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13 Jun 2005 : Column 110W—continued
CABINET OFFICE
E-Government (East Yorkshire)
David Davis: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the uptake of e-delivery of Government services has been in East Yorkshire. [3587]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) measures uptake of government services online on a quarterly basis for Adults (16+) across Great Britain. The last survey, in February 2005 showed that 57 per cent. Of internet users, representing 33 per cent. of the adult population accessed Government websites in the 12 months prior to the survey. 29 per cent. of the population accessed sites for informational purposes and 7 per cent. for downloading forms.
Recently available National Statistics data formed by adding the last two surveys together to increase the sample size for regional analysis, shows 46 per cent. of
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internet users in Yorkshire and the Number have visited Government websites compared to the UK average of 54 per cent.
Freedom of Information
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what date the first meeting of the sub-Committee on Freedom of Information will take place. [3279]
Mr. Hutton: Although the Government publishes the title, membership and terms of reference of Cabinet Committees, it has been the practice of successive Governments not to disclose details of their proceedings, including the dates when they meet.
Government Correspondence
Mr. Allen: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will take steps to improve the (a) speed and (b) relevance of replies by Government Departments to letters and inquiries from (i) hon. Members and (ii) the public; [2861]
(2) if he will take steps to introduce new performance indicators and a table of rankings for the performance of (a) Government Departments and (b) Ministers in responding to correspondence from hon. Members and the public; [2862]
(3) if he will institute a system of beacon status and special measures to encourage improvements in ministerial and departmental performance in responding to correspondence from hon. Members and the public. [2863]
Mr. Hutton: The Cabinet Office will shortly be publishing updated guidance for Departments on the handling of correspondence from hon. Members and Peers. Copies of the guidance will be placed in the Library. The performance of individual Departments on the handling of correspondence from hon. Members and Peers is published on an annual basis. For information relating to their performance for 2004, I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of the Cabinet Office (Mr. Miliband) on 6 April 2005, Official Report, columns 137–40WS.
Individual Government Departments are responsible for setting of response targets on the handling of correspondence from members of the public.
Departments are continuing to work together and share 'best practice' in the handling of all correspondence.
Ministerial Cars
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Ministers since 1 May 1997 have opted not to take-up the use of a ministerial car. [3278]
Mr. Jim Murphy:
The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive Mr. Roy Burke to write to the hon. Member. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.
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Parliamentary Questions
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether it is his policy that written parliamentary questions require a response in terms of content no less full than that which would be given in answer to a request made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [1484]
Mr. Hutton: Guidance to Departments on answering parliamentary questions is set out in Guidance to Officials on Drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions". This guidance was revised and re-issued in February 2005 to take account of the Freedom of Information Act. Copies are also available in the Library.
Perpetual Annuity Payments
Mr. Mudie: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list (a) annuities and (b) pensions which are being paid from public funds to the descendants of individuals who through public service were granted exceptional perpetual annuity or pension payments, broken down by amount. [3053]
Mr. Hutton: The Cabinet Office does not make payments of this nature.
Private Finance Projects
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the private finance initiative and public private partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. [2360]
Mr. Hutton: The Cabinet Office has one private finance initiative project—the Sunningdale Park Property which became operational in 2002.
Information relating to other public private partnership projects is not held centrally and cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.
Websites
Mr. Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many centrally funded websites have a gov.uk suffix; [3114]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of people employed within the civil service who manage Government websites with a gov.uk suffix. [3115]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Cabinet Office does not hold figures on the number of websites in the .gov.uk domain. Figures are held on the number of .gov.uk domain names that have been registered for use. As of 1 April 2005 there were 3,419 approved gov.uk domain names. Covering all levels of central, local and devolved Government within the UK.
A domain name does not necessarily mean a website, a proportion of domain names will be used as redirects to another website.
The Cabinet Office does not hold figures on the number of people employed within the civil service who manage .gov.uk websites.
Websites are funded by the sponsoring organisation.
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DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Design for Manufacture Sites
Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what planning restrictions apply to the sites so far named as Design for Manufacture sites. [2457]
Yvette Cooper: Ten sites have been selected for the Design for Manufacture competition. The sites are:
All the sites are subject to normal planning requirements, and benefit from advanced design specifications. The winners of the competition appointed to become development partners will be expected to abide by local planning requirements, follow design codes and briefs and provide the usual supporting on-site infrastructure.
Seven of the 10 sites already have outline planning consent, and five sites have design codes and/or development briefs in place. Details of the planning context relating to each individual site can be found on the English Partnerships website http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/designformanufacture
Electoral Administration
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of local government staff employed primarily in electoral administration (a) in 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [2744]
Ms Harman: I have been asked to reply.
The Government does not hold figures for the number of local government staff employed primarily in electoral administration.
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