To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost is of employing people to wrap Christmas presents for the Prime Minister's Office; and if he will make a statement. [37236]

No staff are employed to wrap Christmas presents for the Prime Minister's Office.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what contracts have been entered into between the Cabinet Office and Ecovert plc in the last three years. [37237]

Following a competitive tendering exercise, the Cabinet Office entered into a contract with Ecovert FM Ltd. on 1 April 2002 for the provision of a total facilities management service covering its estate in London and Basingstoke. This includes ad hoc project works. The Cabinet Office has not entered into any other contracts with Ecovert FM Ltd.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to how many posts in public bodies he has the power to appoint individuals. [36617]

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is responsible for making appointments to five advisory non-departmental public bodies. These are the Advisory Committee on Advertising; the Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information; the Better Regulation Task Force (which becomes the Better Regulation Commission on 1 January 2006); the Civil Service Appeal Board; and, the Security Vetting Appeals Panel. Further information about these bodies can be found on the Public Bodies database at http://www.knowledgenetwork.gov.uk/ndpb/ndpb.nsf/

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 who have since been appointed to public bodies by his Department, broken down by party; and who was responsible for making each appointment. [36679]

No former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 have since been appointed to a public body sponsored by the Department.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff are employed by the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit; and at what grade. [35974]

The Prime Minister's Delivery Unit's agreed staffing profile for 2005–06 was 41.5 full-time equivalent staff, breaking down as the following mix of grades:

In October 2005 the unit expanded, with seven posts transferring in from elsewhere in the Cabinet Office to work on an initiative to assess the wider capability of Whitehall Departments to deliver their objectives. Their grade breakdown is as follows:

As with any unit that actively manages its staffing complement through turnover and succession planning, at any given point PMDU may have slightly more or fewer staff than the profile quoted aforementioned.

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many retired Church of England clergy who are in receipt of a pension have subsequently returned to the ministry full-time. [37933]

For the majority of clergy, ministry does not cease when they retire and start to receive a pension. Many retired clergy continue to make a vital contribution through honorary and assistant ministry. Occasionally they are licensed to a benefice and may even receive a part-stipend in addition to their pension. The Pensions Board has discretion to suspend or reduce pension if the recipient is in work which falls within the definition of pensionable service. The total they receive by way of pension and stipend should not exceed the National Minimum Stipend (currently £18,060 p.a.).

In 2004 there were two such cases and there have also been two cases so far in 2005. Aggregate figures for all retired clergy are not available.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many appeals were heard by the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) where there were (a) two Appeal Court judges and (b) one Appeal Court judge sitting in each of the last five years for which information is available. [36186]

The number of appeals heard when there were two judges sitting in the full Court of Appeal is set out in the table. No appeals were heard by a judge sitting alone in the full Court of Appeal.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the cases heard by the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) in which all proceedings are complete where there were (a) two Appeal Court judges and (b) one Appeal Court judge sitting in each of the last five years for which information is available. [37541]

A list setting out the names of cases where an application or appeal was heard by two judges sitting in the full Court of Appeal has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. No applications or appeals were heard by a judge sitting alone in the full Court of Appeal.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance she issues about the number of judges required to hear an appeal in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division); what the (a) maximum and (b) minimum number of judges required is to hear an appeal before that Court; and if she will make a statement. [37542]

No guidance is issued by the Minister. The governing provisions in section 55, Supreme Court Act 1981 do not set a maximum number of judges; a court consisting of two judges may be duly constituted for the hearing of an appeal against sentence but cannot hear an appeal against conviction, for which a minimum of three judges is required.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the availability of civil legal aid to people living in Gravesham. [37620]

The Legal Services Commission contracts with service providers throughout England and Wales to provide a range of legal and advice services across different categories of law.

There are currently six service providers with a contract to undertake civil legal aid work in Gravesham. Service providers in Gravesham may help people who live outside the area, and people who live in Gravesham may visit a service provider in a different area.

Any person residing in England or Wales can access free quality legal advice and information through Community Legal Service Direct. This service is available direct to the public through a telephone line, website and information leaflets.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department giving evidence to the (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) National Assembly for Wales and (iii)Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document she gives (A) full access, (B)restricted access and (C) no access to the (1)Scottish Parliament, (2) National Assembly for Wales, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons select committees. [37409]

Requests for the attendance of Ministers or officials to give evidence to the devolved legislatures, and for the provision of information to the assemblies, will be considered on a case by case basis. This consideration will reflect the principles set out in the Cabinet Office guidance Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees (July 2005)" and the Department for Constitutional Affairs' Devolution Guidance Note 12, Attendance of UK Ministers and Officials at Committees of the devolved legislatures"; and the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act.

