Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 14 January 2009
Scotland
Departmental Air Travel
The number of aeroplane journeys undertaken by Scotland Office Ministers and officials, in the course of their duties, is shown in the following table.
2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Ministers 19 9 14 22.5 Officials 314.5 291 294 249.5 Total 333.5 300 308 272
A return journey is classed as one journey; if, for example, the outward leg of a journey is undertaken by air and the return by train, this is shown as half a journey. Figures are not available for years prior to 2004-05.
Travel by Ministers and civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the “Ministerial Code” and the “Civil Service Management Code” respectively.
Departmental Energy
The Government’s Delivery Plan for “Sustainable Procurement and Operations on the Government Estate”, published in August 2008, provides a full account of the initiatives Departments are taking to reduce their energy waste. The Government have committed to updating the Delivery Plan on a six- monthly basis, and the first of these updates was published on 18 December 2008.
Departmental Internet
Figures are only available for the period during which the current Scotland Office website has been in existence. The figure for 2004-05 includes the initial cost of designing and building the site.
Financial year Cost (£) 2004-05 24,718 2005-06 4,964 2006-07 840 2007-08 2,990
Church Commissioners
Paid Posts
Both post holders have particular responsibilities for maintaining the Christian ethos of their organisations as well as representing the Church to others in society. Current discrimination legislation allows religious organisations to restrict appointment to Christians or Anglicans in those circumstances.
The Chief Financial Officer has a responsibility to help maintain the Christian ethos of the National Church Institutions and this post could be filled by a Roman Catholic or a person from any other Christian denomination.
The Secretary to the Church Commissioners has a particular responsibility for representing the Church of England and maintaining its ethos within the Commissioners and, as such, appointments have been restricted to Anglicans in the past.
Energy and Climate Change
Biofuels
The Department does not collect fuel usage data at this level of detail. Furthermore, the Department has given an undertaking that any fuel usage data that is collected from individual generators is used only for the purpose of producing aggregate statistics—company level data may be commercially sensitive and thus cannot be released.
Mining: Horses
Certain coal mining museums may keep ponies to illustrate their former role, but they are not employed in any underground capacity, nor are any ponies known to be working in other coal mining enterprises.
Renewable Energy: Expenditure
I have been asked to reply.
The Department's expenditure in these areas falls to the Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board.
Research Councils’ total expenditure on bioenergy (including biofuels and biomass) and clean engines was £8.45 million and £1.65 million respectively for the years 2005-08.
Technology Strategy Board’s total expenditure on collaborative R and D projects in the areas of bioenergy and clean engines was £2.98 million and £1.64 million respectively for the years 2005-08.
Warm Front Scheme
The current number of applications outstanding is 106,179. Each of these applications are at very different stages and will be eligible for a range of measures. Some customers are awaiting survey, others are awaiting work to be installed and others have an outstanding contribution to make to the cost of the work.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Departmental Public Expenditure
[holding answer 8 December 2008]: From information held centrally, the core-Department's financial system records the following expenditure incurred with the businesses listed:
Name Purpose Expenditure (£) Greatrex Associates Executive Management Coaching 2000.00 Paul Sullivan Snooker and Pool — 0 Coffee Republic Sandwich Lunch at Conference 97.88 Bristol and District Retirement Council Retirement Courses 440.00 Cherubs Floral Design Ltd Flowers for Reception, Innovation Centre, Reading 1850.85 Total Horsemanship Ltd Natural Horsemanship Course 240.00
Flood Control
DEFRA does not currently collate information published by local authorities regarding the maintenance of river and coastal defences.
The Pitt review recommended that schedules should be published for each local authority area. The Government support this recommendation and the Environment Agency will publish information on planned maintenance, after consulting regional flood defence committees and other local stakeholders, from 2009-10.
Culture, Media and Sport
Departmental Data Protection
In the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, no members of staff have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones in each year since 1997.
Sports: Public Participation
The ‘Taking Part’ survey is a continuous household survey providing national data on participation in culture, leisure and sport by adults aged 16 and over. In those households containing at least one child aged 11 to 15, an interview is also conducted with a randomly selected child.
