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13 Oct 2008 : Column 874W—continued
Voting Behaviour
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what budget has been established for the planned citizens' summit on weekend voting. [222929]
Mr. Wills: We are currently considering the budgeting and procurement of the citizens' summit to consider issues around election day and how best to provide value for money.
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 24 June 2008, Official Report, columns 9-11WS, on the consultation on weekend voting, whether he plans to pilot or introduce weekend voting in the 2009 European or local elections. [225562]
Mr. Wills: No. The ‘Election Day: Weekend Voting’ consultation ended on 26 September. Analysis of the responses received is now under way. The evidence gathered will be used to inform the debate on the merits of moving polling day to the weekends. The Government do not consider that it would be practicable to bring in the legislation necessary to introduce weekend voting for the 2009 European or local elections.
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street: Shops
Philip Davies: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what the most popular item purchased from the Downing Street gift shop was in the last 12 months; [222603]
(2) how much profit has been made by the Downing Street gift shop in the last 12 months. [222604]
The Prime Minister: A small selection of unsubsidised gifts are available for staff to purchase on a not-for-profit basis.
Departmental Manpower
Philip Davies: To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many secretarial staff have (a) left and (b) joined his Office since 27 June 2007; [222605]
(2) how many full-time members of staff are employed in Number 10 Downing Street. [222821]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 1 May 2008, Official Report, column 624W.
Departmental Written Questions
Mr. Harper: To ask the Prime Minister how many and what proportion of written questions for answer on a named day he has answered on the due date in the current Session of Parliament to date. [226884]
The Prime Minister: My Office aims to answer all ordinary written parliamentary questions within five working days, and named day written parliamentary questions on the day named.
Since the start of the current parliamentary Session 96 per cent. of named day questions were answered on the day named.
Lehman Brothers
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister what meetings he has held with representatives of senior management of Lehman Brothers in the last 12 months. [226665]
The Prime Minister: My officials and I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a range of subjects.
Lord Mandelson: Pay
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister how much has been paid to Lord Mandelson as a consequence of his leaving ministerial offices; if he will bring forward proposals for a mechanism by which former ministers re-appointed to the cabinet could make voluntary repayments of severance monies; and if he will make a statement. [226712]
The Prime Minister: Severance pay is payable in accordance with section 4 of the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991.
Meetings
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Prime Minister what meetings have been held between officials in 10 Downing Street and representatives of (a) Ogilvy UK and (b) WPP since 27 June 2007. [225561]
The Prime Minister: My officials and I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a range of subjects.
Ministers
John Mann: To ask the Prime Minister which former Cabinet Ministers registered (a) directorships and (b) employment with the Cabinet Secretary after leaving office in the last 20 years; and in respect of which companies the registration was made in each case. [224905]
The Prime Minister: The requirements placed on Ministers after leaving office are set out in the Ministerial Code and its predecessor document Questions of Procedure for Ministers. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Ministers: Pay
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Prime Minister how many Ministers do not receive a ministerial salary; and what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of maintaining their (a) private office, (b) staff, (c) driver and (d) car. [226007]
The Prime Minister: I refer my right hon. Friend to the ministerial appointments press notices released by my Office. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House and are also available on the No 10 website:
National Economic Council
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister in what capacity the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform attended the first meeting of the National Economic Council on 6 October; and if he will publish the full minutes of each meeting of the Council on his departmental website and that of HM Treasury. [225931]
The Prime Minister: The National Economic Council meets in private. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform is a member.
Official Residences
James Duddridge: To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the Cabinet Secretary about the provision of Prime Ministerial accommodation and its implications for claims against the additional costs allowance. [225129]
The Prime Minister: The additional cost allowance is a matter for the House Authorities.
Security and Intelligence Committee: Manpower
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2008, Official Report, column 883W, on the Security and Intelligence Committee: manpower, what the reasons are for not naming the Clerk of the Intelligence and Security Committee; and if he will make a statement. [225567]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 17 June 2008, Official Report, column 883W.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr. Harper: To ask the Prime Minister when he will reply to question 220182, on staff, tabled on 15 July. [226920]
The Prime Minister: I replied to the hon. Member on 9 October 2008, Official Report, column 796W.
Written Statements
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 10 September 2008, Official Report, column 1806W, on written statements, if he will take steps to ensure that information is ready for publication other than on the days immediately prior to a parliamentary recess. [226560]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 10 September 2007, Official Report, column 1806W.
Work and Pensions
Child Support
Bill Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average level of debt of those committed to prison for non-payment of child maintenance payment debts in each year since 2002-03 was; and how many people were in this category in each year. [223864]
James Purnell: The information requested is not available.
Bill Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency cases in Sunderland are being processed as clerical cases arising from (a) pre-2003 and (b) post-2003 legislative changes. [223865]
James Purnell: The information requested is not available.
Bill Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) written complaints and (b) telephone complaints from Child Support Agency customers based in the Sunderland area there were in each year since 2003; and how many of these did not receive (i) acknowledgement within two working days and (ii) an outcome or progress report within 15 working days. [223866]
James Purnell: The information requested is not available.
Council Tax Benefits: Scotland
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much subsidy for the provision of council tax benefit was provided to each local authority in Scotland in the latest year for which figures are available. [224643]
James Purnell: Local authorities in Scotland claim subsidy directly from the Department for Work and Pensions for council tax benefit they award to eligible claimants.
The latest available information is in the table.
Departmental Surveillance
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have made under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to (i) undertake directed surveillance, (ii) use covert human intelligence sources, (iii) acquire communications data and (iv) undertake intrusive surveillance in the last 24 months. [222128]
James Purnell: Figures on public authority use of covert techniques controlled by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) are published annually by the Interception of Communications Commissioner, the Chief Surveillance Commissioner and the Intelligence Services Commissioner who each have particular inspection and oversight responsibilities under RIPA. The latest reports were laid before Parliament and copies placed in the House Library on 22 July. The figures provided in the reports are not broken down by individual public authority use of specific covert technique. The question of further disclosure for any particular public authority is a matter for the relevant Commissioner.
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