Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 19 July 2007
Defence
Afghanistan: Politics and Government
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in improving the security situation in Afghanistan. [149467]
Des Browne [holding answer 17 July 2007]: The security situation in Afghanistan remains stable if fragile in places. The Afghan army with the International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) continue to undertake operations to improve the security situation and extend the authority of the Government of Afghanistan across the country. The Taliban are not able to hold territory in the face of offensive action by Afghan and International Security Assistance Forces but they are able to threaten security in parts of eastern and southern Afghanistan by means of improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers and small-scale ambushes.
In Helmand, recent operations have expanded ISAF influence around Sangin and Gereshk, enabling increased development activities, such as work on the irrigation system in Sangin.
Armed Forces: Manpower
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of each Monthly Manning Report for the Armed Forces on the date of its publication. [146009]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I have arranged for a copy of the Army Monthly Manning Report, dated 1 March 2007, to be placed in the Library of the House.
Due to the introduction of a new personnel administration system for the Army during March 2007, this report is currently suspended.
No equivalent Monthly Manning Report is produced for the naval service or Royal Air Force.
Military Bases: Wales
John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for the construction and occupation of the new military training academy at MOD St. Athan. [147283]
Derek Twigg:
Metrix Consortium have been declared the preferred bidder for package 1 of the Defence training review programme. For package 2 there is a significant affordability gap and work has been ongoing to develop a whole programme solution. The scale of the facility to be constructed at St. Athan will therefore depend on the outcome of this further work with Metrix. Our current forecast indicates that
construction at the St. Athan site is planned to start after contract signature in late 2008, or early 2009, with the final phase of completion scheduled for 2013.
Trident
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure has been incurred since 14 March 2007 on (a) the Trident D5 missile life extension programme and (b) the initial review of the need to replace the Vanguard-class ballistic-missile submarine platform for Trident D5 nuclear weapons systems. [150265]
Des Browne [holding answer 18 July 2007]: No expenditure has been incurred since 14 March 2007 on the Trident D5 missile life extension programme. The programme to replace the Vanguard-class ballistic-missile submarine platform incurred expenditure of around £900,000 from 1 April to 30 June 2007, the most recent quarter for which information is available.
Prime Minister
Departments: Pay
David Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of staff in the former Department of the Deputy Prime Minister in the last three years; and at what total cost; [146990]
(2) how many staff in the former Department of the Deputy Prime Minister have taken (a) five or more, (b) four, (c) three and (d) two periods of sick leave of less than five days in the last 12 months. [147044]
Gillian Merron: I have been asked to reply.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office was established in May 2006. Because of the small number of staff involved, disclosing the information requested could breach staff confidentiality. Information for periods before May 2006 is held by The Department for Communities and Local Government.
Duchy of Lancaster
Departments: Buildings
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2007, Official Report, column 1640W, on Departments: buildings, what the role is of the employees of his Department occupying each building. [151036]
Gillian Merron: Information on the role of employees is provided in our departmental reports and annual resource accounts which are published on the Cabinet Office website at:
Leader of the House
Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings
David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House how many people in her Office have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last 12 months. [149188]
Departments: Official Visits
David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within her Office's areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months. [149051]
Helen Goodman: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons spent £316.96 on overnight accommodation for civil servants in the last 12 months.
Departments: Racial Harassment
David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which she is responsible have been (a) investigated and (b) upheld in the last 12 months. [149247]
Scotland
Departments: Advertising
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of advertising commissioned by his Department in the last 12 months; [148508]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not normally undertake advertising campaigns and in 2006-07 was involved in only a small number of advertisements for appointments.
Departments: Correspondence
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people are employed in his Department to work on ministerial correspondence. [150564]
David Cairns: Ministerial correspondence is processed by two clerical officers, who also undertake wider administrative functions. Drafting ministerial replies is part of the role of a pool of around 20 policy officials in addition to their other duties.
Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings
David Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in his Department have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work
telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last 12 months. [149185]
Official Visits
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions in the last 12 months the Secretary of State for Scotland visited Scotland in an official capacity. [147625]
Des Browne [holding answer 10 July 2007]: My predecessor visited Scotland on 18 occasions in his official capacity as Secretary of State for Scotland in the 12 month period to end June 2007. In addition to this, during weekends and parliamentary recesses my right hon. Friend also executed official responsibilities in Scotland. Since my appointment on 28 June, I have visited Scotland on one occasion in my capacity as Secretary of State for Scotland when I carried out a range of official responsibilities.
Culture, Media and Sport
Basketball
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library a copy of the Mallin report on basketball. [150991]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I will place a copy of the independent Mallin review of basketball in the House Library following its anticipated publication later this month.
Casinos
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many consultations his Department has held on the proposals for new casinos as a result of the Gambling Act 2005. [150545]
James Purnell: There have been two consultations on the new casinos permitted under the Gambling Act 2005. These are:
Gambling (Categories of Casino) Regulations and draft Order for the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005—Formal Consultation Exercise. The consultation closed in September 2006.
Gambling Act 2005: Gambling (Inviting competing applications for Casino Premises Licences) Regulations. The consultation closed in May 2007.
Departments: Consultants
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) management consultants and (b) external consultants and advisors were employed by his Department in each year since 2000. [149003]
Margaret Hodge:
I am able to provide information on how many management consultants, external consultants and advisers were employed by DCMS in
each year since 2000. However, the Department does not collect this information in separate categories in the format requested.
| Management and external consultants | Advis e rs | |
Museums and Galleries: West Midlands
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how much funding under the Renaissance initiative has the West Midlands been allocated in each year of the programme; and if he will make a statement; [148339]
(2) how much Renaissance funding will be available for (a) Herefordshire, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England in each of the next five years; [148340]
(3) if he will make a statement on the distribution of Renaissance funding in (a) Herefordshire, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England; [148341]
(4) what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Renaissance funding within the context of the comprehensive spending review in (a) the West Midlands and (b) England; and if he will make a statement. [148351]
Margaret Hodge: Investment by Renaissance in the regions in regional museums is as follows:
| £ million | |
The West Midlands is currently one of three English regions to have received proportionately more funding than the other six.
It is not possible to provide a complete financial breakdown at the county level for all aspects of Renaissance, as the programme focuses on need and impact at the regional level. However, to date, Herefordshire has benefited directly from the following strands of Renaissance:
£67,600 investment for a museum development officer post for Herefordshire for 2006-08;
Museum service development grants funded by the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council in the West Midlands;
Museum development funding focussed on the needs of small and medium sized museums;
The skills development programme, providing training for museum professionals and volunteers; and
Support from the five partner institutions in the West Midlands Renaissance hub which includes funding an accreditation adviser who has been working with museums in Herefordshire.
Sports: East Sussex
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many sports clubs there were in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex in each of the last 10 years. [151404]
Mr. Sutcliffe: DCMS does not hold the information requested. There is no central register for sports clubs in England.
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