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16 Dec 2008 : Column 580W—continued
Departmental Rail Travel
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. [242612]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 31 March 2008, Official Report, column 551W.
Equitable Life
Jo Swinson: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his statement on 3 December 2008, Official Report, column 38, for what reason the expected date of the Government's response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report on Equitable Life is not until January 2009. [244473]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Leader of the House of Commons to the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) during the Business Statement on 11 December 2008, Official Report, column 677.
Nuclear Disarmament
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister what matters concerning nuclear disarmament initiatives were discussed at his meeting with President Sarkozy of France on 8 December 2008. [243815]
The Prime Minister: I discussed a wide range of issue with President Sarkozy. I refer the hon. Member to the press conference I held with President Barroso and President Sarkozy on 8 December. A transcript is available on the No. 10 website:
A copy of this page has been placed in the Library of the House.
Security Commission
Mr. Maude: To ask the Prime Minister how many investigations the Security Commission has undertaken into security breaches since 1997. [241586]
The Prime Minister: Since 1997 the Security Commission has undertaken two investigations. Copies of their findings were published by way of Command Paper—Cm 4578 and Cm 6177. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.
World Economy
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer of 20 November 2008, Official Report, column 662W, on the world economy, which ministers and officials accompanied him to Washington for the G20 economic summit on 15 November 2008; and if he will put on his Office's website all papers submitted to the summit. [241807]
The Prime Minister: I was accompanied to the G20 in Washington by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Minister for Economic Competitiveness and Small Business (Baroness Vadera).
The Declaration of the Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy is available on the White House website:
A copy of this webpage has been place in the Library of the House.
Communities and Local Government
Allotments
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to bring forward legislative proposals on the size and number of allotments provided by local authorities. [243583]
Mr. Iain Wright: We do not have any current plans to bring forward legislative proposals on the plot size and number of allotments provided by local authorities.
The provision of allotments is the responsibility of local authorities. Section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 places a duty on local authorities (except for inner London boroughs) to provide sufficient allotments where they consider that there is a demand for them in their area.
Furthermore “Planning Policy Guidance Note 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport & Recreation, 2002” encourages local authorities to ensure that they provide an adequate number of allotments for their community and ascertain what is sufficient for their local area. The accompanying guidance to PPG 17 advises local authorities on setting local standards.
Business Improvement Districts
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projects of work are being undertaken in each of the Business Improvement Districts that have been established to date in (a) the South East and (b) London. [242571]
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projects are being undertaken in each of the business improvement districts established to date. [243984]
John Healey: The Department does not collate information on all projects of work that are being undertaken in each of the established Business Improvement Districts.
The Government maintain a register, which gives brief details of prospective BIDs that are intending to go to ballot and whether these have been successful.
The register can be accessed at:
Christmas
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent on (a) departmental Christmas parties and (b) staff entertainment in the last three years. [243760]
Mr. Khan: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk) on 13 November 2008, Official Report, column 1322W and the right hon. and learned Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) on 27 October 2008, Official Report, column 717W.
Figures for earlier years could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
Community Relations
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanisms are in place to assess whether measures implemented as part of the Prevent strand of Project Contest (a) are effective and (b) deliver value for money. [240577]
Mr. Khan: My Department recently published an assessment of the Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) Pathfinder 2007-08 year which describes the contribution that PVE Pathfinder projects made to Prevent objectives. It also contained a review of local evaluations of pathfinder work.
Since Preventing Violent Extremism funding was issued to local authorities in March 2008, local authorities have been embedding the Prevent agenda in their performance management. All local authorities have to report on progress on the National Indicator (NI) 35 (“Building Resilience to Violent Extremism”) and in June 2008, 19 local authorities selected NI 35 as a priority indicator as part of their local area agreements. NI 35 is replicated in the Assessments of Policing and Community Safety (APACS) performance framework as a key diagnostic indicator. The introduction of the comprehensive area assessment in April 2009 will further ensure effective and efficient performance by local authorities and other local partners on Prevent.
The Audit Commission and Her Majesty’s inspectorate of constabulary (HMIC) recent “Learning and Development Exercise” looked at what works and what barriers there are to the effective local delivery of Prevent. Work is under way to ensure that the findings of the review inform the approach of both central Government and local partners in delivering Prevent. HMIC are also carrying out an inspection of Prevent performance in all 43 police forces in England and Wales.
