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15 Sept 2003 : Column 521W—continued

Ministerial Code of Conduct

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what procedure is in place to handle complaints about the failure of a Prime Minister to adhere to the Ministerial Code of Conduct. [129258]

The Prime Minister: It is for individual Ministers—including the Prime Minister—to account to Parliament for their actions and decisions.

Multi-national Chairman's Group

Dr. Cable: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the Multi-National Chairman's Group; and if he will place in the Library the minutes and the agenda of the meeting. [129930]

The Prime Minister: I met with the Multi-National Chairman's Group on 2 September 2003 and discussed a range of economic and business environment issues.

Public Inquiries

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Prime Minister what the total cost to the public purse has been of each public inquiry which has exceeded £1 million since 1997. [129712]

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The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for West Derbyshire (Mr. McLoughlin) on 12 June 2003, Official Report, columns 987–88W.

Security Service Advice

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister under what circumstances the security services provide advice to him on ministerial (a) appointments and (b) conduct. [129256]

The Prime Minister: Advice provided by the security services in relation to ministerial appointments and conduct is exempt from disclosure under exemptions l(a), 2 and 8(a) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

World Trade Talks (Cancun)

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with leading British businesses ahead of the Cancun trade negotiations; and if he will make a statement. [129389]

The Prime Minister: In preparing for the 5th World Trade Organisation Ministerial conference in Cancun, my ministerial colleagues have had regular and extensive discussions with British businesses from those industry and service sectors who have an interest in the Doha Development Agenda.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will make a statement to the House on the conference on her return from Cancun.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Cathedrals (Financial Support)

26. Mr. Luff: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what representations the Church Commissioners have made to the Government about the public financial support available to cathedrals. [129577]

Mr. Bell: The Church Heritage Forum, on which the Church Commissioners are represented, aims to forge new partnerships with local, central and regional Government and press the case for greater financial support for the Church's built heritage. Discussions are in hand and the Forum aims to report next summer.

Church Income

27. Miss McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what proportion of the Church's income came from collections in the last five financial years. [129578]

Mr. Bell: I understand from the Archbishops' Council that total giving through standing order, payroll giving and cash, amounting to £282 million in 2001, accounts for roughly one-third of the Church's overall income. This proportion has not changed significantly over the last five years.

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Bishops' Emoluments

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what percentage of the Church Commissioners' total expenditure was spent on bishops' emoluments in each year from 1999. [127220]

Mr. Bell: The Commissioners are responsible for funding the emoluments of all diocesan, suffragan and full-time assistant bishops as part of their support for bishops. Emoluments include the stipend paid to each bishop, employer's national insurance contributions and pension contributions.

The Commissioners' annual spending on bishops' emoluments from 1999 is shown in the table in monetary values and as a proportion of their total expenditure.

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The Commissioners also fund bishops' office and working costs, and housing and office premises costs for diocesan bishops.

Bishops' emoluments	£ million	As a percentage of Commissioners' total expenditure
1999	3.5	2.2
2000	3.5	2.2
2001	3.8	2.4
2002	4.0	2.4

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many and what percentage of bishops had the use of a chauffeur in May (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003; what the total cost was in current prices in each year; and how many chauffeurs in each year were (i) part-time and (ii) full-time. [127217]

Mr. Bell: The position is as follows:

	Number of bishops with use of a driver	Percentage of bishops	Total cost (calendar years) (£)	Equivalent at May 2003 prices (£)	Number of part-time drivers	Number of full-time drivers
2000	32	28	306,318	325,698	23	9
2001	35	30	336,595	350,700	27	8
2002	34	30	324,145	333,895	27	7
2003	32	28	not yet available	n/a	25	7

Genetically Modified Crops

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what the Commissioners' policy is in respect of genetically modified crops. [127227]

Mr. Bell: The Church Commissioners do not permit the growing of genetically modified crops on their land. This policy reflects advice offered by the Church of England's Ethical Investment Advisory Group in 2000, endorsed by the Commissioners and available in full on the Church of England's website at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/view/gmos.rtf. The House of Commons Library holds a copy.

The group will keep its advice to the Church Commissioners under review in the light of any new evidence, and scientific peer group commentary upon it, arising from the three-year programme of farm scale trials. The Church Commissioners will consider any new advice offered by the group in due course.

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what the total annual expenditure on bishops' residences was in each year from 1998. [127221]

Mr. Bell: The Church Commissioners' expenditure on bishops' housing and office premises in each year from 1999 is as follows:

	£ million
1998	3.0
1999	3.3
2000	3.0
2001	3.3
2002	3.4

As is indicated in note 13 to the Commissioners' annual financial statements, these costs cover building maintenance and repairs, external property management costs, staff costs including salaries and pensions, council tax, insurance and other running costs, Lambeth Palace Library running costs, support services, depreciation, rent paid and rental income. Capital expenditure on existing houses or on acquiring replacement houses is not included.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Sunday Elections

28. Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission if the commission will evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of holding local and national elections on a Sunday. [129579]

Mr. Viggers: The commission has evaluated a number of local election pilot schemes which featured voting over a period of days—including, in some instances, Sundays. The commission has no plans at present to undertake a wider review of the issues involved.

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Disabled Voters

29. Mr. Carmichael: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission if he will make a statement on the rights of disabled voters to vote by proxy. [129580]

Mr. Viggers: This is not a matter for the Speaker's Committee, but I understand that a person who by reason of blindness or other physical incapacity cannot reasonably be expected to go in person to the allotted polling station or to vote unaided there, has a statutory right to vote by proxy for an indefinite or particular period.

The hon. Member will be aware that all voters, disabled or not, are entitled to request a postal vote.

Electronic Voting

30. Michael Fabricant: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment the commission has made of the privacy of data concerning votes cast electronically in elections; and if he will make a statement. [129581]

Mr. Viggers: In its evaluation of the May 2003 electoral pilot schemes, the commission highlighted the importance of ensuring the confidentiality of vote data in electronic voting. The commission concluded that the level of security in the 2003 pilot schemes was sufficient, but recommended further data encryption requirements for future pilot schemes.

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