Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 21 July 2009
Wales
Damian McBride
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he last met Mr. Damian McBride in the course of his official duties. [287423]
Mr. Hain: I have not met Mr. McBride in either 2008 or 2009. Prior to that Mr. McBride was occasionally present at meetings I attended in the course of my ministerial duties in 2006-07.
Departmental Conditions of Employment
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of employees in his Department (a) are on a flexible working contract, (b) are on a job share employment contract and (c) work from home for more than four hours a week. [287092]
Mr. Hain: The information is as follows:
(a) The Wales Office has 7 per cent. (four staff members) of its staff on a flexible working contract.
(b) None is on a job share employment contract.
(c) One member of staff (2 per cent.) works from home for more than four hours per week.
Departmental Manpower
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of employees in his Department are (a) women and (b) men; and what the average hourly pay is of (i) male and (ii) female employees. [288604]
Mr. Hain: Women constitute 52 per cent. of the Wales Office work force. Collectively their average hourly rate of pay is £17.54. The average hourly rate of male staff is £19.24.
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the executive functions of his Department are. [288645]
Mr. Hain: Most of the executive functions which were the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales before 1 July 1999 have been transferred to the Welsh Assembly. The Secretary of State for Wales retains joint responsibility for approving a range of appointments, makes certain election orders for Wales and continues to have responsibility for royal matters, which includes holding the programme budget for lords lieutenant.
The work of the Wales Office is described in detail in its annual reports to Parliament.
Public Accounts Commission
Government Departments: Accountancy
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 24 April 2009, Official Report, column 977W, on Government Departments: accountancy, what the nature was of the direction in relation to property and notified regularity in relation to the Icelandic Water Trawlermen Scheme. [289095]
Mr. Alan Williams: This is not a matter for the Public Accounts Commission. The hon. Member may wish to request this information from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which has assumed the responsibility for the scheme from the former Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 24 April 2009, Official Report, column 977W, on Government Departments: accountancy, if he will place in the Library a copy of each letter of direction in relation to property and regularity sent to the Comptroller and Auditor General since 1997. [289096]
Mr. Alan Williams: This is not a matter for the Public Accounts Commission. The hon. Member may wish to request this information from the Departments concerned.
Scotland
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 24 November 2008, Official Report, column 807W, on departmental electronic equipment, how much his Department has spent on (a) flat screen televisions, (b) DVD players and (c) stereo equipment since November 2008. [289169]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office purchased one flat screen television since November 2008 at a cost of £341 as a replacement for a set which was no longer functioning.
All expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Electoral Commission Committee
Political Parties: Finance
Mr. Maude: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what plans the Electoral Commission has to produce guidance on the new provisions in the Political Parties and Elections Bill on non-resident donors. [288821]
Mr. Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it intends to produce guidance for those it regulates about the new provisions on non-resident donors, and the other changes to the regulatory regime arising from the Bill, in due course.
The timing of publication of each piece of guidance will depend on the timing of the commencement of the relevant provisions in the Bill.
Mr. Maude: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what discussions the Electoral Commission has had with HM Revenue and Customs on the enforceability and feasibility of the new provisions in the Political Parties and Elections Bill on non-resident donors. [288863]
Mr. Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has had no such discussions with HM Revenue and Customs.
Women and Equality
Commission for Equality and Human Rights
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what expenditure the Commission for Equality and Human Rights incurred on legal action against (a) private and (b) public sector organisations in each of the last two years. [286781]
Michael Jabez Foster: The Equality and Human Rights Commission has recorded a spend of £230,868 in 2007-08 and £320,819 in 2008-09 (both including VAT) on external legal costs associated with strategic enforcement litigation carried out in relation to private and public sector organisations.
It is not possible to provide a breakdown of expenditure in terms of public and private sector, as the EHRC does not record expenditure in this way.
Departmental Internet
Mr. Watson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2009, Official Report, column 984W, on departmental internet, what the (a) names and (b) versions are of the web browsers used on the (i) desktop machines and (ii) laptop computers used by the (A) Director General, (B) chief information officer, (C) head of communications and (D) head of finance of the Government Equalities Office. [289002]
Michael Jabez Foster: The Government Equalities Office uses Microsoft Internet Explorer as its web browser application. The current version in use is v 6.0.3790.1830. This version is used by all staff on both desktop and laptop computers.
Females: Refuge
Robert Key: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many women's refuges there are in England; and how many are staffed at all times. [284061]
Michael Jabez Foster: The Government do not collect information centrally on the number of women's refuges in England or the provision of staff within refuges.
The provision of services to victims of domestic violence is a local issue; local decision makers are best placed to assess local needs. The majority of services are delivered through local providers who are supported and funded by local bodies, such as local councils and health organisations.
House of Commons Commission
Cycling
Gwyn Prosser: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission with reference to the answer of 5 November 2008, Official Report, column 475W, on cycling, when he expects to announce the decision on the implementation of a cycle to work scheme for staff of the House; and if he will make a statement. [288503]
Nick Harvey: The House Service has investigated the possible implementation of a cycle to work scheme, taking into account the experiences of other public sector organisations which had implemented a scheme. The conclusion was that the House Service should not implement a scheme. This was based on the low take-up rates found elsewhere, and the unrecoverable overhead costs. The House Service will continue to encourage cycling through the bicycle loan scheme and facilities for cyclists, including bicycle racks and showers.
