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20 Dec 2005 : Column 2697W—continued
Departmental Expenditure
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much 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. [33219]
Jane Kennedy: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhat the total value is of (a) catering and (b) entertainment contracts let by her Department; and what value of such contracts has been let in each nation and region of the UK, including London. [37485]
Jane Kennedy: The Department has a catering contract with Quadrant for restaurant, hospitality and vending services. The overall value of contract for the year 2004–05 was £1.2 million. The catering contract covers the Department of Health's London Estate that covers three main sites for restaurant facilities and hospitality services. Hospitality services are extended to some of our minor sites. The contract is run at nil subsidy and is therefore at no direct cost to the Department.
The Department spent £592,000 during 2004–05 on entertainment.
Departmental Guidance (Evidence/Documentary Access)
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department giving evidence to the (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) National Assembly for Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document she gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to the (1) Scottish Parliament, (2) National Assembly for Wales, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons select committees. [37385]
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Jane Kennedy: Requests for the attendance of Ministers or officials to give evidence to the devolved legislatures, and for the provision of information to the assemblies, will be considered on a case by case basis. This consideration will reflect: the principles set out in the Cabinet Office guidance Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees (July 2005); the policy outlined in the Department for Constitutional Affairs' Devolution Guidance Note number 12 Attendance of UK Ministers and Officials at Committees of the devolved legislatures", and the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act. The principles underlying the provision of information to House of Commons Select Committees are set out in Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees", particularly sections 4B and 4C.
Departmental Publications
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many publications were issued by her Department in each of the last five years; and what the production cost of each was. [34763]
Jane Kennedy: Between 1 October 2004 and 31 September 2005, the Department produced 697 publications. The cost of producing these, including design, typesetting and print services, totalled £6,781,780.
For all other printed publications produced prior to 1 October 2004, the Department has no central record of this information and could not obtain this without incurring disproportionate cost.
Departmental Staff
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are employed by her Department in each region; and if she will make a statement. [35902]
Jane Kennedy: The figures requested are published in Civil Service Statistics, Table D which covers permanent staff numbers (full-time equivalent basis) in each Department and agency. Civil Service Statistics are available in the Library and at the following address on the Cabinet Office Statistics website:
www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_of_the_civil_service/statistics/civil_service_statistics/index.asp
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are taken by the Department to support staff with mental ill-health. [36273]
Jane Kennedy: The Department has a number of procedures already in place to support staff with mental ill health. These include a specific staff policy, 24-hour confidential counselling service and occupational health. In addition, we are currently looking at reviewing human resource policies and considering further interventions particularly around awareness sessions, and employee health and well-being initiatives.
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of staff in her Department are (a) directly employed by the Department and (b) agency and non-permanent staff. [37215]
Jane Kennedy:
The most recent figures, as at 30 June 2005, were published on 6 October 2005. The data for this period is shown in the following table.
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| Number | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| Directly employed by the Department | 2,317 | 97 |
| Agency and non-permanent staff | 72 | 3 |
| Total | 2,389 | — |
Note:
Figures shown are full time equivalent.
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives are being taken in her Department to help civil servants with chronic back pain. [34986]
Jane Kennedy: The Department has several processes in place to support staff who are ill such as workplace assessments and occupational health. The Department is also about to introduce a new maximising attendance policy which takes a much more proactive approach to absence management. Muscular-skeletal disorders such as chronic back pain have been flagged up within this policy as something that requires early referral to occupational health.
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many departmental staff have been seconded to industry in each of the last seven years. [35157]
Jane Kennedy: Since 2002 there has been a total of five Department of Health staff seconded to industry. We are unable to provide details before this date.
Departmental Tendering Policy
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her policy is on including (a) ethical and (b) environmental factors in tenders for services. [33333]
Jane Kennedy: The Department has a strong commitment to the principles of sustainable development, and this is reflected in the new United Kingdom strategy for sustainable development.
Through this policy, the Department and its agencies are committed to considering the environmental, social and economic impacts of its procurement activities. Where directly relevant to the subject matter of the tender, environmental and social issues are included. Environmental factors in contracts let by the Department are considered on a case by case basis relative to the subject matter of the contract, and the requirements of community law.
The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PSA) works with the Department and other Government Departments to increase awareness of sustainable development within the national health service supply chain, and to ensure that wherever possible NHS PSA support the achievement of sustainable development objectives, and support the improvement of the nation's health and well being.
Departmental Websites
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if she will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. [30961]
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Jane Kennedy: The Department's policy is to follow the 'Guidelines for UK Government websites' and 'Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: Version 1' published by the e-Government Unit within the Cabinet Office. These guidelines currently require UK Government websites to meet W3C 'A' standard. In addition, certain guidelines from W3C 'AA' and 'AAA' standards are recommended as best practice. However, to date, neither these Guidelines, e-Accessibility communications from the European Union nor advice from the Royal National Institute of the Blind have suggested that United Kingdom Government websites should attain and maintain level 'AAA'.
The Department is acutely aware that to be accessible a website must be as easy to use and understand for as many visitors as possible. Committed to the principle of accessibility, the Department completely redeveloped its website in 2004 to ensure it complies with the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3Cs) level A guidelines for accessibility and works with screen readers. This year, it has achieved 75 per cent. compliance with the 'AA' guidelines. The website also complies with the following guidelines from 'AAA' standard:
ensuring that there is sufficient contrast between foreground and background colours (P3 checkpoint 2.2)
The Department is committed to ongoing improvements in the accessibility of its website, and will continue to work with its internet service providers to achieve compliance with emerging accessibility standards.
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