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Leader of the House

Departmental Internet

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Leader of the House how much was spent on the most recent redesign and implementation of her Office's website. [200026]

Helen Goodman: The cost for the redesign and formatting of the Leader's website was £3,968 excluding VAT.

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Members: Allowances

Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House what criteria were used to establish the 10,000 mile threshold below which hon. Members' car travel is reimbursed at 40p per mile. [199385]

Helen Goodman: Since 1 April 2005, hon. Members have been entitled to claim mileage allowances in line with Inland Revenue rates (now HM Revenue and Customs rates), which are 40p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles travelled in a year and 25p per mile thereafter. This was decided by Resolution of the House on 3 November 2004. The Resolution was in line with a recommendation by the Senior Salaries Review Body of October 2004, Cm 6354-1, paragraphs 4.50-52, which gave the following rationale:

"The approved IR rate is calculated to represent the actual cost of motoring, including fuel costs, wear and tear (including servicing and depreciation), road fund licence, and insurance. We received no evidence to justify why MPs should be entitled to a more advantageous rate."

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Salisbury Convention

Mr. Drew: To ask the Leader of the House whether she has had discussions with the authorities in the House of Lords on the interpretation of the Salisbury Convention in relation to the European Union (Amendment) Bill. [198722]

Helen Goodman: My right hon. Friend the Leader of the House has had no such discussions.

Welsh Grand Committee

Mr. Hood: To ask the Leader of the House how many times the Welsh Grand Committee has met in each Parliament since 1997; and what the (a) dates of, (b) venues of, (c) subjects debated at and (d) Ministers attending each meeting were. [199585]

Helen Goodman: The information is as follows:

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Date	Venue		Subject	Ministers attending (excluding whips) (Wales Office unless indicated)
30 June 1997	Mold		Government’s programme for Wales	Ron Davies: Secretary of State
				Peter Hain, Win Griffiths: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries
18 November 1997	Westminster		North Wales and Government proposal for Welsh Assembly	Ron Davies: Secretary of State
				Peter Hain, Win Griffiths: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries
16 December 1997	Westminster		Government expenditure in Wales	Ron Davies: Secretary of State
				Peter Hain, Win Griffiths: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries
5 May 1998	Carmarthen		Rural economy in Wales and questions	Ron Davies: Secretary of State
				Peter Hain, Win Griffiths: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries
13 July 1998	Merthyr Tydfil		New economic agenda in Wales	Ron Davies: Secretary of State
				Peter Hain, Win Griffiths: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries
16 December 1998	Westminster		Government expenditure in Wales, 1999-2000 to 2001-02	Alun Michael: Secretary of State
				Peter Hain, Jon Owen Jones: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries
22 February 1999	Aberavon		Transport policy in Wales	Alun Michael: Secretary of State
				Peter Hain, Jon Owen Jones: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries
14 December 1999	Westminster		Government’s legislative programme and the Chancellor’s pre-Budget report	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
4 April 2000	Westminster		The Budget statement and its implications for Wales	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
16 May 2000	Westminster		Welsh economy	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
20 June 2000	Westminster		Social exclusion in Wales	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
				Alistair Darling: Secretary of State for Social Security
19 July 2000	Westminster		No subject specified	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
11 December 2000	Westminster		The Government’s legislative programme as outlined in the Queen’s Speech and the Chancellor’s pre-Budget statement as they relate to Wales	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
13 February 2001	Westminster		Building safer communities in Wales	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
12 March 2001	County Hall, Cwmbran		The Budget statement and its implications for Wales	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
Total meetings 1997-2001 Parliament: 15
3 July 2001	Westminster		The Government’s legislative programme, as outlined in the Queen’s Speech as it relates to Wales	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
28 November 2001	Westminster		Pre-Budget statement and its implications for Wales	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
24 April 2002	Westminster		The matter of the Budget statement and its implications for Wales	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
16 July 2002	Westminster		Draft National Health Service (Wales) Bill	Paul Murphy: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
21 November 2002	Westminster		The Government’s legislative programme as outlined in the Queen's Speech as it relates to Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
5 December 2002	Westminster		Government’s pre-Budget report as it relates to Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
24 June 2003	Westminster		The economy in Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
15 July 2003	Westminster		Draft Public Audit (Wales) Bill	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
16 December 2003	Westminster		Matter of the Government’s legislative programme as outlined in the Queen’s Speech as it relates to Wales and public expenditure in Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
24 March 2004	Westminster		Budget statement and its implications for Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
6 July 2004	Westminster		Report of the Richard Commission	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
20 July 2004	Westminster		Draft Transport (Wales) Bill	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
7 December 2004	Westminster		Government’s legislative programme as outlined in the Queen’s Speech as it relates to Wales and public expenditure in Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
Total meetings 2001-05 Parliament: 13
23 June 2005		Westminster	Government’s legislative programme as outlined in the Queen’s Speech as it relates to Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Nick Ainger: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
19 April 2006		Westminster	The Budget statement and its implications for Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Nick Ainger: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
				Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Defence
13 December 2006		Westminster	Government’s legislative programme as it relates to Wales and public expenditure in Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Nick Ainger: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
12 December 2007		Westminster	Government’s legislative programme as it relates to Wales and public expenditure in Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Huw Irranca-Davies: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
26 March 2008		Westminster	Budget statement and its implications for Wales	Peter Hain: Secretary of State
				Huw Irranca-Davies: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
Total meetings 2005 Parliament to date: 5
Source: Journal Office and Official Report of Welsh Grand Committee debates

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