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27 July 2010 : Column 1083W—continued
Food: Standards
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2010, Official Report, column 6W, on food: standards, what recommendations the task force has made to her Department; what assistance she has provided to the task force since her appointment; and if she will make a statement. [10989]
Mr Paice: The Fruit and Vegetables Task Force presented its interim report to DEFRA Ministers in June 2010. I have since attended the task force's last meeting on 30 June to discuss the interim proposals and have asked the task force to continue its work. The task force's proposals will be published in due course.
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2010, Official Report, column 6W, on food: standards, when the task force will next meet. [10990]
Mr Paice: The Fruit and Vegetables Task Force is expected to meet next in the early autumn. The task force's three subgroups will continue to meet over the summer.
Mr Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2010, Official Report, column 6W, on food: standards, which body will take up the responsibilities
of the Food Standards Agency in respect of the fruit and vegetable task force. [10991]
Mr Paice: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been represented on both the Fruit and Vegetables Task Force and its consumption subgroup. In future the Department of Health will take up the FSA's positions on the task force and subgroup.
Forests: Stockton on Tees
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether Thornaby woods in Stockton South constituency is classified as ancient woodland. [10742]
Mr Paice: Thornaby Wood is shown as ancient woodland on the Provisional Ancient Woodland Inventory for England. However, new woodland creation has taken place to the north and south of the ancient woodland area.
Genetically Modified Organisms
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research projects involving genetically-modified (a) crops, (b) food and (c) feed her Department has funded since 1997; what the (i) topic, (ii) start date, (iii) cost and (iv) project code was of each such project; who the main contractor was in each case; and which such projects have been completed to date. [8027]
Mr Paice: The following table lists research projects commissioned by DEFRA or its predecessors relating to GM crops, food and feed. It does not include some projects that were completed before the establishment of DEFRA in 2001, for which details are not readily available. Most of the DEFRA projects in this area relate to the risk assessment of GM organisms and the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops, rather than the development of GM crops as such.
Hill Farming: Birds
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the contribution of game management to the management of upland areas. [9112]
Mr Paice: The Government recognise the importance of the contribution which game management makes to the creation and management of the relevant habitat types. Some 96% of those Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) which are grouse moor are now in favourable or recovering condition, increasing from 51% in 2006. This is a reflection of moorland managers' awareness of the importance and sensitivity of upland biodiversity.
Hydroelectric Power
Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many extraction licences for hydroelectric schemes the Environment Agency has (a) issued, (b) refused and (c) received but not determined in each of the last three years. [11918]
Richard Benyon: The following table shows the number of hydroelectric power licenses the Environment Agency have issued, refused and received since 1 November 2008. Before this date licenses were handled by the areas, as opposed to centrally through the National Permitting Centre.
| Hydropower licences , 1 November 2008 to 26 July 2010 | |||
| Number | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
| Note: Currently being worked on 57, with 16 waiting to be picked up. | |||
Pheasants: Animal Welfare
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to ban battery cages for breeding pheasants. [12036]
Mr Paice: There are no proposals to bring forward legislation to ban cages for breeding game birds.
On 22 July, the Government laid before Parliament a Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes. The section of the code relating to the housing of game birds recommends that barren cages should not be used and is in line with the recommendations of the Farm Animal Welfare Council's Opinion of 2008.
The code was drafted by a working group of representatives of industry, shooting interests and animal welfare organisations.
In the meantime, game birds reared for sporting purposes continue to be protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which makes it an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal as well as failing to provide for the welfare needs of an animal under the control of man.
Phytophthora Ramorum
Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to assist with the clearance and re-stocking of sites affected by Phytophthora ramorum. [11545]
Mr Paice: On 6 July this year, the Forestry Commission announced a £600,000 support package to support woodland owners in tackling the outbreak of Phytophthora ramorum infection in larch trees in south-west England and south Wales. The package has been put in place as part of DEFRA's five-year Phytophthora programme, which is being managed by the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera). The first £100,000 has been earmarked to give private sector owners access to professional advice about how to have infected trees felled and marketed in ways that comply with biosecurity and other regulations. Owners will be able to apply for up to £1,000 of aid from this part of the fund.
The remaining £500,000 will be used to prevent further spread of the disease. It will help owners with the costs of clearing immature or 'thicket-stage' Japanese larch from affected sites, both privately owned and those managed by the Forestry Commission, especially those most likely to cause further spread of the disease.
Further details are available on the Forestry Commission's Phytophthora ramorum web pages.
