Written Answers to Questions
The following answers were received between Monday 3 September and Friday 7 September 2007
Church Commissioners
Clergy: Pay
Apart from the stipend, the clergy remuneration package also includes the provision of housing (including the payment of council tax, water charges, maintenance, external decoration) and a non-contributory Church pension.
Clergy are also eligible for removal grants and subsidised insurance in high risk areas.
The Central Stipends Authority recommends stipend levels to dioceses and the Church Commissioners each year after extensive consultation taking into account forecast movements in RPI and AEI. For 2008-09 it has recommended a general increase of 3 per cent.
Departments: Assets
On 1 April 1948 the Church Commissioners inherited the assets and functions of their predecessors, Queen Anne's Bounty and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, by virtue of section 2 of the Church Commissioners Measure 1947. Any assets acquired subsequently were vested in the Commissioners by the appropriate legal deed or document.
The Commissioners exercise control over their assets through the Assets Committee which, under section 6 of the 1947 measure and subject to any general rules made by the Board of Governors, has exclusive power and duty to act on behalf of and in the name of the Commissioners in all matters relating to the management of those assets of the Commissioners the income of which is carried into their general fund, including the power to sell, purchase, exchange and let land and make, realise and change investments.
International Development
Departments: Aviation
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.
DFID’s expenditure on flights booked centrally for the 12 month period April 2006 to March 2007 was £6,876,805, including business class flights costing £5,726,318 and first class flights costing £41,922. Staff rules preclude use of first class travel, except by Ministers, officials accompanying them, and the most senior members of the senior civil service. Rules relating to the use of air travel and fare entitlements are set out in the staff handbook.
Departments: Railways
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.
DFID’s expenditure on UK train tickets for the 12 month period April 2006 to March 2007 was £366,684. Data distinguishing between classes of travel are not routinely maintained and could not be produced without disproportionate cost. Staff normally travel by standard class but are permitted with prior approval to travel first class when they are expected to work during the journey.
Departments: Taxis
DFID’s expenditure on taxis for the 12 month period April 2006 to March 2007 was £248,363.
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.
Developing Countries: Currency
DFID does not keep records of how, or at what rate, its sterling transactions are converted into local currency once they reach their recipient.
The majority of our funding is made in sterling. All transactions in foreign currency are recorded as a sterling equivalent, based on the exchange rate for that day. DFID’s standard payment systems provide the necessary evidence that money has been paid to the intended recipient. All financial aid to overseas governments is paid through Crown Agents Bank which provides documentation demonstrating that the funds have reached the partner government’s Central Exchequer. For non-financial aid our own accounting and banking systems provide this assurance.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 March 2007, Official Report, column 1353W, to the hon. Member for Harwich (Mr. Carswell).
Ammunition
[pursuant to the reply, 26 July 2007, Official Report, c. 1243W]: The final sentence my answer should have read as:
We have, in addition, procured a small number of weapons that use enhanced blast technology, the details of which I am withholding because their disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. There are currently no firm plans for the further procurement of enhanced blast munitions, other than those that I have described above.
Armed Forces: Insurance
I have placed the documents in. the Library of the House.
Armed Forces: Schools
Since 2004 School Children's Education has commissioned an annual independent Parental Satisfaction Survey carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). The percentage of parents stating that they are very satisfied or satisfied with their child's school is outlined here:
Primary School Secondary School 2004 90 89 2005 91 88 2006 91 89
The results of the 2007 NFER survey are expected to be published in October 2007 and will be thereafter be available to interested parties by visiting the agency website at:
www.sceschools.com.
Challenger Tanks: Non-depleted Uranium
The Department continues to examine a range of options for the main armament and ammunition types used by the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank. An investigation into the feasibility of new non-depleted uranium ammunition forms part of this work.
Departments: Manpower
The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Public Expenditure
The 2006-07 MOD resource and capital outturn expenditure for Request for Resources 1, 2 and 3, are set out in the following table.
£000 TLB Estimate Type Final outturn Provision of Defence Capability RfR1 Fleet Near-Cash Resource DEL 2,150,027 Non-Cash Resource DEL -2,149 Total Resource DEL 2,147,878 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 2,147,878 Capital 13,893 Total Fleet 2,161,771 General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland Near-Cash Resource DEL 368,249 Non-Cash Resource DEL 21,096 Total Resource DEL 389,345 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 389,345 Capital 2,371 Total General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland 391,716 Commander in Chief Land Command Near-Cash Resource DEL 4,297,057 Non-Cash Resource DEL 25,063 Total Resource DEL 4,322,120 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 4,322,120 Capital 75,441 Total Commander in Chief Land Command 4,397,561 Air Officer Commanding In Chief RAF Strike Command Near-Cash Resource DEL 1,910,838 Non-Cash Resource DEL 13,390 Total Resource DEL 1,924,228 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 1,924,228 Capital 7,083 Total Air Officer Commanding In Chief RAF Strike Command 1,931,311 Chief of Joint Operations Near-Cash Resource DEL 373,243 Non-Cash Resource DEL 18,017 Total Resource DEL 391,260 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 9,200 Total AME 9,200 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 400,460 Capital 4,322 Total Chief of Joint Operations 404,782 Chief of Defence Logistics Near-Cash Resource DEL 4,900,414 Non-Cash Resource DEL 7,858,278 Total Resource DEL 12,758,692 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 67,473 Total AME 67,473 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 12.826,165 Capital 1,169,954 Total Chief of Defence Logistics 13,996,119 Adjutant General Near-Cash Resource DEL 1,600,812 Non-Cash Resource DEL -25,003 Total Resource DEL 1,575,809 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 9,232 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 9,232 Total Resource 1,585,041 Capital 14,940 Total Adjutant General 1,599,981 Chief RAF Personnel and Training Command Near-Cash Resource DEL 789,594 Non-Cash Resource DEL -27,682 Total Resource DEL 761,912 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 761,912 Capital 10,865 Total Chief RAF Personnel and Training Command 772,777 Central Near-Cash Resource DEL 2,075,757 Non-Cash Resource DEL 96,010 Total Resource DEL 2,171,767 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 264 Total AME 264 Non Budget Near-Cash -15,090 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget -15,090 Total Resource 2,156,941 Capital 52,151 Total Central 2,209,092 Defence Estates Near-Cash Resource DEL 1,246,586 Non-Cash Resource DEL 1,445,454 Total Resource DEL 2,692,040 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 3,237 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 3,237 Total Resource 2,695,277 Capital 90,777 Total Defence Estates 2,786,054 Defence Procurement Agency Near-Cash Resource DEL 1,424,544 Non-Cash Resource DEL 905,769 Total Resource DEL 2,330,313 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash -545,325 Total AME -545,325 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 1,784,988 Capital DEL 5,283,045 Capital AME 12,843 Total Defence Procurement Agency 7,080,876 Corporate Science and Technology Near-Cash Resource DEL 527,357 Non-Cash Resource DEL -3,210 Total Resource DEL 524,147 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 524,147 Capital 118 Total Corporate Science and Technology 524,265 Capital Loans and Repayments Defence Aviation Repair Agency -4,840 Army Base Repair Organisation -2,154 Meteological Office 3,302 Hydrographer Office -388 Conflict Prevention RfR2 Programme Sub Saharan Africa Near-Cash Resource DEL 29,538 Non-Cash Resource DEL Total Resource DEL 29,538 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 29,538 Capital Total Conflict Prevention RfR2 29,538 Programme Rest of World Near-Cash Resource DEL 12,224 Non-Cash Resource DEL -31 Total Resource DEL 12,193 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 12,193 Capital Total Conflict Prevention RfR2 12,193 Peace Keeping Rest of World Near-Cash Resource DEL 1,340,868 Non-Cash Resource DEL 65,821 Total Resource DEL 1,406,689 AME Near-Cash 0 AME Non-Cash 0 Total AME 0 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 1,406,689 Capital 348,198 Total Conflict Prevention RfR2 1,754,887 War Pensions and Benefits RfR3 War Pensions Benefit Programme costs Near-Cash Resource DEL 0 Non-Cash Resource DEL 0 Total Resource DEL 0 AME Near-Cash 1,037,304 AME Non-Cash -501 Total AME 1,036,803 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 1,036,803 Capital Total War Pensions and Benefit Programme RfR3 1,036,803 War Pensions Benefit Programme costs— Far Eastern Prisoners of War Near-Cash Resource DEL 0 Non-Cash Resource DEL 0 Total Resource DEL 0 AME Near-Cash 1,270 AME Non-Cash Total AME 1,270 Non Budget Near-Cash 0 Non Budget Non-Cash 0 Total Non Budget 0 Total Resource 1,270 Capital Total War Pensions and Benefits Programme Far Eastern Prisoners of War RfR3 1,270
The near-cash resource and capital departmental expenditure limits (DEL) figures over the comprehensive spending review (CSR) period are shown in the following table:
CSR period 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Near-cash Resource DEL 22,869 23,711 24,434 Capital DEL 7,871 8,187 8,871 Total Near Cash 30,740 31,898 33,305
EU Defence Policy
British armed forces personnel have participated in five EU military operations or support missions since 2003; there was no participation by UK military personnel in EU military operations before 2003.
Operation Concordia was an EU Military Operation in the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia from March 2003 to December 2003. Three British personnel participated.
Operation Artemis was an EU Military Operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo from June 2003 to September 2003. From July 2003 to August 2003, 84 UK military personnel were involved.
Operation Althea is an EU Military Operation in the Balkans which started in December 2004 and is still ongoing. The units listed have participated in this operation. Since March 2007 only individuals deployed as Staff Officers to HQ have been involved.
1 Battalion Grenadier Guards—December 2004 to March 2005.
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland—April 2005 to September 2005.
1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles—October 2005 to May 2006.
2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards)—April 2006 to September 2006.
1st Battalion Welsh Guards - October 2006 to March 2007.
EU civilian-military supporting action to African Union Mission in Sudan (and recently Somalia) from July 2005 is still ongoing. Three UK military personnel were deployed from October 2005 to December 2005.
EUFOR RD Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) from April 2006 to November 2006. 2 UK officers participated; one at EU Headquarters at Potsdam and one in the theatre Headquarters.
Detailed information on the cap badges of individual officers deployed on EU operations is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Navy: Horses
The Royal Navy does not own any horses or ponies. Expenses have therefore not been incurred on purchasing or maintaining such animals. Service personnel are, however, entitled to payment from public funds for towing a horse box containing their own horses and ponies for authorised official fixtures in accordance with tri-Service Regulations for Allowances. Information on these costs is not separately identifiable.
Navy: Reserve Forces
[holding answer 6 July 2007, pursuant to the reply, 19 June 2007, Official Report, c. 1767W]: The correct table is published as follows:
Location 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Total Iraq 320 126 10 5 39 27 527 Afghanistan — — — 3 26 12 41 Bosnia — — 1 1 — — 2 North East Africa — — — — 2 1 3 Balkans — — 1 3 24 1 29 Other — — 4 6 5 3 18 Total 320 126 16 18 96 44 620
RAF Brize Norton: Charities
The decision to waive the liability charge was made by the Director Secretariat and the Finance Director of Defence Estates.
Type 45 Destroyers
[holding answer 25 July 2007]: Since the Type 45 Destroyer project reached its main investment decision (Main Gate) in 2000, the Ministry of Defence has received various representations, including from industry and Members of this House, not least the hon. Gentleman himself, about equipping Type 45 Destroyers with Tactical Tomahawk cruise missiles (TLAM).
[holding answer 25 July 2007]: The capability for the Type 45 Destroyer is defined within the design specifications (the Key User Requirements) which were set at the main investment point (Main Gate) in 2000. The capability required has not increased since.
Solicitor-General
Crown Prosecution Service: Hertfordshire
Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) recently conducted an inspection of the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Hertfordshire and published its report in August 2007. This was an independent review. I have considered the report and asked the CPS for an action plan on how the recommendations are to be addressed. The HMCPSI will look at CPS Hertfordshire again in its overall performance assessment of the CPS during the autumn.
I have considered the HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMXCPSI) report on the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service in Hertfordshire which was published in August 2007. I note that HMCPSI were satisfied that substantial progress had been made in relation to a number of areas for improvement that they had previously identified. However, the report made a number of recommendations in order to secure further improvements. I have asked the CPS for an action plan on how they propose to address these.
Duchy of Lancaster
Civil Servants: Pensions
The information requested is available in the Resource Accounts 2006-07 of Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation, a copy of which is available in the Library for the reference of Members.
Since the 1999-2000 financial year, details of the estimates of the unfunded liabilities of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme are published annually in the Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation Resource Accounts. Copies of these accounts for the years 1999-2000 to 2006-07 are available in the Library for the reference of Members.
Before the introduction of resource accounting in 1999-2000, the accounting arrangements in place did not include pension liabilities and so figures are not readily available. However, for the estimated liabilities at 31 March 1998, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given in the other place by the noble Lord McIntosh to the noble Lord Blackwell on 4 July 2000, House of Lords, Official Report, column WA129.
Children, Schools and Families
Child Trust Fund: Yorkshire and Humberside
I have been asked to reply.
Constituency and regional data on Child Trust Fund accounts was published on 11 January 2007 and can be viewed on the HM Revenue and Customs' website at: www.hmrc.gov.uk/ctf/stats.htm. Updated data will be published later in the year.
Work and Pensions
Unemployment
I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 September 2007:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the levels and proportions of working age economically inactive people who are not in full-time education. (152597)
The attached table shows the numbers and percentages of economically inactive people of working age who are not in full-time education. The estimates cover the three month period ending December each year from 1997-2006, and are not seasonally adjusted. Comparable estimates are not available for 1998 and 2000. The estimates in the attached table are from the detailed LFS dataset which are currently weighted to population totals consistent with the population estimates first published in spring 2003. They are not directly comparable with the estimates in the monthly Labour Market First Release.
Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
Three months ending December each year Number (Thousand) Percentage2 1997 6,257 17.8 1999 6,140 17.3 2001 6,256 17.4 2002 6,161 17.1 2003 6,226 17.2 2004 6,161 16.9 2005 6,132 16.8 2006 6,092 16.6 1 Men aged 16 to 64 and women age 16 to 59. 2 Economically inactive people who are not in full-time education as a percentage of all persons of working age. Note: Comparable data are not available for 1998 and 2000. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)
Innovation, Universities and Skills
Degrees: Social Structure
The latest available information is shown in the tables. The figures are taken from data collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) which are limited to students who apply to full-time undergraduate courses via the UCAS application system. The figures do not therefore cover part-time students, nor those full-time students who apply directly to higher education institutions.
Figures for Oxford and Cambridge Universities are not available because, for confidentiality reasons, UCAS do not release combinations of variables through which the data of individual institutions, or small groups of institutions, might be identifiable, beyond those already in the public domain.
Subject of study: Physics Chemistry Mathematics Modern Languages English History Psychology No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % Russell Group Higher Managerial and professional occupations 2,752 34.5 2,628 31.5 4,053 31.0 4,448 31.1 5,599 31.1 6,912 35.0 4,006 26.4 Lower managerial and professional occupations 2,482 31.1 2,553 30.6 4,007 30.6 5,316 37.1 6,296 35.0 6,748 34.2 5,144 33.9 Intermediate occupations 1,080 13.5 1,223 14.7 1,790 13.7 1,869 13.0 2,470 13.7 2,596 13.1 2,101 13.8 Small employers and account workers 393 4.9 544 6.5 858 6.6 789 5.5 1,064 5.9 1,070 5.4 1,005 6.6 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 316 4.0 366 4.4 530 4.1 400 2.8 583 3.2 557 2.8 549 3.6 Semi-routine occupations 716 9.0 766 9.2 1,305 10.0 1,075 7.5 1,382 7.7 1,321 6.7 1,634 10.8 Routine occupations 245 3.1 250 3.0 541 4.1 427 3.0 618 3.4 550 2.8 739 4.9 Total known 7,984 100.0 8,330 100.0 13,084 100.0 14,324 100.0 18,012 100.0 19,754 100.0 15,178 100.0 Unknown 1,321 — 1,377 — 2,136 — 2,109 — 2,811 — 2,756 — 3,008 — Total 9,305 — 9,707 — 15,220 — 16,433 — 20,823 — 22,510 — 18,186 — Non Russell Group Higher Managerial and professional occupations 1,680 30.1 1,760 25.1 2,637 25.8 2,678 26.2 5,960 22.7 6,186 26.7 8,755 20.1 Lower managerial and professional occupations 1,767 31.7 2,133 30.4 3,199 31.3 3,560 34.8 8,628 32.8 7,598 32.8 13,468 30.9 Intermediate occupations 793 14.2 988 14.1 1,452 14.2 1,470 14.4 3,926 14.9 3,317 14.3 6,515 14.9 Small employers and account workers 270 4.8 529 7.5 691 6.8 746 7.3 1,889 7.2 1,460 6.3 3,448 7.9 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 280 5.0 393 5.6 541 5.3 374 3.7 1,203 4.6 1,059 4.6 2,207 5.1 Semi-routine occupations 570 10.2 838 12.0 1,178 11.5 983 9.6 3,091 11.8 2,419 10.5 6,363 14.6 Routine occupations 216 3.9 370 5.3 511 5.0 429 4.2 1,586 6.0 1,106 4.8 2,889 6.6 Total known 5,576 100.0 7,011 100.0 10,209 100.0 10,240 100.0 26,283 100.0 23,145 100.0 43,645 100.0 Unknown 990 — 1,501 — 2,033 — 1,811 — 5,594 — 4,348 — 11,671 — Total 6,566 — 8,512 — 12,242 — 12,051 — 31,877 — 27,493 — 55,316 —
Higher Education
(2) how many and what percentage of current postgraduate students have received first class degrees from (a) English, (b) UK and (c) non-UK universities, broken down by subject of study.
The available information is given in the tables. A new classification for recording subject of study was introduced in 2002/03 and so figures from 2002/03 onwards are not comparable to earlier years.
We do not hold information on the classification or subject of qualifications prior to the current qualification aim. The information on the qualifications held by entrants to HE courses is taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency's student record. This records the highest level of qualification held by students, but does not include further details of the qualification.
Subject of study 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 Total science(including physics, chemistry and biochemistry). Of which: 87,580 88,425 93,755 95,175 101,615 107,990 UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 1,715 1,795 1,850 1,910 2,230 2,640 Percentage 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.4 Non-UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 8,140 8,650 9,140 9,950 11,280 13,200 Percentage 9.3 9.8 9.7 10.5 11.1 12.2 Total non-UK domiciles Number 21,015 21,415 23,595 25,205 28,140 30,865 Percentage 24.0 24.2 25.2 26.5 27.7 28.6 Physics. Of which: 2,720 2,495 2,575 2,390 2,310 2,370 UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 35 25 20 25 20 30 Percentage 1.3 1.0 0.8 1.0 0.8 1.2 Non-UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 355 400 415 390 395 385 Percentage 13.0 16.1 16.2 16.4 17.0 16.3 Total non-UK domiciles Number 765 775 825 760 740 725 Percentage 28.1 31.0 32.1 31.7 32.1 30.6 Chemistry. Of which: 4,380 4,045 3,935 3,810 3,635 3,720 UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 50 45 45 45 35 55 Percentage 1.2 1.1 1.2 1.2 0.9 1.5 Non-UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 325 390 440 465 480 535 Percentage 7.4 9.6 11.2 12.2 13.1 14.4 Total non-UK domicile Number 870 915 1,000 1,065 1,095 1,135 Percentage 19.8 22.6 25.5 28.0 30.1 30.5 Biochemistry. Of which: 1,405 1,280 1,315 1,265 1,285 1,100 UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 30 25 15 15 20 25 Percentage 2.1 2.0 1.3 1.3 1.6 2.5 Non-UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 145 160 175 130 160 165 Percentage 10.4 12.4 13.3 10.4 12.5 15.0 Total non-UK domicile Number 320 325 370 340 370 315 Percentage 22.7 25.5 28.2 26.8 28.9 28.7 Total all subjects 258,835 265,155 276,205 282,030 295,580 309,150 Note:1. Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December excluding those writing up, on sabbatical or dormant. Students from the Open University are also excluded from the analysis. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record.
Subject of study 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 Total science (including physics, chemistry and molecular biology and biochemistry) Of which: 115,775 122,230 125,105 125,770 UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 3,200 3,545 3,910 4,210 Percentage 2.8 2.9 3.1 3.3 Non-UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 17,805 21,010 23,050 23,560 Percentage 15.4 17.2 18.4 18.7 Total non-UK domiciles Number 36,015 40,080 42,060 42,340 Percentage 31.1 32.8 33.6 33.7 Physics. Of which: 2,465 2,475 2,425 2,470 UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 35 35 40 45 Percentage 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.7 Non-UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 415 435 460 495 Percentage 16.9 17.6 19.1 20.1 Total non-UK domiciles Number 740 745 765 775 Percentage 30.1 30.2 31 .7 31.3 Chemistry. Of which: 3,760 3,525 3,305 3,260 UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 50 65 55 65 Percentage 1.3 1.9 1.7 2.0 Non-UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 615 665 650 710 Percentage 16.4 18.8 19.6 21.8 Total non-UK domicile Number 1,190 1,125 1,070 1,135 Percentage 31.6 31.9 32.4 34.8 Molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry. Of which: 1,440 1,750 1,725 1,925 UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 30 35 35 45 Percentage 2.2 2.1 2.1 2.4 Non-UK domicile and a graduate of an overseas institution Number 225 330 365 465 Percentage 15.6 18.8 21.2 24.1 Total non-UK domicile Number 425 580 635 720 Percentage 29.4 33.1 36.8 37.5 Total all subjects 329,155 344,630 349,940 353,020 Note:1. Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December excluding those writing up, on sabbatical or dormant. Students from the Open University are also excluded from the analysis. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record.
Students: Science
The information is given in the separate tables. The figures are taken from data collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) which are limited to students who apply to full-time undergraduate courses via the UCAS application system. The figures do not therefore cover part-time students, nor those full-time students who apply directly to Higher Education Institutions.
Figures for Oxford and Cambridge Universities are not available because, for confidentiality reasons, UCAS do not release combinations of variables through which the data of individual institutions, or small groups of institutions, might be identifiable, beyond those already in the public domain.
