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12 Dec 2007 : Column 586W—continued
| Staff appointed-in-country( 1) | ||||||||||
| Gender | Ethnicity | |||||||||
| Grade | Average Age | Men | Women | Asian | Black | Mixed | White | N/D | Other | Total |
| ( 1) 86 SAIC have not declared their age. The average age by grade for this group has been calculated only for those who have. | ||||||||||
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department and its agencies spent on end-of-year bonus payments in each of the last five years. [171533]
Mr. Thomas: DFID operates two separate bonus schemes: one for the senior civil service (SCS) and another for staff below the SCS.
The following two tables give the total value of bonuses awarded to DFID staff in each of the last five years.
| £ | |
DFID has no agencies to which this question applies.
Departmental Procurement
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the standard terms and conditions of purchase used by his Department in procurement of goods and services from the private sector prohibits the assignment of debt. [172335]
Mr. Thomas: DFID’s general terms and conditions used to engage the private sector in the procurement of goods and services do not make specific reference to the prohibition of assignment of debt. However, our standard contract for services prohibits the consultant from assigning any of its rights under the contract without the prior written consent of DFID.
Procurement Agents who place contracts for goods on behalf of DFID also include a standard provision in their contracts with suppliers which prohibits the assignment of any rights under the contract without prior agreement.
Departmental Research
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government has taken to improve research methods and practices in his Department. [170979]
Mr. Thomas: DFID formed the Central Research Department (CRD) in 2003 to improve the management and delivery of its long-term research programmes. DFID’s research is guided by a Research Funding Framework that sets out what DFID will fund and how. Programmes have clear thematic priorities (for example, climate adaptation) and emphasis is placed on measuring outcomes and impact. Research methods are assessed for rigour, particularly at the start of the programme and through regular reviews. These are usually led by eminent researchers. Advisory groups provide independent and quality advice to the research programmes.
Improvements have been made to the way research is funded. For example, bilateral research is mainly funded through Research Programme Consortia
(RPC), which are collaborations between research institutions world-wide. Some research is funded through multi-donor and global initiatives (for example, Medicines for Malaria Venture) to improve efficiency and effectiveness. DFID also works with other donors and UK research councils to improve efficiency and scientific rigour, and DFID is supporting the new UK Collaborative on Development Sciences, which brings together UK funders and stakeholders to improve the co-ordination of development sciences research in the UK. DFID has also appointed a Chief Scientific Adviser to ensure the Department has a clear vision for the role of science and innovation in development.
DFID is placing more emphasis on making its research accessible. For example DFID has a research portal (www.research4development.info), which allows free access to information about DFID’s research.
Poverty
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Government has spent on research into poverty reduction since 1997. [170978]
Mr. Malik: DFID’s Central Research Department spending on research on key development policies and technologies over the past three years is shown as follows. Comparable figures for earlier years cannot be obtained without incurring a disproportionate cost. These figures exclude spending on research programmes funded through country offices or via multilateral organisations.
| £ million | |
Olympics
Olympic Board Secretariat
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether she plans to relocate the Secretariat to the Olympic Board from Canary Wharf to Whitehall; and if she will make a statement. [163718]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 13 November 2007]: Prior to September 2007, the secretariat function for the Olympic Board was undertaken by the Olympic Programme Support Unit (OPSU). While OPSU were situated in Canary Wharf, they were based for administrative purposes within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
In September 2007, this secretariat function moved to the Government Olympic Executive, situated and based at DCMS.
The decision to replace OPSU was taken to improve the quality of secretariat support being provided to the Olympic Board.
Culture, Media and Sport
Departmental Travel
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on (a) business and (b) first class air travel in the last 12 months. [171255]
Margaret Hodge: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 3 September 2007, Official Report, column 1595W.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent by his Department on first class train tickets in the last 12 months. [171268]
Margaret Hodge: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 19 October 2007, Official Report, column 1365W.
Departmental Manpower
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) men and (b) women are employed by his Department, broken down by civil service grade. [172686]
Mr. Sutcliffe: A table of results showing the number of staff the Department for Culture, Media and Sport employs, broken down by gender and civil service grade are as follows:
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), DCMS employees, by gender and grade | ||
| Grade | Male | Female |
| Key: Grade A = Former Grades 6/7 Grade B = Former SEO/HEO/HEO(D) and equivalent grades Grade HEOD = Fast Stream Grade C = Former EO and equivalent grades Grade D = Former AO/AA and equivalent grades. | ||
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