| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
12 Nov 2009 : Column 800W—continued
Beyond these staff numbers OGC does not hold information on how Departments are affected by the implementation of Sir Michael Lyons 2004 Review or on the central cost of relocations.
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the relocation of civil service functions away from London and the south-east. [297681]
Mr. Byrne: The Government's target is to relocate 24,000 civil service posts out of London and the south-east by 31 March 2010. Budget 2009 reported that at end of December 2008, 19,090 posts had been relocated to all parts of the UK.
The Government have announced that there will be a presumption against south-east locations for all Government functions other than face-to-face services. This has been reflected in guidance to Departments.
Decisions on departmental relocations take into account the impact on service delivery.
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the first tranche of 20,000 jobs identified for relocation in the 2004 Lyons Review have been relocated; and how many of these jobs were in each Department. [297682]
Mr. Byrne: The Government are making strong progress towards its original relocations target of 20,000 posts by 31 March 2010. Budget 2009 announced that 19,090 posts have been relocated already. The following table shows each Department's contribution:
| Department | Number of posts |
| (1) Includes 25 Charity Commission relocations. (2) The Crown Prosecution Service had no relocation target at the start of SR04, but later agreed a target of relocating 20 posts out of London and the south-east by 31 March 2008. (3) Includes relocations out of London to Hanslope Park. (4) Includes 171 BIS and three OFT relocations. (5) Includes relocations out of London to Hastings. (6) The total towards the target excludes the additional moves that the FCO and DFT have managed to achieve. | |
The OGC website provides a further breakdown of the relocations programme:
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Departments have conducted second tranche studies as recommended by the 2004 Lyons Review; and how many civil service jobs in each department were subsequently relocated. [297683]
Mr. Byrne: Budget 2009 announced plans to increase the target to 24,000 posts by 31 March, 2010. Additionally, Budget 2009 stated that the Office of Government Commerce would work with Departments to review the level of ambition and relocations in the medium term. This is ongoing.
Construction Industry Scheme
Ms Keeble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who are registered with the construction industry scheme for tax purposes. [299599]
Mr. Timms: In 2008-09 1.02 million unique taxpayers (individuals and businesses) were registered under the Construction Industry Scheme:
171,000 were registered as contractors and made returns;
965,000 were registered as sub-contractors and received at least one payment during the year.
114,000 were registered as both a subcontractor and a contractor.
Debts: Developing Countries
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much debt is owed to the UK by the poorest countries in the world; what steps his Department has taken to reduce this debt; and if he will make a statement. [299940]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The UK has taken a strong lead on providing debt relief for the poorest, most indebted countries. 40 countries are eligible under the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative to receive debt relief from the UK. The UK has renounced the right to benefit from historic debt of these countries.
The UK has irrevocably cancelled 100 per cent. of debts from the 26 countries that have reached completion point under the HIPC initiative. A further nine countries are receiving interim relief, and the UK does not receive any debt payments from these countries. The UK also holds in trust any payments made to the UK by the remaining five countries yet to enter the HIPC initiative and returns the payments once the countries enter the initiative.
The remaining 14 countries that are yet to complete the HIPC initiative owe the UK approximately £609.7 million. The UK will cancel 100 per cent. of this debt as each country reaches completion point.
Departmental Advertising
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies spent on advertising in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement. [299843]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 November 2009, Official Report, column 1093W, to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond).
Departmental Air Travel
Mr. Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many first-class flights were taken by each Minister in his Department in 2008-09; and what the (a) origin, (b) destination and (c) cost was of each such flight. [298745]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500, as well as the total cost of all ministerial travel overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on entertainment from its conference and hospitality budgets in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09. [290177]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: All expenditure, including that on entertainment, has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Data in expenditure broken down by conference and hospitality budgets are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Postal Services
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage of postal services for his Department and its agencies were provided by (a) Royal Mail and (b) other postal service providers (i) in 2007, (ii) in 2008, (iii) between 1 January and 1 July 2009 and (iv) after 1 July 2009. [298732]
Mr. Scott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of postal services provided for his Department and its agencies were provided by (a) Royal Mail and (b) other postal service providers (i) in 2007, (ii) in 2008, (iii) between 1 January and 1 July 2009 and (iv) after 1 July 2009. [298731]
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with which providers (a) his Department and (b) its agencies had a contract to provide postal services in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) between 1 January 2009 and 1 July 2009 and (iv) since 1 July 2009. [299435]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Royal Mail provides all external postal services to HM Treasury Group and have done so throughout 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Departmental Statistics
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the statistical datasets collected by his Department are published. [299662]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: As a matter of course, the Treasury publishes information from all of its statistical datasets that meet the definition of "official statistics" set out in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. All of the Treasury's National Statistics releases are published in accordance with the requirements set out in the "Code of Practice for Official Statistics" and the "National Statistician's Guidance on the Presentation and Publication of Official Statistics".
