§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how much staff time, and at what estimated cost, was put into compiling the departmental annual report; and what were the figures for each year for which figures are available since 1990. [20175]
§ Mr. HeseltineDrafting and editing of the departmental report is co-ordinated by a small editorial team, using information gathered from a wide variety of sources within the Department. It is not possible to quantify the time devoted by staff other than the editorial team to these activities.
582W
Annual Reports Annual Accounts Minutes of Meetings Agendas of Meetings Register of Members Interests British Hallmarking Council 1Y 1Y 2Y 2Y 2Y English National Advisory Committee on Telecommunications 1Y N 2Y 2Y 2Y Northern Ireland Advisory Committee on Telecommunications 1Y N 2Y 2Y 2Y Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications 1Y N 2Y 2Y 2Y Welsh Advisory Committee on Telecommunications 1Y N 2Y 2Y 2Y Gas Consumers Council 1Y N 2Y 2Y N Post Office Users National Council 1Y N 2Y 2Y N Post Office Users Council for Northern Ireland 1Y N 2Y 2Y N Post Office Users Council for Scotland 1Y N 2Y 2Y N Post Office Users Council for Wales 1Y N 2Y 2Y N National Consumer Council 1Y 1Y 2Y 2Y 2Y Design Council 3Y 3Y N N N Hearing Aid Council 1Y 1Y N N N Monopolies and Mergers Commission 2Y N N N N The table shows the estimated staff time and associated costs of edtorial team for each departmental report since 1992–92. These figures are published each year in MINIS. Figures are not available for the year 1990–91 report, which predated MINIS, but are not expected to have been substantially different from 1991–92. Costs are expressed in 1994–95 prices.
Time man years Cost £000 1992 0.6 20 1993 0.8 26 1994 1.1 36 1995 1.1 36 In addition, some staff time is devoted to the design and production of the report. In 1993–94 and 1994–95, this amounted to 0.1 and 0.2 man years and £12,000 and £21,000 respectively—costs expressed in cash terms. These figures are not shown separately in MINIS and information on similar costs for earlier years is not available.
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures the Department takes to assess the cost and staff implications of compiling material for the departmental annual report. [20176]
§ Mr. HeseltineThe resources needed to coordinate drafting and production of the departmental report are considered as part of my annual examination of the Department's activities and resources in MINIS, the results of which are published each year. Budgets are set for non-staff costs at the beginning of work on each report.