| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
24 Mar 2010 : Column 362W—continued
Northern Ireland
Queen's Diamond Jubilee
10. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on proposals to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in Northern Ireland in 2012. [322983]
Paul Goggins: Planning for the Diamond Jubilee is still at an early stage. I expect my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to have discussions with my noble Friend, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in due course.
Saville Inquiry
11. Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the final report from the Saville inquiry to be published; and if he will make a statement. [322984]
Mr. Woodward: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan).
Security Situation
12. Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his most recent assessment is of the security situation in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [322985]
Mr. Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Members for Macclesfield (Sir Nicholas Winterton), and for Congleton (Ann Winterton) and the right hon. Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay).
Press and Communications Officers
13. Mr. Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on employing press and communications officers in his Department in the financial year 2008-09. [322986]
Paul Goggins: The Department spent £579,343 on press officers during 2008-09.
Dissident Paramilitaries
14. Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to counter the threat from dissident paramilitaries in Northern Ireland. [322987]
Mr. Woodward: The threat from dissident paramilitaries in Northern Ireland is of significant concern. Law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border are committed to combating dissident activity. We have ensured that the Chief Constable has access to additional resources both in this and the next financial year to meet the dissident threat.
Departmental Publications
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the dates of publication of any regular statistics or reports by his Department have been affected by planning for the forthcoming general election. [323457]
Paul Goggins: No. Regular statistical releases and reports will continue to be issued and published during the election period on dates which have been pre-announced.
Departmental Travel
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) Ministers and (b) staff of each grade in (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies spent on first class travel in the last 12 months. [320403]
Paul Goggins: In the financial year 2008-09, the Department (including the Compensation Agency) spent £62,898 on first class travel by Ministers and £19,449 on first class travel by staff.
Information relating to the grades of staff travelling first class is not recorded centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code. All travel by civil servants in the Department and its agencies is undertaken in accordance with departmental policy.
In 2008-09, the Youth Justice Agency spent £65 on first class travel by staff at Grade A; the Northern Ireland Prison Service spent £134 on first class travel by staff in the SCS, and £517 by staff at Grade B1. Forensic Science Northern Ireland did not spend any money on first class travel.
These figures do not include the cost of first class travel paid for by individual members of staff and then reclaimed from the Department. This additional information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Prison Sentences
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have received an indeterminate sentence for public protection in each month since the introduction of such sentences. [322369]
Paul Goggins: Indeterminate custodial sentences are available for serious sexual or violent offences committed on or after 15 May 2008, where the court determines that the offender is dangerous and that an extended custodial sentence would not be adequate to protect the public from serious harm.
No indeterminate custodial sentences have been imposed so far.
Weapons
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has received on Loyalist decommissioning; and if he will make a statement. [322982]
Paul Goggins: I have received no recent representations about Loyalist decommissioning, but welcome the confirmation from the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning in its September and February reports that it has overseen the decommissioning of all arms under the control of the Ulster Volunteer Force and Red Hand Commando, the Ulster Defence Association, the South East Antrim UDA and the Shoukri paramilitary element.
I pay tribute to the tireless work of the IICD over the last 12 years in securing this progress.
Olympics
Olympic Games 2012: Construction
Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much freight has been transported by water to the main Olympic site to date. [323338]
Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is committed to transporting 50 per cent. of materials to the Park, by weight, using sustainable methods, i.e. rail or water. The ODA is currently exceeding this target with almost 64 per cent. of material transported to the Park by sustainable methods.
Examples of deliveries to site include pile cages to the Aquatics Centre and pipes to the Olympic Stadium. Since October 2009, there has been one barge leaving the site each week removing waste and it is anticipated that this will increase to three barge movements per week as fit-out work on the venues increases.
The ODA continues to actively encourage its contractors to explore the use of the waterways to transport materials to the Park.
Cabinet Office
10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 9 September 2009, Official Report, column 1951W, on Government departments: buildings, what refurbishment works were undertaken across 70 Whitehall, Downing street and the Cabinet Office complex in the last 24 months. [322919]
Angela E. Smith: In relation to refurbishment works at Downing street I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) on 25 February 2010, Official Report, column 695W.
Refurbishment work at 70 Whitehall over the past 24 months has focused primarily on accessibility, sustainability and infrastructure improvements (including installing modernised IT and telecommunications infrastructure). The work has also involved upgrading the building fabric (including installation of additional insulation to external walls and roofs). In addition, cellular office space in the less historically sensitive parts of 70 Whitehall has been replaced as part of the refurbishment work to provide modernised open plan space, contributing to increasing capacity and efficiency.