The following tables show the percentage and number of children and adults who participated in active sport in the past four weeks.
Percentage Population (Thousand) 2006 95 3,030 2007 95 2,980 Note: Fieldwork for the child element began in January 2006 and runs on a January to December cycle.
Percentage Population (Thousand) 2005-06 54 21,330 2006-07 53 21,310 2007-08 54 22,190 Note: Fieldwork for the main adult survey began in July 2005 and runs on a July to June cycle.
Leader of the House
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Since May 2007 there have been no expert advisers commissioned by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House. Information prior to 2007 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Government are committed to publishing an annual list detailing the number and costs of special advisers. Information for 2007-08 was published by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 July 2008, Official Report, columns 99-102WS.
Transport
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
The information requested is not held centrally and to compile a list would incur disproportionate cost.
The Department publishes on its website details of appointments to the public bodies which it sponsors.
Since 2003, the Government have published an annual list detailing the number and costs of special advisers. Information for 2007-08 was published by the Prime Minister on 22 July 2008, Official Report, columns 99-102W.
Luxembourg Rail Protocol
The Department for Transport has assessed the Rail Protocol to the 2001 Cape Town Convention on International Interests on Mobile Equipment, including undertaking both formal and informal consultations of the UK's principal rolling stock companies (ROSCOs) and rail industry. We have concluded that there is no advantage to the UK in ratifying the Protocol.
Park and Ride Schemes: Middlesbrough
The Middlesbrough Local Transport Plan (LTP2) contains aspirations to introduce park and ride facilities. The Department for Transport is making £5.46 million available to Middlesbrough over the three financial years, 2008-11, through their LTP2 integrated transport block allocation. It is for Middlesbrough to determine how best to use this capital funding to deliver the stated outcomes of its plan.
There are also proposals to improve heavy rail services in the Tees Valley through the Tees Valley Metro project. The provision of a new station at Nunthorpe Parkway with associated car parking is an element of this package. The Department is committed to working with the Tees Valley Metro promoters to help them to develop their business case and I look forward to seeing the final document in due course. Funding for part or all of these proposals will need to be identified in the Regional Funding Advice (RFA2) transport investment programme for the North East. In this respect, the RFA2 response from the North East Region is to be submitted to Government at the end of February.
Railways: Mobile Phones
The Department for Transport does not micro-manage train franchises. The use of mobile phones on trains is a matter for the individual train operating companies, some of whom have placed restrictions on use by designating ‘quiet coaches'.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
I have nothing to add to the answer my predecessor gave on 6 May 2008, Official Report, column 832W, to the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) and on 1 November 2006, Official Report, column 423W, to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey).
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January 2009, Official Report, column 75W, to the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Hollobone).
Colombia: Drugs
We do not divulge the details of our counter-narcotics work in Colombia, including costs, because of the risk to the people concerned. The parliamentary ombudsman has upheld this approach.
Departmental Catering
The original working group, which looked at a range of facilities management services, reported in July 2008, but did not make any specific recommendations in respect of sustainable catering.
The Defence Food Services Integrated Project Team has established a separate sustainability working group to look specifically at sustainable catering procurement.
Achievements to date include reducing the overall carbon footprint through reductions in storage and transport of ration packs and by amending the frequency of deliveries and routes to military establishments. The Defence Food Services Integrated Project Team has also introduced a range of ethically traded products and increased the proportion of food it sources from UK suppliers; initiatives are under way to increase this further. The team has also held a sustainability launch event which aimed to give small and medium suppliers the ability to improve their own environmental management.
Departmental Procurement
Details of the Department’s pre Main Gate and post Main Gate category A, B and C equipment procurement projects at 31 March 2002, 2003 and 2004 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
I will place a list of the Department’s category A, B and C post Initial Gate Pre Main Gate and post Main Gate pre In Service Date equipment procurement projects for years ending 31 March 2005 to 2008 in the Library of the House.
