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28 Feb 2008 : Column 1855W—continued
Departmental ICT
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will introduce automated computer shut down software across his Department. [187904]
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA places a high importance on IT energy efficiency measures and seeks to make savings wherever possible.
(a) instructions to staff have been provided in a number of ways. As part of our ‘big switch’ energy efficiency campaign at the start of 2006, we combined online and poster messaging to inform and change staff behaviour to make sure all computers and other electrical equipment is switched off. Seasonal messages are broadcast on DEFRA’s intranet to ensure staff turn off equipment over holiday periods. Information and instructions on energy saving measures appear on DEFRA’s intranet and there are stickers on computer screens reminding staff to switch off their monitors. There are also checks carried out by security guards on the London estate on their normal night time patrols who switch off machines if found to be powered up without explanation.
(b) DEFRA is currently undertaking trials of timer switches on power sockets for printers and copiers. It is also preparing to roll-out a VISTA-based desktop environment within which it will deploy VISTA’s inbuilt group policy options to enforce a default switch to the VISTA sleep mode after a pre-set elapsed time of inactivity.
(c) There has been an assessment of Nightwatchman technology that provides similar automatic hibernation of devices, but at this stage it has been decided to pursue the VISTA policy option avoiding additional expense. This will be reviewed once we have had sufficient experience of the new VISTA environment and the effectiveness of the proposed configuration.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department paid in bonuses to press and communication officers in each of the last 10 years; and what the (a) highest and (b) lowest such bonus was in each of those years. [182717]
Jonathan Shaw: Government policy is that a civil servant's pay should reflect their outputs, results and performance.
For the senior civil service (SCS), departments and agencies are responsible for their own reward arrangements within a framework set by Cabinet Office. Below the
SCS, departments have delegated authority to tailor reward packages to meet their own business needs.
Under current arrangements, bonuses are used to reward excellent performance during the year, and are based on a judgement of how well an individual has performed relative to their peers.
Performance related pay schemes encourage high attainment because bonuses have to be earned each year. They help drive high performance in departments and agencies and support better public service delivery.
The data requested for bonuses paid in DEFRA and its agencies are as follows:
| £ | |||
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
The information covers people in core-DEFRA and the following DEFRA Executive Agencies: Animal Health, Pesticides Safety Directorate, Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Marine Fisheries Agency, Government Decontamination Service. It does not include payments made by DEFRA's agencies that have taken pay delegation (Central Science Laboratory, Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Rural Payments Agency and Veterinary Laboratories Agency).
Please note that data prior 2005 are available at disproportionate cost only, as a result of system changes.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the special advisers employed in his Department and its predecessor since 6 May 1997; and what the (a) start and (b) end date of employment was in each case. [184366]
Jonathan Shaw: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and numbers of special advisers in each pay band. For the most recent information I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister on 22 November 2007, Official Report, columns 147-150WS.
Information on the employment of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and is available in the Library of the House.
Departmental Public Relations
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many external contracts his Department held with public relations companies in each of the last 10 years; and what the total cost of those contracts was. [183201]
Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA was formed in June 2001. Since that time DEFRA’s Communications Directorate has not had any direct contracts with any public relations companies as work is contracted through the Central Office of Information. The sub-contracted agencies are listed as follows:
| Agency | Cost (£) | Project | Date |
All of the agencies listed have provided specialist skills and services that were not available within DEFRA’s Communications Directorate.
Departmental Repairs and Maintenance
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated cost of the planned refurbishment of his Department’s offices at Kings Pool, York is; and if he will make a statement. [185489]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 7 February 2008]: The planned refurbishment works, undertaken to increase capacity, improve business effectiveness, reduce occupancy cost and facilitate modern working practices at the Kings Pool complex in York is estimated to cost £28.3 million inclusive of VAT. This includes the comprehensive phased refurbishment of both Foss House and Mallard House whilst business as usual continues and includes the construction of a new ‘Hub’ building, all meeting BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) excellent standards as required by cross-government mandate.
Departmental Security
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the (a) special advisers and (b) ministerial appointees in possession of a security pass enabling access to his Department's main building in the month prior to the prorogation of Parliament for the 2005 general election. [182209]
Jonathan Shaw: It is established practice not to provide details on pass access to Government buildings for security reasons.
Departmental Translation Services
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what documents his Department, its predecessor, and its agencies translated for people who do not speak English in (a) 2007-08 and (b) the last five years; and what the total cost associated was of such translations. [188004]
Jonathan Shaw: In the last five years, DEFRA’s translation section has arranged the translation of the following documents for people in the UK who do not speak English:
Amendment to paragraph of “EC Quality Standards for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables”
“A Retailer’s Guide” (2003)
Leaflet entitled “If in doubt, leave it out” (re illegal imports) (2003)
Leaflet on Manual Harvest Workers (2003)
Gangmaster leaflet (2004)
Extracts from Agriculture and Horticulture Act (2004)
Leaflet entitled “Waste - duty of care” (2004)
Leaflet entitled “Food on the Go” (2005)
Two dry cleaning leaflets, reminders about Solvent Emissions Directive (2006)
Summary leaflet, Controls on the handling of waste (2006)
Leaflet about working with poultry (2007)
The cost per language in each of these years is as follows:
| £ | |||||
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
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