Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 20 July 2006
House of Commons Commission
Office Accommodation
Mr. Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what office accommodation in the parliamentary estate in terms of (a) square metres and (b) number of rooms is allocated to the Leader of the Opposition; what was allocated in each of the previous five years; and if he will make a statement. [86150]
Nick Harvey: Evidence on office space allocation and occupancy was submitted to the Administration Committee’s inquiry into House of Commons Accommodation earlier this year. This evidence is published with that Committee’s Third Report of the Session, HC 1279.
From 2001 to November 2003 the Shadow cabinet accommodation was seven rooms totalling 216m(2). This included the Shadow Cabinet Meeting Room of 46m(2). In December 2003 the Official Opposition chose to move the Leader and his staff to 8 rooms in Norman Shaw South, totalling 311m(2). On 30 June 2006 one of the Leader’s rooms (24m(2)) was re-allocated to an Opposition Member’s staff. Other changes over the period in question have been minimal. The Leader of the Opposition and his staff currently occupy 287m(2). The Shadow Cabinet Room remains available for Shadow Cabinet Meetings.
All allocations are made by the Opposition Accommodation Whip out of the rooms available to him for his Members and their staff. The overall distribution of rooms for Members is agreed between the parties after the General Election.
Parliamentary Passes
Mr. Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many parliamentary passes are allocated to the Leader of the Opposition’s staff; how many were allocated in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [86151]
Nick Harvey: Leaders of the Opposition are allocated 18 parliamentary passes. In the last four years Leaders of the Opposition have taken full advantage of this facility. Currently 17 passes are issued and one is pending issue.
Leader of the House
Deputy Prime Minister
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Leader of the House if he will estimate the value of the Exchequer contribution to the Deputy Prime Minister’s pension in each year since 1997. [85663]
Mr. Straw: The pensions of Ministers and office-holders are derived from the Supplementary Scheme of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (PCPF). The Government Actuary conducts a triennial review of the fund to determine the Exchequer contribution required to meet the balance of the cost of future pension benefits. The Exchequer contribution for the Supplementary Scheme has been in the range of 6.8 per cent. to 24 per cent. between 1997 and March 2006.
The value of the Exchequer contribution to the Fund based on a Commons Cabinet Minister’s salary, excluding that in respect of service as an MP, in each year since 1997 was as follows:
| Exchequer contribution (£) | |
Ministerial Offices
Sarah Teather: To ask the Leader of the House how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87645]
Mr. Straw: As required by the terms of the lease conditions, set by Crown Estate, my office has been decorated once in the last five years. This took place in 2002. It still looks okay.
Sitting Dates
Paul Rowen: To ask the Leader of the House when he expects to publish the dates of sittings for the next Session. [85746]
Mr. Straw: I hope to publish the dates of the sittings for the next Session after the House returns in the autumn, and it has made a decision on the future of September sittings.
Scotland
Advertising Campaigns
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advertising campaigns the Department has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87057]
David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) on 13 July 2005, Official Report, column 1086W, which sets out all the information on advertising costs incurred by this office for the period in question.
Departmental Publications
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his practice is regarding meeting, discussions with and taking into account the views and opinions of (a) private individuals and (b) representatives of organisations when drawing up and framing legislation to be introduced by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [81649]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office seeks a full range of views when drawing up and framing legislation. Consultation is a key part of the policy-making process; both informal and formal.
Since it was established in 1999, the only primary legislation which the Department has taken forward has been the Scottish Parliament (Constituencies) Act 2004. This was preceded by a public consultation which was issued in December 2001.
Departmental Websites
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many websites there are within his responsibilities; and what the total cost of maintaining such websites was in the last year for which figures are available. [79066]
David Cairns: For the period 1 January-31 December 2005, there were two websites for which the Scotland Office was responsible:
| Website | Overall costs (£) |
The overall costs are based on the fees for hosting the site, and where appropriate include any additional fees for updates and design revisions.
Public Appointments
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many public appointments are within his patronage; what (a) salary and (b) other emoluments are attached to each; and what the comparable figures were in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986 and (iii) 1996. [83161]
David Cairns: Details of the public appointments to bodies sponsored by the Scotland Office can be found in “Public Bodies”, copies of which are in the Library. “Public Bodies” has been published annually since 1980 and the most recent edition provides figures for 2005. The only public body currently sponsored by this office is the Boundary Commission for Scotland. Information before 1999 will relate to the responsibilities of the former Scottish Office.