Iraq and Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
The audited net additional cost to the MOD for the cost of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2003-04 to 2007-08 are set out as follows:
£ million 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Resource Costs 1,051 747 798 787 1,055 Capital Costs 260 163 160 169 402 Total 1,311 910 958 956 1,457
£ million 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Resource Costs 36 58 148 560 1,071 Capital Costs 10 9 51 178 433 Total 46 67 199 738 1,504
The net additional cost of operations is volatile. Nevertheless, our current forecast of costs in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008-09 are set out in our winter supplementary estimates as follows:
£ million Resource Costs 1,141 Capital Costs 256 Total 1,379
£ million Resource Costs 1,511 Capital Costs 807 Total 2,318
Our final estimate for 2008-09 will be set out in the spring supplementary estimates. Our forecast costs for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for 2009-10 will be published in the main estimates in spring 2009.
In line with the time scales set out in the Prime Minister’s statement on Iraq on 18 December 2008, Official Report, columns 1233-35, the Merlin Battlefield Helicopter Force will remain fully committed to supporting UK forces in Iraq until circumstances allow for its withdrawal. We are already doing all we can to ensure a swift transition of the Merlin Force to Afghanistan, including the procurement of necessary equipment modifications for operations there. Nevertheless, we envisage a short period of around four months for the force to prepare for operations in Afghanistan after extraction from Iraq.
As the Prime Minister set out on 18 December 2008, Official Report, columns 1233-35, we will complete our remaining military tasks in Iraq by 31 May 2009 and move to a normal bilateral defence relationship. The subsequent withdrawal of our forces will be complete by 31 July. As part of the future relationship, the Government of Iraq have indicated that they would like to continue to receive military training and education from the UK. We will shortly begin discussions to establish the precise scope of this training and education, which will inform the number and breakdown by service of any UK service personnel in Iraq after 31 July. Our current assumption is that this activity would involve around 400 UK service personnel.
Operation Archive is not concerned with the overall withdrawal of UK forces by 31 July 2009. Rather, it is the name given to the periodic removal from Iraq of equipment no longer required by UK forces.
Duchy of Lancaster
Deprived Communities
The Aspirations research, published jointly by the Social Exclusion Taskforce, DCSF and CLG in December 2008, is highly significant and directly informs the new Inspiring Communities programme announced in the New Opportunities White Paper yesterday.
Aspirations have an important influence on young people's educational attainment. This research found that young people in some deprived areas are less likely to develop high aspirations. These areas often feature close-knit social networks; stable populations and isolation from diverse economic opportunities. Government have made great progress in deprived areas but pessimistic attitudes can be formed over generations and are hard to shift.
The Government are investing £10.1 million in a new Inspiring Communities campaign, bringing together local businesses, schools, parents and the wider community to find innovative ways to inspire young people and tackle attitudinal barriers.
Official Statistics
The Government consulted on new rules for pre-release access to statistics in their final form early last year. It introduced secondary legislation into Parliament in the summer and following debate in both Houses the new rules came into force on 1 December. These rules substantially improve the procedures governing the release of official statistics.
Social Mobility and Economic Growth
The recently published “Getting on, getting ahead” White Paper demonstrated that while social mobility did not increase in the eighties and early nineties, new evidence suggests this might be beginning to change.
The latest academic research shows there are encouraging signs, with educational results becoming less dependent on a person's social background, more young people from low income backgrounds going to university and evidence that mobility in work is starting to rise.
The “New Opportunities” White Paper sets out how the Government will continue to address the key drivers of social mobility.
Third Sector
The Government invest in building the capacity of the third sector through Capacitybuilders and Futurebuilders; both have commissioned independent evaluations of their programmes. The National Audit Office has also been investigating the effectiveness, impact and value for money of Government investment in building the capacity of the third sector, and plans to report early this year.
After the third sector summit on 24 November 2008, the Government announced their intention to publish an Action Plan. The third sector was asked for input to help inform the plan and more than 80 submissions have been received from third sector organisations and individuals about the impact of the economic downturn and proposed responses. The quality of this input has been high, and we plan to publish the Action Plan in the coming weeks.
Government Statistics
Responsibility for setting and assessing good practice regarding the release of official statistics (other than pre-release access to official statistics in their final form) rests with the UK Statistics Authority. The Authority has just published its Code of Practice for Statistics, on which it consulted last year. The Government will implement the Code as it applies to the statistics they produce and use, and will take seriously any breaches of the Code.