The principles underlying the provision of information to House of Commons Select Committee are set out in Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees", particularly sections 4B and 4C.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much her Department spent on external media relations in each year since 2001. [29575]

The Department spent nothing in 2001–02, £14,100 in 2002–03, £154,140 in 2003–04 and £141,451 in 2004–05. This can be explained primarily by spending on independent PR consultants by the Commission for Judicial Appointments and spending on the Living Together campaign which aims to increase awareness and understanding of the legal issues surrounding cohabitation.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the arrangements were for (a) the advertisement of vacancies and (b) the selection of nominees in preparing the 2005 nominations for high sheriffs in England and Wales. [34448]

The arrangements for seeking nominees are a matter for individual counties. Local selection panels are, however, encouraged to cast the net as widely as possible and to consider candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year. [14683]

pursuant to the reply, 24 November 2005, Official Report, c. 1355W

The Department spent £10,415.41 on external media relations in each month of the last year. I had previously stated that the amount spent was £5,670 but this figure failed to take account of spending by the Commission for Judicial Appointments on independent consultants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her latest estimate is of the number of non-digital television sets in the UK; what the average is per household; what the estimated cost to the Government is of (a) digital switchover and (b) support to viewers on low incomes to facilitate changeover; and if she will make a statement. [32204]

On 8 November 2005, Ofcom published research by the Generics Group 9 December 2005. As of 30 September 2005, 65.9 per cent. of homes—round 16.4 million homes—can receive digital television services on at least one set. A further 650,000 homes have access to multichannel television services through analogue cable. Ofcom do not have detailed estimates for digital take up for second or third sets take up. The Generics Group research estimates that around 28 per cent. of secondary sets are used to receive digital television.¹ which examined the cost and power consumption implications of digital switchover for UK households. The report estimates that there are 24.8 million primary sets and 24.3 million secondary sets in regular use. This excludes television sets that are used exclusively for other purposes such as video gaming. Ofcom's most recent figures for digital take up were published on

Targeted support will be available to households where someone is aged 75 or over; and to households where someone has a severe disability-defined as those people eligible for either disability living allowance or attendance allowance. The full details and costs of the scheme are currently being developed, but the assistance will consist of providing the necessary equipment to convert one television set and the relevant support to install and use such equipment. This help will be free for the poorest eligible households, those on income support, jobseeker's allowance or pension credit; other qualifying households will pay a modest fee. The scheme will be established and funded by the BBC, as envisaged in the BBC Charter Green Paper published in March.

There are no central estimates of the overall cost to Government of digital switchover. However, other than the costs of updating television equipment within the Government sector, the only costs will be those incurred for research, communications and other programme support costs for the Digital Switchover Programme.

¹ Cost and power consumption implications of digital switchover—Generics Group. Published by Ofcom on 8 November 2005

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on financial support for elite athletes. [37617]

Financial support for elite athletes during the period April 2005 to March 2009 is being provided through a number of schemes.

UK Sport's World Class Performance Programme will provide £98 million to sport's national governing bodies and elite athletes to assist their preparation and participation at winter and summer Olympics and Paralympics.

The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) is providing £17 million to our most talented young people in the form of scholarships, bursaries and TASS 2012

scholarships.

In addition, our elite athletes are able to train at a number of world-class facilities throughout England that have been developed as part of the English Institute of Sport with an investment of £120 million from Sport England's Lottery Fund.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will publish the commitments made by the Government to the International Olympic Committee to restrict betting on the 2012 London Olympics; and by what means she will implement those commitments. [37274]

No such commitments have been given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding submissions she has received directly from the British Olympic Association for elite sport in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic games. [37288]

I have not received a funding submission from the British Olympic Association for elite sport in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Disability Rights Commission on promoting the London Paralympics; and if she will make a statement. [37610]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not, at this stage, held discussions with the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) on the promotion of the London 2012 Paralympic games. However, the DRC has been involved in the preparations for thegames through their membership of London 2012'sLondon Disability Organisations Forum. As preparations gather pace, discussions are taking place between the 2012 stakeholders to determine the best way to engage and consult with disability organisations on various aspects of the games over the coming years.

We are determined that the London 2012 Paralympic games will be a showcase for Paralympic sport, strengthening the Paralympic Movement and setting new standards for services, facilities and opportunities for disabled people. The games will inspire greater numbers of young people—and in particular those with disabilities—to become involved with sport and to aspire to elite performance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Hollobone) of 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 1W, on the Olympic Games, who the members are of the Nations and Regions Group of London 2012; and what the relevant experience of each is. [35831]

The 2012 Nations and Regions Group is Chaired by Charles Allen and includes a representative from each English region and the devolved Administrations.