Scientists from Forest Research are preparing guidance on restocking sites affected by Phytophthora ramorum for owners and managers. They expect to be able to issue this within the next few weeks on the Forestry Commission website.
The Forestry Commission and Fera are working closely with industry to develop guidelines for improvements in parks and garden management, and in the retail and nursery trade, which will further reduce the spread of the disease.
Phytophthora Ramorum: Cornwall
Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the spread of Phytophthora ramorum in Cornwall. [11546]
Mr Paice: Since the first detection of Phytophthora ramorum in Sussex in May 2002, a systematic programme of surveys has been carried out by the Food and Environment Research Agency and the Forestry Commission covering nurseries, garden centres, woodland and other sites in the wider environment, with action being taken to destroy infected plants that posed a risk of further spread, especially Rhododendrons.
In August 2009, the pathogen was found for the first time in Japanese larch, a commercial forestry tree species, at sites in Cornwall (as well as in Devon and Somerset), and surveys since then have found a number of further sites where trees have been infected. These surveys have intensified and are ongoing, supported by aerial surveillance by helicopter. Notice has now been served on 373 hectares in Cornwall, which have been confirmed with the infection since the initial outbreak was discovered. Only one new infected site was found between April and June this year. Most of the infected sites are on the public forest estate.
In addition to this, since the first infections were discovered, there have been 166 non-larch sites confirmed as infected in parks and gardens in Cornwall. At least 22 of these are now confirmed as being clear of the pathogen.
Rural Payments Agency: Costs
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the administrative costs of the Rural Payments Agency have been in each year since 2005. [11794]
Mr Paice: The total spent by the RPA on administration (net running) costs in each year since 2005 are as follows:
| £000 | |
Included in the above are costs associated with the UK Co-ordinating Body, as reported in the RPA's annual report and accounts. The figures include in-year adjustments over and above the budget allocation for additional work taken on by the RPA during the financial year.
The 2009-10 costs are yet to be signed off by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Sustainable Development Commission
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the contribution of the Sustainable Development Commission to the Government's sustainability strategy. [10941]
Mr Paice: The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) has made a positive contribution across Government and society over the past 10 years and I pay tribute to its work and to the current and previous chairs, Will Day and Jonathon Porritt.
As the Sustainable Development Commission's report on Sustainable Development in Government, published on 22 July, makes clear, there is more to be done. The Prime Minister has pledged that this will be the greenest Government ever. While Government have made progress, we need to take more concerted action on the carbon agenda, led by DECC, and also on the wider sustainability agenda including waste, water, biodiversity, resource efficiency and other areas which DEFRA leads on. As set out in our Structural Reform Plan, this will help to mainstream sustainability and strengthen the Government's performance.
As the Secretary of State announced in a written ministerial statement on 22 July 2010, Official Report, columns 31-33WS, to do this effectively across Government, DEFRA will establish an enhanced departmental capability and presence on sustainable development and will withdraw funding from the SDC from the next financial year, increasing Government responsibility and transparency.
Trade Unions
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department has paid to trade unions in each year since 2001; and what estimate she has made of the monetary value of facilities provided by her Department for use by trade unions in each year since 2001. [11667]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA does not pay any money directly to any of its recognised trade unions. DEFRA does grant its trade union representatives reasonable time off and facilities to carry out trade union duties, activities and training in accordance with their statutory rights.
The financial value of the facilities provided to the trade unions for the financial years 2009-10 is estimated at £1,201,301 for DEFRA and its Executive agencies.
Records for earlier years are not readily available and can be produced only at a disproportionate cost.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many paid manpower hours civil servants in her Department spent on trade union-related duties and activities in each year since 2001. [11668]
Richard Benyon: For the financial year 2009-10 DEFRA and its agencies provided its trade union representatives with approximately 6,805 hours facility time.
Records for earlier years are not readily available and can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants in her Department spent the equivalent of (a) five days or fewer, (b) five to 10 days, (c) 10 to 15 days, (d) 15 to 20 days, (e) 20 to 25 days and (f) 25 days or more on trade union-related activities or duties while being paid salaries from the public purse in each year since 2001. [11669]
Richard Benyon: This information to answer this question is not readily available and can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Water Companies
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to encourage utility companies to (a) increase the reliability of water supplies and (b) reduce the frequency of hosepipe bans and other measures to conserve water supplies. [10914]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 26 July 2010]: All water companies plan for secure water supplies through their 25-year water resources management plans. These set out how a company will provide for a sustainable supply and demand balance, taking into account pressures such as population growth and climate change.
