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Employment (Tamworth)

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people over 65 years have been in work in Tamworth constituency in each year since 1997. [185834]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
 
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Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Brian Jenkins, dated 22 July 2004:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people over 65 years have been in work in Tamworth constituency in each year since 1997. (185834)

The Office for National-Statistics' Labour Force Survey sample size is too small to give reliable estimates of the number of people aged 65 and over in employment in the Tamworth Parliamentary Constituency in each year since 1997.

Tax Credits (Overpayments and Underpayments)

Mr. Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) total and (b) average (i) number and (ii) value of additional payments made in 2003–04 was to ensure that paying back tax credits overpayments did not cause hardship to families. [185064]

Dawn Primarolo: As at 5 April 2004, there were six million families benefiting from tax credits. The Code of Practice sets out the circumstances in which additional payments may be made (for example as a result of their reporting changes in circumstance such as a rise in income). In 2003–04, in line with the code, around 65,000 such payments were made to tax credit recipients whose 2003–04 tax credit award had been reduced. The total value of those additional payments was around £20 million.

Trainee Inspector of Taxes Programme

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the target number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time recruits is for the Inland Revenue's Trainee Inspector of Taxes Programme for July 2004. [185930]

Dawn Primarolo: There are currently 234 vacancies for tax inspectors throughout the UK. The vacancies are not advertised in terms of part time or full time. Candidates may apply to work part time if they wish.

Wind Power (Tax Avoidance)

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made of the scope for tax avoidance in the trading of renewable obligations certificates by wind power companies registered in the UK but whose beneficial ownership is offshore. [185738]

John Healey: Tax rules for wind farms are no different to those applying to other kinds of UK registered business. The Government keep all taxes under review and any changes will be announced as part of the normal Budget process.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Sub Judice Resolution

Ms Keeble: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals to amend the House's sub judice Resolution to allow reference to matters before coroners' courts. [185946]

Mr. Hain: I have no plans to do so, though I am willing to consider suggestions for change on this, as on other matters.
 
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CABINET OFFICE

Constable of Lancaster Castle

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office who was consulted on the most recent appointment of the Constable of Lancaster Castle. [186197]

Mr. Alexander: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 6 July 2004, Official Report, column 641W.

Access to Government Services

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he will next publish a report on the achievements and progress towards targets on accessibility of government services to disabled people. [177220]

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.

Progress against the Public Service Agreement target relating to electronic service delivery by government departments is reported in the UK online annual report and quarterly updates are posted on the e-Government Unit website. The annual report for 2003 stated that two-thirds of all central government services are now available electronically and departments continue to make progress towards getting all services online by 2005. The quarterly update for Quarter 4 2003 shows that departments had e-enabled 71 per cent. of services to citizens and businesses.

Provision of online Government information for disabled people and unpaid carers has been greatly improved with the launch of Directgov in April 2004. The site meets World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) level A standard. Directgov presents information in a clear and structured way covering a range of areas such as rights, employment, independent living and health. The site offers links through to existing services—such as claiming carer's allowance online. As more government services become available, Directgov will expand to include them.

Civil Service Contracts

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of civil servants are employed on a fixed contract basis. [184576]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 20 July 2004]: The percentage of civil servants employed on a fixed term contract was 1.2 per cent., on 1 October 2003. That figure is based on those departments that supply appointment status data centrally and covers approximately three quarters of all civil servants.

More detailed information on the Civil Service is published annually in Civil Service Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library.

Civil Service Recruitment

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what reduction in (a) the Senior Civil Service and (b) Senior Civil Service recruitment is planned as part of concentrating civil service resources in the frontline. [185663]

 
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Mr. Alexander: Departments are currently in the process of drawing up detailed plans to implement the Spending Review 2004. It is for individual Departments to determine, as part of their plans, the staffing requirements at senior level that match their business priorities.

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Civil Service Fast Streamers (a) are in post and (b) will be recruited this year. [185664]

Mr. Alexander: The Cabinet Office collects figures from Departments on numbers of Fast Streamers 'In post' as at 1 April each year. The latest figures for which information is available (1 April 2003) showed 1,164 Fast Streamers recorded as being 'In Post' in the Fast Stream entry grade.

The recruitment competitions for Fast Streamers for the current year are yet to finish, to date, 418 candidates have been recommended for appointment and it is anticipated that the final number will be around 450.

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what reduction in (a) Fast Stream posts and (b) Fast Stream recruitment is planned as a part of concentrating civil service resources in the frontline. [185665]

Mr. Alexander: Individual Government Departments are responsible for deciding the number of Fast Stream posts they require, and my Department recruits centrally to meet their current and anticipated business needs. The civil service will continue to need the new skills and attributes that high calibre graduates can bring to it, and we are still working to ensure that we recruit entrants to meet the new challenges.

Departmental Vehicles

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many road vehicles are operated by the Cabinet Office; how many personal injury accidents involving road vehicles operated by the Department have occurred within each of the last five years; and what the Department's policy is for managing work-related road safety. [185911]

Mr. Alexander: The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) provide all road vehicles for the Cabinet Office.

The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car and Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive Mr. Nick Matheson to write to the hon. Member regarding the GCDA fleet. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.

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