Trade and Industry
Arms Trade
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what transit and trans-shipment licences have been issued since 2003 for the movement of military goods from Bosnia via the UK to other destinations; what type of goods was covered within each licence; and what the final destination goods was in each case. [84993]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 13 July 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 17 July 2006, Official Report, columns 129-130W.
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the costs of the restructuring proposals for the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. [86548]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) is wholly owned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Following consultation with stakeholders, NERC announced in March that it will implement plans to ensure that CEH can contribute to UK environmental science on a sustainable basis in the future. NERC has estimated that the costs involved will be £43 million over four years, including £7 million investment in new facilities at the retained sites. Details of the NERC announcement are set out at http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/latestpressrelease/2006-13ceh.asp.
Droit de Suite
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of Droit de Suite on (a) the London and (b) the British art market; and if he will make a statement. [85363]
Jim Fitzpatrick: A study into the potential impact on the British art market was carried out prior to the implementation of the directive introducing Droit de Suite. The report of its findings and the Regulatory Impact Assessment which was prepared during the implementation are available on the Patent Office website. This study did not consider the London art market separately.
A further study is being commissioned to assess the actual impact following our implementation of the directive. This will be undertaken during 2006-07.
Energy Policy
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library copies of the presentation made to him on energy policy options by the Department of Trade and Industry energy team on 15 May; which departmental officials were present at the presentation; and what reasons underlay the choice of graphs and bar charts posted on his Department’s website on energy usage following the presentation. [78093]
Malcolm Wicks: The Energy Review reported on 11 July. Information relating to the review, including the review document “The Energy Challenge”, is available on the DTI website at: www. dti.gov.uk/energy/review
Publishing details of the departmental officials present at the meeting on 15 May would risk exposing individual civil servants unfairly to public scrutiny, when they are unable to answer potential criticism.
Paul
Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for
Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library (a) copies of
the presentation made to him on energy policy options by the Department
of Trade and Industry
energy team on 15 May and (b) details of the departmental
officials present at the presentation; and what reasons underlay the
choice of the graphs and bar charts on energy usage posted on his
departmental website following the presentation.
[75370]
Malcolm Wicks: The Energy Review reported on 11 July. Information relating to the review, including the review document “The Energy Challenge”, is available on the DTI website at: www.dti.gov.uk/energy/review
Publishing details of the departmental officials present at the meeting on 15 May would risk exposing individual civil servants unfairly to public scrutiny, when they are unable to answer potential criticism.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. [86609]
Jim Fitzpatrick: As a result of the review my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in December 2005 progress has been made in engaging with stakeholder to identify the issues of concern and to develop practical solutions.
Conclusions for the dialogue are currently being drawn together into a consultation document, which we aim to publish in the near future.
The Department is anticipating that transposition of the WEEE Directive into the UK law will take place early in 2007.
Wind Turbines
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the long-term visual impact of wind turbines on local communities; and if he will make a statement. [86608]
Jim Fitzpatrick: All section 36 wind farm applications that fall to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to consider will be accompanied by an environmental impact assessment which will cover the impact both during construction and operation of the station. Visual impact is obviously one of the impacts considered.
International Development
Afghanistan
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what procedures are in place for preventing waste and embezzlement of UK funds for reconstruction in Afghanistan. [81735]
Mr.
Thomas: DFID as a whole has robust accounting and
financial management procedures, governed primarily by HM
Treasury’s Government Accounting Manual and developed over 40
years of ODA/DFID experience. As a member of the OECD’s
Development Assistance Committee, DFID also complies with good
international
practice on aid management. We are applying both these systems and good
practice in Afghanistan, and are also working closely with other
Government Departments to ensure good practice and financial compliance
in managing
funds.
