HC Deb 12 March 2003 vol 401 cc250-1W
Mr. Laws

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people work in the Delivery Unit; what its purpose is; what its estimated cost is for(a) 2002–03 and (b)2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [99883]

Mr. Alexander

With the Treasury, the Delivery Unit aims to improve public services by working with Departments to help them meet their PSA targets, consistently with fiscal rules.

At 3 February 2003, the Delivery Unit had 34 full-time equivalent staff. Its estimated expenditure for 2002–03 is £3.3 million. The budget for 2003–04 has yet to be agreed.

Mr. Laws

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the(a) cost and (b) staffing were of the (i) Corporate Communication Team, (ii) Strategic Communication and Planning Team, (iii) Corporate Services Group, (iv) Government Information and Communication Service and (v) Media Monitoring Unit in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [99897]

Mr. Alexander

Corporate Communication team and Strategic Communication and Planning team are part of the Communication Group within the Cabinet Office. As at 3 February 2003, there were 16 staff working in the Corporate Communication team and four working in the Strategic Communication and Planning team. These figures are rounded to full time equivalents. For the Corporate Communication team the 2002–03 estimated expenditure is £0.6 million. The Strategic Communication and Planning team does not have its own budget and its costs cannot be easily identified from other parts of Communication Group.

As at 3 February 2003, there were 291 staff working in Corporate Services Group. The estimated expenditure for 2002–03 is£8 million. There are 23 staff, rounded to full time equivalents, working in the Government Information and Communication Service (excluding the Media and Monitoring Unit), with estimated expenditure costs of£4.1 million. This£4.1 million includes two budgets for this year only—the Golden Jubilee with a forecast expenditure of£1.4 million and the Coalition Information Centre budget of£0.3 million, which was transferred to purchase IT equipment. The Media Monitoring Unit is part of the Government Information and Communication Service and there are 14 staff working in that unit. The Media Monitoring Unit is funded by subscriptions to recover its costs.

Mr. Laws

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people work in(a) the Regulatory Impact Unit, (b) the Office of Public Services Reform and (c) the Charter Mark and Beacon Unit; what the cost of each was in (i) 2001–02, (ii) 2002–03 and (iii)2003–04 (planned); and if he will make a statement. [99979]

Mr. Alexander

There are 62 staff working within the Regulatory Impact Unit. The cost to run this unit during 2001–02 was£2.5 million and for 2002–03 the estimated expenditure is £2.9 million.

The Office of Public Services Reform and the Charter Mark and Beacon Unit merged on 1 September 2002. The following figures reflect the units before the merger.

There are 28 staff working in the Office of Public Services Reform. The cost to run this unit during 2001–02 was £1.9 million and for 2002–03 the estimated expenditure is £2.8 million.

There are 15 people working in the Charter Mark and Beacon Unit. Costs for 2001–02 totalled £3.1 million. For 2002–03 the estimated expenditure is £2.3 million.

All staffing figures are as at 3 February 2003 and rounded to full time equivalents. Budgets for 2003–04 have yet to be set.

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