2002 Of which: Physics Chemistry All Biological Sciences Molecular Biology, Biophysics & Biochemistry Psychology Sports Science Other Science subjects No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % Under 21 Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 526 35.2 369 29.4 1866 33.0 286 31.4 644 32.9 31 24.0 7742 35.1 Lower managerial and professional occupations 464 31.1 405 32.3 1759 31.1 273 30.0 657 33.5 49 38.0 6755 30.6 Intermediate occupations 205 13.7 187 14.9 795 14.1 129 14.2 268 13.7 17 13.2 2963 13.4 Small employers and own account workers 77 5.2 77 6.1 364 6.4 52 5.7 130 6.6 9 7.0 1442 6.5 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 57 3.8 55 4.4 234 4.1 43 4.7 64 3.3 8 6.2 807 3.7 Semi-routine occupations 115 7.7 108 8.6 441 7.8 88 9.7 136 6.9 8 6.2 1685 7.6 Routine occupations 50 3.3 53 4.2 194 3.4 39 4.3 60 3.1 7 5.4 657 3.0 Total with known occupations 1494 100.0 1254 100.0 5653 100.0 910 100.0 1959 100.0 129 100.0 22051 100.0 Unknown 69 — 120 — 418 — 84 — 124 — 16 — 1676 — Non-Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 272 30.1 244 21.9 3259 22.0 118 23.6 1455 23.5 938 19.1 9545 22.3 Lower managerial and professional occupations 259 28.7 326 29.3 4784 32.2 157 31.4 1985 32.0 1634 33.3 12373 28.9 Intermediate occupations 142 15.7 157 14.1 2222 15.0 71 14.2 935 15.1 722 14.7 6151 14.3 Small employers and own account workers 49 5.4 80 7.2 1101 7.4 49 9.8 402 6.5 398 8.1 3936 9.2 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 36 4.0 80 7.2 832 5.6 30 6.0 305 4.9 324 6.6 2506 5.8 Semi-routine occupations 107 11.8 158 14.2 1727 11.6 53 10.6 734 11.8 570 11.6 5573 13.0 Routine occupations 39 4.3 69 6.2 921 6.2 22 4.4 382 6.2 321 6.5 2795 6.5 Total with known occupations 904 100.0 1114 100.0 14846 100.0 500 100.0 6198 100.0 4907 100.0 42879 100.0 Unknown 85 — 167 — 2116 — 79 — 743 — 855 — 8028 — 21 and over Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 8 17.4 6 25.0 36 14.0 3 15.8 19 16.1 0 0.0 379 21.9 Lower managerial and professional occupations 13 28.3 7 29.2 74 28.8 6 31.6 38 32.2 3 30.0 474 27.4 Intermediate occupations 3 6.5 3 12.5 51 19.8 4 21.1 20 16.9 1 10.0 356 20.6 Small employers and own account workers 1 2.2 1 4.2 10 3.9 0 0.0 5 4.2 1 10.0 61 3.5 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 0 0.0 2 8.3 5 1.9 0 0.0 1 0.8 1 10.0 71 4.1 Semi-routine occupations 16 34.8 3 12.5 56 21.8 5 26.3 25 21.2 3 30.0 310 18.0 Routine occupations 5 10.9 2 8.3 25 9.7 1 5.3 10 8.5 1 10.0 76 4.4 Total with known occupations 46 100.0 24 100.0 257 100.0 19 100.0 118 100.0 10 100.0 1727 100.0 Unknown 25 — 34 — 124 — 14 — 42 — 7 — 892 — Non-Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 6 9.4 13 12.9 169 7.7 2 5.6 88 8.0 45 7.4 1133 9.7 Lower managerial and professional occupations 13 20.3 19 18.8 603 27.5 8 22.2 314 28.4 164 27.0 2963 25.5 Intermediate occupations 11 17.2 21 20.8 474 21.6 9 25.0 292 26.4 101 16.6 2656 22.8 Small employers and own account workers 5 7.8 3 3.0 109 5.0 2 5.6 49 4.4 38 6.3 660 5.7 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 8 12.5 2 2.0 75 3.4 1 2.8 24 2.2 31 5.1 512 4.4 Semi-routine occupations 16 25.0 26 25.7 572 26.1 7 19.4 250 22.6 184 30.3 2758 23.7 Routine occupations 5 7.8 17 16.8 188 8.6 7 19.4 89 8.0 44 7.2 960 8.2 Total with known occupations 64 100.0 101 100.0 2190 100.0 36 100.0 1106 100.0 607 100.0 11642 100.0 Unknown 39 — 78 — 1380 — 48 — 638 — 365 — 8176 — 2002 total 2726 — 2892 — 26984 — 1690 — 10928 — 6896 — 97071 —
Of which: Physics Chemistry All Biological Sciences Molecular Biology, Biophysics & Biochemistry Psychology Sports Science Other Science subjects No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % Under 21 Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 483 34.6 361 31.4 1649 31.1 251 30.6 618 33.0 46 27.7 7343 34.7 Lower managerial and professional occupations 431 30.9 341 29.7 1846 34.8 264 32.2 680 36.3 62 37.3 6565 31.0 Intermediate occupations 203 14.6 159 13.9 693 13.1 114 13.9 239 12.8 18 10.8 2679 12.7 Small employers and own account workers 72 5.2 77 6.7 330 6.2 56 6.8 108 5.8 12 7.2 1369 6.5 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 64 4.6 54 4.7 219 4.1 29 3.5 64 3.4 8 4.8 868 4.1 Semi-routine occupations 110 7.9 113 9.8 411 7.7 81 9.9 107 5.7 19 11.4 1721 8.1 Routine occupations 32 2.3 43 3.7 161 3.0 26 3.2 56 3.0 1 0.6 617 2.9 Total with known occupations 1395 100.0 1148 100.0 5309 100.0 821 100.0 1872 100.0 166 100.0 21162 100.0 Unknown 124 — 151 — 480 — 99 — 133 — 18 — 1952 — Non-Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 249 28.0 243 22.5 3325 21.6 138 25.2 1493 22.3 969 18.9 9000 21.9 Lower managerial and professional occupations 274 30.8 313 29.0 4780 31.0 156 28.5 2114 31.5 1608 31.3 12001 29.2 Intermediate occupations 135 15.2 156 14.4 2289 14.8 74 13.5 1001 14.9 762 14.8 5582 13.6 Small employers and own account workers 52 5.8 78 7.2 1209 7.8 38 6.9 481 7.2 437 8.5 3830 9.3 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 64 7.2 78 7.2 993 6.4 30 5.5 399 6.0 381 7.4 2624 6.4 Semi-routine occupations 80 9.0 147 13.6 1899 12.3 76 13.9 821 12.2 660 12.9 5345 13.0 Routine occupations 35 3.9 65 6.0 931 6.0 35 6.4 394 5.9 318 6.2 2673 6.5 Total with known occupations 889 100.0 1080 100.0 15426 100.0 547 100.0 6703 100.0 5135 100.0 41055 100.0 Unknown 91 — 181 — 2530 — 112 — 935 — 997 — 9096 — 21 and over Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 7 21.9 6 18.2 30 11.4 4 17.4 17 13.0 — 0.0 461 23.6 Lower managerial and professional occupations 12 37.5 9 27.3 75 28.4 7 30.4 39 29.8 3 37.5 524 26.8 Intermediate occupations 2 6.3 6 18.2 53 20.1 5 21.7 25 19.1 3 37.5 363 18.6 Small employers and own account workers 3 9.4 2 6.1 12 4.5 0 0.0 7 5.3 0 0.0 67 3.4 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 3 9.4 2 6.1 8 3.0 0 0.0 2 1.5 0 0.0 61 3.1 Semi-routine occupations 3 9.4 6 18.2 70 26.5 5 21.7 36 27.5 2 25.0 389 19.9 Routine occupations 2 6.3 2 6.1 16 6.1 2 8.7 5 3.8 0 0.0 89 4.6 Total with known occupations 32 100.0 33 100.0 264 100.0 23 100.0 131 100.0 8 100.0 1954 100.0 Unknown 17 — 24 — 145 — 13 — 41 — 3 — 1077 — Non-Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 10 19.2 10 10.8 219 9.5 3 8.3 116 9.9 54 8.5 1243 10.4 Lower managerial and professional occupations 9 17.3 27 29.0 622 27.1 11 30.6 341 29.2 159 25.1 3081 25.8 Intermediate occupations 13 25.0 19 20.4 459 20.0 11 30.6 282 24.2 90 14.2 2699 22.6 Small employers and own account workers 2 3.8 1 1.1 116 5.0 0 0.0 49 4.2 31 4.9 575 4.8 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 2 3.8 4 4.3 74 3.2 2 5.6 22 1.9 34 5.4 486 4.1 Semi-routine occupations 9 17.3 24 25.8 607 26.4 8 22.2 260 22.3 208 32.9 2979 25.0 Routine occupations 7 13.5 8 8.6 202 8.8 1 2.8 97 8.3 57 9.0 871 7.3 Total with known occupations 52 100.0 93 100.0 2299 100.0 36 100.0 1167 100.0 633 100.0 11934 100.0 Unknown 42 — 88 — 1492 — 54 — 710 — 415 — 8240 — 2003 total 2642 — 2798 — 27945 — 1705 — 11692 — 7375 — 96470 —
Of which: Physics Chemistry All Biological Sciences Molecular Biology, Biophysics & Biochemistry Psychology Sports Science Other Science subjects No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % Under 21 Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 418 32.7 359 30.7 1687 32.0 262 32.6 614 33.0 57 29.5 7300 34.6 Lower managerial and professional occupations 400 31.3 350 29.9 1807 34.3 259 32.2 662 35.6 62 32.1 6529 30.9 Intermediate occupations 190 14.9 161 13.8 704 13.4 108 13.4 243 13.1 35 18.1 2756 13.1 Small employers and own account workers 73 5.7 84 7.2 320 6.1 51 6.3 105 5.6 7 3.6 1339 6.3 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 50 3.9 66 5.6 218 4.1 27 3.4 60 3.2 9 4.7 845 4.0 Semi-routine occupations 99 7.7 100 8.5 377 7.2 76 9.5 128 6.9 15 7.8 1713 8.1 Routine occupations 49 3.8 50 4.3 151 2.9 21 2.6 50 2.7 8 4.1 634 3.0 Total with known occupations 1279 100.0 1170 100.0 5264 100.0 804 100.0 1862 100.0 193 100.0 21116 100.0 Unknown 125 — 139 — 445 — 76 — 154 — 18 — 1874 — Non-Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 236 30.4 274 24.4 3341 21.5 130 21.8 1506 22.6 1002 18.8 9138 22.3 Lower managerial and professional occupations 258 33.2 345 30.7 4926 31.8 201 33.7 2158 32.4 1687 31.7 12097 29.5 Intermediate occupations 107 13.8 176 15.7 2253 14.5 76 12.8 968 14.5 792 14.9 5692 13.9 Small employers and own account workers 38 4.9 79 7.0 1189 7.7 41 6.9 474 7.1 469 8.8 3693 9.0 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 35 4.5 66 5.9 951 6.1 32 5.4 351 5.3 378 7.1 2563 6.2 Semi-routine occupations 81 10.4 115 10.2 1876 12.1 77 12.9 806 12.1 645 12.1 5230 12.7 Routine occupations 21 2.7 68 6.1 972 6.3 39 6.5 399 6.0 347 6.5 2611 6.4 Total with known occupations 776 100.0 1123 100.0 15508 100.0 596 100.0 6662 100.0 5320 100.0 41024 100.0 Unknown 85 — 164 — 2412 — 99 — 953 — 960 — 8363 — 21 and over Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 6 14.3 4 12.5 27 11.7 3 13.6 11 11.2 1 16.7 483 24.8 Lower managerial and professional occupations 10 23.8 7 21.9 56 24.2 7 31.8 20 20.4 2 33.3 548 28.2 Intermediate occupations 10 23.8 6 18.8 60 26.0 4 18.2 31 31.6 2 33.3 331 17.0 Small employers and own account workers 3 7.1 2 6.3 8 3.5 1 4.5 1 1.0 0 0.0 62 3.2 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 2 4.8 1 3.1 4 1.7 — 0.0 1 1.0 0 0.0 46 2.4 Semi-routine occupations 7 16.7 8 25.0 51 22.1 3 13.6 26 26.5 1 16.7 388 19.9 Routine occupations 4 9.5 4 12.5 25 10.8 4 18.2 8 8.2 0 0.0 88 4.5 Total with known occupations 42 100.0 32 100.0 231 100.0 22 100.0 98 100.0 6 100.0 1946 100.0 Unknown 29 — 31 — 162 — 23 — 62 — 2 — 1073 — Non-Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 6 8.8 8 11.4 139 6.4 4 8.0 69 6.4 34 5.3 1148 10.0 Lower managerial and professional occupations 16 23.5 17 24.3 635 29.3 11 22.0 328 30.6 198 30.7 2999 26.0 Intermediate occupations 17 25.0 15 21.4 465 21.5 11 22.0 259 24.2 110 17.1 2676 23.2 Small employers and own account workers 3 4.4 2 2.9 99 4.6 1 2.0 43 4.0 34 5.3 529 4.6 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 5 7.4 4 5.7 51 2.4 2 4.0 19 1.8 18 2.8 448 3.9 Semi-routine occupations 11 16.2 17 24.3 586 27.1 18 36.0 264 24.6 205 31.8 2883 25.0 Routine occupations 10 14.7 7 10.0 190 8.8 3 6.0 90 8.4 45 7.0 850 7.4 Total with known occupations 68 100.0 70 100.0 2165 100.0 50 100.0 1072 100.0 644 100.0 11533 100.0 Unknown 31 — 68 — 1548 — 31 — 769 — 469 — 7992 — 2004 total 2435 — 2797 — 27735 — 1701 — 11632 — 7612 — 94921 —
Of which: Physics Chemistry All Biological Sciences Molecular Biology, Biophysics & Biochemistry Psychology Sports Science Other Science subjects No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % Under 21 Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 415 32.2 420 30.7 1615 32.0 267 31.4 558 31.0 58 30.1 7187 34.1 Lower managerial and professional occupations 399 31.0 419 30.7 1633 32.4 279 32.8 618 34.4 66 34.2 6497 30.8 Intermediate occupations 197 15.3 196 14.3 720 14.3 119 14.0 263 14.6 24 12.4 2788 13.2 Small employers and own account workers 65 5.0 83 6.1 328 6.5 59 6.9 107 5.9 15 7.8 1407 6.7 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 64 5.0 66 4.8 193 3.8 32 3.8 63 3.5 5 2.6 821 3.9 Semi-routine occupations 111 8.6 120 8.8 395 7.8 72 8.5 133 7.4 19 9.8 1760 8.4 Routine occupations 37 2.9 62 4.5 159 3.2 23 2.7 57 3.2 6 3.1 614 2.9 Total with known occupations 1288 100.0 1366 100.0 5043 100.0 851 100.0 1799 100.0 193 100.0 21074 100.0 Unknown 202 — 230 — 789 — 169 — 230 — 32 — 3371 — Non-Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 239 29.1 267 24.1 3473 20.8 125 22.3 1523 21.3 1067 17.9 9121 22.0 Lower managerial and professional occupations 266 32.4 328 29.5 5223 31.4 165 29.4 2294 32.0 1900 31.8 12124 29.3 Intermediate occupations 111 13.5 149 13.4 2412 14.5 82 14.6 1060 14.8 869 14.6 5650 13.6 Small employers and own account workers 44 5.4 74 6.7 1337 8.0 47 8.4 546 7.6 532 8.9 3682 8.9 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 45 5.5 63 5.7 1015 6.1 35 6.2 385 5.4 419 7.0 2580 6.2 Semi-routine occupations 80 9.7 156 14.1 2162 13.0 77 13.7 917 12.8 783 13.1 5708 13.8 Routine occupations 36 4.4 73 6.6 1037 6.2 30 5.3 440 6.1 397 6.7 2543 6.1 Total with known occupations 821 100.0 1110 100.0 16659 100.0 561 100.0 7165 100.0 5967 100.0 41408 100.0 Unknown 143 — 253 — 3801 — 179 — 1489 — 1484 — 10670 — 21 and over Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 12 21.8 7 19.4 31 11.6 5 17.2 6 5.6 1 25.0 487 20.4 Lower managerial and professional occupations 12 21.8 9 25.0 70 26.2 6 20.7 37 34.6 0 0.0 631 26.4 Intermediate occupations 7 12.7 7 19.4 51 19.1 7 24.1 19 17.8 2 50.0 521 21.8 Small employers and own account workers 5 9.1 4 11.1 17 6.4 1 3.4 8 7.5 0 0.0 90 3.8 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 0 0.0 0 0.0 6 2.2 2 6.9 0 0.0 0 0.0 54 2.3 Semi-routine occupations 11 20.0 7 19.4 72 27.0 6 20.7 34 31.8 1 25.0 498 20.8 Routine occupations 8 14.5 2 5.6 20 7.5 2 6.9 3 2.8 0 0.0 109 4.6 Total with known occupations 55 100.0 36 100.0 267 100.0 29 100.0 107 100.0 4 100.0 2390 100.0 Unknown 34 — 35 — 142 — 13 — 62 — 1 — 1169 — Non-Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 11 15.9 5 7.2 152 6.8 5 8.3 71 6.6 39 5.6 1187 10.0 Lower managerial and professional occupations 11 15.9 16 23.2 643 28.6 15 25.0 327 30.3 194 27.9 3084 26.0 Intermediate occupations 17 24.6 15 21.7 459 20.4 12 20.0 243 22.5 123 17.7 2673 22.5 Small employers and own account workers 5 7.2 4 5.8 121 5.4 2 3.3 54 5.0 42 6.0 559 4.7 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 3 4.3 2 2.9 47 2.1 0 0.0 19 1.8 16 2.3 409 3.4 Semi-routine occupations 14 20.3 22 31.9 626 27.9 23 38.3 279 25.9 215 30.9 3065 25.8 Routine occupations 8 11.6 5 7.2 198 8.8 3 5.0 85 7.9 67 9.6 898 7.6 Total with known occupations 69 100.0 69 100.0 2246 100.0 60 100.0 1078 100.0 696 100.0 11875 100.0 Unknown 42 — 92 — 1715 — 59 — 875 — 476 — 8062 — 2005 total 2654 — 3191 — 30662 — 1921 — 12805 — 8853 — 100019 —
Of which: Physics Chemistry All Biological Sciences Molecular Biology, Biophysics & Biochemistry Psychology Sports Science Other Science subjects No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % Under 21 Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 469 35.7 452 32.7 1508 32.6 240 34.0 542 31.5 45 30.8 7446 35.5 Lower managerial and professional occupations 397 30.2 412 29.8 1527 33.0 197 27.9 597 34.6 53 36.3 6405 30.5 Intermediate occupations 186 14.2 197 14.3 590 12.7 84 11.9 222 12.9 20 13.7 2685 12.8 Small employers and own account workers 54 4.1 91 6.6 289 6.2 55 7.8 105 6.1 12 8.2 1346 6.4 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 58 4.4 59 4.3 207 4.5 41 5.8 68 3.9 5 3.4 825 3.9 Semi-routine occupations 112 8.5 131 9.5 358 7.7 65 9.2 134 7.8 7 4.8 1676 8.0 Routine occupations 38 2.9 39 2.8 150 3.2 23 3.3 55 3.2 4 2.7 596 2.8 Total with known occupations 1314 100.0 1381 100.0 4629 100.0 705 100.0 1723 100.0 146 100.0 20979 100.0 Unknown 211 — 227 — 679 — 106 — 233 — 32 — 2980 — Non-Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 212 27.1 279 23.8 3228 20.5 132 22.9 1339 20.6 1133 19.1 8616 21.8 Lower managerial and professional occupations 262 33.5 390 33.3 4888 31.1 167 28.9 2063 31.8 1789 30.1 11717 29.6 Intermediate occupations 97 12.4 147 12.5 2324 14.8 80 13.9 948 14.6 905 15.2 5390 13.6 Small employers and own account workers 55 7.0 83 7.1 1283 8.2 41 7.1 520 8.0 536 9.0 3640 9.2 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 44 5.6 71 6.1 922 5.9 31 5.4 328 5.1 392 6.6 2374 6.0 Semi-routine occupations 81 10.4 140 11.9 2083 13.3 98 17.0 874 13.5 797 13.4 5235 13.2 Routine occupations 31 4.0 62 5.3 983 6.3 28 4.9 418 6.4 394 6.6 2550 6.5 Total with known occupations 782 100.0 1172 100.0 15711 100.0 577 100.0 6490 100.0 5946 100.0 39522 100.0 Unknown 143 — 269 — 3634 — 162 — 1504 — 1401 — 10662 — 21 and over Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 6 13.6 3 8.1 21 10.9 3 20.0 14 15.2 0 0.0 377 20.6 Lower managerial and professional occupations 14 31.8 11 29.7 52 26.9 2 13.3 23 25.0 3 60.0 474 25.9 Intermediate occupations 6 13.6 5 13.5 50 25.9 3 20.0 33 35.9 0 0.0 364 19.9 Small employers and own account workers 2 4.5 2 5.4 14 7.3 1 6.7 4 4.3 0 0.0 69 3.8 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 1 2.3 1 2.7 5 2.6 — 0.0 1 1.1 0 0.0 50 2.7 Semi-routine occupations 10 22.7 13 35.1 40 20.7 4 26.7 14 15.2 1 20.0 404 22.0 Routine occupations 5 11.4 2 5.4 11 5.7 2 13.3 3 3.3 1 20.0 95 5.2 Total with known occupations 44 100.0 37 100.0 193 100.0 15 100.0 92 100.0 5 100.0 1833 100.0 Unknown 17 — 25 — 183 — 15 — 79 — 4 — 1432 — Non-Russell Group Higher managerial and professional occupations 8 15.4 7 12.1 126 6.9 4 10.3 63 7.1 35 5.7 898 9.9 Lower managerial and professional occupations 15 28.8 17 29.3 505 27.5 9 23.1 237 26.7 186 30.4 2188 24.2 Intermediate occupations 6 11.5 7 12.1 318 17.3 6 15.4 171 19.3 90 14.7 1937 21.4 Small employers and own account workers 1 1.9 2 3.4 100 5.4 2 5.1 54 6.1 33 5.4 432 4.8 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 4 7.7 1 1.7 43 2.3 1 2.6 20 2.3 14 2.3 322 3.6 Semi-routine occupations 12 23.1 18 31.0 532 29.0 12 30.8 245 27.6 188 30.7 2475 27.4 Routine occupations 6 11.5 6 10.3 213 11.6 5 12.8 98 11.0 66 10.8 797 8.8 Total with known occupations 52 100.0 58 100.0 1837 100.0 39 100.0 888 100.0 612 100.0 9049 100.0 Unknown 60 — 98 — 2185 — 66 — 1139 — 601 — 10273 — 2006 total 2623 — 3267 — 29051 — 1685 — 12148 — 8747 — 96730 —
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Departments: Tribunals
In the financial year 2006-07, DEFRA settled two employment tribunals at a total cost of £11,087.
Flood Control
During recent flooding events, the Environment Agency used a centralised register of equipment and manpower to facilitate inter-regional and inter-organisation aid. This register and its use will be assessed as part of lessons learned.
Flowers: Conservation
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 21 May 2007, Official Report, column 1035W to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne).
Also, the recent addition of more wildflower species and habitat types, such as traditional orchards, to the list of priority species and habitats in the UK will bring benefits for wildflowers through targeted conservation action.
Fly Tipping
All fly-tipping, small or large, is a crime. The Flycapture database, which was set up in 2004 by DEFRA, the Environment Agency and the Local Government Association, records the number of fly-tipping incidents dealt with by the Environment Agency and local authorities. Flycapture records incidents broken down by waste type, land type and size of fly-tip.
The categories for incidents by size are:
(i) single black bag
(ii) single item
(iii) car boot load or less
(iv) small van load
(v) transit van load
(vi) tipper lorry load
(vii) significant/multiple loads.
Flycapture does not record whether these fly-tips have been carried out by householders.
The Environment Agency deal with large, more serious fly-tipping incidents.
Nature Conservation: Severn Estuary
My Department received advice from Natural England recommending the Severn Estuary as a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive on 9 October 2006. On 31 August 2007 the Government submitted the Severn estuary to the Commission as a candidate Special Area of Conservation for adoption as a Site of Community Interest. Once the site has been adopted by the Commission, expected to be in October 2008, the UK is required to designate it as a Special Area of Conservation as soon as possible.
Weeds Act 1959
No fines have been imposed under the Weeds Act for preventing or obstructing an authorised representative from entering a property to inspect land since 1997.
The following number of enforcement notices have been issued since 2003:
Enforcement notices 2003 11 2004 41 2005 77 2006 19 2007 (to date) 32
Wild Boar
Current risk assessment work is examining the impacts of feral wild boar populations. This will inform the development of the Government’s policy in England, which we intend to finalise by the end of this year.
Wood: Procurement
The Department is extending the remit of the timber procurement unit in its central procurement group to tackle wider EU and international forestry objectives, as well as the ongoing development and promulgation of the UK Government’ timber procurement policy. The structure and function of the reconstituted unit will be published on DEFRA’s website on 1 October 2007. The Department will be writing to key stakeholders including the Chair of the EAC later this month detailing the team’s structure and function.
Home Department
Asylum
At the Home Affairs Select Committee evidence session on 24 July, the Home Secretary stated that Lin Homer, the Chief Executive of the Border and Immigration Agency, would provide an update on the case resolution programme once reports can be produced on the programme in which Parliament and the wider public can have suitable confidence.
The specific circumstances of each individual will be considered on a case by case basis. Further information is therefore being solicited from individuals.
Our policy is to seek to enforce the removal of those who have no right to be here and who refuse to leave voluntarily. To achieve this we are increasing enforcement resource, recruiting additional frontline staff and seconding extra police officers; and will open a new 426 bed immigration removal centre at Gatwick next year.
Asylum: Iraq
Information on asylum applications, initial decisions and removals for nationals of Iraq is shown in the table. Initial decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period. Removal figures do not necessarily relate to decisions made in the same period.
Information on asylum applications, initial decisions and removals for nationals of Iraq are published quarterly and annually. Copies of these publications are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
Principal applicants Applications Decisions Removals3,4,5 Total Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Grants of Hp6 Grants of DL6 Total refusals Grants of ELR under backlog criteria7,8 Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria7,9 Total 200010 7,475 5,530 845 2,455 n/a n/a 2,220 10 * 11— 2001 6,680 9,035 830 1,885 n/a n/a 6,315 n/a n/a 90 2002 14,570 11,905 715 8,195 n/a n/a 2,995 n/a n/a 195 2003 4,015 6,805 70 2,105 * 45 4,580 n/a n/a 280 2004 1,695 4,815 10 n/a — 185 4,615 n/a n/a 770 2005 1,415 1,835 5 n/a 10 150 1,675 n/a n/a 1,040 2006 12 945 740 30 n/a — 60 650 n/a n/a 1,780 n/a = not applicable. 1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 (— = 0, * = 1 or 2). 2 Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period. Removal figures do not necessarily relate to decisions made in the same period. 3 Figures include enforced removals, persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them and persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration. 4 Removals since 2005 include persons who it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities. 5 Figures for 2001-03 have been estimated due to data quality issues. 6 Humanitarian Protection and Discretionary Leave replaced Exceptional Leave to Remain from 1 April 2003. 7 Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum backlog. 8 May include a small number of cases where asylum has been granted. 9 May include a small number of cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds. 10 May exclude some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices between January and March 2000. 11 not available 12 Provisional figures.
Burglary: Greater London
The information requested is given in the following table.
