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16 Mar 2009 : Column 824W—continued
Departmental Public Appointments
Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what information her Office holds on the number of persons appointed to executive positions in bodies for which her Office has responsibility who previously had careers in the banking industry. [261241]
Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) sponsors two non-departmental public bodies, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Women's National Commission. GEO is not aware that any of those appointed to these bodies have had careers in the banking industry. Brief biographies of board and executive members on these bodies are available on their respective websites at:
Departmental Surveys
Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how much has been spent by her Office on staff surveys in each year since their inception; and which companies were contracted to carry out the surveys. [260875]
Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office is presently undertaking its first annual staff survey at a cost of £11,265 excluding VAT and has contracted with ORC International.
Equality: Business
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what estimate she has made of the costs to business of the proposals on the public procurement process to be contained in the Equality Bill. [260284]
Maria Eagle: The Government are continuing to explore whether we can do more to encourage public authorities to use procurement to further equality outcomes. We are examining legislative and non-legislative options taking account of EU procurement rules and the need for value for money.
Expert Equality Taskforce
Robert Neill: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality when she expects the Expert Equality Taskforce to report; what the membership of the taskforce is; and what declarations of political activity have been made by each member. [259533]
Maria Eagle: I am not aware of a body called the Expert Equality Taskforce. However, the National Equality Panel has been established by the London School of Economics with a grant from the Government Equalities Office. The Panel has been asked to report by the end of 2009 on the relationships between different aspects of inequality in people's economic situations, and their other characteristics and circumstances. Professor John Hills was appointed chair; who then appointed the remaining nine members, as independent experts in particular aspects of equality. They are: Mike Brewer, Professor Stephen Jenkins, Professor Steve Machin, Professor Colin Mills, Professor Ruth Lister, Professor Sheila Riddell, Professor Teresa Rees, Dr. Ruth Lupton and Professor Tariq Modood. Further details of the Panel and its membership can be found on the Government Equalities Office website at:
The National Equality Panel is not a non-departmental public body, and does not have a register of political interests.
Prostitution: Human Trafficking
Mr. Bone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on the provision of services for women who have been trafficked into the UK for sexual exploitation. [261779]
Maria Eagle: We believe that existing mechanisms (the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking and the Home Office NGO Stakeholder Group) provide appropriate forums for discussion and advocacy on issues surrounding trafficking for sexual exploitation, as well as allowing for close scrutiny of progress on the Action Plan and the Council of Europe Convention.
As Minister for Women and Equality, I ensure all Government Departments are considering the specific concerns of vulnerable women. The Home Office and
the UK Border Agency continue to work with our international partners both to raise awareness of human trafficking and further strengthen our ability to prevent this crime taking place.
Rape: Victim Support Schemes
Mrs. May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality whether the £1 million emergency fund for rape crisis centres will be continued in 2009-10. [261038]
Maria Eagle: This financial year, as well as providing £1.25 million from the Victims' Fund, the Government have paid out £900,000 from a £1.1 million special fund for rape crisis centres. Since the special fund was announced in March 2008, no rape crisis centre has closed.
This central Government funding is in addition to funding from local bodies, such as local authorities, who are well-placed to assess local needs.
The Government Equalities Office has been working closely with Rape Crisis (England and Wales) and The Survivors Trust to shape how the 2009-10 special fund for the sexual violence voluntary sector will work. We will announce details of the fund shortly.
Northern Ireland
Departmental Data Protection
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department uses WPA2 encryption protocol on all its wireless networks. [259824]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office follows CESG guidance on the use of the Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) communications security protocols in order to protect wireless networks carrying protectively marked (up to RESTRICTED/IL3) traffic. The configuration and operation standards for WPA2 are set out in CESG's Infosec Manual Y, Use of WPA2 Wireless Security in Government Systems.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's IT security hierarchy. [259826]
Paul Goggins: It is not in the interest of the security of the Department, or that of the public, to place a copy of the Northern Ireland Office IT security hierarchy in the Library.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what scanning for vulnerabilities his Department conducts of each of its IT devices; what method is used for IT device scans; and how many vulnerabilities have been detected as a result of such scans in the last 12 months. [259827]
Paul Goggins: It is not in the interest of the security of the Northern Ireland Office, or that of the public, to disclose details of scans or vulnerabilities. Disclosing such information would enable criminals and those who would attempt to cause disruptive threats to the Department to deduce how to conduct attacks and therefore potentially enhance their capability to carry out such attacks.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what IT security policy his Department has; what procedures are in place to ensure the policy is being followed; what his Department's policy is on encryption of data when it leaves departmental premises; and what sanctions are in place for failure to comply with this policy. [259848]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office is compliant with the security policies contained in the Government Security Policy Framework including those for information security and assurance.
