House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 30 Oct 2003 (pt 3)

30 Oct 2003 : Column 321W—continued

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Service

Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate the Cabinet Office has made of the proportion of civil servants which the senior Civil Service represents; and if he will make a statement. [134135]

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Mr. Alexander: The most recent figures relating to the number of staff as at 1 April 2003 were published on 16 October 2003. These figures show that there were 542,770 permanent civil servants (Headcount basis), and of these 4,260 or 0.8 per cent. were at Senior Civil Service Level.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many non-departmental public bodies there were in England in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [134549]

Mr. Alexander: Information on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) is provided annually in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies". The latest available data are contained in "Public Bodies 2003", giving information as at 31 March 2003. Copies of these publications are held in the House Libraries.

The number of NDPBs sponsored by UK Government Departments with responsibilities for England in each year was as follows:

Year Number

1997 846

1998 837

1999 828

2000 822

2001 853

2002 773

2003 786

Year	Number
1997	846
1998	837
1999	828
2000	822
2001	853
2002	773
2003	786

Some of these NDPBs will have a remit which extends beyond England.

Official Buildings

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the official buildings within a mile of Parliament for which the Cabinet Office has responsibility, giving in each case the date of acquisition; whether the acquisition in each case was (a) as a result of a departmental transfer and (b) a new acquisition by the Government; and what the buildings are used for. [134419]

Mr. Alexander: The buildings are as follows:

Building Acquisitiondate Means of acquisition Use

70 Whitehall⁽⁵⁾ 1996⁽⁶⁾ Departmental transfer Office space and operational facilities

36 Whitehall 1996⁽⁶⁾ Departmental transfer Office space

53 Parliament Street 1996⁽⁶⁾ Departmental transfer Office space

Hepburn House, Marsham Street 1996⁽⁶⁾ Departmental transfer Vacant space and transfer to another Department pending

10 Downing Street⁽⁵⁾ 1996⁽⁶⁾ Departmental transfer Office space, residential accommodation, state rooms

11 Downing Street⁽⁵⁾ 1996⁽⁶⁾ Departmental transfer Office space, residential accommodation, state rooms

12 Downing Street 1996⁽⁶⁾ Departmental transfer Office space

Admiralty House⁽⁵⁾ 1996⁽⁶⁾ Departmental transfer Residential accommodation, state rooms

11 Belgrave Road⁽⁵⁾ 1996⁽⁶⁾ Departmental transfer Office space, training and operational facilities

Admiralty Arch 1998 Departmental transfer Office space

22/26 Whitehall⁽⁵⁾ 1999 Departmental transfer Office space

35 Great Smith Street⁽⁵⁾ 2000 New acquisition Office space

Stockley House, 130 Wilton Road⁽⁵⁾ 2000 Departmental transfer Office space

9 Whitehall 2001 New acquisition Office space

7 St. James's Square⁽⁵⁾ 2001 Departmental transfer Office space

10 Great George Street⁽⁵⁾ 2001 New acquisition Office space and operational facilities

2 Little Smith Street 2001 New acquisition Office space

67 Tufton Street 2001 New acquisition Office space and operational facilities

Building	Acquisitiondate	Means of acquisition	Use
70 Whitehall⁽⁵⁾	1996⁽⁶⁾	Departmental transfer	Office space and operational facilities
36 Whitehall	1996⁽⁶⁾	Departmental transfer	Office space
53 Parliament Street	1996⁽⁶⁾	Departmental transfer	Office space
Hepburn House, Marsham Street	1996⁽⁶⁾	Departmental transfer	Vacant space and transfer to another Department pending
10 Downing Street⁽⁵⁾	1996⁽⁶⁾	Departmental transfer	Office space, residential accommodation, state rooms
11 Downing Street⁽⁵⁾	1996⁽⁶⁾	Departmental transfer	Office space, residential accommodation, state rooms
12 Downing Street	1996⁽⁶⁾	Departmental transfer	Office space
Admiralty House⁽⁵⁾	1996⁽⁶⁾	Departmental transfer	Residential accommodation, state rooms
11 Belgrave Road⁽⁵⁾	1996⁽⁶⁾	Departmental transfer	Office space, training and operational facilities
Admiralty Arch	1998	Departmental transfer	Office space
22/26 Whitehall⁽⁵⁾	1999	Departmental transfer	Office space
35 Great Smith Street⁽⁵⁾	2000	New acquisition	Office space
Stockley House, 130 Wilton Road⁽⁵⁾	2000	Departmental transfer	Office space
9 Whitehall	2001	New acquisition	Office space
7 St. James's Square⁽⁵⁾	2001	Departmental transfer	Office space
10 Great George Street⁽⁵⁾	2001	New acquisition	Office space and operational facilities
2 Little Smith Street	2001	New acquisition	Office space
67 Tufton Street	2001	New acquisition	Office space and operational facilities

⁽⁵⁾ The Cabinet Office does not occupy the whole of these buildings.