This does not mean that they can avoid introducing restrictions in times of water shortages although typically companies plan for restrictions once every 20 years. To plan for resources that would meet demand in any circumstances would accrue significant additional costs,
which would be passed to customers, and would also have environmental impacts. All companies take a risk-based approach. They balance a planned level of service, which includes measures such as hosepipe bans, against the costs customers are willing to pay for a secure supply.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will require water companies not to use housing targets contained in regional spatial strategies to inform water demand forecasts as part of their water resources management plans. [11506]
Richard Benyon: We expect to review how the process has worked for this first round of statutory plans once all are published. We also expect to consider the need for changes to existing guidance, including that on demand forecasts, before the next set of plans is prepared. This will take into account the revocation of the regional strategies. We will continue to ensure that these plans take appropriate account of the best available housing growth data.
Home Department
Alcoholic Drinks
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what methodology her Department plans to use to calculate the cost price of alcohol; [11643]
(2) when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit the sale of alcohol below cost price. [11916]
James Brokenshire: We are determined to tackle the sale of below cost alcohol, and clamp down on irresponsible sales where this has been shown to impact on crime and disorder. The Government are considering the detail of what "below cost selling" constitutes and how the ban will be enforced. We will work closely with other Government Departments including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Office of Fair Trading, as well as representatives of the licensed trade, including the supermarkets, to determine how best to effectively implement this commitment, without unduly adding a bureaucratic burden for businesses.
Animal Experiments
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what organisations (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department (i) have met and (ii) plan to meet to discuss policy and practice on scientific procedures on animals. [11200]
Lynne Featherstone: I have already met with representatives from the UK Bioscience sector coalition and the chair of the Animal Procedures Committee. I have meetings scheduled with representatives from the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection and Animal Defenders International and a date is to be arranged to meet with representatives from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Asylum
Mr Robin Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect of the delay in processing asylum applications on the hidden economy and the level of illegal working. [11320]
Damian Green: It is our priority to ensure that those who apply for asylum in the UK have their applications processed as quickly as possible. That is why, as outlined in the Partnership Programme, the Government are committed to exploring new ways to improve the current asylum system to speed up the processing of applications. The UK Border Agency is working to meet this commitment and improve the asylum process, which will help promote swifter refugee integration and, where asylum is refused, will assist in ensuring the return and reintegration of failed asylum seekers is done as smoothly and effectively as possible.
The Government are committed to cracking down on illegal working, including any asylum seekers working illegally. Regular raids on employers are carried out and employers are liable for a fine of up to £10,000 per illegal worker.
British Nationality
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people (a) applied for and (b) were refused UK citizenship in (i) Lancashire, (ii) the North West and (iii) the UK in each year since 1997. [10883]
Damian Green: The information requested is shown in the following tables. Totals for the UK have been taken from the 2009 Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The information relating to Lancashire and the north-west has been provided from local management information and is not a National Statistic. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.
| Table 1: Nationality applications received and refusals of British citizenship in the north-west, 1997 to 2009 | ||||||
| Number | ||||||
| Applications received | Refused | |||||
| Total for the UK | Total for the north-west | Total for Lancashire | Total for the UK | Total for the north-west | Total for Lancashire | |
| Table 3: Refusals of British citizenship in the north-west, 2004-09 | ||||||
| Local authority | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| (1 )Negligible i.e. 2 or less. Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Totals may not sum to their components due to rounding. 2. Citizenship ceremonies were introduced Jan 2004. This is when the applicants' postcodes were mapped to their nearest local authority. 3. Total for Lancashire only includes Lancashire local authority. A breakdown of all the north-west local authorities is presented in this table. 4. The total for the UK figures have been taken from the 2009 Home Office Statistical Bulletin. 5. Applications received for the UK to 2004 include applications for right of abode. Total applications for 2005 and all application figures for the north-west and Lancashire exclude right of abode cases. Source: Local Management Information provided by UKBA, North West Region Planning and MI Team. | ||||||
Crime: Fraud
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of criminal activity involving stolen driving licences there were in the latest period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [11048]
James Brokenshire: The information requested is not collected centrally. While the Home Office collects data on offences recorded by the police in England and Wales, it is not possible to identify those which involved the use of stolen driving licences.
