Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Solicitor-General how much the Crown Prosecution Service has spent to keep victims informed of prosecution decisions since 2002. [267421]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) keeps victims informed of prosecution decisions by writing to victims when key decisions are taken, by meeting victims in serious cases, and through the work of Witness Care Units (WCU), which provide information and support to victims and other witnesses. Detailed information on the costs of these activities is not available. A comprehensive review of the resources dedicated to victim and witness care is to take place in 2009-10.
Andrew Selous: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much it cost to process hon. Members' applications for expenses in the last year for which figures are available. [267419]
Nick Harvey: The direct staff cost of processing hon. Members' claims is forecast to be some £1.2 million for 2008-09. This does not include IT or accommodation costs which cannot be disaggregated to this level.
Geraldine Smith: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the maximum number of tours of Parliament organised through the central tours office is that may take place on each day from Monday to Friday during sitting periods. [267237]
Nick Harvey: During sitting periods the number of tour slots each day is as follows:
Mondays, 38
Tuesdays, 38
Wednesdays, 38 (15 full tours, 23 Lords end only)
Thursdays, 0
Fridays, sitting (either House) 24, Non sitting 92
Geraldine Smith: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission which individuals have booked tours of Parliament through the central tours office in the last four weeks. [267238]
Nick Harvey: Information can be provided on the categories of individuals sponsoring tours. To maximise capacity, small groups can sometimes be combined, thus accommodating additional groups. Therefore the total number of tour groups accommodated usually exceeds the number of slots available, as illustrated:
Bookings made, by sponsor, for the period 2 March to 31 March inclusive | ||||
Number of tour slots | Small group additions to tours | Total number of groups accommodated | ||
Number | Percentage | |||
Geraldine Smith: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much advance notice is required to book a tour of Parliament through the central tours office. [267239]
Nick Harvey: On the first working day of each new month, booking opens for the month six months ahead, e.g. on 1 April the spreadsheet for October will be opened. Slots within a new month are usually booked close to capacity within two to three weeks of that month becoming available.
Geraldine Smith: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission which categories of people are able to book tours of Parliament through the central tours office. [267240]
Nick Harvey: The following categories of people are able to book tours:
Members and Officers of both Houses
Permanent staff of either House for work purposes (expressed in the regulations as where there is a clear business need, i.e. not for personal guests)
Central Tours Officeif the group is clearly one which Parliament would wish to host, such as direct requests from ministries, overseas parliamentarians, civil service training.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the objectives are of his forthcoming visit to China. [267011]
Ann McKechin: To support Scottish Council for Development and Industry members in winning business in this growing economy.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on the objectives of his forthcoming visit to China. [267012]
Ann McKechin: My right hon. Friend has had discussions with various colleagues about his visit to China and UKTI have been closely involved in its planning and support in China.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his decision to join the Scottish Council for Development and Industrys trade delegation to China was taken. [267013]
Ann McKechin: Discussions have been ongoing with SCDI on support to their overseas trade delegations. Earlier this year they asked my right hon. Friend to lead their delegation to China.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on which date his travel to and from China as part of the Scottish Council for Development and Industrys trade delegation was booked. [267014]
Ann McKechin: Ministerial travel is booked at the appropriate time having regard to the visit itinerary and other diary commitments.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) officials and (b) special advisers will accompany him on his forthcoming visit to China; and what budget has been allocated for the visit. [267019]
Ann McKechin: Two civil servants and one special adviser. Funding for the visit has been allocated from the budget of the Scotland Office in the normal way to support my right hon. Friends responsibilities.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he received from the Scottish Council for Development and Industry on joining its forthcoming trade delegation to China. [267020]
Ann McKechin: SCDI requested that my right hon. Friend lead their trade mission to China.
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is his Departments policy to offer staff (a) additional leave entitlement for Christmas shopping and (b) Christmas bonus payments. [262805]
Ann McKechin: Staff in the Scotland Office are seconded from the Scottish Executive or the Ministry of Justice and the Office follows the policies of the parent Departments regarding leave entitlements and bonus arrangements.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to ensure that no cleaning products or ingredients of cleaning products used by his Department have been tested on animals. [261120]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office obtains its cleaning services through central procurement contracts set up by the Scottish Executive or the Ministry of Justice. As part of the procurement process, any specific requirements for using ethically sourced cleaning products would be for the Executive or the Ministry of Justice to consider.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff in his Department (a) were disciplined and (b) had their employment terminated as a result of a poor sickness record in each of the last 12 months. [262230]
Ann McKechin: No staff were disciplined or had their employment terminated as a result of a poor sickness record in the last 12 months.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2009, Official Report, column 3W, on departmental surveys, if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of the staff survey undertaken by his Department in 2007. [263358]
Ann McKechin: A copy of the Scotland Office staff survey published in 2007 has been placed in the Library of the House.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many training courses civil servants in his Department undertook in each of the last three years; and what the cost of such training was in each year. [266266]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office encourages all staff to undertake learning and development activities. The majority of opportunities are provided through the Scottish Executive and the Ministry of Justice at no direct cost to the Office; but where the training need is still not available within central Government, external training courses may be considered.
The Office incurred the following direct expenditure:
£ | |
The Office does not maintain a central record of all training courses attended by staff.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister on Scotlands involvement in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and if he will make a statement. [265520]
Ann McKechin: The Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions with the First Minister on Scotland's involvement in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In the last couple of months I have met separately with Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics and John Armitt, Chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority to discuss how Scotland can contribute to a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Tom Brake: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions his Department has had with organisations representing business on (a) business crime and (b) recording business crimes separately. [247125]
Ian Pearson: Government policy to tackle crime against business, including whether such crime should be recorded separately is overseen by the Home Office. This Department works with the Home Office to inform the policy. BERR is represented on the joint Government/Industry National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG). Officials have had conversations in partnership with the Home Office with a number of national and sector-specific trade bodies.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department takes to ensure the co-ordination of its support for business with that provided by local councils and chambers of commerce. [255509]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 9 February 2009]: In order to strengthen co-ordination of business support, we have introduced Solutions for Businessa streamlined portfolio of publicly funded support products. This has been delivered through the Business Support Simplification Programme (BSSP). The BSSP has been overseen by a board which includes the Local Government Association, business representative bodies, a range of Government Departments and regional development agencies (RDAs). This Department and the RDAs have worked very closely with local authorities and business groups to deliver this streamlined, co-ordinated offer to businesses.
The RDAs deliver this Department's business support and co-ordinate efforts to help business, bringing together regional and local partners, including local authorities and Chambers of Commerce, and the private sector. They also manage Business Link, the access route to all forms of business and skills support, including Solutions for Business. In each region Business Link works with local authorities and business representative groups, including Chambers of Commerce.
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