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8 Dec 2005 : Column 1528W—continued
Passports
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 18 October 2005, Official Report, column 868W, on passports, if he will break down the number of passports recorded as lost between the London and Peterborough passport offices. [24511]
Andy Burnham: The number of recorded reports for lost or stolen passports that were received at either the London or Peterborough office, since 1 April 2004, now stands at 152,470. This is broken down as follows:
| Number lost | Number stolen | |
|---|---|---|
| Peterborough | 78,402 | 31,373 |
| London | 34,602 | 8,093 |
Port Security
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to introduce 24 hour security at UK ports. [23124]
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Mr. McNulty: Immigration coverage of international flight arrivals is based upon a range of factors, including the nature and frequency of traffic and the numbers of passengers requiring leave to enter at each port.
There are currently 41 manned ports, of which 16 are staffed 24 hours a day. Other ports are covered on a risk assessed basis. Officers are deployed to unmanned ports to meet specific arrivals where necessary. The provision of advance passenger information by carriers under the e-Borders programme will increase the Border Agencies' ability to conduct risk assessments and deploy resources in a targeted manner.
There are no plans to have personnel manning the ports 24 hours a day. We are however extending the Immigration Service mobile response capacity, based on intelligence, to respond to any new or emerging threats.
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Barry Courthouse
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the last valuation was of the Barry court house; and whether this was undertaken for (a) commercial and (b) residential purposes. [30980]
Ms Harman:
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) last visited Barry magistrates court for the purposes of valuing it in September, 2004. The valuation basis used
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by the VOA was depreciated replacement cost (DRC) as this is a specialised building with separate circulation routes and custodial facilities (three cells). The value of the site at 31 March 2005 was £2,674,000. Barry magistrates courts was valued in common with other magistrates courts as it transferred under the Courts Act 2003 to the Department of Constitutional Affairs on 31 March 2005.
Civil Service Relocation (Scotland)
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many departmental civil service jobs have been relocated to Scotland in each year since 2001. [32378]
Ms Harman: No posts have been relocated to Scotland since 2001.
Departmental Expenditure
Martin Horwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the Department and its agencies have spent on (a) the design and production of new logos and (b) employing external (i) public relations and (ii) graphic design agencies in each year since 2000, broken down by project. [33213]
Ms Harman: My Department and a list of its agencies which have spent the following amounts on design and production of logos and employing external public relations agencies since 2000 is set out below.
(19)To date.
| Commission for Judicial Appointments | Amount |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 12,000 |
| 2003–04 | 37,360 |
| 2004–05 | 48,900 |
| 2005–06 | 33,350 |
(20)To date.
Information on employing graphic design agencies since 2000 is not centrally held. To collate the information would be disproportionate to cost.
Departmental Staff
Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many staff in her Department have been relocated into London and the South East in each of the last five years for which records are available. [31755]
Ms Harman:
There has been no relocation of jobs intoLondon and the South East. The Department for Constitutional Affairs does not hold records on individual staff who may have relocated through the normal course of internal staff movement.
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Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has to relocate staff in her Department and related agencies into London and the South East. [31756]
Ms Harman: The Department for Constitutional Affairs has no plans to relocate staff into London and the South East.
Departmental Tendering Policy
Martin Horwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her Department's policy is on including (a) ethical and (b) environmental factors in tenders for services. [33327]
Ms Harman: My Department lets contracts in accordance with the general principles of EU Community law, which are non-discrimination, equal treatment, transparency, proportionality, and mutual recognition. In addition, my Department's standard contract documents make clear its policies on matters such as equality and diversity, and, that suppliers should demonstrate the same values.
Environmental factors in contracts let by my Department are considered on a case by case basis relative to the subject matter of the contract, and the requirements of EU Community law.
Human Rights Act
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance her Department has given the English Regional Chambers on the implementation of the Human Rights Act 1998. [33120]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her on 21 November 2005, Official Report, column 1700W.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, columns 640–41W, on the Human Rights Act, what the (a) name and (b) publication date is of the guidance to local authorities; and if she will place a copy in the Library. [35405]
Ms Harman: The Guidance on Contracting for Services in the light of the Human Rights Act 1998" was first published in May 2005, and was republished in November 2005. It is available on the websites of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, and I have placed a copy in the Library.
Identity Cards
Lynne Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate she has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i)integrating the proposed identity card scheme into her Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within her Department. [31105]
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Ms Harman: The Department for Constitutional Affairs has, in consultation with the Identity Cards Programme, commenced work on calculating costs in the areas where ID cards will be used in the department—both in terms of integrating with the IT systems and the ongoing operational impact. This information is commercially sensitive and to release it may prejudice the procurement process and the Department's ability to obtain value for money from potential suppliers.
The Department is represented on the Ministerial Committee on Identity Cards which oversees the work on benefits planning and realisation.
We believe that operational benefits will be realised through the use of ID cards particularly in areas where the identity of individuals will assist in the delivery of front line services. As improvements in our business processes are identified we will consider changes to our IT systems to derive the maximum benefit.
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