The full list of current members is; Charles Allen, Chief Executive of ITV, London 2012 Board Member and Chief Executive of Manchester 2002; Keith Mills, Deputy Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games; Jeff Moore, Chief Executive of the East Midlands Development Agency; Stephen Castle, Board Member of the East of England Development Agency and Chair of the East of England Regional Sports Board; Neale Coleman, Adviser to the Mayor of London; Tim-Cantle Jones, Chair of the North East Regional Sports Board; Andy Worthington, Chair of the North West Regional Sports Board; Aideen McGinley, Permanent Secretary of the Northern Ireland Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure; Julia Bracewell, Chair of Sport Scotland; Mary McAnally, Chair of the South East Regional Sports Board and a member of the South East Regional Development Agency; Ged Roddy, Chairman of Sport England South West; Gareth Hall, Chief Executive of the Welsh Development Agency; Derrick Anderson, Chair of the West Midlands Regional Sports Board and Non-Executive Director of London 2012; David Gent, Chief Executive of Sport England Yorkshire; Sue Killen, Director General, Department for Culture, Media and Sport; and Tom Wright, Chief Executive of VisitBritain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with regional and local bodiesabout plans to attract Olympics-related activities to Northamptonshire in the run up to the 2012 games. [36137]

We have established a Nations and Regions Group to ensure the whole of the UK is engaged with and benefits from the Games in 2012.

The Nations and Regions Group met on 4 November to discuss how best to co-ordinate UK wide interests in staging the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and will meet again on 24 January to confirm its remit and membership.

Each of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the regions of England is establishing a regional working group, responsible for taking work forward and reporting to the Nations and Regions Group. They will include representatives from regional development agencies (RDAs), regional sports boards and other relevant stakeholders. Under this arrangement, Northamptonshire would participate through the East Midlands Group.

The RDAs will of course play a vital role in this work, and we will write to them shortly to ask them to develop plans to maximise business and development opportunities offered by the 2012 Olympics in their regions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what arrangements are in place to ensure that organisations in receipt of lottery awards (a) are monitored effectively and (b) spend the awarded resources as intended. [37975]

Each lottery distributing body's financial directions require the body to set up appropriate project monitoring and evaluation arrangements for both ongoing and completed projects, which are supported with lottery funds.

The exact nature of monitoring will vary in individual cases depending on the size, nature and complexity of the project concerned. The directions also say that distributors should make a condition of each lottery award that it should be repaid in certain circumstances. This includes cases where the purpose of the grant is not fulfilled.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the implications of lottery funding for the London 2012 Olympics for lottery grants for other sports; and if she will make a statement. [37618]

We have been quite clear since launching our Olympic bid three years ago that lottery proceeds would form a key part of the public funding package. We have allowed for up to £1.5 billion to be raised in this way, some of which will be raised by new lottery games solely for this purpose. We expect the non-Olympic good causes to receive up to 5 per cent. less in income, as a result of sales diversion, over the eight-year period from 2005 to 2013. In addition, up to £410 million will be redirected from the proceeds of non-Olympic lottery games after 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the amount of lottery funds distributed in the South East region in 2004–05. [37619]

3,560 awards worth over £122 million were made by Lottery bodies to projects in the South East region during financial year 2004–05. The expenditure of these awards may be spread over several years. Similarly the amount spent during 2004–05 will have included parts of awards made during previous years.

The Department holds information on the geographical breakdown of Lottery awards, rather than expenditure.

This information is derived from the Department's Lottery award database, searchable at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with the (a) National Governing Bodies and (b) the Department for Education and Skills on the implementation of the National Coaching Certificate. [37272]

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has worked closely with Sportscoach UK and 21National Governing Bodies to develop their sport specific qualifications in line with UK Coaching Certificate Levels 1–5. Six of these National Governing Bodies have been involved in a UKCC endorsement pilot. A further 10 sports are working with Sportscoach UK to progress their sport specific qualifications.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been involved in discussions with Department for Education and Skills regarding the level of support available for the UK Coaching Certificate from Learning and Skills Councils and I have written to Phil Hope, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills regarding this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to announce details of the National Sports Foundation; and if she will make a statement. [37273]

The Chancellor outlined details of the National Sports Foundation in his pre-Budget report document Britain meeting the global challenge: Enterprise, fairness and responsibility".

The National Sports Foundation will be established from April 2006, bringing public and private sectors together to invest in grass roots sport. The Government has committed £27.5 million over the next two years, and will be encouraging the private sector to match this funding, aiming to raise at least a further £30 million from private investors over this period.

The foundation will aim to attract new sources of investment from both large and small private sector firms not traditionally associated with sports sponsorship, ensuring the investment is targeted at community sport development rather than elite and professional sport. To do this, the foundation will:

be a high profile, one-stop shop for private investors and community sport organisations who need project funding, with a single web-based point of access;

act as broker, bringing together investors and projects to meet the needs of both;

have a national and regional dimension;

have a visible, respected and enterprising Champion" promoting the benefits of investing in the foundation;

fund initiatives that focus on increasing participation, particularly projects that promote diversity in sport, or improve the infrastructure of community sporting provision, for example by providing facilities and coaches; and capitalise on the nationwide Olympic feel-good" factor to ensure lasting benefits for community sport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the (a) advisers and (b) special advisers to her Department whose role relates to (i) sport and (ii) the Olympics; whether each is paid; and what other official posts each holds. [37859]

DCMS employs a special adviser who advises on sport and Olympics matters. He is paid and holds no other official posts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial assistance has been given to junior (a) Rugby League, (b) Rugby Union, (c) football and (d) cricket in (i) the West Midlands, (ii) Staffordshire and (iii) Tamworth constituency in each of the last five years. [37832]

Exchequer and Lottery funding is allocated by Sport England to the National Governing Bodies of Sports. It is not possible to identify the funding that went specifically to juniors as Sport England does not capture this information. However, benefiting young people is a key priority for Sport England's investment in National Governing Bodies and the potential for projects to benefit junior sport is integral to funding decisions.

