§ Mr. Ian McCartneyTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the cost and number of items of equipment and furniture that(a) have been stolen and (b) are otherwise unaccounted for from his Department and its agencies in each of the past five years, listing by name any such items valued at £5,000 or more, and showing information technology material separately. [19041]
§ Mrs. Angela KnightAvailable information in respect of the Treasury and the Chancellor's four agencies is as follows, all values being approximate:
- HM Treasury
- Over the last five years 61 items have been recorded as stolen collectively valued at £31,000. The item valued over £5,000 is uninterruptable power supply, £9,000.
- Paymaster Agency
- No IT equipment was stolen in the last five years. Two other items were stolen in 1995–96, together valued at £520.
- Royal Mint
- No equipment stolen in the last five years.
- Central Statistical Office
- The total amount of equipment recorded as stolen is as follows:
- 1993–94: £3,590
- 1994–95: £300
- 1995–96: £5,500
No data exist for previous years. The only recorded loss over £5,000 occurred in 1995–96, this was a Panasonic Pentium laptop computer.
(7) what factors led him to set the proposed time scale for privatising the Paymaster agency; and if he will make a statement; [20609]
(8) what public consultation process has been arranged in respect of privatising the Paymaster agency; and if he will make a statement; [20606]
(9) which functions of the Paymaster agency are to be sold in the course of its privatisation; and if he will make a statement. [20654]
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryA prior options review of all the activities of the Paymaster agency was announced on 4 December 1995,Official Report, columns 15–16. The review still in progress, and no decision for or against privatisation has yet been taken.
All interested parties were invited in that announcement to submit contributions to the Treasury by 26 February. On the same day the agency's staff were advised of the review and my officials wrote to the relevant trade unions, customer organisations and pensioner bodies to solicit comments within the same period. The response has been very good, and the review team is pursuing specific points where appropriate.
55WThe review, which was envisaged for this period when agency status was first granted in 1993, is considering to what extent the functions performed by the Paymaster agency need to remain with the Government. If any do not, the costs and benefits of transfer to the private sector will be examined along with how this might best be achieved.
As my December statement made clear, I will be reporting back to the House on the outcome of this review in due course.