HC Deb 21 October 1999 vol 336 cc622-3W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the titles of the in-house publications and newsletters which were produced for the staff of his Department, excluding nondepartmental public bodies and agencies, in the last five years, specifying the dates on which each title was first produced, the frequency with which each title is produced and the current secrecy classification of each title. [93845]

Mr. Straw

The Home Office produces a range of in-house publications and newsletters for its staff, falling into the broad categories shown. All of the items in this list are, or were, made available to all or most Home Office staff. Not included in the list are items with a limited distribution or covering specialist areas.

None of these publications had, or has, a secrecy classification.

Newsletters
Title Date first produced Frequency of issue
Inside Track October 1995 10 issues a year
HO.tline July 1998 fortnightly
In Touch July 1998 ad hoc
Home Office Review1 July 1995 13 issues to August 1996
Home Office Bulletin1 March 1991 to July 1995 monthly
Personnel News1 January 1995 ad hoc
IT@Home Office1 January 1996 quarterly
POISE newsletter1 March 1994 monthly
1 These items have ceased publication

In addition, the Home Office produces a wide range of office notices and guidance for staff, which is updated as necessary.

Many people now receive their Home Office notices and some other professional guidance electronically through HORIZON, the Home Office intranet, or through disks copied onto their own networks. Only people who do not have access to a network will receive hard copies, which saves on printing costs.

Over 3,500 staff in the Home Office's central estate, at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Croydon, and at some outstations now have access to HORIZON.

Guidance on the Code of Practice on Access to Official Information has been made available to all staff in the Home Office notice on Open Government featured in the list, and further information is available on HORIZON and on the internet.