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HOME DEPARTMENT

Information Technology (Misuse)

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Home Office staff have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed for misusing IT hardware or software in the last two years. [158465]

Fiona Mactaggart: The figures, so far as information is available in the form requested, are as follows:

Department/Staff	2002	2003
Home Office
Disciplined	80	23
Dismissed	5	5
Prison Service Agency
Disciplined	2	6
Dismissed	1	0
UK Passport Agency
Disciplined	(8)—	15
Dismissed	0	0
Forensic Science Service
Disciplined	5	1
Dismissed	0	0

⁽⁸⁾ Indicates that no comprehensive figures available.

Recruitment Advertising

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's expenditure on recruitment advertising was in each of the last three years, broken down by publication; and what proportion of such expenditure was (a) to advertise vacant posts and (b) in the form of other general recruitment advertising. [155531]

Fiona Mactaggart: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer on 11 February 2004, Official Report, column 1511W.

The expenditure detailed in my previous answer reflects the costs of advertising vacant or new posts in both the central Home Office and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. Costs for advertising general recruitment schemes for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are also included in the total. To provide separate details of the costs of such schemes could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has spent on recruitment advertising in each year since 1997. [156454]

Fiona Mactaggart: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer on 11 February 2004, Official Report, column 1511W. Figures for the years 1997–1999 are not available.

5 Mar 2004 : Column 1193W

NORTHERN IRELAND

Manufacturing Employment

Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were employed in the manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland during the last five years, broken down by parliamentary constituency. [157276]

Mr. Pearson: Estimates of the number of employee jobs below Northern Ireland level are available only from the biennial Census of Employment and the most up to date figures relate to September 2001.

Estimates of manufacturing jobs for each parliamentary constituency area from the last three Censuses of Employment can be found in the table.

Northern Ireland employee jobs in the manufacturing sector by parliamentary constituency area

Parliamentaryconstituency area	September 1997	September 1999	September 2001
Belfast East	9,689	9,506	9,537
Belfast North	5,228	4,617	4,377
Belfast South	3,279	2,767	2,819
Belfast West	2,546	2,785	2,801
East Antrim	5,085	4,925	4,883
East Londonderry	5,748	5,964	5,276
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	7,304	7,541	7,103
Foyle	9,015	7,987	6,640
Lagan Valley	6,040	6,488	7,322
Mid-Ulster	5,682	6,052	6,418
Newry and Armagh	4,163	4,075	3,958
North Antrim	8,151	8,160	7,201
North Down	3,073	2,809	2,399
South Antrim	6,706	6,591	6,505
South Down	3,496	3,551	3,268
Strangford	5,243	4,916	4,624
Upper Bann	12,583	12,193	10,494
West Tyrone	4,893	4,883	4,561
Northern Ireland	107,924	105,810	100,186

Source:

NI Census of Employment

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Buildings (Aerodynamically Generated Wind Noise)

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what standards relating to (a) noise and (b) other factors regulate aerodynamically generated wind noise from (i) very tall and (ii) massive building structures in built-up areas; and what plans she has to re-examine such standards. [157061]

Keith Hill: I have been asked to reply.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not set any standards relating to noise or other factors to regulate aerodynamically generated wind noise from very tall or massive building structures in built-up areas.

Business Link

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the reasons are for (a) regional and sub-regional differences in the change of annual expenditure of Business Link operators since 2001–02 and (b) the fall in annual expenditure in over half of Business Link operators since 2001–02. [155262]

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Nigel Griffiths: Business Link Operators (BLOs) draw down funding from a number of different sources and contracts. BLO budgets, and therefore expenditure levels, are often determined by the level of funding available at a particular time in their respective regions and sub-regions. This results in naturally occurring year on year variances.

For instance funding from Regional Development Agencies and local Strategic Partnerships fluctuates year on year depending on regional and sub-regional priorities. 2001–02 also saw many BLOs playing key roles in combating the after effects of foot and mouth disease by administering additional national, regional and sub-regional funding aimed at assisting rural businesses and communities.

Additionally, some of the movement in annual expenditure levels can be attributed to the Small Business Service Core Services budget. The allocation formula in 2001–02 and 2002–03 was the same, however the data making up the component parts of the allocation formula is updated, where possible, each year leading to shifts in funding.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what indicators are in place to measure customer (a) perception and (b) satisfaction with Government services for small businesses. [157230]

Nigel Griffiths: The indicators measuring business perception are: awareness of Business Link and understanding the services offered by Business Link. The indicators measuring customer satisfaction are: overall customer satisfaction and perceived business benefit. These form part of the Performance Management Framework established for the Business Link network which includes eight indicators.

Small businesses' perceptions that their concerns are being taken into account by Government will be measured by the responses to the question 'How much do you feel that Government takes into account the concerns of small businesses?' in the Small Business Survey 2003, which is managed by the Small Business Service.

Indicators to measure customer satisfaction with all Government services for small businesses are being developed in conjunction with other Government Departments.

Business Regulation

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money she estimates will be saved by UK businesses as a result of the removal or reform of the 147 regulations announced in the pre-Budget report. [153423]

Nigel Griffiths: Regulatory Impact Assessments will be produced by the relevant departments identifying benefits and savings from these measures as appropriate. Copies of these will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Export Credits Guarantee Department has (a) received and (b) paid

5 Mar 2004 : Column 1195W

claims under political risk insurance in connection with the Dabhol-Enron Power Plant in India since 3 June 2003; and if she will make a statement. [156071]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: ECGD is examining claims under the Overseas Investment Insurance Policies issued in connection with the Dabhol project and therefore no claim has been paid. Details of the claim made by the banks on ECGD are commercially confidential under Exemption 13—Third Party's Commercial Confidence of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Gas Quality

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2004, Official Report, column 1037W, on gas quality, whether research has been commissioned as part of the consultation process into the number of domestic appliances that would require (a) replacement and (b) modification. [155556]

Mr. Timms: In accordance with my written statement of 8 January 2004, Official Report, column 13WS, my Department, working with the Health and Safety Executive and the Office for Gas and Electricity Markets, has now moved into Phase 2 of the gas quality exercise—the identification of policy options, and public consultation. No decisions have yet been taken on commissioning research. This will be appropriately advertised in due course if deemed necessary.

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