| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
30 Mar 2006 : Column 1134W—continued
MINISTER FOR WOMEN
Departmental Staff
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many and what proportion of (a) staff and (b) new staff employed in her office in each of the last three years for which data are available were registered as disabled. [61387]
Meg Munn: The Cabinet Office collects and publishes annually statistical information on the civil service by Department. These include data on the number of staff in departments who have declared a disability. Declaration of a disability is voluntary.
The latest available information at April 2004 is available in the Libraries of the House and on the civil service website at the following addresses: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/publications/xls/disability.apr04_4nov04.xls for data relating to 1 April 2004, and http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/archive/index.asp for previous reporting periods.
Information on staff in individual offices is not available.
Pay Discrepancies
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what recent representations she has received on discrepancies in pay received by men and women. [60743]
Meg Munn: The Women and Work Commission presented their final report 'Shaping a Fairer Future' to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 27 February 2006. I was pleased to see their findings and recommendations to close the gender pay and opportunities gap. The Government are determined to take action to address all causes of the pay gap highlighted in the Women and Work Commission report and will issue an action plan within six months. The Commission will come together again in one year to receive a report into progress on the recommendations and to comment on their effectiveness.
Prostitutes (Tolerance Zones)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on the merits of introducing tolerance zones for prostitutes. [60770]
Meg Munn
[holding answer 27 March 2006]: As a member of the Ministerial Group on Sexual Offending, I work closely with Home Office colleagues to ensure that the work of the group, which includes prostitution, addresses women's needs. I was actively involved in the launch of the prostitution strategy on 17 January, together with a number of colleagues across Government, which reflects how seriously we are taking this issue.
30 Mar 2006 : Column 1135W
The Government have looked very carefully at managed areas, and the recent prostitution consultation document, Paying the Price", specifically invited comment on this option.
There is no real evidence that formal managed areas can deliver what we want in terms of improving the safety of those involved in prostitution, and improving the safety and quality of life within those communities affected. We are committed to listening to the concerns of the community, which has a significant part to play in the development of an effective local response to prostitution.
Women (Trafficking)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on (a) the number of women brought into the United Kingdom to be sold into the vice trade and (b) improving the support and assistance for such women who agree to help the authorities in a prosecution case against those who trafficked them. [60769]
Meg Munn [holding answer 27 March 2006]: As a member of the Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking, I work closely with Home Office colleagues to ensure that provision for victims is sensitive to women's needs.
We do not have the evidence base to enable us to estimate the number of trafficking victims brought into the UK to be sold into the vice trade. We are seeking more evidence of all human trafficking, including trafficking for sexual exploitation, as part of our current consultation on the proposed UK Action Plan on human trafficking. In that consultation, we state that we will publish research into the harm caused by organised immigration crime, including trafficking. This research will provide a better understanding of the trafficking problem faced in the UK and will be updated annually. This year we will commence a scoping exercise focused on trafficking and the off-street prostitution market.
The UK recognises the needs of victims of trafficking and the POPPY scheme already provides a supporting and protective environment in which victims can receive care and support while deciding whether to assist the authorities. We propose to increase the geographical coverage of support services for victims and introduce support at varying levels of intensity according to individual need. We will also use the evaluation of the POPPY scheme and the responses to the consultation on the UK Action Plan to inform our decisions on the nature and scope of future support.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Belvedere Incinerator
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce his decision on the proposed Belvedere waste to energy incinerator; and if he will make a statement. [62447]
Malcolm Wicks:
I intend announcing the decision shortly.
30 Mar 2006 : Column 1136W
Carbon Energy Reserves
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reserves of (a) natural gas, (b) oil and (c) coal the UK has. [62141]
Malcolm Wicks: Estimate of UK oil and gas reserves are published annually on the DTI's Oil and Gas website at:
The Coal Authority estimates reserves at operating and developing mines in the UK to be between 500 and 600 million tonnes. There is no accurate estimate of what further reserves may become accessible from any future mining development beyond that already in prospect. Total coal deposits (in seams over 0.6m thick and less than 1,200m deep) have been estimated in the order of 190 billion tonnes, although much of this is unlikely to be technically or economically exploitable.
Correspondence
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Salisbury, of 18 August 2005, about Mr. Chris Knight of Craze Brothers Ltd. in Salisbury. [58728]
Alan Johnson: I apologise for the extremely long delay in responding to the hon. Member's letter. This was due to administrative error and a reply will be sent shortly.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Leominster (Bill Wiggin), of 3 February 2006 on behalf of Mr. Beach, a constituent of the hon. Member. [62049]
Alan Johnson: I regret the delay in responding to the hon. Member's letter of 3 February 2006.
My Department is seeking further information on the issues Mr. Beach has raised and I will reply as soon as possible.
Cyber Crime
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the action to be taken by the Serious Organised Crime Agency to combat international cyber crime. [62317]
Alun Michael: I understand, that the Serious Organised Crime Agency will have a significantly stronger cyber crime function than that of its precursor agencies. Officials in my Department work closely with their colleagues in the Home Office, and have worked closely with the Agency's precursor units on how best to prevent cyber crime.
Easter Act
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans to implement the principal provision of the Easter Act 1928; and why the Government has not implemented the provision since 1997. [61807]
30 Mar 2006 : Column 1137W
Mr. Sutcliffe: We have no plans to implement the Easter Act 1928. It remains on the Statute Book but the Act requires that before a draft order is laid before Parliament
At this time, the churches have not all expressed a desire or willingness to move to a fixed Easter.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |