Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 3 February 2009
Olympics
CompeteFor
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister for the Olympics which companies tendered for the CompeteFor website contract. [251302]
Tessa Jowell: The London Development Agency (LDA) commissioned specialist support to identify the most appropriate sourcing strategy for the electronic brokerage service which is now known as CompeteFor. The Office of Government Commerce's Catalist framework was used to ensure an efficient procurement process.
CompeteFor, primarily a web portal, would also contain substantial e-transactional and customer relationship management elements. Seven suppliers met all three of these requirements, these were:
Deloitte MCS
Electronic Data Systems Ltd
Fujitsu Services
Hedra
LogicaCMG
Parity Solutions
Serco Ltd.
Both Hedra and Parity Solutions were later ruled out. Of the five remaining bidders four expressed an interest in bidding and tenders were received from Deloitte and Serco.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether the procurement process for the CompeteFor website contract took place in accordance with the European Union's competitive dialogue procurement procedure. [251303]
Tessa Jowell: The procurement was undertaken through a mini-competition using the Office of Government Commerce's (OGC) Catalist framework. This was undertaken in accordance with the OGC's guidance and in line with European Union requirements; however, the approach did not use the competitive dialogue procedure. The competitive dialogue process is normally used when a specification may be unclear, and ongoing engagement is needed with potential suppliers. In this instance a specification was sufficiently developed and so a competitive dialogue was unnecessary.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether the CompeteFor website will continue to operate after all the contracts for the London 2012 Olympics have been awarded; and if she will make a statement. [251739]
Tessa Jowell:
The Government have accepted the recommendation made in Anne Glover's report, published alongside the pre-Budget report 2008, that there should be a single, free, and easy to search online portal for Government procurement. The Department for Business
is looking at what companies want from a single portal and whether this matches the CompeteFor specification. This will influence the future of CompeteFor beyond 2012.
Departmental Press Officers
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many press and communications officers are employed by (a) her Department and (b) the Olympic Delivery Authority. [250431]
Tessa Jowell: The information is as follows:
(a) The Government Olympic Executive has responsibility for ensuring the London 2012 games are delivered, established a communications team in June 2008. Currently four full-time officers are employed.
In addition, the Minister’s press support is provided by the DCMS communications department where three press officers are employed to work on the Olympics desk.
(b) As answered in October 2008, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) communications team employs 25 members of staff. This consists of permanent staff, fixed term contract staff and secondments.
The ODA communications team are responsible for all elements of communication and stakeholder engagement activities across the entire ODA programme. These activities include:
Dealing with public inquiries about the ODA’s work;
Engagement with the local people in the five boroughs in and around the Olympic Park, including reactive and proactive community relations work;
Stakeholder engagement with external groups for example the design, transport, construction, political and sporting communities;
Statutory consultation for planning applications;
Communication with a wide range of national, international, specialist, trade, regional and local media;
Filming and photography of the work on the Olympic Park; including internet and new media.
Of the aforementioned, there are four press officers and one head of media dealing specifically with the press.
Departmental Public Relations
Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what the cost of her Office’s contracts with public relations consultancies was in each year since its establishment. [251536]
Tessa Jowell: The Government Olympic Executive Communication function began in June 2008. Since this date, it has spent £1,175.00 on contracts with public relations consultancies.
Olympic Games 2012: Construction
Alan Simpson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her assessment is of the extent to which Aggregate Industries Ltd is meeting the contractually stipulated target of delivering 99 per cent. of aggregate materials to the Olympic Park by sustainable means. [250419]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 27 January 2009]: The Olympic Delivery Authority's target that at least 50 per cent. of all materials, by weight, be transported to the Olympic Park by non-road methods is being exceeded. Aggregate Industries Ltd is currently achieving a performance level of 84 per cent. against that target.
Aggregate Industries' own target is that 99 per cent. of materials be transported by non-road methods.
Olympic Games 2012: Contracts
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether companies tendering for contracts at the Olympic site are required to have business continuity plans in place as part of their tenders. [250569]
Tessa Jowell: Companies tendering for contracts on the Olympic Park site are required to have business continuity plans in place, the details of which are reviewed during the procurement process.
Olympic Games 2012: Finance
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what assessment she has made of the likely effects of recent sterling exchange rates on budgetary provision for the London 2012 Olympics. [250905]
Tessa Jowell: The Government’s assessment is that current sterling exchange rates will not have significant effects on budgetary provision for the 2012 Olympics. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) receives its revenues, and makes its payments, in sterling. It is the responsibility of the ODA tier one contractors to manage exchange risks as defined by their contractual arrangements with the ODA. The ODA is reviewing the current exchange rate fluctuations with its Delivery Partner and the tier one contractors to assess the level of impact on future procurement. To date, no call has been made on the contingency in relation to exchange rate fluctuations. The contingency (within the £9.325 billion funding package) does, however, include provision for identified risks with the potential to impact on projects across the ODA programme such as exchange rate fluctuations.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is due some revenues in both US dollars and euros. As a result, LOCOG has taken steps to effectively minimise exposure to exchange rate shifts and it is expected that recent movements in both currencies against sterling will have no significant impact on LOCOG’s revenues. As the majority of LOCOG’s costs are sterling-based, it is expected that recent movements in both currencies against sterling will have no significant impact on LOCOG’s costs.
