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20 Apr 2009 : Column 449W—continued
We do not have any records prior to 1999-2000.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency are unable to provide this information as the data is not available from their landlord.
These figures are based on actual usage of fuel over the period and differ slightly from the figures submitted as part of the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) reporting process, as some buildings were excluded from this exercise. SDIG figures are also weather corrected data.
The information in this answer covers the Department's central administrative estate of Richmond House, Wellington House and Skipton House. The Department is a minor occupier in New Kings Beam House (HM Revenue and Customs) and Quarry House in Leeds (Department of Work and Pensions) and the data for these sites is not available to us. Reductions in 2005-06 and 2006-07 are due to the closure of two London buildings. Eileen House and Hannibal House.
The data supplied for NHS PASA relates to energy used at their Reading, Chester and Sheffield sites.
Departmental ICT
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the (a) energy consumed by, (b) energy cost of and (c) carbon dioxide emissions from each category of IT device in each division of his Department in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [269556]
Mr. Bradshaw: In October 2008, an assessment of the Department's information and communications (ICT) infrastructure by the Information Services Division provided estimates of energy consumption and carbon emissions within the categories of information technology device listed in the following table.
| Type of device | Annualised estimated energy consumption (kWh) | Estimated annual energy cost (£) | Annualised tonnes of CO 2 (includes the effect of Datecentre efficiency) |
There has been no survey of the energy and carbon emissions from the ICT estate prior to October 2008. It would incur disproportionate cost to identify the components of the infrastructure and assess energy
consumption in the five years prior to the survey. A governance structure is being put into place to ensure that ongoing change in the ICT infrastructure is tracked against a carbon reduction roadmap to meet government targets.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to address the effect on levels of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department of its ICT purchases since the publication of the Greening Government ICT Strategy; and if he will make a statement. [269557]
Mr. Bradshaw: Since the publication of the Greening Government ICT Strategy, the Department has only purchased personal computers, laptops and monitors that meet Energy Star performance criteria and EPEAT environmental criteria. The policy for procurement of these items includes specification of low energy processors and high efficiency power conversion units.
A managed print service has been put in place to reduce the number of printers on the estate and to increase the efficiency of the printing service. This will reduce if not remove the need for new printers over the next two to three years.
A policy is in place to redeploy existing suitable devices before procurement is approved and to extend the life of assets while they continue to meet minimum performance criteria.
A green governance process is being established to ensure that any other new information and communications technology purchase is specified within a framework that ensures the performance of the device or service is optimised to reduce carbon emissions, that existing suitable equipment is redeployed before a new purchase is approved, and that virtualisation technology is used where possible in the solution definition.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average server capacity utilisation by each division of his Department was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [269577]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department operates centralised information technology services and does not measure or deliver services by division. Average server capacity utilisation has not been monitored over the past five years and it would be at disproportionate cost to provide this information.
As part of the Department's Greening information and communications technology (ICT) strategy and action plan, the Department's provider of ICT services under an outsource agreement has been commissioned to review current server utilisation and to cost opportunities for server optimisation. This report will be delivered in May 2009.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) printers and (b) multi-function devices with printing functions were in use in each division of his Department in each of the last five years; how many such devices had a function enabling two-sided printing; and if he will make a statement. [269602]
Mr. Bradshaw: The majority of printers and multi function devices (MFDs) are located in open plan accommodation and are available for use by any group within reach of the device. Information is not held on numbers of devices per division. The figures provided represent the total numbers of devices in use across the estate.
Historically, information has not been held on an annual basis of the numbers of printers and MFDs in use before 2007. In August 2007, an audit was undertaken in advance of the introduction of a new managed print service. The numbers were as follows:
| Duplex | Non Duplex | |
The numbers, as of January 2009, with the managed print service fully implemented are as follows:
| Duplex | Non Duplex | |
Two-sided printing is the default setting for all duplex enabled devices.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of IT products in each category procured for each division of his Department were compliant with the Government's Buy Sustainable-Quick Win standard in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [269624]
Mr. Bradshaw: In the 2008-09 financial year, the Department procured:
60 personal computers, 100 per cent. meeting EPEAT gold and Energy Star criteria;
119 laptops, 100 per cent. meeting EPEAT silver and Energy Star criteria; and
175 flat screen monitors, 100 per cent. meeting EPEAT silver and Energy Star criteria.
All the products above listed as meeting Energy Star criteria are deemed to meet the Buy Sustainable-Quick Win standard. There is no breakdown by division available as devices are procured in bulk and allocated on individual need for the duration of the requirement. It would incur disproportionate cost to identify allocation of new equipment by division.
