HC Deb 14 June 2004 vol 422 cc702-3W
Andrew George

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment his Department's Better Regulation Taskforce has made of the cost to(a) each of the local authorities in Cornwall and (b) the Council of the Isles of Scilly of meeting its obligation of monitoring, inspection, reviews and assessment by, for (i) the Audit Plan, (ii) the Audit Commission, (iii) the Social Services Inspectorate, (iv) Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools, (v) Ofsted, (vi) the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate, (vii) Best Value, (viii) comprehensive programme assessments, (ix) the preparation of statutory plans/strategies and (x) other inspections and reviews. [176731]

Mr. Alexander

[holding answer 7 June 2004]: The Better Regulation Taskforce does not make an assessment of costs to any individual local authority. Its terms of reference are to advise the Government on action to ensure that regulation and its enforcement meet the principles of good regulation. The taskforce's principles—which the Government fully supports—are proportionality, accountability, consistency, transparency and targeting. More information on these principles and on the work of the taskforce can be found on the Task Force's website at www.brtf.gov.uk

Virginia Bottomley

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate the Better Regulation Taskforce has made of the costs to(a) Waverley borough council and (b) Surrey county council of their obligations to monitoring, inspection, reviews and assessment required by central Government, their agencies and commissions. [177221]

Mr. Alexander

The Better Regulation Taskforce does not make assessments of costs on any individual local authority. Its terms of reference are to advise the Government on action to ensure that regulation and its enforcement meet the principles of good regulation. The taskforce's principles—which the Government fully support—are proportionality, accountability, consistency, transparency and targeting. More information on these principles and on the work of the taskforce can be found on the task force's website at www.brtf.gov.uk.

Mr. Letwin

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants were recruited in each of the last six months. [177194]

Mr. Alexander

[holding answer 7 June 2004]: Information on numbers of civil servants recruited in each of the last six months is not held centrally but only by individual Departments and i heir agencies. This information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

A breakdown of numbers of civil servants recruited is published annually in Civil Service Statistics. Civil Service Statistics are available in the Library and at www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics.