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16 Sept 2004 : Column 1686W—continued

Gender Balance

25. David Taylor: To ask the Minister for Women what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the encouragement of a greater level of entry by women into relevant academic areas to facilitate more representative gender balance in key professional areas; and if she will make a statement. [189168]

Jacqui Smith: We are delighted that women are excelling and are now attaining more degrees than ever before. In 1993, 8 per cent. of women held degrees. By 2002, this had increased to 14 per cent. Around 50 per cent. of all students on law, accountancy and medicine undergraduate courses are female. However, we must not get complacent. Occupational segregation still exists. Women are still under-represented in certain sectors and senior positions. Women represent less than 25 per cent. of all managers and senior executives, and only 15 per cent. of those working in science, engineering and technology jobs. That is why earlier today my right hon. Friend was delighted to launch a new resource centre in Bradford, dedicated to promoting women in science, engineering and technology.

Pensions

26. Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Minister for Women what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding the pension gap. [189169]

Jacqui Smith: We have introduced a raft of measures both to help women in retirement and to help women of working-age build better pensions. Almost all the 2.5 million carers who have benefited from the Second State Pension are women, two-thirds of those receiving pension credit are women, and the introduction of, and increases to, the national minimum wage disproportionately benefits women. We have also launched the Informed Choices for Working and Savings publication.

SCOTLAND

Black Watch Museum

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to visit the Black Watch Museum in Perth. [187935]

 
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Mr. Darling: I have no current plans to do so.

Boundary Commission for Scotland

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has received the final report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland. [187937]

Mr. Darling: I have not yet received the Fifth Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland. As I indicated to the hon. Member on 7 September 2004, Official Report, column 940W, while the Commission has until December 2006 to report to me, in the light of its progress so far it seems likely that the report will be received much sooner than this deadline. However, the timing is a matter for the Commission.

Business Competitiveness

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the First Minister to discuss business competitiveness in Scotland. [187934]

Mr. Darling: I regularly meet the First Minister and discuss a wide range of issues.

Correspondence

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to his evidence to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee on 29 June, what steps he has taken to improve the performance of his Department in responding to correspondence. [186380]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office annual report shows that from April 2003 to March 2004 the 15-day target for responding to correspondence was met in 81 per cent. of cases. Internal monitoring procedures are in place to ensure that the 15-day performance target is achieved where possible.

Council of Ministers

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a written ministerial statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting; [188194]

(2) if he will make a written ministerial statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by hon. Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting. [188195]

Mrs. McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 13 September 2004, Official Report, column 1451W.

Departmental Buildings

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of electricity used by buildings in his Department has come from renewable sources in each year since 1997. [186654]

 
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Mrs. McGuire: Information in the form requested is not available.

Departmental Expenditure

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on electricity use for each year since 1997. [186655]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.

Since that date electricity costs of the Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate-General are as follows:

	£
1999–2000(3)	11,855
2000–01	22,807
2001–02	19,526
2002–03	28,439
2003–04	23,703

⁽³⁾ Part year.

The information relates to buildings where the Scotland Office are major occupiers. Costs relating to buildings shared with the Scottish Executive are not separately identifiable.

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on water and sewerage services in each year since 1997. [186656]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.

Since that date water and sewerage costs of the Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate-General are as follows:

	£
1999–2000(4)	1,067
2000–01	3,656
2001–02	4,221
2002–03	7,018
2003–04	11,699

⁽⁴⁾ Part year.

The information relates to buildings where the Scotland Office are major occupiers. Costs relating to buildings shared with the Scottish Executive are not separately identifiable.

Gershon Review

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what effect he expects the Gershon review of Civil Service manpower to have on payments to the Scottish Consolidated Fund. [186384]

Mrs. McGuire: The arrangements for payments to the Scottish Consolidated Fund are set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, which was published by HM Treasury in July 2004. These arrangements have not changed. In the 2004 Spending Review, the Government announced efficiency gains by departments, which will be redeployed to front line delivery following the Gershon review. It will be for the Scottish Executive to make decisions on efficiency gains in devolved areas.
 
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Ministerial Responsibility

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the policy decisions he has made as Secretary of State for Scotland and Transport; [186381]

(2) if he will list the policy issues on which he has responsibility both as Secretary of State for Scotland and Secretary of State for Transport. [186382]

Mr. Darling: My policy responsibilities for Transport and for Scotland are set out in the Annual Reports from the Department for Transport and Scotland Office. Naturally within each area I give due consideration to the full range of my responsibilities when reaching decisions on policy.

Scottish Executive Secondees

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff in his Department are on secondment from the Scottish Executive. [187936]

Mrs. McGuire: There are presently 56 staff on loan to the Scotland Office from the Scottish Executive. In addition, 26 staff are on loan from the Scottish Executive to the Office of the Advocate-General for Scotland.

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