London borough 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Barking and Dagenham 1,262 1,306 1,159 1,119 1,196 Barnet 2,607 2,578 2,689 2,794 2,467 Bexley 1,241 1,094 983 1,207 1,105 Brent 2,804 2,930 2,805 2,557 2,289 Bromley 1,923 2,072 1,917 2,113 1,996 Camden 3,348 2,830 2,391 2,511 2,515 City of Westminster 2,110 1,782 1,886 1,692 1,448 Croydon 2,769 2,348 2,145 2,291 2,099 Ealing 2,912 3,005 2,824 3,277 2,693 Enfield 2,864 2,624 2,251 2,433 2,390 Greenwich 1,875 1,982 1,806 1,952 1,929 Hackney 3,646 3,247 2,733 2,467 1,841 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,186 2,074 2,214 2,240 2,118 Haringey 3,403 3,289 3,184 2,851 2,709 Harrow 1,952 1,877 1,492 1,614 1,334 Havering 1,058 974 903 1,091 1,175 Hillingdon 2,023 2,048 2,056 1,847 1,874 Hounslow 1,968 2,131 1,889 1,848 1,671 Islington 3,083 2,611 2,451 2,278 2,450 Kensington and Chelsea 1,652 1,769 1,680 1,559 1,385 Kingston upon Thames 606 534 456 626 515 Lambeth 4,410 3,692 3,105 2,834 2,774 Lewisham 2,743 2,872 2,611 2,309 2,492 Merton 1,048 1,098 974 1,024 997 Newham 2,012 2,026 1,942 2,680 2,155 Redbridge 1,757 1,889 1,811 2,237 2,107 Richmond upon Thames 1,295 1,133 1,120 1,391 1,053 Southwark 3,141 3,123 2,694 2,439 2,373 Sutton 778 720 701 669 657 Tower Hamlets 2,114 1,735 1,699 2,108 1,638 Waltham Forest 2,559 2,027 1,838 1,962 1,854 Wandsworth 3,087 2,575 2,675 2,154 2,634 Total 72,236 67,995 63,084 64,174 59,933
Crime: Disabled
(2) what requirements exist to record whether victims of crime have (a) disabilities and (b) mental health problems.
I have been asked to reply.
The British Crime Survey (BCS) routinely provides information on the risk of personal crimes (violence and personal theft) by whether the victim has a disability or illness. The latest results from the BCS 2006-07 are included in the following table. The BCS does not collect information on whether respondents have mental health problems.
Information on disability and mental health problems in relation to victims is recorded at a number of points during the criminal justice process by criminal justice agencies. For example, when an initial statement is taken from the victim, the MG11 form on which it is recorded requires police officers to record whether the victim is vulnerable or intimidated. The definition of “vulnerable” in the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 includes any victim who
“suffers from mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983”
“otherwise has a significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning”,
“has a physical disability or is suffering from a physical disorder”.
Similarly, in cases that reach the point of charge or beyond, a witness care officer is required to conduct and record a detailed needs assessment that will reassess whether the victim is vulnerable or intimidated.
Percentage victims once or more Theft from the person All BSC violence Long standing disability/illness (limits activities) 1.3 3.3 Long standing disability/illness (does not limit activities) 1.1 2.8 No long standing disability or illness 1.2 3.7 England and Wales 1.2 3.6 1 Prevalence risks 2006-07 BCS interviews
Departments: Aviation
The Department's accounting system does not separately identify expenditure on first class, business class and standard class travel for air travel. Such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Department expects all official travel to be carried out by the most efficient and economic means available, taking into account the cost of travel and subsistence, savings in official time, management benefit, and the needs of staff with disabilities. This is in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.
The Cabinet Office produces the annual list of Cabinet Ministers’ overseas travel, the one for 2006-07 was published on 25 July 2007.
Departments: Flowers
The Home Office accounting system does not separately identify spend on flowers. To provide the detail requested would incur disproportionate cost.
Departments: Legislation
The provisions of the following Acts (which received Royal Assent between 1 May 1997 and 31 July 2007) for which the Home Secretary has policy responsibility are fully in force:
Firearms (Amendment) (No 2) Act 1997
Special Immigration Appeals Act 1997
Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1997
Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) (Amendment) Act 1998
Crime and Disorder Act 1998
Football (Offences and Disorder) Act 1999
Criminal Cases Review (Insanity) Act 1999
Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000
Football Disorder Act 2000
Terrorism Act 2000
Mobile Telephones Reprogramming Act 2002
Football Disorder (Amendment) Act 2002
Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003
Sexual Offences Act 2003
Extradition Act 2003
Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005
Terrorism Act 2006
Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006.
The following table lists provisions of Acts for which the Home Office has policy responsibility which received Royal Assent between 1 May 1997 and July 2007 which are not yet in force.
It is not possible to provide lists of provisions which have been repealed prior to coming into force or which have been repealed after coming into force without incurring disproportionate cost.
Act Sections not in force Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 85(5), Sch 2(2) Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 78 Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 16 Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 10-12, 20-25, 54-75, Sch three, Sch 4 Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 78(7), 80(4), Sch seven para six (in part) Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 9, 12 and Schedules 10, 11 and 12 (in part) Drugs Act 2005 2 Identity Cards Act 2006 1(1)-(4), 1(5)-(8), 2-24, 27-29, 30, 31-34, 35, 39, 41, 42, 43, Sch 1 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 16 and 17, 117(5) Immigration Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 4, 15-18, 20-22, 24-26, 31-39, 44, 47, 50(3) to (6) Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 10(5)(a), 17 and 18 (for certain purposes), 19-34, 35(1) (a)-(g)(i) and (2) and (3), 36, 37, 39, 40(2) and (3), 41(2) and (3), 44-47, 51 to 53, 124 Police and Justice Act 2006 7(1), 14, 17, 19(1)-(9) and (11), 20, 21, 34-38, 39(1)-(3) (5)-(7), 40(l)-(3), (5)-(7), 41 (in part), 43(1), 46 (part) and Schedules three, eight, nine, 11 and 12, and Schedules one, two, five, 13,14, and 15 (all in part) Police Reform Act 2002 45 Private Security Industry Act 2001 17 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 Sch 11 para 17(2) and Sch 12 (part) Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 120, 114(9), 117 (part), 162(3), Sch four (part), Sch nine (part), Sch 10 (part), Sch 14 (part) Vehicle (Crimes) Act 2001 8, 34, 35, 36, Sch paras one and 2 Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 l-14, 15-20, 43 (part), 59, 61, Sch two (part), Sch five (part)
Departments: Manpower
This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Press
The Home Office’s expenditure on newspapers, magazines and periodicals for the last 12 months was £131,287.
Departments: Publicity
In the 12 months to July 2007 the Home Office has implemented advertising campaigns covering its policy responsibilities relating to crime reduction, drugs, internet child protection, alcohol harm reduction, recruitment of police community support officers, local trials of the single non-emergency number, employing illegal immigrants, domestic violence and the passport application procedure for first time applicants.
These policies and programmes affect the lives of millions of people and in order for them to work they must be communicated effectively. A campaign will only be implemented where there is a clear role for communications in achieving the overall policy target. All campaigns are managed with cost efficiency in mind and there are strict rules to ensure value for money on Government advertising. All advertising media are bought using COI framework media agencies which have clear targets for achieving value for money.
Effective evaluation of campaign advertising is standard departmental practice. Particular evaluation techniques will depend on the objective of the campaign and the nature of the advertising implemented, however the Department would typically use a combination of:
Spontaneous and prompted advertising awareness and recall of messages;
Changes in key audience attitudes before and after the campaign;
Changes in claimed behaviour in key audiences before and after the campaign;
Specific policy/product detail recall;
Agreement with relevant statements (pre/post);
Response to advertising where appropriate (telephone, coupon, website);
Econometric analysis;
Advertising media cost audits.
Of the major advertising campaigns undertaken during this period, the Acquisitive Crime Reduction campaign has achieved 90 per cent. recognition with 60 per cent. of respondents claiming the adverts would make them take more precautions to protect them from becoming a victim of crime.
The alcohol ‘Know Your Limits’ campaign achieved 84 per cent. prompted recall of the TV advertising. Additionally 82 per cent. of respondents said the advertising made them rethink the consequences of drinking too much
The Police Community Support Officer recruitment campaign generated over 52,000 requests for application packs, helping achieve the recruitment target of 16,400 recruits—with those aware of the advertising campaign twice as likely to consider being a PCSO as those who were not (13 per cent. v. 5 per cent.).
The FRANK drugs helpline awareness campaign has achieved recognition among 94 per cent. of its key 15 to 18-year-old audience, with 70 per cent “very” or “quite likely” to call FRANK if they needed information in the future. Additionally, 81 per cent. of young people would recommend FRANK to friends.
Additionally, the Home Office is working with Cabinet Office on a number of initiatives to improve the efficiency of civil service recruitment process, such as combining advertising with other Departments where possible to reduce advertising costs. The Home Office is also contributing to an OGC-led initiative for a central framework contract for head-hunters and recruitment consultants.
Departments: Railways
The Department's accounting system does not separately identify expenditure on first class travel for train travel. Such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Department expects all official travel to be carried out by the most efficient and economic means available, taking into account the cost of travel and subsistence, savings in official time, management benefit, and the needs of staff with disabilities. This is in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.
The Cabinet Office produces the annual list of Cabinet Ministers’ overseas travel, the one for 2006-07 was published on 25 July 2007.
Departments: Training
Home Office expenditure on training for the financial year 2006-07 was £29,732,614. Details of expenditure on communication training could be only provided at disproportionate cost.
The aforementioned figure includes expenditure by the core Home Office, the Border and Immigration Agency, the National Offender Management Service and the Office of Criminal Justice Reform. The latter two are now part of the Ministry of Justice.
The size of the expenditure reflects both the size of the Home Office, which employed almost 25,000 people in 2006-07, and the degree of importance the department places on equipping staff with the skills necessary to conduct their duties effectively in a changing working environment.
Frontiers: Personal Records
(2) what criteria are used to determine suitable consortia to deliver the full e-borders programme.
[holding answer 23 July 2007]: The collection of Advanced Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data is part of the e-Borders model, and the programme is committed to integrating these elements as part of the long term solution. In the short-term, the e-Borders pilot Project Semaphore is trialling the collection of PNR data from carriers from selected routes. This will enable us to build the most robust long term solution for full capture of PNR data that meets the requirements of the border agencies and is sustainable by the industry.
The e-Borders programme will appoint the successful service provider following a comprehensive and detailed evaluation of the bidders responses. Qualitative criteria, combined with an assessment of cost will determine the most economically advantageous bid from the point of view of the Home Office. The qualitative criteria include the ability to meet the authority's business, technical and implementation requirements, while also being commercially acceptable to the Home Office.
In addition the successful consortia will be required to cross a number of financial capacity and robustness thresholds to ensure that they can meet their financial obligations over the lifetime of the contract.
Immigration Controls: EU Countries
Border controls between the United Kingdom, European Union (EU) and European economic area (EEA) have never been withdrawn, and there are no current plans to do so.
Offenders: British Nationality
(2) how many people who had been convicted of (a) drug dealing, (b) possession with intent to supply and (c) other drugs-related offences were granted British citizenship in each of the last 10 years;
(3) how many people who had been convicted of benefit fraud were granted British citizenship in each of the last 10 years;
(4) how many people convicted of racist or racially aggravated crimes were granted British citizenship in each of the last 10 years;
(5) how many people convicted of crimes relating to religious extremism were granted British citizenship in each of the last 10 years;
(6) how many people convicted of violent or sexual crimes involving children were granted British citizenship in each of the last 10 years;
(7) how many foreign nationals with convictions for (a) rape and (b) other sexual assaults were awarded British citizenship in each of the last 10 years;
(8) how many people convicted of (a) reckless driving, (b) dangerous driving, (c) causing death by dangerous driving and (d) offences related to driving under the influence of alcohol were granted British citizenship in each of the last 10 years;
(9) on how many occasions she and her predecessors used their powers of discretion to disregard unspent convictions when foreign nationals have applied for British citizenship in each of the last 10 years.
[holding answers 16 and 17 July 2007]: It would only be possible to answer these questions by reference to the individual files, which would involve disproportionate cost.
Police: Crimes of Violence
The numbers of serious and other assaults on police officers and operational police staff are published each year in the HMIC Annual Report and have been given in the table.
These data are not available by individual rank and therefore have been provided for police officers and operational staff as combined figure.
Force Essex England and Wales4 2001-02 Serious 0 400 Other 225 12,696 2002-03 Serious 0 263 Other 260 14,097 2003-04 Serious 1 253 Other 374 11,401 2004-05 Serious 2 393 Other 262 12,825 1 Data collated on behalf of and published by HMIC. Serious assaults are those for which the charge would be under Sections 18 and 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Recording practices may vary between forces. 2 Financial year runs 1 April to 31 March inclusive. 3 Data for 2005-06 have been collated but not yet validated. Figures will be available in the HMIC Annual Report 2005-06. 4 Greater Manchester was unable to provide data for 2003-04. Lancashire and West Midlands were not able to provide breakdowns of numbers for different assaults in 2003-04, however the number of overall assaults was 462 and 1,112 respectively. Lancashire and West Midlands were not able to provide breakdowns of numbers for different assaults in 2004-05, however the number of overall assaults was 521 and 910 respectively.
Percentage Force Essex England and Wales4 2001-02 n/a5 n/a5 2002-03 4.9 6.6 2003-04 6.6 5.0 2004-05 6.5 5.4 1 Data collated on behalf of and published by HMIC. Serious assaults are those for which the charge would be under Sections 18 and 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Recording practices may vary between forces. 2 Financial year runs 1 April to 31 March inclusive. 3 Data for 2005-06 have been collated but not yet validated. Figures will be available in the HMIC Annual Report 2005-06. 4 Greater Manchester was unable to provide data for 2003-04. Lancashire and West Midlands were not able to provide breakdowns of numbers for different assaults in 2003-04 or 2004-05. 5 Staff strength by headcount is not available for 2001-02.
Police: Criminal Records
Responsibility for the collation and publication of statistics relating to police discipline and misconduct rests with the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Police: Ports
I wrote to the hon. Member on 7 September. I will ensure that copy of this letter is placed in the Library of the House.
Security: Tony Blair
It is our long-established policy not to comment on protective security arrangements (and their associated costs) for any individual.
Work Permits: Health Professions
The following table shows the number of African work permit applications which were approved for overseas nationals in 2006. There have been no approvals for auxiliary nurses.
The figures quoted are not provided under national statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.
Doctor Nurse Total Algeria 1— 0 1— Botswana 5 70 75 Burundi 0 1— 1— Cameroon 5 30 35 Congo 1— 1— 1— Egypt 85 0 85 Ethiopia 1— 1— 1— Gambia 0 25 25 Ghana 20 290 310 Guinea 0 1— 1— Guyana 1— 180 180 Kenya 20 145 165 Lesotho 1— 50 50 Liberia 1— 0 1— Libya 30 0 30 Malawi 5 70 75 Morocco 0 1— 1— Namibia 1— 15 15 Niger 0 1— 1— Nigeria 125 600 730 Rwanda 0 1— 1— Serbia 5 0 5 Seychelles 0 15 15 Sierra Leone 5 45 50 Somalia 1— 5 5 South Africa 265 1,135 1,400 Sudan 30 0 30 Swaziland 0 70 70 Tanzania 10 25 35 Uganda 5 30 35 Yemen republic of 1— 0 1— Zambia 5 195 200 Zimbabwe 20 1,610 1,630 Total 650 4,615 5,265 1 Indicates 1 or 2 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to nearest 5. 2. Because of rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown.
Communities and Local Government
Council Tax Levy
It is up to local authorities to determine how to use the income generated through council tax on second homes. Communities and Local Government has no plans to direct them on this, and neither does it hold information on how the income is used.
Departments: Contracts
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 24 July 2007, Official Report, column 956W.
(2) if she will make data compiled for the European Commission available to hon. Members.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 26 July 2007, Official Report, columns 1422-24W.
Housing: Low Incomes
Coastal towns and villages will benefit from the Government’s plans, announced in the Housing Green Paper ‘Homes for the future: more affordable, more sustainable’. We are providing at least £8 billion over the next three years to invest in the supply of housing, including an increase in affordable housing, initially through the Housing Corporation and then through the new homes agency. This is an increase of £3 billion compared to the previous three years and will help to deliver at least 70,000 more affordable homes a year by 2010-11. All areas, urban, rural and coastal will benefit from these resources.
Planning Policy Statement (PPS)3 for Housing encourages local and regional planning bodies to take more account of affordability when determining how many new homes are needed in their area. PPS3 includes stronger policies on affordable housing. The new definition of affordable housing will concentrate public funding and planning contributions on genuinely affordable housing. In addition, local authorities will be able to require developer contributions to affordable housing on smaller sites where it is viable.
Planning and housing policies at the local level should be based upon an up-to-date housing needs assessment for a particular area. The findings of the assessment will inform decisions on the level of housing provision and its distribution in local development frameworks and policies on affordable housing and housing mix. It will also allow local authorities to consider the housing demands and needs of specific groups of people including families with children, older people and disabled people, as well as the precise nature and location of the area, such as coastal towns and villages.
Local Government Finance
The information requested is tabled as follows.
£ per head Sedgefield Sevenoaks 1997-982 66 60 2005-063 134 56 2006-074 135 61 1 Central Government grant is defined here as the sum of Formula grant (Revenue Support Grant and redistributed non-domestic rates) and Specific grants inside Aggregate External Finance (AEF), ie revenue grants paid for council’s core services. Figures exclude grants outside AEF (ie where funding is not for authorities’ core services, but is passed to a third party, for example, rent allowances and rebates), capital grants, funding for the local authorities’ housing management responsibilities and those grant programmes (such as European funding) where authorities are simply one of the recipients of funding paid towards an area. 2 Specific grants within AEF to Sedgefield and Sevenoaks include Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit administration. 3 Specific grants within AEF to Sedgefield include General Sure Start grant (£18 per head), Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (£13 per head), Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Administration, Community Empowerment Funding, Local Authority Business Growth Incentives scheme, Planning Delivery, Performance Standards Fund, Homelessness Strategies, Supporting People Programme—Housing, Local Enterprise Growth Initiative and Waste Minimisation Recycling Fund. Specific grants within AEF to Sevenoaks include Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Administration and Planning Delivery. 4 Data for 2006-07 are provisional. Final outturn figures for 2006-07 will be available later this year. Note: Comparisons across years are not valid due to changes in funding and function. Source: Communities and Local Government Revenue Summary Return
Minister for the South West
The Minister for the South West has embarked on an ongoing series of visits in the region. Details of the visits undertaken so far are tabulated as follows:
Visit undertaken 13 July 2007 Regional Development Agency, Exeter 16 July 2007 Swindon 25 July 2007 Tewkesbury and Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 30 July 2007 St. Austell and Truro, Cornwall 1 August 2007 Bristol (and wider West of England visit) 21 August 2007 Tewkesbury, Gloucester and Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 23 August 2007 Poole 24 August 2007 Shepton Mallet and Taunton, Somerset
Mr. Robert Adewunmi
I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Adewunmi and his wife were arrested on 5 April 2005. Mr. Adewunmi pleaded guilty to offences of money laundering and fraudulent trading for which he was sentenced, on 10 March 2006, to a total of four years' imprisonment; his wife admitted an offence of money laundering for which she was sentenced to six months' imprisonment.
After sentence, confiscation proceedings were postponed to complete the necessary investigations. A restraint order had been made against their assets on 24 May 2005, which had a worldwide effect and also contained a provision for the repatriation of movable assets held abroad. The order also contained a clear warning that breach of the order would amount to contempt of court. This had been considered to be sufficient to prevent further dissipation of assets.
On discovery that Mr. Adewunmi had in fact breached the order, a money laundering investigation was begun; this showed how Mr. Adewunmi was able further to dissipate the assets. As a consequence of this behaviour, proceedings for contempt were taken against Mr. Adewunmi and, on 22 June 2007, confiscation orders were made against both Mr. and Mrs. Adewunmi; Mr. Adewunmi was also sentenced for a fraud on Slough borough council. In addition, Mr. Adewunmi admitted being in breach of the restraint order. As a result, he was committed to prison for 18 months' consecutive to the sentence which he was already serving.
It has been calculated that Mr. Adewunmi transferred abroad a total of £137,673.56 out of the £867,200 stolen by him; some of this money was repatriated but the majority is caught in the confiscation order which he has to pay.
Telecommunications Masts (Planning Control) Bill 2006-07
The Telecommunications Masts (Planning Control) Bill is due to have its Second Reading on 19 October. We are currently reviewing the permitted development rights in Part 24 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. I cannot prejudge the outcome of that review, but we will consult on any substantive proposals for change arising from it.
Thames Gateway Bridge
The reasons for the decision to reopen the public inquiry into the Thames Gateway Bridge were fully set out in the Secretary of State’s letter of 25 July. The Secretary of State has nothing further to add in respect of that decision. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library of the House.
Travelling People: Eastern Region
The Secretary of State has not assessed the East of England regional assembly’s public consultation on the Gypsy and Traveller review, although my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State has written to the East of England regional assembly on some questions raised in the review. On the basis that the East of England regional assembly submits the draft revision to the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend would appoint an independent panel to examine and advise her on that draft revision.
Transport
A14: Kettering
The Highways Agency is finalising an options appraisal on how to improve the capacity of the A14 around Kettering, which I expect shortly.
It is too early to give a firm indication of any announcement on proposals that might emerge from my consideration of the Highways Agency's work.
Bridges: Safety
Immediately after the Minnesota bridge collapse, the Highways Agency began an investigation of the information it holds about bridges and other structures. From the information available regarding the bridge in Minnesota, the Highways Agency has concluded there are no bridges identical on the network of motorways and major A roads in England. The Highways Agency is however undertaking a review of its maintenance and inspection processes. If improvements are needed, these will be communicated to other UK bridge owners, including local highway authorities, who are responsible for the majority of other road bridges.
Severn Crossing Bridges
In April 2006, the Highways Agency announced that it will be undertaking a programme of inspection work on the main suspension cables for the M48 Severn bridge. Work is under way to monitor and address the corrosion that has been found in the suspension cables and over the next year, the Agency will be considering a long-term strategy for the bridge. The bridge remains safe for use, although as a precautionary measure, vehicles over 7.5 tonnes are restricted to lane one in each direction.
No additional investigations are currently planned for the M4 Second Severn Crossing. Severn River Crossing plc. is already required to undertake a rigorous inspection regime and the findings are regularly reviewed by the Government’s representative and the Highways Agency.
Departments: Employment Agencies
The Department for Transport was established in May 2002.
Figures available for the Department for Transport are:
(a) Temporary (b) Permanent 2002-03 5,859,854 1,198,693 2003-04 10,364,482 4,021,132 2004-05 11,664,629 4,220,768 2005-06 9,856,964 8,272,596 2006-07 12,314,056 4,791,412
The table does not include Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA). I would refer the hon. Member to the annual report, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
This answer corrects the answer of 30 January 2007, Official Report, column 254W, which unfortunately contained some incomplete and incorrect figures.
Departments: Flowers
In the last 12 months the Department and its agencies spent £2,029 on flowers. This related to purchases made for the victims of the letter bomb explosion at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency HQ in Swansea, the Royal opening of a new wing of the Air Accident Investigation Branch in Farnborough and as part of our employee welfare programme: flowers are sent to staff following a serious, personal and often unexpected event. This would include a serious illness, major accident or bereavement.
This excludes spend by the Highways Agency, Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency as the requested information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Taxis
The Department for Transport Central, and three of the agencies spent £208,092 on taxis in the last 12 months. The remaining agencies do not record taxi fares separately from other travel costs and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code, and the Civil Service Management Code.
Departments: Training
The total expenditure by the Department on staff training in the last 12 months was £16,659,462. This figure includes training on communication skills as the Department does not record communication training separately.
A large proportion of expenditure relates to training for the recently established Highway’s Agency Traffic Officer Service.
Departments: Travel
Travel expenditure is not recorded by class of ticket for most of the Department and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.
Heathrow Airport: Air Pollution
(2) how many air pollution receptors are in place to monitor air pollution in and around Heathrow airport; where those receptors are located; and if she will make a statement;
(3) how many air pollution receptors were in place to monitor air pollution in and around Heathrow airport in each year since 2000; where those receptors were located; and if she will make a statement.
The modelling of air pollution is based on data collected from a number of monitoring sites in and around Heathrow. Their location is shown in Figure 2.1 of the Report of the Airport Air Quality Technical Panels published by the Department in July 2006, which is available on the Department's website at:
www.dft.gov.uk.
Data from these sites, in some cases since 1993, are set out in Annex 8 to the report. This also identifies new sites added in 2005 on the recommendation of the technical panels (see chapter 2) to ensure a robust data set to validate the modelling.
Heathrow Airport: Public Participation
The Government are committed to a public consultation later this year on the future development of Heathrow airport. This was confirmed in the Progress Report on the Future of Air Transport White Paper in December 2006. A statement will be made when the consultation is launched.
Metronet: Finance
Transport for London and London Underground continue to discuss the best strategy for taking Metronet out of Administration with the PPP Administrators, taking into account all the associated financial implications, in accordance with their respective duties. In advance of their conclusion, it would be inappropriate to comment on the potential public finance impacts.
Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions
These emissions checks are a matter for local authorities. The Department for Transport does not hold the information requested.
Noise: Pollution
Provisional findings have been submitted and are being subjected to independent review by experts. This review is not yet complete, but I anticipate that the results of this study will be available by the end of this year.
Public Transport: Disabled
The full guidance on Local Transport Plans: second edition, published by the Department in January 2006, contains advice on how local authorities can meet the needs of disabled people, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
Roads: Private Finance Initiative
The Department is unable to make such projections, because the proportion of PFI payments to be spent on road construction will depend on the development and procurement of PFI contracts in future, and on contractor performance.
The HM Treasury website provides updated details (on a six monthly basis) of awarded PFI projects overseen by the Department for Transport. The project details include the awarding authority, date of financial close, total capital value and the annual unitary charge payment. This information is available at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/documents/public_private_partnerships/ppp_pfi_stats.cfm
The forecasts of future payments are subject to the performance of the private sector contractor.
The unitary charge payments represent repayments of the capital (sum of the capital spend) of the project and will also frequently include inflation, service provision and major refurbishment.
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
The Highways Agency’s reporting systems do not provide information on a regional basis.
