Written Answers to Questions
Monday 29 March 2010
Northern Ireland
Departmental Buildings
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many smoking shelters have been built for his Department's staff in the last five years; and at what cost. [324354]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has not built any smoking shelters within the last five years.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department provides subsidised gym facilities for its staff. [324556]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) provides some exercise facilities available for its staff at no cost in London and Belfast. The Department provides these facilities as part of an ongoing commitment to its Workplace Health Improvement Programme.
Departmental Internet
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2010, Official Report, column 837W, on departmental internet, what the cost was of the website redesign. [321926]
Mr. Woodward: The cost for the redesign of the website was £4,185.94.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the five most expensive hospitality events hosted by his Department and its agencies were in the last three years; and what the (a) cost and (b) purpose was of each. [324416]
Mr. Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) is responsible for hosting events, recorded as expenditure under hospitality, which acknowledge the contribution made by a wide range of people to life in Northern Ireland. These include receptions at Hillsborough Castle for representatives from the voluntary, charity and business sectors as well as the police, armed forces and their families (including those returning from active service in Afghanistan), to recognise their contribution to wider society.
The five events hosted by the Northern Ireland Office over the past three years which have incurred the greatest expenditure are shown in the following table.
Hotels
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2010, Official Report, column 653W, on hotels, for what reason his Department does not use the Expotel booking service. [324299]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO), in conjunction with other public sector organisations in Northern Ireland, has a contract with a travel agent in Northern Ireland which provides a comprehensive travel booking service, including hotel bookings.
Scotland
Departmental Buildings
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many smoking shelters have been built for his Department's staff in the last five years; and at what cost. [324347]
Ann McKechin: No smoking shelters have been built by the Scotland Office in the last five years.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on rooms for staff leisure in each of the last five years. [324426]
Ann McKechin: No expenditure has been incurred in the last five years on rooms for staff leisure.
Departmental Energy
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what (a) voltage optimisers and (b) equivalent technologies are used within buildings occupied by his Department. [324970]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office does not currently use voltage optimisers or other equivalent technologies in its premises.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the five most expensive hospitality events hosted by his Department were in the last three years; and what (a) the cost and (b) purpose of each was. [324660]
Ann McKechin: The following were the five most expensive hospitality events hosted by the Scotland Office in the last three years:
All expenditure was incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Office for National Statistics: Publications
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements there are for the Office for National Statistics to provide information to his Department for inclusion in Departmental publications; what protocols apply to the use of such information by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [324854]
Ann McKechin: Much of the information presented in Scotland Office publications draws on material published elsewhere, including both PESA, published by HM Treasury, and Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland, published by the Scottish Government, both of which are classified as National Statistics. Some material published in the Scotland Office annual report is derived from data collected for administrative purposes. In keeping with any information in the public domain, no protocols exist for the use of information published by other Departments and classified as National Statistics.
Statistics: Scotland
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he had with the National Statistician on the (a) methodology and (b) presentation of national statistics in his Department's publication entitled (i) Scotland and Defence, (ii) Expenditure and revenue in Scotland, (iii) Tax and (iv) Scotland and Oil. [324853]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office Background Papers in question all draw on existing National Statistics publications but were not themselves classified as National Statistics. Indeed they simply draw on already existing statistics, such as the Scottish Government's GERS result that Scotland had a fiscal deficit of £11.1 billion in 2007-08. Such analysis clearly underlines how Scotland's economic prosperity is best safeguarded as being at the heart of the UK.
Culture, Media and Sport
BBC
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many persons were employed by the BBC in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [324379]
Mr. Bradshaw: According to the BBC annual report and accounts, the number of staff employed by the BBC in each of the last three years is set out in the following table.
| Number | |
Detailed information on the nature of the roles undertaken by BBC staff is not held by my Department.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent research he has undertaken on public opinion on the BBC and the licence fee as a means of funding it; and if he will make a statement. [324383]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Government undertook extensive research on public attitudes to the BBC and the licence fee as part of the Charter review process, which ran from 2003-06. This research was taken into account in determining the current six-year funding settlement, implemented from 1 April 2007.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will bring forward proposals to allow commercial advertising on BBC channels; what recent representations he has on this issue; what response he gave; and if he will make a statement. [324385]
Mr. Bradshaw: Under the terms of the BBC's Charter and Agreement, the BBC cannot show commercial advertising on its licence fee-funded channels without the express approval of the Secretary of State. I have neither been asked for nor given such approval.
I regularly receive representations on various aspects of the BBC. Whenever the issue of advertising is raised, my response is that I have no intention of amending the current arrangements.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the 2006 Agreement between the Secretary of State and the BBC; what discussions he has had with the BBC since January 2010 on broadcasting standards; what response he received from the BBC; if he will place in the Library a copy of the note taken of each meeting; and if he will make a statement. [324386]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have had no discussions with the BBC on broadcasting standards since January 2010.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he last met the (a) Chairman of the BBC Trust and (b) Director General of the BBC; what issues were discussed; whether a record of the meeting was kept; and if he will make a statement. [324389]
Mr. Bradshaw: I last met the Chairman of the BBC Trust on 19 October 2009, when we discussed a range of current issues.
I last met the Director-General of the BBC on 8 March 2010 when he provided a brief summary of the BBC's Strategy Review, which had been published on 2 March.
According to standard departmental procedure, all ministerial meetings are recorded.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account he will take of commitments to ensure (a) efficiency savings and (b) the prevention of inflation of staff and talent costs at the BBC in determining the future level of the BBC licence fee; and if he will make a statement. [324422]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Government will take all relevant matters into consideration in setting the future level of the licence fee.
Under the terms of the BBC Charter and Agreement, it is the responsibility of the BBC Trust to ensure that the BBC delivers financial efficiency and hold the Executive to account for its performance in delivering value for money.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |