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13 Oct 2008 : Column 940W—continued
Climate Change
Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what work the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake on climate change; and if he will make a statement. [225359]
Mr. Watson: The Strategy Unit has supported work on several cross-departmental reviews of energy policy which have fed into statements of government policy including the 2007 Climate Change Strategic Framework and the 2007 Energy White Paper. In particular, the unit supported the energy and environment strand of the Policy Review, published in June 2007 and worked jointly with the then DTI and other Departments on the Energy Review Report of July 2006. The unit has no immediate plans to undertake specific work on climate change.
Information on the Strategy Unit's work is available on the Cabinet Office website at:
Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what work the European and Global Issues Secretariat (a) has undertaken in the last five years and (b) plans to undertake on climate change; and if he will make a statement. [225360]
Mr. Watson:
The secretariat's role is to support the Prime Minister and the Cabinet in achieving collective agreement for the Government's EU and global policy objectives, including on tackling climate change. This
has included preparation and support to the Prime Minister at European Council and G8 meetings, which have been used to advance the UK Government's policy on climate change. It is established practice not to disclose the details of Cabinet Committee discussions.
Cost of Living: Southend on Sea
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the average increase in (a) fuel prices, (b) food prices and (c) incomes in Southend-on-Sea in each year since 1997. [223423]
Kevin Brennan [holding answer 10 September 2008]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated September 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the average increase in (a) fuel prices, (b) food prices and (c) incomes in Southend-on-Sea in each year since 1997. (223423)
Fuel and food prices for items included in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) are collected each month by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Although prices are collected from across the UK, the ONS does not publish regional prices. Average increases at a national level since 1997 can be found at the following link:
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for producing household income data. However, the information is not available at the level requested.
Death: Cancer
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many people died from cancer in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997; [224786]
(2) how many people died from breast cancer in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997. [224788]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated October 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
1) How many people have died from cancer in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997. (224786)
2) How many people have died from breast cancer in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997. (224788)
The tables attached provide the numbers of deaths where (1) cancer and (2) breast cancer were the underlying cause of death in (a) Jarrow parliamentary constituency, (b) South Tyneside local authority, (c) North East government office region and (d) England from 1997 to 2007 (the latest year available).
| Table 1. Number of deaths where cancer was the underlying cause of death( 1) , Jarrow parliamentary constituency, South Tyneside local authority, North East government office region, and England, 1997 to 2007( 2,)( )( 3) | ||||
| Deaths (persons) | ||||
| Jarrow | South Tyneside | North East | England | |
| (1) Cause of death for cancer was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 140-208 for the years 1997 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C00-C97 for the years 2001 to 2007. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the numbers of deaths from this cause before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2008. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. | ||||
| Table 2. Number of deaths where breast cancer was the underlying cause of death( 1) , Jarrow parliamentary constituency, South Tyneside local authority, North East government office region, and England, 1997 to 2007( 2,)( )( 3) | ||||
| Deaths (persons) | ||||
| Jarrow | South Tyneside | North East | England | |
| (1) Cause of death for breast cancer was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 174-175 for the years 1997 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code C50 for the years 2001 to 2007. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the numbers of deaths from this cause before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2008. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. | ||||
Departmental Air Travel
James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the Answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 24 June 2008, Official Report, column 236W, on departmental aviation, what information on the number of flights and journeys is transferred to the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund by the Cabinet Office in order to calculate the carbon offset payment to the fund. [222215]
Mr. Watson: The Cabinet Office provides the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund information on the number of miles travelled by officials on departmental business in order to calculate the carbon offset payment to the fund. This mileage is broken down by long haul, short haul and domestic flights. No information on the number of flights is required and therefore is not provided by Cabinet Office.
Departmental Public Relations
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the policy of (a) the Cabinet Office and (b) the Central Office of Information is on the hiring by departments and executive agencies of external public relations agencies to undertake public relations work. [222931]
Mr. Watson: PR consultancies can provide valuable support to Government communications work when specialist expertise, not readily available within Government, is required. When Government Departments and executive agencies are considering the use of public relations consultancies or agencies they must follow the criteria set out in the civil service ‘Propriety Guidance’.
The guidance includes the following key points:
Public relations agencies cannot represent ministers. Only civil servants who are directly controlled and answerable to ministers may explain minister's policies and deal with media or others on their behalf;
Public relations agencies cannot be used for any task that would be improper for a civil servant, such as opinion-forming in political support of ministers or image building; and
Public relations agencies must not be used when internal resources are available for the task.
The civil service Propriety Guidance is available through the following website and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Departmental Recordings
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2008, Official Report, column 1046W, on departmental recordings (1) what records are kept by the Cabinet Office website or IT team of the videos stored on the departmental intranet; [217443]
(2) whether videos used by the Cabinet Office are produced by the Department or by others. [217444]
Mr. Watson: Videos used by the Cabinet Office are produced through a partnership agreement with the Central Office of Information (COI). The majority of these films are for internal use only. Central records of all films produced across the Cabinet Office are not kept.
The following information is recorded in respect of films uploaded onto the departmental intranet:
category;
creator of the film;
CO unit;
date submitted;
the title of the film;
keywords; and
description.
The system also records the number of viewings for each film as they occur.
If more complex films are required management units can source other film production companies. They may also use COI's film production unit.
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