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21 Apr 2009 : Column 632W—continued
Scotland
China
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2009, Official Report, columns 734-5W, on China, which colleagues he has met in relation to his visit to China; and on what dates. [268929]
Ann McKechin: My right hon. Friend discussed this visit with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and other ministerial colleagues in the weeks leading up to his visit to China.
Mr. MacNeil:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2009, Official Report, column 735W, on China, on what date
he received the invitation from the Scottish Council for Development and Industry; what form it took; and on what date he decided to accept the invitation. [268930]
Ann McKechin: There was correspondence between officials of my Department and SCDI in January followed by a meeting which took place in February where the matter was discussed after which my right hon. Friend confirmed he would lead the SCDI trade delegation.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for how long his Department has followed the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Management programme. [269288]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office, along with some other parts of the Ministry of Justice, have not yet adopted the Carbon Trust Carbon Management programme. The Ministry of Justice has agreed to adopt the programme, or an equivalent, and will be to engaging with the Trust this year with a view to achieving this objective as soon as possible.
Departmental Energy
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps have been taken by his Department to improve the thermal efficiency of its buildings in the last 12 months. [266765]
Ann McKechin: A wide range of measures have been undertaken in the last 12 months to improve the thermal efficiency of Scotland Office premises at Dover House, London, and Melville Crescent, Edinburgh. These include:
An energy audit of Dover House, London
Installation of additional roof insulation
Improvements to the draught proofing of windows
Examination of existing thermostatic controls on radiators and installation of new ones
Addition of compensatory controls to the Dover House heating system
Improvement of thermal insulation to pipework
Installation of solar control blinds
Replacement of a boiler with an energy efficient model
Departmental Mobile Phones
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [268238]
Ann McKechin: Information is not available in the form requested. Details on the cost of BlackBerrys and mobile phones used by staff, Ministers and special advisers are not recorded separately. The total cost of BlackBerrys and mobile phones, including the cost of equipment, call charges and line rental, are set out in the following table.
| £ | |||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [268284]
Ann McKechin: Details of the number of BlackBerrys and mobile phones provided to Ministers, special advisers and staff in the Scotland Office are provided in the following table.
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
Departmental Photographs
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 30 March 2009, Official Report, column 831W, how much his Department has spent on official portraits of its Ministers since October 2008. [268928]
Ann McKechin: Nothing. The Scotland Office has not commissioned any official portraits of its Ministers since October 2008.
Transport
Speed Limits: Rural Areas
Sir Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what organisations he has consulted on proposals to reduce the 60 miles per hour speed limit on rural roads; and if he will make a statement. [268990]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The subject of speeds on rural single carriageways has arisen in developing a new road safety strategy for Great Britain. No decisions have been taken on this. We are consulting on a new strategy, seeking views from the public and a wide range of interest groups.
Treasury
Banks: Carbon Emissions
Simon Hughes:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will direct UK Financial Investments Ltd. to estimate the potential revenue arising from a tax on the carbon dioxide liabilities contained in investments by (a) Royal Bank of Scotland, (b)
Lloyds TSB/ Halifax Bank of Scotland, (c) Northern Rock and (d) Bradford and Bingley. [265907]
Ian Pearson: The overarching objective of UK Financial Investments Ltd. (UKFI) is to protect and create value for the taxpayer as shareholder, with due regard to the maintenance of financial stability and promoting competition.
As with all banks, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group, Northern Rock and Bradford and Bingley are bound by statutory duties and tax liabilities.
The estimates requested are not available.
Banks: Finance
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department has taken to ensure compliance with section 28 of Appendix A to the document on the UK Asset Protection Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [268079]
Ian Pearson: Institutions participating in the Asset Protection Scheme will be required to comply with Asset Management Requirements prescribed by HMT.
