Written Statement of 13 December 2004

  House of Lords: Abingdon House
  The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara)
  The Administration and Works Committee, at its meeting in November, decided that the building acquired for the House at 13 Little College Street, and formerly known as "Fielden House", should be renamed "Abingdon House".

  The project to renovate the building has been completed on time and within budget, and will be ready for occupation for the return of the House on 10 January 2005. The building will help to relieve the growing pressure on accommodation: it is currently expected to accommodate 63 Members together with eight Members' staff, and will also contain three new meeting rooms. The broad allocation of rooms between the parties and the Cross-Benchers has been agreed by the Accommodation Steering Group.

  Public Service Pensions
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Lord McIntosh of Haringey)
  My right honourable friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Paul Boateng) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

  Legislation governing public service pensions requires public service pensions to be increased
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  annually by the same percentage as additional pensions (state earnings-related pension and state second pension). My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced on 6 December 2004 (Hansard col. 906) that benefits such as additional pensions will be increased by 3.1 per cent, in line with the annual increase in the retail prices index up to September 2004. Public service pensions will therefore be increased by 3.1 per cent from 11 April 2005, except those which have been in payment for less than a year, which will receive a pro-rata increase.

  Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste Substitution
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)
  My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Hewitt) has made the following Statement.

  The Government's updated policy on the substitution of intermediate level radioactive wastes has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The Statement is also available on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk.

  Cabinet Office: Annual Performance Report
  Lord Bassam of Brighton
  My honourable friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office has today published the Cabinet Office 2004 autumn performance report (Cm 6414). Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.