---

3 Nov 2004 : Column 255W—continued

New Deal

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many personnel the Department has recruited under the New Deal in each of the past five years. [194027]

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office on 25 October 2004, Official Report, column 1052W.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

CDC

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list (a) current and (b) former CDC/Actis Capital import-export investments by (i) country, (ii) investment fund, (iii) amount and (iv) sector since 1997. [193323]

Hilary Benn: Neither CDC nor Actis has made investments in companies whose business is import-export.

Departmental Staff

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people in his Department earn more than a whole-time equivalent salary of £57,485 per year. [195283]

 
3 Nov 2004 : Column 256W
 

Hilary Benn: DFID has 102 staff earning more than a whole-time equivalent salary of £57,485 per year.

Fossil Fuel Energy

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the 10 highest-costing fossil fuel energy generation projects funded by his Department in 2003–04 were. [194760]

Hilary Benn: The only fossil fuel energy generation projects funded by DFID in 2003–04 were in Iraq, involving the provision of emergency diesel generators. These were carried out as part of the efforts to restore electricity supplies for essential services such as water supplies, sewage treatment and hospitals.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with counterparts in the US Administration on cutting off water supplies in Iraq. [192088]

Hilary Benn: I have had no such discussions.

Press Officers

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many press officers are employed in his Department; and how many were employed in each year since 1996–97. [195360]

Hilary Benn [holding answer 1 November 2004]: The number of press officers employed by the Department for International Development since 1996–97 is as follows:

	Number of press officers
1996–97	6
1997–98	6
1998–99	4
1999–2000	3.3
2000–01	4.5
2001–02	4
2002–03	5
2003–04	6
2004–05	6

The staff numbers for 1999–2000 and 2000–01 include personnel working part-time.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Council Tax Bands

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households were in each council tax band in England in each year since 1997–98. [195249]

Mr. Raynsford: The information requested for all England is tabled as follows.
 
3 Nov 2004 : Column 257W
 

Thousand

As at March	Band A	Band B	Band C	Band D	Band E	Band F	Band G	Band H	Total
1998	5,530	4,048	4,513	3,068	1,885	987	718	111	20,860
1999	5,552	4,072	4,538	3,100	1,912	1,003	728	113	21,018
2000	5,565	4,093	4,562	3,133	1,940	1,021	739	115	21,168
2001	5,566	4,111	4,586	3,166	1,968	1,038	750	116	21,299
2002	5,562	4,131	4,614	3,200	1,998	1,054	760	118	21,437
2003	5,561	4,155	4,647	3,236	2,025	1,071	770	119	21,583
2004	5,568	4,184	4,683	3,276	2,050	1,084	111	121	21,742

Data Protection

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what procedures are in place (a) to check the criminal records of civil servants in his Department and agencies responsible to his Department who have access to computer databases containing confidential information on the public and (b) to ensure that there can be no improper use of computer databases containing confidential information on the public; and if he will make a statement. [194605]

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and its agencies do not maintain databases that contain confidential information on members of the public, and staff thus do not have access to such databases.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does nevertheless carry out character checks prior to unconditional offers of employment being made. It is a condition of employment for staff to report if they are convicted of a criminal offence or charged with an offence relating to their official position, and failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

Government Offices for the Regions

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role Government offices for the regions play in the planning process. [194330]

Keith Hill: The Government offices for the regions (GOs) are the primary vehicle through which a wide range of Government policies are delivered in the English regions. The GOs promote Government policies and programmes and use their influence to enable communities in their regions to become better places in which to live, through the effective alignment and delivery of national, regional and local priorities.

On planning, the GOs advise the First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, on regional spatial strategies and local development documents; monitor and engage with local planning authorities to improve and maintain their performance and to ensure the authorities can meet their planning targets; advise whether planning applications should be called-in for ministerial determination; and decide on behalf of Ministers certain other planning cases which, under the Town and Country Planning Acts and other legislation, fall to the First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister to determine. More generally, they represent Ministers in dealings with regional partners, making links between planning and other programmes such as housing.
 
3 Nov 2004 : Column 258W
 

Housing

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many dwellings his Department plans to be constructed in England over the next 20 years. [195164]

Keith Hill: Existing Regional Spatial Strategies and the Mayor's London Plan provide for approximately 162,000 additional dwellings a year to be built in England over and above existing stock. The time period covered by each RSS varies and none of them specifically cover the next 20 years to 2024. The equivalent gross figure—which is not available, as the Regional Planning Bodies are required to provide net returns—would also include the number of reconstructions post demolition.

Neighbourhood Wardens

Ms Atherton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many neighbourhood wardens are deployed in Cornwall; and in which communities. [195104]

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister funds two neighbourhood warden schemes in Cornwall, deploying 10 wardens.

Eight neighbourhood wardens (including one Environmental worker, one Community worker, one youth worker and a part time youth worker) are deployed in North Kerrier. They cover Higher Broadlane in Pool, Pengeran in Camborne and Close Hill in Redrath.

Two neighbourhood wardens are deployed in St. Austell, covering Polgrean Place, Landreath Place and Bobspen estates in St. Blazey.

Network Rail

Mr. Spring: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what discussions he has had with Network Rail about potential uses for the Global System for Mobile communications—Railway plan other than in connection with the movement of traffic by rail; [194938]

(2) what discussions he has had with Network Rail about the erection of telecommunication installations on land in (a) areas of outstanding natural beauty and (b) conservation areas; [194939]

(3) what discussions he has held with Network Rail about its methods of consultation with local communities when erecting telecommunication installations. [194941]

Keith Hill: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has had no discussions with Network Rail about these issues.
 
3 Nov 2004 : Column 259W
 

---