Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 7 January 2010
Prime Minister
Departmental Conferences
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) away days and (b) conferences that took place outside his Office's buildings attended by civil servants in his Office there have been since 2005; and what the cost was of each. [307470]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office on 16 December 2009, Official Report, column 1253W.
Departmental Written Questions
Mr. Harper: To ask the Prime Minister how many and what percentage of parliamentary questions tabled for written answer by him on a named day in session 2008-09 received a substantive answer on that day. [307534]
The Prime Minister: My office aims to answer all ordinary written parliamentary questions within five working days, and named day written parliamentary questions on the day named.
In the parliamentary session 2008-09 87 per cent. of named day questions were answered on the day named.
Iraq Committee of Inquiry
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister whether it is his policy not to make any substantive comment on Iraq until the Chilcot Inquiry on Iraq has completed its work. [308058]
The Prime Minister: I will continue to take forward the Government's policy in Iraq. As to the inquiry, it continues to sit and will hear evidence and then make its report.
Members: Surveillance
Robert Neill: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice and Howden (David Davis) of 21 July 2009, Official Report, column 1166W, on Members: surveillance, whether the Wilson Doctrine applies to forms of surveillance and interception which are not subject to authorisation by the Secretary of State's warrant. [308634]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave on 21 July 2009, Official Report, column 1166W.
Official Gifts
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what official gifts he and his predecessor have received from the President of Pakistan in each year since 2001; [307738]
(2) what official gifts he and his predecessor have received from the President of Afghanistan in each year since 2001. [307751]
The Prime Minister: The Government have published annual lists of gifts received and given by Ministers in an official capacity valued at more than £140 since 2001. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. Information for the current financial year will be published in the usual way.
House of Commons Commission
Disabled People
Dan Rogerson: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what steps the House of Commons Commission has taken to apply the principles of Article 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in respect of making reasonable adjustments to enable a disabled person to hold office in the last five years. [307865]
Nick Harvey: The House provides considerable support for Members with disabilities to help them to carry out their duties. Support and advice are provided by the Department of Resources, the Department of Facilities and the Parliamentary ICT Service. This support includes medical appraisals and help from the Consultant Occupational Health Physician, the provision of a variety of equipment (i.e. specialised IT software and equipment, motorised wheelchairs etc.), accommodation adjustments, and funding for transport needs and additional staff help where necessary. A leaflet is in preparation setting out the help that is available to Members with disabilities after the next general election.
The Commission's duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 are duties owed as an employer rather than duties owed to holders of elected office.
Defence
Afghanistan: Reconstruction
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Kajaki dam in Northern Helmand province to be operational. [308633]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
The Kajaki dam is operational and producing around 33 MW of power, benefiting at least 200,000 people.
Armed Forces: Training
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his statement of 15 December 2009, Official Report, columns 801-04, on the future defence programme, (1) which training exercises will be cancelled; [309240]
(2) what aspects of Army training his Department plans to reduce. [309241]
Bill Rammell: Given our current commitments, we must ensure that our core activity is focused on preparing our soldiers for the Department's main effort, success on operations in Afghanistan. Combined with the pressures that the Defence budget has faced, this means prioritising our resources to these critical activities, and reductions in some non-operational specific training. Our training, and associated equipment fleets, are being managed to this effect.
We are working through detailed implementation. But no training for current deployments will be cut. An example where we could expect reductions, however, is in the levels of training provided for heavy armour, such as Challenger 2 tanks which have not been deployed in Afghanistan.
Departmental Billing
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of invoices submitted to his Department have been paid within 10 days in each month since October 2008; and if he will make a statement. [307961]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Information currently available for the Department, its agencies and trading funds is provided in the following table:
| MOD and agencies | UKHO | Met Office | DSTL | DSG | ||||||
| Total | Percentage paid | Total | Percentage paid | Total | Percentage paid | Total | Percentage paid | Total | Percentage paid | |
| Key: UKHO: United Kingdom Hydrographic Office DSTL: Defence Science and Technology Laboratory DSG: Defence Support Group | ||||||||||
The Government are committed to improving the payment culture in the UK in order to create a fair and stable business climate. Government Departments and their agencies should aim to pay all invoices not in dispute within 10 days or within the agreed contractual terms if otherwise specified.
The Ministry of Defence fully supports this policy.
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