§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Prime Minister what is the salary of the Deputy Prime Minister. [33684]
§ The Prime MinisterThe Ministerial salary of the First Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister is £42,834, in addition to his reduced parliamentary salary.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Prime Minister which Cabinet sub-committees the Deputy Prime Minister has been asked to chair. [33685]
§ The Prime MinisterThe First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister will be chairing a number of Cabinet committees. The revised composition and terms of reference of such committees will be published shortly.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Prime Minister how many civil servants are employed in the Deputy Prime Minister's Department. [33686]
§ The Prime MinisterThe First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister is supported by the Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service). The competitiveness and deregulation division of DTI transferred to the Cabinet Office on 5 July and the Office of Science and Technology transferred to DTI on the same day. The transfers are still being finalised but the total number of civil servants in the Office of Public Service is likely to be about 1,000.
§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the responsibilities and terms of reference of the Deputy 497W Prime Minister, the number of staff for which he is responsible, the location of his office and that of his staff and the proposed budget of his office. [33792]
§ The Prime MinisterThe First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister will assist generally and have specific responsibility for the competitiveness agenda, the working of Government and the presentation of policies. He will chair a number of Cabinet committees and will be an ex-officio member of Cabinet committees generally. He will have ministerial responsibility for the Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service). His office is located in the Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall. The total budget of the Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service), including those functions transferred from the DTI, will be approximately £80 million.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Prime Minister, what are the(a) parliamentary and (b) other duties of the Deputy Prime Minister [33683]
§ The Prime MinisterThe First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister will answer in Parliament for the responsibilities of the Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service), and undertake any other parliamentary duties as appropriate. On his duties more generally, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger).