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World Trade Organisation Negotiations
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the UK Government’s position is on including services and trade facilitation in the Doha Round of World Trade Organisation negotiations. [81574]
Mr. McCartney: The UK remains strongly committed to ensuring an ambitious and pro-development outcome to the Doha Round that provides real benefits to developing countries and an overall stimulus to world trade in goods and services. The inclusion of services and trade facilitation in the Doha Ministerial Declaration that launched the Round in 2001 was welcomed by the UK Government. Both are important elements of the ambitious and balanced final agreement that is our objective for these negotiations, towards which we continue to work.
Youth Training
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to re-organise the system of training initiatives for young people; and what the rationale was behind launching Great Expectations. [76015]
Margaret Hodge: There are no plans in England to reorganise training for young people. The successful apprenticeships programme remains the primary vocational route for young people into skilled jobs.
Great Expectations is an Enterprise Challenge in which young people assume the roles of entrepreneurs. The strategic aims was to promote an entrepreneurial culture to young people through forms of delivery that excited interest, inspired and provided role models to young people.
It is included by Careers Scotland in their portfolio of schemes on offer in Scotland.
Zimbabwe
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information his Department holds on (a) publicly owned and (b) privately owned companies which are trading with Zimbabwe. [87231]
Mr. McCartney: Data is not available on which UK companies are trading with Zimbabwe. Information on the main exports and imports by product was provided in response to Parliamentary Question: 2005/5083.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been made to his Department regarding the actions of UK companies in Zimbabwe. [87232]
Mr. McCartney: As stated in my reply of 17 July 2006, Official Report, columns 148-150W there are no sanctions or embargoes against British companies doing business in Zimbabwe.
We do not maintain a separate record of representations made to this Department on Zimbabwe.
Treasury
Access to Work Scheme
Roger Berry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many disabled staff in his Department received support through the Access to Work scheme (a) in each of the last five years and (b) in 2006-07. [82234]
John Healey: Applications for support through the Access to Work Scheme, made via the Treasury’s diversity team are in the following table:
| Applications to Access to Work Scheme | |
| (1
)Data not available (2) Records on applications to the Access to Work Scheme were kept from late 2003 onwards as the Treasury moved towards implementing a central reasonable adjustments budget (April 2004) and a more streamlined process for putting in place reasonable adjustments for its employees. | |
Advertising Campaigns
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor ofthe Exchequer what advertising campaigns the Department ran between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87053]
John Healey: I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) and the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) on6 July 2005, Official Report, column 433W.
Alcohol Tax
Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the consistency with which different strengths of alcohol are taxed. [87550]
John Healey: There are historic disparities in the rate at which different alcohol products are taxed. Since 1998, Government policy has been to seek a fairer balance of taxation between different alcohol products.
Business Energy Supplies Group
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who the members of the group examining the provision of information and support on energy efficiency to business chaired by the Financial Secretary and Mr. Richard Ellis are; and when it has met. [87453]
John Healey: Budget 2006 announced that the Financial Secretary and Richard Ellis would co-chair a group to examine how best to provide information and support to business on energy efficiency. This group met recently. The organisations represented at this meeting were: the Carbon Trust, the CBI, the EEF, the British Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses.
Capita Group
Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have held with directors and senior executives of (i) Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries since 1 January 2004; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have provided input (1) in writing and (2) in person to policy discussions in his Department since 1 January 2004. [61062]
John Healey: As part of the normal process of contact with business, Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of individuals and organisations. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s usual practice to provide details of all such meetings. Treasury meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Code, as appropriate.
James
Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer (1) what the value of contracts held by his
Department with (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries
was in the last three financial years;
[61459]
(2) how many tenders (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries have submitted to his Department in each of the last three years; and how many tenders were successful; [61460]
(3) how many contracts his Department holds with (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries which still have a potential duration of five years or more; [61461]
(4) how much business his Department has placed with (a) Capita Group plc and (b) its subsidiaries in each of the last five years; what the total value is of outstanding contracts placed with Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries by his Department; for which current tenders issued by his Department (i) Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries have been invited to bid; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have seconded staff (1) temporarily and(2) on a longer-term basis to (X) his Department and (Y) its agencies. [61061]
John Healey: Any consultant engaged by a Department needs to pass through a rigorous and transparent procurement process in line with EU procurement directives.
Like every other Government Department the Treasury's annual accounts are scrutinised by the House and by the NAO.
The Treasury has two contracts with Capita. At no time was there any ministerial involvement in the contracts mentioned.
Figures for the costs of using consultants, including Capita, were released in a freedom of information request to the BBC on 23 January and have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
There are no staff seconded by Capita or its subsidiaries to the Treasury or its agencies.