The Highways Agency is responsible for maintaining a total of 4493.8 miles of road, of which:
Highways Agency region Route length (Miles) South East 851.3 South West and West Midlands 1334.6 North 1299.0 East Midlands 1008.9
Health
Ambulance Services: Standards
The Department does not classify ambulance trusts as urban or rural, and therefore performance data are not reported against these categories.
All ambulance trusts are required to meet the same national response time standards irrespective of location. Category A calls (those presenting conditions that may be immediately life threatening) should be responded to within eight minutes in 75 per cent. of cases and Category B calls (those conditions that are serious but not immediately life threatening) should be responded to within 19 minutes in 95 per cent. of cases.
Breast Feeding: Health Education
We do not have the information on the number of hospital trusts implementing the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines. However, NICE has recently consulted on new draft guidance on maternal and child nutrition including its recommendation to increase breastfeeding. The final guidance will be published later this year.
The Department supports the NICE recommendations and expects that the national health service trusts implement the NICE recommendations.
Broomfield Hospital: Private Finance Initiative
The full business case for the £140 million Broomfield hospital private finance initiative scheme for Mid Essex Hospitals Services NHS Trust has been submitted for approval to the Department by East of England Strategic Health Authority. A decision will be announced in due course.
Cancer: Research
The Department does not collect expenditure data at the level of detail required. Over the last 10 years, the main part of the Department's research and development budget has been allocated to and managed by national health service organisations. These organisations account for their use of the allocations they receive from the Department in an annual research and development report. The reports identify total, aggregated expenditure on national priority areas, including cancer. Details of individual projects supported in the NHS, including those concerned with site-specific cancers, can be found on the national research register at
www.dh.gov.uk/research
The Medical Research Council (MRC), one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research, is an independent body which receives its grant in aid from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
MRC expenditure on research on all forms of lymphoma including Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, for the years for which figures are available, is shown in the table.
£ million 1998-99 0.4 1999-2000 0.4 2000-01 0.5 2001-02 0.6 2002-03 1.0 2003-04 1.2 2004-05 1.2 2005-06 1.7
Implementation of the Department's research strategy, ‘Best Research for Best Health’, will result in an expansion of our research programmes and in significant new funding opportunities for health research. In particular, the Hammersmith and St. Mary's and Imperial College Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), the Oxford BRC and the University College London Hospital BRC, propose to undertake research on both Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as part of broader-based research themes to which the Department has allocated a total of £12.5 million over five years.
Chiropody
(2) what assessment he has made of the ease of access by vulnerable and elderly persons to chiropody services on the NHS;
(3) how many NHS chiropody clinics have closed in (a) Wirral, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) England in the last five years;
(4) what the funding per head of the population for chiropody services was in England in the latest period for which figures are available.
No central assessment has been carried out and there are no plans to require primary care trusts (PCTs) to undertake an assessment of local foot health needs. It is up to PCTs to assess the needs of their local population and to determine what proportion of their resources are spent on commissioning chiropody services based on those needs. Strategic health authorities are responsible for ensuring that PCTs fulfil this duty.
We know healthy feet have a huge impact on the quality of life and we expect PCTs to provide high quality chiropody services. Guidance for access to these services is included in the national service frameworks for older people, diabetes, and long-term conditions. Chiropody is also included in practice based commissioning: early wins and top tips, and the White Paper, “Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services”.
Information about how much funding PCTs allocate to chiropody services and the number of chiropody clinics are not collected centrally.
Community Hospitals: Capital Investment
We announced a five-year programme to invest up to £750 million in community hospitals and services in July 2006. Funding will be available over the life of the programme and allocated in accordance with national health service capital investment plans. We have so far approved 14 schemes at a total cost of £94.6 million. As NHS capital investment plans take time to develop, we expect spending to be lower in the early years and rise in the later years.
Dental Services
Since April 2006, patients no longer have to be registered with a dental practice to receive national health service care and treatment.
The closest equivalent measure to registration is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services (patients seen) in a given area over a 24-month period, expressed as a percentage of the estimated population for that area. However, this is not directly comparable to the registration data for earlier years.
The numbers of patients seen in the 24-month periods ending 31 March 2006 and 31 March 2007 and the number expressed as a percentage of the population are available in Tables Cl and C2 of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England 2006-07 report. Information is available at strategic health authority and primary care trust area in England. This report is available in the Library and at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0607.
Information cannot be made available at constituency level without disproportionate cost.
Dental Services: Contracts
General Dental Services (GDS) contracts and Personal Dental Services (PDS) agreements are held with primary care trusts (PCTs). The Department collects information on the number of GDS and PDS contracts signed in dispute as at 1 April 2006 and the number of outstanding disputes. These disputes are between the contract holder and the PCT. A contract may cover more than one dentist. Information is held by PCT and strategic health authority (SHA).
The Government set out in the recent report ‘NHS Dental Reforms: One year on’ steps to support the NHS in further improving access. This report is available in the Library.
Information on the number of contracts signed in dispute and the number remaining in dispute as at 30 June 2007 at Cornwall PCT, South West SHA and England level is set out in the following table.
This information is also available at:
www.performance.doh.gov.uk/dental_contracts/index.htm.
Organisation Total number of dental contracts signed in dispute as at 1 April 2006 Number of dental contracts in dispute as at 30 June 2007 Cornwall PCT 31 12 South west SHA 206 19 England 2,884 223
Departments: Contracts
The Department does not monitor the individual employment contracts issued by the public bodies that report to it. The Department's Executive non-departmental public bodies are required to comply with the parliamentary and legislative requirements, and HM Treasury administrative controls set out in the Government accounting manual. Special health authorities employ staff on national health service terms and conditions covered by nationally agreed terms and conditions under Agenda for Change. The Department's executive agencies employ civil servants and must comply with the civil service and HM Treasury rules on setting terms and conditions for their work force.
Doctors: Career Structure
The aim of the Review Group chaired by Professor Neil Douglas was to review the recruitment and selection process for application to specialty and General Practitioner training programmes in 2007 and make recommendations for improvement.
The Department saw drafts of the final report of the Review Group in the weeks leading up to 12 July 2007 and saw the final report on 12 July 2007. Ministers first saw the final report on 20 July 2007.
Ministers approved the decision to send the report to interested hon. Members including the Health Select Committee and Opposition Health Spokesmen, to place a copy in the Library and to place the report on the Modernising Medical Careers website. A range of stakeholders involved in the 2007 recruitment process, including the British Medical Association and Royal Colleges, were also alerted to the report’s publication.
There is no note of the broadcast and press coverage of the report. The report was not produced by the Department itself, but by the review group, whose Chairman, Professor Douglas, approved the above arrangements for its publication.
The Department is grateful to Professor Douglas and his review group for the contributions they have made to the 2007 junior doctor recruitment process. We have accepted and implemented all their recommendations for this year’s recruitment.
We have asked Sir John Tooke, Dean of the Peninsula Medical School, to take a wider look at the issues involved so that the right lessons are learned and the recruitment process is improved for the following years.
Professor Douglas’ recommendations for the future will be looked at carefully alongside those of Sir John Tooke.
Doctors: Training
The working time directive (WTD) was implemented for the vast majority of national health service staff groups in 1998 in accordance with regulations. The Government negotiated an extension to the WTD for doctors in training to enable phased implementation from August 2004.
Local national health service trusts are responsible for assessing the impact of the European working time directive as part of their health and safety obligations. The Department is sponsoring NHS National Workforce Projects to support local implementation of WTD 2009. NHS National Workforce Projects has commissioned a range of pilots including cooperative solutions, team working, handover and escalation and 24 hour working. The pilots take in a wide variety of organisations to look at solutions which are transferable across the NHS.
Doctors: Working Hours
The general practitioners (GP) patient survey, published in July 2007, found 85 per cent. of patients in Northamptonshire Teaching PCT are satisfied with GP surgery opening hours. 7 per cent. of patients said they would like GP surgeries to open at weekends.
For England, 84 per cent. of patients are satisfied with GP surgery opening hours and 8 per cent. of patients would like GP surgeries open at weekends. Full survey results can be found at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/PublishedSurvey/GPpatientsurvey2007/index.htm
Edenbridge Hospital: X Rays
We are working closely with strategic health authorities on funding priorities for the third wave of schemes for new and refurbished community hospitals and services. We will make announcements when that work is complete. All schemes will still be subject to a rigorous outline and full business case approval process.
Health Services
Statutory Instrument (SI) 2003 No.1497, which came into effect in June 2003, established that the national health service in England was responsible for English residents. Similarly, SI 2003 No.150 (W20) confirmed that Welsh local health boards were responsible for their resident population, including those registered with a GP in England. A protocol was agreed between the Department and the Welsh Assembly Government in 2005 to phase the operational implications of these changes. This protocol set out interim arrangements for specific border primary care trusts and local health boards, where operational responsibility would rest with the commissioner responsible for the GP with whom the patient was registered. Last year the protocol was extended until March 2008. Work is continuing between the Welsh Assembly Government and the Department to finalise the package of care and services that will be provided for patients registered with a GP across the border from their country of residence.
Health Services: Overseas Visitors
(2) how much the Mid Essex hospital trust received for treating non-paying patients who went to the World Scout Jamboree at Hylands Park in Chelmsford;
(3) how many people attending the World Scout Jamboree at Hylands Park in Chelmsford who received treatment at Broomfield hospital were charged for the treatment;
(4) how many people attending the World Scout Jamboree at Hylands Park in Chelmsford who were not eligible for free NHS treatment were treated at Broomfield hospital.
The information requested is not collected centrally. However, national health service hospitals are responsible for establishing whether a person is ordinarily resident, or exempt from charges under one of a number of exemption categories, or liable for charges. We expect hospitals to take reasonable measures to recover any outstanding debts.
Hospitals: Wellingborough
It is for local health services to commission care for their local populations and to work with the local health community and other stakeholders to plan, develop and improve health services to meet the needs of the community.
Hospitals: West Sussex
This information is not held centrally.
Changes in locals services are a matter for local health organisations and the hon. Member may wish to approach West Sussex Primary Care Trust for this information.
Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the merits of offering immunisation against human papilloma virus to all girls up to the age of 18.
Based on the current list price for the vaccine, vaccination of one annual cohort of girls will be in the region of £100 million.
A detailed analysis is being carried out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) regarding the benefits and costs of introducing a human papilloma virus vaccine programme. This work is being externally peer reviewed to ensure its robustness. This review has not yet been completed and therefore JCVI will not be able to make its more detailed recommendation, including whether there will be a catch-up for older girls, until after its next meeting, on October 17.
Influenza: Vaccination
Details of the seasonal influenza campaign for 2007-08 were announced via a chief medical officer letter on 30 March 2007.
Leeds Primary Care Trust: Consultants
The requested information is not collected centrally. The Yorkshire and Humberside Strategic Health Authority advises that Leeds Primary Care Trust does not encourage general practitioners to refer to individual consultants, only to appropriate specialists. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust then allocates consultants on the basis of waiting times.
Macular Degeneration: Drugs
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising Lucentis (ranibizumab) and Macugen (pegaptanib) for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration. NICE published an Appraisal Consultation Document (ACD) on 14 June 2007 and we understand that, following consideration of comments received from consultees, a second ACD will be published later this year. NICE expects to publish final guidance next year. Further detailed information on this appraisal is available at:
www.guidance.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=207024.
The Department does not collect data on the number of primary care trusts (PCTs) in England commissioning Lucentis or Avastin.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently carrying out an appraisal of Lucentis and Macugen, and final guidance is due next year.
Where NICE has not issued guidance, PCTs are expected to make their own decisions on the funding of specific treatments based on an assessment of the available evidence.
Avastin has not been licensed for use in macular degeneration, although if a patient is willing to be prescribed a drug off-label it is available on the clinician’s judgment and subject to funding by the PCT.
The information requested is not held centrally.
NHS
23 approved items of communication or guidance were issued from the Department to national health service organisations during the specified period. These were either sent electronically by e-mail or mentioned in bulletins which contained links to the Department’s website at www.dh.gov.uk. Copies have been placed in the Library.
NHS Foundation Trusts
73 national health service foundation trusts (NHSFTs) have so far been authorised by Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts), accounting for almost one third of the total number of acute and mental health trusts.
All remaining trusts have a timetable to apply for NHSFT status and more trusts are becoming authorised each month. There are currently 23 trusts that have gained support from the Secretary of State and are being considered for potential authorisation. Target dates for authorisation are agreed between Monitor and applicant trusts. Further waves of trusts will continue to be put forward to Monitor. The Department is working with strategic health authorities, who are managing the NHSFT pipeline, and Monitor to increase the success rate of around two thirds of trusts becoming authorised during a first assessment.
NHS: Finance
At the end of the financial year strategic health authorities (SHA) do not hold contingency reserves in their accounts but they do report an under or over spend against the funding available to them on a resource but not a cash basis. The value of the under or over spend reported by each SHA is shown in the following table:
2006/07 Provisional under/(over) spend at Quarter 4 2006/07 Provisional under/(over) spend as percentage RRL 2007/08 Forecast under/(over) spend at Quarter 1 North East SHA 64,511 23.8 79,924 North West SHA 206,058 28.4 129,484 Yorkshire and the Humber SHA 178,022 26.8 186,521 East Midlands SHA 80,476 21 .8 68,183 West Midlands SHA 33,248 8.9 76,566 East of England SHA 62,293 12.7 (6,219) London SHA 179,790 16.4 6,634 South East Coast SHA 29,990 11.9 54,000 South Central SHA 31,648 11.2 6,500 South West SHA 94,736 23.9 58,973 England total 960,772 19.5 660,566 Source: Financial Monitoring Returns.
NHS: ICT
By the end of October a report of the investigation's findings will be placed in the Library and will also be available on the NHS Connecting for Health website.
NHS: Procurement
The product council programme is still in the early stages. NHS supply chain have assured officials that the summaries from the meetings will be published. The NHS Business Services Authority will be represented on the council to oversee transparency, and will monitor and audit them on behalf of the Department.
Obesity
The key findings underpinning the social marketing work are published in the MRC Human Nutrition Research Centre's report, “The Healthy Living Social Marketing initiative: A review of the evidence”. Details of the group members are on Page 1 of the report. The group has met on three occasions since 2005.
The work led by Ministers on a new strategy for physical activity will be taken forward as part of our wider work on obesity, nutrition and physical activity, which will be the subject of further announcements in the autumn. These will include details of national campaigns focusing on these areas.
The “Top Tips for Top Mums” campaign aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in families with young children and has a particular focus on low-income families. This audience faces the most barriers to increase fruit and vegetable consumption including cost, lack of cooking skills, fussy eaters and a lack of structured mealtimes. “Top Tips for Top Mums” has been developed to show parents that helping their children to eat more fruit and vegetables is a healthy option and easier than they may think.
To take the campaign forward, we are working with our existing “5 a Day” stakeholders and engaging with new partners to support the campaign. We are developing new radio and TV fillers which will help to promote the ideas of the Top Tips campaign and encourage fruit and vegetable consumption. The fillers are planned to go live in November 2007 and are expected to achieve at least £4 million pounds worth of free advertising space over a three-year period. New web pages will launch on the “5 a Day” website to coincide with the launch of the TV and radio fillers, and will incorporate a mechanism for parents to upload and share their own Top Tips with others.
To date, we have spent approximately £481,000 on the “Top Tips for Top Mums” campaign including activity to support partnership marketing, public relations (PR) aimed at both the national and local media and on website development.
The production of the TV and radio fillers will cost £300,000 and a further £300,000 has been committed to extend the campaign initiative into 2008 to recruit key partnerships, and sustain high profile PR and media activity to promote awareness of the campaign.
We track changes in consumption in fruit and vegetables in different population groups using the Food Standards Agency Consumer Activity Survey and the Health Survey for England.
Ophthalmology: Standards
The Department does not hold this information. We understand that the information is available from the General Optical Council.
The General Optical Council (GOC) is the statutory body which regulates the optical professions. The GOCs main aims are to protect the public and promote high standards of professional conduct and education among opticians.
The GOC has an investigation committee which is responsible for investigating any concerns about the fitness to practice of registered optometrists and dispensing opticians, the fitness of student optometrists and dispensing opticians to undertake training and the fitness of corporate bodies to carry on business, in the United Kingdom.
Optometrists providing services under the national health service must be on a primary care trust (PCT) list. PCTs have powers to carry out inspections and to remove or suspend businesses or individual optometrists where they think that is justified.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
The Department has not conducted or arranged such studies. However, in June 2007 the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health and HIV published a report of a seminar they held in January 2007 on the impact drugs and alcohol have on young people’s sexual behaviour. The Department is considering the recommendations in the report and will respond in due course.
Tobacco: Marketing
Ministers are keeping these issues under constant review but there are no immediate plans for legislation.
Tobacco: Sales
The Government consulted on the introduction of licensing for tobacco products in 2006. The majority of respondents favoured the introduction of a negative licensing scheme under which a retailer is free to sell tobacco products unless they have been found to persistently flout the law on under-age sale. Following the conclusion of the consultation the Government now intend to bring forward legislation at the next first legislative opportunity.
A copy of the consultation is available in the library.
Tobacco: Young People
The Government have no plans at present to penalise adults for supplying cigarettes to under-age smokers. However, as part of our communications campaign on changing the age of sale for tobacco, we are making parents aware of the dangers of young people smoking through magazine feature stories. Our continuing tobacco advertising TV campaign will also help to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking and benefits of quitting. In this way, we hope to discourage adults from supplying tobacco to young people under the minimum age.
The Government are not in a position to direct decisions on the enforcement of the age of sale law. Tobacco control legislation, including that on minimum age of sale, is enforced by local authority trading standards officers. Budgets for this are set at local level and priorities are also determined locally. However, the Department has encouraged compliance with the new law by informing retailers, teenagers, parents and schools about the change in the law, supported by guidance to retailers and signage. We are also working closely with the local authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services in the build-up to the age change, including revising guidance to enforcement officers who ensure compliance with the law.
The Government have been carrying out a major communications campaign on changing the age of sale since April, focusing on the two main target groups: retailers and teenagers. Retailers have been sent details about the background of the change and advice about implementation. A dedicated website has also been set up for their benefit. As well as setting up a website for them, the Government are also running a digital advertising campaign on young people's social networking sites. There will also be posters near schools and newsagents.
Details can be seen at the retailers website www.tobaccoagechange.co.uk and the young people's website www.tobaccol8.co.uk.
Vaccination
(2) whether the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has carried out a cost-benefit analysis into the effects of carrying out a UK-wide mass immunisation scheme for (a) chickenpox, (b) rotavirus and (c) influenza.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has commissioned an expert subgroup to look at the benefits of vaccinating children with chickenpox vaccine and the benefits of vaccinating older adults with a vaccine to protect against Shingles.
An expert subgroup has reviewed the evidence on the benefits of vaccinating children with Rotavirus vaccine, including two published papers1 on the cost-effectiveness of introducing Rotavirus vaccination in the United Kingdom. This will be presented to JCVI at a future meeting.
Influenza immunisation has been recommended in the UK since the late 1960s, with the aim of directly protecting those at a higher risk of serious morbidity and mortality. The JCVI regularly appraise the benefits of flu vaccination among groups considered to be at risk.
1 Jit M, Edmunds WJ Evaluating rotavirus vaccination in England and Wales. Part II. The potential cost-effectiveness of vaccination.
Vaccine. 2007 May 16;25(20):3971-9. Epub 2007 Mar 13.
PMID: 17400341 (PubMed—in process)
Harris JP, Jit M, Cooper D, Edmunds WJ. Evaluating rotavirus vaccination in England and Wales. Part I. Estimating the burden of disease.
Vaccine. 2007 May 16;25(20):3962-70. Epub 2007 Mar 15.
PMID: 17395343 (PubMed—in process)
York NHS Trust: Waiting Lists
The information requested is in the following tables:
Median waiting time for elective admission (weeks) Specialties Quarter ended March each year General surgery Urology Trauma and orthopaedics Ear, nose and throat (ENT) Ophthalmology Oral surgery Anaesthetics General medicine Obstetrics and Gynaecology All specialities 1997 13.3 8.5 16.6 11.5 16.6 16.1 7.7 7.5 10.9 12.0 1998 20.5 9.3 17.3 13.0 25.4 22.8 7.0 8.5 11.4 15.9 1999 11.6 9.5 16.7 14.9 19.1 12.8 n/a 8.4 14.8 13.1 2000 14.6 10.6 18.6 15.3 18.8 12.0 6.9 n/a 13.7 15.2 2001 15.1 9.9 19.4 15.8 23.6 8.4 n/a n/a 11.7 15.7 2002 17.2 10.5 19.2 20.1 21.4 7.7 n/a n/a 14.0 16.8 2003 12.5 10.9 18.3 16.2 17.7 9.5 n/a n/a 15.4 14.6 2004 13.4 9.6 12.9 9.6 9.8 10.8 7.1 12.0 13.9 11.7 2005 10.5 9.5 12.2 7.8 8.0 10.4 4.1 10.6 14.1 10.2 2006 10.0 9.3 10.2 8.4 5.9 8.3 5.1 4.7 9.2 8.5 2007 6.7 5.6 8.8 8.6 4.7 7.3 6.5 6.4 6.7 6.6 Note: Only includes specialities with over 100 patients. Source: Department of Health KH07.
Median waiting time for first outpatient appointment from a general practitioner referral to a consultant (weeks) Speciality Quarter ending March each year Anaesthetics Dermatology General surgery Urology Trauma and orthopaedics ENT 1997 10.2 4.5 3.9 10.1 11.1 6.3 1998 n/a 6.7 5.9 11.9 10.6 8.2 1999 9.9 9.2 7.6 16.5 13.0 9.5 2000 11.8 8.0 7.3 13.1 14.3 11.7 2001 8.7 7.2 3.9 7.8 13.0 7.0 2002 9.8 10.6 3.5 7.8 10.1 8.8 2003 8.9 10.7 4.8 7.9 11.6 9.6 2004 12.8 7.9 5.5 9.9 7.8 11.7 2005 17.9 7.4 6.3 11.0 8.8 11.9 2006 8.2 6.2 5.9 7.5 6.7 7.0 2007 n/a 3.1 3.1 n/a 3.6 2.6
Quarter ending March each year General medicine General-urinary medicine Oral surgery Geriatric medicine Neurology Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Obstetrics antenatal) 1997 8.0 n/a 7.2 n/a 12.4 3.3 1998 8.4 n/a 4.1 n/a 11.1 3.3 1999 9.6 n/a 3.8 3.5 18.4 5.8 2000 9.7 n/a 5.0 3.8 13.2 5.5 2001 9.2 n/a 4.2 5.7 19.8 6.4 2002 8.6 2.0 7.0 5.6 30.3 6.3 2003 8.2 2.0 3.8 6.5 13.4 6.6 2004 9.2 2.0 6.1 3.8 14.3 6.7 2005 7.7 2.0 7.5 3.3 11.5 6.4 2006 6.4 2.0 6.8 3.5 7.5 n/a 2007 3.8 n/a 3.6 n/a 4.3 n/a
Quarter ending March each year Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Gynaecology) Ophthalmology Orthodontics Paediatrics Rheumatology Total 1997 3.6 9.3 8.4 7.1 7.8 5.9 1998 4.3 9.9 11.6 8.4 7.3 6.6 1999 7.7 10.6 15.8 5.9 8.4 8.4 2000 8.3 11.5 17.6 7.5 5.5 8.9 2001 3.6 8.8 10.4 6.1 6.0 6.9 2002 3.7 7.9 11.3 6.5 6.8 6.1 2003 3.9 6.9 15.5 6.8 8.5 6.4 2004 5.0 7.8 15.6 5.9 9.9 6.4 2005 3.6 6.8 17.2 6.0 8.3 6.4 2006 3.8 4.8 9.9 7.2 7.9 5.4 2007 2.1 4.0 n/a 3.3 4.4 3.5 Note: Only includes specialities with over 100 patients Source: Department of Health QM08
Treasury
Air Passenger Tax
The following revenues were raised from air passenger duty in the respective calendar years:
£ million 2005 900 2006 950 20071 2,000 1 Forecast.
Auctions: Internet
OGCbuying.solutions, an agency of the Office of Government Commerce, is responsible for electronic auction framework agreements.
No new suppliers have been added to the electronic auction framework agreements and no recent assessment of the market in intellectual copyright has been made.
Building Schools for the Future Programme
Priority reviews, regardless of topic, typically contain between half a dozen and two dozen recommendations.
Child Benefit: EU Nationals
At the end of June 2007 there were around 14,000 A8 nationals receiving child benefit for a child or children living in another EEA country.
The information requested on the child tax credit is not available.
Child Benefit: Overseas Residence
(2) how many checks of claims for child tax credit and child benefit in respect of children living abroad were carried out in the last 12 months.
A person making a claim for child benefit must provide HMRC with documentary evidence of the child being claimed for, such as a birth certificate, adoption certificate or passport. HMRC would only require a person making a claim for the child tax credit to furnish them with documentary evidence of the child being claimed for if they had not claimed child benefit.
All claims for tax credits and child benefit are subject to a wide range of checks throughout the life of each claim.
Child Trust Fund
No estimates are made for this effect. Furthermore, to the extent that published wealth estimates exclude children, the Child Trust Fund could have no impact on this measure of wealth distribution until 2020, when the first Child Trust Fund account holders reach age 18.