The Exchequer funding made available to the governing bodies of the sports mentioned over the last five years is as follows:

Rugby Union £2.3 million, and £9.4 million through the Community Club Development Programme (CCDP)

Cricket £2.1 million, and £9.4 million through CCDP

Football £0.8 million, and £9.4 million through CCDP

Rugby League £1.4 million.

As the funding is awarded to the governing body we are not able to provide information on figures to a specific area or region.

However, the table summarises Sport England's lottery investment over the last five years in the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Tamworth.

Lottery awards (including Awards For All) in the last five years -- £

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial assistance has been given to junior (a) Rugby League, (b) Rugby Union, (c) cricket and (d) football in (i) the North West, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) Chorley in each of the last five years. [37124]

It is not possible to split the funding that went to juniors as Sport England does not specifically capture this information. However, benefiting young people is a key priority for all of their community investment and the potential for projects to benefit junior sport is integral to every funding decision made.

The Exchequer funding made available to the governing bodies of the sports over the last five years is as follows:

Rugby Union—£2.3million, and £9.4million through the Community Club Development Programme (CCDP)

Cricket—£2.1 million, and £9.4 million through CCDP

Football—£0.8million, and £9.4 million through CCDP

Rugby League—£1.4 million.

As the funding is awarded to the governing body we are not able to provide information on figures to a specific area or region.

I can, however state what lottery money Sport England have invested in the North West, Lancashire and Chorley. This is detailed in the following table:

Lottery awards (including awards for all) in the last five years -- £

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public access 50metre swimming pools there are in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Havering; and how many are planned prior to the Olympics in 2012. [37957]

There are sixteen 50 metre swimming pools with public access in England, of which two are in London. There are no 50 metre swimming pools in Havering. A further six pools are currently being developed and this includes two for the new Aquatic Centre in Stratford.

An additional three 50 metre pools and two water polo pools are planned for the Olympic games and these will be redistributed following the games against an agreed legacy strategy.

Sport England is working with the Amateur Swimming Association to consider swimming pool provision in London, including the impact of the Olympic games pool provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

(1) if she will make a statement on Government support for the UK film industry; [34803]

(2) what financial assistance is available to film makers from the UK Government to fund film production. [34804]

The Government are committed to supporting a sustainable, stable and successful film industry. The UK Film Council, our strategic body for film, allocates lottery money for filmmaking, and works with the Government and other funding bodies to promote the widest possible enjoyment and understanding of cinema throughout the UK. The Government themselves continue to make available effective and appropriately-targeted tax relief for filmmakers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last had discussions with his Dutch counterpart about the possible deployment of Dutch troops to southern Afghanistan; and what the outcome was of such discussions. [37127]

I have regular discussions with allies including the Dutch about NATO operations in Afghanistan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) salary bill was and (b) administrative costs were for his Department in (i)each (A) nation and (B) region of the UK and (ii)London in 2004–05. [35868]

The Ministry of Defence publishes pay costs by region in the HMT Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis (PESA). The data for 2003–04 is contained in Table 8.20 of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2005 (Cm 6521) which was published in April 2005 (see page 131). We are currently undertaking work on the analysis of the 2004–05 data, and this will be published in the PESA tables in April 2006.

MOD does not currently collect data on administrative budgets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the potential (a) to reduce and (b) to relocate departmental posts in the main London building. [36998]

An assessment was made at the end of 2004, as part of work on the SR04 efficiency programme, that identified the potential for a reduction of around 300 posts in the MOD's main London building. In addition, some individual posts may be relocated but there are no plans for major relocations. Future staffing levels and requirements will be reviewed regularly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's employees have taken early retirement in each year since 1997. [34047]

The following table gives details of the number of Ministry of Defence civilian employees that took early retirement in each of the financial years 1997–1998 to 2004–2005.

⁽¹⁾The streamlining of Head Office prior to the reoccupation of Main Building in London led to 540 personnel taking early retirement on Compulsory early retirement on structural grounds.

Note:

This table used the revised definition of civilian personnel (www.dasa.mod.uk), but excludes Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Locally Engaged Civilian staff for whom no information on civilian early retirements is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from non-qualifying claimants for the ex-gratia payment scheme for Far East prisoners of war in response to his offer of compensation for distress caused by his Department's failure to set out the eligibility criteria clearly. [32335]

A number of those who claimed under the scheme but did not qualify, and who may be entitled to the £500 compensation payment, have written to the Department criticising its level. Of some 175 payments that have so far been made, one has been returned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Department has spent on media monitoring activities in each of the last eight financial years. [35627]

The following table sets out MOD's expenditure on media monitoring activities for the last two completed financial years. Information relating to the costs of media monitoring for the preceding six financial years in the format requested is not heldcentrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

⁽²⁾This figure is made up of expenditure for daily press cutting services and a subscription to the Cabinet Office Media Monitoring Unit. The total is rounded to the nearest £1,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision his Department has made for veterans suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder. [24841]

The Ministry of Defence recognises Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a serious and disabling condition and continues to take all appropriate steps to address this and other more common stress-related disorders among Service personnel, reflecting the wider medical understanding of prevention and care.

