Written Answers to Questions
Monday 8 February 2010
Wales
Council Tax
Mr. Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Minister for Wales on assistance to service families resident in Wales in receiving the 50 per cent. reduction in council tax liability. [314552]
Mr. Hain: My colleague the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has discussed this matter in detail with the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Local Government and Social Justice. I understand that the Welsh Assembly Government are now amending the Council Tax (Prescribed Classes of Dwellings) (Wales) Regulations 1998 to provide that billing authorities may not reduce the council tax discount for second homes owned by armed forces personnel who live in accommodation provided by the Ministry of Defence.
Departmental Communication
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of Lord Bates of 3 December 2009, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA68, on Government Departments: annual reports, and with reference to the Government Response to the House of Lords Communications Committee's report into Government Communications, whether his Department publishes an annual report on departmental communications. [315608]
Mr. David: The Wales Office does not publish an annual report on departmental communications. The Wales Office publishes a single annual report covering all aspects of Wales Office work.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in his Department (a) have the status of embedded communicators and (b) are members of the Government Communications Network and are not listed in the Central Office of Information White Book. [315540]
Mr. David: The Wales Office employs three communications staff who work in the press office. All three members of staff are listed in the Central Office of Information White Book.
Scotland
Departmental Manpower
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the proportion of staff of his Department managed out in the last five years who remain working in the public sector. [313849]
Ann McKechin: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given on 1 February 2010, Official Report, column 5W.
Newspaper Licensing Agency
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what payments were made by his Department and each of its agencies to the Newspaper Licensing Agency in each of the last 10 years. [315613]
Ann McKechin: The Newspaper Licensing Agency figures shown in the table include cumulative and backdated NLA payments for the years 1999 to 2005 inclusive. The Scotland Office has sought to reduce its costs on an ongoing basis in line with good practice.
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Leader of the House
Departmental Communication
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer of Lord Bates of 3 December 2009, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA68, on Government Departments: Annual Reports, and with reference to the Government Response to the House of Lords Communications Committee's report into Government Communications, whether her Office publishes an annual report on departmental communications. [315605]
Barbara Keeley: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons is part of the Cabinet Office.
The Cabinet Office publishes an annual report and accounts document which records the performance and financial situation of the Department. The report contains information on the progress of the Department against its six departmental strategic objectives, the public service agreements for which it leads delivery, the service transformation agreement and other targets.
Within this framework the annual report provides information on relevant areas of communications delivery. However there is no specific annual report published by the Cabinet Office reporting solely on departmental communications.
Departmental Training
Grant Shapps: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2010, Official Report, columns 962-3W, on departmental training, on what dates the training was provided. [315780]
Barbara Keeley: The media skills training course attended by a Minister from the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons took place during the 2007-08 financial year.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Steen: To ask the Leader of the House when she plans to reply to the e-mail from the hon. Member for Totnes, dated 27 January 2010, on Haiti. [316232]
Barbara Keeley: My right hon. Friend, the Leader of the House of Commons, has today responded to the hon. Member for Totnes' e-mail dated 27 January 2010, on Haiti.
Stress
Grant Shapps: To ask the Leader of the House if she will place in the Library a copy of any advice issued to staff of her Office on stress recognition and management. [316477]
Barbara Keeley: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons joined the Cabinet Office in 2007.
I refer the hon. Member to the Cabinet Office answer of 3 February 2010, Official Report, column 412W:
"The Cabinet Office is committed to the health and well-being of its staff and has policies, procedures and support in place to identify, manage and reduce workplace stress.
I have placed a copy of the Department's Stress Recognition and Management Guide in the Library."
House of Commons Commission
Moths: House of Commons
Mr. Allen: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what proposals there are to end the infestation of moths in T block; and if he will make a statement. [315739]
Nick Harvey: Significant numbers of the Common House Moth (Tineola bisselliella) were first reported in the House in early 2008 and preventative treatment has been undertaken since then. In order to minimise the use of pesticides and the consequent risk of exposure to potential toxicants, a process involving moth pheromone has been employed. Although activity in T block remains an issue, monitoring of moth activity shows that moth numbers within the House of Commons estate are generally declining. Alternative methods of eradication, including heat treatment of items and individual spraying of offices to kill larvae, are being considered.
Reform
Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will make a statement on steps taken by staff of the House in taking forward work arising from the recommendations and conclusions of the House of Commons Reform Committee in its First Report of Session 2008-09, Rebuilding the House, HC 1117. [316600]
Nick Harvey: Upon publication of the report in November, the Clerk of the House set in hand work on the possible changes to procedures and practices which would be required were the House to endorse some or all of the recommendations and conclusions, including possible changes to Standing Orders and changes to procedures and practices.
Some recommendations and conclusions proposed specific work by the House. A progress report on these is set out as follows.
