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15 Nov 2007 : Column 343W—continued
Bill Wiggin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union, COM(2007) 575 final, (1) if he will make a statement on the proposal to give the Commission the power to develop a roadmap in 2008 to facilitate the development of maritime spatial planning by member states; and if he will make a statement; [163230]
(2) when he expects the proposed roadmap towards marine spatial planning by member states to be introduced; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the proposal with the proposed Marine Bill; and if he will make a statement. [163257]
Jonathan Shaw: We anticipate that the Commission will introduce the roadmap towards marine spatial planning some time before 2009. The existing outline proposals for an Integrated Maritime Policy set out a framework within which member states can develop their own marine planning arrangements. We believe the UK's current approach will be compatible with the proposed framework, and we will develop our view on the further detailed proposals as they emerge.
We will be well placed to continue to influence EU policy development on the roadmap because of our parallel work on a Marine Bill.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union, COM(2007) 575 final, whether there are any differences between the Commission's use of the concept of maritime spatial planning and his Department's use of the concept of marine spatial planning in the Marine Bill White Paper; and if he will make a statement. [163231]
Jonathan Shaw: We see no substantial differences between the two concepts. Indeed, we agree with the concept within the Integrated Maritime Policy that marine spatial planning is a key tool for improving the sustainable development and restoration of marine and coastal areas. As we set out in the proposals in the Marine Bill White Paper in March 2007, marine planning will clarify our marine objectives and priorities for the future, and direct decision-makers and users towards more efficient, sustainable use and protection of our marine resources.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what impact the publication of the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union, COM(2007) 575 final, had on the timetable for the Marine Bill; and if he will make a statement. [163249]
Jonathan Shaw: Publication of the Communication has not had an impact on the timetable for the Marine Bill, which we are working to publish in draft in spring 2008.
Wales
Departmental: Manpower
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the full-time equivalent headcount in his Department is; what the forecast full-time equivalent headcount for his Department is for (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement. [163983]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office publishes its headcount in its annual departmental report which is available in the House Library or via our website:
The planned full-time equivalent headcount stands at 62 per year for each year, and will remain so for 2009-10. The actual out-turn has consistently been below this.
Culture, Media and Sport
Football: World Cup
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what documentation his Department has produced on the 2018 FIFA World cup bid since 27 June. [164544]
Mr. Sutcliffe: My Department has produced regular updates for Ministers on the 2018 FIFA World cup bid since 27 June.
Music Mentoring Programme
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people have taken part in the Music Mentoring Programme. [164241]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 14 November 2007]: 1,285 people have taken part in the Respect music mentoring programme since it was launched on 1 November 2006. Youth Music and its partners have appointed and trained 70 adult mentors and 149 peer mentors (aged 16 to 25). 1,066 young people have taken part in either one-to-one or group music mentoring sessions as part of the scheme.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many mentors have been appointed as part of the Music Mentoring Programme announced on 1 November 2006. [164242]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 14 November 2007]: Youth Music and its partners have appointed and trained 70 adult mentors and 149 peer mentors (aged 16 to 25) since 1 November 2006 as part of the music mentoring programme.
Olympic Games 2012: Scholarships
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total cost was of the 2012 scholarship programme in each of the last three years. [164238]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 14 November 2007]: The total cost of the TASS 2012 scholarship programme in each of the last three years is shown in the following table.
| Total cost (£) | |
Scotland
Departmental Contracts
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what contracts his Department has with external consultants; what the total value, including all VAT and disbursements, of these contracts are for the current financial year; how long each contract lasts; and what the forecast total value is of each contract. [163815]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office has no contracts with external consultants.
Departmental Cost Effectiveness
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what efficiency savings projects his Department put in place under the Spending Review 2004 targets; on what date each was initiated; how much each was expected to contribute to the target; how much was saved by each; and if he will make a statement. [164149]
David Cairns: Following the 2004 spending review, provision for the Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate General was flat in nominal terms over the SR04 period. The Offices are committed to achieving efficiency and effectiveness in all areas of their activities and reduced their complement by over 21 per cent. between 2003-04 and 2004-05 with further reductions thereafter. Details are contained in the Offices’ Annual Reports.
Departmental Expenditure
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland at which functions during the last 12 months his Department incurred hospitality expenses and how much has been incurred on each occasion. [162795]
David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 October 2007, Official Report, column 1363W.
Departmental Manpower
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the full-time equivalent headcount in his Department is; what the forecast full-time equivalent headcount for his Department is for (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement. [163976]
David Cairns: The complement and actual staff numbers of the Scotland Office are published in the Office’s Annual Report, copies of which are available in the House Library; decisions on the complement for 2009-10 have still to be taken in the light of the CSR2007 settlement.
