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1 Sep 2008 : Column 1407W—continued
Departmental Pay
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by press officers in her Department in each of the last three financial years. [221166]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department reimburses staff only for expenses necessarily incurred in the course of official business. Expenses reimbursed to press officers in the last three financial years are set out as follows where readily available.
| £ | |||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |
The Highways Agency has seven regional press officers to support its new traffic officer service and seven regional control centres. These press officers are employed to raise awareness of the traffic officers and the agency’s role as network operator for England’s motorways and major A roads. These press officers have to travel between the regional control centres, outstations and Highways Agency offices, as well as travelling to media opportunities and to accompany journalists during visits to the HA network and premises.
Press officer activities in most Executive agencies are not carried out by staff or units solely dedicated to this purpose. GCDA and VCA have no press officers, and DVLA and MCA are unable to identify press officer reimbursements without disproportionate cost.
Departmental Planning Applications
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Horsham of 7 July 2008, Official Report, columns 1184-86W, on departmental planning applications, what licensing hours the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (a) applied for and (b) was granted. [221273]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The times the licence authorises the carrying out of licensable activities is:
Monday to Saturday—10.00 hours to 23.00 hours
Sunday—12.00 hours to 22.30 hours
As far as we are aware this is what the DVLA applied for and was granted.
Departmental Postal Services
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department has taken to monitor the cost of its mail services in the last 12 months. [221485]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
The Department for Transport actively monitors the cost of its mail services on a regular basis, using the most economical delivery service wherever
possible, with the default for outgoing mail being second class post. Listed as follows are some examples of actions undertaken:
The Highways Agency monitors on a monthly basis locational spend against forecasted expenditure and has also reviewed the internal mail delivery service in order to ensure best value.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has already implemented a combination of software and mechanical sorting equipment to increase the volume of outbound mail discounts. Over the last 12 months DVLA has ensured that mail services contracts have been, managed robustly, and worked closely with Royal Mail and DX Group to ensure effective products have been utilised, and that both volume and price discounts have been maximised.
The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) has undertaken a review of processes and highlighted potential for savings via improved supplier processes and shared best practice. VOSA's business design authority, will, in possession of these data, develop an improvement project which will deliver:
a single contract supplier of postal services
a single contract supplier of parcel services
centralised invoicing for parcels and franking machines
a best practice guide for all areas
reduced process costs
an opportunity to reduce spend by about £100,000.
Departmental Procurement
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her Department's policy is on requesting discounts from its suppliers in return for swift payment of invoices. [220423]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport will consider on a case by case basis whether requesting a discount for accelerated payment terms is appropriate. However, the department is committed to prompt payment and states that it will pay valid invoices within 30 days of receipt so tenderers base their pricing in the knowledge of swift payment.
Departmental Public Participation
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) listening exercises and (b) public forums her Department has held in each of the last two years; and what the (i) purpose, (ii) cost, (iii) private contractor and (iv) amount paid to the private contractor was in each case. [221340]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department engages with the public and its stakeholders on a wide range of subjects in a variety of ways. The Department is committed to further improve its engagement with its stakeholders and with transport users. In this engagement activity, sometimes private sector contractors are used and sometimes not.
Because of the wide range of engagement carried out by the Department and its agencies, this information is not held centrally.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will list (a) the reviews and (b) public consultations initiated by her Department since 27 June 2007. [221366]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Details of the consultations and reviews initiated by the Department for Transport since 27 June 2007 have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which projects her Department has commissioned from (a) think tanks and (b) charities in each of the last two years for which figures are available; what the aim of each project was; which think tank or charity was commissioned; and how much was paid. [221617]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not held centrally and the collation of the information could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Sick Leave
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many sick days were taken by employees in (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility due to (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders in each of the last 10 years; what proportion of sick days taken this represented in each case; and if she will make a statement. [216169]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department for Transport, established in 2002, recorded the following annual returns in respect of sickness absence due to (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders:
| Total days | Stress | Mental health and behavioural | Stress (Percentage) | Mental health and behavioural (Percentage) | |
The Government Car and Despatch Agency and The Vehicle Certification Agency could provide the information only at disproportionate cost.
The information requested from the Department for Transport's non-governmental bodies can be provided only at disproportionate cost also.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility have taken sick days due to (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders in each of the last 10 years; what proportion of staff of each body this represented in each year; and if she will make a statement. [216170]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department for Transport, established in 2002, recorded the following annual returns in respect of sickness absence due to (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders:
| Number of staff a bsence for stress | Number of staff absence for mental health/behavioural | Total employees | Stress (Percentage) | Mental health/behavioural (Percentage) | |
The Government Car and Despatch Agency and The Vehicle Certification Agency could provide the information only at disproportionate cost.
The information requested from the Department for Transport's non-governmental bodies can be provided only at disproportionate cost also.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average duration of single periods of sick leave taken by staff in (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility who gave (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders as the reason for their absence was in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement. [216171]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department for Transport, established in 2002, recorded the following average periods of sickness for stress and mental health and behavioural disorders related absence.
| Stress | ||||||
| Average duration (days) | ||||||
| DfTc | DSA | DVLA | HA | MCA | VOSA | |
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