Recommendation 38- P iloting of a more open approach to the scheduling of public bill committee evidence sessions and production by the relevant authorities of a report for the appropriate committee in the new Parliament:
Attempts have been made over the past two months to develop a more open approach to public bill committee evidence scheduling, in co-operation with all concerned. A Scrutiny Unit report is therefore in the process of preparation, with a view to presenting it to the appropriate select committee in the new Parliament.
Recommendations 41 and 42-S hift in the primary focus of the House's public engagement agenda towards greater degree of public participation, and opportunity for the public to influence the content of draft laws:
Discussion at official level is under way on the future pattern and direction of the House's public engagement effort, in the light of these two recommendations. Thought is being given to approaches which would give "a real opportunity to the public to influence the content of draft laws". Decisions would be required to be taken by the proper authorities, including the House of Commons Commission and possibly the House itself, in the new Parliament.
Recommendation 43-Commissioning of investigation of practicalities of a national equivalent of "petitions requiring debate":
The Parliament and Constitution Centre in the Department of Information Services is looking further into the agenda initiative issue, as part of its general research effort. The results of the research, which should be completed by the start of the new Parliament, will inform future debate and decision on the practicalities of any sort of agenda initiative at national level. The study will of course make no assumptions about what view the House may take in future.
Recommendation 44-U rgent discussions on a new costed scheme for e-petitions:
The urgent discussions recommended by the Committee have taken place. A revised outline scheme is being prepared which is likely to be cheaper than the scheme proposed in April 2008. It will in due course be for the House in this or the next Parliament to decide whether or not to proceed.
Recommendation 48-I nformation for petitioners of relevant House proceedings:
House staff are preparing to pilot two alternative routes for giving suitable information to petitioners, via the Member who presented the relevant petition, with a view to identifying the best way forward early on in the new Parliament. This can then be put to the appropriate committee for decision.
Recommendation 50-House authorities to work up a scheme on motions for House debate:
A scheme for motions for House debate, identifying a number of options, is currently being worked up, with a view to presenting it to the appropriate committee in the new Parliament.
Northern Ireland
Departmental Communication
Mr. Hurd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of Lord Bates of 3 December 2009, Official Report, House of Lords,
column WA68, on Government Departments: annual reports, and with reference to the Government Response to the House of Lords Communications Committee's report into Government Communications, whether his Department publishes an annual report on departmental communications. [315610]
Paul Goggins: Communications are included in the annual departmental report.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in his Department and its agencies (a) have the status of embedded communicators and (b) are members of the Government Communications Network and are not listed in the Central Office of Information White Book. [315542]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Information Service is responsible for all communications within the Department and all press officers are listed in the COI White Book.
Driving Offences
Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what mechanisms have been established to enable data sharing in respect of fixed penalty motoring offences between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Irish Garda in accordance with the principle of mutual recognition of financial penalties. [315998]
Paul Goggins: Roads policing policy in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter for the Department of Environment. The sharing of data between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and An Garda Siochana in relation to motoring offences is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked the Chief Constable to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Hotels
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many separate bookings for hotels graded at five star or above were made through the Expotel booking service by his Department in the latest year for which figures are available; and at what cost such bookings were made. [315543]
Paul Goggins: No bookings were made through the Expotel booking service.
Slavery
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will discuss with the First Minister the introduction into the Northern Ireland Assembly of a Bill to establish a national day to raise awareness of the need to eradicate all forms of slavery. [314319]
Mr. Woodward: I would gladly discuss these matters if invited to do so by the First and Deputy First Minister.
Stress
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library a copy of any advice issued to staff of his Department on stress recognition and management. [316528]
Paul Goggins: The Department has a duty under Northern Ireland health and safety legislation to ensure so far as reasonably practicable the health and safety of all staff, including the recognition and management of stress.
To meet these responsibilities, managers within the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) are required to attend a mandatory "Addressing Stress" training course. A copy of the guidance issued to managers on this course has been placed in the Library.
Solicitor-General
Crown Prosecution Service: Art Works
David Simpson: To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2010, Official Report, column 244W, on departmental public expenditure, what the arrangements are within the Crown Prosecution Service for the authorisation of the acquisition of works of art; whether payments made in connection with the acquisition of such art works are subject to (a) monthly or (b) annual financial returns; and what post-payment internal audit arrangements are in place. [316504]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has formal financial delegation and approval control systems in place to cover all expenditure. The systems require that any expenditure must be made in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Financial delegation limits are checked at the point of payment. All expenditure on assets that cost £500 or more is recorded and checked separately. There is no record that the Department has incurred expenditure on works of art in excess of this limit.
There is no requirement for either monthly or annual financial returns in respect of expenditure on works of art.
The procurement and payment system is subject to periodic review by the CPS's Internal Audit Division. Such reviews take place routinely on an annual basis.
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