The Child Trust Fund promotes saving and financial education and will ensure that in future all children have a financial asset at age 18, regardless of family background.
Companies: Registration
I have been asked to reply.
The automatic three-month extension which companies with overseas interests could claim for filing their accounts with the registrar of companies, conferred by section 244(3) of the Companies Act 1985, was repealed by the Companies Act 1985 (International Accounting Standards and Other Accounting Amendments) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/2947, regulation 9).
It was considered that this provision (which was introduced in 1976) was no longer justifiable in an era of rapid global communications, and there is no such provision in the Companies Act 2006.
Any company that anticipates real difficulty in meeting the deadline for filing accounts may apply for a discretionary extension to be granted under section 244(5) of the 1985 Act (section 442(5) of the Companies Act 2006).
Council Tax: Valuation
No contract exists between the Valuation Office Agency and Rightmove. However, the contract between Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Rightmove.co.uk Limited with minor redactions will be placed in the Library.
Customs Officers: South West Region
There are no plans to reduce the number of permanent customs officers covering small ports and airports in Devon, Dorset and Cornwall.
Debts: Business
Interest on debt is in general treated as a business expense for tax purposes. Most major tax systems adopt the same approach and international capital markets and global businesses are structured on this basis. There are no plans to review this fundamental principle. However, on the 8 March 2007 Government announced a review of the tax treatment of the use of shareholder debt to replace the equity element in highly leveraged deals.
There is no special interest tax relief for private equity-owned companies, the tax rules apply to all companies regardless of ownership.
As HMRC does not specifically take into account private equity backed companies in their tax records it is not possible to provide this estimate.
Departments: Aviation
For details of the Department's expenditure on travel and subsistence in 2006-07 I refer to the answer to the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) given on 25 July 2007. Of this expenditure, £144,788 was on first class flights and £1,004,269 was on business class flights.
All travel and subsistence is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers and the Civil Service Management Code.
Departments: Departmental Responsibilities
HM Treasury has retained the policy lead for financial capability within government. This was unaffected by the recent machinery of Government changes.
Departments: Disabled
The latest available statistics on the disability status of civil servants in Departments and agencies are as at 30 September 2006 and are published in ‘Civil Service Statistics 2006’ at Table P. This document is produced by the Office for National Statistics and can be accessed from the following website addresses:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=2899&Pos=&ColRank=l&Rank=422
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/2006CivilServiceStatistics.pdf
Departments: Disclosure of Information
(2) pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2007, Official Report, column 1066W, on Departments: disclosure of information, who his Department's departmental Minister was on (a) 1 January 2007 and (b) 5 July 2007;
(3) pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2007, Official Report, column 66W, on Departments: freedom of information and the Ministry of Justice aggregated statistics, what information has been requested of his Department under the Act in the last six months.
The Ministry of Justice produces an annual report on FOI in central Government, which includes a table summarising the use of exemptions by each Department. The report for 2006 was published in June 2007.
The departmental Minister for HM Treasury on 1 January 2007 was Financial Secretary, Mr. John Healey. As Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury since 2 July, my responsibilities include those of departmental Minister.
The Treasury has had around 3,000 FOI requests since January 2005; it would exceed the costs limit to provide lists of the requests made to HMT. HMT meets the reporting standards agreed by the then Department for Constitutional Affairs with the House.
Departments: Legislation
There were no sunset clauses in the Child Trust Funds Act 2004, the National Insurance Contributions and Statutory Payments Act 2004, the Regulation of Financial Services (Land Transactions) Act 2005, the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005, the National Insurance Contributions Act 2006, the Investment Exchanges and Clearing Houses Act 2006, the Planning Gain Supplement (Preparations) Act 2007 or the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
The remaining Acts that received Royal Assent during this period were Appropriation, Consolidated Fund Acts, Finance Acts and other tax legislation. These do not contain sunset provisions but may be time limited or temporary in effect in whole or in part.
The appropriateness of a sunset clause for the whole or part of any proposed legislation is considered on a case-by-case basis. It is also addressed when a regulatory impact assessment relating to legislation is being prepared.
Departments: Public Expenditure
Full details of the settlements for all Departments, including those involved in Machinery of Government changes, will be announced in the comprehensive spending review.
Departments: Railways
For details of the Department's expenditure on travel and subsistence in 2006-07 I refer to the answer to the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) given on 25 July 2007. Of this expenditure, £285,219 was on first class rail travel.
All travel and subsistence is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers and the Civil Service Management Code.
This figure includes most, but not all, first-class train travel by HMT staff. We do not hold central records of train tickets bought with corporate credit cards or for which paper claims are submitted. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Emigration
(2) how many non-British European Union emigrants there were from the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, broken down by country of origin;
(3) how many British emigrants there were from the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, broken down by country of destination;
(4) how many non-European Union emigrants there were from the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, broken down by country of origin.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 10 September 2007:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to respond on behalf of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to your questions concerning:
i) How many British emigrants there were from the UK aged between (a) 0 to 16, (b) 16 to 25, (c) 26 to 35, (d) 36 to 45, (e) 46 to 55, (f) 56 to 65 and (g) over 65 years in each of the last five years;
ii) How many non-British European emigrants there were from the UK in each of the last five years, broken down by country of origin;
iii) How many British emigrants there were from the UK in each of the last five years broken down by country of destination;
iv) How many non-European emigrants there were from the UK in each of the last five years, broken down by country of origin.
The data are presented in the attached tables 1 to 4.
The Office for National Statistics uses the UN definition of an international migrant as someone who changes their country of usual residence for at least a year so that the country of destination effectively becomes the country of usual residence.
The specific details requested mean that estimates are only available based on International Passenger Survey (IPS) data. This means that these estimates exclude most asylum seekers, migration between the UK and the Irish Republic, and adjustments for those who change their intention about their length of stay in the UK, and hence their migrant status.
Thousand 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 All ages 133 164 170 184 174 0-15 15 15 18 17 20 16-25 27 38 32 34 29 26-35 38 42 44 51 47 36-45 26 31 40 29 40 46-55 13 20 15 24 14 Over 55 14 18 20 29 25 Note: The 65+ age group has been combined with 56 to 65 as none of the 65+ values are statistically robust.
Thousand Citizenship 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 European Union 15 All countries of birth 40 42 42 31 31 European Union1 (including UK) 36 40 40 29 30 Other countries 4 2 3 1 1 European Union 25 All countries of birth — — — 34 47 European Union1 (including UK) — — — 33 45 Other countries — — — 1 1 1 The ‘European Union’ grouping used in standard outputs exclude the UK because international migration must involve changes of residence between the UK and the rest of the world. However, the UK is included in this table because it contains data based on both citizenship and country of birth and there are a small number of British born emigrants who are non British-EU citizens. Notes: 1. Estimates are provided by main country groupings as data for individual countries of birth are not sufficiently robust. 2. Full details of country groupings are available in the notes to tables section of International Migration Series MN no. 32 (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=507) 2. Italicised estimates are not statistically robust (defined as standard error >30 per cent.) but have been included for completeness.
Number (Thousand) 2001 All countries 133 Top five countries Australia 31 United States of America 15 Spain 15 Germany 13 New Zealand 8 Broad country groupings European Union 41 Commonwealth 53 Old Commonwealth 47 New Commonwealth 7 Other Foreign 38 2002 All countries 164 Top five countries Australia 27 Spain 24 United States of America 18 France 13 Netherlands 10 Broad country groupings European Union 68 Commonwealth 54 Old Commonwealth 44 New Commonwealth 10 Other Foreign 42 2003 All countries 170 Top five countries Australia 36 Spain 33 France 18 United States of America 13 Germany 13 Broad country groupings European Union 71 Commonwealth 63 Old Commonwealth 55 New Commonwealth 9 Other Foreign 35 2004 All countries 184 Top five countries Australia 37 Spain 29 United States of America 16 New Zealand 15 France 15 Broad country groupings European Union 68 Commonwealth 73 Old Commonwealth 62 New Commonwealth 12 Other Foreign 42 2005 All countries 174 Top five countries Australia 34 Spain 29 France 27 New Zealand 15 United States of America 10 Broad country groupings European Union 74 Commonwealth 68 Old Commonwealth 62 New Commonwealth 6 Other Foreign 32 Notes: 1. Italicised estimates are not statistically robust (defined as standard error >30 per cent.) but have been included for completeness. 2. Full details of country groupings are available in the notes to tables section of International Migration Series MN no. 32 (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=507)
Thousand 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 All 77 99 102 92 107 European Union (including UK) 4 4 5 6 3 Commonwealth All 41 50 50 48 57 Old Commonwealth 28 37 35 31 36 Australia 16 17 15 15 15 Canada 1 6 2 4 3 New Zealand 6 10 8 5 8 South Africa 5 4 9 7 10 New Commonwealth 13 13 16 16 20 Other Foreign countries All 33 45 47 38 48 Other Europe 10 14 12 3 7 United States of America 6 15 10 8 12 Other America 2 2 3 3 6 Middle East 2 3 1 2 2 Other other foreign 13 11 20 23 20 Notes: 1. Italicised estimates are not statistically robust (defined as standard error >30 per cent.) but have been included for completeness. 2. Full details of country groupings are available in the notes to tables section of International Migration Series MN no. 32 (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=507)
Employee Shares and Securities Unit: Standards
No estimates have been made by HMRC of the number of Form 42 annual employee share scheme returns that could not be faxed to the Employee Shares and Securities Unit by employers on 6 July 2007. Employers who have an obligation to send a Form 42 return to HMRC are asked to send it in by post or by making an online filing before 7 July following the end of the tax year.
No penalties have been imposed to date for Form 42 returns relating to the tax year 2006-07 made late that were submitted after the 7 July deadline.
Employment: Disabled
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 September 2007:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the number and proportion of disabled people who are employed full-time and part-time. (153586)
The attached table shows the number and proportion of disabled people of working age who are in full or part-time employment for the three months ending March 2007. These estimates are not seasonally adjusted.
Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
Three months ending March 2007 Number (thousand) Proportion (percentage)3 In employment 3,473 49.6 of which: Full-time 2,427 34.7 Part-time 1,046 14.9 1 Includes those who have a long-term disability which substantially limits their day-to-day activities and those who have a long-term disability which affects the kind or amount of work they might do. 2 Includes men aged 16 to 64 and women age 16 to 59. 3 Disabled people in employment including full and part-time as a percentage of all disabled people of working age. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)
Families
The Chancellor has not commissioned or evaluated any specific research into the creation of financial instruments to enable expenditure in this area. However, to inform the comprehensive spending review, the Joint HM Treasury-DCSF review “Aiming high for children: supporting families”, part of the Children and Young People review, was published in March 2007. It set out the Government's strategy for building resilience, support for those who need it most, and early intervention. The review committed the Government to increased resources for Sure Start, parenting support, and other early intervention measures.
Family Records Centre
(2) what measures will be implemented following the proposed closure of the Family Records Centre in Islington in April 2008 to meet the needs of customers with learning disabilities and people who do not have English as their first language;
(3) whether the Registrar General complied with her duty to consult (a) staff and (b) their representatives in connection with the proposed closure of the Family Records Centre in Islington in April 2008.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Registrar General, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 September 2007:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking (i) whether a public search room in Central London will be provided should the proposed closure of the Family Records Centre in Islington in April 2008 go ahead; and whether a change in the law is required before this facility may be withdrawn; (ii) what measures will be implemented following the proposed closure of the Family Records Centre in Islington in April 2008 to meet the needs of customers with learning disabilities and people who do not have English as their first language and (iii) whether the Registrar General complied with her legal duty to consult in connection with the proposed closure of the Family Records Centre in Islington in April 2008 (a) staff and (b) their representatives. (153732, 153733, 153734)
The General Register Office will not provide a public search room in Central London following the closure of the Family Records Centre. The Births & Deaths Registration Act 1953 requires the Registrar General to make available a public index for birth, marriage, death and civil partnership but does not state a geographical location. There is therefore no requirement to change legislation.
The National Archives at Kew have copies of the GRO indexes on microfiche and between April 2008 and March 2009 will be provided with copies of the Adoptions and Civil Partnership indexes and the most recent birth, deaths and marriage indexes.
GRO provides assistance through its call centre staff in Southport for people with learning disabilities to provide advice and guidance in obtaining the required certificate. The call centre uses Language line where necessary for customers who do not have English as their first language. The provision of these facilities is not changing.
I can confirm that I have met my obligations in relation to consultation with staff and their representatives on the closure decision.
Financial Services: VAT
The Government believe that UK VAT legislation in this area properly implements EU VAT Directives. The legislation also conforms with a clear decision of the UK Court of Appeal on the meaning of the relevant EU law. The UK will therefore contest the infringement proceedings.
HM Revenue and Customs: Correspondence
The Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs wrote to my right hon. Friend about his constituent on 3 September 2007.
Members: Correspondence
I have replied to the hon. Member.
I have replied to the hon. Member.
Pensions
Pension contribution holidays cause no direct loss in tax revenue to the Exchequer.
The Government provide pensions tax relief to support saving to produce an income in retirement. These reliefs include the ability to take up to 25 per cent. of a pension fund as a tax free lump sum, but it is right that the remainder should be used to produce an income throughout retirement.
Other savings vehicles such as ISAs are available for individuals to make additional savings for other purposes.
Personal Savings
The household saving ratio in 2007Q1 excluding the change in the net equity of households in pension fund reserves was 0.8.
Public Sector: Pensions
I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer the former Chief Secretary (Mr. Stephen Timms) gave on 25 June 2007, Official Report, column 393W.
A new estimate will be published in the autumn.
Queen's Flight
Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions on a wide variety of issues with organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. In line with the practice of previous administrations, this Government do not comment on the contents of these discussions. I refer the hon. Member to the press notice issued by the Department for Transport on 23 May concerning the procurement of the royal and ministerial air service.
Stamp Duties
HMRC administrative systems do not identify whether a stamp duty land taxpayer is a first time buyer. It is not therefore possible to derive an estimate of the average stamp duty land tax paid by first time buyers. However, it is estimated that close to half of all first time home buyers are exempt from stamp duty land tax, taking into account the £125,000 starting threshold and the enhanced £150,000 threshold which is available in 2,000 disadvantaged wards.
Taxation
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 September 2007:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate (a) direct and (b) indirect taxes as a percentage of gross income for households with an income (i) lower and (ii) higher than (A) 95 percent of all households, (B) 99 percent of all households, (C) 75 percent of all households and (D) 25 per cent, of all households. (152707).
Estimates of household income and related taxes are provided in the ONS analysis ‘The effects of taxes and benefits on household income’. The latest analysis for 2005/06 was published on the National Statistics website on 17th May 2007 at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/taxesbenefits. The analysis is based on data from the Expenditure and Food Survey, which is a sample survey covering approximately 7,000 households in the UK.
Gross income includes income from wages, occupational pensions, self-employment income, investment income, and income from state benefits, all before tax. Direct taxes include income tax, national insurance contributions and council tax. The indirect taxes include VAT, duties, and a number of smaller items such as television licences. Indirect taxes also include intermediate taxes—these are indirect taxes paid by companies which are deemed to be passed onto households through the prices they pay for goods and services. A more detailed breakdown showing each of the different taxes appears in the annual article.
Indirect taxes, when expressed as a proportion of gross income, appear particularly high for those on lower income, although this result needs to be interpreted carefully. Estimates of indirect taxes are estimated based on household expenditure. It should be remembered that measured expenditure will not necessarily balance with measured income for the year. This is especially true for low income households where average measured income is significantly lower than average expenditure. For these households, indirect taxes (which reflect expenditure) are not being met solely from current income, and so indirect taxes are very high when expressed as a proportion of gross income.
There are a number of plausible reasons why for some households, expenditure might exceed income. Households with low incomes may draw on their savings or borrow in order to finance their expenditure. In addition, the lower income households in particular include some groups, who have, or report, very little income (for example, self-employed people starting a business or someone who has just been made redundant). In these cases, expenditure is not being met from current income. Some types of receipts are not included as income in the EPS e.g. inheritance and severance payments. In some cases, the information given on expenditure is not consistent with that on income received because of timing differences.
It is usually accepted that surveys have problems picking up data from extremely high income households. With the EPS having a sample of approximately 7,000 households, interpreting data for this high income group should be done with caution.
Percentage Indirect taxes2 Income lower than 99% of all households 15 Income higher or equal to 99% of all households 7 Income lower than 95% of all households 16 Income higher or equal to 95% of all households 9 Income lower than 75% of all households 18 Income higher or equal to 75% of all households 11 Income lower than 25% of all households 25 Income higher or equal to 25% of all households 13 Direct taxes3 Income lower than 99% of all households 20 Income higher or equal to 99% of all households 24 Income lower than 95% of all households 20 Income higher or equal to 95% of all households 26 Income lower than 75% of all households 17 Income higher or equal to 75% of all households 24 Income lower than 25% of all households 10 Income higher or equal to 25% of all households 22 Total taxes Income lower than 99% of all households 35 Income higher or equal to 99% of all households 31 Income lower than 95% of all households 36 Income higher or equal to 95% of all households 35 Income lower than 75% of all households 35 Income higher or equal to 75% of all households 35 Income lower than 25% of all households 35 Income higher or equal to 25% of all households 35 1 Households are ranked by equivalised disposable income. 2 Includes VAT, Vehicle Excise duty and taxes on tobacco, alcohol and hydrocarbon oil. 3 Income tax, Employees’ National contributions (Including tax relief at source on life assurance premiums) and Council tax and Northern Ireland rates after deducting discounts. Source: Office for National Statistics
Taxation: Domicile
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 5 July 2007, Official Report, column 1186W.
Valuation Office Agency: Freedom of Information
The main subject for the 211 Freedom of Information Act requests received in 2006 related to Local Taxation Work (160), District Valuer Services (36), Customer Services (5), Human Resources (3) and Miscellaneous (7). In 106 cases the Agency provided the information in full, in 36 cases in part, and in 23 requests the information was not held. In the remaining 46 cases the Agency declined to provide the information.
Valuation Office Agency: Rightmove
The decision to proceed with the contract between Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (as parent department of the Valuation Office Agency) and Rightmove.co.uk Limited was taken by the VGA, in accordance with the delegated authority in Section 3 of its Framework Document (2005 Edition). Ministerial authorisation was not required.
No contract exists between the Valuation Office Agency and Rightmove.
The contract between Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Rightmove.co.uk Limited was signed by HMRC on 1 July 2005 and by Rightmove on 4 July 2005.
VAT: Uniforms
No such estimate has been made.
Welfare Tax Credits: Northamptonshire
Estimates of the number of overpaid and underpaid awards at local authority level in 2005-06 are published in "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards 2005-06. Supplements on Payments in 2005-06. Geographical Analyses". This is available on the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm
Justice
Crime: Mentally ill
My Department has a research programme examining the experiences of vulnerable court users in both civil (including family) and criminal proceedings. One of the identified groups is individuals with mental health problems. Within this programme, we have commissioned two complimentary literature reviews, due for publication by 2008. One focuses on how people with mental health problems access and experience justice and the barriers they face. The other focuses more on the implementation and impact of legislation on individuals with mental health problems. These reports discuss, but do not specifically delineate between victims and witnesses.
During 2007 we expect to commission a 12-16 month project to determine how effectively the court system supports the complex and specific needs of individuals with mental health problems, learning disabilities or limited mental capacity. The focus will be on parties, victims and witnesses in both civil (including family) and criminal proceedings.
The Office for Criminal Justice Reform published a report on the evaluation of the use of special measures for Vulnerable and Intimidated Witnesses (VIWs), one of the criteria for which is having a mental disorder. The report found that VIWs were, and felt, better assisted than prior to the implementation of the special measures. But there continued to be a significant unmet need. However, there have been substantial developments in Government work relating to victims and witnesses since this piece of research was commissioned in 2000-01, which qualifies the conclusions of the study. The report has been placed in the libraries of the House and can also be found at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/rdsolr0106.pdf.
The Government have introduced 165 Witness Care Units, give £30 million annually to Victim Support including the Witness Service in every court and made improvements to court facilities which support all victims and witnesses of crime.
Under the statutory Code of Practice for Victims of Crime the police are obliged to identify vulnerable and intimidated victims and Witness Care Units are obliged to undertake a needs assessment to identify practical and emotional needs including special measures at trial.
The Government have introduced special measures for those witnesses (including victims who have to give evidence in court) who are vulnerable or intimidated. The definition of “vulnerable” in the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 includes any victim who
“suffers from mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983”
“otherwise has a significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning”,
“has a physical disability or is suffering from a physical disorder”.
Special measures include live links, video recorded evidence-in-chief, screens so witnesses cannot be seen by the defendant and intermediaries for those with communication difficulties.
Crime: Victims
The Government are wholly committed to ensuring that a high quality service is provided to victims of serious crimes and to rebalancing the criminal justice system towards victims. The victim liaison service is a key part of delivering that commitment since it provides victims with both a means of being kept informed as the offender’s sentence progresses and opportunities to make representations on issues relating to their safety in the event of the prisoner being released.
The Government value the public sector and believe it must continue to play a major role in probation services. However, all current providers should be open to challenge and be given the opportunity to demonstrate that the services they offer are the best available. The Offender Management Act 2007 has established probation trusts, accountable through contract to the Secretary of State. We have asked probation boards to consider whether other providers have the capability to deliver service improvements and to contract with those providers who can demonstrate a more effective use of resources. This approach will allow the probation boards and trusts to focus more effectively on the core activity of offender management, and bring other providers in to deliver other services where appropriate.
As part of the move to the competitive provision of services, probation boards have been given a target of contracting out 10 per cent. of their service budget by the end of 2007/08. The London Probation Board has been working closely with the Regional Offender Manager to identify the services most appropriate for this process, and victim liaison is an area of operation where it has been agreed that steps should be taken to develop the use of external providers.
If the decision is taken to contract out the service, the statutory responsibility, and accountability for service delivery, would remain with the London Probation Board. Consequently, the London Probation Board would be accountable for ensuring that any contractor delivered its statutory responsibilities to the high standard required.
Departments: Aviation
It is not possible to list the costs spent on (a) business class and (b) first class flights by the Department in the last 12 months as the expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts and may be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members. The Cabinet Office has recently published the annual list of Cabinet Ministers’ overseas travel for 2006-07.
All official travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the "Civil Service Management Code", a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members.
Departments: Disabled
Tables 1 and 2 following show the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff employed by the former Department for Constitutional Affairs and its Agencies as at 30 September 2006, the latest published figures taken from the Office for National Statistics Civil Service employment statistics. Tables 3 and 4 show the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff currently employed by the Ministry of Justice and its Agencies as at 30 June 2007 taken from their respective internal Human Resource records. Published figures will be available in September 2007.
Table 1 shows the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff currently employed by the former DCA as at 30 September 2006.
Percentage Depts and agencies Declared disabled Non- disabled Not declared or non- response Total Declared disabled Not declared or non- response Department for Constitutional Affairs (excl. agencies) 100 1,510 510 2,120 4.6 24.1
Table 2 shows the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff employed by the former DCA Agencies as at 30 September 2006.
Percentage Depts and agencies Declared disabled Non- disabled Not declared or non- response Total Declared disabled Not declared or non- response HM Courts Service 630 17,160 4,310 22,090 2.8 19.5 Land Registry 540 7,670 60 8,270 6.5 0.7 National Archives 30 110 410 560 5.9 74.5 Public Guardianship Office 10 260 70 340 3.9 19.7 Tribunals Service 90 1,610 1,270 2,960 3.0 42.7 Scotland Office 0 50 20 70 0.0 32.4 Wales Office n/a 50 10 60 n/a 17.2
Table 3 reflects the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff currently employed by the Ministry of Justice excluding its Agencies as at 30 June 2007.
MOJ department Total staff (headcount) Disabled staff (headcount) Percentage of disabled Ministry of Justice (excluding Agencies) 2,139 97 6.14 Office for Criminal Justice Reform 247 6 3.40 National Offender Management Service 1,425 16 1.97 Corporate Services1 250 250 2— Total3 3,811 119 3.83 1 An estimate for the staff transferring from the Home Office to the MOJ HQ corporate services is provided, as the exact figure of staff is not yet confirmed. 2 Estimate. 3 An average percentage of the total number of declared responses is provided excluding the estimate for corporate services.
Table 4 reflects the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff currently employed by the Ministry of Justice Agencies as at 30 June 2007.
MOJ department Total staff (headcount) Disabled staff (headcount) Percentage of disabled HM Prisons Service 50,092 1,614 6.04 HM Courts Service 21,129 582 3.48 Public Guardianship Office 337 12 4.90 Tribunals Service 2,938 85 5.26 Scotland Office and Office of Advocate General 82 * — Wales Office 52 * — Land Registry 8,324 519 6.2 National Archives 591 30 5.08 Northern Ireland Court Service 748 32 5.85 Total1 84,293 2,874 5.25 1 An average percentage of the total number of declared responses is provided excluding the Scotland Office and Office of Advocate General and Wales Offices. An asterisk (*) denotes a number below five (not added into total). Code of Practice does not follow figures to be published that would identify individuals. Where numbers are suppressed the percentages are not shown and are indicated by a dash (—).
Departments: Flowers
It is not possible to list the costs spent on flowers by the Department in the last 12 months as the expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts and may be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers
The names of the Secretary of State’s special advisers are Mark Davies and Declan McHugh. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will announce this information along with the pay band of each special adviser and the total pay bill cost of special advisers for the previous financial year in his annual written ministerial statement shortly.
