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2 Jun 2010 : Column 24W—continued


Work and Pensions

Children: Maintenance

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency applicants in Bassetlaw were waiting for arrears payments on the latest date for which figures are available. [62]

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty:

Number of cases with outstanding arrears in Bassetlaw Local Authority
Month Cases Arrears collected (£)

March 2010

800

225,100

March 2009

830

217,700

March 2008

890

246,800

March 2007

940

131,300

Notes:
1. Cases are the number of cases by parent with care geography which have outstanding arrears at the end of the month shown. This is rounded to the nearest 10.
2. Arrears Collected shows the amount of arrears collected by non resident parent geography during the year to the month shown. This is rounded to the nearest £100.


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Departmental Carbon Emissions

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department plans to take to reduce its carbon emissions by 10 per cent. in 2010-11. [55]

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions already has a range of measures planned to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency over the coming year, which will also provide ongoing financial savings. These include the installation of a combined heat and power unit in Quarry House, Leeds, saving £93,000 and 428 tonnes of CO2 per year, and the launch of a joint energy campaign (AWaRE-Avoid Waste and Reduce Energy) with estates partners Telereal Trillium.

A full range of activities is included within our Carbon Reduction Delivery Plan and already in work. These include:

Jobcentre Plus: Translation Services

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on translation facilities for benefits claimants in the most recent year for which figures are available. [669]

Chris Grayling: The most recent figures available are for 2008-09 when under the previous Government £4,380,993 was spent on translation services.

The Department procures its translation services from providers. We are working with providers to streamline the services we receive, as well as collaborating in a cross-Government initiative to link up services across Departments. These steps will lead to greater efficiency and lower costs.

Culture, Media and Sport

Advertising: Abortion

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will review the operation of the regulations governing the advertisement of abortion services on television; and if he will make a statement. [155]


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Mr Vaizey: Broadcast advertising is strictly controlled by the Advertising Standards Authority working in a co-regulatory partnership with Ofcom. This regulatory regime is independent of Government and sets the standards for all television advertising. Under existing rules non-commercial providers of post-conception advice services are permitted to advertise on television in the UK. However, the body responsible for writing and maintaining the broadcast advertising code, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, recently consulted on possible changes to the rules in this area. We understand that the regulators will make a statement on this subject later this year.

If, in exceptional circumstances, the Secretary of State was persuaded that the rules in this area were not strong enough there are, ultimately, powers under the Communications Act to direct Ofcom on the descriptions of advertisements that should not be included in programme services.

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what representations he has received from (a) members of the public, (b) hon. Members and (c) Members of the House of Lords against television advertisements for abortion services since 15 May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [234]

Mr Vaizey: At 26 May, 603 pieces of electronic correspondence have been received from members of the public about television advertisements for post-conception advice services. Five pieces of correspondence on the same subject have been received from MPs, and none has been received from Members of the House of Lords. Of the total received, 607 representations oppose the advert.

Broadcast advertising is strictly controlled by the Advertising Standards Authority

working in a co-regulatory partnership with Ofcom. This regulatory regime is independent of Government and sets the standards for all television advertising. Under existing rules non-commercial providers of post-conception advice services are permitted to advertise on television in the UK.

If, in exceptional circumstances, the Secretary of State was persuaded that the rules in this area were not strong enough there are, ultimately, powers under the Communications Act to direct Ofcom on the descriptions of advertisements that should not be included in programme services.

BBC

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what meetings (a) he has had with the BBC since his appointment and (b) plans to have in the next two months; what the agenda was of each such meeting; who attended each such meeting; if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each such meeting; and if he will make a statement. [191]

Mr Vaizey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not yet met with the BBC Trust in his role as Secretary of State but will do so in the coming weeks as part of a number of introductory meetings with key partners across the Department's sectors.

No formal agenda has yet been set for such meetings.


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Any such meetings will be private; a copy of any minutes will not be placed in the House Libraries.

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what account he plans to take of the BBC's undertakings to ensure the (a) making of efficiency savings and (b) prevention of inflation of staff and talent costs in determining the future level of the BBC licence fee; and if he will make a statement. [193]

Mr Vaizey: All relevant factors will be taken into account in setting the level of the television licence fee in future.

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he next plans to meet (a) the Chairman of the BBC Trust and (b) the
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Director General of the BBC; and if he will make a statement. [238]

Mr Vaizey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is meeting a number of key stakeholders, including the BBC, in the coming weeks.

Departmental Manpower

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent staff at each Civil Service grade are employed in the private office of each Minister in his Department. [128]

Hugh Robertson: This Department currently employs 14 full-time equivalent staff to support the Ministers. The number of full-time equivalents, by grade, in the private office of each Minister is shown in the table:

Office Civil Service Grades Total

Executive Officer Higher/Senior Executive Officer Grade 7 Grade 6 Senior Civil Servant Pay Band 1

Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport

1

2

-

1

1

5

Minister for Culture, Communication and Creative Industries

2

-

1

-

-

3

Minister for Sport and the Olympics

2

-

1

-

-

3

Minister for Tourism and Heritage

2

1

-

-

-

3

-

-

-

-

-

14


Departmental Official Cars

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many Government (a) cars and (b) drivers are allocated to Ministers in his Department. [289]

Hugh Robertson: This Department has no cars or drivers allocated to Ministers.

The new ministerial code, published on 21 May 2010, contains changes that affect ministerial entitlement to travel by Government car. It states that

The Department for Transport and its Government Car and Despatch Agency are working with departments to effect the transition to the new arrangements.

The ministerial code, published on 21 May 2010, is available on the Cabinet Office website.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when and in what form he plans to publish a list of all items of expenditure by his Department over £25,000. [269]

Hugh Robertson: We are currently formulating the processes and timings for when the list of items of expenditure by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport over £25,000 will be published. Details will be published on our website in due course.

Listed Buildings

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he expects to announce the future listings and protected status of (a) buildings, (b) monuments, (c) harbours and (d) other structures. [690]

John Penrose: Decisions on a small number of listing applications have been delayed during the election period. We aim to make decisions on these as soon as possible. Over 30 cases have been decided in the last two weeks.

Treasury

Civil Servants: East Midlands

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to relocate civil service employees or Government agencies to (a) Nottingham and (b) the East Midlands; and if he will make a statement. [59]


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Danny Alexander: There are currently no plans held centrally by the Chancellor's departments to relocate civil service employees or Government agencies to (a) Nottingham and (b) the East Midlands. I will not be making a statement on this matter.


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