There were no purchases of individual printers, scanners and inkjet printers in the year as the Department procured a contract for a managed print service, deployed in 2007-08. The service replaced 1,500 individual printers with multifunctional devices and achieved significant carbon and financial savings.
External power supplies are purchased with laptops only and meet the required criteria of the EPEAT and Energy Start Standards.
Departmental Internet
Alun Michael:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps (a) his Department and (b) each of the agencies and public bodies for which his
Department is responsible are taking to ensure the principles of digital inclusion are applied to information made available online by them. [268968]
Ann Keen: The Department takes the issue of digital inclusion seriously. Where digital services are offered to citizens, the Department is working with the agencies and with the national health service to ensure citizens are not disadvantaged due to access to relevant technology. The Department is participating in the preparation of the cross-government Digital Inclusion Action Plan and is active to ensure awareness across the system. The principal channel for tackling Digital Inclusion within health is through NHS Choices.
Departmental Mobile Phones
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. [268247]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department do not hold detailed historic records of BlackBerry devices provided specifically to Ministers and special advisers. Information is held on the bills for the BlackBerry and other mobile devices but do not differentiate between the costs of different types of device.
The purchase price of BlackBerry and mobile telephones varies dependant on the purchase price and the time of procurement and any negotiated deals or discounts available at the time. The quarterly bills comprise BlackBerry and mobile telephone phone contract costs and calls, calls made from the Departments offices to our mobile telephones and other data charges for devices such as those to allow broadband access for laptops. Therefore, providing the information in the form requested in the question would incur disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. [268291]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department issues mobile telephones and BlackBerry devices to individuals based upon business need. No distinction is made between the allocation of such devices to Ministers, special advisers, civil servants or other staff working on behalf of the Department. Historical records of the allocation to specific individuals are not kept.
From our current records we can state that the following are in use:
Three BlackBerry devices;
Three mobile telephones.
Two BlackBerry devices;
One mobile telephone.
Civil Servants and others, working on behalf of the Department
1,092 BlackBerry devices;
1,363 mobile telephones.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of his Department's capital expenditure in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [268120]
Mr. Bradshaw: Information on the amounts of capital resources so far allocated to strategic health authorities, NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in 2008-09 have been placed in the Library.
Allocations for 2009-10 are based on financial plan returns from PCTs, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts; the returns from the trust sector are still incomplete, meaning that comprehensive estimates are not yet available. The process is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks and information on allocations is then available on a quarterly basis. Allocations for 2010-11 are also in the process of being finalised.
The Government have not set Departments’ capital departmental expenditure limit (DEL) budgets for years beyond 2010-11. Capital DEL budgets for 2011-12 and beyond are a matter for the next spending review. The Government do, however, publish projections for PSNI (public sector net investment) over the forecast period at Budgets and pre-Budget reports.
Departmental Rail Travel
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues on whether members of staff may claim for travel in first class carriages on trains if there are no seats in standard class. [268547]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department’s staff expenses policy makes no specific provision for members of staff to travel in first class carriages on trains if there are no seats in standard class. The following extract from the staff expenses guide covers policy in this area.
“For rail travel, staff in pay band Senior Executive Officer (SEO) and above may travel first class without separate approval. Staff below SEO may travel first class with permission from their line manager for specific business need. However, all staff should consider travelling standard class unless they have a special need related to their work such as the need for concentrated work prior to a meeting or privacy afforded by more spacious accommodation in first class. Very rarely should it be necessary to travel first class on short journeys, where the journey time is 30 minutes or less.”
All staff are encouraged to book rail tickets in advance in order to reserve seats and to take advantage of any available discounted fares.
Departmental Research
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2009, Official Report, column 1360W, on departmental publications, how many articles appearing in healthcare publications and journals in the last two years have been funded in whole and in part by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies. [267503]
Mr. Bradshaw: 21 advertorials (paid-for articles) in health care publications and journals have been funded in whole or in part by the Department’s communications directorate in the last two years.
To identify this information against a wider definition would incur a disproportionate cost.
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2009, Official Report, column 1360W, on departmental publications, how much (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies spent on articles appearing in healthcare publications and journals in the last two years. [267504]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department’s communications directorate has spent £59,000 excluding VAT on advertorials (paid-for articles) in health care publications and journals in the last two years.
To identify this information against a wider definition would incur a disproportionate cost.
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