Departmental Visits
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his official engagements were between 8 and 31 October 2007. [162638]
Des Browne: From Monday 8 October to Tuesday 9 October I was in London where I had various meetings, including with Ministerial colleagues and officials from the Scotland Office and MOD. On Tuesday 9 October I attended Cabinet, had a telephone conversation with the First Minister of Scotland and attended the Chancellor’s statement on the Comprehensive Spending Review. I had no Scotland Office engagements on Wednesday 10 October, Thursday 11 October or Friday 12 October.
On Saturday 13 October I attended the Scotland v. Ukraine Euro 2008 Qualifier at Hampden Park, Glasgow. On Sunday 14 October I attended the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland Futures performance at Glasgow City Halls.
From Monday 15 October to Wednesday 17 October I was in London where I had various meetings, including with Ministerial colleagues and officials from the Scotland Office and MOD. On Tuesday 16 October I attended Cabinet, and answered Scottish Questions at the House of Commons. That evening I attended the Border and Immigration Agency reception in Dover House. On Wednesday 17 October I met the Chief Executive of Ofgem and that evening I attended the Poppy Scotland reception in Dover House.
From Thursday 18 October to Saturday 20 October I had no Scotland Office engagements. From Monday 22 October to Tuesday 23 October I was in London where I had various meetings, including with Ministerial colleagues and officials from the Scotland Office and MOD. On Tuesday 23 October I attended Cabinet. That afternoon I delivered a statement on the Gould report in the House of Commons. That evening I attended the CBI reception in Dover House. From Wednesday 24 October to Thursday 25 October I had no Scotland Office engagements.
On Friday 26 October I attended the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce business breakfast. That afternoon I attended the launch of Stagecoach’s bio-diesel coaches in Kilmarnock. From Saturday 27 October to Wednesday 31 October I had no Scotland Office engagements.
International Development
Afghanistan: Reconstruction
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many civil servants are employed in provincial reconstruction teams in Afghanistan. [162717]
Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.
The UK employs a broad range of civilian staff in support of the Government of Afghanistan to help develop a stable and secure Afghanistan. Over 30 UK-based staff are employed from across the Government, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development, the Ministry
of Defence and the Afghanistan Drugs Inter-Departmental Unit in provincial reconstruction teams. Their roles include work in governance, reconstruction and development, security, and counter narcotics.
Departmental ICT
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent implementing the ATLAS enterprise resource planning system. [162227]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: DFID’s enterprise resource planning system is called ARIES (Activities Reporting and Information E-System).
Further to the answer given to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) on 14 May 2007, Official Report, column 487W, we have agreed two contract amendments, increasing the contract value to £16 million to finance additional work on testing, compliance with disability equality standards for the accessibility of the system and the training of users. The total expenditure to date, including internal and supplier costs, is £18.1 million.
Departmental Manpower
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many civil servants in his Department (a) transferred to other Government departments and (b) left the Civil Service in each of the last five years. [162733]
Mr. Thomas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided by my hon. Friend the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury on 13 November 2007, Official Report, columns 203-07W.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development further to his letter of 1 August, when he expects to write to the hon. Member for Beaconsfield. [163944]
Mr. Thomas: A reply to the hon. Member’s letter of 1 August, from my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State (Baroness Vadera), has now been issued.
Pakistan: Elections
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what stage has been reached in the implementation of his Department’s financial support for the electoral process in Pakistan, as announced in January; and what implications the current situation in Pakistan has for this programme. [164346]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: We have approved £3.5 million to support the electoral process in Pakistan, including strengthening the administrative capacity of the Election Commission of Pakistan and supporting civil society work to increase turnout and educate voters. £1.34 million of the £3.5 million has been spent.
While we welcome President Musharraf’s undertaking to hold elections on schedule, we remain deeply concerned about the situation in Pakistan. We have called on President Musharraf to: restore the constitution and
create the conditions necessary to guarantee free and fair elections on schedule in January; release all political prisoners, including members of the judiciary and human rights activists; energetically pursue reconciliation with the political opposition; honour his commitment to step down as Chief of Army Staff and relax restrictions on the media.
We are keeping our support for elections under review.
St. Helena
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he plans to visit the Island of St. Helena following the appointment of a new Governor; and if he will make a statement. [163740]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: I do not have any plans to visit the island of St. Helena following the appointment of a new governor.
Justice
Consultants: Contracts
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what contracts his Department has with external consultants; what the total value, including all VAT and disbursements, of these contracts are for the current financial year; how long each contract lasts; and what the forecast total value is of each contract. [163818]
Mr. Hanson: My Department is currently collating information on the use of external consultants in the current financial year and will write to the hon. Member with a substantive reply to his question as soon as possible. A copy of my substantive reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
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