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Defra has a programme in place to deliver further energy savings across its estate, with initiatives specifically targeted at reducing heat demand.
in 2007 a maximum space heating set point of 21 degrees was introduced across the estate;three gas-fired combined heat and power plants have been installed on the estate, which provide 17 per cent of the Defra's electricity and heat. Further CHP installations are currently undergoing feasibility studies;technologies have been implemented on laboratory sites which recover heat and create electricity from laboratory processes; andthermal imaging and building energy surveys have been undertaken across the estate, which identified potential opportunities for improving the thermal efficiency of the buildings. These projects are currently being prioritised for implementation during summer/autumn 2009.1 BERR: Estimates of heat use in the UK: June 2007.www.berr.gov.uk/files/file43843.pdf
Equal Pay
Question
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty's Government in light of the report in the Financial Times of 5 May, whether there is a gender pay gap in the Fire Service College; if so, what is the percentage difference; and what are the reasons for the difference. [HL3719]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): An analysis of all Fire Service College Civil Service staff salaries by grade as at 1 June 2008 indicates that no material gender pay gap exists within junior grades at the college.
At higher and senior levels, the gap is between 3 per cent and 10 per cent. This is as a direct result of two out of four male staff transferring in from other
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Equal Pay: Government Departments
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government what pay gaps there are in respect of gender, race and disability among employees of the Department for International Development. [HL3317]
Lord Tunnicliffe: The Department for International Development (DfID) carried out an equal pay audit in 2008 for all staff below the Senior Civil Service. The audit showed that there are no significant pay gaps by gender, race or disability (ie, variations of 5 per cent or more) across DfID staff grades. Further information on Civil Service gender statistics is available online at www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/CivilService_tables_2008.xls.
DfID values diversity and is committed to ensuring that it is reflected in our pay arrangements.
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a gender pay gap in the Crown Prosecution Service; if so, what is the percentage difference; and what are the reasons for the difference. [HL3513]
The Attorney-General (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) completes comprehensive equal pay reviews on a regular basis. The most recent review showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the pay of female and male staff.
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a gender pay gap in the Ministry of Defence; if so, what is the percentage difference; and what are the reasons for the difference. [HL3514]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): I refer the noble Lord to the tables, particularly Table 27, on gender pay gaps as set out in the Civil Service Statistics found at the following link: www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/CivilService_tables_2008.xls.
I should explain to the noble Lord that the overall pay gap figure is not relevant in the context of equal pay legislation, as it does not compare like-for-like work.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what pay gaps there are in respect of gender, race and disability among employees of Communities and Local Government. [HL3315]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): In relation to gender pay gaps, I refer the noble Baroness to Table 27 of the Civil Service Statistics which sets out the percentage difference in median salaries between different genders in all government departments:
www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/CivilService_tables_2008.xls.
Although a recent analysis of basic pay has identified differences between key demographic/employment groups of greater than 3 per cent for Communities and Local Government (CLG) as a whole, it has revealed few differences of similar order at the pay range level (pay range is taken as an indicator of work of equal value).
CLG is committed to working towards equality of treatment throughout its workforce. In addition to complying with statutory duties, eg carrying out an equal pay review every three years, the department consults regularly with the TUS and staff networks to see how barriers to equality can be removed.
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether consultancy contracts have been entered into by the Equality and Human Rights Commission with the Equate Organisation, Dignity Management Consultancy or Neil Kingham Ltd; and, if so, whether they give rise to any previous, current or potential future conflicts of interest with any commissioner or member of staff of the commission. [HL3589]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon): The Equality and Human Rights Commission has not entered into any consultancy agreements with the Equate Organisation, Dignity Management Consultancy or Neil Kinghan Ltd. The commission is in the process of completing a contract with Neil Kinghan Ltd for the provision of services of interim director-general personally by Neil Kinghan. In accordance with the commission's rules on handling conflict of interest, the commission has taken steps to remove any perceived or potential conflict of interests.
