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25 Oct 2007 : Column 481W—continued
Departments: Citizens’ Juries
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many citizens’ juries have been arranged by his Department since June 2007; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens’ jury; and what the estimated cost is of each exercise; [159494]
(2) how many citizens’ juries were arranged for (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s agencies in each year since 1997; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens’ jury; and what the cost was of each. [160011]
Paul Goggins: To date the Northern Ireland Office has not consulted citizens’ juries on departmental policies.
We do, however, provide an opportunity for stakeholders and the wider public to contribute to NIO policies and legislation including, where appropriate, focus groups and public meetings. Consultations are carried out in accordance with the Cabinet Office code of practice on written consultation and the consultation period will normally last for a minimum of 12 weeks. The Northern Ireland Office website www.nio.gov.uk provides a library of consultations and, where available, the summary of responses and associated revision to the policy or legislation.
Departments: Public Expenditure
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates his Department breached its (a) resource, (b) near-cash, (c) administration and (d) capital budgets since 2001; what the total value of each breach was; and what the reason was for each breach. [160319]
Mr. Woodward: Since 2001 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) Department has not had any breaches of its (a) resource budget, (b) Near-cash budget, (c) administration budget and (d) capital budget.
However, in 2001-02 the Department did have an excess vote relating to the funding of the grant to the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund, which is a stand-alone RfR (request for resources) within the Department’s supply estimates. The excess against the RfR was £285.2 million which in turn lead to an excess of £148.7 million over the total voted net cash requirement for the Department.
The reason for the breach was due to a breakdown in communication between the Department of Finance and Personnel, the NIO and HM Treasury during the spring supplementary estimates of that year.
Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what basis the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland claims lawful possession of a witness statement made to the Police Service of Northern Ireland by one of her employees; and if he will make a statement. [160482]
Paul Goggins: The Police Ombudsman has advised that any information received by her in the conduct of her duties and responsibilities is in compliance with powers conferred on her as Police Ombudsman.
Prime Minister
Armed Forces
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has met the (a) Chief of the Defence Staff, (b) First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, (c) Chief of the General Staff and (d) Chief of the Air Staff in the last 12 months. [159923]
The Prime Minister: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects.
Committee on Standards in Public Life
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 958W, on the Committee on Standards in Public Life, why he did not provide reasons why Sir Alistair Graham was not invited to serve a second term. [160976]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 958W.
Departmental Responsibilities: Offshore Industry
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 959W, on departmental responsibilities: offshore industry, for what reasons he decided to allocate responsibilities for offshore oil, gas and energy consents to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; and if he will make a statement. [160422]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 959W.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 959W, on departmental responsibilities: offshore industry, what representations he received on the allocation of responsibilities for offshore oil, gas and energy consents; and if he will make a statement. [160423]
The Prime Minister: Since 27 June, my office has received approximately 200 representations on energy-related matters. Given the volume of correspondence I receive—thousands of letters each week covering a broad spectrum of issues—my office records letters by subject rather than by the view expressed.
Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2007, Official Report, column 680W, on Departments: ministerial policy advisers, whether his adviser on political press issues has a written job description. [160288]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 10 October 2007, Official Report, column 680W.
Departments: Written Questions
Mr. Harper: To ask the Prime Minister how many and what percentage of questions tabled to his Office for answer on a named day received a substantive reply on the day named in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [161340]
The Prime Minister: In the period from September 2006 to September 2007, 103 named day parliamentary questions were tabled to my office, all of which received a substantive answer on the day named.
EU Reform: Treaties
Mr. Cash: To ask the Prime Minister what the evidential basis was for his statement of 22 October 2007, Official Report, columns 19-38, on the EU Inter-Governmental Conference-Lisbon, relating to the views of the hon. Member for Stone. [160815]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to statements by the organisation ‘Conservatives Against a Federal Europe’, signed up to by the hon. Member in his former role as a vice-president of that organisation.
General Elections: Petitions
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) hits and (b) signatures were received on the e-petition on holding a general election in 2007 on the Downing street website before 12 noon on 10 October 2007; and how many there have been since that time and date. [160277]
The Prime Minister: Information on the number of signatures is available on the e-petitions website:
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Prime Minister where and when he raised the concerns of Sir Mike Jackson on US policy in Iraq with his US counterpart; and if he will publish the minutes of the meeting. [160175]
The Prime Minister: I regularly have discussions on a wide range of issues with President Bush, including on Iraq.
Official Hospitality: Prime Minister’s Office
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister what the (a) purpose and (b) cost was of each reception held in No. 10 Downing street since 1 August. [160050]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Upper Bann (David Simpson) on 17 October 2007, Official Report, column 1135W.
Culture, Media and Sport
Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether each of his Department’s special advisers have declared conflicts of interest. [160280]
James Purnell: My special advisers are appointed under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers.