Census
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2010, Official Report, column 792W, on the Census, (1) after what time on Census night a guest will be deemed to be an overnight visitor; [322880]
(2) what imputation will be made in relation to overnight visitor data; and whether she has made an estimate of non-compliance with requirements relating to overnight visitors. [322909]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2010:
As the Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2010, Official Report, column 792W, on the Census, after what time on Census night a guest will be deemed to be an overnight visitor. (322880); and pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2010, Official Report, column 792W, on the Census, what imputation will be made in relation to overnight visitor data; and whether she has made an estimate of non-compliance with requirements relating to overnight visitors. (322909)
The Census (England and Wales) Order 2009 sets out the legal responsibilities for who must be included in a census return. Guidance printed on the questionnaires directs householders to include anyone who is not a usual resident and who is staying over night to be recorded as a visitor, it is left up to respondents to interpret what staying over night means in relation to their home, as this is a well recognised concept.
Recording information from visitors who are staying overnight at an address where they do not usually live will help to provide an accurate population count. Together with the new questions on second addresses this will avoid us undercounting or overcounting people, and help us to produce the most accurate figure of the population living in local areas.
ONS is only planning to impute data relating to over night visitors where a visitor has been recorded on a census questionnaire, but where there are missing data items. No estimate has been made of non-compliance with the requirement relating to overnight visitors.
Civil Servants: Pay
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 25 February 2010, Official Report, column 698W, on civil servants: pay, what the (a) job title, (b) department and (c) salary range was of each of the 43 jobs; and which of those jobs was advertised on the public part of the website. [322890]
Angela E. Smith: Tables detailing job titles, Departments and salary ranges will be placed in the Libraries of the House. The Cabinet Office is responsible for setting the referral point for each pay band in the senior civil service. For pay band 2 posts, this is £120,000 and for pay band 3, £140,000. Departments wanting to pay beyond these referral points must first obtain approval from the Cabinet Office. Where Departments wish to pay more than £150,000 they must obtain approval from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Civil Servants: Recruitment
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 25 February 2010, Official Report, column 697W, on civil servants: pay, for what reasons the 32 jobs were advertised only on the internal part of the site. [322875]
Angela E. Smith: Departments and Executive agencies have delegated responsibility for recruitment, including the advertising of vacancies for all posts below director general level (top 200). The decision to advertise posts on the internal or external part of the civil service jobs site is determined by the recruiting Department or agency.
The Senior Leadership Committee advises the Cabinet Secretary on the mode of recruitment for top 200 posts.
Departmental Location
Mr. Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2010, Official Report, column 966W, on civil servants: location, what her Department's policy is on the outsourcing of work and jobs (a) overseas and (b) outside the European Economic Area. [318323]
Angela E. Smith: Within the Cabinet Office, none of our work is currently delivered through outsourced contracts to firms overseas, including those outside the European economic area.
Government Departments: Aviation
Mr. Hurd:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which company was awarded the VIP air support contract for the Cabinet Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office with Prior Information Notice 2008/S 200-265590; on what date that contract notice
was dispatched; what estimate she has made of the monetary value of that contract; and for what period that contract has been let. [322885]
Angela E. Smith: The company awarded the contract is listed in the journal of the European Union, under reference (09/S 242-345855/EN). The award notice was issued on 14 December 2009, and is for a period of two years.
The costs for travel are listed in the annual report and accounts for the respective Departments.
Health
Accident and Emergency Departments: Children
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the target waiting time is for children up to the age of 16 to be seen within when attending accident and emergency departments (a) on average in England and (b) at Northwick Park Hospital. [323470]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department has set a national standard that all patients should not wait more than four hours in accident and emergency (A and E) departments from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. A 98 per cent, minimum operating figure allows for the minority of patients who clinically need more than four hours in A and E. Trusts are able to set a more challenging waiting time target should they wish to do so.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for children aged up to the age of 16 years to be seen when they arrive at an accident and emergency department (a) in Leicester, (b) in the East Midlands, (c) in England and (d) at Northwick Park hospital. [323471]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Information is not collected separately for Northwick Park hospital. However, information is available for North West London NHS Trust, which is the main health region containing Northwick Park hospital.
The following table sets out the mean time spent between arrival and departure in all types of accident
and emergency (A and E) departments for England, Leicester City primary care trust, East Midlands strategic health authority and North West London NHS Trust in 2008-09, for patients aged 16 years or under.
| Average duration to departure from A and E in minutes, for patients aged 16 or under, 2008-09 | |
| Average duration to departure | |
| Source: Experimental A and E Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care. | |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |