| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
26 Apr 2006 : Column 1222W—continued
Winter Report
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons a year in which there was an influenza epidemic was chosen as the basis for comparison with the winter of 2005–06 in her Department's Winter Report 2005–06. [63110]
Jane Kennedy: 1999–2000 was the comparison used in the Winter Report for 2005–06 because it was the first year that a comparable report was published examining the performance of the national health service during the winter and so it provides the baseline comparison.
In addition the 10-year NHS Plan was launched in 2000. As this year's report took the theme of reform, comparing performance during winter now with that during 1999–2000 enabled this year's report to explore the improvements due to reforms outlined in the NHS Plan.
World Cup (Complimentary Tickets)
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complimentary tickets her Department has received for games taking place at the FIFA World cup 2006 in Germany. [63903]
Mr. Byrne: The Department has not received any complimentary tickets for FIFA World cup games taking place in Germany in 2006. Ministers currently have no plans to attend any of the matches.
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Bullying/Sexual Harassment
David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people in her Department have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed in the last 3 years as a result of a complaint against them of (i) bullying and (ii) sexual harassment being upheld. [65933]
Ms Harman: Three individuals were dismissed for bullying, eight received final written warnings, five resigned before charges could be brought and five cases are ongoing.
In the two cases of sexual harassment which were upheld in the last 3 years, both respondents resigned before charges could be brought.
26 Apr 2006 : Column 1223W
David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much compensation her Department has paid out in the last 3 years as a result of complaints of (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment being upheld. [65934]
Electoral Registration
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the advertising budget was for promoting electoral registration in each of the past 10 years for (a) central government and (b) each local authority area. [65900]
Bridget Prentice: The information is as follows.
(a) The Government have not specifically allocated an annual budget for the promotion of electoral registration over the past 10 years. However, the Government have run two campaigns during this period. The first was a Home Office campaign in 2001 jointly to promote the then newly introduced systems of rolling registration and postal voting on demand, as introduced by the RPA 2000. Expenditure figures for this are not available. Recently, the Government, in co-operation with several organisations, lead the 1,824 Collective registration campaign to encourage electors in London to register for the 2006 local elections. Central Government expenditure on the media campaign was £52,618.36.
(b) This information is not held centrally.
26 Apr 2006 : Column 1224W
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many electoral registration officers there are. [66064]
Bridget Prentice: There are 391 electoral registration officers in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland the Chief Electoral Officer is responsible for electoral registration.
Grievance Procedures
David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 43W, on grievance procedures, how many grievances have been initiated in her Department involving (a) equality issues and (b) diversity issues in each of the last 3 years; and how many such procedures resulted in (i) disciplinary action and (ii) dismissal. [65935]
Ms Harman: My Department's Equality and Diversity Grievances procedure is applied to all grievances with equality and diversity elements; they are not sub-divided into equality grievances and diversity grievances.
The total number of equality and diversity grievances investigated over the last 3 years including those stated in my previous reply are as follows:
| Number of cases | |
|---|---|
| 2003–04 | 16 |
| 2004–05 | 16 |
| 2005–06 | 27 |
Three individuals were dismissed, nine were given final written warnings, seven resigned before charges could be brought, and seven cases are ongoing.