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3 Jun 2009 : Column 490W—continued
Departmental Lost Property
Paul Holmes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cost of replacing lost or stolen property from his Department was in the last 12 months. [268036]
Mr. McFadden: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, East (John Mason) on 19 May 2009, Official Report, column 1333W.
Departmental Marketing
Ann Coffey: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department has spent on placing advertisements in (a) weekly and (b) regional newspapers in each of the last five years. [277067]
Mr. McFadden: The following was spent on regional press advertising by the former DTI and its agencies via the Central Office of Information:
| £ | |
The following was spent by the Department on national and regional press advertising via the Central Office of Information, but cannot be broken down to show only spend on regional newspapers:
| £ | |
Departmental Official Cars
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2009, Official Report, column 2298W, on official cars, how many of the cars owned by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are over six years old. [276778]
Mr. McFadden: BERR does not own any cars.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 21 May 2009, Official Report, column 1489W.
I have approached the Chief Executives of the Insolvency Service and Companies House agencies and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 3 June 2009:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 18 May 2009, UIN 276778, to the Minister of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
Companies House does not own any cars. The only vehicle we do own is a van which is under six years old.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 3 June 2009:
The Minister of State, for the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has asked me to reply to you directly in respect of your question (2008/3015) asking pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2009, Official Report, column 2298W, on official cars, how many of the cars owned by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are over six years old.
The Insolvency Service does not own any official cars.
Departmental Security
Danny Alexander: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many breaches of security there have been at (a) Companies House and (b) the Insolvency Service in the last five years; and what procedures are invoked in each organisation when a breach of security relating to personal data is identified. [276942]
Mr. McFadden: There have been no breaches of security into Companies House main building or any items stolen. However, in the last five years, three bicycles were stolen from the car park and four laptops have been stolen from private premises.
There have been no breaches of security relating to personal data in the last five years. Companies House has a documented security incident procedure in line with the requirements of HMGIA Standard No. 6 —Protecting Personal Data and Managing Information Risk and the Security Framework. Any reportable breaches are recorded in Companies House Annual Report and Accounts.
The Insolvency Service has experienced one breach of security in the last five years, namely the theft of four laptops from its Manchester office on 28 August 2008. Only one of the laptops contained personal data. The breach was reported to the police, Ministers, Cabinet Office and the Information Commissioner’s Office. A press release was also issued in relation to the incident.
The Insolvency Service follows Cabinet Office policies and procedures in dealing with notification of breaches involving personal data.
Departmental Stationery
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department and its predecessor spent on the purchase of (a) recycled office supplies in the last 12 months and (b) printer ink cartridges in each of the last five years. [274209]
Mr. McFadden: BERR spend on recycled office supplies in the last 12 months up to the end of April 2009 was £220,250.
BERR and its predecessor spent the following on printer ink cartridges in each of the last five years:
| £ | |
BERR purchase remanufactured ink cartridges, unless stock availability prevents this.
Departmental Telephone Services
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the average waiting time for callers to his Department’s telephone help lines was in the latest period for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [276868]
Mr. McFadden: In the last three months the Inquiry Unit received 28,316 calls. 97 per cent. of these calls were answered within 15 seconds.
Directors: Disqualification
John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance his Department provides to the Insolvency Service on procedures to be followed when people who are subject to a disqualification order or undertaking apply for permission to act as a director or take part in the management of a specific company. [277313]
Mr. McFadden: No guidance is provided by BERR to the Insolvency Service on the procedures that need to be followed. Such procedures are largely determined by the courts, the legislation and the Civil Procedures Rules. The Insolvency Service has developed its approach to such applications by referral to prior case judgments and to legal advice.
To assist applicants, the Insolvency Service provides a guidance sheet (approved by Treasury Solicitors) to potential applicants which includes details of the information which my noble Friend the Secretary of State considers should normally be included in an applicant's evidence.
John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people who are subject to a disqualification order or undertaking have (a) applied for and (b) been successful in an application to act as a director or take part in the management of a specific company in each month since January 1997. [277314]
Mr. McFadden: From 1 April 2006 the known figures for applications are:
| Period | Applications | Granted | Dismissed | Withdrawn |
| Notes: 1. In the above period two are ongoing. 2. Statistics prior to 1 April 2006 have not been maintained. | ||||
John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what procedures his Department has in place to monitor applications from people who are subject to a disqualification order or undertaking for permission to act as a director or take part in the management of a company. [277315]
Mr. McFadden:
All such applications must be served on my noble Friend the Secretary of State, as he has a duty to appear on such applications and to call the attention of the court to any matters which seem to be relevant, and may give evidence or call witnesses. Most such applications are dealt with by the Defendant Liaison Team of the Insolvency Service which provides a guidance sheet (approved by Treasury Solicitors) to potential applicants which includes details of the information which my noble Friend the Secretary of State considers should normally be included in an applicant’s evidence. Applicants should support their application to the court
with full and particularised affidavit evidence which is supported by appropriate exhibits, and serve such evidence on my noble Friend the Secretary of State in sufficient time so as to give him a proper opportunity to consider it fully before the hearing of the application.
The stance taken by my noble Friend the Secretary of State on each application, including whether to file evidence and/or oppose the application, can only be decided having regard to the facts and circumstances of each individual case.
Hotels: Construction
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will introduce measures to provide financial support for the capital costs of building new hotels. [264106]
Ian Pearson: The Real Help for Business measures announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 14 January 2009 are available to all businesses across the UK, with limited exemptions within some measures which apply to specific sectors, largely because there is alternative support already in place or the business is wholly speculative in nature.
Details of all Real Help measures can be accessed at
Information on finance schemes and an initial assessment of eligibility is available at
Insolvency
Mrs. May: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter on redundancies sent by his Department to insolvency practitioners on 4 March 2009. [273218]
Mr. McFadden: I will place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House today.
Insolvency: Sefton
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many businesses in (a) Crosby and (b) Sefton have entered into administration in the last 12 months. [277735]
Mr. McFadden: There were 5,273 administrations (Enterprise Act 2002) in England and Wales between April 2008 and March 2009. Statistics covering business administrations are not currently available on a regional basis within England and Wales.
Low Pay Commission: Marketing
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much the Low Pay Commission has spent on advertising and marketing in each of the last five years. [277475]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 1 June 2009]: The Low Pay Commission has spent nothing on advertising and marketing in the last five years.
Low Pay Commission: Pay
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff of the Low Pay Commission are paid an annual salary of (a) less than £15,000, (b) between £15,000 and £20,000, (c) between £20,000 and £25,000, (d) between £25,000 and £30,000, (e) between £30,000 and £40,000, (f) between £40,000 and £50,000 and (g) over £50,000. [277476]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 1 June 2009]: The information requested is as follows:
(a) None
(b) None
(c) One
(d) Two
(e) Two
(f) One
(g) Three.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the salary of each member of the Low Pay Commission is; and what (a) pension and (b) expenses arrangements there are for Commission members. [277481]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 1 June 2009]: Low Pay Commissioners do not receive a salary or pension. They are entitled to claim daily attendance fee of £242.12 a day (Commissioner) and £530.96 a day (Chairman), although not all do. In addition, Commissioners can claim reasonable actual travelling, subsistence and incidental costs necessarily incurred in the course of the Commission’s business.
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