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how much money will be spent as part of the Prevent strand of Project Contest on targeting the risk of extremism amongst (a) individuals who have had contact with the criminal justice system and (b) individuals who are in prison in 2008-09; [240578]
(2) how much has been spent as part of the Prevent strand of Project Contest on targeting the risk of extremism amongst (a) individuals who have had contact with the criminal justice system and (b) individuals who are in prison in each year since 2003. [240579]
Mr. Khan: The Home Office has funded a number of projects. The National Offender Management Service is taking forward a multi-disciplinary programme of work to manage the risks of violent extremist offenders which contributes to both PREVENT and PURSUE objectives and spans work with offenders in prison establishments and on licence in the community. Central funding for this programme is provided through the Office of Security and Counter Terrorism (OSCT) Prevent budget. Since 2005, OSCT has provided HM Prison Service (HMPS) with the following funding: 2005-06—£65,463, 2006-07—£140,535 and 2007-08—£822,542. £2.7 million has been allocated in 2008-09.
£2.6 million OSCT funding has been allocated to the Youth Justice Board in this financial year to a two-year programme of work under the work stream of the Prevent Strategy aimed at 'supporting vulnerable individuals'. A total of 40 Youth Offending Team/Youth Secure Estate projects have been funded so far with a further 10 project bids expected to be submitted for a one-year funding round in 2009-10. Projects cover a wide range of interventions and are aimed at vulnerable young people who have been involved in or who may be at risk of entering the criminal justice system.
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how much her Department forecasts will be spent on the Prevent strand of Project Contest in 2008-09; [240580]
(2) how much has been spent on implementing the Prevent strand of Project Contest since 2003. [240581]
Mr. Khan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mr. Dhanda) to the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Dan Rogerson) on 16 July 2008, Official Report, columns 483-84W, concerning the costs of the Preventing Violent Extremism (PREVENT) programme in CLG since its inception. My Department has budgeted to spend £8.5 million on PREVENT-related projects in the financial year 2008-09.
In addition, other Government Departments will be supporting projects, principally the Home Office which has spent £15.07 million between April 2007 and the end of November 2008. Furthermore other Departments and the police are providing funding for projects and activities contributing to Prevent. We are also making a provision of £12 million to local authorities through Area Based Grant, although as this will be un-ringfenced grant, it will be for the relevant local authority to decide how it is spent.
Departmental Air Travel
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East (James Duddridge), of 6 October 2008, Official Report, columns 298-99W, on departmental air travel, if she will place in the Library the finalised figures for 2007-08. [241533]
Mr. Khan: A copy of Communities and Local Government's 2007-08 air mileage data used to calculate the departmental payment to the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund will be placed in the Library and is as follows:
| Category | Distance (km) |
| Note: These data do not include travel undertaken by the Department's Executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies or the regional Government offices. | |
All official travel is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the ‘Civil Service Management Code’.
Departmental Gifts
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many members of staff in her Department have received gifts valued at £100 or higher in the course of their duties in each of the last three years; what these gifts were; and from whom they were received. [242017]
Mr. Khan: One member of staff only has received a gift of £100 or higher in the course of their duties over the past three years. The gift of a digital camera was kept for departmental use within our Communications Directorate. The gift was received from a party of Japanese volunteer and career fire fighters for attending an Emergency Planning Authority training centre at Southwark on 23 October 2006.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many special advisers were employed in her Department at each pay band on 30 November 2008; and what her Department’s total expenditure on special advisers was in 2007-08. [243578]
Mr. Khan: The Government are committed to publishing an annual list detailing the number and costs of special advisers. Information for 2007-08 was published by the Prime Minister on 22 July 2008, Official Report, columns 99-102WS.
Departmental Pay
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to ensure that those temporary and permanent employees at the same grade in her Department who are paid at an hourly rate are paid at the same rate. [244397]
Mr. Khan: The policy in the Department is for all employees whether they are permanent or temporary contracts to be treated the same in terms of pay. However as each grade has an associated pay range with minimum and maximum pay points, all employees in the same grade, whatever their contractual status, will not necessarily be paid at the same hourly rate.
Departmental Procurement
Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of invoices for goods and services procured from small and medium-sized businesses were paid within 10 days of receipt by (a) her Department and (b) the agencies for which her Department is responsible in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08; and if she will make a statement. [243494]
Mr. Khan: This information is not available.
The Department for Communities and Local Government measured and reported the proportion of invoices paid within the 30-day target for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08. Reported performance for these years was 95.37 per cent. and 92.94 per cent. respectively. The introduction of a 10-day target took effect from the current financial year.
Work is now in hand to ensure that we can measure payment performance against a 10-day target and to separately identify payment times to small and medium enterprises.
Payment performance in the Department’s agencies has generally met the target of paying 98 per cent. of invoices within 30 days of the invoice date. The Department is currently liaising with its agencies on the best way forward with the new target and figures are not currently available.
Departmental Rail Travel
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date she last used a train in the course of her official duties. [242597]
Mr. Khan: Thursday 4 December 2008.
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