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24 Feb 2005 : Column 780W—continued
Race Relations (Amendment) Act
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many NHS trusts have (a) complied with their statutory duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, (b) published a race equality scheme and action plan and (c) carried out race impact assessments. [216546]
Mr. Hutton: I have been asked to reply.
Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) have performance management responsibility for NHS Trusts. Information on local race equality schemes and action plans, as well as race impact assessments can be obtained from SHAs.
To make sure that race equality is integral to delivering health services, four SHA chief executives in partnership with the Department and the Commission for Racial Equality developed a framework to assist national health service organisations measure for themselves their progress in promoting race equality within the health service. This guide can be accessed at (http://www.cre.gov.uk/pdfs.sha_race__equality_guide.pdf).
To ensure compliance with the legislation, the Department will be offering advice and support to NHS organisations in developing their new schemes. The Chief Executive Bulletin Issue 249, December 2004, included a reminder to all NHS organisations of the requirement to produce race equality schemes by 31 May 2005.
Royal Parks Constabulary
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what mechanisms the Royal Parks Constabulary staff pay and conditions will be protected if they transfer to the Metropolitan Police Service as proposed in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill. [215292]
Mr. Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
The key elements of the proposed transfer arrangements, which have been the subject of consultation with members of the Royal Parks Constabulary (RPC) and their union representatives, are as follows.
RPC pay rates are pegged at 85.5 per cent. of MPS rates; officers transferring to the MPS as constables will therefore immediately benefit from a higher rate of pay, as well as the much improved career prospects which the
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MPS is able to offer. Their length of service and rank will be recognised, and they will have the opportunity to remain in the Royal Parks Operational Command Unit for a maximum of 10 years. If an officer is ineligible, or chooses not to transfer as a constable but wishes to transfer as a Community Support Officer or member of police staff, then the MPS have agreed to maintain their rate of pay on a mark time basis for three years. If officers are ineligible to become MPS officers they will also have the option of redundancy, though we hope that few will be in this position.
As civil servants, RPC officers are currently in the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS), whereas MPS officers are in the Police Pension Scheme (PPS). Officers transferring have the option of freezing their benefits in the PCSPS or transferring them to the PPS. We have worked very closely with the Government Actuary's Department on the arrangements for pensions transfers from the one to the other which are designed with the aim of providing at the time of retirement from the MPS a retirement package which will be at least as good as if they had remained in the PCSPS and retired at the same age.
The current retirement age for RPC officers is 60, subject to continuing satisfactory health, conduct and performance. For MPS officers the retirement age is 55, but the maximum retirement age is also 60, subject to application for, and annual approval of, extension of service. Annual extensions take into account health, conduct and efficiency, and the continuing requirement for the role. So RPC officers transferring will, subject to these requirements, have the opportunity to continue until 60.
The Police Act 1996 allows any person who was a member of a trade union immediately before joining a force to retain membership of that union with the consent of the Chief Officer. I understand that all requests from officers to retain union membership after their transfer to the MPS have been approved, and I see no reason why future requests should not also be approved.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Football
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions Ministers have had with the Football Association on the scheduling of local derby football matches. [218003]
The scheduling of football matches is a matter for the Football Association to decide in consultation with local police.
In the light of the events that took place during the matches at Everton and Burnley last weekend, I understand that the Football Association plans to review the scheduling of matches with the police and broadcasters in advance of the next round of the FA Cup.
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Ministerial Engagements
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the ministerial engagements (a) out of London and (b) in London that she has cancelled since 1 January 2004. [209264]
Tessa Jowell: The information requested is listed as follows.
Staff Surveys
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne), 4 February 2005, Official Report, columns 1162–63W, on staff surveys, if she will place in the Library copies of the staff surveys conducted by her Department since 1997. [217471]
Mr. Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has conducted three staff surveys since 1997—in 2000, 2001 and 2003—and I am arranging for copies of each of the survey reports to be been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Targets
Mr. George Osborne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many targets have been
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set in each year since 1997 by the Department; and, of these, which have been (a) met, (b) nearly met, (c) not met, (d) changed and (e) dropped. [215793]
Mr. Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 75W.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Building Regulations
David Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list organisations registered to provide competent person self-certification schemes for the purposes of compliance with Part P of the Building Regulations. [217542]
Phil Hope: The following organisations are authorised to operate competent person self-certification schemes for the purposes of compliance with Part P of the Building Regulations regarding the installation of fixed low or extra-low voltage electrical installations
The following organisations are registered to provide competent person self-certification schemes for the installation of fixed low or extra-low voltage electrical installations as a necessary adjunct to or arising out of other work being carried out:
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