HC Deb 15 October 2001 vol 372 cc999-1000W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what(a) building and (b) refurbishment projects are planned by his Department in (i) the current and (ii) the next financial year; and what the costs will be of each project. [6590]

Jane Kennedy

The Northern Ireland Office has no plans for any building work in this or the next financial year.

The following refurbishment work has been scheduled: 2001–02 financial year

  1. 1. Refurbishment of 1,000m2 of existing office accommodation at an approximate cost of £350K.
  2. 2. Refurbishment of 1,600m2 of new office accommodation at an approximate cost of £900K.
  3. 3. Refurbishment of 465m2 of new office accommodation at an approximate cost of £275K.

Session 1997–98
Draft Bill Published
Proposals on pension splitting on divorce (subsequently part of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill) June 1998 Considered by the Social Security Committee
Draft Limited Liability Partnership Bill September 1998 Considered by the Trade and Industry Committee

Session 1998–99
Draft Bill Published
Draft Financial Services and Markets Bill January 1999 Considered by a joint committee especially established for the purpose
Draft Food Standards Bill January 1999 Considered by an ad hoc select committee
Draft Local Government (Organisation and Standards) Bill March 1999 Considered by a joint committee especially established for the purpose
Draft Freedom of Information Bill May 1999 Considered by the Select Committee on Public Administration, and an ad hoc Lords committee
Draft Electronic Communications Bill July 1999 Trade and Industry Committee

Session 1999–2000
Draft Bill Published
Draft Regulatory Reform Bill April 2000 Commons Deregulation Committee; Lords Delegated Powers and Deregulation Committee (both were also informally consulted on earlier drafts of the Bill)
Water Bill November 2000 Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs

Session 2000–01
Draft Bill Published
Export Control and Non and Proliferation Bill March 2001 Quadripartite Committee (Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Trade Industry); Lords Delegated Powers and Deregulation Committee

Mr. Allen

To ask the President of the Council if he will introduce proposals to enable Parliament to subject all bills to pre-legislative scrutiny. [7589]

Mr. Robin Cook

We have published more bills in draft since 1997, allowing greater scrutiny. This has clearly been beneficial and has wide support in the House. The Modernisation Committee will look at the legislative process as a whole. I see the attraction of routine pre-legislative scrutiny, but as recent events show it may be sometimes necessary to introduce emergency legislation without such scrutiny.

  1. 4. Refurbishment of 420m2 of office accommodation at an approximate cost of £250K.
  2. 5. Refurbishment of 1,600m2 of new office accommodation at an approximate cost of £700K.

2002–03 financial year
  1. 1. Some of the works listed may not be completed until this financial year.
  2. 2. There are no new refurbishment projects scheduled to start in this financial year.