---

21 Nov 2005 : Column 1659W—continued

Young Voters

Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of people aged 18 to 21 years voted in the (a) 1992, (b) 1997, (c) 2001 and (d) 2005 general elections. [28927]

Ms Harman: No record is kept of categories of electors who cast votes in UK elections based upon age. Elections in the UK are conducted on the basis of the relevant electoral register which does not identify the age of electors.
 
21 Nov 2005 : Column 1660W
 

PRIME MINISTER

Aircraft Carriers

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence regarding the eligibility of Swan Hunter to bid for inclusion in the CVF programme. [27689]

The Prime Minister: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

China

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) occasions and (b) dates when he has raised human rights in (i) Tibet and (ii) China with members of the Chinese Government in each of the last three years; [26879]

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Prime Minister whether he discussed Tibet with (a) Chinese President Hu Jintao and (b) Premier Wen Jiabao during his meetings with them in September; and if he will make a statement. [27078]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 17 October 2005, Official Report, column 663W.

I also refer the hon. Members to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Ian Pearson) to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on Friday 11 November, Official Report, column 863–64W.

Commission for Africa

Andrew George: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with members of the Commission for Africa since it reported. [30234]

The Prime Minister: I have remained in contact with members of the Commission for Africa since it reported, including during the G8 summit at Gleneagles in July. Following the launch of the Commission for Africa's Report in March, our priority has been to ensure that its recommendations are implemented. The report itself is only a first step, and is only valuable if we act on it and use it to achieve change to support Africa's development.

Departmental Consultants/Special Advisers

Mike Penning: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) consultants and (b) special advisers were employed by his Office in each year since 1997; what the cost of each was in each year; and if he will make a statement. [27407]

The Prime Minister: In relation to the employment of consultants my office forms part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Murphy) on Wednesday 16 November 2005, Official Report, column 1257W.
 
21 Nov 2005 : Column 1661W
 

In relation to special advisers, since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on Thursday 21 July 2005, Official Report, 158–61WS. Information on the numbers of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and this information will be available in the Library of the House.

John Hemming: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the special advisers in post in his Office, broken down by pay band; and what the total budgeted cost to his Office of special advisers is for 2005–06. [29405]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on Thursday 21 July 2005, Official Report, 158–61WS.

Information on special advisers for 2005–06 will be published in the normal way once it has been completed.

Departmental Staff

Mike Penning: To ask the Prime Minister how many staff in his Office were (a) civil servants, (b) contractors and (c) other staff in each year since 1997. [27450]

The Prime Minister: For these purposes my office forms part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Murphy) on Thursday 17 November 2005, Official Report, column 1407W.

Financial Accountability

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the chain of financial accountability for the Prime Minister's Office; and what codes govern the legality of spending therein. [27746]

The Prime Minister: My Office forms part of the Cabinet Office for budgeting purposes, and its expenditure is reported in the Cabinet Office's resource accounts, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. The Cabinet Office is subject to the normal rules of government accounting.

G8 Climate Change Conference

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his speech of 2 November 2005 at the G8 climate change conference, whether his statement on external imposition of internal targets referred to (a) the Kyoto protocol and (b) the general concept of binding greenhouse gas reduction targets; and what assessment he has made of whether a framework of the kind he refers to for the private sector would require binding targets to be effective. [29517]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the speech I gave at the Lord Mayor's banquet on 14 November 2005. A copy of this is available on the Number 10 website.

Gifts

Mr. David Jones: To ask the Prime Minister what procedures he followed under paragraph 5.25 of the
 
21 Nov 2005 : Column 1662W
 
Ministerial Code in respect of gifts of watches and other jewellery to him and his family by the Prime Minister of Italy. [29927]

The Prime Minister: This is accounted for in the annual published list of gifts received by Ministers valued at more than £140. Information for the period June 2001 to 31 March 2005 is available in the Libraries of the House.

Media Relations

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Prime Minister how much his Office spent on external media relations in each year since 2001. [29572]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 165W.

Ministerial Committee on Intelligence Services

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the dates on which the Ministerial Committee on Intelligence Services has met since December 2003. [29422]

The Prime Minister: Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice and the proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet committees is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

Ministerial Resignations (Payments)

Mr. Laws: To ask the Prime Minister if he will review the rules under which Ministers who resign receive lump sum payments in cases where (a) their resignation is caused by an error of judgment or by a failure of policy and (b) they return to Government within a period of two years; and if he will make a statement. [30543]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the letter I sent him on Monday 14 November 2005. Copies of the letter have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister how much has been spent in each year from 1 May 1997 on his official travel, broken down by (a) provision and running costs of vehicular transport, (b) first class travel by rail, (c) standard class travel by rail, (d) first class travel by air, (e) club or equivalent class travel by air and (f) economy class travel by air. [27671]

The Prime Minister: The information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

However, in respect of ministerial cars provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office (Mr. Murphy) has asked Roy Burke, Chief Executive of the GCDA to write to the hon. Member with details of the costs of ministerial vehicles provided to Departments in 2004–05. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House. For information for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04 I refer the hon. Member to the letters from the Chief Executive of the GCDA to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) dated 10 January 2005 and
 
21 Nov 2005 : Column 1663W
 
to the then hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Howard Flight) dated 13 September 2003. Copies of these letters are available in the Library of the House.

In respect of overseas travel, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House. Information on the number of officials accompanying ministers on overseas visits is included in the list. All Ministers travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in Chapter 10 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers". Information for the year 2005–06 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the financial year.

Mike Penning: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) flights and (b) helicopter flights have been taken by Ministers within his Department for (i) UK and (ii) overseas visits; on how many occasions (A) charter flights were used and (B) first and club class tickets were obtained; and who accompanied the Ministers on each trip. [27805]

The Prime Minister: The information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

However in respect of overseas travel, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House. Information on the number of officials accompanying ministers on overseas visits is included in the list. All Ministers travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in Chapter 10 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers". Information for the year 2005–06 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the financial year.

Mr. Hands: To ask the Prime Minister when he last travelled on the London underground on official business. [30703]

The Prime Minister: I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements, and use the underground as and when appropriate. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in Chapter 10 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers".
 
21 Nov 2005 : Column 1664W
 

---