Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
21 Jan 2009 : Column 1501Wcontinued
I am responding on behalf of Companies House to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question to the Minister of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
Companies House has not run an involuntary exit scheme during the period in question. Details of the voluntary exit schemes run in 2005-06 and 2006-07 are as follows:
Pay band | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
There were no staff exit schemes in 2007-08 and there are no plans for schemes in 2008-09 or 2009-10.
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps Royal Mail is taking to (a) reduce its costs and (b) cut its overheads. [249603]
Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail. I have therefore asked the chief executive, Adam Crozier, to reply direct to my hon. Friend.
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps Royal Mail is taking to improve its quality of service. [249604]
Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail. I have therefore asked the chief executive, Adam Crozier, to reply direct to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when his Department received the final report from Durham university into pedlars and street traders; and when it will be published. [249473]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 20 January 2009]: The final report into street trading and pedlary was submitted to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) on 9 December 2008.
We are aiming to publish the report in full on the BERR website in early February.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many meetings he and Ministers of his Department have had with (a) tobacco companies and (b) those working on behalf of tobacco companies in the last three months. [246588]
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the maximum amount is that UK Trade and Investment senior staff can authorise to be spent on a consultant without making a full business case for doing so. [247765]
Mr. Thomas: UKTI procurement guidelines require a business case for any procurement activity which exceeds £500, including consultancy. For amounts, exceeding £10,000, excluding VAT, a formal UKTI business case template must be used.
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much each UK Trade and Investment management board member received in bonuses in 2008. [247873]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 15 January 2009]: Details of the remuneration package paid to members of the UK Trade and Investment Executive Board in 2008 will be published in the UKTI Annual Report and Accounts 2008-09.
Details of the remuneration packages of board members in 2007 were published in the UKTI Accounts 2007-08 on 21 July 2008. (Stationery Office : HC 851)
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he expects negotiations on harmonising pay and conditions between former Ministry of Defence staff transferred to his Department and other UK Trade and Investment staff to begin. [247874]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 15 January 2009]: The negotiations on harmonising pay, terms and conditions for those Ministry of Defence staff who transferred to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform commenced shortly after the transfer date of 1 April 2008.
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation staff have applied for early release under the Ministry of Defence 2008 Early Severance Scheme. [247768]
Mr. Thomas: 29 staff in the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation applied for early release under the MOD 2008 Early Severance Scheme. Two of these staff have moved to posts in other parts of the MOD since their application for early release). Of the 24 staff who accepted the offer, eight will leave by April 2009 and the remaining 16 staff will leave by April 2010.
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation spent on external consultants in the last 12 months. [247766]
Mr. Thomas: Over the period 1 January to 31 December 2008, the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation spent £79,000 on external consultants. This expenditure covered the services of a consultant with specialist knowledge, employed to assist the South African authorities monitor Industrial Participation obligations arising from the sale in 2000 of defence equipment. This assistance was provided for in a Declaration of Intent signed by my right hon. Friend, the then Prime Minister, and President Mbeki.
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many (a) civilian and (b) military staff there were at the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation on 3 January 2009. [247799]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 15 January 2009]: In April 2008 there were 44 military staff and 109 civilian staff who transferred to the UK Defence and Security Organisation in the UK.
N umber of staff at UKTI Defence and Security Organisation on 3 January 2009 | |
Number of staff | |
Note: In addition some 29 staff transferred from the Ministry of Defence to UKTI DSO posts based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office overseas. |
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many (a) civilian and (b) military staff have left the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation since 2 April 2008. [247800]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 15 January 2009]: In April 2008 there were 44 military staff and 109 civilian staff who transferred to the UK Defence and Security Organisation in the UK.
Number of staff who have left the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation since 2 April 2008 | |
Number of staff | |
(1) Under normal posting procedures. Note: In addition some 29 staff transferred from the Ministry of Defence to UKTI DSO posts based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office overseas. |
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many (a) civilian and (b) military staff have joined the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation since 2 April 2008. [247801]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 15 January 2009]: In April 2008 there were 44 military staff and 109 civilian staff who transferred to the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation in the UK.
