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22 July 2008 : Column WA234
| Benefit expenditure to customers living in India and Pakistan by benefit | ||
| Benefit | Actual benefit expenditure | |
- 1. The above is the amount of state pension and other benefits paid to customers living in India and Pakistan by International Pension Centre in the year 2006-07.
Bonuses: DBERR
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many staff working for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform were paid a bonus in each of the past five years; and what was the total amount of bonuses paid by the department. [HL4695]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Baroness Vadera): The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (previously DTI) awards non-consolidated bonuses in two formats:
1. Special bonuses to recognise performance in particularly demanding tasks or situations. Staff in receipt of a special bonus may also receive an annual performance award.2. Annual performance awards paid to highly successful performers as part of the annual pay award.Based on the information available the number of staff receiving these awards, as a proportion of the total workforce they represent, total amount of bonuses and the size of the single largest payment for which this information can be provided is in the table below.
- (2) In 2007-8 the total value of bonuses paid was approximately 1.5% of the total department's paybill.
- (3) The special bonuses and performance awards for non-SCS staff are paid on a non-consolidated, non-pensionable basis and do not increase the department's paybill costs each year. For the SCS the Senior Salaries Review Body determines the level of expenditure to cover bonuses.
- (4) Includes staff who were transferred from DTI to DIUS as part of the June 2007 Machinery of Government Changes as these staff received a DTI/BERR pay award in 2007. Does not include those staff transferred into BERR from Cabinet Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government as part of the June 2007 Machinery of Government Changes as these staff received Cabinet Office and DCLG pay awards respectively in 2007.
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British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 14 July (WA 106) concerning the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat, what the grades of the British staff are; and who they are. [HL5009]
Baroness Crawley: The grades of the staff on the British side of the secretariat range from D2 to Senior Civil Service (SCS). The current British joint secretary is Mary Madden (SCS), and the deputy British joint secretary is Tim Logan (Grade A).
They are supported by eight staff members. The names of other staff members are not being disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.
Broadcasting: Digital Switchover
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 10 July (WA 91), whether Freesat will be available from UTV in Northern Ireland; and where in the United Kingdom are the 2 per cent of households for which Freesat is unavailable. [HL4935]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Estimated satellite coverage for Freesat in Northern Ireland is the same as the rest of the UK (98 per cent of households), as the UTV region is representative of the UK in terms of satellite reception conditions.
The 2 per cent of households that cannot receive satellite transmissions are spread across the UK. We do not have exact details of these locations.
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 10 July (WA 91—92), whether the timing of digital switchover in the Republic of Ireland will have any influence on the proposed switchover in Northern Ireland in 2012. [HL4936]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Irish Government have not yet set a date for digital switchover in Ireland; Northern Ireland is scheduled to switch over in 2012. We are currently consulting the relevant authorities and regulators over switchover plans and will work to minimise any disruption.
Budget
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What is their response to the formal opening of an excessive deficit procedure against the United Kingdom following agreement by the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of the European
22 July 2008 : Column WA236
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government have consistently supported a prudent interpretation of the stability and growth pact, which takes into account the economic cycle, the long-term sustainability of public finances and the important role of public investment.
Budget 2008 projects a treaty deficit of 3.2 per cent in 2008-09, falling to 2.8 per cent in 2009-10. This is consistent with the recommendation adopted by the Economic and Financial Affairs Council.
Control Orders
Baroness Neville-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many foreign nationals have been subject to control orders since they were introduced; and of these how many have been successfully deported. [HL4513]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): As of 10 June 2008 (the end of the period covered by the last quarterly Written Ministerial Statement on control orders), 26 foreign nationals had been subject to a control order. Of these, six individuals have successfully been deported.
Baroness Neville-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many individuals subject to control orders were subsequently served between February 2007 and February 2008 with notices of intention to deport; on what date each of those notices was served; and how many of those individuals have been successfully deported. [HL4514]
Baroness Neville-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many individuals subject to control orders have absconded abroad, or are thought to have absconded abroad, since control orders were introduced. [HL4515]
Lord West of Spithead: I would refer the noble Baroness to Written Ministerial Statements in relation to control orders published on 11 December 2006, 16 January 2007, 22 March 2007, 24 May 2007, 21 June 2007, 17 September 2007, 12 December 2007, 13 March 2008 and 12 June 2008.
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Counterterrorism
Baroness Neville-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many Home Office-sponsored counterterrorism exercises have been conducted in each year since 2001; and which agencies and organisations were involved in those exercises. [HL4586]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The Home Office counterterrorist exercise programme is designed to raise awareness of and test contingency plans in conjunction with the police service and, dependent on the nature of the exercise, involve the participation of other emergency services, government departments and agencies, the military, local authorities, health providers, scientists and technical specialists.
The programme comprises exercises that involve elements of live-play and table-top exercises. Between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2007, the Home Office delivered the following counterterrorist exercises as part of this programme:
| Live Exercises | Table-top Exercises | ||
Baroness Neville-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many police have been trained to deal with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks since July 2006; and how many police officers in total are so trained. [HL4587]
Lord West of Spithead: Since July 2006, approximately 1,998 police officers have been trained to deal with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks.
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