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12 Oct 2009 : Column 20W—continued
Cabinet Committees: Data Protection
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to chapter 1, paragraph 42 of Building Britain's future, Cm 7654, what steps he plans to take to strengthen the protection given to the records of Cabinet committees. [290368]
The Prime Minister: The details of the proposed changes to legislation as set out in Building Britain's Future (Cm7654) will be included in the Government's response to the Review of the 30-Year Rule. The Government response will be published in due course.
Defence: Procurement
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Prime Minister whether his Office has received a copy of the report prepared by Bernard Gray on the Ministry of Defence's equipment programme. [291571]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron) on 15 July 2009, Official Report, column 286.
Domestic Visits
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Prime Minister when he next plans to visit (a) the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine's clinical facilities at Selly Oak and (b) the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Headley Court. [291718]
The Prime Minister: I have visited members of the armed forces both in the United Kingdom and abroad, and have met injured personnel, in Selly Oak and other places, on these occasions. Visits to injured personnel and to hospitals are undertaken privately.
Legislation
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister (1) which proposals announced during his speech to the 2009 Labour Party Conference will require (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation to implement; and if he will make a statement; [292314]
(2) which of the proposals announced during his speech to the 2009 Labour Party Conference have previously been announced by the Government (a) in full and (b) in part, giving the date in each case; and if he will make a statement. [292315]
The Prime Minister: The Government will set out its proposals for legislation in the next session in the Queen's speech. The speech is a matter of public record.
Libya: Northern Ireland
Kate Hoey: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make representations to the President of Libya on compensation for the victims of Irish Republican Army terrorism in Northern Ireland. [291652]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the press briefing given by my spokesman on 7 September. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website
and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Lockerbie: Bombings
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks., of 9 September 2009, Official Report, column 1897W, on Libya, if he will place in the Library a copy of his letter to Colonel Gaddafi of Libya, delivered by the then Foreign Office Minister, the hon. Member for Harlow, during his visit to Tripoli in February 2009; and whether he had a meeting with Colonel Gaddafi at the recent UN General Assembly meeting. [292173]
The Prime Minister: A copy of the letter has been placed in the Libraries of the House. The letter covered a range of African policy issues which were appropriate and relevant in the light of Colonel Gaddafi's election as chair of the African Union. It did not cover the issue of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi's release. I did not meet Colonel Gaddafi at the UN General Assembly meeting.
Official Gifts
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister what use has been made, and by whom, of wine held by Ministers as part of the Donated Asset Reserve in the last 12 months. [290117]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the annual list of gifts received by Ministers in an official capacity valued at more than £140 which has been published since 2001. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House.
Social Care Green Paper
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to his foreword to the Social Care Green Paper, Cm 7673, in what ways the debate he calls differs from that he called for in his Kings Fund speech of May 2008. [290449]
The Prime Minister: "The case for change-why England needs a new care and support system", published in May 2008, set out the Government's intention to reform care and support services and was followed by a six-month period of public engagement to help raise awareness of care and support issues and to gather opinions on the best way to proceed with the reform agenda.
This year's Green Paper, "Shaping the Future of Care Together", published in July, is the response to that period of public engagement. It sets out specific options and proposals for a National Care Service, on which debate shall now ensue.
UN
Mr. Dai Davies:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library, in respect of the Special Session of the United Nations Security Council on Nuclear Non-proliferation held on 24 September 2009, a copy of (a) his speech to the session, (b) speeches from other heads
of Government referring to the United Kingdom contribution and (c) any papers submitted in support of the Special Session by (i) the United Nations and (ii) national delegations. [292491]
The Prime Minister: A record of the discussions and videos of the speeches given can be found at:
A copy of my speech has been placed in the Library of the House.
USA
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the transcript of his question and answer session from New York which was broadcast on Radio Five Live on 23 September 2009. [292332]
The Prime Minister: The interview was conducted for the BBC Simon Mayo show broadcast on Radio 5 live, and can be heard on its website.
Scotland
Departmental Advertising
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on advertising in each newspaper in the latest year for which figures are available. [289480]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office incurred no costs advertising in newspapers during 2008-09.
Departmental Billing
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in June 2009. [288934]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office paid 97.9 per cent. of invoices within 10 days of receipt in June 2009.
Departmental Manpower
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff there were in (a) his Department's predecessor in 1997 and (b) his Department on the latest date for which figures are available. [292070]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Therefore, there was no predecessor in 1997.
The latest staffing levels for the Scotland Office are published in the Office's Annual Report for 2009, a copy of which is available on the Scotland Office website. To view this Report please see the following link:
A correction to Annex 9 is also available via the following link:
Departmental Recycling
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of his Department's waste was recycled in the latest period for which figures are available. [289667]
Ann McKechin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Reading, East (Mr. Wilson) on 31 March 2009, Official Report, column 1029W.
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the executive functions of his Department are. [288632]
Ann McKechin: The functions of the Scotland Office are set out fully in its annual report for 2009 which is published on the Scotland Office website at:
The principal role of the Scotland Office is to oversee the devolution settlement and make it work effectively for the people of Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.
Economic Situation
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2009, Official Report, column 381W, on departmental publications, whether his Department will prepare and publish a background paper on (a) the effects on the Western Isles economy of the closure of the Hebrides Range and (b) the effects of fuel duty on rural hauliers and motorists in Scotland. [291720]
Ann McKechin: No. There is no plan to close the Hebrides Range; and fuel duty is a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Glasgow
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he plans to visit Glasgow on official business during the summer adjournment. [288935]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I visited Glasgow on official business during the summer adjournment.
Wales
Business: Government Assistance
Mr. Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what schemes the Government have made available to assist businesses in Wales during the economic downturn. [288901]
Mr. Hain:
The UK Government have launched a number of initiatives designed to help UK businesses during the current economic downturn. These include the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, Capital for Enterprise Fund and the highly successful HMRC Time to Pay, which are all supporting Welsh businesses. So
far, HMRC has reached over 6,780 agreements with businesses in Wales, to spread more than £100 million in businesses taxes. More information on these schemes can be obtained from the BIS, Wales Office and Welsh Assembly Government websites.
The European Investment Bank has also approved nearly £475 million of loans to small and medium sized enterprises across the UK.
Departmental Advertising
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on advertising in each newspaper in the latest year for which figures are available. [289482]
Departmental Billing
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of invoices from its suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in June 2009. [288698]
Mr. Hain: In June 2009 my Department paid 87 per cent. of invoices within 10 days of receipt.
Departmental Manpower
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff there were in (a) his Department's predecessor in 1997 and (b) his Department on the latest date for which figures are available. [292073]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office was established in May 1999. My office currently employs 58 members of staff.
Departmental Motor Vehicles
Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on hire vehicles in each of the last five financial years. [291605]
Mr. Hain: In the last five financial years, my Department's expenditure for car hire is broken down as:
| Spend on car hire (£) | ||
| Ministers | Staff | |
The increase in car hire for Ministers in 2008-09 came about because in previous years the Secretary of State's car was provided by the Northern Ireland Office and then the Department of Work and Pensions when he held dual responsibilities.
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