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Contacts with the Media
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What arrangements they propose to make to facilitate (a) parliamentary and (b) public scrutiny of the record of contacts with the media kept under the provisions of Clause 9 of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers; and whether it is their policy to release the records as a matter of course under the
30- year rule in any event.[HL3446]
The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston): All civil servants, including special advisers, are expected to keep departmental heads of information informed of contacts with the media. Details of such contacts are for internal purposes only. The release of such records will be treated in the same way as all other records and closed for 30 years only if they come within the usual criteria governing closure.
Government Departments: Broadband Facilities
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether central government departments are broadband-enabled: and, if not, what plans there are to achieve broadband connectivity by 2005.[HL3447]
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The majority of central government departments are broadband enabled albeit not at every site or local office. Responsibility for expenditure on broadband connectivity lies with individual departments. However, the Office of the e-Envoy has drawn up detailed communications and IT expenditure plans as part of the 2002 Spending Review in order that activity
in this area is co-ordinated. This work is being fed into the Office of Government Commerce's broadband procurement feasibility study.Downing Street Apartments
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What precedents there are for the use of the Prime Ministerial apartments in Downing Street by wives of Prime Ministers for meetings with their business clients.[HL3794]
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: There has been no change in the arrangements governing the occupation of apartments in Downing Street.
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration: Public Access
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they intend to introduce legislation enabling members of the public to have direct access to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.[HL3939]
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: As I made clear in my Answer to the noble Lord of 29 January, the legislation required to implement the new arrangements will be made as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Special Advisers
Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have any plans for an increase in the number of special advisers.[HL4061]
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Paragraph 50 of the ministerial code sets out the rules on numbers of special advisers. At 1 May, there were 81 special advisers in post. The Government would not expect there to be a large increase in numbers.
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