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26 Nov 2007 : Column 215W—continued
Departmental ICT
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which manufacturers' software is used in his Department. [167229]
Meg Munn: The information necessary to provide a comprehensive answer is not held centrally, as Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) departments are responsible for their own budgets; to collate the information requested by my hon. Friend would incur disproportionate cost.
However, the providers of corporate software in use across the FCO network include Microsoft (desktop operating system and office automation), Oracle (financial and human resources), McAfee (anti-virus), Adobe (portable document reader), Citrix (web-based applications) and Hewlett-Packard, Sophos, Mailmarshall and Clearswift (network management).
Many other software products are in use to meet specific functional needs in the UK and at posts overseas.
Departmental Manpower
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many reports have been made to his Department's nominated officers under paragraph 16 of the revised civil service code since its publication on 6 June 2006; [162447]
(2) how many allegations of victimisation for whistleblowing have been reported to his Department by departmental staff since 6 June 2006; [162448]
(3) when his Department's whistleblowing procedures were reviewed to reflect the provisions in the revised civil service code. [162449]
Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron) gave to him on 19 November 2007, Official Report , columns 596-97W.
Departmental Official Hospitality
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what entertainment or hospitality members of his Department's management board received in each of the last three financial years; and if he will make a statement. [164752]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Paragraph 4.3.5 of the Civil Service Management Code sets out the rules on the registration of hospitality. The Government are committed to publishing an annual list of hospitality received by members of departmental boards. The first list for 2007 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current calendar year.
For previous years the information requested is not held centrally, but all Foreign and Commonwealth Office Board members are clear that all hospitality accepted must adhere to Diplomatic Service Regulations No. 4 which follows paragraph 4.3.5 of the Civil Service Management Code.
Departmental Publicity
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department and its agencies spent on managing their corporate identities in the last 12 month period for which figures are available. [167348]
Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not record expenditure on managing its corporate identity as an identifiable activity. This information could be obtained only by examining individual invoices and this could be done only at disproportionate cost. This also applies to the expenditure of the Department’s agencies, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Services and Wilton Park.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department and its agencies spent on managing their corporate identities in the last 12 month period for which figures are available. [167356]
Mr. Malik: I have been asked to reply.
The last 12 month period for which figures are available is October 2006-07. Management of the DFID corporate identity is a minor, routine function of the campaigns and marketing team, with no staff or budget dedicated to this activity.
The only specific amount spent between October 2006-07 was £389.34, used to purchase the intellectual property rights for the DFID emergency aid logo.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in the last 12 months. [167957]
Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not keep a central record of amounts spent on advertising. The information required to answer this question could be obtained only by requiring individual budget holders in the FCO to examine all invoices for the last 12 months. This would incur disproportionate cost.
Expenditure on recruitment advertising makes up a large part of the Department's overall expenditure on advertising. For details of expenditure on recruitment advertising in 2006-07, and preceding financial years, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon), then Minister for Europe (Mr. Hoon) to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 19 June 2007, Official Report, column 1605W.
Departmental Recruitment
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people aged (a) 30 to 39, (b) 40 to 49, (c) 50 to 59 and (d) 60 to 69 years have (i) applied for jobs, (ii) received interviews and (iii) gained (A) temporary and (B) permanent jobs in his Department in 2007. [165106]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Recruitment in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is split into two specific areas—volume recruitment (jobs in generalist grades, such as administrative assistant, administrative officer and operational officer); specialist recruitment (jobs which require specific skills or expertise such as researchers, legal advisers, accountants). This area also includes temporary recruitment (short-term contracts for work on specific projects). Figures on those recruited into each area are provided as follows:
| Volume recruitment | ||||
| Age band | Applied | Interviewed | Temporary Employment | Permanent Employment |
| Note: Figures include applications/interviews from campaigns spanning 2006-07. | ||||
| Specialist Recruitment | |||
| Age band | Interviewed | Temporary employment | Permanent employment |
| Notes: 1. For specialist recruitment campaigns, data are currently only available from interview or assessment onwards. 2. For fixed term contracts of less than one year's duration, appointees are not required to go through a full application and interview process—this explains the figures in the 60-69 and 70+ groups. | |||
| Fast stream | |||
| Age band | Assessment centre | Interviewed | Permanent employment |
| Note: Fast stream data only take into consideration the stages of selection administered by the FCO. The Cabinet Office runs the selection processes prior to this, however statistics are not yet available for the 2007 cohort. | |||
Departmental Written Questions
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is his Department’s practice to attach to Written Answers hard copies of earlier replies cited in such Answers where these were previously given to hon. Members other than the hon. Member to whom the Answer is addressed. [167768]
Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House of Commons gave to him today (UIN 168300).
Entry Clearances: Biometrics
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether foreign nationals with visas containing biometric data will be required also to obtain an identity card. [166096]
Dr. Howells: From next year, we will incrementally require all foreign nationals, who are subject to immigration control and in the UK for over six months, to apply for an identity card (Biometric Immigration Document). This will eventually include applicants applying for further leave to remain in the UK, who have previously been issued with a biometrically enabled visa.
Eritrea and Ethiopia: Relations
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia on stability in the Horn of Africa. [165365]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Government continue to be concerned by the potential for relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia to affect stability in the horn of Africa. Crucially, the dispute over their mutual border remains unresolved.
Tension on the border is rising with more forces being deployed by both sides. We are monitoring the situation closely and urging maximum restraint by both sides and a de-escalation of their military build-up.
We are also urging both sides to agree a way forward which will allow demarcation of the border to proceed to the normalisation of their relations.
European Union
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many EU flags are (a) held and (b) owned by his Department and its agencies. [164538]
Meg Munn: The number of EU flags (various sizes) purchased, held and owned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since January 2005 is 105.
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