Caravan Parks
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of people live in caravan parks in each local authority area in England and Wales in descending order according to percentage of the population resident in such parks. [88287]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 July 2006:
I am replying as National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales to your recent question asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of people live in caravan parks in each local authority area in England and Wales in descending order according to percentage of the population resident in that way. (88287)
The nearest information available from the 2001 census is accommodation type which includes a category for “caravans or other mobile or temporary structures”. This includes caravans that are not in parks and other mobile structures such as boats. The data was published in table S050 in the “Census 2001 National report for England and Wales pt 1” which is available in the House of Commons library. However for convenience the relevant columns have been extracted and placed separately in the House of Commons library.
Casinos
Mr. Swire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have held meetings in the last 12 months with casino operators interested in securing licences under the Gambling Act 2005; where each meeting took place; and what was discussed. [83364]
John Healey: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy analysis, development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Company Acquisitions
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what data are collected by the Government related to (a) the acquisition of companies financed by the (i) exchange and (ii) issue of shares and (b) the financial performance of such companies, with particular reference to patterns of investment by them. [87131]
Ed Balls: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 July 2006:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what data is collected by the Government related to (a) the acquisition of companies financed by the (i) exchange and (ii) issue of shares and (b) the financial performance of such companies, with particular reference to patterns of investment by them. (87131) The data requested are not available. However, ONS publish data on acquisitions in the UK by UK companies that are funded by share issues and exchanges. Table 9 of the ONS Mergers and Acquisitions First Release provides a breakdown of this information. Information is not collected on whether the shares involved are existing shares or new issues of shares.
This can be found using the following weblink:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=72&Pos=1&ColRank=1&Rank=208
Consultancy Firms
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to collect centrally information on consultancy firms hired by Government Departments. [88201]
John Healey: OGC does not hold central information on public sector spend on consultancy and currently there are no plans to start to do so.
Copyright (Sports Sector)
Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will ask the Gowers Intellectual Property review team to include within its terms of reference copyright issues affecting the sports sector; [84261]
(2)
if he will ask the Gowers Intellectual Property review team to examine
the impact of the EC Database Directive 1996 on the (a) English
and (b) Scottish
football leagues’ right to charge betting companies for the use
of their fixtures lists.
[84262]
John Healey: Mr. Andrew Gowers has been asked to conduct an independent review into the intellectual property system, to ensure it is fit for the digital age. The published terms of reference for the review are as follows:
The review will provide an analysis of the performance of the UK IP system, including inter alia,
the way in which Government administers the awarding of IP and their support to consumers and business;
how well businesses are able to negotiate the complexity and expense of the copyright and patent system, including copyright and patent licensing arrangements, litigation and enforcement; and
whether the current technical and legal IP infringement framework reflects the digital environment, and whether provisions for ‘fair use’ by citizens are reasonable.
The Government have previously committed to examining whether the current term of copyright protection on sound recordings and performers’ rights is appropriate. This will also be conducted within the review.
This review is independent of Government, and Mr. Andrew Gowers is responsible for identifying and prioritising the issues of prime importance within the overall terms of reference outlined above. He will be making recommendations to Government toward the end of 2006 to address these issues.
Databases
Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice he has given the Home Secretary on managing complex computer databases. [82812]
Mr. Timms: The Office of Government Commerce, through its Gateway Review process, advises all Departments on acquisition and procurement projects.
Defence
Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what public spending on defence was in each year since 1997 in (a) cash terms, (b) at 2006 prices and (c) as a percentage of gross domestic product. [86990]
Mr. Timms: Final outturn figures for defence spending in financial years 1997-98 to 2004-05, expressed in terms of 2004-05 prices, and as a percentage of GDP, can be found in Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2006, tables 3.2 and 3.4 respectively. GDP deflators to adjust this data to 2005-06 prices are available on the Treasury website at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/255/F4/gapdeflators_300606.xls
In addition, defence final outturn figures for 2005-06 can be found in the MOD’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2005-06.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on hotels (a) in the UK and (b) abroad by his Department’s employees in the last 12 months. [83498]
John Healey: I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Upper Bann (David Simpson) on 24 May 2006, Official Report, column 1850W.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on heating his Department’s buildings in London in each year since 1997. [83505]
John Healey: The Treasury’s heating is provided by the Whitehall District Heating System operated by OGCbuying solutions. The Whitehall District Heating System also supplies the Treasury’s hot water except in the summer months. The total cost of the Treasury’s use of the system since 2002-03 is set out in the following table. Figures for years prior to 2002-03 could be provided only at disproportionate cost due to a change in accounting system in that year.
| £000 | |
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on artwork in each year since 1997. [83507]
John Healey: There was no spending by the Treasury on works of art in 2005-06. In relation to previous years, I refer to the answers given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 333W, and to the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) on 1 November 2005, Official Report, column 984W.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the total amount spent in a year on lighting his Department’s buildings in London. [83587]
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on electricity use in each year since 2003-04. [83776]
John Healey: I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 332W. Spending by the Treasury on electricity in 2005-06 was £431,000.
Disaggregated figures for lighting, separate from other electricity use, are not available.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) his Department and (b) agencies of his Department spent on water and sewage services in each year since 2003-04. [83664]
John Healey: I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 332W. Spending by the Treasury and its agencies in 2005-06 was as follows.
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