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Written Answers to Questions

Monday 17 October 2005

CABINET OFFICE

European Contractors

Mr. Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the contractors based in other EU member states that are providing services to his Department. [15444]

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Mr. Hutton: The information requested is not collected.

Advisory Committee on Business Appointments

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list senior civil servants whose move to the private sector was vetted by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005; to which company each moved; and what conditions were attached in each case. [16930]

Mr. Hutton: The information requested, up to 31 March 2005, is available from the annual reports of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, copies of which are in the Library.

I understand that, since 1 April 2005, the Advisory Committee has considered the following appointments:

Name, former Department and
date of leaving service
Appointment
Advice

D. Anderson, Department for Work and Pensions, Chief Executive, Jobcentre Plus, May 2005 Chief Executive, Co-operative Financial Services Ltd. Unconditional approval

Sir Roger Bone KCMG, FCO, HM Ambassador to Brazil, July 2004 President, Boeing UK Unconditional approval

Ms A. Grant, FCO, High Commissioner South Africa, May 2005 Special Adviser, Standard Chartered Bank Approved subject to the condition that, for six months from her last day in post, she should not revisit South Africa for business purposes, advise on it, or have dealings with companies there

S. Haddrill, DTI, Director General Fair Markets, April 2005 Director General, Association of British Insurers Approved subject to the condition that, for six months from his last day of service, he should not be personally involved in lobbying Government Ministers or officials

A Laurance, Department of Health Adviser to Minister of Health, Iraq, June 2005 Team Leader, Emergency Public Administration Reform Programme, Iraq, Adam Smith International Ltd. Unconditional approval

Sir Roderic Lyne KBE CMG, FCO, HM Ambassador to Moscow, August 2004 Adviser, ITE Group plc Unconditional approval

J. Spencer CB, Department for Constitutional Affairs, Director General, Clients and Policy, February 2005 Consultant, Cap Gemini UK plc Unconditional approval

Sir John Vickers, Office of Fair Trading, Chairman, September 2005 Drummond Professor of Political Economy, Oxford University Unconditional approval

Name, former Department and date of leaving service	Appointment	Advice
D. Anderson, Department for Work and Pensions, Chief Executive, Jobcentre Plus, May 2005	Chief Executive, Co-operative Financial Services Ltd.	Unconditional approval

Sir Roger Bone KCMG, FCO, HM Ambassador to Brazil, July 2004	President, Boeing UK	Unconditional approval

Ms A. Grant, FCO, High Commissioner South Africa, May 2005	Special Adviser, Standard Chartered Bank	Approved subject to the condition that, for six months from her last day in post, she should not revisit South Africa for business purposes, advise on it, or have dealings with companies there

S. Haddrill, DTI, Director General Fair Markets, April 2005	Director General, Association of British Insurers	Approved subject to the condition that, for six months from his last day of service, he should not be personally involved in lobbying Government Ministers or officials

A Laurance, Department of Health Adviser to Minister of Health, Iraq, June 2005	Team Leader, Emergency Public Administration Reform Programme, Iraq, Adam Smith International Ltd.	Unconditional approval

Sir Roderic Lyne KBE CMG, FCO, HM Ambassador to Moscow, August 2004	Adviser, ITE Group plc	Unconditional approval

J. Spencer CB, Department for Constitutional Affairs, Director General, Clients and Policy, February 2005	Consultant, Cap Gemini UK plc	Unconditional approval

Sir John Vickers, Office of Fair Trading, Chairman, September 2005	Drummond Professor of Political Economy, Oxford University	Unconditional approval

Hampton Review

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on progresstowards amalgamating 31 inspection agencies, consequent upon the recommendations of the Hampton Review; and what assessment he has made of the (a) management and (b) financial implications of these amalgamations. [16970]

Mr. Hutton: The mergers recommended in the Hampton report are being taken forward by the relevant Departments, who are themselves considering the financial and management arrangements.

Work is well under way on the programme of mergers, and is on track to meet Philip Hampton's target of April 2009 for completion. For example:

The Department of Trade and Industry have finished a consultation on their proposals for the Consumer and Trading Standards Agency.

The Natural England and Rural Communities Bill has been brought before the House, containing provisions to create one of the Hampton thematic regulators, Natural England.

In addition, the Cabinet Office has just finished consulting on the proposals contained in A Bill for Better Regulation", which proposes a power to enable regulatory structural reform to take place quickly, with proper scrutiny but without disproportionate use of parliamentary time.

Recycled Tyres

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of the tyres from

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the Government car service were recycled in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [16957]

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.

Volunteering

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many volunteering positions his Department has offered in each of the last five years. [17866]

Mr. Hutton: All staff are offered the opportunity to use one day's paid special leave per year to undertake a volunteering activity. While the Cabinet Office does not offer specific positions for which the volunteering leave has to be used, the Department has helped facilitate activities, currently doing so through a joint Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and Home Office initiative.

To date in 2005, 14 teams of between 10 and 20 staff have undertaken or are preparing for team volunteering events organised by CSV. In addition, 15 staff have volunteered via a CSV scheme to be mentors to schoolchildren in local schools, and other staff continue to undertake individual volunteering positions such as school governorships, charity fundraising, assisting the St. John's Ambulance, and participating in faith based activities. We survey staff annually to assess the level of volunteering activity.

Wyre Estuary (Gas Storage)

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions the Duchy has had with (a) Canatxx UK Ltd. and (b) associate companies regarding the granting of mineral working rights for gas storage under the Wyre Estuary. [17837]

Mr. Hutton: The Duchy Office has had a couple of preliminary meetings with Canatxx UK Ltd. to hear about their proposals, but is awaiting the outcome of the planning process before holding any further more substantive discussions.

There have been no meetings with associated companies regarding the working of minerals beneath the Wyre Estuary.

DEFENCE

Future Rapid Effect System

12. Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last discussed the future rapid effect system with the chief of defence procurement. [17621]

Mr. Ingram: Defence Ministers meet regularly with the Chief of Defence Procurement to discuss procurement issues.

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Submarines

13. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the running costs of the Trident submarine fleet were in 2004–05. [17622]

John Reid: Since the Trident nuclear deterrent became operational in 1994, the annual expenditure for capital and running costs has ranged between 2 and 4 per cent. of the annual defence budget.

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many submarines are in service in the Royal Navy; and how many there were in each of the last five years. [18219]

Mr. Ingram: The Royal Navy has 15 submarines in service, four SSBNs (Trident) and 11 SSNs (hunter killer). The number of submarines in service in each of the last five years is set out in the following table.
Submarines in service

SSBNs SSNs Total

2000 4 12 16

2001 4 12 16

2002 4 12 16

2003 4 12 16

2004 4 11 15

	SSBNs	SSNs	Total
2000	4	12	16
2001	4	12	16
2002	4	12	16
2003	4	12	16
2004	4	11	15

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the US Administration regarding (i) an extension to the service life of US Ohio-class submarines and (ii) a replacement for US Ohio-class submarines; and if he will make a statement. [17157]

Mr. Ingram: I have been made aware of extensions to the service life of US Ohio-class submarines as part of routine discussions on matters of common interest. Icannot comment on US plans regarding a replacement for the Ohio-class submarines; that is a matter for the US Government.

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