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25 Jun 2007 : Column 11W—continued

Service Transformation Board

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment she has made of the performance of the Service Transformation Board. [145032]

Mr. McFadden: The Service Transformation Board—now re-constituted as the Delivery Council—consists of officials with responsibilities for business delivery of transformation. It worked in partnership with the Chief Information Officers’ (CIO) Council on the transformation of Citizen and Business Centred Services set out in the “Transformational Government (Cm 6683) report”; its initial achievements were reported in “Transformational Government: Annual Report 2006” (Cm 6970). The Delivery Council is now supporting Ministers and the Civil Service Steering Board in the next stages of the Transformational Government strategy including the implementation of Sir David Varney’s report “Service Transformation: A better service for citizens and businesses, a better deal for the taxpayer”.

V

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2007, Official Report, column 46W, on V, what definition she uses of a volunteering opportunity. [145180]

Edward Miliband: V’s definition of a volunteering opportunity is available on their website at:

a copy of which I place in the Library for the reference of Members.

Prime Minister

Honours

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Prime Minister which people who received honours in Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday honours are (a) citizens of the Irish Republic, (b) citizens of Commonwealth countries,
25 Jun 2007 : Column 12W
other than the UK and (c) citizens of non-UK countries other than the Irish Republic or Commonwealth countries. [144400]

The Prime Minister: The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

IBM Corporation

Mr. Gray: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2007, Official Report, column 1428W, on the IBM Corporation, what the cost was to the public purse of the meeting; whether he received any gifts from Mr. Gerstner; and what meetings he has had since that date with representatives of the IBM Corporation. [144998]

The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 18 June 2007, Official Report, column 1428W.

Libyan Arab Republic

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Prime Minister who accompanied him on his recent visit to Libya; and which company or organisational affiliation each person had. [145425]

The Prime Minister: Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House. Information on the number of officials accompanying Ministers on overseas visits is included in the list.

All Ministers’ travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in chapter 10 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, “Travel by Ministers”. Information for 2007-08 will be published in the normal way.

Lord Birt

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the contribution of Lord Birt in his role as special adviser. [145045]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the press notice issued by my Office on 15 December 2005. The press notice is available on the Number 10 website: http: //www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page8774.asp, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Members: Correspondence

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister by what date he expects to respond to the letter dated 17 May from the hon. Member for Lewes on the disposal of gifts he has received. [145027]

The Prime Minister: As far as I am aware, my Office had not received the letter at the time this question was tabled.


25 Jun 2007 : Column 13W

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade

Mr. Laws: To ask the Prime Minister what representations (a) he and (b) his officials in 10 Downing street have received from (i) the Government of Saudi Arabia and (ii) its representatives on the Serious Fraud Office inquiry into defence orders for Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement. [145401]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 19 June 2007, Official Report, column 1610W, by my hon. Friend the Minister for State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Dr. Howells).

Mr. Laws: To ask the Prime Minister what advice he sought from the heads of the UK’s security and intelligence agencies in relation to the impact on national security and foreign policy objectives in the Middle East of the investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into the al-Yamamah defence sales contract; when such advice was requested; and if he will make a statement. [143715]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General on 14 December 2006, Official Report, columns 1119-20, and to his response during the debate on 7 February 2007, Official Report, columns 875-76.

Deputy Prime Minister

Departmental Coordination

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made in co-ordinating the development of Government policy since May 2006. [145092]

The Deputy Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to my Department’s annual report, copies of which are available in the Library for the reference of Members.

Departments: Official Gifts

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what gifts he received on his recent visit to the West Indies. [145028]

The Deputy Prime Minister: The Government publish an annual list of gifts received by Ministers valued at more than £140. Information relating to 2007-08 will be published as soon as it is available at the end of the financial year.

Northern Ireland

Departments: Aviation

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many flights to overseas destinations were taken by (a) civil servants and (b) Ministers in his Department in each of the last three calendar years; and what the total cost was of such flights. [144950]


25 Jun 2007 : Column 14W

Mr. Hain: All travel by civil servants or Ministers is undertaken in accordance with civil service rules and procedures, the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers. These combined figures for the years in question are set out in the following table.

Flights Cost (£)

April 2004 to December 2004

137

122,308.51

January 2005 to December 2005

258

238,704.47

January 2006 to December 2006

160

148,342.60


Figures for January 2004 to March 2004 are not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Energy

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many energy saving light bulbs were purchased by his Department for use on the departmental estate in (a) 2005 and (b) 2006. [144949]

Mr. Hain: The Department has a variety of light fittings which accept a wide range of bulbs. No records are kept of the numbers or frequency of bulb replacement and the cost of obtaining these figures would be disproportionate. Energy saving light bulbs are, where practicable, the preferred type of light bulb.

Departments: Manpower

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. [143900]

Paul Goggins: The following table details the number of staff employed within the Northern Ireland Office granted (a) temporary part-time, (b) temporary full-time, (c) permanent part-time and (d) permanent full-time contracts of employment in each of the last three years who were (i) male, (ii) female, (iii) registered disabled and (iv) aged 55 years or over.


25 Jun 2007 : Column 15W
Temporary Permanent
Part-time Full-time Part-time Full-time

2004

Male

25

86

Female

23

1

91

Disabled

3

55+

1

3

2005

Male

36

50

Female

33

1

74

Disabled

1

55+

1

2006

Male

33

55

Female

28

2

84

Disabled

3

55+

1

1

1


Departments: Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people aged (a) over 55 years of age and (b) over 60 years of age have been recruited by his Department in each of the last three years; and what percentage in each case this is of the number of new recruits in each year. [145701]

Paul Goggins: The figures in relation to the Northern Ireland Office are as follows:

Departments: Surveys

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff surveys his Department undertook in the last 12 months; and at what total cost. [145263]

Mr. Hain: The NIO undertook two staff surveys in the last 12 months at a total cost of £3,107. One was a periodical departmental staff survey which cost £3,107 and the other was a survey carried out in-house at zero costs by the Department’s community safety unit. This answer relates only to the NIO and does not include its agencies or NDPBs.


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