Crime: Unemployment
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make an assessment of the effects on levels of (a) crime and (b) civil disobedience of changes in the level of unemployment. [8850]
Nick Herbert: There are no current plans to make an assessment of the effects on levels of crime or civil disobedience of changes in the level of unemployment.
Criminal Records Bureau
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Criminal Records Bureau's revenue was in the latest period for which figures are available. [11740]
Lynne Featherstone: The revenue generated by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) for the latest financial year (2009-10) is £127.3 million.
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in respect of how many individuals the Criminal Records Bureau received (a) more than one, (b) more than two and (c) more than five applications for (i) standard and (ii) an enhanced disclosure in the most recent 12 months period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [11741]
Lynne Featherstone: The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) does not hold this information. The Bureau's system stores information based upon each application and not on each individual applicant. Each application is treated as a new application.
It is ultimately for each recruiting organisation and not the CRB to decide whether and when a certificate should be applied for.
The decision to request these checks is made in line with the organisations' own internal recruitment policies and any legislation that governs them.
A CRB certificate is not clearance to work; it simply provides the recruiting organisation with the information available at that time on which to base its decision. As conviction or other relevant information can be recorded against an individual at any time, authorities may decide that a new application needs to be made to make sure the information provided is accurate and up to date on each occasion.
Death: Weapons
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many 13 to 19 year olds were killed in shootings in (a) Streatham constituency, (b) the London Borough of Lambeth, (c) London and (d) England in (i) each year from 2005 to 2009 and (ii) 2010 on the latest date for which figures are available; [10735]
(2) how many 13 to 19 year olds were killed in knife incidents or stabbings in (a) Streatham constituency, (b) the London Borough of Lambeth, (c) London and (d) England in (i) each year from 2005 to 2009 and (ii) 2010 on the latest date for which figures are available. [10736]
James Brokenshire:
Available information is from the Homicide Index and relates to offences currently recorded as homicide (murder, manslaughter and infanticide) as at 24 November 2009. Data from the Homicide Index cannot be broken down below police force area level, and so data only for London and England can be provided. The following tables show the number of homicide victims aged 13 to 19 years inclusive where the apparent method of killing is 'sharp instrument' or 'shooting', in each financial year from 2005-06 to 2008-09. Figures for 2009-10 will be published in January 2011 in
Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2009/10".
| Table 1: Offences currently( 1) recorded as homicide by apparent method of killing for victims aged 13 to 19, England, 2005-06 to 2008-09( 2) | ||||
| Recorded crime (Number) | ||||
| Method of killing | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| (1) As at 24 November 2009; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (2) Offences are shown according to the year in which police initially recorded the offence as homicide. This is not necessarily the year in which the incident took place or the year in which any court decision was made. (3) Includes knives and other sharp instruments. (4) Including shooting by crossbow. Excludes homicides where firearms used as a blunt instrument. | ||||
| Table 2 : Offences currently( 1) recorded as homicide by apparent method of killing for victims aged 13 to 19, London region( 2) , 2005-06 to 2008-09( 3) | ||||
| Recorded crime (Number) | ||||
| Method of killing | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| (1) As at 24 November 2009; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (2) The London region consists of the City of London and the metropolitan police forces. (3) Offences are shown according to the year in which police initially recorded the offence as homicide. This is not necessarily the year in which the incident took place or the year in which any court decision was made. (4) Includes knives and other sharp instruments. (5) Including shooting by crossbow. Excludes homicides where firearms used as a blunt instrument. | ||||
Departmental Billing
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the time taken by contractors employed by it to pay the invoices of their sub-contractors under prompt payment arrangements; and if she will make a statement. [9251]
Nick Herbert: The Home Department does not hold this information centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.
Departmental Consultants
Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budget for consultants to her Department is for 2010-11. [9208]
Nick Herbert: Under the new coalition Government, the Department has set targets to reduce overall expenditure on consultants by some 50% in the current financial year, supported by stricter rules of engagement and approvals, with Secretary of State approval required for any expenditure above £20,000. These measures are designed to reduce expenditure to £84 million in the current financial year.
Departmental ICT
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much (a) her Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on information and communication technology in each year since 1997. [7341]
Nick Herbert: The following table sets out the available data for information and communication technology within the Home Office and UK Border Agency, Identity and Passport Service and Criminal Records Bureau.
Figures for the Home Office Core and UK Border Agency are provided from 2005-06 onwards, and are drawn from the Department's resource accounts. These include identifiable ICT costs, including PFI costs, but not IT-related staff and capital costs as it is not possible to break down expenditure in those areas without incurring disproportionate cost.
