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30 Mar 2009 : Column 848W—continued
Departmental Flowers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by his Department on flowers in the last 12 months. [266287]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) does not record expenditure under this heading. However, £28,412 was paid to florists and nurseries in 2007-08 (excluding agencies and executive NDPBs).
Flowers are generally purchased as decoration when the NIO hosts official events such as receptions, for example for military personnel returning and ceremonies such as Royal Garden Parties honouring community and civic leaders. Where possible, the Department will make use of these items at more than one event.
These figures also include flowers purchased for events which are held in Hillsborough Castle on behalf of other parties. Although the NIO does not charge these external customers directly for the cost of flowers, an administration charge is levied to cover sundry costs.
Departmental ICT
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2008, Official Report, column 773W, on departmental ICT, which ICT projects are over budget and by how much in each case. [257288]
Paul Goggins: There is one ICT project which is over budget.
The Causeway Programme's original estimated cost was £42.7 million but it is estimated to be £58 million by 2013 when the contract is closed.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much capital spending is planned to be brought forward by his Department to (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. [266299]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO), excluding its agencies and executive NDPBs, has made no plans to bring forward capital spending to 2008-09 or 2009-10.
Departmental Publications
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the (a) production and printing and (b) other costs to his Department of producing its most recent (i) departmental annual report and (ii) autumn performance report. [266688]
Mr. Woodward: The cost of production of the Autumn Performance Report for 2008 and the annual Departmental Report for 2007-08 would only relate to staff costs in respect of the drafting and compilation of the reports as part of normal business.
(i) the Annual Departmental Report for 2007-08 was £12,870; and
(ii) the Autumn Performance Report for 2008 was £6,543.
Printing costs are not available for the 2008-09 Departmental Report as it is not yet published.
There were no other costs to my Department of producing these reports.
Forensic Science NI: Finance
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what budget was allocated to Forensic Science NI in each of the last five years. [264741]
Paul Goggins: Forensic Science NI is primarily funded to carry out its business from income it generates from its customers, with the remainder provided by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) centrally.
| £000 | |||||
| NIO funding | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| Note: Customers include PSNI, State Pathologist's Department, Police Ombudsman, Private customers etc. | |||||
The agency in 2008-09 had £10,908,000 resource and £1,343,000 capital in monies to fund activities.
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Recruitment
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people from each religious background (a) applied and (b) were appointed to join the police in Northern Ireland in recruitment competitions in 2008. [267712]
Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Prisons: Mobile Phones
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether prisoners in Northern Ireland are permitted to have and use mobile telephones within prisons. [267715]
Paul Goggins: Prisoners in Northern Ireland are not permitted to have and use mobile telephones within prisons.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Brussels
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits were made by Ministers to Brussels, other than on NATO business, in the financial year 2007-08. [264567]
Caroline Flint: During the financial year 2007-2008 our Ministers made a total of 149 visits to Brussels. These visits included both ministerial visits to our bi-lateral embassy in Brussels and the UK representation to the EU.
Commonwealth
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Commonwealth counterparts on the future of the Commonwealth. [266091]
Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office ministerial team engage regularly on Commonwealth issues including meeting Commonwealth counterparts. On 4 March 2009, I attended the latest Commonwealth Ministers Action Group Meeting. This year the modern Commonwealth is celebrating its 60th anniversary and has achieved a tremendous amount over the last 60 years. The UK is committed to ensuring the Commonwealth and every international organisation is forward looking and best able to deal with the challenges of the 21(st) century.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Armed Conflict
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what military involvement the United Nations has had in co-ordination with Congolese and Rwandan troops during their joint operation against the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda. [264592]
Gillian Merron
[holding answer 19 March 2009]: During the operations against the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) militia, UN peace keepers contributed logistical support to the Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC) army and assisted members of the FDLR in disarming and returning to Rwanda. The UN mission in the DRC (MONUC) made a team of military officers available to assist in planning the operations. Although the operations bore some successes, MONUC was less fully involved than we would have wished in planning and carrying them out. Our ambassador in Kinshasa called for co-ordination of the operations with MONUC, both publicly and in consultation with the DRC Government. We made clear our position that the operations should take proper account of humanitarian law and civilian protection.
Departmental Buildings
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what buildings are owned or operated by his Department under a private finance initiative (PFI) arrangement; and which companies are involved with each such PFI arrangement. [267412]
Gillian Merron: The only Foreign and Commonwealth Office building which we occupy under a private finance initiative arrangement is the building of our embassy in Berlin. The building is owned and operated by Arteos, a company owned by Semperian PPP Investment Partners.
Departmental ICT
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the initial estimated (a) cost and (b) delivery date for each ICT project initiated by his Department was for systems serving departmental processes in the UK that cost more than £1 million in each year since 2003-04; what the (i) outturn cost and (ii) completion date was of each project subsequently completed; which contractors were hired for each project; and how much has been paid to each contractor in respect of each project. [265510]
Gillian Merron: Until recently, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) devolved responsibility for expenditure on ICT systems to individual directorates. As a consequence there is no central historical record of the information requested, and a comprehensive reply could be provided only at disproportionate cost. This does not, however, apply to larger projects costing in excess of £2 million. The following table sets out the information requested for such projects initiated since April 2003. Most FCO systems are designed to operate both in the UK and at Posts overseas; all those listed in the following table, with the exception of disaster recovery, serve FCO staff around the world.
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