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16 Nov 2004 : Column 1263W—continued
Special Advisers
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many unpaid special advisers the Department has; what their names are; and which Government (a) bodies, (b) committees and (c) strategy groups each unpaid adviser (i) belongs to, (ii) advises and (iii) works alongside. [194063]
Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 28 October 2004, Official Report, column 1380W.
Sugar Regime
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to ensure that UK sugar producers will not be disadvantaged by the reform of the EU Sugar Regime. [195982]
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Alun Michael: The Government's aim is to secure a more economically rational and market-based sugar regime consistent with our international trade and development obligations and our wider sustainability objectives. A sugar reform which meets these conditions ought to be to the advantage of everyone.
Sustainable Agriculture
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will break down by programme the budget set by her Department for public expenditure on sustainable agriculture and livestock products for financial years (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06. [196651]
Alun Michael: The Department's spend on sustainable agriculture forms part of the Government's Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food, which includes the co-ordination of the programme to implement the Single Farm Payment in England.
A wide range of departmental activities contribute to the outcomes of the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 3 November 2004, Official Report, column 255W, which provided a breakdown of the new funding for this strategy.
Budgets have not yet been confirmed for 2005–06. For 2004–05, the programme budget directly focussed on the co-ordination of sustainable agriculture and livestock products is as follows:
(4) This includes the Department of Trade and Industry contribution to the funding of the Red Meat Industry Forum. In 2004–05 this is £524,000.
(5) The School Milk Top Up Scheme is equally funded by Defra, Department of Health and Department for Education and Skills. This funding is the Defra element only.
(6) An additional £1,500,000 (outside the single pot) has been made available to the Regional Development Agencies during 2004–05. The other £170,000 provides top up funding for the Government Offices in the Regions.
Water Framework Directive
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely effects of the Water Framework Directive on the rural economy [197814]
Mr. Morley:
The costs and benefits of the Water Framework Directive and likely effects on different sectors are examined in the updated partial regulatory impact assessment which was published in Defra's "Third Consultation Paper on the Implementation of
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the EC Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)" in August 2003. The assessment covers analysis of impacts on key sectors which contribute to the rural economy.
This partial regulatory impact assessment includes the current estimates of costs and benefits. However, the Water Framework Directive introduces a long term strategic planning process and many of the details are yet to be worked out. Monitoring of current water status and economic analysis on cost-effective measures to meet objectives will provide further information, and Defra will assess the scope for updating this RIA from 2005.
ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE
Regional Referendum
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what complaints the Electoral Commission have received concerning the conduct of the regional referendum. [198161]
Mr. Viggers: The Chairman informs me that the Electoral Commission has received representations on a range of matters relating to the north-east referendums. These include the role of the Commission in commenting on the questions and designating lead campaigners, and the activities of local and central government in the referendum campaigns. The Commission's statutory reports on the administration of the regional and local referendums will take into account the comments it has received.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission when the Electoral Commission intends to report on the conduct of the referendum in the north-east. [198162]
Mr. Viggers: The Chairman informs me that the Electoral Commission intends to publish the reports required by section 5 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 on the administration of the regional and local referendums held in the north-east earlier this month in summer 2005.
TREASURY
Civil Service Job Cuts
Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on proposed job cuts in the civil service. [198125]
Mr. Boateng: There will be an overall gross reduction in posts of 84,150 by 2008 and Departments will pursue these reductions in line with business need. Departments are currently developing their plans.
Departmental advertising costs
Charles Hendry:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the cost of (a) creative work, (b) media spend and (c) administration for his
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Department's advertising activity has been in each financial year since 1997–98, broken down by contractor; [197290]
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (2) what the total expenditure on advertising by his Department was in 2003–04. [198194]
Mr. Timms: In relation to the years up to 2001–02, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 7 May 2002, Official Report, column 36W. In the last two financial years, HM Treasury's only spending on advertising has been for the purpose of recruitment. Detailed costs of advertising, as distinct from other recruitment expenses, or analysis by advertising contractor, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Events (Funding)
Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [196607]
Mr. Timms: The Treasury, the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise do not receive significant commercial funding for activities in the five categories to which the question refers. A review of accounting records indicates that, across the three departments, total income from outside commercial bodies in the five categories was less than £50,000 in each of the last two financial years. The detailed analysis sought could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Earnings
Mr. Moore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the distribution of earnings is for those earning (a) under the point below which 10 per cent. of earners fall and (b) the point above which 10 per cent. of earners exceed in (i) Scotland and (ii) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland, broken down by (A) male, (B) female and (C) all workers. [198285]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Michael Moore, dated 16 November 2004:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the distribution of earnings is for those earning (a) under the point below which 10 per cent. of earners fall and (b) the point above which 10 per cent. of earners exceed in (i) Scotland (ii) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland, broken down by (A) male, (B) female and (C) all workers. I am replying in his absence. (198285).
Average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period, by their place of work. This is the standard definition used for Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings tables. The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn schemes, but because of its sampling frame, it has difficulty capturing data on people with very low pay. It is therefore likely to under-represent relatively low paid staff earning below the tax threshold.
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings publication criteria ensures that all estimates are undisclosive. A number of estimates have been removed from the published tables for these reasons.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) average and (b) median (i) weekly and (ii) hourly gross earnings (A) including and (B) excluding overtime is of (1) Managers and Senior, (2) Professional, (3) Associate Professional and Technical, (4) Administrative and Secretarial, (5) Skilled Trades, (6) Personal Service, (7) Sales and Customer Service, (8) Process, Plant and Machine Operatives and (9) Elementary occupational groups, broken down by (x) male, (y) female and (z) all workers. [198286]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Michael Moore, dated 16 November 2004:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question what the (a) average and (b) median (i) weekly and (ii) hourly gross earnings (A) including and (B) excluding overtime is of the occupational groups (1) Managers and Senior, (2) Professional, (3) Associate Professional and Technical, (4) Administrative and Secretarial, (5) Skilled Trades, (6) Personal Service, (7) Sales and Customer Service, (8) Process, Plant and Machine Operatives and (9) Elementary, broken down by (x) male, (y) female and (z) all workers. I am replying in his absence. (198286).
Average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period, by their place of work. This is the standard definition used for Annual Survey of Hours and Earning tables. The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
These data are available on the statistics web site: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/ASHE_2004 inc/2004_occupation.pdf
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn schemes, but because of its sampling frame, it has difficulty capturing data on people with very low pay. It is therefore likely to under-represent relatively low paid staff earning below the tax threshold.
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings publication criteria ensures that all estimates are undisclosive. A number of estimates have been removed from the published tables for these reasons.
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