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7 Nov 2005 : Column 159W—continued
Departmental Staff (Literacy and Numeracy)
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the literacy and numeracy skills of new recruits to his Department. [21008]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Cabinet Office competence based recruitment system is designed to identify candidates with the most suitable skills and competences for the job. Candidates are assessed on their ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, and where necessary asked to provide evidence of their numeracy levels. There is also scope, within the selection system, for further testing of candidate's communication and numerical skills through verbal and numerical reasoning tests.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of new recruits to his Department do not have a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics. [23783]
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Mr. Jim Murphy: All new recruits to the Department within the last 12 months have at least a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics.
Duchy Property (Kettering)
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what (a) land and (b) property the Duchy owns in the Kettering constituency. [24362]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Duchy of Lancaster does not own any land or property in the Kettering constituency, but does have certain manorial rights, mainly relating to minerals.
e-Government
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the level of security on the e-Government network. [25430]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Her Majesty's Government operates the Government Secure Intranet (GSI) which is kept under regular security assessment to ensure that risks are mitigated to an appropriate level. As part of the critical national infrastructure, connections to the GSI are assured through the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) authorisation.
Gershon Review
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many full-time equivalent employee reductions were made in his Department as a result of the Gershon review; what cost savings relating to IT projects have been made; what value of efficiency savings (a) were achieved in 2004–05 and (b) are expected to be achieved in 2005–06; and if he will make a statement. [24638]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Progress in 2004–05 will be reported in the Cabinet Office's Autumn Performance Report.
No savings are planned relating to information technology projects.
The Department has an efficiency target for 2007–08 but no intermediate target for 2005–06.
Influenza Pandemic
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has drafted regulations to be laid before Parliament under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 in the event of an influenza pandemic. [25110]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Government maintain a set of draft emergency regulations which could be made in the event of any emergency which met the thresholds set out in Part 2 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. The thresholds are that the emergency itself must be sufficiently serious, it must be necessary to take new powers, and that any new powers taken must be proportionate to the situation.
These draft regulations are generic, and so do not include any specific regulations which relate to an influenza pandemic. However, they do include a range of powers in relation to human health and connected matters, which could be quickly adapted to the specific requirements of a pandemic should the need arise.
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Staff Relocation
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people in his Department (a) were relocated in 2004–05 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 2005–06 as a result of the Lyons review of public sector relocation; to which places they have been relocated; and if he will make a statement. [24637]
Mr. Jim Murphy: No posts were relocated in 2004–05. 15 posts are expected to move to Warrington in 2005–06 as the first tranche of the relocation of part of the e-Government Unit. Details have yet to be finalised.
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Asylum and Immigration Tribunal
Mr. Mudie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average time was between the receipt of papers by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal from the Home Office appeals processing centre and the relevant appeal taking place in the last period for which figures are available. [24872]
Bridget Prentice: The latest provisional information from the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) indicates that, for the period April to end of June 2005, the average time between the AIT receipt of an appeal from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), and the date set for a substantive appeal hearing before an immigration judge, is as follows:
(ii) Nine weeks for immigration appeals (comprising in-country and entry clearance cases but not including family visitor appeals).
This information only applies to appeals received by the AIT from the IND. It does not include appeals lodged directly with the AIT following its commencement on 4 April 2005.
Asylum Seekers
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many failed asylum seekers are appealing against a Home Office decision to deport them from Great Britain. [22965]
Bridget Prentice: The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) does not hold information on the current numbers of failed asylum seekers who have appeals before it arising from the service of a notice of the intention to deport, by the Immigration Services, pursuant to s.63 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
Checks with the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) of the Home Office have confirmed that IND do not collate information on the numbers of failed asylum seekers appealing against these type of decisions.
Carbon Management Programme
Norman Lamb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether her Department will sign up to the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management programme. [23724]
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Bridget Prentice: My Department is fully committed to reducing carbon emissions and is signed up to the Government's Energy White Paper which sets targets of reducing absolute carbon from fuel and energy efficiency used in buildings on their estate by 12.5 per cent. by 2010–11 relative to 1999–2000. My Department also fully recognises the need for Government Departments to show leadership on energy efficiency, and has over the past 10 years introduced a rolling programme of energy surveys and energy saving works.
At this time the Department is finalising its sustainable development strategy, which includes targets for reduction of energy consumption and on-going energy savings works. The Department will consider joining the Carbon Trust's scheme as part of its on-going sustainable development action plan.
Court Fines (Northern Ireland)
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much has been collected in fines at magistrates courts in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years. [25170]
Bridget Prentice: Fines collected in magistrates courts in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years are as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 3,577,780 |
| 2003–04 | 4,267,210 |
| 2004–05 | 4,755,490 |
Court Service (Northern Ireland)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when she expects to report on the outcome of the investigation being carried out into irregularities that may have occurred involving private firms and the Court Service in Northern Ireland. [24774]
Bridget Prentice: The Northern Ireland Court Service asked the Police Service of Northern Ireland to investigate the circumstances surrounding the participation of two of its officials in a sailing holiday at the invitation of a prominent contractor. This investigation is still ongoing.
I am not in a position to indicate when that investigation will be concluded as the conduct of the police investigation is a matter for the PSNI.
In addition to the police investigation the Northern Ireland Court Service also established an independent investigation into the acceptance of gifts and hospitality. As the police investigation necessarily has primacy, the independent investigation will not be completed until after the police investigation has been concluded.
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