Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 4 February 2009
Wales
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in his Department were disciplined for (a) bullying and (b) harassment of colleagues in each of the last three years. [254082]
Departmental Pensions
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps his Department is taking to advise staff of pension options available to them in relation to added years or additional voluntary contributions. [253258]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Wales Office does not employ financial advisers. The HR team can talk to staff about pension options and provide information, but are not qualified to advise on their individual financial circumstances or retirement needs. They will always advise the individual to discuss their pension options (including added years and AVCs) with a qualified Independent Financial Adviser before making a decision.
Employment
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent estimate he has made of the effects of globalisation on levels of employment in (a) Wales and (b) Blaenau Gwent. [250942]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The effects of globalisation on employment in Wales must be seen as both a challenge and a significant opportunity.
The Government are working to maximise the gains to the UK economy from globalisation while at the same time attempting to mitigate the downside risks associated with globalisation, by raising productivity and competitiveness.
In relation to overseas markets the Government and National Assembly for Wales seek every opportunity to maximise export and inward investment opportunities.
Scotland
Barnett Formula
6. James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the mechanisms by which the Barnett formula operates. [253064]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I have regular discussions concerning a range of topics with my right hon. Friend.
Welfare Reform
7. Miss Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the likely effects of welfare reform on people in Scotland. [253065]
Ann McKechin: I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend on a range of issues, including the measures in the Welfare Reform Bill. The reforms will give people the help they need to move away from a life on benefits, and put in place a new conditionality regime for those people who are able to work with the right support.
Job Losses
8. Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent assessment he has made of trends in numbers of job losses in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [253066]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The trends in claimant count in Scotland are in the range of a low of 67,700 in 1974 to a high of 334,000 in January 1987. Today there are 97,000 people on jobseeker's allowance in Scotland.
Forth Crossing
9. Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on UK Government assistance for the financing of the construction of a new Forth crossing. [253067]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I plan to meet shortly with my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary and Mr. John Swinney, the Cabinet Secretary in the Scottish Government to discuss funding for this vitally important project.
High-speed Rail Link
10. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on a high-speed rail link between London and Scotland. [253068]
Ann McKechin: My right hon. Friend and I hold regular discussions with ministerial colleagues across Government about a wide range of issues.
National Minimum Wage
11. Mr. Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on steps to ensure that businesses in Scotland are complying with the requirement to pay the national minimum wage. [253069]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I have regular discussions with the Chancellor on a range of issues. We are committed to effective national minimum wage enforcement through new penalties contained within the Employment Act 2008, awareness raising initiatives and an increased enforcement budget.
European Social Fund
12. Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with Scottish Executive Ministers on the use of the European social fund in Scotland. [253070]
Ann McKechin: I, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, have had no recent discussions with Scottish Ministers concerning the use of the European social fund in Scotland. European social fund money for Scotland goes directly from the European Commission to Scottish Ministers and it is up to them whether they wish to use this money to provide, for example, careers advice, skills training and support for unemployed people in Scotland. The UK Government have committed to doing this for people in England.
Digital Switchover
13. Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on digital switchover in Scotland. [253071]
Ann McKechin: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on a range of issues, including digital switchover. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport visited the Borders region in advance of Scotland’s first digital switchover last autumn and met with local council and interest groups. My right hon. Friends are hosting a broadcasting summit in Glasgow on the 19 March which will be attended by numerous representatives of Scotland’s broadcasting and creative industries.
Local Government Finance
14. Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on mechanisms for allocating the block grant to Scotland in 2010 and 2011. [253072]
Mr. Jim Murphy: There are no plans to change the mechanism of payment of the Scottish block grant.
Retained Firefighters
15. Sir Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues for the purposes of agreeing the UK’s position in EU discussions on the effect on retained firefighters in Scotland of an end to the voluntary opt-out from the provisions of the EU working time directive. [253073]
Ann McKechin: There have been no specific discussions. However, the UK Government will continue to work with the Scottish Government on this matter. Protecting communities across Scotland, and the UK, is our top priority.
The amendments to the Common Position voted by the European Parliament on 17 December are the latest step in a complex negotiation. Implementation of the working time directive, by setting a 48-hour maximum to the working week, would greatly reduce the hours
which firefighters working the retained duty system could be available for duty. The UK Government therefore place great importance on retaining their opt-out from the directive.
Departmental Internet
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hits his Department’s blog has received in each month since its launch. [248515]
Ann McKechin: The number of visits to the Secretary of State’s blog each month since its launch in October 2008 is set out in the following table:
| Month | Number of hits |
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department has taken to publicise its blog; and what the cost of such activity was. [248516]
Ann McKechin: The Secretary of State launched his blog:
on 6 October 2008. It was publicised by press notice as part of the departmental press office’s routine communications activity, and as such it is not possible to provide a discrete cost.
Departmental Overseas Visits
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many overseas visits Ministers in his Department have undertaken in the last 12 months; to which destinations; and how many departmental staff accompanied the Minister on each occasion. [253002]
Ann McKechin: In the last 12 months the following overseas visits have taken place:
| Date | Minister | Destination | Departmental staff |
Departmental Training
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what (a) training, (b) coaching and (c) personal development courses each Minister in his Department has received since 2005; and what the cost of providing this training was. [252987]
Ann McKechin: Since 2005, Ministers in the Scotland Office have received training in Presentation and Public Speaking Skills and have participated in Introduction Workshops for New Ministers.
Departmental Written Questions
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to answer Questions (a) 248515 and (b) 248516 tabled on 13 January 2009, on his Department’s blog. [253330]
Ann McKechin: These parliamentary questions were answered today.
Transport
British Railways Board (Residuary): Parking
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the workplace parking charges being introduced by Nottingham city council will be passed on to staff members in whole or in part of British Railways Board (Residuary) Ltd where those staff have offices located within the workplace parking charging zone. [253772]
Paul Clark: No decision has been taken by Ministers on whether or not to confirm Nottingham city council’s workplace parking levy order. It would not be appropriate, while the scheme is being considered, to speculate on the implications of the city council’s proposals for any employers located in Nottingham or their staff.
Compulsory Purchase: Hagley
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the compulsory purchase of the Prince of Wales public house at Stourbridge Road, Hagley, Worcestershire; how much has been spent on (a) compensation payments, (b) legal costs, (c) provision of a mobile unit in the car park, including associated personnel costs and (d) other costs in connection with the purchase; and if he will make a statement. [249330]
Paul Clark: The Prince of Wales Public House was purchased by the Highways Agency on 14 July 1993 for £325,000 following a request from the owner to purchase under blight provisions in connection with the A449/A456 Kidderminster-Blakedown-Hagley bypass. A breakdown of this amount by compensation payment and legal costs is currently unavailable because the information is archived.
The total cost of the mobile unit and associated on site security to date is £30,660.
Other costs include management fees to the Highways Agency's managing agents to date of £24,194, and legal costs of £110,647 which were incurred in connection with protracted legal proceedings culminating in a High Court hearing to obtain vacant possession following the lease of the property. Costs were awarded to the Highways Agency and they are seeking to recover them.
The property is now surplus and will be sold.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Fines
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has collected in fines from vehicle owners for failure to notify change of
ownership in the most recent year for which figures are available; for what purpose this money has been used; and if he will make a statement. [253564]
Jim Fitzpatrick: During the period January 2008 to December 2008 the DVLA collected £1,943,667 in fines as a result of failure to notify change of keeper.
All money collected is returned to Treasury.
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