The provision-of health care for veterans is primarily the responsibility of the NHS. However, under a provision of the war pensions scheme, the MOD funds remedial treatment at one of the treatment centres of the Ex Services Mental Health Society (Combat Stress) for those with service-related accepted mental health problems; this includes cases of PTSD.

As part of the Veterans Programme, the MOD is working closely with the Department of Health and the devolved Administrations to ensure excellent mental health services for veterans, including those suffering from PTSD. Discussions are taking place on a number of questions relating to the provision of such services, including exploring whether any changes need to be made to arrangements to address the needs of those suffering from severe PTSD.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff were employed by non-departmental public bodies and agencies for which he has responsibility in 2004–05 in (a) total and (b) each (i) nation and (ii) region of the UK and (c) London. [35892]

Information on the number of staff, employed between 2004–05, by each of MOD's executive non-departmental public bodies in total and for each nation and region of the UK and London is as follows:

Nation: England

⁽³⁾As of 31 March 2005. Includes full and part time staff. Figures taken from the Cabinet Office Public Bodies website http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/the_future_of_the_civil_service/agencies_ and_public_bodies/publications/pdf/public-bodies/publicbodies2QQ5. pdf

Information on the number of staff employed by agencies in total and for each nation (England, Scotland, Wales, N Ireland and overseas) can be found in the UK Defence Statistics 2005 Publication under tables 2.6, 2.6a and 2.6b (pages 52–54). A copy is available in the Library of the House. Information on the number of staff employed by agencies in each region of the UK and London could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) salary bill was and (b) administrative costs were for his Department in (i) each (A) nation and (B) region of the UK and (ii) London in 2004–05. [35877]

As stated in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) Resource Accounts 2004–05 (HC 301, 20 July 2005), the total salary bill for ODPM was some £226,643,000. Total expenditure within the administration cost limit for the year, also taken from the accounts, was £310,744,000.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not monitor regional or central London administrative costs relating to the central Department separately. Such a breakdown could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

A breakdown, by English region, of expenditure and salaries (within the administration costs limit) by the Government Offices is set out as follows.

£

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the projects and services run by the NSPCC which have received public funding from his Department in each of the last three years; how much funding was provided in each case; and over what time scale. [34245]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made no payments to the NSPCC for projects or services in any of the last three years.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his current estimate is of the overall cost of establishing regional fire control centres in (a) the South West, (b) the other regions and (c) in total. [35685]

FiReControl is a national project. There are no separate budgets for each regional control centre. For information on the one-off costs of delivering FiReControl, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 358W. The national cost will be £160 million.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) genuine and (b) malicious fire emergency calls have been received in (i) Brent and (ii)London in each year since 1997. [35589]

The figures for the financial years from April 1999 are set out in the following table. The current computer incident recording system used by the London Fire Brigade (which has provided these figures) was introduced in April 1999 and there is no readily available data on a comparable basis for 1997 and 1998.

(a) genuine calls are given as incidents attended which are either a primary fire, secondary fire, chimney fire, automatic false alarm or good intent false alarm.

(b) Malicious calls are given as malicious false alarms attended.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the assumed population of the City of Newcastle-upon-Tyne was for formula grant purposes in (a) 2002–03, (b) 2004–05, (c) 2005–06 and (d) 2006–07. [38063]

The population figures for City of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne used in formula grant calculations in 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06and 2006–07 are shown in the following table:

Notes:

1.The mid-2000 population estimates used in the 2002/03 settlement were based on the 1991 Census.

2.Settlements for 2003–04 to 2006–07 have used population figures derived from the 2001 Census.

3.Revised population estimates for 2001 and 2002 published by the ONS have been reflected in Amending Reports by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

4.In the 2006–07 Settlement, population projections for 2006 will be used for the dominant data drivers of population as this allows the settlement to be more forward looking. The mid-2004 population estimates have also been used but within wider indicators used in the top-up formulae.

Source:

Office for National Statistics (ONS)

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the formula grant was in respect of reimbursement of the costs of concessionary fares in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06 for each local authority in the County of Tyne and Wear; and how much is proposed for 2006–07. [38064]

Government support for concessionary fares is funded via the Revenue Support Grant Settlement. Revenue Support Grant is an unhypothecated block grant. This means that authorities are able to spend the grant on any service. It is not therefore possible to say how much grant an authority received for a particular service.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his Office spent on external media relations in each year since 2001. [29573]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was created as a central department in its own right in May 2002, since then the ODPM has spent £619,072.66 on media relations with the Central Office of Information over the period.