DFID currently channels around 75 per cent. of its £102 million programme to Afghanistan through the Government’s budget. This helps the Government of Afghanistan to deliver essential public services and to strengthen its public financial management systems. Most of this goes through the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). DFID has committed £165 million to the ARTF over the next three years (2006-07 to 2008-09). The ARTF is administered by the World Bank. They reimburse the Government of Afghanistan for expenditures that meet strict eligibility criteria in order to reduce the risk of waste and corruption. The World Bank considers both the type of expenditures and the process by which it was spent. An independent monitoring agent, (currently PricewaterhouseCoopers) monitors and reports on this to ensure it is effective.
Africa (UK Assistance)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the UK provides for organic cotton production in Africa. [86023]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 19 July 2006]: DFID has funded organisations such as Pesticide Action Network UK in support of organic cotton production in Africa. A study financed by DFID in 1998, highlighted positive developments in the organic cotton sector in Uganda. The UK also provides indirect support to organic cotton production in Africa through, for example, the European Union and its EU-Africa Partnership on Cotton.
DFID is supporting broader African agriculture in a number of ways, which includes support for organic cotton production. Much of this support to individual countries is targeted at country’s own priorities and plans. DFID is also assisting to the Africa Union/New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AU/NEPAD) Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme to boost agricultural growth.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the UK aid programme offers to the development of links between rural and urban markets in Africa. [86024]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 19 July 2006]: Links between rural and urban markets are important for economic growth and for allowing the poor to participate in that growth. One of the key constraints is the poor state of infrastructure linking rural and urban areas.
DFID is helping a number of countries in Africa to improve their road networks to link rural and urban markets. This includes specific projects to improve roads and transport services in countries such as Nigeria and Ghana in addition to budget support for implementation of country’s own infrastructure plans.
DFID support to information and communications technology (ICT) is also helping to build effective links between rural and urban markets. For example, the DFID-supported Business Linkage Challenge Fund is helping boost the outreach of mobile banking in Kenya.
The Infrastructure Consortium for Africa was launched in London as a multi-donor initiative in October 2005. This is addressing regional infrastructure constraints to connecting markets across Africa, which will impact on rural-urban links. The UK has committed US $20 million for the work of the consortium.
Post-Conflict Reconstruction Unit
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in establishing the Post-Conflict Reconstruction Unit; and what its (a) composition, (b) budget and (c) line of accountability will be. [85474]
Hilary Benn: The Post-Conflict Reconstruction Unit (PCRU) was established at the end of 2004 to help improve the United Kingdom’s capacity to contribute to achieving a stable environment in countries emerging from conflict. It seeks to do so by working closely with Government Departments and the military to help (a) facilitate joint military-civilian assessments of the immediate challenges and opportunities in such countries; (b) facilitate joint military and civilian planning; (c) share lessons to further improve the effectiveness of UK activities in helping to stabilise countries and (d) enhance Her Majesty’s Government’s capability to deploy civilians overseas to develop and oversee implementation of these plans during their initial stages.
In the year since it became operational, the PCRU’s achievements include:
Facilitating an assessment and plan for the UK’s engagement in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. It has provided seven staff and consultants over the last six months to support implementation of this plan in areas such as security, justice and governance, prior to the establishment of longer-term staffing by DFID and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO);
Providing the majority of the staff of the strategic delivery unit in the British embassy in Kabul which helps ensure the overall coherence of UK assistance in Afghanistan;
Providing the team leader and support staff for the UK-led provincial reconstruction team in Basra which co-ordinates and helps deliver UK, US and Danish capacity building assistance to the Iraqi Government in the south, focusing on Basra Province;
Providing advice in other areas such as UK security and justice sector work in Yemen and assisting the AU/AMIS in the development of an initial six month communications strategy for the Darfur Peace Agreement; and
working with the Permanent Joint Headquarters in military exercises to demonstrate the value of integrated civilian/military planning.
Currently, the PCRU has 28 personnel drawn from five Government Departments and agencies including DFID, FCO, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and HM Treasury. In responding to requests for deployment this is supplemented by drawing on its database of 400 experts. The unit’s £10 million budget for 2006-07 finances core staff, deployment of these staff and consultant experts and associated vehicles and communications.
The unit’s work is overseen by the Defence and Overseas Policy (Conflict Prevention and Reconstruction) Committee (DOP (CPR)). The DFID permanent secretary is accountable for staffing and finance.
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