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1 Mar 2007 : Column 1474W—continued
Interest Rates
18. Mr. Devine: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the setting of interest rates by the Bank of England. [124181]
John Healey: Following the introduction of the Government’s Monetary Policy Framework in 1997, interest rates are a matter for the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England. It is not the Government’s policy to comment on individual interest rate decisions taken by the MPC.
Unemployment: North-East England
19. Dr. Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on trends in unemployment in the north-east region. [124182]
John Healey: The unemployment rate in the North-East region has declined to one of the lowest rates on record of 6.5 per cent. since 1997—declining in total by 34,000.
Employment: South Wales
20. Chris Bryant: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people of working age are in employment in each of the former mining constituencies of south Wales; and how many were in employment in 1996. [124183]
John Healey: The total employment level presently available for six of the 14 former mining constituencies of south Wales is 395,000 while in 1996 there were a total of 374,000.
Financial Capability: Young People
21. Mr. Simon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to increase levels of financial capability among young people. [124184]
Ed Balls:
The Government launched their long-term approach for financial capability on 15 January. It will improve information and advice for young people, promote opportunities for children to learn about money and signpost information and advice for parents through extended schools and Sure Start children's centres. It will also give financial education a secure place on the educational agenda and issue revised curriculum guidance, promote the Child Trust Fund as a tool for teaching financial education, and integrate financial education into basic skills learning by promoting the use of financial education as a route to literacy and numeracy skills. The Government also partner the Financial Services Authority in its national strategy for financial capability
which, under its “Delivering Change” programme, is working with schools and helping young adults make sense of money.
World Trade Agreement
Lynda Waltho: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress at the recent meeting of the G7 Finance Ministers in February towards reaching a world trade agreement. [124179]
Ed Balls: At the G7 meeting, finance ministers reiterated their commitment to resisting protectionism and gave their full support to the relaunch of the world trade talks. They emphasised that all participants have the responsibility to ensure a successful outcome to the Doha Round as it will enhance global growth and contribute to poverty reduction. Ministers also reaffirmed the need to ensure that aid for trade helps to secure the full benefits of trade for developing countries.
Al-Qaeda: Africa
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his comments in Progress Magazine in February, what the evidential basis was for his statement that there are more al-Qaeda cells in Africa than any other part of the world. [123108]
Ed Balls: We do not provide details of sources of evidence in relation to issues of national security.
Children’s Centres: Finance
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions (a) he and (b) officials have had with their counterparts in the Department for Education and Skills on the funding of children’s centres. [124014]
Ed Balls: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such discussions.
Defence Export Services Organisation: Finance
Mr. Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend the funding for the Defence Export Services Organisation through the Comprehensive Spending Review. [124236]
Mr. Timms: Decisions on the level and make-up of Departmental Budgets will be published at the conclusion of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.
Departments: Surveys
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a full copy of the HM Treasury Staff Survey 2006. [123336]
John Healey: The staff survey is regarded as an internal management tool and is used by the Treasury Board and senior management to gauge staff views and to implement actions, where required, to address any problems highlighted. As the information was provided by staff on a personal and confidential basis, the underlying data cannot be released.
Departments: Vacancies
Mr. Meale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many job vacancies there are for positions in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in North Nottinghamshire and North-East Derbyshire. [123841]
John Healey: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not currently have any job vacancies in North Nottinghamshire or North-East Derbyshire to be filled by external recruitment. All recruitment opportunities are advertised on the HMRC internet site.
English Partnerships: Sales
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether sales of assets to (a) English Partnerships and (b) from one Government Department or public sector body to another are included in Table B21 of his pre-Budget report. [123344]
Mr. Timms: Table B21 of the pre-Budget report includes asset disposal receipts as reported by each Department to the Treasury. Departments are not required to report information on the acquirer of the disposed assets.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether sales of assets by English Partnerships are included in Table B21 of his pre-Budget report. [123345]
Mr. Timms: Sales of assets by English Partnerships are included.
EU Legislation Review
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many copies of each report produced to date as part of the Davidson review of implementation of EU legislation were (a) printed and (b) distributed; [123321]
(2) which companies were involved in the design, publishing, printing and distribution of each report of the Davidson review of implementation of EU legislation; [123322]
(3) what the (a) commissioning and development, (b) publishing and printing, (c) distribution and (d) other media costs were for the Davidson review of implementation of EU legislation. [123323]
John Healey: 1,293 copies of the Davidson review were printed, including copies for both Houses of Parliament. Distribution figures are unavailable as these documents are distributed on demand and over the internet.
The Davidson review was typeset and printed by TSO.
The cost of commissioning and developing, distribution and other media costs for the Davidson review were integrated in Treasury overheads and are therefore not available as a breakdown. The cost of publishing and printing excluding internal staffing costs was £8,624.79.
Gila Sacks
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) remit and (b) salary is of his special adviser Gila Sacks; and if he will make a statement. [123095]
John Healey: As set out in Treasury press notice 99/97 of 4 August 1997, the Council of Economic Advisers is made up of individual policy experts who will bring their specialist experience to work alongside individual Treasury teams focusing on the Government's key policy priorities.