The figure breaks down as follows:

All spend has been to help promote fire safety in the home

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has spent no money on external commercial media relations in this period.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his Department spent on occupational health in each of the last five years. [35581]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created on 29 May 2002. The information requested is tabled as follows:

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will reply to Question 27463 from the hon. Member for St Albans, tabled on 8 November. [33447]

I answered the hon. Member on 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 681W.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is in respect of the use of sunset clauses in legislation. [34317]

The appropriateness of a sunset clause for the whole or part of any proposed legislation is considered on a case by case basis. It is also addressed when a regulatory impact assessment relating to legislation is being prepared.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment the Government have made of the potential impact of the Sustainable Communities Plan on the different growth rates of the English regions. [26926]

The Government have set out a full response to the Barker Review of Housing Supply on 5 December 2005. This builds on the Sustainable Communities Plan and seeks to deliver a better balance between housing supply and demand in every English region. We recognise that affordability problems are not exclusively a problem in London and the South East, but extend to the South West and into parts of the Midlands and hot spots in the North.

We have announced a package of measures, including increases in housing supply, reforms to improve the planning system's responsiveness to the housing market and we are consulting on a planning gain supplement to provide funding to support additional housing supply.

By providing homes where demand is highest, we will tackle constraints to the continued economic development of the country as a whole. National growth is partly dependent on enabling the continued development of London and the South East. Constraints on London and the South East's housing supply and economic development are likely to harm the economy and job growth of the UK as a whole, given the links between regions.

Addressing constraints to growth in London and the South East should also reduce long-term regional disparities in house price inflation. This will enable people to move between regions to take advantage of employment opportunities. Labour mobility helps to reduce disparities between regions. In addition, improving the supply responsiveness of the housing market may also reduce inflationary pressures and all regions will benefit from lower economic volatility as well as lower real interest rates.

We are taking steps to help northern regions to maintain the rate of improvement they have shown in recent years. We have set a regional economic performance target, jointly owned by ODPM, the Treasury and the Department for Trade and Industry, to help narrow the persistent gaps in economic growth rates between the regions. To meet this objective the Government have taken significant measures, in areas such as education, skills, employment and transport, to improve the economic performance of all the English regions.

The housing market renewal pathfinders, which form a key element of the Sustainable Communities Plan, also have an important part to play. They will deliver a greatly improved choice of good quality housing in nine areas of the North and Midlands, thus helping to make them more attractive to employers and more competitive nationally and internationally.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of funds raised through town and parish council precepts in England were spent on (a) capital and (b) revenue projects in the last year for which figures are available. [35387]

The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what activities have been made unlawful by legislation introduced by his Department since May 2003; and if he will make a statement. [36217]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for Housing and Planning, my hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) on 26 January 2005, Official Report, columns 433–37W. No additional Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Acts of Parliament have been passed since that answer was given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff in her Department are involved in promoting and setting up academy schools; which (a) outside agencies and (b) consultancies are involved; and at what cost to date. [36286]

The Academies programme is a £5 billion programme to create 200 Academies open or in the pipeline by 2010. The following table gives the number of my Department's staff employed on the Academies programme (as at the end of the financial year) and the associated running costs for each year since 2002. In addition, my Department employs the external consultants Veredus, Alligan, PriceWaterhouse Coopers and Atkins to advise on the programme as the need arises together with various other individuals providing a consultancy service.

⁽⁴⁾Costs and staff numbers to end November 2005.

Outside agencies involved in the programme include the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, and the 13 project management companies on the DfES framework: Alligan Ltd; Appleyards Consulting; BDP; Cambridge Education Ltd; Faber Maunsell; MouchelParkman; Nord Anglia Education; PKF; Place Group Ltd; Precept; Tribal Education; Turner and Townsend; 3Es.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 7 December 2005, Official Report, column 1337W, what work her Department is undertaking in pursuance of the exercise of the power under section 12 of the Children Act 2004. [37230]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills issued on 8 December the following written ministerial statement.

I am announcing today a step change in the support the Government provides to front-line professionals in children's services by leading the implementation of an information sharing index.

The information sharing index is a key element of the Every Child Matters programme to transform children's services by supporting more effective prevention and early intervention. Its goal is to improve outcomes and the experience of public services for all children, young people and families. Better information sharing is essential for early and effective intervention. The index will provide a tool to support better communication among practitioners across education, health, social care and youth offending. It will allow them to contact one another more easily and quickly, so they can share information about children who need services or about whose welfare they are concerned.

Our decision about the way forward with the index has been informed by substantial input from, and consultation with, many front-line practitioners and managers across a wide range of children's services organisations. We have also drawn extensively on the experience of local index approaches run under existing legislation by Trailblazer local authorities. Our conclusions respond to what stakeholders have told us they need to be able to do their jobs more effectively and take account of views expressed on the design of the index.

