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15 Jun 2006 : Column 1371W—continued


Individual projects supported by the London RCE are listed at:

The Spending Review 2004 set out the expectation that local government (including councils, schools, police and fire authorities) would make at least £6.45 billion efficiency gains by 2007-08. This target is based on the achievement of annual gains equivalent to 2.5 per cent. of 2004-05 baseline expenditure. Local authorities have responded well to this challenge and councils are expecting to deliver £1.9 billion of efficiency gains by end 2005-06 against the target of £l.0 billion.

Private Office Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been paid in (a) salary, (b) travelling expenses, (c) subsistence allowance and (d) removal expenses to special advisers in his private office in each of the last five years. [69054]

Angela E. Smith: I have been asked to reply.

Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. For information relating to the last financial year I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on 21 July 2005, Official Report, columns 158-61WS. Information on special advisers for this financial year is currently being collected and will be published in the normal way when available.

This information prior to 2003 is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.


15 Jun 2006 : Column 1372W

All official travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

Small Change Big Difference

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department and its agencies have taken following the launch of the Government’s Small Change Big Difference Campaign. [72006]

Angela E. Smith: The Department and its agencies have introduced a number of initiatives which support the Government’s Small Change Big Difference Campaign. These are aimed at encouraging staff to make choices which increase physical activity and improve diet.

The Department provides healthy options in the restaurants and has made available a series of “lunch time walks”. Awareness of national campaigns is raised using the Department’s intranet and staff are encouraged to participate in annual Sports Days and take exercise at departmental sports clubs.

As the programme of work develops the Department of Health will be working across all of Government to ensure the programme joins up to promote maximum impact. DH is leading the implementation for this initiative as part of its cross-Government commitment to deliver the public health White Paper “Choosing Health”.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Ascension Island

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many guided missiles (a) have been launched from Ascension Island and (b) have landed on Ascension Island since 1976 as permitted in article 2 (General Description of Rights), point 1a of the Bahamas Agreement 1956; and on what dates. [75465]

Mr. Hoon: No guided missiles have been launched from Ascension Island or landed on Ascension Island since 1976 as permitted in article 2 (General Description of Rights), point 1a of the Bahamas Agreement 1956.

Bahamas Agreement

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what payment has been made in each year since 1976 by the United States Administration towards the maintenance of the services listed in article X (public services) of the Bahamas Agreement 1956. [75456]

Mr. Hoon: Regular payments by the United States Administration towards the maintenance of the services listed in article X (public services) of the
15 Jun 2006 : Column 1373W
Bahamas Agreement 1956 have only been made since the introduction of a system of taxation in April 2002. Since that time the US has paid contract employee income tax and import duty as follows:

GBP (£)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

Income Tax

430,401

496,956

499,641

(1)518,506

Tobacco

0

0

7,023

5,724

Alcohol

27,554

31,114

29,005

(1)26,754

Fuel

0

0

0

0

Property Tax

0

0

0

0

Total

457,955

528,070

535,669

550,984

Grand total

2,072,678

(1) 2005-06 subject to assessment.

Prior to April 2002, contributions were made on an ad hoc basis. These contributions continue in addition to the tax the US pays.

Bonuses

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of her staff in each of the last three years; and at what total cost. [73035]

Mr. Hoon: The following table sets out the number and value of non-consolidated, non-pensionable bonus payments made to UK-based Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff over the last three years in relation to salary.

2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

Number of staff receiving a bonus

5,863

6,066

6,455

Value of bonus payments (£)

4,027,693

5,514,978

6,019,834

UK-based staff paybill (£)

177,045,646

185,914,353

192,458,797

Bonuses as a percentage of paybill

2.27

2.97

3.13


British Passport Holders

Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British passport holders she estimates live abroad, broken down by country. [77479]

Dr. Howells: I estimate that there are approximately 4,500,000 British passport holders living overseas. The following table provides a breakdown by country.


15 Jun 2006 : Column 1374W

15 Jun 2006 : Column 1375W
Passport issuing post Country Estimated number of British passport holders

Buenos Aires

Argentina

10,600

Canberra

Australia

615,500

Vienna

Austria

13,600

Baku

Azerbaijan

2,900

Bahrain

Bahrain

9,700

Dhaka

Bangladesh

10,000

Bridgetown

Barbados

33,700

Brussels

Belgium

44,300

La Paz

Bolivia

2,000

Gaborone

Botswana

4,600

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

12,300

Bandar Seri Begawan

Brunei

5,800

Ottawa

Canada

232,600

Santiago

Chile

5,600

Beijing

China

15,000

Hong Kong

China

798,800

Bogota

Colombia

4,300

San Jose

Costa Rica

7,300

Havana

Cuba

700

Nicosia

Cyprus

63,800

Prague

Czech Republic

6,700

Santo Domingo

Dominican Republic

1,600

Quito

Ecuador

2,700

Cairo

Egypt

14,000

Tallinn

Estonia

800

Addis Ababa

Ethiopia

1,500

Suva

Fiji

1,200

Helsinki

Finland

4,300

Paris

France

206,200

Banjul

Gambia

2,000

Dusseldorf

Germany

181,500

Accra

Ghana

6,500

Athens

Greece

26,900

Georgetown

Guyana

1,700

Budapest

Hungary

4,600

Reykjavik

Iceland

900

New Delhi/Mumbai

India

37,700

Tehran

Iran

3,000

Dublin

Ireland

108,900

Tel Aviv

Israel

57,800

Rome

Italy

49,000

Jakarta

Indonesia

12,000

Kingston

Jamaica

23,700

Tokyo

Japan

26,500

Amman

Jordan

8,300

Nairobi

Kenya

40,500

Kuwait

Kuwait

7,900

Beirut

Lebanon

6,200

Tripoli

Libya

3,600

Lilongwe

Malawai

9,200

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

18,200

Valletta

Malta

8,400

Port Louis

Mauritius

8,300

Mexico City

Mexico

12,600

Ulaanbaatar

Mongolia

300

Rabat

Morocco

2,800

Windhoek

Namibia

1,400

Kathmandu

Nepal

1,600

Amsterdam/Copenhagen

Netherlands

78,500

Wellington

New Zealand

215,900

Lagos

Nigeria

16,000

Oslo

Norway

19,200

Muscat

Oman

7,600

Islamabad/Karachi

Pakistan

35,000

Lima

Peru

6,000

Manila

Philippines

19,200

Warsaw

Poland

5,700

Lisbon

Portugal

22,900

Doha

Qatar

8,700

Bucharest

Romania

2,200

Moscow

Russia

6,600

Riyadh/Jeddah

Saudi Arabia

24,800

Belgrade

Serbia and Montenegro

1,800

Victoria

Seychelles

1,700

Freetown

Sierra Leone

2,900

Singapore

Singapore

51,500

Pretoria

South Africa

174,600

Seoul

South Korea

3,600

Madrid

Spain

195,000

Colombo

Sri Lanka

4,800

Stockholm

Sweden

18,700

Geneva

Switzerland

72,200

Damascus

Syria

2,200

Dar Es Salaam

Tanzania

6,600

Bangkok

Thailand

45,600

Port of Spain

Trinidad and Tobago

13,400

Tunis

Tunisia

1,500

Ankara/Istanbul

Turkey

12,600

Abu Dhabi/Dubai

UAE

61,500

Kampala

Uganda

3,700

Kiev

Ukraine

1,100

Washington

USA

527,500

Caracas

Venezuela

7,200

Hanoi

Vietnam

4,000

Sana'a

Yemen

1,900

Lusaka

Zambia

7,900

Harare

Zimbabwe

25,100

Total

4,521,000


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