| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
3 Jul 2003 : Column 428W—continued
Senior Departmental Posts
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many senior departmental posts were advertised in each year since June 1999; and how many of those were advertised in the Scottish press. [120662]
Ms Hewitt: The following DTI senior civil service posts have been advertised since June 1999:
- June 1999 to March 2000—6
April 2000 to March 2001—7
April 2001 to March 2002—9
April 2002 to March 2003—11
April 2003 to June 2003—4
University Departments
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had on the effect on regional economies of Government proposals to create a number of departments in universities; and if she will make a statement. [123223]
Jacqui Smith: World-class research is central to improved productivity and quality of life. The last
3 Jul 2003 : Column 429W
spending review provided substantial extra expenditure for research, including even more investment for the very best researchers wherever they are.
The Department will continue to work closely with the Department for Education and Skills and Regional Development Agencies in ensuring the long-term success of all our universities, whether they have research intensive departments or not, for the benefit of both the national and regional economies.
Working Time Directive
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance she is providing to the road haulage industry to ensure the implementation of the Working Time Directorate; and what discussions she has had with the Road Haulage Association on the implementation of the Directorate. [122886]
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
The Government have consulted both sides of the road transport industry (including the Road Haulage Association) on the transposition of the Horizontal Amending Directive (2000/15/EC) and the sector specific Road Transport Directive (2002/15/EC) into domestic legislation. The main impact of the Horizontal Amending Directive, which comes into force on 1 August 2003, will be on non-mobile workers in the road transport sector, and DTI will shortly publish a revised set of guidance notes on the new directive.
The Road Transport Directive is more significant for mobile workers in the road haulage industry and needs to be implemented by 23 March 2005. We will shortly publish a consultation document on our proposals for implementing this directive.
My officials are helping the industry to prepare for the introduction of these Directives by participating in seminars on the subject.
MINISTER FOR WOMEN
Work/Life Balance
21. Chris Grayling: To ask the Minister for Women what measures have been put in place for women to achieve a better work-life balance. [123244]
Ms Hewitt: We are committed to giving women—and men—the chance to improve their work life balance. We have increased maternity pay and leave, introduced paid paternity leave, extended these rights to adoptive parents, and introduced a legal right for parents of children under six and disabled children under 18 to request to work flexibly.
22. Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister for Women what measures are in place for women to achieve a better work-life balance. [123245]
Ms Hewitt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling).
Pensions (Payments Overseas)
23. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary
3 Jul 2003 : Column 430W
of State for Work and Pensions on the ability of married women retiring to South Africa, Canada and Australia to claim the index-linked element of the state pension. [123246]
Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Women has had one discussion with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on issues relating to women and pensions this year. However they have not discussed the specific issue of indexation of pensions for women retiring to South Africa, Canada and Australia.
Iraq
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for Women what plans she has to visit Iraq. [123066]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 2 July 2003]: I intend to visit Iraq to support the involvement of Iraqi women in the democratic process, and support British businesses who can offer a great deal of expertise and experience in redevelopment work. I am taking advice on the appropriate time to do so.
SCOTLAND
Holyrood Site
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what the cost was of acquiring and preparing the Holyrood site; and when and by whom this cost was incurred; [120145]
- (2) who originally suggested the Holyrood site as an option for the new Scottish Parliament building; and when that suggestion was made; [120146]
(3) when the final decision was made to choose the Holyrood site as the place for the new Scottish Parliament building; [120147]
(4) what the scheduled opening date for the Scottish Parliament building was immediately prior to the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body; [120149]
(5) whether the communications from Langdon's in respect of the Scottish Parliament building have been published; [121044]
(6) what the estimate for the Scottish Parliament building was when the final site was chosen; and when this matter was considered prior to the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body; [120148]
(7) what representations were received by the Secretary of State for Scotland in advance of the Scottish parliamentary building project being transferred to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body. [120278]
Mr. Darling: The First Minister has announced that he is establishing an investigation by Lord Fraser of Carmyllie and the Auditor General for Scotland, which intends to look at all aspects of the Holyrood project. I foresee no difficulty in Lord Fraser gaining access to all relevant Government papers. Indeed, I understand the Auditor General for Scotland saw Government papers connected with the Holyrood project before devolution when carrying out a previous inquiry.
3 Jul 2003 : Column 431W
Air Transport Consultation
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he will take to represent Scottish national interest in the Air Transport consultation. [121149]
Mr. Darling: The UK Air Services consultation included a consultation on the issues for Scotland, which was jointly organised by the Department for Transport and the Scottish Executive.
Responses to that consultation will be taken into account in determining the content of the forthcoming White Paper.
EU Regulations
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many regulations originating from the EU have been implemented by his Department over each of the last five years. [120820]
Mr. Darling: No regulations originating from the EU have been implemented by my Department since its creation in 1999.
Euro Roadshow
Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the events he plans to attend as part of the Government's Euro roadshow. [121397]
Mr. Darling: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, gave to the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) on Friday 20 June 2003, Official Report, column 459W.
Friends of Scotland Initiative
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether the Department was consulted on the implications for embassies abroad of the transfer of the Friends of Scotland initiative to the Scottish Executive; [121143]
- (2) what discussions he had with the Scottish Executive prior to transferring the Friends of Scotland initiative to the Scottish Executive. [121146]
Mr. Darling: I discussed with the First Minister the opportunity for further developing the Friends of Scotland project and building on its success in recruiting support for the promotion of Scotland overseas. We agreed that the time was now right for the Scottish Executive to take on the leadership of the project, alongside the Executive's other overseas promotion programmes and taking full account of the contribution which the United Kingdom's posts overseas can play.
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total cost has been of Friends of Scotland. [121147]
Mr. Darling: The costs of the Friends of Scotland project to date, excluding staff costs and departmental overheads, amount to £326,000 (£123,000 in 2001–02; £187,000 in 2002–03 and £16,000 to 25 June).
The hon. Member will be aware that this project has now been transferred to the Scottish Executive.
3 Jul 2003 : Column 432W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |