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Voluntary Sector

Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether all publicly regulated funding schemes are required to apply the Spending Review 2002 principle of fully supporting the relevant overhead costs of the voluntary sector. [197423]

Mr. Boateng: All departments are expected to incorporate the principle of including the relevant overhead costs into the price for contracts with the voluntary sector. The Home Office are working with departments to ensure that they incorporate this recommendation into their procurement policies and the National Audit Office expects to publish an examination of departmental progress in implementing the recommendations in the spring of 2005.

PRIME MINISTER

Cabinet Meetings

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to Lord Butler's evidence to the Select Committee on Public Administration on 21 October 2004, what assessment he has made of Lord Butler's statement on the number of Cabinet meetings which take place in the absence of tabled papers. [196771]

The Prime Minister: The Cabinet receives substantive oral presentations at most of its meetings. In addition, it considers papers as necessary. Cabinet Committees transact a very large amount of business on the basis of tabled papers.

Departmental Events (Funding)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) publications, (c) initiatives, (d) projects and (e) receptions organised by his Department which have received funding from outside commercial bodies since May 1997, broken down by (i) funding body and (ii) amount paid. [196605]

The Prime Minister: For accounting purposes my office forms part of the Cabinet Office. The information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

European Constitution

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions the Government have had with other EU Governments about the timing of referendums on the European Constitution; and if he will make a statement. [197919]

The Prime Minister: The timing of referenda on the EU Constitution was discussed by Ministers at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 12 July 2004. EU Governments confirmed then that ratification of the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe including the timing of any referenda is entirely a matter for each individual member state.

India/Pakistan

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister what recent negotiations he has had with representatives of the
 
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(a) Indian and (b) Pakistani Governments concerning (i) the future of Kashmir and (ii) nuclear weapons proliferation. [197797]

The Prime Minister: Whenever suitable opportunities have arisen, I have discussed the composite dialogue between those Governments, and the issue of nuclear weapons proliferation. In respect of India, I refer the hon. Member to the press conference I held with the Indian Prime Minister on 20 September 2004, and to the joint India-United Kingdom declaration, both of which are available on the No. 10 website.

Libya

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister what recent information he has received from the Libyan Government that can assist in tackling terrorism. [197798]

The Prime Minister: The threat of terrorism is under constant review. The Government take the appropriate action on any information received.

Youth Parliament

Andrew Selous: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer to the honourable Member for South West Bedfordshire of 20 October, Official Report, column 888, if he will meet a group of members of the Youth Parliament to discuss the youth service. [198199]

The Prime Minister: I met the UK Youth Parliament on 29 January 2003 and a number of issues were discussed. I welcome the contribution made by the UK Youth Parliament to the democratic process. I am happy to consider any requests from the UK Youth Parliament for further meetings.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Antisocial Behaviour

Mr. Kenneth Clarke: To ask the Solicitor-General whether the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has established the national team of CPS anti-social behaviour prosecutors as described in the Home Office Action Plan, "Together Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour", published in 2003; how many specialist prosecutors are working full-time in the national team; how many are working in the county of Nottinghamshire; and how many prosecutions have so far been brought by the national team (a) in England and (b) in Nottinghamshire. [191619]

The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has established a team of 13 anti-social behaviour expert prosecutors as described in the Home Office Action Plan. None of these is currently working in Nottinghamshire.

Available figures indicate that 457 post conviction orders have been made nationally as a result of CPS applications. No figures are available for Nottinghamshire.

Appeals Process

Mr. Allen: To ask the Solicitor-General if the Law Officers will take steps to re-assess the appeals process,
 
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following the court of appeal decision relating to those convicted of the assault on Mr. Derek Senior; and if she will make a statement. [196228]

The Solicitor-General: There is no plan to take any steps to re-assess the appeals process.

Charging Initiative

Mr. Allen: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will conduct a pilot project to locate Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors in police stations to provide a 24-hour on-site charging capability. [196230]

The Solicitor-General: Crown prosecutors are already located in police stations in the 13 areas where most recorded crime takes place, along with Cleveland. They are available between 9am and 5pm. Out of hours cover for all areas with a statutory charging scheme is provided by CPS Direct, a centralised telephone advice service staffed by experienced prosecutors, operating from 5pm to 9am Monday to Friday, and 24 hours at weekends and bank holidays.

While there are no current plans to provide 24 hour presence in police stations, the CPS and ACPO are working together to consider the introduction of more face-to-face-charging advice locally at weekends and during the evenings.

Nigerian LNG Plant/Serious Fraud Office

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Solicitor-General (1) whether the Serious Fraud Office is assisting (a) the French authorities and (b) the Nigerian authorities with their investigation into allegations of bribery relating to a Nigerian LNG plant; [197262]

(2) on what date the Serious Fraud Office began providing assistance to the US authorities with their investigation into allegations of bribery relating to a Nigerian LNG plant. [197263]

The Solicitor-General: For operational reasons the SFO cannot confirm or deny whether a specific matter has been referred to it, or is under investigation. However due to exceptional approval obtained from the US authorities, the SFO can confirm that a request for mutual legal assistance from the USA in relation to the Bonny Island LNG plant, was acceded to on 28 October 2004.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Solicitor-General how many overseas jurisdictions the Serious Fraud Office is assisting with overseas corruption cases; and if she will list the jurisdictions. [197172]

The Solicitor-General: The Mutual Legal Assistance Unit of the Serious Fraud Office is currently assisting in eight overseas cases concerning offences involving bribery and corruption as specified by the referring jurisdiction.

As these investigations are ongoing, the SFO cannot disclose details of these investigations or the individual referring jurisdictions.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases of overseas corruption the Serious Fraud Office is (a) investigating and (b) vetting; and if she will make a statement. [197173]

 
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The Solicitor-General: The Serious Fraud Office is currently conducting two investigations where allegations of overseas corruption constitute an element of the case.

A further 11 referrals where allegations of overseas corruption may constitute an element of the referral are currently subject to the SFO's vetting process. It is not known at present which, or if any, of these cases will be accepted for investigation by the SFO.

The SFO is committed to investigating such allegations where the acceptance criteria of the SFO are met. In such cases the SFO will prosecute the offence or offences that are best supported evidentially, and best represent the conduct of the suspects.

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