Depending upon the circumstances, a range of sanctions are available including disciplinary or administrative action, and in extreme or persistent cases, termination of employment/services and, if appropriate, criminal proceedings.
Departmental Impact Assessments
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many equalities impact assessments his Department has undertaken in the last 12-month period for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of such assessments. [255067]
Mr. Woodward: No equality impact assessments were undertaken by my Department excluding agencies and NDPBs in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.
Departmental Marketing
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2009, Official Report, column 1415W, on departmental marketing, how much of the total for 2007-08 was spent on (a) media advertising, (b) promotion and (c) education packs and initiatives for schools. [257287]
Mr. Woodward: The following table illustrates the Department's expenditure, excluding its agencies and executive NDPBs, on media advertising, promotion and education packs and initiatives for schools in 2007-08:
| Expenditure type | 2007-08 expenditure (£) |
Some of these figures also include crime prevention initiative costs which are not part of the original advertising costs quoted in the answer of 5 February 2009, Official Report, column 1415W.
Departmental Public Appointments
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information his Department holds on the number of persons appointed to executive positions in bodies for which his Department has responsibility in the last five years who previously had careers in the banking industry. [261223]
Mr. Woodward: Information on the number of persons appointed to executive positions in the last five years who previously had careers in the banking industry is not held centrally and to obtain this information would incur disproportionate costs.
Trade Unions
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which trade unions are recognised in his Department. [262085]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office attaches great importance to ensuring effective consultation and involvement of its staff. It is a personal decision whether or not to join a trade union; however the Department encourages staff to join an appropriate trade union and to play an active part in it, ensuring their views are represented.
Members of staff in the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies are currently represented by the following Trades Unions:
NIPSA (Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance)
FDA (First Division Association)
PCS (Public and Commercial Services Union)
NASUWT (National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers)
POA (Prison Officer’s Association)
UNISON
PGA (Prison Governor’s Association).
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Land
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the area of farmland of each agricultural land classification at risk of flooding. [262117] [Official Report, 20 April 2009, Vol. 491, c. 2MC.]
Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA has estimated that out of a total of approximately 14 million hectares of agricultural land in England, 1.3 million hectares are in areas of potential flood risk. Of that, approximately 40 per cent. is grade 1 or 2 and 60 per cent. is grade 3, 4 or 5. DEFRA is refining this estimate with the support of its delivery partners.
Economic Situation
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) summits, (b) conferences and (c) seminars his Department has hosted since January 2008 at which a primary subject of discussion was the effect of the economic situation on matters within his Department’s responsibility. [259766]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Since January 2008, the Secretary of State, Ministers and officials have hosted various events at which the impact of the economic situation on matters within the Department’s responsibility has been a focus. These events have involved participation by DEFRA staff as well as delivery partners and external bodies.
In October, the Department hosted an internal conference for members of the senior civil service, at which the economic situation was one of the discussion topics. There were follow-up workshops to take work forward.
The impact of the economic situation on the Department’s business and priorities is built into the Management Board’s performance management process.
We have also discussed the impact of the economic situation with our delivery bodies, including at a conference with the chairmen of our NDPBs held last autumn. DEFRA and DECC held a seminar with delivery bodies in November 2008 to discuss what more could be done to support business in the area of resource efficiency.
The Secretary of State and the Department’s officials are working closely with other Government Departments on the economy. The Secretary of State attends the meetings of the Prime Minister’s National Economic Council. In his 16 February 2009 speech to the National Farmers Union, he announced his intention to convene an industry round-table on skills in the agriculture/horticulture sector in the light of the economic situation.
Renewable Energy: Waste
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the proportion of energy generated by energy from waste plants. [263087]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
In 2007 Municipal Solid Waste plants generated 1,884 GWh of electricity out of total UK generation of 396,457 GWh. This is equivalent to 0.5 per cent. In addition 171,000 tonnes of oil equivalent were used to generate heat in 2007 which equates to about 0.25 per cent. of UK total demand for heat in that year.
Science Advisory Council
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) men and (b) women are members of the Science Advisory Council; and if he will make a statement. [263409]
Huw Irranca-Davies [holding answer 13 March 2009]: Membership of DEFRA’s Science Advisory Council currently consists of 11 men and three women.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to answer question 248253, on loss of departmental property, tabled on 12 January 2009. [262506]
Huw Irranca-Davies: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 11 March 2009, Official Report, columns 433-34W.
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