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2 Dec 2009 : Column 751W—continued
Immigration Controls
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell of 5 November 2009, Official Report, column 1138W, on immigrations controls, how many sponsorship licences have been granted to (a) employers and (b) educational institutions since the inception of the points-based system. [302931]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 30 November 2009]: The number of sponsor licences that have been granted to employers since the inception of the points-based system to 27 November 2009 is 13,475.
The number of sponsor licences that have been granted to educational institutions since the inception of the points-based system to 27 November 2009 is 3,065.
Figures for educational institutions are for those sponsors who have specified "Education" as the industry sector that best explains their organisation's main economic activity, irrespective of PBS tier.
The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.
Surveillance
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for the use of covert human intelligence sources by (a) police forces in England and Wales, (b) the Security Service, (c) the Secret Intelligence Service, (d) GCHQ, (e) the National Criminal Intelligence Service, (f) the National Crime Squad and (g) the Serious Fraud Office have been refused by his Department under section 29(7) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in each year since 2000. [302993]
Mr. Hanson: Applications for the use of covert human intelligence sources are not submitted to the Home Office. The authorities responsible for authorising the use of covert human intelligence sources under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 ('RIPA')-including the Serious Organised Crime Agency which replaced the National Criminal Intelligence Service and National Crime Squad in 2005-are listed in Schedule 1 to that Act as amended by statutory instruments 2003 No.3171, 2005 No. 1084 and 2006 No. 1874. The Home Office will shortly bring forward a new statutory instrument to consolidate these earlier instruments.
RIPA vests statutory oversight of such authorisations with the independent Office of Surveillance Commissioners and the Intelligence Services Commissioner. The Chief Surveillance Commissioner publishes annual reports on his findings, copies of which are in the House Library, but the figures provided in the reports relate only to applications granted. The figures are reproduced as follows:
| Use of covert human intelligence sources authorised under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 | |||||||||
| 2000- 01 | 2001- 02 | 2002- 03 | 2003- 04 | 2004- 05 | 2005- 06 | 2006- 07 | 2007- 08 | 2008 - 09 | |
| (1) Not given | |||||||||
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many covert human intelligence sources have been recruited by (a) police forces in England and Wales, (b) the security services, (c) the National Criminal Intelligence Service and (d) the National Crime Squad in each year since 2000. [303142]
Mr. Hanson: The Home Office does not collect such figures. RIPA vests statutory oversight of CHIS authorisations with the independent Office of Surveillance Commissioners and the Intelligence Services Commissioner. The Chief Surveillance Commissioner publishes annual reports on his findings, copies of which are in the House Library, which include statistics on the number of CHIS authorisations granted, but do not provide a breakdown of how many CHIS are recruited by each public authority. No such statistics are provided for the activities of the Security and Intelligence agencies.
Vetting: Waiting Lists
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for Criminal Record Bureau checks that were in progress on 30 September of each year since 2006 had been made (a) less than one month previously, (b) between one and three months previously, (c) between three and six months previously and (d) over six months previously. [303349]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 1 December 2009]: Data are not held in the format requested. The following table provides the details of applications in progress for less than eight weeks, more than eight weeks and the total amount of outstanding applications on 30 September in the last four years.
| Checks outstanding for | |||
| Month e nding 30 September each year | Less than eight weeks | More than eight weeks | Total outstanding |
International Development
Aid: EU Institutions
10. Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's aid funding distributed through EU institutions; and if he will make a statement. [303274]
Mr. Thomas: Analysis from the OECD's donor assistance committee, Oxfam, the House of Lords and our own staff indicate that the effectiveness of Commission aid has improved considerably.
Aid Projects: Gaza
11. Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much and what proportion of Government funding available for humanitarian assistance to Gaza in the last three years has been disbursed to aid projects in that area. [303275]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development responded swiftly to the humanitarian crisis following Operation Cast Lead, pledging £26.8 million for immediate humanitarian aid and early recovery activities. Of this, £18.3 million has already been spent. Prior to the conflict, we had given the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) £3 million to meet immediate humanitarian needs in Gaza-£1 million in 2007 and £2 million in 2008.
