HC Deb 22 July 2004 vol 424 cc381-3W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of running the Overseas Development Administration's canteen facilities in 1996—97; and what the cost of running his Department's canteen facilities was in the latest year for which figures are available. [185568]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

The costs of running DFID's canteen facilities in 1996—97, and for the last financial year, are as follows:

£
Amount
1996–97 51,214
2003–04 181,237

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost has been of refurbishments to the fabric of buildings owned by his Department(a) in the UK and (b) overseas since May 1997. [185569]

Hilary Benn

Refurbishments to DFID buildings in the UK over the period in question are as follows:

1 Palace Street, London

  1. (a)Refurbishment project over the period 2000–01–2001–02, total cost £27 million
  2. (b) Maintenance and repair works to exterior of building, in accordance with requirements of lease, 2003/04, cost £1.2 million
  3. (c) Refurbishment/replacement of lifts, 2003/04, cost £350,000.

20 Victoria Street, London

  1. (a) Refurbishment of building over the period 2001–02, total cost £1.2 million.

Abercrombie House, East Kilbride

  1. (a) Refurbishment project over the period 2002–03 to date (due for completion late 2004), total cost £16 million.

Information on refurbishment costs in our overseas offices is not collated centrally and is not readily available. To give the figures requested would incur a disproportionate cost.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether office furniture designated for overseas offices owned by his Department is purchased(a) locally and (b) from the UK. [185570]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

Responsibility for the procurement of furniture in our overseas offices is normally delegated to the head of the office concerned. In the vast majority of cases procurement is carried out locally.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost has been of replacement office furniture within buildings owned by his Department(a) in the UK and (b) overseas since May 1997. [185546]

Hilary Benn

The total cost of replacement furniture within buildings owned by DFID, purchased within the UK since May 1997, is £3,128,000. Information on expenditure on furniture in our overseas offices is not collated centrally; to provide the figures requested would incur a disproportionate cost.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of printing(a) Overseas Development Administration headed notepaper in 1996–97 and (b) Department for International Development headed notepaper in the last year for which figures are available.[185561]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

DFID does not use pre-printed headed notepaper, and has not done so for many years, including the period in question. Headed paper is produced using templates on our internal IT systems.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by(a) the Overseas Development Administration in 1996–97 and (b) his Department in the last year for which figures are available on academic consultants; and how many academic papers were published as a result of their work in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) the last year for which figures are available.[185562]

Hilary Benn

DFID's headquarters procurement group issued consultancy contracts to universities worth £15,189,439 in 1996–97 and £7,093,078 in 2003–04. Information from overseas offices is not held centrally and could only be provided by incurring a disproportionate cost.

DFID does not maintain a record of academic papers published.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by(a) the Overseas Development Administration in 1996–97 and (b) his Department in the last year for which figures are available on (i) advertising, (ii) public relations consultants and (iii) press officers, broken down by grade. [185563]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

DFID does not hold a separate advertising budget, the majority of advertising relates to recruitment advertising in newspapers and journals. Expenditure figures for years prior to 2000 are not available; the figure for the last calendar year, 2003 is £871,246.

DFID does not keep central records of all staff working on communications across the Department and this information could not be gathered without incurring a disproportionate cost for the years specified. Information on the press office and publicity staff is available from 1996–97 and is set out as follows.

Number of officers Grades Annual cost £
1996–97 6(press only) Not available 195,000
2003–04 10 1xA1 373,500
4xA2
3xB1
2xB2