⁽⁶⁾ All of the properties acquired by the Cabinet Office in 1996 were transferred when responsibility for buildings was delegated to Departments from the then Property Services Agency.

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Public Appointments

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of ministerial appointments to public bodies in each year since 1997 were of (a) men and (b) women; and what proportion of public appointments were held by women in each year since 1997. [134682]

Mr. Alexander: Information is provided annually in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies". The latest available data is contained in "Public Bodies 2003", giving information as at 31 March 2003. Copies of these publications are held in the House Libraries.

These show that the number and proportion of men and women holding ministerial appointments in public bodies were as follows:

Men Women

Year Number Per cent. Number Per cent.

1997 22,068 67 10,728 33

1998 20,676 66 10,487 34

1999 19,693 65 10,526 35

2000 17,303 66 9,106 34

2001 16,743 66 9,106 34

2001 16,743 65 9,106 35

2002 14,510 66 7,391 34

2003 14,436 64 8,028 36

	Men	Women
Year	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.
1997	22,068	67	10,728	33
1998	20,676	66	10,487	34
1999	19,693	65	10,526	35
2000	17,303	66	9,106	34
2001	16,743	66	9,106	34
2001	16,743	65	9,106	35
2002	14,510	66	7,391	34
2003	14,436	64	8,028	36

Data on non-ministerial appointments have not been collected since 2001.

PRIME MINISTER

Correspondence

Sir Robert Smith: To ask the Prime Minister when he will reply to the letter from Sir Ian Wood and Mr. Paul Blakeley of 22 October regarding the impact of the draft EU constitution on investment in the exploitation of North Sea oil and gas reserves; and if he will place a copy of the reply in the Library. [R] [135324]

The Prime Minister: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has replied today on my behalf. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Drug Testing

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent guidance she has given to (a) the Football Premier League and (b) UK Sport on the deterrent use of maximum bans for breaches of drug testing regulations. [135312]

Mr. Caborn: The Government have given no advice to the Football Premier League and UK Sport on doping sanctions.

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This is a matter for UK Sport and sport's governing bodies. The UK's national anti-doping policy is in line with the International Standard for Doping Control which requires the governing bodies to carry out a robust in-and-out of competition dope testing programme. Governing bodies are responsible for imposing sanctions where an athlete has been found to have committed a doping offence. Sanctions should be in line with the regulations set out by the governing body or international federation which will comply with the rules of the British Olympic Association or Commonwealth Games Associations.

Olympic Games

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations the Government have made to the International Olympic Committee on an Olympic team from Burma taking part in the Athens games in 2004; and if she will make a statement. [134719]

Tessa Jowell: The Government have not made any representations to the International Olympic Committee regarding the participation of Myanmar in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. It remains the Government's view that the Olympic Games is a non-political event.

The hon. Member for Portsmouth, South may be interested to note that the EU Common Position on Myanmar includes a visa ban on regime members. This would mean that senior regime members would not be able to attend the Games in Athens.

Tote

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she intends to introduce legislation to change the status of the Tote; and if she will make a statement. [134990]

Mr. Caborn: We intend to bring the necessary legislation forward when parliamentary time allows.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces Pay and Conditions

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the pay and conditions offered to members of the reserve forces differs from those offered to members of the regular forces; and if he will make a statement. [134917]

Mr. Caplin: When called out for full-time service, reservists receive the same rates of pay and are generally entitled to the same allowances as their regular counter-parts. However, unlike regular soldiers, reservists may also claim financial assistance if their civilian earnings are greater than their military pay. They are also entitled to a tax-free call-out gratuity of £420.

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When called-out, reservists are paid the full 13 per cent. X-factor (training pay only includes 5 per cent. X-factor). The X-factor takes account of the relative disadvantages of conditions of service experienced by members of the armed forces compared with those in civilian life.

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