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26 Nov 2008 : Column 1636W—continued
The medical appeal tribunals do not come under the jurisdiction of the Northern Ireland Office.
Christmas
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have spent on Christmas (a) cards, (b) parties and (c) decorations in the last 12 months. [237482]
Mr. Woodward: The following table shows expenditure by the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies, but excluding Executive NDPBs, on Christmas cards, receptions and decorations in the 2007-08 financial year.
| £ | ||
| Northern Ireland Office | Agencies | |
These figures represent a decrease in expenditure of around £2,500 compared to the 2006-07 financial year.
All expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Community Development
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many social action projects he has visited in the last 12 months. [234229]
Mr. Woodward: My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland and I make various visits to organisations involved in areas associated with social and community activity, mainly in the criminal justice sector. However, since devolution the Department of Social Development has assumed responsibility for most organisations involved in social action activities.
Departmental Absenteeism
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the rate of staff (a) absence and (b) sickness absence was in (i) his Department and (ii) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997; what the target rates set for his Department are in each case; and if he will make a statement. [238930]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office does not record centrally the rate of staff absence. The following table details the rate of sickness absence and the target rates set in the Northern Ireland Office for which figures are available. The figures given are for the core NIO, its Agencies and legal offices combined, as this is how sickness absence is recorded and targets set. The Department does not record centrally the rate of absence or the rate of sickness absence in its non-departmental public bodies. The information not recorded centrally could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| Working days lost per staff year | Target rate set | |
| (1) Target rate not set. | ||
Departmental Catering
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether food and drink on sale to staff of (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies at official premises is subsidised from public funds. [237423]
Departmental Civil Servants
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants have been employed by each of his Department's agencies and non-departmental bodies in each year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. [239099]
Paul Goggins: The following table details the number of administrative grade civil servants within the Northern Ireland Office's agencies and legal offices from 1997 to 2008. The agencies of the NIO are Forensic Science NI, the Compensation Agency, the NI Prison Service and the Youth Justice Agency (from April 2003). The legal offices of the NIO are the Crown Solicitors Office and Public Prosecution Service.
With a couple of exceptions, executive NDPBs are non-Crown bodies and employees are not civil servants—although civil servants can be seconded or loaned to NDPBs. Information on the number of employees in executive NDPBs is published in the annual Cabinet Office “Public Bodies” publication. Copies are available from the Libraries of the House.
Advisory NDPBs do not usually employ staff. They are typically supported by civil servants from the sponsoring Department.
| Number of administrative grade civil servants | ||||||||||||
| (April) | ||||||||||||
| Agency | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
Departmental Consultants
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on external consultancy in each year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. [239065]
Mr. Woodward: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Departmental Correspondence
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) emails, (b) telephone calls, (c) faxes and (d) letters he has received in his capacity as Secretary of State relating to official business since May 2007. [234236]
Mr. Woodward: The information requested is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Early Retirement
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employees in his Department took early retirement in each of the last five financial years; and at what total cost. [238961]
Mr. Woodward: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on employing press and communications officers in (a) his Department, (b) its non-departmental public bodies and (c) its agencies in each of the last three years. [239676]
Mr. Woodward: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers have been employed by his Department in each year since 1997-98; and at what cost in each year. [239079]
Mr. Woodward: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Departmental Land
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much surplus land (a) his Department and (b) its agencies own; and what the (i) area and (ii) estimated monetary value of each site is. [236418]
Mr. Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office and its agencies have registered three sites as surplus to requirements and work is in hand to dispose of these assets. The area of these sites is an estimated 6.95 acres.
Disclosure of the values of these sites would not be beneficial to the public purse or the commercial interests of the Department.
Departmental Marketing
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in his Department are responsible for branding activity; and what the cost of employing such staff was in 2007-08. [237469]
Mr. Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office does not have any full time equivalent staff responsible for branding activity. However, from time to time staff in various parts of the office are engaged in related activities, including maintaining and ensuring the application of corporate branding. Therefore a percentage of their time will be periodically devoted to brand management activities.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on (i) publicity and (ii) advertising in each year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. [238947]
Mr. Woodward: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department has been in the last 12 months. [238174]
Mr. Woodward: Special advisers are temporary civil servants and as such their travel arrangements are made in accordance with the rules and guidance set out in the Civil Service Management Code or other guidance and handbooks used by the NIO for such purposes. They have no entitlement to an allocated Government car and are required to use the most efficient and economic means of travel in all circumstances. In the past year approximately £1,300 has been paid for the use of Government cars by special advisers.
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