Vol. 493 No. 3
345 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the working groups, reports, studies and consultancies commissioned by his Department since taking office; the estimated cost of each, where applicable; the date the report of each was received or is scheduled to be received; and whether each has or will be published. [15767/98]
As part of the ongoing work in my Department, a wide range of reviews are carried out by staff of the Department as part of their normal work. These generally do not involve additional costs.
Additional costs would be incurred where external consultants are commissioned to carry out specific assignments, whether in relation to policy issues or to aspects of the administration of the Department's schemes and services. These consultancies are arranged at official level under standard procurement procedures. Generally speaking it is not considered necessary for the reports of such consultancies to be published.
|
Assignment |
Cost |
Report date |
|
£ |
||
|
1. Review of approach and testing of Department's software for year 2000 |
3,025 |
January 1998 |
|
2. Establishing actuarial costs of pensions proposals |
13,431 |
March 1998 |
|
3. Review of school meals scheme |
10,527 |
April 1998 |
|
4. Research in connection with the working group on access by women to labour market opportunities |
4,000 |
April 1998 |
|
5. Research connected with the National Pensions Policy Initiative |
20,887 |
May 1998 |
|
6. Further review of testing of Department's software for year 2000 |
4,235 |
June 1998 |
|
7. Further research connected with the working group on access by women to labour market opportunities |
18,000 |
June 1998 |
|
8. Training programme for departmental National Anti-Poverty Strategy officers |
4,000 |
July 1998 |
|
9. Review of the incentive effects of secondary benefits on people considering whether to remain in, or take up, employment |
25,865 |
August 1998 |
|
10. Review of the scheme of community support for older people |
12,535 |
End-1998 |
|
11. Research on impact of Community Development Programme |
16,012 |
End-1998 |
