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Parliamentary Questions

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what target his Department sets for the maximum acceptable time to respond in full to a parliamentary question; and what percentage of answers given by his Department failed to meet this target in each parliamentary Session from 1997–98 to 2003–04. [202551]

Maria Eagle: We aim to ensure that hon. Members receive a substantive response to their named day questions on the day named and endeavour to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of being tabled. Unfortunately, this is not always possible but we make every effort to achieve these timescales.

The Department for Work and Pensions was formed at the start of the 2001–02 parliamentary Session. Information about our performance is in the table.

	Percentage of all questions answered within:
Session	5 working days	10 working days	Percentage of named day questions answered on the named day
2001–02	26	54	53
2002–03	37	68	51
2003–04	43	74	73

 
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Telephone Costs

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what measures he has taken to ensure the telephones in his Department are not used by staff making unauthorised personal calls to international numbers; [202187]

(2) what his policy is on the use of telephones in his Department by members of staff for their personal use relating to (a) domestic calls and (b) international calls; and if he will make a statement. [202188]

Maria Eagle: The telephone systems used in the Department for Work and Pensions are installed to standards which allow the control, or "barring" of access to a detailed list of known "non Business" numbers. For example, premium rate chat line numbers etc. This barring is also used to restrict access to international numbers to a limited number of telephones on business need. These telephones can be monitored either through the use of itemised call reports or billing information.

The allocation and monitoring of such telephone extensions is held at a local level.

My Department's policy on the use of telephones allows DWP staff to use the telephone system for local personal calls with the agreement of their manager. They may also be allowed to make long distance calls but will be expected to pay for them. This is covered in the Department's Standards of Behaviour policy.

Misuse of official telephones is normally classified as minor misconduct under the Department's disciplinary policy.
 
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CABINET OFFICE

Departmental Expenditure

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what the total cost to the Duchy was for accountancy services in each of the last two years; [202470]

(2) if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by the Duchy administration in each of the last two years. [202473]

Mr. Milburn: Expenditure on accountancy services for the last two accounting years by the Duchy of Lancaster amounted to £25,454 for 2003–04 and £22,389 for 2002–03.

Energy costs incurred by the Duchy of Lancaster administration were £8,719 for 2003–04 and £6,370 in 2002–03.

The Duchy of Lancaster is not a Government Department and as such not supported by public funds. Formal accounts are prepared annually and placed in the Library of both Houses of Parliament and I would refer the hon. Member to these.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the total cost to the Duchy was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years. [202484]

Mr. Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster utilises a number of professional advisers but does not employ consultants as defined within Government guidelines.

Equal Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the difference was between average (a) men's and (b) women's salaries at each grade, band or salary range, broken down by (i) national and (ii) London rates, in each Department at the latest date for which figures are available. [200586]

Ruth Kelly: I have today placed in the Library a table which shows the mean salary for men and women, and the difference between these, by responsibility level; National and London areas. Figures are based on 1 April 2004 Civil Service Statistics data and are grouped by Major Departments. Civil Service Statistics are available in the Library and on our website at www.civilservice.gov.uk/managementinformation/statisticalinformation/statistics/in dex.asp

Special Advisers

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) if she will list the attributable interviews that the Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004; [201440]

(2) if she will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that the Department's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004. [201442]

 
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Ruth Kelly: The Cabinet Office's special advisers gave no attributable interviews to newspapers, journals, books or other media, nor did they contribute articles or make other contributions in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 Cabinet Office special advisers travelled (a) domestically and (b) abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost. [202245]

Ruth Kelly: In the financial year 2003–04, Cabinet Office Special Advisers did not make any visits overseas in an official capacity.

Within the UK Special Advisers will on occasion accompany their Ministers on official visits.

Information on such visits and their cost is not separately identifiable and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the "Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code".

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether Cabinet Office Special Advisers have attended meetings with external (a) bodies and (b) individuals, in their official capacity and without Ministers, since May 1997. [203442]

Ruth Kelly: Special Advisers hold meetings with a wide range of external representatives in their official capacity. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether Cabinet Office Special Advisers have made speeches in their official capacity since May 1997. [203490]

Ruth Kelly: Any speeches made by Special Advisers in an official capacity are conducted in accordance with the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

HEALTH

Cancer (North-west)

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress in the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of cancer in the North West. [201340]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The national health service is no longer divided into regions. However, we have made real progress to reorganise and rejuvenate cancer services so that we compare with the best in Europe. The NHS is delivering better treatment, more quickly, to more people than ever before and there are thousands of people alive and well who would not be without these improvements.
 
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Since April 2001, an additional 250,000 women have been invited to be screened in England as a result of the expansion of the breast screening service to 65 to 70-year-old women. In England, 99.3 per cent. of people with suspected cancer are now seen by a specialist within two weeks of being referred by their general practitioner.

Over 1,100 of the most modern pieces of equipment to diagnose and treat cancer have been delivered to hospitals since April 2000 through central programmes, with a further 200 more in the pipeline.

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