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23 Nov 2009 : Column 6W—continued
Work and Pensions
Climate Change
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in her Department will be attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in an official capacity. [300996]
Jonathan Shaw: There are no plans to include any DWP Ministers or officials in the delegation to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
State Retirement Pensions
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of the payment of the full basic state pension to all those reaching the state retirement age in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15. [300693]
Angela Eagle: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Transport
Departmental Air Travel
Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many domestic flights within Great Britain officials from his Department took in an official capacity in 2008-09; and at what cost to the public purse such flights were taken. [300421]
Chris Mole: This information is not recorded centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code.
Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many vehicles have been given away by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency as prizes for motorists taxing their vehicles online in (a) 2009 to date and (b) the previous three calendar years; what has been the cost to the public purse of these prizes; and for what reasons such gifts are assessed to be necessary. [300474]
Paul Clark: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency introduced a prize draw for motorists taxing or declaring their vehicle off the road, either online or by telephone in July 2008.
During 2008, 18 cars were awarded as prizes and 30 cars have been awarded so far this year. All the cars have been supplied free of charge by the manufacturer. There has been no cost to the public purse.
The prize draw is part of a marketing strategy to increase awareness and use of the automated service and has helped raise take-up to 50 per cent. for tax discs due on 1 August 2009.
Railways: Franchises
John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to the answer of 5 November 2009, Official Report, column 1103W, on railways: franchises, in which dispute in October 2006 the Department made a payment; and what the monetary value was of the payment. [300508]
Chris Mole: I refer my hon. Friend, to my answer of 10 November 2009, Official Report, column 205W.
Stratford Station
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will publish the report commissioned by his Department from Oliver Wyman on the use of Stratford as a Eurostar station after 2012. [300218]
Chris Mole: The Oliver Wyman study was commissioned by Eurostar and not the Department for Transport. The Department is therefore not in a position to publish the study.
The Government understands that Eurostar has considered the potential markets that could be served by Stratford International station and that no firm decision has been made on the use of this station for passenger services after 2012.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Belarus: Capital Punishment
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Belarus on the death sentence passed on a young man in that country on 29 June 2009; and if he will make a statement. [300402]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Vasily Yuzepchuk and Andrei Zhuk have been sentenced to death in Belarus this year.
We, and EU partners, have raised their cases with the Belarusian authorities on a number of occasions. We also took part in a European Commission press conference on 12 October 2009 to mark World Day Against the Death Penalty. EU member states are working with local and international non-governmental organisations to promote public debate, and publicise EU views on the death penalty.
We continue to urge Belarus to abolish the death penalty or, as an initial measure, to introduce a moratorium. A moratorium would be beneficial for the development of EU-Belarus relations, and is a pre-requisite for enhanced relations with the Council of Europe. We have agreed with Spain that the death penalty will be one of four priority areas when the UK holds the local presidency on behalf of Spain in the first half of 2010.
China: Fur
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with the Chinese authorities on the regulation of Chinese fur farms; and if he will make a statement. [300359]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Given the very wide range of issues we pursue with China in our bilateral relationship, our ability to focus on animal welfare issues specifically with our Chinese counterparts is limited. However the UK has worked with our European partners to introduce an EU-wide ban on the trade in domestic cat and dog fur and products containing such fur, which came into force on 1 January 2009.
We also welcome the work of organisations like the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Care for the Wild and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. These organisations work with the Chinese authorities to improve standards of animal welfare and to gradually build support for animal-welfare issues in China.
We support work to raise standards of animal welfare at home and abroad and have played an active role in promoting good welfare standards internationally. However, we believe that it is for the authorities in each country to introduce and enforce the necessary legislation to promote good animal welfare in their countries.
Hanslope Park
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of staff are employed in each department at Hanslope Park. [300542]
Chris Bryant: There are 145 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff at Hanslope Park, working in nine departments, as follows:
| Department | Staff |
There are also 605 FCO Services staff at Hanslope Park.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) Milton Keynes Council and (b) Hanslope Parish Council on future developments at Hanslope Park. [300543]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials meet Milton Keynes Council as and when necessary, for example on planning issues. The most recent meetings have been discussions about a Green Travel Plan for staff based at Hanslope Park. There have been no recent meetings with Hanslope parish council.
Morocco: British Nationality
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Morocco on the number of applications for citizenship it has received from (a) citizens and (b) residents of Morocco in the last 12 months. [301421]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any discussions with the Government of Morocco on citizenship applications in the last 12 months.