The index will be a simple basic online system containing:

minimal identifying information for each child; name, address, date of birth, gender, and contact details for parents or carers. Each child will also have a unique identifying number. In almost all cases this will be a scrambled version of their Child Reference Number (which all children are allocated when a claim for child benefit is made);

contact details for their educational setting and GP practice and for other practitioners or services working with them; and

where a practitioner judges it appropriate and necessary, an indicator showing that they wished to be contacted by other practitioners because they have relevant information to share, are taking action, or have undertaken an assessment in relation to that child.

No case information will be held on the index. Children, young people, or, where appropriate, their parents or carers will be able to ask to see their records and to challenge any inaccuracies, in accordance with data protection legislation.

There will be a single central index with its data partitioned into 150 parts, one relating to each local authority in England. A central index will ensure that the system works for children who move areas or who access services from more than one area. Partitioning the data will ensure local authorities take the lead in maintaining the accuracy of the data for children living in their area.

To avoid double-inputting of data and to ensure high standards of accuracy, information on the index will be drawn from and updated through existing systems. It will use proven technology.

Technical access to the index will be either through the practitioner's existing case management systems, via a web link or, where an approved practitioner has no access to appropriate IT facilities, via another approved user who does have IT access.

The Government are determined that the index will be as secure as possible, and will therefore ensure it complies with rigorous security standards. Access to it will be granted only to authorised users who have undergone appropriate checks, including those provided by the Criminal Records Bureau. Practitioner use of the index will be audited to ensure information is only accessed where it is necessary for practitioners to do so, and so guard against inappropriate access by authorised users.

The Government are today making available a report on local authority Trailblazer experience. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

The experience of the Trailblazers identifies significant benefits in the effectiveness of services. These include improved access to information to inform action, better identification of children not receiving universal services, and better multi-agency communication and information exchange. Scope for significant efficiency gains has also been demonstrated from time saved by practitioners on such tasks as identifying other services involved with a child, tracking down and contacting the individual practitioners involved, and making wasted referrals to services already involved with a child. These savings have been quantified as worth over £88 million per annum across England. We do not intend to reduce funding for children's services, but instead to enable savings realised to be reinvested in more and better services for children and more effective use of staff time. We anticipate that this will enhance staff satisfaction with their jobs.

The Government will commit substantial resources to the index. One-off implementation costs will be an estimated £224 million over the next three years—this includes the costs of adapting systems that will supply the data to the index and adapting the day-to-day systems used by practitioners so they can access the index from their own systems. It also includes the cost of ensuring the original data supplied to the index is accurate, that there are robust systems in place to ensure security, and that staff are trained to use the index properly. Operating costs, thereafter, will be £41 million per year. Most of these costs will fund the additional staff needed to ensure the on-going security, accuracy and audit of the index. Both set-up and running costs will be funded by central Government, so that the costs to local authorities do not form a pressure on the council tax.

Our plan is that a technically robust, secure and accurate index is available to support children's services across England by the end of 2008. To enable this to be achieved we plan to publish draft regulations under Section 12 of the Children Act 2004, which will be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure. An initial set of regulations in spring 2006 will provide the necessary vires to allow trials to take place for the creation of the initial records. We then plan to publish in autumn 2006 the main regulations to govern the operation of the index. We will consult publicly on draft regulations in the summer/autumn of 2006.

Implementation will be led by a dedicated project team within DfES. The Project Team will continue to work closely with local authorities, users and other stakeholders to ensure that developments continue to be relevant and lead to more effective practice. Building on the current knowledge gained by the local authority Trailblazers, the project team will directly and actively seek the views of children, young people and families and will ensure those views are taken into account as we develop the index."

I have written to the hon. Member about the information sharing index announcement, and also to other hon. Members and Peers who have expressed an interest in the index.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when her Department will reply to the letter sent by the hon. Member for Brent, East dated 2 February on behalf of Mr. Eric Brentini. [33858]

My hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families replied to the hon. Member's letter on 12 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average (a) primary and (b) secondary school allocation of dedicated schools grant per pupil is in each local education authority for 2006–07, listed in descending order of grant. [36584]

Allocations of dedicated schools grant are not broken down between primary and secondary schools. The following table sets out the guaranteed unit of funding for local authorities' allocations of dedicated schools grant for 2006–07, listed in descending order.

Note:

Isles of Scilly has been omitted from the table, since special funding arrangements apply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average A-level attainment has been of entrants to undergraduate courses leading to qualified teacher status in each year since 1995. [31104]

The latest available information is given in the following table. Figures for 2004/05 will be available in January 2006.

Average A" level points for English domiciled entrants to English HE institutions who have one or more A" level qualifications on entry and who are aiming for the qualification of first degree with QTS

⁽⁵⁾Figures up to and including 2001/02 are based upon students who hold one or more A level (or AS equivalent) qualification on entry. The average score given is based upon the A" level points for the student's best three A" levels (or AS" equivalents). For 2002/03 onwards, figures are based upon students who hold either GCE A" level or VCE A' level qualifications. The average score given is the average tariff points score based upon all A" level qualifications (not just the best three).

Note:

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.

