§ Lord Cocks of Hartcliffeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 20 March (WA 9–10), whether, in view of the costs involved, they will ask the Electoral Reform Ballot Services (ERBS) for the necessary information to publish in the Official Report a table stating which government departments have used ERBS services in each of the past six years; and what was the cost in each case. [HL1760]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonIn my Answer to you of 20 March, I said that I would ask officials, as far as practically possible, to collect information on their departments' use of Electoral Reform Ballot Services Ltd (ERBS) for the 1998–99 financial year, and for the period 1 April 1999 to 31 December 1999. The information is set out in the table below.
98WA
Department Services Provided by Electoral Reform (Ballot Services) Ltd Total Cost 1998–99 £ Total Cost 1 April 1999–11 December 1999 £ Department for Education and Employment Grant maintained Schools: Choice of Category Ballots 3,171 — Grammar School Petitions and Ballots 14,600 185,755 Elections to the General Teaching Council — 270,752 Department of Health Assistance in support of Organisation Development, South East Regional Office, NHS Executive 9,370 — Home Office (Prison Service) Assistance to Boards of Visitors to Penal Establishments in the election process to select members of the National Advisory Council 411 1,410 In addition, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office used Electoral Reform (International Services) Ltd, a sister company, on a number of occasions during this period, mainly in connection with the fulfilment of the United Kingdom's obligations Lo provide observers at elections overseas. The total cost of use in 1998–99, was £254,551 and from 1 April 1999 to 31 December was £83,582.