Nepal: Religious Freedom
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the incidence of religiously-motivated violence against Christians and Muslims in Nepal, with particular reference to the activities of the Nepal Defence Army; and if he will make a statement. [300299]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Religiously motivated attacks against Christians and Muslims are rare in Nepal. However, the Nepal Defence Army (NDA), an extremist Hindu fundamentalist group, has carried out a number of attacks, including a bomb attack on a Catholic church in Kathmandu on 23 May 2009 in which three people were killed, the murder of a Catholic priest at Dharan in July 2008, and a bomb attack on a Muslim mosque in Biratnagar in March 2008, in which two people were killed.
The Nepalese Prime Minister and political leaders from across the political spectrum swiftly condemned the attack in May and visited the church and the victims. The Nepal police launched a prompt investigation into the incident and have arrested both the women responsible for placing the bomb and four leaders of the NDA, including its chairman, R. P. Mainali.
Secret Intelligence Service: Security
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much the Secret Intelligence Service spent on security for (a) Sir Richard Dearlove in the six months prior to September 1999, (b) Sir John Sawers in the six months prior to November 2009 and (c) Sir John Scarlett in the six months prior to May 2004; [300749]
(2) how much the Secret Intelligence Service spent on security for the families of (a) Sir Richard Dearlove in the six months prior to September 1999, (b) Sir John Sawers in the six months prior to November 2009 and (c) Sir John Scarlett in the six months prior to May 2004; [300750]
(3) whether it put in place security measures to protect Sir John Sawers and his close family members as a result of his identification on the internet. [300751]
David Miliband: It is the long standing policy of the Government not to comment on the personal security arrangements for individual members of Secret Intelligence Staff and their families.
Western Sahara: Landmines
Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 11 November 2009, Official Report, column 548W, on Western Sahara: landmines, whether the Moroccan authorities are marking and disposing of mines and unexploded ordinance in the occupied territory of Western Sahara. [301035]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: In his report of 13 April 2009, the Secretary-General of the UN detailed Moroccan efforts to destroy mines, unexploded ordnance and expired ammunition.
The Royal Moroccan Army reported to the UN Secretary-General that its de-mining units had processed 420 square kilometres between 1 May 2008 and 28 February 2009 as part of a comprehensive mine clearance operation in Western Sahara, west of the Berm.
Communities and Local Government
Audit Commission
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has made an assessment of the value for money of the fees charged by the Audit Commission for auditing the annual accounts of town and parish councils; and if he will make a statement. [300248]
Barbara Follett: We have made no such assessment. It is for the independent Audit Commission, after consultation, to set the fees charged by them for auditing the annual accounts of town and parish councils.
Departmental Correspondence
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of answering Questions 292544 to 292558, 292572 to 292585, 292587 to 292595, 292615 to 292635, 292637, 292639 to 292645, 292663, 292664, 292690 to 292708, 292710 to 292714, 292723, 292725 to 292735, 292737 to 292740, 292742 to 292750, 292752 to 292757, 292802 to 292827, 292839 to 292861, 292863, 292865 to 292899, 292975 to 292978, 292983 to 293005, 293010, 293015, 293020 to 293028, 293031, 293032 and 293035 tabled on 9 October 2009 by the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) for written answer on 13 October 2009. [301026]
Barbara Follett:
The average cost of answering a written question is £149, as set out in the written ministerial statement made by the former Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Angela Eagle) on 8 December 2008, Official Report, column 24WS. The estimated cost of answering
the 250 questions tabled by the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 9 October 2009 would therefore be £37,250.
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of his Department's officials have (a) been reprimanded, (b) had their contract of employment terminated and (c) been prosecuted for theft of departmental property in each of the last three years; and what items were stolen in each case. [300962]
Barbara Follett: No departmental officials have been reprimanded, had their contract of employment terminated or been prosecuted for theft of departmental property in any of the previous three years.
Departmental Pay
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of local government employees earn more than £50,000 per annum. [300816]
Barbara Follett: The information requested is not held centrally.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) year end and (b) in year bonuses were paid to officials in his Department in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08; how many in year bonuses were paid in 2008-09; and how much was paid out in bonuses in each year. [301016]
Barbara Follett: The following table shows the number of year end performance bonuses that were paid to staff in Communities and Local Government over the last three years.
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