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22 Oct 2008 : Column 449W—continued
Powers of Entry
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what categories of public official may enter a private residence without the permission of the (a) owner and (b) occupier (i) with and (ii) without advance notice; and under what circumstances such entry may lawfully be made; [224462]
(2) which categories of public official may (a) enter a place of business and (b) call a halt to (i) trading and (ii) production (A) with and (B) without advance notice; and what the circumstances are in which such actions may lawfully be taken in each case. [224464]
Mr. Coaker [holding answer 6 October 2008]: Powers of entry with or without warrant by definition do not require the consent of the owner or occupier of the premises. The list of powers of entry to all premises is contained on the Powers of Entry Review webpage at:
The content of the list are currently subject to verification with other Government Departments and investigating agencies. Specific powers where prior notice is required are set out in the following table.
The ability to require a cessation to operating functions is an enforcement power. Such enforcement action would not be conditional on the exercise of a power of entry. The list sets out statute which provides for cessation and which also contains a power of entry.
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many powers of entry have been established in legislation introduced by her Department since 1997; and how many have been abolished. [228059]
Mr. Coaker: Further to my reply to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East (James Duddridge) answered on 7 October 2008, Official Report, column 577W, a revised table has been placed in the House Library showing powers of entry introduced since 1997.
The revised table identifies that there are currently 73 primary enactments and 202 statutory instruments containing reference to a power of entry in England and Wales that are in effect and have been introduced since 1997 .
We have not collected information on the number of powers that have been repealed or revoked since 1997. This is because the review is focusing on the development of a framework for existing and future powers.
Racially Aggravated Offences: Detection Rates
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the prosecution rate was for racist hate crime detected by the Metropolitan Police in each of the last five years. [227420]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The information is not available centrally. While the Home Office collects statistics on racially or religiously aggravated offences detected by the police, it is not possible to determine those which result in a prosecution.
Redundancy
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent estimate is of the cost of redundancies in her Department arising from the conclusions of the Gershon review. [217324]
Jacqui Smith: It is not possible to identify the number of early departures, the exact nature and circumstances of individual departures or associated costs that have occurred in the Home Office as a direct result of the Gershon review without incurring a disproportionate cost.
Central information held on early departures does not distinguish between those who might have been compelled to leave the Department on compulsory redundancy terms, and those who wished to leave voluntarily on similar terms. It would be necessary to review individual files to extract the information requested.
Work Permits
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permit applications were outstanding at the time of the replacement of the work permit scheme. [223732]
Mr. Woolas: The points system will go live later in the autumn.
Duchy of Lancaster
Departmental Accounting
James Duddridge:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 15 September
2008, Official Report, column 2016W, on the departmental internet, when the Cabinet Office's resource accounts will be audited; and when the audited accounts will be published. [227465]
Kevin Brennan: The Cabinet Office expects its resource accounts for the year ending 31 March 2009 to be audited and published shortly before the summer parliamentary recess in 2009.
Departmental Pay
David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of staff in his Department in the last 12 months; and at what total cost. [226412]
Mr. Watson: The information requested is a matter of public record. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) on 6 June 2008, Official Report, column 1185W.
International Development
Christmas
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many Christmas functions (a) he, (b) officials from his Department and (c) officials from its executive agencies (i) hosted and (ii) attended in 2007-08; what the cost to the public purse was; and if he will make a statement. [226955]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. All entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety.
Cuba: Hurricanes and Tornadoes
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if the Government will provide humanitarian aid to Cuba following the recent hurricanes. [228804]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided £250,000 in direct humanitarian aid to Cuba through the International Red Cross for shelter material and water filters for some 40,000 people. In addition, the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has announced a relief contribution of €2 million, of which 17.5 per cent. is funded by DFID. The United Nations Relief Agencies have mobilised $8.6 million for relief and rehabilitation works in Cuba, $1.6 million of which is funded by DFID through the UN. However, the UN remains in negotiation with the Cuban authorities on full access and co-operation in order to use that money. We also understand that the Cuban Government has received offers totalling $30.5 million from a number of countries to assist with their reconstruction and emergency response efforts following the impact of the recent hurricanes.
Departmental Finance
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how his Department's budget was allocated between the different functions of the Department in the most recent year for which figures are available. [227493]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Budget information for the financial year 2008-09 at a divisional/sub-division level is detailed in the following table.
| £ 000 | |
| Division / Subdivisions | 2008-09 |
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