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21 Jun 2007 : Column 1975W—continued

Departments: Manpower

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people granted (a) temporary part-time, (b) temporary full-time, (c) permanent part-time and (d) permanent full-time contracts of employment in his Department in each of the last three years were (i) male, (ii) female, (iii) registered disabled and (iv) aged 55 years or over. [143899]


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Mr. Thomas: DFID employs both UK-based civil servants and staff engaged overseas on local terms and conditions of service. I have provided a breakdown of the data for the categories requested for both amalgamated groups in the following tables. Table 1 shows all contracts awarded during the years 2004-06, inclusive, broken down by gender. Table 2 shows the same breakdown across the categories for those in the over 55 age range. During the same period seven staff with registered disabilities were awarded contracts. (One temporary, six permanent—of which one was part-time).

Table 1
Perm Full-time Part-time Temp Full-time Part-time Total Totals per year

2004

Male

167

167

30

29

1

197

Female

182

173

9

30

30

212

409

2005

Male

108

106

2

16

16

124

Female

97

86

1

22

22

119

243

2006

Male

83

81

2

13

12

1

96

Female

91

84

7

21

20

1

112

208

Total employees

728

132

860

860


Table 2: Age over 55
Perm Full-time Part-time Temp Full-time Part- time Total Totals per year

2004

Male

5

5

4

4

9

Female

4

4

4

13

2005

Male

5

4

1

2

1

7

Female

1

1

1

8

2006

Male

3

3

1

1

4

Female

2

2

2

6

Total employees

20

7

27

27


David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of staff in his Department are (a) male, (b) female, (c) registered disabled and (d) aged 55 or over. [143916]

Mr. Thomas: DFID employs both UK-based civil servants and staff engaged overseas on local terms and conditions of service. The following table shows the information which is available for both groups and for DFID as a whole. Information on gender, disability and age are all provided on a voluntary basis, and is incomplete for those staff engaged locally overseas. The response rate on disability in particular is very low. The percentages quoted are therefore based upon the numbers where we do have the relevant information, and the total percentage with a disability is for only our UK-based staff.

Percentage
Male Female Disabled Aged 55 +

UK-based

50

50

3

12

Locally engaged

50

50

n/a

19

Total

50

50

3

14

n/a = Not available.

21 Jun 2007 : Column 1977W

Departments: Official Visits

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which destinations he visited in an official capacity between 17 May and 17 June. [144548]

Hilary Benn: I made no regional or overseas visits in an official capacity between 17 May and 17 June.

Departments: Pay

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in 2006-07; what proportion of the total workforce they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid was; what the largest single payment was; and if he will make a statement. [143099]

Mr. Thomas: The following tables give the number of bonuses awarded to DFID staff in 2006-07. All bonus payments are non-pensionable.

Bonuses awarded to DFID senior civil servants (SCS)
2006-07

Number of awards

66

Percentage of total SCS workforce

78

Total cost (£)

389,100

Largest single payment (£)

12,000


Bonuses awarded to DFID staff in grades below the SCS
2006-07

Number of awards

1,020

Percentage of total HCS workforce below the SCS

62

Total cost (£)

558,233

Largest single payment (£)

1,150


Departments: Remploy

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) services and (b) products his Department has procured from Remploy in the last 12 months; and at what cost. [143792]

Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) has had no contracts with Remploy in the last 12 months.

Gaza: Politics and Government

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation of the civilian population in Gaza following the takeover of the area's administration by Hamas; and if he will make a statement. [144328]

Hilary Benn: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) makes regular assessments of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Between 9 and 13 June, OCHA reported that 110 Palestinians were killed and over 550 injured. However, relative calm has now returned. People are out in the streets and shops are open.


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The major concern among humanitarian agencies now is the movement of people and goods into and out of Gaza. Israel has allowed some humanitarian supplies to enter. Shortages of basic food supplies are likely to occur within days unless access is restored for private traders. The UK Government have called for the re-opening of the Kami crossing.

Humanitarian Aid: Gaza

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent violence in Gaza on the operations of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East; and if he will make a statement. [144329]

Hilary Benn: 70 per cent. of Gaza’s population, around 1 million people, are registered as refugees and are eligible for support from the UNRWA. On 13 June the UNRWA suspended all operations in Gaza except for essential medical services and emergency food distributions. This followed the killing of two of its staff in intra-Palestinian violence. On 17 June, the UNRWA returned to full operations, but warned that its support programmes depended on regular humanitarian supplies through Gaza’s borders with Israel.


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