Source:

Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average pay of teachers in higher education was in 2004–05; and what percentage change in their pay there has been in the last three years. [29264]

The latest available figures are shown in the table. Figures for 2004/05 will be available in January 2006. Significant changes were made to the content, structure, coverage and definitions of the source data in 2003/04 which means that the figures for that year are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Average salaryof full-time HE academic staff with teaching responsibilities, HE institutions in the UK⁽⁶⁾

⁽⁶⁾The HESA Staff Record changed markedly in structure, coverage and content in 2003/04. In addition, the definition of salary changed. For the years up to 2002/03, salary represented the monies received in respect of institutional duties actually being paid on the date of the HESA staff count (31 July) or for those who have left during the year, the salary on leaving, including" any regular payments for additional duties, responsibility allowances or honoraria regardless of their source. In 2003/04, the salary represented the gross basic salary per annum, in pounds sterling as stated in the contract at the reference date of HESA's staff count or at the end date of the contract if earlier, excluding" any regular payments for additional duties, responsibility allowances or honoraria, regardless of their source.

⁽⁷⁾Including Principal Lecturers.

Note:

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.

Source:

Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the learner support funds were distributed to (a) 14 to 16-year-olds, (b) 16 to 19-year-olds and (c) those aged over 19 years in (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05; and what estimate she has made of the likely proportion in (A) 2005–06, (B) 2006–07 and (C) 2007–08. [36044]

The information requested is shown in the table.

Adult/youth split

Learner support funds are not paid to learners under age 16. However Care to Learn, which provides help with child care costs for young parents who want to continue in learning, has been available to pre-16s since 1 August 2004. Care to Learn helped 431 pre-16s in that year, the youngest of whom was 13. The total cost for pre-16s was just under £308,000 for that academic year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answers of 9 November 2005, Official Report, column 598W, and 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 124W, on Learning and Skills Council, what the Learning and Skills Council's core administration costs were in 2001–02; and why different figures were provided in each answer. [35822]

The LSC's core administration costs for 2001–02 were 3.4 per cent. The figures quoted in the answer of 9 November 2005, Official Report, column 598W, were taken from the LSC's Annual Accounts for 2001–02 which include costs incurred in the last seven months 2000–01 for the setting up of the LSC. This gives an overall administration spend of 4.6 per cent. of total expenditure. The answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 124W, provided administration costs solely for the 12 months of 2001–02 which give an actual figure of 3.4 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the cost of providing a nursery place for every child of two years and above in (a) England and (b) the most deprived (i) quartile and (ii) decile of electoral wards. [37174]

The Government do not fund free nursery education places for children aged two and there are currently no plans to do so. However, local authorities are fully funded to meet their statutory responsibilities to deliver a free part-time place for three and four-year-olds through their Education Formula Spending Share (EFSS)—their main education budget. Overall resources are determined by means of a national formula, taking into account local factors including deprivation, ethnicity and area costs. From April 2006 funding for the free entitlement is being consolidated within the new Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) arrangements. This will place a ring-fence around education spending while maintaining flexibility for local authorities to determine the distribution of funding in the light of local needs and circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to publish the work of the Office for Fair Access; and what steps she is taking to monitor its progress. [37129]

The Office for Fair Access has made excellent progress in approving access agreements for higher education institutions. Details of its work have been published in its annual report in July 2005 and strategic plan in December 2005, copies of which are being placed in the Library. We use these, and periodic discussions with Sir Martin Harris, to review progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of schools in Morecambe and Lunesdale which teach children to read using synthetic phonics. [37291]

We do not have figures on the number of schools using synthetics phonics in the teaching of reading. However, the use of synthetic phonics is a key part of the approach to teaching reading advocated by the Primary National Strategy, as well as being available in commercial phonics packages, and is therefore widespread.

The interim report of Jim Rose's independent review into the teaching of early reading has given valuable advice on the way in which the teaching of synthetic phonics should develop in future. We will implement the approach that he has suggested, drawing on his interim report and the final report due early in 2006, in our renewal of the framework for literacy teaching.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to promote the recycling of commercial waste. [37705]

The Government have a target to reduce the amount of commercial and industrial waste going to landfill by 15 per cent. between 1998 and this year.

On the evidence of progress to 2002 we expect now to have met this target.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with EU counterparts on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. [37709]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has brokered a deal on major reform of the CAP sugar regime, discussed the Government's vision for fundamental CAP reform published earlier this month and chaired EU ministerial discussions on agricultural trade liberalisation in the context of the WTO negotiations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with colleagues in the Department for Trade and Industry on the Supermarkets Code of Practice. [37711]

I have had informal discussions about the Code with my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment and Consumer Affairs (Mr. Sutcliffe), and will be continuing these.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cattle were slaughtered in the last recorded month as a result of bovine tuberculosis. [37632]

1,831 reactor cattle and 340 direct contact (2,171) cattle were slaughtered as a result of bovine tuberculosis in October 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the environmental impact of (a) artificial and (b) natural Christmas trees; and if she will make a statement. [37156]