Yorkshire and the Humber Select Committee
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission (1) which witnesses travelled to attend the planned meeting of the Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Select Committee in Leeds; what expenses relating to such travel have been met by the House; and if he will make a statement; [288647]
(2) what expenditure on (a) accommodation, (b) travel by Committee members and staff and (c) other expenses the House has incurred in respect of the meeting of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Select Committee which was expected to take place in Leeds but which did not do so because the Committee was inquorate. [288703]
Nick Harvey: The witnesses who travelled to Leeds for this meeting were Richard Wightman, president of Yorkshire and Humber Chambers of Commerce; David Wilson, Engineering Employers Federation; Tony Cherry, national vice-chairman, Federation of Small Businesses; and Andrew Palmer, regional director, Confederation of British Industry. No claims for travel expenses have been received from the prospective witnesses. The costs for staff accommodation were £317.95, and for staff travel were £1,115, in both cases for five staff. Other costs, including the hire charge for the room, were £137.
Solicitor-General
BAE Systems
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Solicitor-General what investigations the Serious Fraud Office has conducted into BAE Systems since January 2004. [282068]
The Solicitor-General: There have been four investigations conducted by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into BAE Systems plc. All four investigations began on 14 July 2004. The SFO decided to discontinue the investigation into the affairs of BAE Systems plc.-as far as they relate to the Al Yamamah defence contract with the Government of Saudi Arabia-on 14 December 2006. The other three investigations continue.
Complaints
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Solicitor-General what the policy and procedures are of (a) the Treasury Solicitor and (b) the Law Officers for handling complaints made against their legal staff. [267948]
The Solicitor-General: Complaints received from members of the public about legal staff in the Law Officers' Departments are dealt with according to each Department's individual procedure.
The underlying principle is that there is a tiered system of oversight starting at the local level, progressing, if the complainant remains dissatisfied, to a nominated senior lawyer in that Department. After a Department's own procedure has been concluded the complainant can write to the Attorney General's Office for it to consider whether the complaint was handled fairly, sensitively and in confidence, and whether each concern raised has been appropriately dealt with.
Corruption
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Solicitor-General how many requests from foreign jurisdictions relating to allegations of overseas corruption offences the mutual legal assistance unit of the Serious Fraud Office has received in the last 10 years; from which jurisdictions such requests have come; and how many such requests have resulted in domestic investigations since 2001. [282009]
The Solicitor-General: It would incur disproportionate cost to identify the number of requests received from foreign jurisdictions by the Serious Fraud Office's (SFO) mutual legal assistance Unit over the last 10 years.
The SFO does not disclose details of assistance provided to overseas investigations without consent from the referring jurisdiction or unless the referring jurisdiction has made public disclosures.
Since 2001, only two requests for assistance involving corruption from overseas jurisdictions have resulted in domestic investigations being opened by the SFO. One of these investigations is ongoing, while the other was discontinued in June last year.
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Solicitor-General what criteria the Serious Fraud Office applies in deciding whether to investigate an allegation of overseas bribery. [282007]
The Solicitor-General: The key criterion used by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) when deciding whether to accept a case is that the suspected fraud or corruption appears to be so serious or complex that its investigation should be carried out by those responsible for its prosecution.
Other factors taken into consideration when deciding whether to accept a case are as follows:
Whether the value of the alleged fraud exceeds £1 million;
If the case has a significant international dimension;
If the case is likely to be of widespread public concern;
If the case requires highly specialised knowledge-for example, of financial markets;
If there is a need to use the SFO's special powers, such as section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act.
The SFO does not have separate criteria that apply to allegations of overseas bribery. Allegations of this nature would have to meet the above criteria for the SFO to commence an investigation.
The SFO could not-and does not-take on every referred case of suspected fraud or corruption. It must focus its resources on the major, most complicated and serious instances of fraud or corruption. Cases which do not meet the SFO's case acceptance criteria may be referred to other authorities for investigation and prosecution.
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Solicitor-General to which countries the Serious Fraud Office has provided assistance in corruption cases since 2001; and if she will make a statement. [282008]
The Solicitor-General: The Serious Fraud Office's (SFO) mutual legal assistance unit has provided assistance to 26 countries since 2001.
There has been a notable increase in the number of countries that the SFO has assisted since the former Solicitor-General (Mr. O'Brien) answered a similar question to this on 11 January 2007, Official Report, column 644W.
The SFO does not disclose details of assistance provided to overseas investigations without consent from the referring jurisdiction or unless the referring jurisdiction has made public disclosures.
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Solicitor-General what cases of alleged overseas bribery and corruption which the Serious Fraud Office has accepted for investigation are under investigation; which countries are concerned; and if she will make a statement. [282018]
The Solicitor-General: The Serious Fraud Office is currently investigating a number of significant cases where there are allegations of overseas bribery and corruption, as well as fraud.
It is not possible for operational reasons to give specific details of each of these cases, but two examples of current investigations include an investigation into Kellog Brown and Root in connection with Nigeria and a number of other countries, and an investigation into reinsurance involving the National Insurance Institute in Costa Rica.
A number of other cases are also currently being considered for investigation in the vetting process.
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