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12 Sep 2007 : Column 2056W—continued
Teachers: Pay
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what representations he has received on teachers’ pay since his appointment; and if he will make a statement. [155136]
Jim Knight: Since his appointment my right hon. Friend has received some correspondence relating to teachers’ pay and had meetings with unions and others, in which a variety of issues have been discussed.
Duchy of Lancaster
Contracts: Finance
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the savings accrued as a consequence of the Pan-Government Office solutions tender earlier this year; and if he will make a statement. [155232]
Andy Burnham: I have been asked to reply.
The savings estimated by the Office of Government Commerce for the Pan-Government solutions tender is £100 million spread over the four year period of the contract. The contract commences on 1 October 2007.
Departments: Carbon Emissions
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what changes in his Department’s practice have resulted from the signing of the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Management Programme. [151272]
Phil Hope: Signing up to the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Management Programme has enabled the Cabinet Office to identify a more strategic, structured and long term approach to energy management and awareness raising practices. For example, the Cabinet Office has begun a programme of works to install passive infrared lighting controls (PIRs).
Departments: Disabled
Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of people employed by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are disabled. [153599]
Gillian Merron: The latest available data on the disability status of civil servants in Departments and agencies are as at 30 September 2006 and are published in “Civil Service Statistics 2006” at table P. This document is produced by the Office for National Statistics and can be accessed from the following website addresses.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=2899&;Pos=&ColRank=1&Rank=422
Departments: Manpower
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many press officers are employed by his Department. [152991]
Gillian Merron: The Cabinet Office currently employs six press officers.
Departments: Procurement
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the savings accrued as a consequence of the use of reverse auctions as a procurement mechanism by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [155235]
Edward Miliband: Reverse auctions have not been used so far as a procurement mechanism in my Department.
Due to the nature of the Cabinet Office’s procurement, the scope for exploiting the benefits of reverse auctions is limited. Where suitable opportunities arise, and the benefits would outweigh the costs, a reverse auction would be employed as the procurement mechanism.
The Cabinet Office makes extensive use of collaborative frameworks set up by other Departments where reverse auctions have been used. This will enable the Department to derive the benefits of savings in future.
Departments: Publications
Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Cabinet Office departmental report 2007 Making Government Work Better cost to design, produce and publish. [155196]
Edward Miliband: The cost of designing, producing and publishing the Cabinet Office departmental report 2007 in print and on-line was £50,299.
Government: Procurement
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what criteria are used to determine whether to use (a) preferred suppliers or (b) reverse auctions in Government procurement projects; and if he will make a statement. [155231]
Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
The Government do not have preferred suppliers. The Government's policy is that public procurement decisions are to be based on value for money. Public procurers must also adhere to EU procurement rules, based on principles of non-discrimination, transparency and competitive procurement. Within this legal and policy framework, it is possible to set up framework agreements, with particular suppliers, following an appropriate competitive exercise in line with EU rules.
E-auctions (or reverse auctions) are just one of a number of procedures and techniques available to public procurers under the public procurement rules. It is ultimately for contracting authorities to decide which procurement approach, including the use of e-auctions, is appropriate on a case-by-case basis, taking into account their obligations to deliver the best value for money for the taxpayer.
The Government are determined to improve public procurement as set out in ‘Transforming Government Procurement’, published in January this year. It defines the vision for an improved Government procurement service, has led to the establishment of departmental procurement capability reviews and has led to the introduction of a new major projects review group in the Treasury.
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he plans to increase the use of reverse auctions as a procurement mechanism for Government (a) projects and (b) supplies; and if he will make a statement. [155234]
Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
Government Departments are responsible for choosing the procurement procedures and techniques they consider most appropriate, including electronic (reverse) auctions, taking into account their obligations to achieve value for money for the taxpayer.
Many procurements are subject to the requirements of the EU procurement rules. These include specific requirements for the setting up and running of e-auctions. The Government have put in place a framework agreement to enable public authorities to choose providers to run e-auctions for them, consistent with those rules.
The Government are determined to improve public procurement as set out in ‘Transforming Government Procurement’, published in January this year. It defines the vision for an improved Government procurement service, has led to the establishment of departmental procurement capability reviews and led to the introduction of a new major projects review group in the Treasury.
Ministers: Official Residences
Mr. Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many nights Ministers have stayed at (a) Chevening, (b) One Carlton Gardens, (c) Hillsborough Castle and (d) Lord Chancellor’s Apartments since 27 June. [152454]
Gillian Merron: Official residences are assigned to Ministers by the Prime Minister either on grounds of security or in order to allow them to perform better their official duties. The number of nights Ministers stay in official residences is a matter for the individual Minister, the information is not collected centrally.
Office of the Third Sector
Mr. Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will undertake an assessment of the attributes of successful social enterprise models; and if he will make a statement. [151337]
Phil Hope: The Government’s Social Enterprise Action Plan, published in November 2006, recognised the need for further research on social enterprises. The Office of the Third Sector is currently engaging with academic organisations, the Social Enterprise Coalition, and other third sector partners to design an appropriate programme of original and useful research which is reflective of the needs of the sector as well as Government.
Offices: Deputy Prime Minister
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what use will be made of the former Deputy Prime Minister’s offices. [153528]
Gillian Merron: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 12 July 2007, Official Report, column 1641W.
Redundancy: Deputy Prime Minister
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether any staff from the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office will be made redundant. [153529]
Gillian Merron: No staff from the former Deputy Prime Minister’s Office have been made redundant.
Wales
Departments: Aviation
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent by his Department on (a) first class and (b) business class flights in the last 12 months. [153250]
Mr. Hain: In the past 12 months my Department has spent £4,440 on first class flights and £2,946.50 on business class flights.
Departments: Correspondence
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters he and his predecessors sent in each of the last five years. [153445]
Mr. Hain: Before 2006 the Wales Office systems recorded total correspondence sent, but without details of sender. Information for that period could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The Wales Office publishes correspondence statistics in its annual report and for the Cabinet Office for the annual report to Parliament.
Departments: Disabled
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of people employed by his Department are disabled. [153601]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office has a few staff with disabilities. For reasons of privacy no details are given, in line with Cabinet Office guidance.
The latest available data on the disability status of civil servants in Departments and agencies are as at 30 September 2006 and are published in “Civil Service Statistics 2006” at table P. This document is produced by the Office for National Statistics and can be accessed from the following website addresses.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=2899&;Pos=&ColRank=1&Rank=422
Declaration of a disability is voluntary.
Departments: Flowers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent by his Department on flowers in the last 12 months. [153251]
Mr. Hain: In the last 12 months my Department spent £40 on flowers.
Departments: Internet
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to review the appearance and content of the Wales Office website. [153452]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office website is now regularly reviewed and was updated in July with the latest information on legislation, including the Government of Wales Act.
A project is under way to review the current site design and functionality and management processes, bearing in mind the stakeholders the Wales Office needs to reach. A new site will be established, contracts willing, before the end of 2007.
Departments: Manpower
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been appointed to his Department outside civil service grades in the last 30 days. [153280]
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many press officers are employed by his Department. [153282]
Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the name is of each special adviser in his Department. [153281]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office special advisers are Dr. Andrew Bold and Mr. Joe Carberry.
Departments: Press
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent by his Department on newspapers and magazines in the last 12 months. [153248]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office does not record expenditure on newspapers and magazines separately from that on other publications, so the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Railways
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent by his Department on first class train tickets in the last 12 months. [153249]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office expenditure on first class rail tickets for the last 12 months was £72,142.82.
Departments: Redundancy Pay
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent by his Department on redundancy payments in the last 12 months. [153243]
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