More detail on the requirements will be set out in the Accession Agreements with the participating banks, once final contracts have been signed.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax avoidance investigations have been launched as a result of disclosure under the Asset Protection Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [268082]
Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 16 March 2009, Official Report, column 654.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the cost of the assignment and transfer of assets into the Asset Protection Scheme by (a) Lloyds Banking Group and (b) RBS; and if he will make a statement. [268086]
Ian Pearson: The scheme works in such a way that the banks will not need to physically transfer their assets into the scheme, but they will ring-fence these assets, which remain under their ownership.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average duration of the assets placed in the Asset Protection Scheme by (a) Lloyds Banking Group and (b) RBS is; and if he will make a statement. [268089]
Ian Pearson: Further detailed information about the assets in the scheme will be provided after the final contracts are signed.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer within what period it was agreed with (a) Lloyds Banking Group and (b) RBS that they would provide a quarterly statement of all loses and recoveries in respect of the triggered assets; and if he will make a statement. [268090]
Ian Pearson: Further information about the disclosure requirements for banks will be set out at the time final contracts are signed.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has provided (a) Lloyds Banking Group and (b) RBS with consent to credit hedge in respect of the Residual Amount in the Asset Protection Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [268091]
Ian Pearson: It is expected that banks will need to apply for consent before hedging in respect of the Residual Amount.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish details of the hedging strategies entered into with (a) Lloyds Banking Group and (b) RBS to cover non-sterling denominated assets in the Asset Protection Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [268092]
Ian Pearson: Further detailed information about the assets in the scheme will be provided at the time that final contracts are signed.
Banks: Pay
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria have been set by each bank in receipt of public money for qualification for senior staff bonuses; whether the Financial Services Authority plays a role in the ratification of such criteria; and whether his Department has provided any guidance to the remuneration committees of such banks on bonus payments. [256985]
Ian Pearson: The Government set strict conditions for executive bonuses at the banks that participated in the recapitalisation scheme in October 2008. The Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group have also both announced their intention to participate in the asset protection scheme and therefore, in addition to the requirements on remuneration imposed as part of the recapitalisation last October, both banks have committed to implement a policy consistent with the FSA’s code of practice on remuneration policies. The FSA is currently consulting on its code and published its consultation paper on 18 March.
UK Financial Investments Ltd. (UKFI), which is wholly owned by the Government and operates on a commercial and arms length basis, oversees the remuneration conditions attached to subscribing to the Government’s recapitalisation fund and the Treasury’s asset protection scheme. UKFI has worked to ensure that the banks subscribing to these schemes offer incentivisation based on the Government’s principles on remuneration, including no rewards for failure, and to protect the interest of the taxpayer as a shareholder.
In line with these principles, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has announced that there will be no bonuses or pay increases made to staff associated with the major losses suffered in 2008 and that board executive directors will receive no bonus for 2008 performance and no pay increase in 2009. No discretionary cash bonuses will be paid in 2009 for performance in 2008, and only legally binding guaranteed bonuses will be paid. Lloyds Banking Group has committed to restructuring remuneration based on these same principles.
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will prohibit the payment of bonuses by banks in receipt of public funds until such monies have been repaid in full. [267120]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 27 March 2009]: UK Financial Investments Ltd. (UKFl), which manages the Government’s shareholdings in financial institutions on a commercial and arm’s-length basis, has been overseeing the remuneration conditions attached to subscribing to the Government’s recapitalisation fund and the Treasury’s Asset Protection Scheme. UKFl has worked to ensure management incentivisation based on long-term, sustainable performance and no rewards for failure, in order to protect the interest of the taxpayer as a shareholder.
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has announced that there will be no bonuses or pay increases made to staff associated with the major losses suffered in 2008 and that board executive directors will receive no bonus for 2008 performance and no pay increase in 2009. No discretionary cash bonuses will be paid in 2009 for performance in 2008, and only legally binding guaranteed bonuses will be paid.
Lloyds Banking Group has committed to restructuring remuneration based on these same principles.
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