Departments: Press
My Department spent approximately £15,000 on subscriptions for newspapers and magazines in the last 12 months. This figure includes central purchases for courts, tribunals and offices. Costs of newspapers and magazines taken by the National Offender Management Service and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform are not included as they have yet to be transferred from the Home Office. Costs of subscriptions held locally by courts, tribunals and other business areas for which my Department is responsible can be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
My Department holds subscriptions for the periodicals in the following list. Periodicals taken by the National Offender Management Service and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform are not included as the subscriptions have yet to be transferred from the Home Office. Details of subscriptions held locally by courts, tribunals and other business areas for which my Department is responsible, could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
Administrative Court Digest
Adoption and Fostering
Adviser
Amicus Curiae
Architect's Journal
Asylum and Nationality Law
Australian Law Journal
Australian Law Librarian
Barrister Magazine
Birmingham Post
Bookseller
Britain Today
British Tax Review
Building
Building Costs Information Service
Building Services Journal
Butterworths Family & Child Bulletin
Cambridge Law Journal
Caterer and Hotelkeeper
Centre For European Reform
Child and Family Law Quarterly
Civil Justice Quarterly
Community
Company Law Newsletter
Computers and Law
Construction Law Journal
Construction News
Construction Unit: Monitor
Counsel
Crash
Credit Today
Criminal Justice Matters
Criminal Law Week
Current Law Week
Daily Express
Daily Mail
Daily Record
Daily Star
Daily Telegraph
Design Week
Disability Rights Bulletin
Economic Trends
Economist
Edge
Electoral Studies
Employment Law Journal
Equal Opportunities Review
Estates Gazette
European Human Rights Law Review
European Intellectual Property Review
European Law Review
Eurosource
Evening Standard
Family Law Journal
Financial Times
Fire
Fire Safety Engineering
Firefighter
Freedom of Information Journal
German Times
Government Opportunities
Green’s Employment Law Bulletin
Guardian
Health Service Journal
House Magazine
House of Commons Daily Hansard
House of Commons Sessional Information Digest
House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin
House of Lords Daily Hansard
Human Rights Updater
IDS Brief
In House
Independent
Independent Lawyer
India Link International
Industrial Law Journal
Industrial Relations Law Bulletin
Info Regio
Inside Housing
Inside Times
Insolvency Intelligence
Intellectual Property Quarterly
International and Comparative Law Quarterly
International Family Law
International Journal Children's Rights
International Journal Evidence and Proof
International Journal of Constitutional Law
International Journal of Evidence and Proof
Internet Newsletter for Lawyers
IPU Review
IRS Employment Review
Journal of Business Law
Journal of Immigration
Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice
Journal of Judicial Administration
Journal of Law and Society
Journal of Legal History
Journal of Personal Injury Law
Journal of Personal Insolvency
Journal of Planning
Journal of Planning and Environmental Law
Journal of Private International Law
Journal of Social Security Law
Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law
Journal of the Law Society of Scotland
Judicial Review
Justice Journal
Justice of the Peace and Local Government Law
Landlord & Tenant Review
Law of Education
Law Quarterly Review
Law Society's Gazette
Lawyer
Legal Action Group Bulletin
Legal Business
Legal Executive
Legal Information Management
Legal Quarterly Review
Licensing Review
Litigation Funding
Litigation Letter
Litigation Practice
Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Quarterly
London Gazette
Londoner
Magistrate
Magnet
Managing Information
Media Lawyer
Medical Law Review
Medical Litigation
Mirror
Modern Law Review
Morning Star
Muslim
National Geographic
National Institute Economic Review
Standard
New Law Journal
New Scientist
New Statesman
Official Journal (C series)
Overseas Trade
Parliamentarian
Parliamentary Affairs
Parliamentary Brief
Parliamentary Monitor
Payroll Managers Review
Personal & Medical Injuries Law Letter
Police Review
Practical Lawyer
Privacy Law and Business: International Newsletter
Privacy Law and Business: UK Newsletter
Privacy Laws and Business: International Newsletter
Private Eye
Professional Negligence
Property Law Journal
Property Week
Prospect
Public Expenditure
Public Law
Public Money and Management
Public Servant
Regional Metro
Regional Trends
Science In Parliament
Simon's Weekly Tax Intelligence
Socio-Legal Newsletter
Solicitors' Journal
Spectator
Statute Law Review
Sun
Sunday Mirror
Tax Journal
Taxation
Times
Tips & Advice Internet
Tribunals Journal
Tribune
Western Mail
Which? Magazine
Whitehall and Westminster World
Youth Justice
Departments: Railways
It is not possible to list the costs spent on first class train tickets by the Department in the last 12 months as the expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts and may be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members. All official travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the "Civil Service Management Code", a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members.
Departments: Redundancy
Since its creation on 9 May 2007, the cost of redundancies (including voluntary redundancies) of staff leaving the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has been £2,283,8401. Prior to the MoJ, the Department for Constitutional Affairs was responsible for such costs. For the period 1 July 2006 to 8 May 2007 redundancy payments totalled £7,471,574.
This relates to 97 departures during this 12-month period, mainly resulting from a restructuring exercise undertaken in Her Majesty's Court Service aimed at streamlining the organisation and reducing management overheads. Wherever restructuring could not be achieved through natural wastage, particularly in the more senior grades, volunteers for early departure were sought to avoid the need for compulsory redundancies.
1 This figure is for the period 9 May to 30 June 2007
Departments: Taxis
It is not possible to list the costs spent on taxis by the Department in the last 12 months as the expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts and may be provided only at disproportionate cost.
All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members. All official travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the "Civil Service Management Code", a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members.
Departments: Training
The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only by identifying individual staff training records for those staff that transferred from the Home Office prior to the creation of the Ministry of Justice on 9 May 2007 and would incur disproportionate cost.
During the financial year 2006-07, my former Department, the Department for Constitutional Affairs spent £2,192,701 on staff training which included communication training.
The responsibility for arranging staff away days in the Ministry of Justice is for each individual directorate and the costs are met from local budgets. Therefore, the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Tribunals
The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost as costs would need to be obtained from a number of sources, including various internal costs along with Treasury Solicitor costs.
Kennet Prison
As at 24 August 2007, 136 prisoners were held at HM Prison Kennet. The final operational capacity will be 347.
Legal Aid
The following table shows the gross amounts paid to the solicitor firm Arani and Co during each of the last five financial years for legal aid, as recorded centrally.
Financial year Legal aid (£) 2002-03 225,000 2003-04 390,000 2004-05 295,000 2005-06 664,000 2006-07 770,000
The figures in the table are gross figures. They are inclusive of VAT at 17.5 per cent. and also disbursements where paid. The firm must pay the VAT to HM Revenue and Customs.
The total sum of payments received by a firm for legal aid work during any one year does not necessarily represent the value of the work carried out during that year. In particular, they are likely to include payments for work carried out in previous years.
Not all legal aid payments are recorded centrally in a way that can be readily attributed to individual solicitor firms. Also, not all payments made to solicitor firms are recorded in the database used to compile these figures. These include manual legal aid payments and payments made for proceedings in the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division and House of Lords.
Members: Correspondence
(2) when he expects to answer the letter to him dated 12 July from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. K. Kerry.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor replied to the right hon. Member on 6 September 2007. I apologise for the unacceptable delay.
National Offender Management Information System
Following consideration by the National Offender Management Service Board a decision has been made to conduct a rapid review of the NOMIS programme. This review will consider the affordability of the overall programme and will report to Ministers in the autumn with recommendations for a revised programme.
I was informed of the recommendations of the NOMS Board on 31 July. On receipt of that advice I requested additional information which was provided and discussed by me with a senior official on 3 August. At that meeting I agreed the review to consider the affordability of the NOMIS programme and commissioned an audit of decision making from inception to date.
No compensation or penalty payments are being discussed.
The total NOMS expenditure of £155 million to date can be split approximately 85 per cent. contractors, suppliers and consultants, with the remainder split across in-house civil service expenditure.
Following consideration by the National Offender Management Service Board a decision has been made to conduct a rapid review of the NOMIS programme. This review will consider the affordability of the overall programme and will report to Ministers in the autumn with recommendations for a revised programme. Decisions about the project including timescales will be made once this is considered.
National Offender Management Information System: Consultants
In answering this I include the costs for consultants and contractors. The contract to develop the C-NOMIS system is held by Electronic Data Systems (EDS). Other contractors involved include Syscon, Steria, Sungard, and Business Objects. Consultants who have advised on the project in the last year are PA Consulting, Gartners, Ernst and Young, and the internal governmental organisation, OGC. In addition Deloitte has given support to NOMS internal audit. The total expenditure of £155 million to date can be split approximately 85 per cent. contractors, suppliers and consultants, with the remainder split across in-house civil service expenditure
National Offender Management Information System: Finance
The original business case for the system was based on lifetime costs to March 2020 of £234 million and expenditure to the end of July 2007 was £155 million. I have instituted a moratorium on further development work while the review of the NOMIS programme is underway.
National Probation Service
The statutory requirement to “advise, assist and befriend” was deleted from the relevant legislation when the Probation Order became the Community Rehabilitation Order under the 1991 Criminal Justice Act. To advise, to assist and to befriend are all inputs in probation work with offenders. In common with most of the public sector, the probation service has been more focused in recent years upon the outcomes of its efforts rather than the inputs.
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (s 142) sets down five purposes of sentencing. Offender Managers—Probation Officers and Probation Service Officers—are charged with implementing sentences of the court in order to achieve the purpose or purposes defined by the court for any individual sentence passed. The Offender Management Model, which has been implemented for all offenders on community sentences and around 14 per cent. of offenders in custody, sets out the NOMS end-to-end case management approach. Within this approach, Offender Managers will select one of the four broad options for which the one-word labels—PUNISH, HELP, CHANGE and CONTROL—are a “shorthand”.
The Offender Management Model itself describes what these labels mean in more detail. The terms PUNISH, HELP, CHANGE and CONTROL map well against the five purposes of sentencing set out in the Act. They each attract different workload allowances for the Offender Manager. The Offender Management Model describes a case management approach with a sound working relationship between an Offender Manager and an offender at its core. Advising, assisting and befriending are approaches an Offender Manager might use in that relationship, depending on the needs and learning style in each case, in order to achieve the outcomes sought from the sentence, but advising, assisting and befriending are no longer viewed as the objectives of probation work.
Prison Officers Association: Trade Unions
No members of the POA National Executive Committee have been promoted while holding trade union office in the last three financial years.
Prison Sentences
Information on the numbers of prisoners received into all prison establishments in England and Wales between 1996 and 2005 can be found in the following table:
Receptions under immediate custodial sentence1 1997 80,832 1998 85,908 1999 90,238 2000 91,195 2001 90,523 2002 93,615 2003 92,245 2004 93,326 2005 90,414 2006 87,996 1 Total sentenced receptions, excluding fine defaulters (taken from table 7.2 of the Offender Management Caseload Statistics) Figures 1997-2005 have been published in Offender Management Caseload Statistics; 2006 figure is soon to be published
For each week in 2006, the number of sentenced receptions ranges between 1,200 and 1,900. The average number of sentenced receptions per day in 2006 was around 300. For each week in 2007 between January and July, the number of sentenced receptions ranges between 1,300 and 1,900.
There are quality problems with the data on sentenced prisoners finally released from prison which mean that we do not have a consistent series to compare with receptions. We expect to have reliable data for 2007 in early 2008. In general, weekly discharges were around 1,400 to 2,400 in 2006 and 1,200 to 2,000 between January and July 2007.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Prison Service: Manpower
The available information provided in the table relates to prisons in England and Wales. Information about prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office respectively.
As at 31 March: Officers 19965 24,593 1997 23,058 1998 23,602 1999 24,113 2000 24,346 20015 24,023 20025 23,681 2003 24,527 20045 25,461 20055 26,246 2006 26,747 2007 27,053 31 July 20076 27,222 1 Figures include both publicly and privately managed prison establishments but not secure training centres. 2 Figures are provided on a headcount basis, i.e. a part-time officer counts as one. 3 Figures relate to prison officers, senior officers and principal officers within the public sector Prison Service and prison custody officers within contracted prisons. 4 Officers employed within public sector Prison Service Headquarters are included. 5 Data for private sector prisons are not available for 1996 and incomplete for 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. 6 Data are not available for private sector prisons. The total as at 31 March 2007 has been used as a best estimate of the figure as at 31 July 2007.
Prison Service: Pay
Prison officer starting salary was £14,791 in 1997 and £17,744 on 1 September 2007. A new entrant prison officer on starting salary in 1997 will have received increases in the period 1997 to 1 November 2007 to take them to £27,530, an increase of 86.1 per cent. in monetary terms and 58.6 per cent. in real terms.
Prison Service: Public Appointments
No impact assessment on the HM Prison Service managed appointments policy has been undertaken. The list of the functions and policies considered to be relevant to the general statutory duty to promote race equality is kept under regular review, and the latest programme of areas for impact assessment is reflected in the Prison Service Associate Race Equality Scheme Annual Report.
Prisoner Release: Young People
The Ministry of Justice and the Youth Justice Board do not hold the exact information requested but figures are available on the number of young people released from custody as part of the Detention and Training Order (DTO). This has been the main custodial sentence for young people since April 2001 and will make up the majority of young people released from imprisonment. The DTO has been designed so that half of the sentence is served in custody and the other half under supervision in the community. The aim of the DTO is to provide a clear focus on planned and constructive use of time spent in custody and effective supervision and support after release. This includes a strong emphasis on training and rehabilitation throughout.
The number of young people on a Detention and Training Order released to the community from custody is available for the last four financial years. These are as follows:
Number 2003-04 5,151 2004-05 5,245 2005-06 5,574 2006-07 5,544
All of these young people will have received rehabilitative programmes that will assist in their resettlement back into the community.
Prisoners
From 1 August 2006 to 31 July 2007, a total of 2,537 places were made available and 1,053 places were taken out of use at the following prisons in England and Wales:
Albany
Altcourse
Ashfield
Bedford
Belmarsh
Blundeston
Brockhill
Camp Hill
Chelmsford
Cookham Wood
Dartmoor
Deerbolt
Doncaster
Downview
Durham
East Sutton Park
Everthorpe
Featherstone
Forest Bank
Foston Hall
Frankland
Full Sutton
Garth
Gloucester
Grendon
Guys Marsh
Haslar
Hindley
Holloway
Hull
Huntercombe
Kennet
Kingston
Kirkham
Lancaster
Leeds
Lincoln
Lindholme
Liverpool
Long Lartin
Low Newton
Lowdham Grange
Maidstone
Moorland Open
Mount
Norwich
Nottingham
Onley
Parc
Parkhurst
Pentonville
Peterborough
Portland
Prescoed
Preston
Reading
Risley
Rye Hill
Send
Shrewsbury
Spring Hill
Stafford
Stoke Heath
Styal
Swansea
Verne
Wandsworth
Wellingborough
Wetherby
Whatton
Winchester
Wolds
Woodhill
Wormwood Scrubs
Wymott
The following table shows the total number of first receptions into prison establishments in England and Wales in each year from 1996-2005.
Number 1996 119,009 1997 124,168 1998 130,962 1999 134,316 2000 128,866 2001 130,934 2002 135,820 2003 135,042 2004 132,961 2005 132,058
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Prisoners: Rehabilitation
A review undertaken in August 2007 indicated that approximately 120 prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPPs) were in prisons which do not provide accredited offending behaviour or drug treatment programmes. This equated to approximately 4 per cent. of the IPP population and includes those newly sentenced and waiting allocation. The situation will of course change daily as prisoners move. Whether an individual requires a programme, and if so, which programme, will depend upon the assessment of their risk and needs. Not all prisons provide the same programmes.
Re-offenders
The table shows the available figures for the two year re-offending rate for adult offenders in England and Wales in the first quarter of each year. It shows the proportion of these offenders who committed a proven offence within two years of their release from prison or the commencement of a community sentence.
Two year re-offending rate (percentage) 2000 57.6 2002 58.5 2003 57.6 2004 55.5
Figures for earlier years are not comparable with these data. Further information is available in the most recent Statistical Bulletin on adult re-offending which can be found at the following addresses:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb0607.pdf
No data are available at regional or county level.
Young Offenders: Custodial Treatment
[pursuant to the reply, 19 July 2007, Official Report, c. 590W]: Unfortunately, two sets of figures in the table were inadvertently transposed. These were: the figures for places commissioned in secure training centres and places commissioned in secure children’s homes; and those for places occupied in those establishments.
The corrected table is as follows:
Young offender institutions Secure training centres Secure children’s homes Places commissioned 2,979 277 235 Places declared unavailable 72 0 0 Places available 2,907 277 235 Occupancy 12,791 261 228 1 Includes 356 over-18 year olds
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan: Drugs
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has not yet released the full Afghanistan Opium Survey for 2007 which will contain details of the methodology used. However, we believe this year's opium survey used similar methodology to that used in the 2006 survey. This is described in detail in the 2006 Opium Survey available at:
http://www.unodc.org/pdf/research/AFG05%20_full_web_2006.pdf.
The UNODC calculated opium poppy cultivation by use of a sampling approach that combined interpretation of satellite imagery with field surveys on the ground. In order to estimate opium yield per hectare, the UNODC measured both the size of opium capsules and the density of cultivation.
The 2006 Opium Survey stated that the extent of heroin production is more difficult to establish, as opium in Afghanistan is primarily exported to foreign markets, where it is subsequently processed into heroin. Additionally, heroin laboratories, by their nature, are clandestine.
Cambodia: Politics and Government
[pursuant to the reply, 18 June 2007, Official Report, c. 1473W]: I regret that an inaccurate answer was given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney) the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department of Trade and Industry to part of the hon. Member’s question. The answer given states that the UK has contributed £1.5 million to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. In fact, to date, £1 million has been contributed. Further payments will be made this year.
Coalition Information Centre
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Bill Rammell) then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 9 July 2003, Official Report, columns 816-817W.
(2) if he will make a statement on the role of the Coalition Information Centre in (a) the preparation and (b) the drafting of the September 2002 Iraq dossier (i) prior to 9 September 2002 and (ii) since 9 September 2002.
The circumstances surrounding the drafting of the Government document ‘Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction—the Assessment of the British Government’, published on 24 September 2002, were set out extensively in the evidence to the inquiry by Lord Hutton published on 28 January 2004. During his inquiry, Lord Hutton had access to all documents he wished to see.
I explained the position further in response to the hon. Member's questions on this issue during the recent debate in Westminster Hall on 13 June, Official Report, columns 293-296 WH.
Departments: Location
A final decision has yet to be taken on the relocation of the Legalisation Office. Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) met with a large group of around 40 representatives from a cross-section of the Legalisation Office's customers in the FCO on 3 July. The background and reasons why the Legalisation Office needed to be moved from its current location were discussed in great detail. An option of moving the Legalisation Office to Milton Keynes was raised and attendees at the meeting were given the opportunity to comment on the proposal. As a result of the views expressed at this meeting, the record of which has been shared with those in attendance and others, and subsequent smaller meetings with other interested parties, such as the Confederation of British Industry, further consideration is being given to the available options.
Until a decision on where the Legalisation Office will be based has been taken, the costs to users cannot be determined. However, any new fees would be in accordance with HM Treasury guidelines.
Departments: Recruitment
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not hold central records of staff recruited outside the civil service grades on short-term contracts for particular projects. To collate this information would incur disproportionate cost.
The FCO publishes information annually on appointments to the public bodies for which it is responsible. Data for 2006-07 were published on 9 May in the FCO departmental report.
Departments: Temporary Accommodation
Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff are sometimes required to live in temporary or special accommodation in exceptional circumstances. At present in Iraq and Afghanistan we have 36 staff in accommodation based on factory-converted freight containers, and 28 staff in small, hardened concrete, accommodation units. It is expected these will remain in use for the foreseeable future. We also have one officer currently living in a tent within a UN compound in Juba, Sudan. Our embassy in Khartoum is actively seeking secure permanent accommodation for this officer.
Ethiopia: Human Rights
The Government treat with concern any allegations of human rights abuses, wherever they occur.
We closely monitor the human rights situation in Ethiopia, in consultation with our international partners. The UK raises its concerns on human rights with the Ethiopian Government at regular opportunities, including at senior levels. We shall continue to do so.
Most recently, our Ambassador in Addis Ababa raised concerns about the human rights situation in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia with Ethiopian Ministers during August. My noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, has also raised concerns about the human rights situation in Ethiopia with the Speaker of the Ethiopian Parliament, when he visited the UK in July, and, during August, with the Ethiopian Ambassador to the UK.
In the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, we understand that a UN assessment team will provide an appraisal of the current situation there after visiting the region. We look forward to this assessment.
The Government welcome the pardoning of the political opposition leaders in Ethiopia who were recently convicted of serious crimes. This move should help create the conditions for improved political dialogue in Ethiopia, including the human rights situation.
European Constitution Treaty
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, on which the Government proposed a referendum is now defunct. The mandate for a Reform Treaty agreed by the European Council states clearly:
"The constitutional concept, which consisted in repealing all existing Treaties and replacing them by a single text called "Constitution", is abandoned."
The subject of a referendum on the proposed Reform Treaty has been discussed on many occasions, including in parliamentary debates, questions and evidence sessions. The UK's only ever national referendum was on European Economic Community membership in 1975. The Reform Treaty will be an amending Treaty in the tradition of Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice, none of which were subject to a referendum in this country.
(2) whether the UK will be seeking any alterations to the draft EU Constitution in the course of the inter-governmental conference;
(3) whether the Government has sought advice from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) as to the justiciability of the draft EU Constitution by the ECJ;
(4) if he will list all legal advice the Government has received on the draft EU Constitution.
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, on which the Government proposed a referendum is now defunct. The mandate for a Reform Treaty agreed by the European Council states clearly:
“The constitutional concept, which consisted in repealing all existing Treaties and replacing them by a single text called “Constitution”, is abandoned.”
The Government are committed to keeping Parliament fully informed of the progress of the inter-governmental Conference (IGC), including during summer recess. I will give evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 12 September. In a letter to the European Scrutiny Committee on 31 July my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said that:
“All IGC papers which are not classified or circulated in confidence will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and forwarded to the Committee Clerks for information. Where there is any uncertainty over a document’s status we will press the Council Secretariat and Presidency for permission to share it with Parliament.”
To date, all IGC papers have been circulated.
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, on which the Government proposed a referendum is now defunct. The mandate for a Reform Treaty agreed by the European Council states clearly:
"The constitutional concept, which consisted in repealing all existing Treaties and replacing them by a single text called "Constitution", is abandoned."
The UK's only ever national referendum was on European Economic Community membership in 1975. The Reform Treaty will be an amending Treaty in the tradition of Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice, none of which were subject to a referendum in this country.
Krishna Maharaj
Further to the letter sent by my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield then the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department of Trade and Industry of 22 May to the governor of Florida in support of Krishna Maharaj’s clemency petition, our consul in Orlando attended Mr, Maharaj's clemency waiver hearing on 9 August.
The Aides to the Florida Clemency Board granted a waiver which means his clemency case could be heard by the full clemency board, including Governor Crist, as early as December. We welcome this decision and remain in close contact with Mr. Maharaj's legal team about the full consideration of his clemency plea by the Florida Clemency Board.
We continue to offer appropriate consular assistance to Mr. Maharaj and our consul in Orlando last visited him on 24 August.
Nigeria: Capital Punishment
The charges of sodomy against the 18 Nigerian men in the state of Bauchi, Nigeria, have been replaced with charges of indecent behaviour and vagrancy, for which the death penalty would not be given. Our high commission in Abuja followed the trial closely and discussed the case with the accused men's defence counsel and local non-governmental organisations, whose view was that making representations might be counter productive now that the charges had been reduced. Consequently no representations were made but we shall continue to monitor the case.
Occupied Territories
The UK continues to make clear that settlements are illegal under international law and settlement construction is an obstacle to peace. The Roadmap makes clear that Israel should freeze all settlement construction including the “natural growth” of existing settlements, and dismantle all outposts built since 2001. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with his Israeli interlocutors on a number of issues concerned with advancing the Middle East Peace Process. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, together with his EU counterparts, expressed concern at the continued settlement activity in the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council conclusions on 23 July.
Our ambassador in Tel Aviv raised our concerns about Israeli settlement activity with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 28 August.
Pakistan: Blasphemy
Together with our EU partners, we most recently raised our concerns over the number of blasphemy cases and convictions—including the case of Younis Masih—with the Government of Pakistan in late June 2007. We also expressed our hope that the Government of Pakistan would take appropriate measures to protect effectively the rights of all minorities. The UK's opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances is well known.
Palestinians: Entry Clearances
The members of the Palestinian under-19 football team were refused entry clearance to the UK for the reasons stated on their refusal notices. Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 UKvisas is unable to disclose details of individual applications.
In reaching these decisions the entry clearance officers (ECOs) at our consulate-general in Jerusalem considered the applicants' circumstances and reasons for visiting the UK. An entry clearance manager reviewed the ECOs' decisions and was satisfied that they were in accordance with the immigration rules.
Sudan: Embassies
We want to upgrade the living and office accommodation of the British representation in Juba as soon as possible. Despite the difficulties of finding a suitable property in Juba, our embassy in Khartoum is actively pursuing options to secure improved accommodation.
We have no plans to establish a consulate in Juba, but we are currently reassessing our representational needs in southern Sudan and will keep the level of staffing and the status of our representation there under review.
