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Pre-legislative Scrutiny

Mr. Heald: To ask the Leader of the House how many (a) written and (b) oral submissions of evidence were made to each pre-legislative scrutiny committee held since 1997; and how many were submitted by
 
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(i) individuals, (ii) voluntary sector groups, (iii) statutory sector organisations, (iv) employers and (v) employer organisations. [208671]

Mr. Hain: Pre-legislative scrutiny has been undertaken by a variety of different committees, in both Houses. A helpful list is provided in the Library's Standard Note on pre-legislative scrutiny (SN/PC/2822, available on the internet at http://www.parliament.uk/works/notes_on_parliament_and_constitution.cfm.)

The information requested is obtainable from the published reports of these Committees, but could be collated only at disproportionate cost. The annual Sessional Return also provides relevant information, though not categorised in the form requested.

Special Advisers

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House whether the contracts signed by his special advisers differ from the Model Contract for Special Advisers. [207230]

Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister earlier today.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Files

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is the policy of the Department to retain for the benefit of future (a) historians and (b) applicants under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the same (i) complete categories of files, (ii) numbers of files and (iii) representative examples of files from categories of files destroyed as had been preserved prior to the passage of that Act. [203310]

Mrs. McGuire: In accordance with the Public Records Act 1958 S.3, the selection of records of enduring historical value for permanent preservation at The National Archives (TNA) will continue to take place in the Scotland Office under the guidance and supervision of TNA staff. The Office will also comply with the Code of Practice on Records Management, issued by the Lord Chancellor under S.46 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which underlines the importance of having clear selection policies and disposal schedules in place.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many departmental files have been destroyed in each of the past five years. [203311]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Since that date, no files have been destroyed.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes have been promulgated in each of the past five years to the guidelines or other criteria for the retention or destruction of departmental files. [203312]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Since that date, the Scotland Office has made no changes to guidelines.
 
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Departmental Telephones

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his policy is on the use of telephones in his Department by members of staff for their personal use for (a) domestic calls and (b) international calls; and if he will make a statement. [201082]

Mrs. McGuire: Staff are permitted to make limited personal calls of short duration on local networks. In cases where there is a genuine need to make a significant number of personal calls, staff are encouraged to use call cards to have the cost charged to their home telephone. Monitoring of telephone usage is delegated to local managers who are assisted by the provision of reports which provide details of calls made by staff in their area.

Where it can be justified for business reasons, the Office provides staff with mobile telephones. The use of these phones to make personal calls is permitted on the clear understanding that the cost is refunded. Procedures are in place for the invoices to be reviewed and staff are asked to declare if any calls are personal and refund the cost.

Access on all phones to international numbers is restricted to those with a business need and is only provided when authorised by local managers. Calls to premium rate numbers are barred.

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures have been taken to ensure the telephones in his Department are not used by staff for making unauthorised personal calls to international numbers. [201083]

Mrs. McGuire: Access to international numbers is only granted to staff that have a business need to make such calls and is provided only when authorised by local managers.

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the estimated cost to his Department is of unauthorised personal calls made by members of staff to (a) domestic numbers and (b) international numbers. [201084]

Mrs. McGuire: Details of unauthorised personal calls by members of staff to domestic numbers are not held centrally and therefore no estimate of costs can be provided. Access to international numbers is only granted to staff that have a business need to make such calls and is provided only when authorised by local managers.

Invoice Payments

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. [200625]

Mrs. McGuire: During the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004, the Scotland Office, which also provides support to the Office of the Advocate-General, paid
 
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supplier invoices, on average, within 26.6 days (unaudited figure). During this period, the offices paid 96.8 per cent. of undisputed invoices within 30 days or the agreed credit terms. The Offices had one payment unpaid after 90 days, which represents 0.0002 per cent. of invoices.

The Government are committed to improving the payment culture in the UK in order to create a fair and stable environment for business transactions. Government Departments and their agencies should aim to pay all invoices not in dispute within 30 days or within the agreed contractual terms if otherwise specified; the Offices support this policy.

Travel Costs

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997. [203795]

Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 9 December 2004]: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.

Since 1999 the Government have published, on an annual basis, the total costs of all ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. The travel costs of special advisers who accompany their Minister overseas are included in the annual list of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers.

Since 1 July 1999, the other travel costs by the Scotland Office were:
£

	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04(1)
Ministers	27,783	36,843	30,570	19,788	1,155
Special Advisers	10,246	20,700	33,888	37,672	16,841
Officials	108,990	188,930	219,876	241,629	181,872
Total	147,019	246,473	284,334	290,089	199,868

⁽¹⁾ Since June 2003, part of the travel costs of the Secretary of State have been met by the Department of Transport.

All ministerial travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers" and all official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules contained in the Civil Service Management Code, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

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