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27 Nov 2006 : Column 327Wcontinued
28. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Leader of the House what assessment he has made of the role of Westminster Hall debates in providing time for hon. Members to debate issues of concern. [102895]
Nigel Griffiths: My right hon. Friend has made no specific assessment.
The Government believe that the arrangements made for proceedings in Westminster Hall since they were made permanent in October 2002 have worked well and have provided significant additional opportunities for hon. Members to raise issues of concern. In the last session (2005-06) there were over 450 debates in Westminster Hall on topics chosen by private Members.
John Bercow: To ask the Leader of the House (1) when he expects to publish the Privy Council Office's gender equality scheme; [101487]
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that private organisations contracted to work in the Privy Council's Office are aware of their duties under gender equality legislation when they are exercising public functions on behalf of public bodies; [101521]
(3) what plans he has to carry out gender impact assessments of his major policy developments and new legislation; [101544]
(4) what steps he is taking to ensure that the Privy Council's Office is taking steps to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duty on public bodies (a) to end unlawful discrimination and harassment and (b) to promote equality between women and men. [101563]
Mr. Straw: In line with the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930), laid on 10 November 2006, the Privy Council Office (PCO) expects to publish its Gender Equality Scheme by 30 April 2007. This scheme will complement existing policies on equality within the PCO.
Any private sector organisations carrying out functions of a public nature on behalf of the PCO will be required to comply with the general gender equality duty. To assist the PCO in ensuring that private sector contractors providing goods, works or services on our behalf, are aware of their obligations under the general gender equality duty we will refer to the Equal
Opportunities Commission's (EOC) Code of Practice of the Gender Equality Duty and any further EOC guidance when available.
This Department has no lead responsibility for major policy developments and new legislation at present. Should this position change, however, the PCO will carry out gender impact assessments in line with the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities)(Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930). We shall also refer to EOC Code of Practice on the Gender Equality Duty and any specific guidance when available.
Anne Milton: To ask the Leader of the House what the average annual ministerial pension payment for a former Government Minister was in (a) 1985, (b) 1995 and (c) 2005. [100606]
Mr. Straw: Pensions for Ministers and former Ministers comprise benefits from the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (PCPF) plus a supplementary pension in respect of service as a Minister. On retirement, the PCPF pension and the supplementary pension are amalgamated and paid as a single pension. As a result the information requested is only available at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has been interviewed by John Humphreys on BBC Radio 4 Today programme since May 1997. [102696]
The Prime Minister: This is a matter of public record.
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister which members of the Allawi family have visited Downing Street since 1 January 2006. [103716]
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister which topics were addressed in the questions (a) submitted to and (b) answered in his online question and answer session with the public on 16 November; and if he will publish the URL on the Number 10 website where the web chat may be viewed. [103046]
The Prime Minister: A transcript and broadcast of the online interview are available on the Number 10 website at:
http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page10423.asp.
A copy has also been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Prime Minister (1) which Ministers have hosted non-official party receptions or functions in No. 10 Downing street since May 1997; [102698]
(2) on what date each function held at No. 10 Downing street in the last two years took place where the costs were met by political parties and organisations for the purpose of providing financial support to political parties. [102843]
The Prime Minister: As was the practice under previous administrations and in accordance with the Ministerial Code (4.2), I have hosted a number of political events at Downing street. The costs were met by the Labour Party.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Prime Minister if he will meet Dr Kizza Besigye while he is in Uganda. [102668]
The Prime Minister: I have no current plans to do so.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what discussions he had on (a) the drugs trade from Afghanistan, (b) the effectiveness of counter cross-border incursion and (c) the compact with tribal leaders in Afghanistan-Pakistan border areas, with particular reference to cross-border intelligence and drug activities during his recent meeting with President Musharraf; [102510]
(2) what representations he made to the President of Pakistan during his recent visit on (a) blasphemy laws, (b) forced marriages, (c) discrimination against the Ahmadi community, (d) honour killings, (e) child labour and (f) bonded labour in Pakistan. [103673]
The Prime Minister: I discussed a wide range of issues with President Musharraf during my recent visit to Pakistan, including the situation in Afghanistan and counter-terrorism.
