SFO employees below the SCS now have the option to continue working for any period up until the day prior to their 65th birthday.
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Staff now have more flexibility when determining their retirement plans and the Department will benefit by retaining for longer the knowledge and experience of its staff.
The Treasury Solicitor's Department's (which for these purposes includes the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers) published policy on Race, Equality and Diversity commits it to ensuring equal opportunities irrespective of age. This policy covers recruitment and all other aspects of Agency life, including advancement and training. The policy also commits the Agency to ensuring that staff are provided with an inclusive working environment, free from discrimination and harassment based on age, and to having in place procedures for handling complaints. The Agency's performance is monitored by a Diversity Group.
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's Equal Opportunities Policy Statement includes references to the organisation's commitment to ensure that all eligible job applicants and staff shall have equal opportunity for employment and advancement on the basis of their suitability for the work, whatever their age.
HMCPSI have also included in the Specific Duty—Employment section of our Race Equality Scheme (published May 2002) a commitment, among others, to:
- Monitor Inspectorate staff by age;
Monitor recruitment exercises by age;
Commence recording the provision of training to all staff by age; and
Record the percentage of staff through age applying successfully for promotions and postings.
Counselling Services
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Solicitor-General what arrangements are made in her department to allow staff to access counselling services. [111950]
The Solicitor-General: In respect of my own department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the majority of staff are on secondment from other departments and continue to have a right of access to the counselling services of the parent department. All staff are also able to avail themselves of the service provided by the Treasury Solicitor's Department. In relation to the other departments for which the Law Officers are responsible, the answer is as follows:
All CPS staff have access to a counselling service via the CPS Counselling and Support Service (CSS). Staff who access counselling will undertake six to eight sessions as deemed necessary. If it is clear that long term counselling is required appropriate referral is recommended. Counselling is offered either face to face or via telephone, in accordance with the individual's requirements and geographical constraints.
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Serious Fraud Office:
All employees are provided with a confidential Welfare Helpline number, as well as a monthly on-site surgery by the Welfare Officer. In addition, home visits may be arranged if required.
Treasury Solicitor's Department:
All staff have access to a Staff Health and Welfare Service and to Familylife Solutions, a confidential telephone helpline.
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate:
A significant proportion of staff in HMCPSI are on loan from other Government departments. They continue to have a right to access the counselling services of the parent department.
Staff employed by HMCPSI also benefit from the availability of the service offered by the Treasury Solicitor's Department.
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