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7 Nov 2006 : Column 993W—continued



7 Nov 2006 : Column 994W
Authority 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07

Barking and Dagenham

5.7

11.7

5.5

3.5

3.5

Barnet

2.5

22.8

6.8

1.9

2.0

Bexley

4.5

14.9

7.5

4.7

3.9

Brent

8.5

20.8

5.8

3.3

2.2

Bromley

4.5

6.0

6.8

4.9

4.0

Camden

4.1

12.1

2.8

2.0~

1.9

City of London

5.3

17.3

5.9

4.5

4.6

Croydon

1.0

26.8

7.2

5.0

4.4

Ealing

5.7

25.1

6.8

4.8

2.5

Enfield

6.4

15.0

5.9

2.4

2.5

Greenwich

2.6

10.8

4.1

2.9

0.9

Hackney

10.0

10.0

4.9

1.9

0.0

Hammersmith and Fulham

0.0

9.8

4.9

1.5

1.5

Haringey

0.0

17.4

7.2

4.9

2.5

Harrow

6.0

19.8

3.3

0.7

2.5

Havering

6.8

14.9

5.2

2.9

1.7

Hillingdon

7.6

13.5

4.8

3.9

2.9

Hounslow

5.5

12.7

6.8

4.4

2.3

Islington

-4.5

19.0

5.0

4.2

0.0

Kensington and Chelsea

9.3

13.9

4.7

3.5

0.1

Kingston upon Thames

11.3

12.6

7.0

5.0

3.6

Lambeth

7.8

21.1

5.0

4.0

0.0

Lewisham

7.9

9.4

5.0

4.9

2.5

Merton

5.4

8.9

5.3

2.5

2.5

Newham

5.0

9.8

4.8

4.8

1.9

Redbridge

5.1

12.9

5.5

4.7

3.8

Richmond upon Thames

8.9

13,1

5.2

3.1

0.0

Southwark

3.7

4.3

2.4

1.8

0.0

Sutton

8.2

11.9

7.4

4.8

3.9

Tower Hamlets

2.0

14.0

4.7

4.0

0.0

Waltham Forest

3.6

17.5

6.0

4.6

2.5

Wandsworth

-25.0

57.3

0.0

0.0

0.0

Westminster

4.6

27.5

5.2

-0.1

1.9

(1) Figures are based solely on the London borough’s element of the bill, which excludes the precepting amount from the Greater London Authority.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent by (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02. [91915]

Angela E. Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold the information in the form requested which can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the financial year 2006-07 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.

All expenditure is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers, and the Civil Service Management Code.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what foreign visits were undertaken by her departmental staff on official business in the last 12 months. [94846]

Angela E. Smith: Over the last 12 months departmental staff took in total 519 foreign trips on official business of which 479 were to Europe (outside UK); six trips to Africa; 26 trips to North America; one foreign trip to South America and seven trips to Asia (inc. Middle East).

Departmental Vacancies

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of vacancies in her Department in the last 12 months required candidates to have at least a grade C in (a) English and (b) mathematics GCSE. [96748]

Angela E. Smith: The Department was created on 5 May 2006, so information is only available from that time.

The Department has recruited externally for seven specialist posts, all of which have required at least a degree standard of education.


7 Nov 2006 : Column 995W

Digital Challenge

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether ethnic monitoring (a) has been and (b) will be undertaken in respect of Digital Challenge (i) shortlisted and (ii) successful bids; [98266]

(2) what steps she is taking to ensure ethnic minorities are fully involved in Digital Challenge bids; [98267]

(3) how many ethnic minority organisations are involved in Digital Challenge bids; [98268]

(4) what the criteria are for consideration of Digital Challenge bids. [98269]

Mr. Woolas: Digital Challenge bids were shortlisted according to a number of criteria, including a focus on “socially excluded” groups. In evaluating bids, a focus on ethnic minority groups was not included as a specific criterion, as the effective use of ICT and benefits of digital inclusion cut across the sub-divisions of socially excluded populations including ethnic minority groups. Further information on the 79 proposals received and an analysis is available on the Digital Challenge website:

The Digital Challenge Outline Prospectus made it clear to all bidders submitting proposals that bids should be inclusive and representative of their local communities. We have created an opportunity for organisations, including those representing ethnic minorities, to become engaged in the Digital Challenge process through the Digital Challenge Community Network (DCCN), an interdependent network for public, private, voluntary and academe to rise to the challenge of using ICT and innovation as enablers of digital and social inclusion. Further information on the network and the original prospectus are published on the Digital Challenge website.

It is not possible to definitively state the number of ethnic minority organisations involved in the Digital Challenge process. However, each of the remaining 10 bidders are actively engaging and working with ethnic minority organisations.

The full criteria for the Digital Challenge bids have been provided to all the 10 and are published on the Digital Challenge website at:

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