The number of staff who have joined the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation since 2 April 2008 are:
Number | |
(1) Under normal posting procedures. Note: These numbers exclude some 29 staff who transferred from the Ministry of Defence to UKTI DSO posts based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) overseas. Three staff have since joined FCO on loan from the Ministry of Defence. |
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation civilian posts were made redundant in the move to Kingsgate House. [247802]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 15 January 2009]: No civilian posts were made redundant as a result of the move to UKTI (Kingsgate House).
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation staff last received a pay increase. [247764]
Mr. Thomas: The information requested is as follows:
UKTI DSO staff on BERR terms and conditions received a pay rise in September 2008, backdated to 1 August 2008.
UKTI DSO staff who remain on MOD terms and conditions are expected to receive a pay award in February 2009, backdated to 1 August 2008.
All military staff received their pay award on 1 April 2008.
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation civilian posts advertised since 2 April 2008 have attracted no suitable applicants; and how many such appointments were refused by a successful applicant. [247767]
Mr. Thomas: Two civilian posts in the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation have attracted no suitable applicants. Both posts were junior level posts.
No civilian post in the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation has been refused by a successful applicant.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what response she plans to make to the recommendation that more Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund projects should be targeted at disrupting those who promote violent extremism and those who support the institutions where they are active made on page 62 of the report, Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008; [249584]
(2) what steps she plans to take in response to the recommendation for increased partnership working with educational establishments, arts and sports providers to deliver the PREVENT strategy made on page 7 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008; and if she will make a statement; [249593]
(3) whether her Department plans to undertake research into effective partnership working on the PREVENT strategy as recommended on page 10 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008; [249594]
(4) whether she plans to provide further guidance to local authorities on gathering and presenting evaluation evidence on projects funded as part of the PREVENT strategy as recommended on page 10 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008; [249595]
(5) what steps she plans to take in response to the recommendation that local authorities should be encouraged to fund more Preventing Violent Extremism projects using mosque-based delivery and electronic and printed materials made on page 10 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008; and if she will make a statement; [249596]
(6) what steps she plans to take in response to the recommendation that good practice with respect to Preventing Violent Extremism projects should be shared among local authorities and projects made on page 10 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008; [249597]
(7) what steps she plans to take in response to the recommendations that all local authorities and projects should provide a lead name contact responsible for monitoring and evaluation with respect to Preventing Violent Extremism projects made on page 10 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping Project Activities 2007-08, published on 10 December 2008. [249598]
Mr. Khan: The Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of project activities 2007-08 was one of a number of reviews over the summer which sought to draw out learning and emerging practice on the delivery of activity to prevent violent extremism. Though each review had a different focus, together they provide a useful package of learning material upon which local partners can draw and which will inform the Government's approach to Prevent.
There are a number of common themes which run through all these reviews. Some of these require action from national Government, some from local partners and many from both. We have ensured wide distribution of the Pathfinder Fund Mapping report to enable local partners to benefit directly from information on the range of Pathfinder projects and how they are contributing to the Prevent strategy. We published Delivering PreventResponding to Learning on 10 December, which sets out the key strands of learning from the reviews and work already under way to address these key themes. We will continue to develop our response to the reviews throughout the year. A copy of Delivering PreventResponding to Learning has been placed in the House Library and can also be downloaded at:
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the new Centre of Excellence referred to in her press release of 10 December 2008 entitled Government steps up the fight against extremism, will be set up; how many people it will employ; what support it will provide to whom; what the annual running costs are expected to be; and if she will make a statement. [249592]
Mr. Khan: At the 10 December Prevent 08 Conference the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government stated that over the coming months a national centre of excellence would be developed to be up and running in 2009, that any local area can access for practical advice on Prevent.
We are currently working with local and national partners to agree how the centre will operate.
Next Section | Index | Home Page |