Food: Meat
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what human and financial resources are allocated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to facilitate the export of British meat and other animal products to existing and new markets. [HL3730]
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Government contribute substantial resources to facilitate
21 May 2009 : Column WA359
Gaza
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence they have that Israeli military forces used the following in Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009: (a) dense inert metal explosives, (b) white phosphorus shells, (c) fuel-air explosives, and (d) cluster bombs, to target ambulances, children and a school; and what use they will make of any such evidence.[HL3306]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): Findings from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) investigations have stated that, throughout the conflict in Gaza, the IDF operated in accordance with international law, although there were a very small number of incidents in which intelligence or operational errors took place during the fighting.
However, we are concerned by the findings of the UN board of inquiry's (BoI) report. The inviolability of UN installations should be respected. It is therefore important that Israel ensures that the various allegations are fully investigated, taking into account the BoI's findings. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary reiterated this in his statement at the UN Security Council debate on 11 May 2009.
Government Departments: Bottled Water
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Department of Energy and Climate Change or its predecessors spent on bottled water in each of the past five years. [HL3524]
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): This information is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost, but it is a policy of the Department of Energy and Climate Change and its predecessors not to buy bottled water.
Government Departments: Staff Absence
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what the rates of staff (a) absence, and (b) sickness absence, were at (1) the Ministry of Justice, and (2) each of
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): Due to machinery of government change, the Ministry of Justice was created on 9 May 2007.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) does not currently record staff absence, other than sick absence, centrally.
MoJ sick absence rates and targets since inception are contained in the table below. The figures include MoJ headquarters, Her Majesty's Court Service, the Office of the Public Guardian, the Tribunals Service and Scotland and Wales Offices.
| Ministry of Justice sick absence rates | ||
| Year | Working days lost per person | Target (working days per person) |
Source: MoJ Cabinet Office return minus Land Registry and NOMS Agency
Includes all MoJ employees on Home Office systems [MoJ and NOMS HQ]
** Statistics still to be validated and include staff that migrated across from HO
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS), which comprises NOMS HQ and Her Majesty's Prison Service, is an agency of the Ministry of Justice. The table below contains sick absence rates and targets for NOMS since the MoJ's inception.
| National Offender Management Service sick absence rates | ||
| Year | Working days lost per person | Target (working days per person) |
Source: NOMS Agency Cabinet Office return
* Excludes staff on Home Office systems
** Statistic still to be validated and includes staff that migrated across from HO systems
With a very small number of exceptions, executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and their employees are not civil servants. Therefore, the sickness absence rates of MoJ NDPBs are not monitored by the MoJ.
Houses of Parliament: Select Committees
Questions
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 20 April (WA 346), on how many occasions and in what circumstances Ministers of the Department of Energy and Climate Change and its predecessors have refused to give evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees during the past five years.[HL3138]
21 May 2009 : Column WA361
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): No DECC Minister has refused to give evidence to a parliamentary Select Committee.
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Myners on 12 May (WA 191), what resources and records they would need in order to provide information on the number of occasions and the circumstances in which Ministers of HM Treasury have refused to give evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees during the past five years; and whether they intend to keep a readily available record of such information in the future. [HL3766]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): Processes have been put in place to ensure that the Treasury records future instances where Ministers or officials decline to give evidence to parliamentary Select Committees.
Housing: Private Landlords
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much housing benefit was paid for the benefit of private landlords in each of the past three years; and whether they will consider taxing such monies on a basis similar to PAYE. [HL3504]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the table.
| Housing Benefit expenditure in relation to private tenancies in Great Britain | (£millions) |
Note: figures are rounded to £10 million
Source: Statistical returns and subsidy claims from local authorities
The rental income received by private landlords is dealt with under long established tax rules, and taxing housing benefit at source would add complexity to the system and go against the Government's undertaking to reduce the level of burden of tax administration.
IRA
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the IRA are involved in activity involving (a) fuel, (b) alcohol, (c) tobacco, (d) livestock, (e) dumping, and (f) DVDs and CDs. [HL3541]
21 May 2009 : Column WA362
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The most recent assessment is contained in the IMC's 21st report, published on 7 May. This indicates that the PIRA is not involved in illegal activity.
Iran
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the Government of Iran following recent airborne attacks by Iran into Iraq; and, if so, of what kind. [HL3567]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The UK is aware of reports of Iranian shelling in and against Iraqi Kurdistan earlier this month. The UK has not made any representations to the Government of Iran about this.
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