Olympic Games 2012: Peterborough
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her latest assessment is of the legacy which will accrue to Peterborough constituency as a result of the 2012 London Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement. [250947]
Tessa Jowell: We are fully committed to ensuring a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Games which spreads to all communities in the UK.
At a regional level this work is being taken forward by the Nations and Regions Group (NRG) who are working hard to ensure the benefits of 2012 reach across the UK. The east of England representative is Councillor Stephen Castle who also chairs Nations and Regions East (NRE). NRE is the partnership, which includes representation from both Peterborough city council and Cambridge county council, set up to provide strategic direction and support to county level working groups to take forward relevant and appropriate activity to maximise the benefits of 2012.
The east of England launched its regional plan to maximise the benefits of the Games on 13 November 2007. This can be found on the east of England regional development website:
I am delighted to say that progress on legacy in the east of England and Peterborough is already being made. For example, of the 48 local authorities in the east of England, 26 are offering free swimming to both those aged 16 or under and 60 or over (including Peterborough). 65 facilities from the east of England, including Grange Farm Equestrian Centre in Peterborough are included in the official London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide; 22 events took place in the region during the Cultural Olympiad ‘Open Weekend’ and 60 special ‘handover flags’ were raised.
Furthermore, 353 schools and colleges covering 220,507 students in the east of England have registered on ‘Get Set’, the London 2012 education programme launched in September last year. Get Set provides a whole range of flexible, interactive learning resources and is designed to give expression to Olympic and Paralympic values.
Culture, Media and Sport
10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice English Heritage has provided in connection with the work in 10 Downing Street associated with Westminster city council planning application reference 08/00696/1884. [252478]
Barbara Follett: Westminster City Council planning application reference PT/08/00696/1884 refers to an application dated 10 January 2008 for listed building consent to refurbish ground floor lavatories off the Inner Lobby of 10 Downing Street. English Heritage was notified on 29 January 2008 of the application and replied to Westminster on 7 February 2008 with a ‘non-intervention’ letter. This authorised the city council to determine the application for listed building consent as it saw fit.
Creativity and Business International Network
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) meetings, (b) events and (c) other activities are planned for the Creativity and Business International Network between now and October 2009. [250246]
Andy Burnham: Ministers and officials in my Department regularly hold meetings concerning the content and planning for the Creativity and Business International Network (c&binet) with a range of stakeholders in the public and private sector.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on producing branded ampersands for the meeting of the Creativity and Business International Network in Liverpool on 20 November 2008. [250248]
Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend, the Minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism, gave him on 14 October 2008, Official Report, column 1210W. The cost of the ampersands is included within the £1 million allocated towards the running of the World Creative Business Conference in each of the next three years, including 2008-09.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on food and drink for the meeting of the Creativity and Business International Network in Liverpool on 20 November 2008. [250249]
Andy Burnham: The total cost of food and drink at the reception and dinner held for the Creativity and Business International Network on 20 November 2008 was £3581.
Culture: Research
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions Ministers from his Department have had with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on funding for media and cultural studies research in the last 12 months; and what the outcome of those meetings was. [252932]
Andy Burnham: I regularly meet with ministerial colleagues to discuss a wide range of issues.
Departmental Administration
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of his Department’s outturn expenditure on administration for 2008-09; and if he will make a statement. [240338]
Andy Burnham: The Department’s outturn expenditure on administration for 2008-09 is estimated to be £56.029 million according to the management accounts produced to 31 October 2008.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on ministerial hospitality in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07 and (d) 2007-08, expressed in current prices. [241234]
Barbara Follett: The Department’s accounting system does not separately record information on expenditure on ministerial hospitality and this could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
All expenditure on hospitality is made in accordance with published departmental guidance, based on the principles set out in Managing Public Money.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guests attended the dinner hosted by his Department at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool on 20 November 2008. [250250]
Andy Burnham: The following people attended the launch event for the Creativity and Business International Network on 20 November 2008.
Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Barbara Follett, Minister for Culture and Creative Industries and Tourism
Jon Zeff, Director, Media, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Martha Kearney, Journalist (acting as moderator)
Andy Duncan, Chief Executive, Channel 4
Boko Inyundo, Global Sector Manager Linklaters LLE
Chris Clarke, CEO, Nitro Group
Ian Findlay, Director, Ariadne Capital
Jatin Das, Artist
Jocelyn Stevenson, Creative Director, TT Animation
John Smith, Chief Executive, BBC Worldwide
Julia Barfield, Founder Director, Marks Barfield Architects
Laurence Green, Founding Partner and Chairman, Fallon London
Lorna Tilbian, Executive Director, Numis Corporation plc.
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