The special advisers' salaries are set by the Cabinet Office in the Special Advisers' Remuneration Committee.
Health Research Funding Review
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many copies of each report produced as part of the Cooksey review were (a) printed and (b) distributed; [123233]
(2) which companies were involved in the design, publishing, printing and distribution of each report of the Cooksey review; [123234]
(3) what the (a) commissioning and development, (b) publishing and printing, (c) distribution and (d) other media costs were for the Cooksey review. [123235]
John Healey: 869 copies of the Cooksey review were printed, including copies for both Houses of Parliament. Distribution figures are unavailable as these documents are distributed on demand and over the internet.
The Cooksey review was typeset and printed by TSO.
The cost of commissioning and developing, distribution and other media costs for the Cooksey review were integrated in Treasury overheads and are therefore not available as a breakdown. The cost of publishing and printing excluding internal staffing costs was £8,544.78.
Home Working
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to encourage home working. [123599]
John Healey: As a responsible employer the Treasury provides flexible working arrangements for staff, including opportunities for home working.
Identity Management
Mr. Francois:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many members of staff in his Department worked to support Sir James Crosby’s
Public-Private Forum on identity management as at 8 February 2007; and what the pay band was of each such staff member. [123222]
John Healey: Two Treasury staff, a range E and a range B, worked to support Sir James Crosby’s Public-Private Forum as at 8 February.
Intellectual Property Review
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many copies of each report produced as part of the Gowers review of intellectual property were (a) printed and (b) distributed; [123229]
(2) which companies were involved in the design, publishing, printing and distribution of each report of the Gowers review of intellectual property; [123230]
(3) what the (a) commissioning and development, (b) publishing and printing, (c) distribution and (d) other media costs were for the Gowers review of intellectual property. [123231]
John Healey: 819 copies of the Gowers review were printed, including copies for both Houses of Parliament. Distribution figures are unavailable as these documents are distributed on demand and over the internet.
The Gowers review was typeset and printed by TSO.
The cost of commissioning and developing, distribution and other media costs for the Gowers review of intellectual property were integrated in Treasury overheads and are therefore not available as a breakdown. The cost of publishing and printing excluding internal staffing costs was £11,714.80.
International Assistance: Primary Education
Anne Moffat: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution the UK is making to the goal of every child receiving a primary education. [124286]
Ed Balls: While some progress has been made globally over the past decade, universal primary education will not be achieved by 2015, unless the international community takes urgent action. Every day almost 80 million primary school-aged children do not go to school.
In April 2006, the UK announced its commitment to spend at least £8.5 billion on aid for education over the next 10 years. This aid will help to provide long-term predicable financing to help support developing countries’ 10-year education plans. The UK has already announced 10-year agreements to support education sector plans in Ghana (£106 million, 2006-15) and Mozambique (£150 million, 2007-16).
The UK has led the way by making a long-term commitment and is urging other donors to deliver on their promises from 2005. A high-level international conference will take place on 2 May, hosted by the European Commission, and will bring together Ministers and representatives from donor and developing countries, international institutions, civil society and businesses. This conference is an opportunity for the international
community to demonstrate its commitment to achieving the education Millennium Development Goals and make faster progress in this area.
Land Use Planning Review
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many copies of each report produced as part of the Barker review of land use planning were (a) printed and (b) distributed; [123224]
(2) which companies were involved in the design, publishing, printing and distribution of each report of the Barker review of land use planning; [123225]
(3) what the (a) commissioning and developing, (b) publishing and printing, (c) distribution and (d) other media costs were of the Barker review of land use planning. [123226]
John Healey: 250 copies of the Barker Interim report and 768 copies of the Barker Final report were printed, including copies for both Houses of Parliament. Distribution figures are unavailable as these documents are distributed on demand and over the internet.
The Barker Interim report was typeset by GWS Print and printed by McCorquodales. The Barker Final report was printed by TSO.
The cost of commissioning and developing, distribution and other media costs for the Barker Review of land use planning were integrated in Treasury overheads and are therefore not available as a breakdown. The cost of publishing and printing excluding internal staffing costs was £40,616.65.
Local Government Finance Funding Changes Independent Inquiry
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many copies of each report produced to date as part of the Lyons inquiry into local government were (a) printed and (b) distributed; [123313]
(2) which companies were involved in the design, publishing, printing and distribution of each report to date of the Lyons inquiry into local government; [123314]
(3) what the (a) commissioning and development, (b) publishing and printing, (c) distribution and (d) other media costs were for the Lyons inquiry into local government. [123315]
John Healey: 200 copies of the Lyons inquiry public deliberations events report were printed, including copies for both Houses of Parliament. Distribution figures are unavailable as these documents are distributed on demand and over the internet.
The Lyons inquiry was printed by TSO.
The cost of commissioning and developing, distribution and other media costs for the Lyons inquiry were integrated in Treasury overheads and are therefore not available as a breakdown. The cost of publishing and printing excluding internal staffing costs was £1,554.21.
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