I also refer the hon. Member to the press conference I held with President Musharraf on 19 November. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish a direct e-mail address at which the public may contact him. [102848]
The Prime Minister: Members of the public can email me via the No. 10 website.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Prime Minister how many Freedom of Information Act requests his Office has received since May 2006; and how many (a) are in train, (b) are concluded and (c) were answered within 20 working days. [102772]
The Prime Minister: For these purposes my Office forms part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 12 September 2005, Official Report, column 2248W, by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister (1) where the wine held by his Office as part of the Donated Asset Reserve is stored; [100881]
(2) to what use his Office has put the (a) Segway transporter and (b) electric Ferrari received as gifts; and for what reason it was decided that each should be held by his Office as part of the Donated Asset Reserve. [101009]
The Prime Minister: The arrangements for the handling of gifts are set out in chapter 5 of the Ministerial Code.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the items, gifted by (a) foreign governments and (b) domestic sources that he has authorised retiring ministers to take with them at the end of their time in government. [101631]
The Prime Minister: The arrangements for gifts are set out in chapter 5 of the Ministerial Code.
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister whether it his policy that no authorisation will be given for the interception of communications in respect of (a) hon. Members and (b) Members of the House of Lords; and if he will make a statement. [103388]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the written ministerial statement I made on 30 March 2006, Official Report, columns 95-96WS and to the written statement given by my noble Friend the Leader of the House of Lords on 30 March 2006, Official Report, column WS116.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Ministerial Code of Conduct applies to Ministers notifying hon. Members when visiting their constituency for purposes other than Ministerial engagements; and if he will make a statement. [102628]
The Prime Minister: The Ministerial Code is a source of guidance and reference for Ministers as they undertake their official duties.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister how many times the Ministerial Committee on Data Sharing (MISC 31) has met. [102813]
The Prime Minister: Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice and the proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet Committees is generally not disclosed, as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Details of the membership and terms of reference of the Committee are available in the Libraries of both Houses and on the Cabinet Office website.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Prime Minister what the total cost of his Office was in the financial year 1996-97. [102845]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 27 February 2001, Official Report, columns 592-93W.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) sub-departments and (b) departments within his Office. [102847]
The Prime Minister: The details are set out in Dods Civil Service Companion. Copies of the edition for 2007 can be found in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Prime Minister what the guidelines are on ministers claiming expenses in relation to their official ministerial duties. [102697]
The Prime Minister: Guidelines for claiming expenses in relation to official duties are set out in Travel by Ministers and in departmental staff handbooks.
Anne Main: To ask the Prime Minister when he last visited St. Albans constituency. [102596]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her on 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 1997W.
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when her Department will issue the accreditation framework to assess schemes to register companies and individuals for self-certification in respect of the Competent Persons Scheme. [103111]
Angela E. Smith: This Department expects all competent person self-certification schemes authorised under para 4(a) of Schedule 1 to the Building Act 1984 to seek and achieve, from the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), suitable accreditation. We have discussed with UKAS and the competent person scheme operators the standard and criteria for accreditation and will continue this. When these are agreed they will be made publicly available.
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will publish the proposed staff structure of her Department; and when it will be fully implemented. [104419]
Angela E. Smith: The departmental organisational structure as at 13 November 2006 is available on the Communities and Local Government website at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/449/CommunitiesandLocalGovernmentorganisationchart _idl504449.pdf
The website also details the rationale for the structures put in place following the restructuring exercise carried out during the summer.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps have been taken to tackle deprivation in Norwich, North. [101210]
Mr. Woolas: The former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister allocated Neighbourhood Renewal Funding (NRF) totalling £3.926 million (2006-08) to the Norwich Local Strategic Partnership to help it to improve the quality of life for people in the city's most deprived neighbourhoods by tackling crime, antisocial behaviour, education, poor health inequalities, worklessness, housing and liveability issues.
The partnership has developed a Local Neighbourhood Renewal Action Plan to ensure these resources are effectively targeted at areas in greatest need. Among the initiatives proposed are the provision of intensive multi-agency support to families in crisis, and a dedicated neighbourhood management scheme for Mile Cross, aimed at changing the ways in which mainstream services are delivered to make them more responsive to the needs and priorities of deprived communities.
Norwich has also made a bid for funding under the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) which is primarily aimed at increasing entrepreneurial activity in deprived areas. An announcement confirming the names of the successful bidding authorities is expected shortly.
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