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8 Mar 2004 : Column 93WS

Written Ministerial Statements

Monday 8 March 2004

HOME DEPARTMENT

Police Information Technology Organisation

The Minister for Crime Reduction, Policing and Community Safety (Ms Hazel Blears): I am announcing today the appointment of Chris Earnshaw to succeed Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Burton as Chair of the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO). He will take up the appointment with immediate effect.

This is an important and high-profile post. PITO has a key role in bringing forward the Government's plans for delivering a "joined-up" criminal justice system and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the police. I would like to pay tribute to Sir Edmund Burton for his significant contribution. Mr. Earnshaw, as his successor, brings very considerable experience at senior levels in industry and a substantial Information and communications technology background. I am confident that, under his leadership, PITO will continue to deliver the key IT programmes and services on which the police service depends.

HEALTH

NHS Trusts

The Secretary of State for Health (Dr. John Reid): Pursuant to the dissolution of 16 national health service trusts since 1 August 2002 and their reconfiguration through the establishment of seven new NHS trusts, I propose to create originating capital for the new NHS trusts equal to the net assets transferred to them and therefore to remit the outstanding debt of the dissolved trusts.

Assets from some of the dissolved trusts were also transferred to primary care trusts. Public dividend capital is not required as a financing transaction for these transfers as primary care trusts are subject to a different financial regime. Net assets transferred from dissolving NHS trusts to primary care trusts are reflected in an increase to the general fund of the primary care trust.

8 Mar 2004 : Column 94WS

These operations involved no overall loss to the Exchequer. Her Majesty's Treasury has today presented a minute to the House giving particulars and circumstances of the proposed remission, which it has approved in principle.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Council for Science and Technology

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Patricia Hewitt): My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister today appointed 16 members to the Council for Science and Technology following its recent review. The appointments represent a wide range of experience from the scientific community, business and charities. The 16 appointments are:

















The Council for Science and Technology is Government's top-level independent advisory body on strategic policy for science, engineering and technology. Its advice has been instrumental in helping the Government develop its present strategies for improving the excellence of the research base and putting it on a sustainable footing, for improving science education and for making effective use of science, engineering and technology. On 22 July 2003, the Government announced updated terms of reference and a new organisation for CST to reflect the needs of the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations for advice in coming years.

CST will report to the Prime Minister and the First Ministers of the Devolved Administrations. The 16 members will choose one of their number to act as co-chair alongside the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King.

Full details of CST's terms of reference and organisation, and biographies of the members, can be found at www.cst.gov.uk.

Decisions on appointments have been made following open competition and wide consultation with key players.