---

11 Mar 2004 : Column 1656W—continued

Temporary Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff the Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; what

11 Mar 2004 : Column 1657W

percentage this is of total staff employed; and how much the Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 to the most recent date for which figures are available. [158250]

Mr. Caplin: This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Tomahawk Cruise Missiles

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of ship-borne Tomahawk cruise missiles. [158138]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 4 March 2004]: The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is a conventionally armed land attack missile. TLAM represents a major step forward in capability, enabling precision attacks at long range against selected targets. The missile's effectiveness is not affected by the platform from which it is launched.

Westminster Hall

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to have senior Ministers reply to debates in Westminster Hall. [159615]

Mr. Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 8 March 2004, Official Report, column 1234W by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House of Commons.

PRIME MINISTER

Geoff Mulgan

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister how many hours Mr. Geoff Mulgan has spent working on the Big Conversation Project; and if he will make a statement. [160603]

The Prime Minister: Civil Servants act in accordance with the Civil Service Code.

For information on the Big Conversation, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Duncan) on 4 December 2003, Official Report, column 113W.

Sir David King

Mr. Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the implications of the findings of the Chief Scientist on climate change published in the journal Science in January. [160418]

The Prime Minister: The article in Science was based on analysis which the Chief Scientific Adviser first set out in his Zuckerman Lecture in October 2002. His conclusion was that the evidence for man-made climate change was convincing and that this cannot be ignored. The Government share that view.

This analysis underpinned the rationale behind the Energy White Paper, (CM5761) which sets out a programme to put the UK on a path to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. by 2050.

11 Mar 2004 : Column 1658W

It also underpins the UK's support for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol which are a vital first step to avoiding dangerous climate change. The UK has also been at the forefront of efforts to secure global action on climate change.

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the memorandum from Mr. Ivan Rogers to Sir David King, relating to public pronouncements on climate change, which wider policy aims would be adversely affected were Sir David King to grant interview requests from the media. [160599]

The Prime Minister: David King is on the record many times outlining the importance of climate change to the media, including on his recent visit to the United States where he took part in a press conference and chaired a workshop that the media attended.

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what (a) representations were received from and (b) discussions took place with the US authorities on Sir David King's public statements on climate change between their publication and the issuing of the memorandum to Sir David King by Mr. Ivan Rogers, on media requests for an interview. [160600]

The Prime Minister: The Government regularly have discussions with the US Government, at many levels, on a wide range of international issues including on climate change. As with previous Administrations, it is not the practice of this Government to make public details of discussions with foreign Governments.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Charities

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on legislative provisions on the monitoring and policing of companies registered as charities in Northern Ireland; and if he will propose amendments to Northern Ireland legislation to bring it into line with the rest of the United Kingdom in this regard. [158560]

Mr. Spellar: Only charities based in England and Wales are registered. The provisions for the monitoring and policing of charities which are also limited companies are the same as for those which are not.

In Northern Ireland:

the Inland Revenue deal with charitable status for tax purposes;

the PSNI can investigate any criminal offence alleged by or in connection with a charity;

the PSNI license street and house-to-house collections; and

the Department for Social Development can look at any dispute not involving criminal activity.

In Northern Ireland, most complaints about collections or criminal activity fall to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The Department for Social Development will consider non-criminal complaints but, like the Charity Commission for England and Wales, cannot interfere in a charity's affairs where the trustees have acted properly (for example, where there is a dispute between trustees as to which of a number of equally legitimate policies should be pursued) or

11 Mar 2004 : Column 1659W

consider cases which concern disagreements between trustees or between trustees and members which can and should be settled by the trustees themselves (for example, over the details of the employment of particular staff or selection of beneficiaries).

The Government are currently considering proposed changes to the charities legislation in England and Wales and elsewhere with a view to deciding whether changes to the existing Northern Ireland charity legislation would be desirable. Any proposed changes will, of course, be the subject of public consultation as well as consultation with interested bodies.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what plans he has to introduce a charity commissioner for Northern Ireland; [158888]

(2) what plans he has to bring the law governing charities in Northern Ireland into line with that in England and Wales. [158889]

Mr. Spellar: In Northern Ireland the systems for dealing with charities are different from those in England and Wales:

the Inland Revenue deal with charitable status for tax purposes;

the PSNI can investigate any criminal offence alleged by or in connection with a charity;

the PSNI license street and house-to-house collections; and

the Department for Social Development can look at any dispute not involving criminal activity.

In Northern Ireland, most complaints about collections or criminal activity fall to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The Department for Social Development will consider non-criminal complaints but, like the Charity Commission for England and Wales, cannot interfere in a charity's affairs where the trustees have acted properly (for example, where there is a dispute between trustees as to which of a number of equally legitimate policies should be pursued) or consider cases which concern disagreements between trustees or between trustees and members which can and should be settled by the trustees themselves (for example, over the details of the employment of particular staff or selection of beneficiaries).

The Government are currently considering proposed changes to the charities legislation in England and Wales and elsewhere with a view to deciding whether changes to the existing Northern Ireland charity legislation, including the option of establishing a Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, would be desirable. Any proposed changes will, of course, be the subject of public consultation as well as consultation with interested bodies.

Civil Service

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the pay dispute in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. [159558]

Mr. Pearson: Extensive negotiations over several months did not result in an agreed pay deal for the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration this year. Management Side presented an offer worth 3.67 per cent. on 5 November. As this could not be agreed, and Trade Union Side declined to negotiate within the 3.67 per cent. envelope, we took the decision

11 Mar 2004 : Column 1660W

to proceed to pay the award and communicated this to staff and Trade Union Side on 27 November. I have made clear to Trade Union Side that the 3.67 per cent. deal is the maximum that can be paid. We are however exploring other reasonable means of resolving the dispute. Meetings with Trade Union Side took place on Thursday 19 February and Monday 8 March, and a further meeting is being arranged.

Members of the NI Civil Service working in the Northern Ireland Office are subject to separate pay negotiations involving three Unions: NIPS A, PCS and the PDA. A formal offer of 3 per cent. was made to the Unions but was rejected. NIO intend to proceed to pay the award at the end of March.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what annual pay rises have been awarded to (a) the Northern Ireland civil service and (b) senior civil servants in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997. [159559]

Mr. Pearson: The annual pay rises awarded to (a) the Northern Ireland civil service and (b) senior civil servants in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997 are as follows:

Percentage

	Civil servants below the SCS	Senior civil servants
2003	3.67	5.37
2002	5.5	4.38
2001	4.85	4.4
2000	4.5	4.4
1999	3.97	4.3
1998	3.2	5.5
1997	3.2	4.5

---