Departmental Training
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 12 October 2009, Official Report, column 254W, on departmental training, how many staff attended courses on (a) harnessing the power of your personality, (b) overpayments recovery workshop, (c) your contribution to tackling avoidance, (d) dog behaviour and (e) reduction of administrative burdens on business in the last 12 months; and at what cost. [299403]
Mr. Timms: The number of staff attending the courses in the 12 month period 1 October 2008 to 30 September 2009 is as follows:
(a) harnessing the power of your personality - 1; National School of Government course designed for those who have to take responsibility for making things happen and are dependent on the performance of others to do so.
(b) overpayments recovery workshop - 191; Internal HMRC course aimed at Recovery staff involved in the recovery of Tax Credit overpayments.
(c) Your contribution to tackling avoidance - 18; internal HMRC seminar aimed at all new policy officials working on anti-avoidance issues.
(d) Dog behaviour - 8; Metropolitan Police provided course for persons linked to the detector dog programme.
(e) Reduction of administrative burdens on business-this course was not available in the period in question.
Figures on the cost of this training provision could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
EU Budget: Contributions
Mr. Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the UK's net contribution to the European Union was for 2008-09; and what estimate he has made of the net contribution for 2009-10. [299929]
Ian Pearson: The Government's latest forecasts for the UK's net contribution to the European Community budget for 2008-09 and 2009-10 were published in table C9 of the Budget 2009 (HC 407), page 238. As usual, these figures will, where necessary, be updated in the forthcoming pre-Budget report.
Excise Duties: Agricultural Machinery
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the revenue from vehicle excise duty for tractors was in each of the last 10 years. [299880]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Tractors have been exempt from vehicle excise duty since 2001. For revenue figures for agricultural vehicles, which includes tractors, for years before 2001, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor the Minister for Housing, my right hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (John Healey) on 18 October 2006, Official Report, column 1260W.
Fossil Fuel Levy: Scotland
Mr. Ingram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when members of his Department last met the Scottish Executive to discuss the drawdown and utilisation of the Scottish Fossil Fuel Levy Fund for the promotion of energy use from renewable sources; and if he will publish the correspondence received from the Scottish Executive on the future use of the fund. [298470]
Mr. Byrne: The Treasury and the Scottish Executive meet regularly to discuss a wide range of issues.
Gift Aid
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood of 12 October 2009, Official Report, column 256W, on Gift Aid, whether the terms of reference of his Department's research into Gift Aid includes examination of the effect of reducing the availability of Gift Aid for those on (a) 40 per cent. income tax and (b) 50 per cent. income tax. [299326]
Ian Pearson: The commissioned Gift Aid donor research investigates the possible effects of changing Gift Aid, including redirecting higher rate relief for individuals taxed at 40 per cent. so that it is given directly to charities. The research was commissioned before Budget 09 so the 50 per cent. rate was not included in the research.
Government: Assets
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, 12 October 2009, Official Report, column 24, on the sale of Government assets, what requirements there are on local authorities to spend the proceeds from asset sales; and if he will make a statement. [299310]
Mr. Byrne: Excepting certain receipts from the sale of housing land and dwellings that are required to be pooled centrally or surrendered, and sales of school playing fields that are required to be recycled into education or sports provision, English local authorities are free to use capital receipts from asset sales to support capital investment, repay debt, earn interest or any combination of these. The decision rests with the local authority concerned.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |