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10 Dec 2007 : Column 201W—continued
BERR has been actively engaged in those adaptation responsibilities included in its remit. The Department’s responsibilities primarily affected by the impacts of climate change include those relating to energy, telecoms and regional economic performance. In relation to the energy sector, there are already a number of existing obligations relating to security of supply which help to ensure that adaptation to climate change occurs. The electricity companies have general obligations in relation to continuity of supply via the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations,
which are enforced by BERR. Electricity and gas utilities also have a general legal duty under the terms of their licence to ensure adequate levels of security of supply. These are enforced by Ofgem, which has powers to require electricity and gas utilities to provide it with the information necessary for Ofgem to assess compliance with the duty.
As evidenced by the response during the flooding in the summer, Government are working and will continue to work closely with industry—including telecoms—to ensure that services are restored to customers as soon as possible following any weather-related or other events which may cause disruption to service.
In relation to the Department’s regional responsibilities, the Review of sub-national economic development and regeneration published in July indicated that it was essential for every region to plan to ensure that it is resilient to a changing climate. The review confirmed that the Government propose to give the regional development agencies executive responsibility for developing single integrated regional strategies which set out the economic, social and environmental objectives for each region.
Companies House: Disclosure of Information
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for what reasons Companies House returned to Book Keeping Services Devon Ltd of Kingsbridge confidential information about a company in Falmouth following its request for an increase in ordinary share capital of a different company based in South Devon; and if he will make a statement. [170675]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 6 December 2007]: This was the result of an administrative error. The information relating to the company in Falmouth was not confidential, but was intended for the public record.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions produced by his Department and its predecessor in each year since 1997. [172345]
Mr. Thomas: BERR is, as was the DTI, committed to the targets for energy efficiency and reduction in carbon emissions set out in the Framework for Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate.
During the period 1990-2000 (Baseline year) to 2006-07, BERR and the former DTI HQ and its agencies have achieved a 14 per cent. reduction in carbon emissions from their buildings, as has been reported annually in the annual Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) reports published through the SDC and is shown in the table as follows.
| Total emissions from buildings | |
| Percentage change since 1999-2000 base year | |
There has been an increase of 3.8 per cent. in carbon emissions from administrative road-based travel since baseline levels relative to 2005-06 levels, although the Department remains confident it will hit the 2010 target.
Departmental Computers
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many attempted hackings or suspected cyber attacks or other malicious computer security breaches were committed against the computer systems of (a) his Department and (b) the Registrar of Companies in each of the last three years for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [167975]
Mr. Thomas: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments' procedures will be made on completion of the review.
Departmental Consultants
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency of each engagement was. [164502]
Mr. Thomas: Central records indicate that the Department has spent the following on consultancy services:
| Financial year | £ million |
| (1 )to date | |
I have placed in the Library of the House a list of companies that received payments for consultancy services in each of the last three financial years, together with details of the total amount paid to each.
Departmental Data Protection
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s rules and procedures on the protection of confidential data kept by his Department on individuals, businesses and other organisations. [168308]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 26 November 2007]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments’ procedures will be made on completion of the review.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many confirmed data security breaches there have been from his Department in the last 36 months; and what action was taken after each occurrence. [169899]
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on how many occasions in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies confidential data have been downloaded on to compact discs (i) without and (ii) with encryption in the last 12-month period for which figures are available; how many of those discs have been posted without using recorded or registered delivery; what procedures his Department has in place for the (A) transport, (B) exchange and (C) delivery of confidential or sensitive data; what records are kept of information held by his Department being sent outside the Department; what changes have been made to his Department’s rules and procedures on data protection in the last two years; on how many occasions his Department’s procedures and rules on data protection have been breached in the last five years; what those breaches were; what procedures his Department has in place on downloading confidential data on to computer discs before its transfer; and what technical protections there are in his Department’s computer systems to prevent access to information held on those systems which is not in accordance with departmental procedures. [168330]
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what procedures are in place in his Department to ensure that personal information relating to members of the public is (a) stored and (b) transported securely. [168481]
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether he proposes to review how his Department transports data; and whether his Department uses TNT to transport data. [169369]
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department has taken to protect the personal data on members of the public which it holds. [171421]
Mr. Thomas:
I refer the hon. Members to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime
Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments’ procedures will be made on completion of the review.
Departmental ICT
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which manufacturers' software is used in his Department. [167233]
Mr. Thomas: The following table provides the list of manufacturers supplying software applications to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
| Application | Version | Developer/Supplier |
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