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2 Nov 2006 : Column 577W—continued
Economic Partnership Agreements
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he (a) has made and (b) plans to make to the EU’s review of economic partnership agreements; and if he will make a statement. [98475]
Mr. Thomas: The ongoing negotiations on economic partnership agreements (EPAs) between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries have had an effect on the UK’s international development strategies. These agreements are due to be finalised by the end of 2007. The Government have responded specifically to the ongoing EPAs negotiations and we published a policy statement in March 2005 on how we think EPAs should be designed if they are to help the ACP countries develop. This policy determines how we will influence the EPA negotiations and assess their outcome. We continue to talk to other EU member states about taking a similar approach and we continue to put pressure on the European Commission to take account of the ACP countries’ development interests, most recently at the meeting of trade and development Ministers in Luxemburg on 16 October.
A key outcome from our influencing has been the positive EU Council conclusions on EPAs signed by all member states on 10 April. The Commission are obliged to adhere to these conclusions which endorse some of the key elements of the UK Position paper; notably the support for a flexible approach in which ACP countries will open up their markets to a lesser extent and at a slower pace than the EU. We continue to support ACP countries and negotiators in order to ensure that they have access to independent research and technical assistance. We believe this support will help the ACP make informed choices on what sort of trade relationship they want with the EU. The UK Government continue to be in close contact with the ACP in order to understand their needs and concerns. These conclusions also critically acknowledge the right of the ACP to decide the content of their EPA.
This year is a critical year in the shaping of the EPA negotiations as the EU’s review of EPAs is in progress. The UK Government are committed to ensuring that this review is meaningful and with the full participation of the ACP. Crucially both the EU and the ACP have agreed that the recommendations of the review will be discussed at a high level and will be taken on board in the 2007 negotiations. As the negotiations progress into 2007, the UK Government will continue monitoring the approach taken by the Commission, as well as listening to the ACP, in order to ensure our 2005 commitments are honoured.
Light Bulbs
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of light bulbs purchased by his Department in 2005 were of the compact fluorescent type. [98257]
Hilary Benn: The proportion of bulbs purchased last year of a compact, fluorescent type is approximately 40 per cent. The proportion of fittings is somewhat higher, however, as these bulbs have a longer life expectancy than other types and are therefore purchased less often.
Private Finance Initiative Projects
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent by his Department on private finance initiative projects postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months. [96811]
Hilary Benn: DFID has no private finance initiative projects and therefore none which has been postponed or stopped.
Treasury
Cancer Data
Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) incidence and (b) survival rate of (i) ovarian, (ii) lung, (iii) bladder, (iv) breast, (v) bowel, (vi) prostate, (vii) throat, (viii) mouth, (ix) stomach and (x) testicular cancer was in (A) England, (B) Yorkshire and (C) Calderdale in the most recent period for which figures are available. [98069]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 2 November 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the (a) incidence and (b) survival rate of (i) ovarian, (ii) lung, (iii) bladder, (iv) breast, (v) bowel, (vi) prostate, (vii) throat, (viii) mouth, (ix) stomach and (x) testicular cancer were in (A) England, (B) Yorkshire and (C) Calderdale in the most recent period for which figures are available. (98069)
The most recent available (a) incidence rates for (i) ovarian, (ii) lung, (iii) bladder, (iv) breast, (v) colorectal, (vi) prostate, (vii) laryngeal, (viii) lip, mouth and pharynx (ix) stomach and (x) testicular cancer registered in A) England, (B) Yorkshire and Humber government office region (GOR) and (C) Calderdale local authority (LA) are given in the attached table.
The latest nationally comparable survival rates for England, Government Office Regions and Strategic Health Authorities (but not for other areas such as local authorities), are one-and five-year relative rates for patients (aged 15-99) diagnosed in 1997-99 and followed up to the end of 2004. These are available on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website (at the link below) for (ii) lung, (iii) bladder, (iv) female breast, (v) colon, (vi) prostate and (ix) stomach cancer. Equivalent figures are not available below national level for the other sites requested.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/SatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=11991&Pos=2&ColRank=1&Rank=272
For England, survival rates are available for all the sites requested (except mouth) for adult patients (aged 15-99 years) diagnosed during 1998-2001 followed up to the end of 2003. These rates are available on the ONS website at the link below:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=8982&Pos=4&ColRank=1&Rank=272
In this publication throat cancer is referred to as cancer of the larynx.
Cycling
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what incentives have been given to organisations to promote the cycle to work scheme among their staff since its inception. [98843]
Dawn Primarolo: Where employers lend cycles to their employees under a cycle to work scheme no tax or national insurance charge will arise providing the cycle is used mainly for commuting journeys.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many organisations have registered for tax exemption under the cycle to work scheme since its inception. [98844]
Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available as there is no requirement on employers to register with HMRC in order to loan cycles to their employees under a cycle to work scheme.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many away days have been undertaken by the performance and efficiency team in his Department in the last 12 months; and what the (a) location, (b) date, (c) activities undertaken and (d) cost were of each away day; [97879]
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many training days have been undertaken by the performance and efficiency team in his Department in the last 12 months; and what the (a) location, (b) date, (c) activities undertaken and (d) cost was of each away day. [97976]
John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 18 October 2006, Official Report, columns 1252-53W. In common with other organisations in the public and private sectors the Treasury uses away-days for work-planning, training and staff development purposes.
Departmental Policy Making
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who was responsible for the short to medium term co-ordination of policy in his Department before the appointment of the director of policy and planning on 1 July 2004. [97975]
John Healey: The permanent secretary is responsible for overall policy coordination within the Department, delegating responsibilities to senior colleagues as appropriate.
Departmental Redundancies
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many redundancies there were in his Department in each year since 1997; what the cost of such redundancies was in each year; how many temporary staff were employed in each year; and how many staff were seconded by outside organisations to posts within his Department in each year. [95263]
John Healey: There were no redundancies in the Treasury between 1997-98 and 2002-03. The data for 2003-04 to date are as follows:
| Number | Cost (£ million) | |
The Treasury is on target to meet the Gershon target announced in the 2004 spending review.
The number of staff recruited on temporary fixed-term and casual contracts, and the number seconded in from other organisations is published in the Treasury’s departmental report for each year until 2005. The data for 2005 are published on the Treasury’s website: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/about/about_ recruitment.cfm.
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