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8 Jun 2010 : Column 139W—continued
Departmental Manpower
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) front-line and (b) other staff were employed by (i) his Department and (ii) each of its agencies in the latest year for which figures are available; and what his most recent estimate is of the annual cost to the public purse of employing staff of each type at each of those bodies. [533]
Michael Gove: The Department for Education does not have any agencies, nor does it directly employ what is described as front-line staff.
The number of staff employed by the Department is available on the website of the Office for National Statistics:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=2899&;Pos=&ColRank=1&Rank=422
The most recently published data in relation to the cost of employing staff in the Department are published in the 2008-09 Resource Accounts which is available at:
http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction =product details&PageMode=publications&Productld=HC+448
The Department's 2009-10 Resource Accounts will be published in mid-July 2010.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the (a) implementation of penalty clauses and payments in its contracts and (b) potential legal action arising from the deferral and cancellation of contracts and projects under his Department's plans to achieve cost savings; and whether those estimates are included in the total cost savings to be achieved by his Department. [569]
Michael Gove: My officials are liaising with the Office of Government Commerce who are undertaking work to review major projects and support the renegotiation of contracts on behalf of central Government to seek efficiencies in the region of £1.7 billion. The analysis of contingent liabilities, in order to achieve maximum actual savings, is a core part of the review methodology and OGC will be taking into account the potential costs of deferment or cancellation. The Department is also currently undertaking an analysis of the remaining relevant contracts which will take into account all exit costs associated with early termination of contracts and cancellation of ongoing procurements.
Teaching Methods
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on the implementation of the one-to-one tuition scheme. [757]
Mr Gibb:
The Secretary of State has not held any discussions directly with local authorities on the subject of one-to-one tuition. He has, however, confirmed that he will protect front-line spending for schools, and the £256 million allocated to schools and local authorities for one-to-one tuition in 2010-11 is included within that category. The Department has handed £47 million back
to the Treasury as part of the Government's broader drive to secure public sector savings over the course of the financial year 2010-11. These savings have been made from centrally held funding for one-to-one tuition which had not yet been allocated and for which no spending plans had been announced.
Departmental officials have continued to work closely with local authority officers responsible for the implementation of one-to-one tuition locally.
Treasury
Budget Deficit
19. Mr Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to reduce the level of the budget deficit. [936]
Justine Greening: The Treasury has received a number of budget representations from various sources, some of which make reference to the budget deficit.
The Coalition Agreement states that "deficit reduction, and continuing to ensure economic recovery, is the most urgent issue facing Britain".
The Chancellor has announced the first step in tackling the deficit, setting out details of how to save over £6 billion from spending during this financial year. This is the fastest and most collegiate spending review in recent history.
At the emergency Budget on 22 June, the Chancellor will set out a comprehensive plan to accelerate reduction of the UK's deficit over the course of this Parliament.
Economic Growth
20. Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to increase economic growth. [937]
Mr Gauke: The Government are taking action to support enterprise and create a fair, competitive, and efficient tax system in order to deliver the private-sector led recovery that will be the foundation of future growth. Fundamental to this strategy will be tackling the budget deficit and providing a stable macroeconomic environment that will underpin private-sector investment and growth.
Further details of the action Government will take to secure future growth will be included in the Emergency Budget on 22 June.
21. Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to increase economic growth. [938]
Mr Gauke: The Government are taking action to support enterprise and create a fair, competitive, and efficient tax system in order to deliver the private-sector led recovery that will be the foundation of future growth. Fundamental to this strategy will be tackling the budget deficit and providing a stable macroeconomic environment that will underpin private-sector investment and growth.
Further details of the action Government will take to secure future growth will be included in the Emergency Budget on 22 June.
22. Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to increase economic growth. [939]
Mr Gauke: The Government are taking action to support enterprise and create a fair, competitive, and efficient tax system in order to deliver the private-sector led recovery that will be the foundation of future growth. Fundamental to this strategy will be tackling the budget deficit and providing a stable macroeconomic environment that will underpin private-sector investment and growth.
Further details of the action Government will take to secure future growth will be included in the Emergency Budget on 22 June.
24. Mark Pritchard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on his policy on capital gains tax. [941]
Mr Gauke: We have received a number of representations on the proposals to reform capital gains tax. We will take all factors into consideration when making tax policy and further details will be provided at Budget.
Devolved Administrations
23. Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the mechanism for the provision of funding from the Exchequer to the devolved administrations; and if he will make a statement. [940]
Danny Alexander: The Government recognise the concerns expressed by the Holtham Commission on Welsh funding, the House of Lords Select Committee report on the Barnett formula and other commentators on the system of devolution funding.
However, as set out in the coalition programme for government, at this time the priority must be to reduce the deficit and therefore any change to the system must await the stabilisation of the public finances.
Credit Unions
25. Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to provide financial assistance to community-based credit unions. [942]
Justine Greening: The Government have made it clear that the role of social enterprises, charities and co-operatives will be enhanced. The provision of financial assistance is a matter for Ministers with responsibility for community-based credit unions in their own areas.
Departmental Billing
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of invoices from suppliers to his Department were paid within 10-days of receipt in (a) March and (b) April 2010. [1252]
Justine Greening: The percentage of Treasury invoices paid within 10-days of receipt from suppliers was 92.2% for March 2010 and 95.2% for April 2010 against a target set by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills of 90%.
Excise Duties: Beer
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many changes there have been to the level of duty in sales of beer in the last 30 months; and what the total percentage change has been. [955]
Justine Greening: The rate of duty on beer has been changed four times in the past 30 months, a 26% increase in total.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Baron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department plans to respond to the letter of 28 April 2010 from the then hon. Member for Billericay regarding his constituent Mr Welford. [1006]
Justine Greening: The Treasury hopes to be in a position to respond to the hon. Member shortly and apologises for the delay in doing so.
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