Yuan Weijing
My noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, raised immediate concern for the well-being of Yuan Weijing when he met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui during his visit to Beijing on 28-30 August. We continue to monitor this case.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service
BERR provided the level of funding required for ACAS to achieve its objectives. The annual budget was supplemented by Investment Funding of £15.2 million for efficiency savings for the three years from 2005-06 and Capital Funding of £1.2 million for 2005-06, £1.0 million for 2006-07, and £1.0 million for 2007-08.
At present ACAS has a statutory duty in certain circumstances to provide conciliation services for employment disputes before they become tribunal claims. The Government have recently consulted on whether ACAS should be given more capacity to provide such services. The Government will publish its response to the consultation in the autumn. That response will take into account the potential impact on independent advisers of any expansion of ACAS's activity in this area.
Bank Services: Fees and Charges
[holding answer 26 July 2007]: The OFT is already investigating the fairness of charges on current accounts under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations, and is also carrying out a market study into current account pricing. The Government have no plans at present to introduce further regulation given the current OFT work. It will be for the OFT to take or recommend any action in the light of its findings.
Chemicals: Health Hazards
The Department has not commissioned or evaluated any specific research on the presence of harmful chemicals in household items.
The safety of products containing chemicals is governed by the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002, which is administered by the Health and Safety Executive. These regulations require that manufacturers identify the dangers of products containing chemicals and package them safely. If hazardous, the product must be labelled with warning symbols indicating the dangers and with phrases explaining the dangers and how to use the product safely.
The Department administers the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, which implement the EC general product safety directive (2001/95/EC). These regulations apply to all consumer products that are not covered (and to the same extent) by specific safety legislation. The regulations require that manufacturers ensure that products present the minimum risk compatible with the product's use and that they are accompanied by appropriate warnings and instructions for use.
Chemicals: Regulation
The safety of household products containing chemicals is governed by the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002, which is administered by the Health and Safety Executive. These regulations require that manufacturers identify the dangers of products containing chemicals, classify them under an EC-wide classification system and package them safely. If the product contains hazardous chemicals it must be labelled with the appropriate warning symbols indicating the hazards and with phrases explaining the dangers and how to use the product safely.
In those cases where correct labelling and packaging of products is insufficient to reduce the risks adequately, restrictions on the marketing and use of dangerous chemicals used in household products are introduced under European Directive 76/769/EEC and its amendments. The Department has put in place legislation implementing a number of these directives which has had the effect of restricting or prohibiting the marketing and use of approximately 1,000 chemicals, or groups of chemicals, in household products.
The Department also administers the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, which implement the EC General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC). These regulations apply to all consumer products that are not covered (and to the same extent) by specific safety legislation. The regulations require that manufacturers ensure that products present the minimum risk compatible with the product's use and that they are accompanied by appropriate warnings and instructions for use.
Conditions of Employment
The final report of Labour's National Policy Forum in July 2004 formed part of the May 2005 general election manifesto. The Government remain committed to fulfilling their manifesto over the course of this Parliament.
Departments: Air Conditioning
I am unable to answer the question in respect of the Department's HQ Estate as the information is not held in an easily retrievable format and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The agencies spent £3,700 on hiring mobile air conditioning units in 2006, but nothing in the four previous years
Departments: Catering
The information requested is as follows:
Imported (percentage) Meat and poultry Poultry meat 0 Beef and veal 0 Mutton and lamb 0 Pork 0 Diary Whole eggs (i.e. in shells) 0 Fresh milk (e.g. whole, semi skimmed, skimmed) 0 Cheese 5
Departments: Flowers
The Department has spent £675 on flowers in the last 12 months.
Departments: Industrial Disputes
The Department's employment dispute resolution procedures involve a voluntary mediation stage.
Departments: Information Officers
12 press officers are employed by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and two press officers are employed by UK Trade and Investment.
Departments: Legislation
The information is in the following table:
Act Provisions not yet in force Competition Act 1998 Section l(a) Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998 Section 4 Petroleum Act 1998 Schedule 4 paras 8, 10, 11, 13, 34 and 40 Employment Relations Act 1999 Schedule 7, para 4(6) Schedule 9, Parts 1 and 8 Electronic Communications Act 2000 Sections 1 to 6 Postal Services Act 2000 Schedule 9 of section 80 of the Post Office Act 1969 in so far as it extends to the Bailiwick of Guernsey Utilities Act 2000 Section 20(7) Section 75 Employment Act 2002 Section 28(4) Section 30(1),(2) and (4) Section 44 Communications Act 2003 Sections 272 to 274 Section 299(1) Sections 299(3) and 299(4) Section 300 Section 401 Section 409 Schedule 6 (which has been repealed) Schedule 12, paras 5 and 6 Schedule 17, para 133(2) Energy Act 2004 Section 89 (for the purposes of defining "relevant place" (other than where that term is used in section 93), "generate", "system" and "premises" in the Electricity Act 1989) Sections 90 to 92 Section 139 Section 140(1) Section 180 Schedule 23, Part 2, para 1, 3 Consumer Credit Act 2006 Section 5(1) to (4), (7) and (10) Section 3 for remaining purposes Section 4 for remaining purposes Section 23 Section 26 Section 27 Section 28 for remaining purposes Sections 29 to 33 Section 34 Section 35 for remaining purposes Section 36 for remaining purposes Sections 37 to 58 Section 62 Section 64 Section 69(1) insofar as it relates to paras 18 to 28 of Schedule 3 Section 70 for remaining purposes Schedule 1, paras 1 to 10 and 12 to 16 Schedule 3, paras 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 to 28 Schedule 4 for remaining purposes Work and Families Act 2006 Sections 3 to 10 Section 11(2) and (3) Schedule 1 Paras 1 to 5, 10 to 15, 16(2), 17 to 20, 22, 24 to 30, 35 to 61 Companies Act 2006 Some of the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 are already in force but the majority are not. Each of the provisions remaining to be brought into force is scheduled to be brought into force on one of the following dates: 1 October 2007, 6 April 2008 or 1 October 2008. Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 Whole Act except sections 60 to 62 and 65 to 67.
The information is as follows:
Act Provisions repealed Competition Act 1998 Section 4 Section 5 Section 7 Sections 12 to 16 Section 17 Section 20 to 24 Section 32(2) Section 33(2) Section 41 Section 48 Section 53 Section 55 Section 56 Sections 66 to 70 Section 73(7) Schedule 1 paras 3 and 6 Schedule 2 Schedule 3 para 2 Schedules 4 to 6 Schedule 7 para 2(1 )(a), (3)(a) and (4), 4, 6(5),7(4) and 10 Schedule 8 paras 1, 4 and Part II Schedule 9 paras 2 to 4, 6 to 7, Schedule 10 Part I, para 2 and Parts IV and V Schedule 11 Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998 Section 13 Section 14(1) Section 17(4) Schedule 1 , para 19, 21, 23 and 26 Fossil Fuel Levy Act 1998 Whole Act National Minimum Wage Act 1998 Section 8 Section 23 Schedule 2 Amendments relating to the remuneration etc of Agricultural Workers Part 1 :The Agricultural Wages Act Para 4: sub-para (1) Para 5, Para 6, para 7: sub-para (2) Part 2: The Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Act Para 15 Petroleum Act 1998 Schedule 4: paras 8, 10, 11, 13, 34, 40 Schedule 5: the repeals of the Employment (Continental Shelf) Act 1978, of section 287(5) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1 992, and of section 201(5) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 Wireless Telegraphy Act 1 998 Whole Act Employment Relations Act 1999 Section 10(6) Section 17 Section 18(5) Section 28(1) and (2) Section 33(1) and (3)(a) Section 37(2) Section 40 Schedule 4, paras 4, 6, 7, 13, 14, 15(a), 17 to 30 31 (a) 37, 40, 41 Schedule 6, paras 2, 3, 5(2), 7(3), (4), 9, 10(2), 11(2), 14, 15(2), 16(2) Schedule 8 paras 2, 4, 6, and 7 Electronic Communications Act 2000 Sections 1 to 6 Section 11 Section 12 Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 Section 10(2) Schedule, para 1 Postal Services Act 2000 Section 20 Schedule 7 sub-paras 3(2)(h) and 3(2)(1) Utilities Act 2000 Section 20(7) Section 75 Schedule 8: the repeals of or in the Gas Act 1986 (sections 5(1), (2), 7A(12), 8A(1), 36(1), (2)(a), (c), (d) Schedule 2A, Schedule 2B, paras 7(2), 8(2)(b), 8(4) to (6), 8(8) and 9(5) the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the Gas Act 1995, section 3(2), Schedule 1 and Schedule 3. Regulatory Reform Act 2001 Whole Act except section 13(l)(b) and (2), the definition of "the 1994 Act" in section 14 and section 15(1) and (2). Employment Act 2002 Section 5 Section 6(2)(a) Section 18 Section 41 Schedule 6 Para 1 (a), (b), 9, 10 Schedule 7 Paras 3, 26(3), 33(3), 48(2), 49(3), 52 Enterprise Act 2002 Section 39(2), Section 40(l),(2),(8)(b) Section 51(2) Section 52(1),(2) Section 53(2)(c) Section 69 Section 121(2)(b),(4)(c)(i), (10) Section 168(3)(a),(4)(a) and (i),(5)(d) Section 191 Section 194(5) Office of Communications Act 2002 Section 2 Sections 4 to 6 Paras 1(4), 8(5), 17(8) and (9) and 20 of the Schedule Communications Act 20031 Sections 152 to 163 Sections 165 to 184 Sections 393 (l)(b) and 393(5)(a), (b) and (1), 394(2)(c) Section 404 (4)(b) and (c) Section 404 (5) Section 407 Section 410(l)(b) Schedule 1, paras 1 and 2 Schedule 5 Schedule 6 Schedule 7 Schedule 8, paras 13 to 36 Schedule 17, paras 6 to 18, 23, 24, 26, 32 to 38, 46, 64 to 69, 72 (2), 145 to 151, paras 175(2) and 175(3) Schedule 18, paras 6, 20,21, 23(l)(c)(i), 23(2), 55, and 63 Schedule 19, Notes 1 and 3 Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004 Sections 1 to 13, Sections 19 and 20 Section 37(4) Section 39(4) Section 40(8) Section 40(9) Section 54(1), (4) and (9) Schedule 1 Schedule 2 (Parts 1 and 2 and paras 22 to 24 and 26 of Part 3) Schedule 6 (paras 1 to 9) Schedule 7 (para 5(1) Energy Act 2004 Section 89 (other than for the purposes of defining "relevant place" where that term is used in section 93 of the Energy Act 2004) Sections 90 to 92 Section 139 Section 140(1) Section 180 Schedule 23, Part 1, the repeals in the Pipe-lines Act 1962, the Gas Act 1986, section 4(1 )(b) of the Electricity Act 1989 and the Petroleum Act 1998 1 Many of the sections repealed in the Communications Act have been reinserted into the new consolidated Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006.
Departments: Marketing
I have received no such complaints.
I am not considering any change of name for my Department.
Departments: Official Visits
£969,303 was spent on overnight accommodation for civil servants within this Department's areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months (July 2006 to June 2007). This includes both UK and overseas overnight accommodation.
These data are obtained from the Department's hotel booking agent and its travel agent. The figures will not include any accommodation bookings made outside of these arrangements as this information is not centrally captured.
Departments: Older Workers
The following table provides the requested recruitment information. The data refer to external recruits to the Department and do not include transfers from other Government Departments.
Number Percentage Number Percentage 2004 9 6 2 1 2005 11 8 1 0.7 2006 9 7 1 0.8
Departments: Pay
The former Department of Trade and Industry awarded non-consolidated bonuses in two formats:
(a) Special bonuses to recognise performance in particularly demanding tasks or situations. Staff in receipt of a special bonus may also receive an annual performance award.
(b) Annual performance awards paid for highly successful performance as part of the annual pay award.
Based on the information available the number of staff receiving these awards in the last three years and total amount of bonuses for which this information can be provided is in the following table.
Financial year1 Number of staff receiving2 Total value (£) Number of staff receiving2 Total value (£) Total value (£) Percentage of pay bill 2004-05 1,261 498,592 1,274 1,563,180 2,061,772 1.18 2005-06 1,237 572,902 1,257 1,808,630 2,381,532 1.39 2006-07 919 491,669 1,286 2,532,180 3,023,849 1.81 1 Financial year running from 1 April to 31 March. 2 Data presented as number of staff awarded bonuses, rather than number of bonuses awarded (as stated in the question) based on the latest data available. Note: The special bonuses and performance awards for non-SCS staff are paid on a non-consolidated, non-pensionable basis and do not increase the Department's pay-bill costs each year. For the SCS the Senior Salaries Review Body determines the level of expenditure to cover bonuses.
Departments: Postal Services
The information is tabled as follows:
Number 2002-03 426,301 2003-04 526,654 2004-05 341,761 2005-06 271,396 2006-07 194,831
Number 2002-03 2,117 2003-04 2,189 2004-05 1,499 2005-06 1,543 2006-07 1,911
Number 2002-03 16,449 2003-04 10,799 2004-05 9,848 2005-06 7,393 2006-07 5,824
Number 2004-05 3,074 2005-06 2,941 2006-07 2,536 1 Other commercial delivery services used at present are Parcelforce for UK timed next day/48-hour courier services and Lewis Day Transport for international courier services.
Number 2004-05 4,636 2005-06 5,910 2006-07 4,664 1 Figures recorded from beginning of current contracts. Prior information not available.
Number 2004-05 513 2005-06 853 2006-07 824 1 Figures recorded from beginning of current contracts. Prior information not available.
Other service providers include Government Mail and FCO Diplomatic Bag which I would not class as commercial delivery services.
Departments: Press
The Department’s expenditure on newspapers and magazines in 2006-07 was £100,115.
Departments: Publicity
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 July 2007, Official Report, column 279W.
Departments: Recruitment
In common with other Government Departments, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform recruits its staff within the Framework laid down by the Civil Service Order in Council 1995 and the Recruitment Code issued by the Civil Service Commissioners. This sets out the legal basis for our recruitment policies and practice. The principles and the Code are mandatory and must be followed when any post is opened to competition from outside the civil service. One of the fundamental principles of the Code sets out that external appointments must be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.
Any contractors in my Department who have been recruited though this method may apply, subject to relevant skills and competencies, for internally advertised job vacancies.
It is not possible to identify from the Department's accounting system, how much the Department paid in fees to recruitment agencies for (a) temporary and (b) permanent staff in each year since 1997. This information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Redundancy Pay
The cost of redundancies (including voluntary redundancies) of staff leaving the former DTI (now the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) during the 12 months to 30 June 2007 was £16.49 million.
Departments: Taxis
The DTI spent £349,075 during the 12 month period 2006-07. This figure includes taxi spend in both the UK and overseas. To obtain more up to date figures would entail disproportionate cost.
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.
Departments: Travel
The Department spent £1,264,527 on first class train tickets during the 12 month period 2006-07. To obtain more up to date figures would entail disproportionate cost.
First class rail travel entitlement is part of the terms and conditions of service for staff in senior grades within the senior civil service. However all staff are encouraged to travel standard class where appropriate and should take advantage of discounted or other cost effective travel options which may be available (e.g. special offers, day returns) wherever practical. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.
The amount spent on first class and business flights for the 2006 calendar year was:
£ (a) First Class Flights 173,035 (b) Business Class Flights 2,584,247
The figures include both UK and overseas flights.
To obtain up to date figures would entail disproportionate costs.
Domestic Appliances: Standards
The Government are committed to working closely with industry including manufacturers, retailers and service providers to encourage them to manufacture, procure and sell more energy efficient products.
Examples of this work include the Market Transformation Programme, the Retail Environmental Sustainability Expert Group and our work with the European Commission on the development of further measures for improving Ecodesign for Energy-using Products.
In addition, the Government's Energy White Paper published on 23 May 2007 proposed a policy package to raise product standards with the potential to save up to 3MtC by 2020. The White Paper also announced proposals in consumer electronics. For example, we are aiming to reduce the stand-by power requirement of new TVs by 85 per cent. by 2015, compared to today's average.
Electronic Equipment: Exports
Detailed information is published by HM Revenue and Customs in their Overseas Trade Statistics and at their website
www.uktradeinfo.com.
The following table shows recorded figures for the value and numbers of exports for selected standard international trade classification (SITC) codes.
SITC Value Number Value Number Value Number Value Number Value Number Value Number 2002 23.9 0.4 20.4 0.1 241.8 4.9 619.6 9.0 186.9 90.9 2,795.7 7.4 2003 28.0 1.5 24.1 0.2 222.7 4.4 582.0 5.3 164.8 3.3 2,669.0 3.9 2004 30.2 0.4 35.1 0.2 161.8 2.5 806.2 6.3 198.2 2.4 2,427.6 3.6 2005 41.5 1.5 55.0 1.1 155.8 1.8 798.0 6.8 225.3 2.0 2,434.6 4.1 2006 48.7 0.8 59.1 0.4 146.2 2.0 1,071.0 10.1 395.5 3.1 2,979.6 10.6 Notes: These SITC codes represent: 77521: refrigerators, household type (electric or other), whether or not containing a deep-freezer compartment. 77511: household or laundry-type washing machines (including machines which wash and dry), each of a dry linen capacity not exceeding 10 kg. 69731: domestic cooking appliances (e.g. kitchen stoves, cookers etc.) and plate warmers, non-electric, of iron or steel. 77586: microwave ovens, other ovens, cookers, cooking plates, boiling rings, grillers and roasters. 761: TV receivers (including monitors and projectors) whether or not incorporating radio receivers or recording/reproducing apparatus. 76381: video recording or reproducing apparatus, whether or not incorporating a video tuner. 75220: digital automatic data processing machines containing in the same housing at least a CPU and an input and output unit, whether or not combined. 75230: digital processing units, whether or not presented with rest of a system or containing one or two of: storage, input, output units.
Electronic Equipment: Waste Disposal
All retailers of electrical and electronic equipment are obligated to offer in store take-back unless they are members of the distributor takeback scheme. Over 2,500 retailers have joined the scheme—accounting for more than 75 per cent. of EEE retailing by sales.
The Department will be working with the enforcement agency to ensure that distributors are meeting this obligation. Free-riding will not be tolerated, and a robust process will be in place to serve notice and ultimately prosecute distributors who are unwilling to become compliant.
Around 75 per cent. of local authorities have or are finalising agreements for clearance of their sites by producer compliance schemes. We expect all local authorities to have reached agreements with schemes in the next couple of months. Where agreements are not yet in place, local authorities can arrange for any waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) they separately collect to be treated by approved authorised treatment facilities, and then recover their costs via the settlement centre.
Local authorities are receiving between £6,000 to £9,000 per civic amenity site to finance any additional site improvements needed to accommodate separate WEEE collection areas. This is in addition to monies already provided to make site changes in advance of the introduction of the Hazardous Waste Regulations in July 2005. The costs of running civic amenity sites are covered by the local government settlement and no specific allocation has been made for WEEE collection as part of the settlement.
The Department has spent around a quarter of a million pounds on communications and awareness raising activities since the final consultation on the draft WEEE regulations began in July 2006.
The estimated costs of implementing the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) directive are set out in the final regulatory impact assessment which was published when the WEEE Regulations were laid on 12 December 2006.
The UK Government make every effort to avoid incurring any fines in respect of the late transposition of European Commission directives. The waste electrical and electronic equipment directive has now been implemented in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is considered very unlikely that the UK will be subject to any fines.
Employment: Industrial Disputes
The number of claims presented to employment tribunals is provided in the Tribunals Service (Employment) annual reports, available from Tribunals Service website. The Department has no information on the number of employment disputes that are privately settled before a tribunal claim is made.
The terms in question are not defined in statute. They describe various forms of third-party intervention with the aim of resolving workplace disputes, but the nature of the processes to which each refers can differ according to whether they are being used in the context of collective or individual employment disputes.
Collective employment disputes
S210 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 states that:
(1) Where a trade dispute exists or is apprehended Acas may, at the request of one or more parties to the dispute or otherwise, offer the parties to the dispute its assistance with a view to bringing about a settlement.
(2) The assistance may be by way of conciliation or by other means, and may include the appointment of a person other than an officer or servant of Acas to offer assistance to the parties to the dispute with a view to bringing about a settlement.
Conciliation is a flexible process. It can be carried out in different ways according to the context of the dispute and the needs of the parties; although it always involves discussing the issues with both sides with a view to finding and recording a mutually acceptable solution. The distinguishing features of conciliation in collective employment disputes are that participation is voluntary for the parties; the conciliator’s role is purely facilitative (i.e. he/she cannot formally recommend a solution or give any form of determination on the issues); and that a settlement reached in conciliation is not of itself binding in law (although on some substantive issues the outcome may be a change in employees’ terms and conditions which may be incorporated into contracts of employment).
In practice, conciliation is always the first step in third-party collective dispute resolution. Only if a settlement cannot be achieved by this means will parties be encouraged to consider arbitration or mediation. Formal Terms of Reference must be agreed and drawn up before a dispute can be put to arbitration or mediation, and these are generally brokered with the assistance of a conciliator.
S212 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 states that:
(1) Where a trade dispute exists or is apprehended Acas may, at the request of one or more of the parties to the dispute and with the consent of all the parties to the dispute, refer all or any of the matters to which the dispute relates for settlement to the arbitration of
(a) one or more persons appointed by Acas for that purpose (not being officers or employees of Acas), or
(b) the Central Arbitration Committee.
The key distinguishing feature of arbitration in collective disputes is that the role of the arbitrator (in Scotland, the title is “arbiter”) is to give a formal determination on the issues put before him or her. However, participation remains voluntary for the parties; and an arbitration decision is not of itself binding in law (although as with agreements reached in conciliation, the outcome can result in a change in employees’ terms and conditions which may be incorporated into contracts of employment).
Neither in the 1992 Act nor any other employment legislation is there explicit mention of mediation. However, in the collective employment relations context this term refers to a variant of arbitration under which the third party makes formal recommendations rather than giving a determination. Parties entering into mediation are free to choose to accept, ignore, or use the recommendations to inform further negotiation. In other respects, the two are essentially indistinguishable.
Individual employment disputes
S211 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 states that:
(1) ACAS shall designate some of its officers to perform the functions of conciliation officers under any enactment (whenever passed) relating to matters which are or could be the subject of proceedings before an industrial tribunal.
The role of conciliation officers in individual rights claims is set out in S18 of the Industrial Tribunals Act 1996:
(2) Where an application has been presented to an industrial tribunal, and a copy of it has been sent to a conciliation officer, it is the duty of the conciliation officer—
(a) if he is requested to do so by the person by whom and the person against whom the proceedings are brought, or
(b) if, in the absence of any such request, the conciliation officer considers that he could act under this subsection with a reasonable prospect of success,
to endeavour to promote a settlement of the proceedings without their being determined by an industrial tribunal.
S18(3) of the 1996 Act extends the conciliator’s role to resolving certain individual disputes in which no claim has as yet been presented to an employment tribunal:
(3) Where at any time—
(a) a person claims that action has been taken in respect of which proceedings could be brought by him before an industrial tribunal, but
(b) before any application relating to that action has been presented by him a request is made to a conciliation officer (whether by that person or by the person against whom the proceedings could be instituted) to make his services available to them,
the conciliation officer shall act in accordance with subsection (2) as if an application had been presented to an industrial tribunal.
Conciliation in individual rights disputes shares almost all the features of conciliation in collective disputes. The process is flexible and can be carried out in various ways according to the context and the needs of the parties, but will always involve discussing the issues with both sides with a view to finding and recording a mutually acceptable solution. Participation is voluntary for the parties, and the conciliator’s role is purely facilitative (i.e. he/she cannot formally recommend a solution or give any form of determination on the issues). The critical difference, however, is that a settlement reached in the course of conciliation under S18 is legally binding in that it disposes of the claim(s) or potential claim(s) to the employment tribunal to which the terms of the settlement agreement refer.
The use of arbitration in individual disputes is confined to the Acas Arbitration Scheme, which was introduced as a result of provisions created by the Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998 to provide a voluntary alternative to the employment tribunal for resolution of unfair dismissal disputes. The Scheme was introduced on 21 May 2001, initially only in England and Wales, and was extended to cover Scotland on 6 April 2004. Under the ACAS (Flexible Working) Arbitration Scheme (England and Wales) Order 2003, and analogous Scottish legislation, the Scheme was widened on 61 April 2003 to allow for referrals to arbitration in respect of claims or prospective claims under the Flexible Working Regulations 2003 which came into force on the same date.
The process of arbitration in individual disputes has much in common with that in collective disputes. Participation is voluntary for the parties. Independent arbitrators /arbiters are appointed by and paid through ACAS (but are not employees of that organisation) and give a formal determination on the issues put before them. However, in contrast to the situation in collective disputes, an arbitration decision under the statutory Scheme is binding in law, and effectively has the same force as a decision of an employment tribunal.
There is no direct parallel in individual dispute resolution for the directive form of mediation carried out in collective disputes. The term “mediation” is used in relation to the resolution of individual workplace disputes; but to describe quite different processes. Nor is the term used consistently by all commentators or practitioners. For instance, some take it to encompass all non-directive forms of third-party dispute resolution, while there are others who only use it in respect of interventions which apply certain techniques or practices. Neither these nor any of the other ways in which the term is presently used affords an entirely satisfactory definition, and so instead BERR has used the word “mediation” to describe any non-directive third-party individual dispute resolution other than that conducted by ACAS under SI 8 of the 1996 Act, which continues to be defined as conciliation. The difference between mediation and conciliation in individual rights claims therefore lies in the statutory context rather than the techniques or the identity of the provider.