General and subsidiary ledgers produced for the purpose of preparing certified financial statements are not retained after a period of six years, in line with National Audit Office requirements. The Department does not, therefore, hold the requested information for financial years before 2004-05.
Information on expenditure by the Identity and Passport Service is provided for each financial year since 1999, drawn from the agency's annual accounts.
Figures for the Criminal Records Bureau are provided for each financial year since 2000, drawn from internal records.
| ICT expenditure | |||
| £ | |||
| Home Office( 1) | CRB | IPS | |
| n/a = Not available (1) Media and IT costs for UKBA are included in the Home Office figures. The publications also show the grant payments made to the non-departmental public bodies but are not included in the media and IT costs. (2) 2004-05 figures are not available as the accounts were disclaimed by the National Audit Office and any reported expenditure would be unreliable. | |||
Departmental Lost Property
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what property has been recorded as (a) lost and (b) stolen from the Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property. [5960]
Nick Herbert: There is no centralised reporting mechanism for recording of reported thefts in the Home Department. To gather the information required would incur disproportionate costs.
Departmental Official Cars
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Ministers in her Department have used an allocated Ministerial car to travel between her Department and the House of Commons on each day since 21 May 2010. [5550]
Nick Herbert: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson) on 28 June 2010, Official Report, column 434W.
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much (a) her Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on hospitality in each year since 1997. [7448]
Nick Herbert: Expenditure incurred by the Department, UK Border Agency and Identity and Passport Service is set out in the table.
| £000 | ||
| Home Office and UKBA | Identity and Passport Service | |
Home Office expenditure on official hospitality and entertainment conforms to departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which complies with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety. Hospitality is defined as the provision of food, drink and entertainment of non-civil servants where it is beneficial to the interests of the Department.
General and subsidiary ledgers produced for the purpose of preparing certified financial statements are not retained after a period of six years, in line with National Audit Office requirements. The Department does not hold the requested information for financial years before 2004-05. The Department's 2004-05 Resource Accounts were disclaimed and reported expenditure for that year is unreliable.
Expenditure incurred by the Criminal Records Bureau and non-departmental public bodies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in her Department in (a) May and (b) June 2010. [10115]
Nick Herbert: £2,494.81 was spent on hospitality for an event hosted by the Home Secretary and her ministerial team with approximately 100 key Home Office partners in May of this year. The event provided Ministers with the opportunity to establish relationships and share early priorities. The hospitality cost was kept to a minimum by managing the event in-house. No other events were hosted by Home Office Ministers in either May or June.
Departmental Operating Costs
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to reduce the running costs of her Department since her appointment. [9824]
Nick Herbert: The Home Office is committed to reducing its costs and is currently considering how future savings will be achieved as part of the Government's spending review which will report in October. This will build on the £367 million savings that the Department has already identified as its share of the £6 billion cross-government cuts announced by the Coalition Government in May.
Departmental Pay
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid in remuneration in total to civil servants in her Department in 2009-10. [9901]
Nick Herbert: The Home Office accounts show that the costs for all permanently employed staff within the Home Office and its agencies for 2009-10 are as follows:
| (£) | ||
| Core Home Office | Core HO + Agencies | |
Departmental Regulation
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of her Department's regulations are under review; and if she will make a statement. [7150]
Nick Herbert: In the Budget the Government announced plans for reducing regulatory burdens, including the introduction of a one-in-one out system for new regulations and a fundamental review of all regulation inherited from the previous Government scheduled for introduction over the coming year. These regulations will not be implemented until they have been reviewed and re-agreed by the Reducing Regulation Cabinet Committee.
The Your Freedom website launched by the Deputy Prime Minister on 1 July 2010, will also give members of the public the opportunity to suggest existing regulations for removal:
Departmental Stationery
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much (a) her Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on stationery in each year since 1997. [7467]
Nick Herbert: Due to a switch over to the Oracle ERP system in 2004 and changes to the Home Department's accounting systems, details of spend on stationery for the Home Department and UKBA prior to 2004 are not available. To obtain the information would incur disproportionate cost.
However we do hold data for the Home Department and United Kingdom Border Agency spend on stationery in each year since 2004 which is as follows:
| Table 1: Stationery spend Home Department and UKBA | |
| £000 | |
The Home Department's executive agency and executive NDPBs spend on stationery in each year since 1997 or their vesting date if later is:
| Table 2: Stationery spend-agency/NDPB | ||||||||
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