---

29 Mar 2006 : Column 1030W—continued

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Service Pensions

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of members of thePrincipal Civil Service Pension Scheme joined thescheme (a) before the age of (i) 20, (ii) 25, (iii) 30, (iv) 35, (v) 40 and (vi) 45 and (b) when they were over 45 years. [61399]

Mr. Jim Murphy: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the employer contribution rate to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme are; what assumed rate of return underlies this contribution rate; and what the contribution rate would be if the assumed rate of return were in line with current redemption yields on index-linked gilts. [61400]

Mr. Jim Murphy: Employer contribution rates in respect of members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme are assessed for each of four ranges of
 
29 Mar 2006 : Column 1031W
 
pay levels. A separate rate is payable in respect of a group of prison officers who have certain reserved rights. The rates for the years 2005–06 are shown in the table.

Salary band	Rate of employer contribution (percentage)
£18,000 and under	16.2
£18,001 to £37,000	18.6
£37,001 to £63,500	22.3
£63,501 and over	24.6
Prison officers with reserved rights	25.6

Contribution rates are based on an assumed discount rate (rate of return) of 3.5 per cent. per annum in excess of price increases.

Information on the contribution rates that would apply if the assumed rate of return was in line with the current redemption yield on index-linked gilts can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Council Tax (Official Residences)

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a copy of the revised guidance from the Cabinet Secretary to Ministers on payment of council tax on official residences. [62215]

Mr. Jim Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 12 January 2006, Official Report, column 782W, which made clear that for the future, arrangements have been put in place to ensure that Ministers who are allocated official residences are given clear guidance on dealing with their council tax liability. This guidance will be activated when there is a change of occupancy in any of the official residences.

Departmental Furniture

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much has been spent by the Cabinet Office on acquiring furniture in each year since 1997. [60876]

Mr. Jim Murphy: The available information on the cost of furniture for the Cabinet Office are shown in the table. Figures incorporate the central London estate, National School for Government in Sunningdale, Emergency Planning College in York and the Office of Public Service Information in Norwich. Figures prior to 2002–03 are not available.

	£
2002–03	96,849
2003–04	316,076
2004–05	249,710

Ministerial Role

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister without Portfolio what proportion of his car costs are met by the Labour Party. [60877]

 
29 Mar 2006 : Column 1032W
 

Minister without Portfolio: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 14 March 2006, Official Report, column 2106W.

Costs for transport provided to me in my role as Party Chairman are a matter for the Labour Party.

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister without Portfolio what role he plays as an interface between the Government and the Labour Party in respect of party funding issues. [60878]

Minister without Portfolio: The Department of Constitutional Affairs is responsible for Government Policy on Party Funding issues.

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister without Portfolio what office space is made available to him; where it is located; and what support he is provided with in terms of officials allocated to him. [60879]

Minister without Portfolio: As a Government Minister I have use of an office located within the Cabinet Office. I am supported by a small Private Office. Details of special advisers are as in the statement my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister made to Parliament on 21 July 2005, Official Report, column 158WS.

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister without Portfolio pursuant to his answer of 14 March 2006, Official Report, column 2106W, on his official car, for what reason he has not quantified the mileage covered by his car in February 2006. [60913]

Minister without Portfolio: This information is not held by my office.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Andre Massamba

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's handling of Andre Massamba's application for asylum. [61567]

Mr. McNulty: The Director General for the Immigration Nationality Directorate wrote to my hon. Friend on 24 March 2006.

Antisocial Behaviour

Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders were issued by (a) South Wales Police, (b) Dyfed Powys Police, (c) Gwent Police and (d) North Wales Police in 2004–05. [60814]

Hazel Blears: Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) are issued by the courts. ASBOs, issued on application, may be applied for by the police or other relevant authorities. The available information is given in the following table.
 
29 Mar 2006 : Column 1033W
 

Number of antisocial behaviour orders issued at all courts, as notified to the Home Office, by type of applicant or following conviction, by period and criminal justice system area in Wales

	ASBOs issued on application by type of applicant
Area	Police	British Transport Police	Local Government Authority	Residential Social Landlord	Sub-total	ASBOs issued following conviction	Total
1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005
Dyfed Powys	1	—	—	—	1	3	4
Gwent	—-	—-	16	—	16	7	23
North Wales	2	—	1	—	3	37	40
South Wales	13	1	5	1	20	31	51
Total	16	1	22	1	40	78	118
1 April 2005 to 30 June 2005 (latest available)
Dyfed Powys	—	—	—	—	—	2	2
Gwent	—-	—	8	—	8	4	12
North Wales	3	—	—	—	3	28	31
South Wales	3	—	—	—	3	10	13
Total	6	—	8	—	14	44	58

Asylum/Immigration

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions of employers under section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 have taken place in each of the last five years. [61311]

Mr. McNulty: Information on the number of employers proceeded against and found guilty under Section eight of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 in the last five years is available in the Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2004 Command Paper. Published statistics on immigration and asylum, including the Command Paper, are available on the Home Office's Research Development and Statistics website at:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2006, Official Report, column 1960W, on asylum/immigration, what estimate was made of the cost of providing the information. [61252]

Mr. McNulty: All central Government Departments apply a limit of £600 or three days work. Providing the information you requested would require staff to identify, recall and examine all deportation cases conceded over the past five years. The IND has estimated that this would exceed this figure.

---