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20 Oct 2005 : Column 1182W—continued

Pensions Ombudsman

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on developments in provision of office space and IT systems for the pensions ombudsman. [16525]

Mr. Timms: Work is under way to deliver refurbished accommodation and a replacement IT system for the pensions ombudsman by spring 2006.

Recycling

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all copying paper brought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content. [14389]

Mr. Plaskitt: The Department for Work and Pensions implemented a new contract for recycled paper containing 80 per cent. post-consumer waste in September 2005. This saw the removal of virgin paper from the bespoke Department for Work and Pensions catalogue.

Water Consumption

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what change there was in water consumption by his Department between 2002 and 31 March 2005; and what assessment he has made of which non-office sites offer opportunities for significant water savings. [14253]

 
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Mr. Plaskitt: The levels of water consumption for the Department for Work and Pensions are given in the table. The Department is working to deliver the specific water targets contained within the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate". The figures in the table reflect how water consumption is reported against the specific water consumption target.

	m(35)
2002–03	9.14
2003–04	11.2
2004–05	9.3

As reported in the Sustainable Development in Government reports, the whole Department for Work and Pensions estate is designated as office based. There are, therefore, no non-office sites on the estate.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Asylum Seekers

Mr. Clegg: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what numbers of case starts in asylum were allocated, and what numbers were used in (a) England and Wales and (b) Yorkshire and Humberside region in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [19039]

Bridget Prentice: The information is as follows:

(a) 73,360 new matter starts were allocated in April 2004 in England and Wales, of which 43,966 new matter starts were used by the end of March 2005 by legal aid solicitors. The Legal Services Commission (LSC) also awarded hours to voluntary sector suppliers, of which 13,830 hours were used by these suppliers by the end of March 2005.

(b) 3,340 new matter starts were allocated in April 2004 in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, of which 1,836 new matter starts were used by the end of March 2005. The LSC also awarded hours to voluntary sector suppliers, of which 1,836 hours were used by these suppliers by the end of March 2005.

Child Protection

Annette Brooke: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has to review and consult upon child protection and care proceedings; and if she will make a statement. [19850]

Bridget Prentice: On 5 July my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor announced a Review of the Family Justice System in the area of Child Care proceedings, to be led jointly by my Department and the Department for Education and Skills. Its Terms of Reference are set out at Annex B of the Command Paper A Fairer Deal for Legal Aid", published on that day (Cm 6591), and it will report to Ministers by 31 January 2006. The work of the review is involving widespread discussion with those involved in the operation of the system, and implementation of any recommendations could involve further discussion and consultation.
 
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Departmental Expenditure

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what the total spending by the Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available; [14872]

(2) what the total spending by the Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available. [14918]

Bridget Prentice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 5 October 2005, Official Report, column 2786W, by my hon. Friend the Minister for Scotland Office to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson).

Senior Bar (Northern Ireland)

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what is the perceived religious affiliation based on educational background of the panel selected to oversee appointments to the Senior Bar in Northern Ireland. [19311]

Bridget Prentice: The Queen's Counsel Selection Panel is responsible for recommendations for appointment to Queen's Counsel in Northern Ireland. The Bar Council and Law Society of Northern Ireland are responsible for the appointment of the panel members, which comprise a senior retired Northern Ireland judge, two lay people, two senior barristers and two senior solicitors. The panel were not required to make their community background known.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Embassies (Africa)

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria would be used to determine the closure of a British embassy in Africa. [17408]

Mr. Straw: We have no plans to close or open any further sovereign posts in Africa or elsewhere but, like any well run organisation, we will continue to move resources flexibly as priorities require in line with UK interests. We undertook a review of our network last year, the results of which I announced on 15 December 2004, Official Report, columns 137–40WS. I announced some small changes to these plans on 11 October 2005, Official Report, columns 22–23WS. Throughout, in looking at our diplomatic network, in Africa as elsewhere, our aim is to deliver on behalf of the British taxpayer the Government's international priorities in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.

Correspondence

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the letters from the hon. Member for Banbury to the British
 
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ambassador in Tel Aviv of 31 May, to UKvisas of 15 July, and to Ministers of 19 September regarding Mrs. Liza David will be replied to. [18063]

Dr. Howells: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman of Tottenham) replied to the hon. Member on 18 October, on behalf of his office, UKvisas and Her Majesty's ambassador in Tel Aviv.

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter to him dated 12 July 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. Owen Cooper. [19513]

Dr. Howells: We have no record of having received this letter and have requested a copy from my right hon. Friend's office. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will reply as soon as possible after a copy of the letter is received.

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated (a) 16 June, with regard to Mr. Abbas, (b) 12 July, with regard to Mr. Abdelrazik Salama, (c) 7 June, with regard to Mr. Tariq Iqbal and (d) 6 September, with regard to Mrs. A Ahmed. [19516]

Dr. Howells: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman of Tottenham) replied to my right hon. Friend's letters with regard to Mr. Abbas, Mr. Abdelrazik Salama and Mr. Tariq Iqbal on 18 October.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied to his letter with regard to Mrs A. Ahmed on 17 October.

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