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24 Nov 2008 : Column 882W—continued
Departmental Vehicles
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department (a) has spent on maintaining vehicles in the last five financial years and (b) expects to spend on maintaining vehicles in the financial year 2008-09. [234246]
Mr. Woodward: The information is as follows:
(a) The following table provides details of the Northern Ireland Office's expenditure on vehicle maintenance and running costs (excluding agencies and executive NDPBs) since 2003-04.
| Expenditure (£) | |
(b) Expenditure budgets are not held at this level but £18,322 has been spent on vehicle maintenance and running costs up to 31 October 2008 in the 2008-09 financial year.
Economic and Monetary Union
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 537W, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's Euro Changeover Plan with the confidential information redacted. [227543]
Mr. Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office has now placed a copy of the Euro Changeover Plan in the Library. All confidential information has been redacted.
Fire Services: Death
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many firefighters in Northern Ireland have lost their lives in the course of their duties in each of the last five years. [238394]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office does not hold this information. The Fire Service is devolved and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.
Hotels
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on hotel bills by his Department in 2007-08. [236652]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office, excluding its agencies and executive NDPBs, spent £200,601 on overnight accommodation during 2007-08.
Other miscellaneous expenditure which may have been incurred during hotel stays, such as business related telephone calls, are reclaimed as expenses and costs could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
All expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Inquiries: Expenditure
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost has been of (a) each public inquiry under way and (b) each historic inquiries team investigation under way in Northern Ireland. [238403]
Mr. Woodward: The costs to the end of October 2008 for each public inquiry under way in Northern Ireland are as follows:
| £ million | |
I cannot provide the cost of each HET investigation under way. I can confirm that the annual expenditure on HET investigations has been as follows:
| £ million | |
| (1) To the end of October 2008. | |
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of each (a) public inquiry, apart from the Saville Inquiry, and (b) historic inquires team investigation under way in Northern Ireland has been in each of the last six months. [238404]
Mr. Woodward: The costs for each of the last six months for the inquiries, apart from the Saville Inquiry, and the HET are shown in the following tables.
| Independent public inquiries | ||||
| £000 | ||||
| 2008 | Robert Hamill Inquiry | Rosemary Nelson Inquiry | Billy Wright Inquiry | Total |
Police: Pay
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many temporary advances issued to police officers in Northern Ireland (a) attending courses outside Northern Ireland and (b) performing duty outside Northern Ireland are outstanding; and what the monetary value of those advances is. [237394]
Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Racial Harassment
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which his Department is responsible have been (a) investigated and (b) upheld in the last 12 months. [236902]
Mr. Woodward: During the last 12 months, the Northern Ireland Office has not received any official complaints of racial abuse. An equal opportunities and diversity course, which was introduced in the summer of 2007, is currently being rolled out to all staff in the Department. It highlights the importance of treating others with dignity and includes guidance on appropriate behaviour in the workplace.
Saville Inquiry
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the cost of the Saville Inquiry has been spent on legal fees to date. [234176]
Mr. Woodward: I am advised that legal costs currently total £98.4 million to the end of October 2008. This comprises £65.9 million incurred by the inquiry and £32.5 million incurred by the Ministry of Defence.
Television
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on (a) televisions and (b) receiving digital television in the last 12 months. [234240]
Mr. Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office, excluding its agencies and executive NDPBs, spent £2,415 on televisions in the 2007-08 financial year.
A total of £7,418 was paid to companies who provide digital television services during the 2007-08 financial year. This total includes licensing, subscription and instalment costs.
Prime Minister
Christmas
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Prime Minister how much his Office has spent on Christmas (a) cards, (b) parties and (c) decorations in the last 12 months. [237481]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 126W and to the answer I gave him on 24 January 2008, Official Report, columns 2178-79W.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Heald: To ask the Prime Minister what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Office has been in the last 12 months. [238175]
The Prime Minister: Special advisers are temporary civil servants. They have no entitlement to an allocated Government car. Special advisers' travel arrangements are made in accordance with the rules and guidance set out in the ‘Civil Service Management Code’ and departmental staff handbooks.
Intelligence and Security Committee
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Intelligence and Security Committee for the year 2007-08 will be published. [238429]
The Prime Minister: The Committee is due to submit its Annual Report for 2007-08 to me by the end of the year. Once the report is received I will make the necessary arrangements for it to be published and laid before the House in the usual way.
Retail Trade: Competition
Andrew George: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what meetings at which the Competition Commission market investigation into the supply of groceries in the UK was discussed he has had since 1 May 2008; [237214]
(2) what meetings he has had with representatives of UK grocery retailers since 1 May 2008. [237215]
The Prime Minister: My officials and I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a range of subjects.
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