Departments: Standards
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of his Department’s public service agreement targets (a) take and (b) do not take account of rural proofing. [159639]
James Purnell: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has one public service agreement (PSA) target: to deliver a successful Olympic games and Paralympic games with a sustainable legacy and get more children and young people taking part in high quality PE and sport.
The PSA will be measured through five indicators. Indicators 1-3 do not require rural proofing as they relate specifically to the construction and design of the Olympic Park and Olympic venues and regeneration of East London. DCMS will ensure that the impact on rural communities is considered in relation to indicator 4—the delivery of public participation in cultural, sporting and community activities related to the 2012 games across the UK. In relation to indicator 5—creation of a world-class system for physical education (PE) and sport—DCMS is monitoring jointly with DCSF participation in PE and sport in all maintained schools, including those in rural communities. We will use this data to assess the impact in both rural and urban areas.
Solicitor-General
Inside Justice Week
24. Ann Coffey: To ask the Solicitor-General what role the Law Officers’ Departments are taking in Inside Justice Week. [160593]
The Solicitor-General: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave in the House today.
Street Prostitutes
25. Dr. Iddon: To ask the Solicitor-General what the policy is of the Crown Prosecution Service on the prosecution of street prostitutes. [160594]
The Solicitor-General: The CPS policy is to consider alternatives to prosecution in the courts to help prostitutes find a route out of prostitution. In many areas of the country, the CPS and the local police have developed strategies that focus on rehabilitation.
Fireworks
26. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions for criminal offences relating to fireworks have been pursued in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England by the Crown Prosecution Service in the last 12 months. [160595]
The Solicitor-General: It is not possible to provide a definitive response to this question from the records held by the CPS.
Information on prosecutions for offences against the person and for criminal damage is held at aggregate level, and it is not possible to identify separately any cases falling into these categories in which the offence involved a firework.
Offences under the Fireworks Regulations 2004 are within the scope of the Penalty Notice for Disorder Scheme, and are not prosecuted by the CPS unless the penalty notice is challenged.
Attorney-General
27. Simon Hughes: To ask the Solicitor-General what recent representations her Office has received on the future role of the Attorney-General; and if she will make a statement. [160596]
The Solicitor-General: We have received a number of representations in response to the consultation document on the role of the Attorney-General. The consultation period runs until 30 November. The Attorney-General and I will be holding a seminar on 8 November to discuss the issues raised by the consultation, to which all interested hon. Members of both Houses are invited.
Duchy of Lancaster
Computer Software
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what estimate he has made of the (a) percentage of software by value procured using Open Source and (b) percentage of software projects procured using Open Source in each of the last five years for which information is available; [154773]
(2) what plans he has to promote the use of Open Source IT by Government bodies; and what targets exist for the use of Open Source; [154774]
(3) what assessment his Department has made of the potential of Open Source software to produce efficiency savings; [154775]
(4) what steps have been taken following his Department’s publication of Open Source Software Use Within UK Government in 2004; and if he will make a statement; [154776]
(5) which of the seven next steps listed on page six of his Department’s publication Open Source Software Use Within UK Government published in 2004, have been implemented; and if he will make a statement; [154777]
(6) what advice has been issued by the Office of Government Commerce to departments on the use of Open Source information technology. [154778]
Gillian Merron: Government seeks the most cost-effective IT solutions. It tries to avoid mandating particular technologies so that suppliers can manage technology risks.
Although Open Source can be cheaper to purchase it can also entail higher support and other costs. The additional costs or savings depend on the individual business requirement. This is supported by external studies which have not shown a consistent advantage to open source in these terms.
The Government’s policy on Open Source is to consider such solutions alongside proprietary ones in IT procurements and award contracts on a value for money basis; only use products for interoperability that support open standards and specifications in all future IT developments; seek to avoid lock-in to proprietary IT products and services; and consider obtaining full rights to bespoke software code or customisations of commercial off the shelf software it procures wherever this achieves best value for money.
The Government have no targets to promote the use of Open Source except where it is the most cost-effective way of meeting its needs. Information on the total use and value of Open Source in government is not held centrally and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost. However it does play an important role in major applications including websites such as Directgov; Electronic Vehicle Licensing; and Jobcentre Plus’s system to help people to obtain jobs.
Since 2004 we have continued to explore the use of Open Source to reduce total costs and improve the quality of business solutions. The security issues have been examined: some open source products have already passed information assurance certification. We have published the results of open source trials and can be found at:
http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/CP0041OpenSourceSoftware TrialReport.pdf.
DTI and Research Councils have continued to work on Open Source issues in government-funded research (although no central records are held on individual projects).
I would also refer the hon. Member to the speech given by my right hon. Friend the Exchequer Secretary in Westminster Hall, Official Report, columns 48-52WH.
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