Afghanistan
12. Mr. Mackay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's activities in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [303276]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development's latest Afghanistan Country Programme Evaluation was published in May 2009.
South Waziristan
13. Mr. Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided to those displaced by recent violence in South Waziristan. [303277]
Mr. Michael Foster: We have made available £2 million to help meet immediate needs of those newly displaced by conflict in South Waziristan. Funds are being used by NGOs to support shelter, water, sanitation and medical services. This new funding commitment brings the UK contribution for the displaced in North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to £34 million. We will continue to monitor the situation carefully and stand ready to provide further support.
HIV/AIDS
14. Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps his Department has taken to advance the Government's strategy for (a) halting and (b) reversing the spread of HIV and AIDS in middle-income countries. [303278]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) works with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in these countries, helping to ensure policies address inequality and challenge stigma and discrimination. Marginalised groups are often most affected.
The long-term costs of treatment place a huge burden on these countries. DFID and partners are helping to reduce prices and for the first time a second-line regimen is available for under $500 annually.
Sri Lanka
15. Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's activities in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement. [303279]
Mr. Michael Foster: I visited Sri Lanka in October to see for myself the situation on the ground and the Department for International Development's (DFID's) contribution to the humanitarian efforts. Next year it is expected that an independent evaluation of all DFID's work in Sri Lanka will be undertaken.
Capita
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether any contracts between Capita Group plc and his Department have been cancelled before completion since 1997; and whether Capita Group plc has been liable for any penalties arising from failings in the administration of contracts since 1997. [303088]
Mr. Michael Foster: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 13 February 2003, Official Report, column 921W, which provided a list of contracts awarded to Capita Group plc. These contracts did not incur penalty charges and were not cancelled before completion. No further contracts have been awarded to Capita Group plc.
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions Capita Group plc tendered for contracts let by his Department in each of the last five years; how many such tenders were successful; how much his Department paid to Capita Group plc for the execution of contracts in each such year; how many contracts which terminate after 2010 Capita Group plc hold with his Department; and what the monetary value is of all outstanding contracts between his Department and Capita Group plc. [303163]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development has no record of receiving tenders from Capita Group plc in the last five years.
Departmental Contracts
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what criteria his Department uses in determining the award of contracts; and how much his Department has spent on the advertisement of tenders for Government contracts since 1997. [303134]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) applies the European Union Public Procurement Directives determining the award of contracts. This requires the evaluation criteria to be specified in advertisements, and the award of business on the basis of most economically advantageous tender, taking account of technical and commercial aspects.
The cost of advertising tenders cannot be isolated from other advertising costs without incurring disproportionate cost.
Departmental Pay
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has allocated for (a) year end and (b) in-year bonuses in 2009-10. [302778]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The salary budget for 2009-10 is £104 million of which non-consolidated performance payments represented an estimated 1.27 per cent.(1)
Awards are intended to reward delivery of personal business objectives during the reporting year or other short term personal contributions to wider organisational objectives and values.
Awards are funding within existing pay bill controls, have to be re-earned each year against the predetermined criteria above and as such do not add to future pay bill costs.
(1 )Payments made are for the financial year indicated but relate to performance achieved in the previous reporting year.
Departmental Plants
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on pot plants in (a) 2008 and (b) 2009. [303102]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development has not purchased any pot plants in either 2008 or 2009.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost to his Department was of provision of office facilities to (a) special advisers and (b) press officers in the 2008-09 financial year. [302969]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Special advisers and press officers are located in the Department for International Development head office at 1 Palace street. It is not possible to disaggregate the cost.
Departmental Taxis
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many miles (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have travelled by taxi in the course of their official duties in each year since 1997; and at what cost to the public purse in each such year. [302702]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not hold a central record of mileage travelled by taxi or expenditure on taxi charges. Compiling this information would incur disproportionate cost.
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