§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many research projects the Audit Commission commissioned in(a) 2003–04 and (b) 2002–03; and what the criteria for selection of each project were. [113555]
§ Mr. LeslieThe number of research projects commissioned by the Audit Commission during the period is as follows:
Research projects commissioned 1 November 2001 to 31 October 2002 24 1 November 2002 to 31 March 2004 26 Note:
The Commission's research programme is set by financial year. Until October 2002, its financial year ran from 1 November to 31 October. The current plans cover a 17-month period from 1 November 2002 to 31 March 2004 because, subject to parliamentary approval, from 2004 its financial year will run from 1 April to 31 March to coincide with that of central and local government.The subject areas covered by these projects include local government, housing, health and criminal justice. The criteria for selecting each project were tailored to the needs of each particular subject area, including the need for the work to be relevant to policy needs and provide good value for money; the likelihood of improvement resulting from the project; and the need to make best use of local knowledge at the national level.
§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Audit Commission has reached the level of the Commission for Racial Equality Standard for Racial Equality; and what percentage of local authorities in England have reached this level. [115490]
§ Mr. LeslieThe CRE Standard for Racial Equality is specific to the functions of local authorities and has not therefore been adopted by the Audit Commission. The policy of the Commission is to ensure that neither employees nor applicants for employment are discriminated against on the grounds of race, gender or disability.
For 2001–02 the percentages of English authorities reaching levels 0 to 5 of the Commission for Racial Equality's Standard for local government were: 0–32 per cent.; 1–41 per cent.; 2–21 per cent.; 3–6 per cent.; 4–0.3 per cent.; 5–0 per cent.
892W
§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many complaints his Department has received in the last year relating to(a) the Audit Commission and (b) the average local authority in England. [115491]
§ Mr. LeslieBetween 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2003 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister received about 130 letters (not all of which were complaints) relating to the work of the Audit Commission, the auditors or inspectors it appoints, or the bodies audited or inspected. Information on the volume of correspondence received by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister about individual local authorities is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many subscriptions to(a) digital terrestrial, (b) digital satellite and (c) digital cable television are held by the Audit Commission; and what the (i) cost and (ii) purpose is of each subscription. [115502]
§ Mr. LeslieThe Audit Commission holds four subscriptions to digital satellite television at a cost of £1,128 per year per subscription. Each subscription ensures that the commission is kept in touch with developments in news, business and parliamentary affairs relevant to the commission's work. The commission holds no subscriptions to digital terrestrial or digital cable television.
§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many voluntary leavers there were as a percentage of staff in(a) the Audit Commission and (b) the average local authority in England in the last year for which figures are available. [115495]
§ Mr. LeslieDuring the year to 31 October 2002 (the end of the Audit Commission's last complete financial year), the percentage of voluntary leavers from the commission was 9.2 per cent. of staff employed. Between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2002 the average percentage of voluntary leavers from English local authorities was 10.9 per cent. of staff employed.
§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of waste was recycled and how many kilogrammes of waste were generated per staff member by(a) the Audit Commission and (b) the average local authority in England in each year since 1997. [115504]
§ Mr. LeslieThe Audit Commission's arrangements for managing and recycling their waste is organised locally. The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The commission has adopted a number of approaches to reduce the impact it makes on the environment, including the recycling of waste and the use of stationery from recycled sources.
Information on the amount of waste recycled and generated by local authority staff is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.