Energy Supply
According to table 5.1 of BERR’s latest “Energy Trends” publication (http://www.berr. gov.uk/files/file40156.pdf), the total amount of electricity supplied in the UK during 2005-06 was as follows:
GWh (a) coal 136,670 (b) oil 5,540 (c) gas 143,730 (d) nuclear 75,000
Apart from renewables, it is the Government’s policy not to target the proportion of electricity generated by different fuel types. These are commercial decisions for generators in a market framework designed to incentivise security of supply and carbon dioxide abatement.
Energy: France
While my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and President Sarkozy did not endorse any new joint energy initiatives, they did agree to seek EU agreement for reduced rates of VAT for energy efficient products and energy saving materials. This would supplement existing UK VAT relief for the installation of certain energy-saving materials in houses and other residential accommodation, and the installation of certain renewable energy technologies.
Ethnic Groups: Equal Opportunities
A full diversity impact assessment covering race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, age and religion and belief is being completed. This contains considerable detailed analysis on the diversity and race profile of staff in the Department and those whose posts may be reduced as part of the restructuring of the Department. It is my intention that the diversity impact assessment will be published in December 2007.
The Department is committed to the promotion of diversity and to the achievement of the targets set out in the Diversity Strategy, including improvements in targets and culture change and to ensuring that relocation and restructuring proposals follow best practice in relation to diversity. During the current restructuring process, the Department has established a good and productive relationship with the trade unions through regular formal and informal consultations. The trade unions have acknowledged the high level of support offered to staff.
The Department's Diversity Statement includes the aim to have a workforce that reflects the diverse community we serve, and the commitment to value and make the best use of the diversity of talent in the Department so that our people fulfil their potential and create the conditions for business success.
Staff and ethnicity data are monitored in various different ways. These include:
monitoring and reporting to the Department's Diversity Steering Group,
review by the Cabinet Office and Peer Review as part of the monitoring of progress towards the targets in the Cabinet Office 10 point plan on diversity,
Diversity Impact Assessments of major internal policies,
monitoring and review of specific areas such as staff appraisal, recruitment and promotion rates and complaints in line with our commitments under the various Employment Duties,
consultation with staff network groups and the Departmental Trade Union Side.
The Department annually reviews progress against action plans detailed in the race equality scheme as part of the annual Departmental Report and legislation requires that the Secretary of State reviews and reports on the equality schemes every three years, the first of which is due in 2008. No departmental policies to date have been assessed as having adverse implications or demonstrating inequality or discrimination.
Floods: Compensation
Several Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) covering areas affected by the recent floods have set up schemes to assist recovery for businesses suffering losses. In most cases these take the form of grants of up to £2,500 available to small and medium enterprises applying for assistance.
Additionally, Yorkshire Forward has announced a scheme primarily for companies with more than 50 employees, offering grants of up to £100,000 with the amount available dependent on the number of employees. This scheme is intended to cover costs that will not be met by business continuity insurance. Under this scheme, companies with fewer than 50 employees will also be considered on a case-by-case basis for grants larger than £2,500.
Details are available on the RDA websites.
Several Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) have set up schemes to provide small amounts of recovery support to businesses affected by the floods. These schemes operate under the European Commission’s de minimis State Aid regulation. Aid under this regulation is restricted in the agricultural sector. RDAs can and are giving aid to agricultural businesses/farmers if they are involved in the processing and marketing of agricultural products (subject to certain exclusions) and for diversified businesses (farm shops, farm parks etc.).
The Government have great sympathy for farm businesses affected by the recent flooding. However Government policy is not to provide compensation for production losses.
Farmers have a wide range of successful risk and crisis management strategies at their disposal, including forward contracts, weather insurance, diversification and ‘self-insurance’ through saving and borrowing. An increasing number of farmers are making use of such tools and DEFRA is supporting their take up, by sponsoring risk and crisis management workshops in partnership with the industry.
Foreign Companies: Russia
This information is not held by Companies House or UK Trade and Investment.
Fuels: Prices
Last year the Government carried out a full review of energy policy, culminating in a White Paper published in May this year. The Government continue to believe that fuel prices are best set through the interplay of supply and demand in an open, competitive and transparent market. Price signals which clearly reflect supply and demand conditions, including any local variations, are the most efficient way of bringing supply and demand together, through (for example) supply increase through investment in new supply capacity and demand reduction through investment in energy efficiency. Nationally regulated prices disguise these signals and may lead to waste, inefficiency and shortage as supplies fail to get to where they are most needed.
Homeworking
The Department undertakes periodic surveys of flexible working, the most recent of which was the Third Work-Life Balance Employee Survey conducted in 2006. The research findings, published in March 2007, found that 90 per cent. of employees reported that at least one flexible working arrangement was available to them if they needed it—an increase from 85 per cent. in 2003. The survey also found that 23 per cent. of employees reported that working from home on a regular basis was available to them (an increase from 20 per cent. in 2003).
We are encouraging flexible working through the introduction of the right to request flexible working which was introduced in April 2003 for parents of young and disabled children. In April 2007 we extended this right to carers of adults. We also encourage flexible working through providing detailed guidance and promoting the benefits. The business.link.gov.uk website has a number of interactive tools. Both employers and employees can access the ACAS telephone helpline.
Housing: Standards
The majority of trading standards legislation only gives trading standards officers powers of entry into premises that are being used for business purposes.
Trading standards officers may enter a residential property where it is also being used as a business premise. When entering premises that are a mix of domestic and business, it is common for trading standards officers to do so with a warrant and the presence of the police.
There are a few exceptions where trading standards officers may enter premises solely used as a dwelling, which generally relate to issues of health and safety or animal welfare.
Imports: ACP Countries
(2) what assessment he has made of the UK's responsibility under the Cotonou Agreement not to apply standard generalised system of preferences import duties on imports from Africa, Caribbean and Pacific non-least developed countries which are not in a position to enter into an economic partnership agreement with the EU by 1 January 2008; and whether he has taken legal advice on the matter.
The UK Government’s 2005 position paper on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) states that
“The Commission should be ready to provide an alternative to an EPA at the request of any African, Caribbean or Pacific (ACP) country.”
This remains our position. We would be very happy to consider and implement a WTO compatible alternative if put forward by any member of the ACP. However, the ACP have made it clear that they are committed to completing EPA negotiations by the end of this year and the UK Government consider it a priority to work with them towards that goal.
In the event that the deadline is not met in any of the regions, our position is that we would like to see arrangements which are least disruptive to ACP exporters and that do not leave the ACP any worse off than they are under current arrangements.
Industrial Diseases: Compensation
Capita made their initial proposal regarding off-shoring in 2006 since when detailed discussions have taken place with the Department. In reviewing the proposal, the Department was keen to ensure the stability of the Coal Health compensation process, taking into account the challenges associated with completing the compensation schemes over the next 18 months.
Industrial Disputes: Arbitration
The most recent assessment of average costs of employment disputes to employers and employees carried out by my Department was the 2003 Survey of Tribunal Applications. The next such survey is scheduled for the first half of 2008. Information on costs to the Government is provided in the annual reports of the Employment Tribunal Service. Average costs are not available for those cases going to mediation, as the Department does not conduct research on mediation of employment disputes outside of the Employment Tribunal System.
Industrial Disputes: Mediation
The Government have recently consulted on the introduction of a new advice service on dispute resolution, to provide impartial advice about different methods of resolving disputes. Such a service could encourage appropriate cases towards early mediation. We will publish our response to the consultation in the autumn. The Government's estimate of the costs of a new advice service was set out in the partial regulatory impact assessment published in the consultation paper in March 2007, copies of which were placed in the House Libraries.
Information Technology
Government published "World Class Skills: Implementing the Leitch Review of Skills in England" on 18 July 2007. It sets out how Government will take forward the recommendations of the Leitch Review to ensure that manufacturing has a world class skills base to meet the challenges of technological advance. We will work closely with others to take forward the package Leitch has recommended including proposals for manufacturing.
Current support includes funding for Foundation Degrees and the Adult Apprenticeship Scheme to which the Learning and Skills Council has recently made available an additional £16.7 million. We have also established the National Skills Academy for Manufacturing which offers employers an opportunity to shape the content of skills training to meet the needs of the sector.
Insolvency
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 July 2007, Official Report, column 1542W.
Insolvency: London
Table 1 shows the number of bankruptcies in each London constituency derived from postcodes provided by bankrupt individuals.
Classifying bankrupts into geographic areas is done using the postcode that the bankrupt individual provides. The use of this in assigning an individual to a constituency is thus as reliable as the postcode information provided.
Bankruptcies Constituency 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Barking 17 46 44 59 125 Battersea 14 35 32 55 74 Beckenham 24 30 39 71 100 Bethnal Green and Bow 65 81 96 126 157 Bexleyheath and Crayford 27 42 35 68 74 Brentford and Isleworth 25 33 58 71 112 Brent East 25 19 28 44 77 Brent North 13 19 29 33 56 Brent South 9 30 34 35 64 Bromley and Chislehurst 16 23 43 71 115 Camberwell and Peckham 25 33 87 93 92 Carshalton and Wallington 32 33 59 74 119 Chingford and Woodford Green 16 16 30 53 80 Chipping Barnet 33 30 42 73 84 Cities of London and Westminster 55 64 86 105 120 Croydon Central 30 38 49 74 92 Croydon North 34 35 54 76 104 Croydon South 21 23 36 57 86 Dagenham 23 36 42 73 99 Dulwich and West Norwood 26 54 87 89 100 Ealing, Acton and Shepherd’s Bush 21 24 45 78 82 Ealing North 16 32 48 57 83 Ealing, Southall 29 26 37 57 74 East Ham 22 39 50 63 98 Edmonton 20 28 34 39 54 Eltham 29 26 46 77 95 Enfield North 22 26 45 41 79 Enfield, Southgate 24 22 40 40 54 Erith and Thamesmead 39 42 64 89 105 Feltham and Heston 19 29 62 82 90 Finchley and Golders Green 19 32 51 69 78 Greenwich and Woolwich 27 41 44 80 102 Hackney North and Stoke Newington 36 33 61 72 106 Hackney South and Shoreditch 22 43 68 123 159 Hammersmith and Fulham 41 37 76 96 102 Hampstead and Highgate 32 45 68 81 99 Harrow East 30 31 36 54 88 Harrow West 20 24 28 44 65 Hayes and Harlington 15 29 32 62 74 Hendon 33 32 42 73 88 Holborn and St. Pancras 18 60 75 121 165 Hornchurch 12 23 34 46 60 Hornsey and Wood Green 32 34 60 61 124 Ilford North 21 27 40 65 85 Ilford South 22 37 40 54 80 Islington North 32 23 70 92 113 Islington South and Finsbury 35 53 72 107 130 Kensington and Chelsea 36 59 86 89 114 Kingston and Surbiton 43 31 61 64 97 Lewisham, Deptford 16 24 40 68 93 Lewisham East 20 19 34 57 76 Lewisham West 16 27 35 55 69 Leyton and Wanstead 11 21 39 49 76 Mitcham and Morden 32 43 54 70 66 North Southwark and Bermondsey 34 52 67 116 130 Old Bexley and Sidcup 21 28 51 54 56 Orpington 24 27 41 77 97 Poplar and Canning Town 43 65 97 117 138 Putney 16 19 38 47 45 Regent’s Park and Kensington North 53 64 82 131 147 Richmond Park 31 50 50 76 86 Romford 18 30 31 63 56 Ruislip-Northwood 14 22 24 50 59 Streatham 41 61 159 149 119 Sutton and Cheam 27 26 39 51 64 Tooting 18 33 23 38 45 Tottenham 22 28 53 74 93 Twickenham 46 29 49 52 83 Upminster 19 36 29 60 65 Uxbridge 18 23 27 51 69 Vauxhall 38 61 154 202 152 Walthamstow 12 27 42 56 90 West Ham 33 44 38 58 99 Wimbledon 11 21 37 37 39
Table 1 shows the number of bankruptcies in each London borough derived from postcodes provided by bankrupt individuals.
Classifying bankrupts into geographic areas is done using the postcode that the bankrupt individual provides. The use of this in assigning an individual to a borough is thus as reliable as the postcode information provided.
Borough 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Barking and Dagenham 40 82 86 132 224 Barnet 85 94 135 215 250 Bexley 66 89 119 178 182 Brent 47 68 91 112 197 Bromley 64 80 123 219 312 Camden 50 105 143 202 264 City of London 2 5 6 7 10 City of Westminster 82 99 123 169 190 Croydon 85 96 139 207 282 Ealing 55 74 108 154 194 Enfield 66 76 119 120 187 Greenwich 77 90 121 190 250 Hackney 58 76 129 195 265 Hammersmith and Fulham 52 45 98 134 147 Haringey 54 62 113 135 217 Harrow 50 55 64 98 153 Havering 49 89 94 169 181 Hillingdon 47 74 83 163 202 Hounslow 44 62 120 153 202 Islington 67 76 142 199 243 Kensington and Chelsea 60 83 125 149 181 Kingston upon Thames 55 46 79 89 130 Lambeth 95 154 372 403 319 Lewisham 52 70 109 180 238 Merton 43 64 91 107 105 Newham 61 98 112 150 243 Redbridge 51 73 95 143 195 Richmond upon Thames 65 64 81 103 136 Southwark 69 107 182 246 274 Sutton 59 59 98 125 183 Tower Hamlets 102 131 169 214 249 Waltham Forest 31 55 96 134 216 Wandsworth 48 87 93 140 164
Nanotechnology
The Government recognise that MicroNanotechnologies (MNT) have the potential to deliver enormous benefits for society and the economy from the development and manufacturing of new materials and devices, and are committed to supporting industry in harnessing the commercial opportunities offered by such new and emerging technologies, as outlined in our 10-year Science and Innovation Investment Framework, published in 2004.
The delivery mechanism for such support is now the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), which is a non-departmental public body reporting to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. The TSB, comprising mainly experienced business leaders, identifies the new and emerging technologies critical to the growth of the UK economy into which government funding and activities can be directed.
Over the period 2005 to 2008, £320 million is available to businesses in the form of grants to support research and development in the technology areas identified by the TSB. This includes £90 million already invested in MNT via the following three mechanisms:
Collaborative R&D projects of which there are 49 so far with combined eligible project costs of £61 million and grant support totalling £35 million.
MicroNanoTechnology Centres of which there are 24 so far with a total budget of £172 million and grant support totalling £55 million. Of the 24 facilities, 10 fall specifically under the umbrella of “Nanofabrication”.
The MicroNanoTechnology Knowledge Transfer Network, which was launched in May 2007 to take forward the work of the MicroNanoTechnology community.
Future decisions on technology and funding priorities will lie with the TSB.
New Businesses: East Sussex
Between 2004 and 2006 Sussex Enterprise (the Business Link for Sussex) provided funding and assistance to 45 new businesses in Eastbourne and 172 new businesses in East Sussex, a breakdown by year follows. In this case, new businesses are defined as those that were less than 12 months old at the time of the assistance.
Eastbourne East Sussex 2006-07 21 79 2005-06 17 72 2004-05 (6 months only) 7 21
Before October 2004 it is not possible for Sussex Enterprise to provide figures as a new database was adopted at that time; nor is it possible for the data to be disaggregated further without incurring disproportionate cost.
Neither Eastbourne borough council nor East Sussex county council provided direct assistance to businesses over the course of the period.
Further data on the number of businesses receiving funding or assistance from other sources are not stored centrally.
Nuclear Power
As regards British Energy, the company’s accounts for the financial year 2006-07 show operating costs as follows:
Nuclear fuel costs, consisting of the costs of procurement of uranium, conversion and enrichment services and fuel element fabrication (front end) and the costs of reprocessing, long-term storage and eventual disposal of the resulting waste products (back end), full provision is also made for the projected back end costs of unburnt fuel at station closure): £278 million
Materials and services costs, comprising the operating expenses of all power stations and support functions (including station maintenance and insurance costs): £562 million
Staff costs across the whole of British Energy, totalling an average of 5,939 employees (4,148 at nuclear stations, 275 at Eggborough, and 1,516 in engineering, technical and corporate support): £374 million.
As regards the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the total cost of civil nuclear reactors generating electricity in the financial year 2006-07 was £273.17 million. This is broken down as follows:
£ million Maintenance 30.10 Staff Salaries 94.06 Security 7.81 Transport of Radioactive Materials 5.27 Radioactive Waste Removal 1.62 Radioactive Waste Storage 0.70 Purchasing Nuclear Fuel 45.99 Radioactive Accidents 0 Non-Radioactive Accidents 0 Accident Insurance 25.5
The NDA purchases its accident insurance through an insurance programme which, subject to policy terms and conditions, covers all of its sites. This includes sites which generate electricity from nuclear power such as Oldbury and Wylfa; sites which generate electricity by other means such as Maentwrog (hydro); fuel fabrication sites such as Springfields; sites that are now in decommissioning such as Trawsfynydd, Hunterston and Chapelcross; multi-activity sites such as Sellafield; and finally non-nuclear administrative sites such as offices. Insurers give no premium breakdown across the sites in the NDA estate. The total premium including insurance premium tax for all classes of insurance across all NDA sites was £25.5 million for financial year 2006-07. The NDA estimate between 7.5 per cent. and 17.5 per cent. of this is allocated to sites which generated electricity from nuclear power.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority gave a commitment in its strategy to assess the options for managing uranic materials, as well as the full life cycle implications of spent fuel management. A report entitled ‘Uranium and Plutonium Macro-Economic Study’ was published on the NDA's website (www.nda.gov.uk) on 2 July 2007 and is available to stakeholders for comment. A report on ‘Spent Fuel Management Options’ is in the course of preparation and will be available in the autumn. Stakeholders and independent experts contributed to the development of the reports through the NDA's ‘Materials Issue Group’ which is a sub-group of the NDA's National Stakeholder Group.
Overseas Trade: Russia
Table 9.3 of the ONS “Balance of Payments Pink Book 2007” shows UK imports of goods and services from Russia to have been worth about £6,492 million in 2006 and UK exports of goods and services to Russia to have been worth about £3,427 million.
Post Offices
The Government published their final proposals for the future of the post office network on 17 May in response to the public consultation.
On 14 December 2006, the Government initiated a 12 week national public consultation on its proposals for the Post Office network. The consultation period ended on 8 March 2007 and the Government provided a response on 17 May.
Post Offices: Scotland
I understand that the number of Post Office branches in Scotland reported by Post Office Ltd. at the end of March 2007 was 1651.
Post Offices: Yorkshire and Humberside
The Government published their final proposals for the future of the post office network on 17 May in response to the public consultation. Post Office Ltd. now has operational responsibility for implementing these measures.
Price Fixing: Alcoholic Drinks
Ensuring that markets operate freely and fairly is a matter for the independent competition authorities, rather than for Government. The UK competition framework has established the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) as an independent statutory body which is responsible for ensuring that markets operate competitively, and it has the powers to investigate and take action if companies are abusing a dominant position in a market or behaving anti-competitively. Complaints would be directed to the OFT.
The Department currently handles around 50,000 letters a year and approximately 200,000 e-mails on a wide range of issues. Further breakdown in the form requested is not available.
Regional Development Agencies: Public Appointments
All the names of appointments and re-appointments for the RDA Boards (except for the London Development Agency where appointments are made by the Mayor) are announced in Parliament as a matter of course and this information is stored with their biographies in the Library.
Some information regarding the political activity of board members is obtained during the appointment and re-appointment process but is currently not available in the Library. This information is included in all press notices released when appointments or re-appointments are announced.
However, the political activity information that can be requested is restricted by the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments and does not cover information about membership of political parties or voting preferences.
Regional Development Agencies: Trade Unions
The current trade union representatives appointed to the regional development agencies are as follows:
1. Advantage West Midlands—Gerard Coyne
2. East of England Regional Development Agency—Karen Livingstone
3. East Midlands Development Agency—Neville Jackson
4. North West Regional Development Agency—Dave McCall
5. ONE North East—Kevin Rowan
6. South East Development Agency—Phil Wood
7. South West Regional Development Agency—Nigel Costley
8. Yorkshire Forward—Stella Guy
9. London Development Agency—Mick Connolly.
Renewable Energy
We published the Government's strategy for the promotion of microgeneration in March 2006. We are implementing the range of financial and non-financial support measures it outlines, including providing grants for the installation of microgeneration technologies by individuals and communities among others. Further information on the programme can be found at:
www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk.
The Energy White Paper reinforces our commitment to the microgeneration strategy, and also includes measures to remove barriers to the more widespread use of distributed energy.
In addition, we have provided funding to the sustainable energy network pilot scheme since 2005. Through three advice centres in England and Northern Ireland, we have been promoting renewable energy locally in the following ways:
providing effective advice and support resource for householders;
facilitating the development of the supply chain; and,
helping to develop local partnerships and networks both at an individual and community level.
Further information on the pilot scheme can be found at:
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/aboutest/what/EnergySavingTrustAdviceCentres.
Renewable Energy: Government Assistance
The Low Carbon Buildings Programme with a budget of £86 million over three years provides capital grants for the installation of microgeneration to households, schools, social and local authority housing, businesses, charities and the public sector. Further information on the programme can be found at:
www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk.
In addition, local authorities and regional development agencies have a key role to facilitate and support the uptake of microgeneration technologies through their powers and responsibilities for planning and regeneration. Further information can be found in the Heat and Distributed Generation chapter of the Energy White Paper, May 2007 at:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39387.pdf.
Renewable Energy: Incentives
The Low Carbon Buildings Programme with a budget of £86 million over three years provides capital grants for the installation of microgeneration to households, schools, social and local authority housing, businesses, charities and the public sector. Further information on the programme can be found at:
www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk
The Government also place a requirement on all licensed electricity suppliers to supply a specific and annually increasing proportion of their sales from sources of renewable energy. Suppliers who fail to meet their obligation in this way have, instead, to make a payment of £34.30 for each MWh of electricity which they do not supply from renewable sources. This obligation means that consumers will, to some degree depending on how their supplier is meeting their obligation, already be consuming electricity from renewable sources.
The Government recognise the need for transparency to allow consumers to make informed decisions when considering whether to switch to a green tariff and both Ofgem and the Energy Savings Trust have recently published consultations on this issue.
Research Council: Finance
The transfer (from current and historical underspends in the science budget) was necessitated by and used to meet an overall shortfall in DTI non-science budgets. The shortfall arose because of unforeseen pressures on the non-science budget (including those mentioned) in the context of a very tight DTI settlement (excluding science) from Spending Review 2004.
The transfer was considered only once all other options in the non-science budgets had been exhausted. This included managing down pressures and making wide-ranging cuts in other areas.
The funding released by these measures, alongside the transfer of money from science, was used to fund the remaining non-science pressures. It is not possible to determine the division of the transfer of funds from science between the examples mentioned. This is not how budgets are allocated or managed.
Royal Mail: Disabled
This is an operational matter for which Royal Mail has direct responsibility. I have therefore asked the chief executive of Royal Mail, Adam Crozier, to provide a direct reply to the hon. Member.
Shops: Closures
Information on the number of local post offices that have closed is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. Alan Cook the Managing Director has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Estimates of the number of shops which have closed in villages are not produced, for Cornwall or any area.
Supermarkets: Ethics
The UK believes that the adoption of voluntary practices are effective means to improve labour standards in developing countries. We encourage high standards of behaviour through our support of initiatives such as the Ethical Trading Initiative and believe such voluntary initiatives have made an important contribution to the implementation of best practice throughout the supply chain. UK companies should behave responsibly and always observe the standards and laws of the country in which they operate. Enforcement of standards is best dealt with at a national level. The UK is strongly committed to the work of the International Labour Organisation and to promoting the internationally agreed ILO core labour standards which cover freedom of association and the right to organise and collective bargaining; the ending of forced and child labour; and the ending of discrimination in employment.
Telephone Services: Fees and Charges
The Department has received a number of representations from members of the public on this issue and these have been referred to Ofcom. On 6 June Ofcom announced it will carry out a full Review of communications providers’ additional charges. The Review will cover charges for non-direct debit payments, as well as other additional charges including late payment, restoration of service and early termination fees. It will cover fixed and mobile operators, and pay TV services.
Ofcom will look at the nature and level of charges levied by communications providers and how well signposted and transparent such charges are. It will investigate how far consumers are aware of additional charges, whether they are able and willing to shop around on the basis of core prices and additional charges rather than just core prices, and whether there are certain groups of consumers who are unable to do this and therefore may be disadvantaged.
Ofcom expects to announce the conclusions of its Review in the autumn.
Tribunals: Compensation
[holding answer 18 July 2007]: The Department has approved plans to undertake the next periodic Survey of Employment Tribunal Applications (SETA) in 2008. This sample survey will collect data on the level of awards to and costs incurred by claimants and employers involved in employment tribunal claims. Findings from SETA 2008 will be published in the Employment Relations Research Series (ERRS) by the end of 2008.
The last SETA was conducted in 2003. Results were published by the Department in 2004 as ERRS No. 33 “Findings from the Survey of Employment Tribunal Applications 2003”.
Turbines: Pencader
On-shore wind is a commercially viable technology and the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform is not aware of any public funding, outside of the Renewables Obligation, made available to a wind project in Pencader.