Information: Unauthorised Disclosure
The role of the Cabinet Office in leak investigations was provided to the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) by the Cabinet Secretary on Wednesday 11 December 2008. A copy of the memorandum was placed in the Libraries of the House.
Charities: Government Assistance
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South-West Norfolk (Christopher Fraser) and the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Hollobone) to PQs 246147 and 246535.
Damian Green
The role of the Cabinet Office in leak investigations generally and in the specific investigation relating to Home Office leaks has been set out in a memorandum provided to the Public Administration Select Committee on 11 December 2008, a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House.
Death: Cancer
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people (a) contracted skin cancer and (b) died from melanoma in the latest period for which information is available. (247085)
The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2006 while the latest figures for deaths are for the year 2007.
Table 1 below provides the number of newly diagnosed cases of malignant melanoma of skin for 2006 and the number of deaths from malignant melanoma of skin for 2007.
Malignant melanoma of skin Cases diagnosed in 2006 8,658 Number of deaths in 2007 1,710 1 Malignant melanoma of skin is coded to C43 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Source: Office for National Statistics
Death: Weather
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people died from factors attributable to cold weather in (a) each London borough and (b) each English region in each of the last 10 years. (247032)
Estimates of excess winter deaths are based on the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average number of deaths during the preceding four months (August to November) and the following four months (April to July). It is not possible to say whether these deaths were related to cold weather. The table attached provides the number of excess winter deaths in (a) each London Borough and (b) each government office region from 1997/98 to 2006/07 (the latest available).
Deaths (persons) Area 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 London boroughs City of London 0 0 10 10 0 0 -10 0 0 10 Barking and Dagenham 40 120 200 120 90 100 90 110 60 60 Barnet 150 260 290 60 240 130 110 140 100 50 Bexley 130 170 190 140 10 150 70 150 110 120 Brent 60 150 180 70 70 70 100 90 30 40 Bromley 50 280 260 190 50 150 120 120 130 150 Camden 80 120 120 70 50 60 70 90 50 30 Croydon 130 290 320 160 190 100 100 150 130 40 Ealing 110 140 210 50 120 120 70 150 50 60 Enfield 150 280 260 40 120 180 70 150 80 60 Greenwich 60 130 190 110 60 70 70 140 20 60 Hackney 60 120 120 60 40 90 0 50 80 60 Hammersmith and Fulham 10 90 120 80 60 100 0 110 50 70 Haringey 80 120 100 50 70 110 60 60 50 30 Harrow 120 140 150 100 80 60 80 90 70 40 Havering 30 230 290 50 150 180 170 160 100 90 Hillingdon 130 130 240 110 120 100 70 150 120 70 Hounslow 80 150 180 100 110 80 60 20 130 -10 Islington 40 100 80 20 70 40 40 80 70 70 Kensington and Chelsea 40 50 80 30 40 40 50 70 30 60 Kingston upon Thames 90 120 150 70 110 40 40 90 110 80 Lambeth 60 130 180 80 30 90 70 70 110 60 Lewisham 80 170 210 120 110 140 40 150 90 80 Merton 70 120 140 90 20 60 40 90 90 100 Newham 30 140 280 110 100 100 40 100 20 50 Redbridge 80 260 220 80 140 60 80 130 100 100 Richmond upon Thames 110 170 160 20 60 100 70 100 70 60 Southwark 100 80 210 110 60 40 50 80 50 80 Sutton 90 150 150 110 80 10 50 120 130 60 Tower Hamlets 50 140 110 80 50 30 10 80 80 60 Waltham Forest 70 170 190 120 60 100 30 170 70 50 Wandsworth 120 140 180 90 110 80 60 150 140 110 Westminster 50 100 130 100 70 40 60 30 40 30 Government office regions North East 1,550 2,370 2,680 1,550 1,530 1,260 1,190 1,460 1,080 1,510 North West 2,770 7,350 6.090 3,730 4,040 3,180 3,560 4,440 3,000 3,430 Yorkshire and the Humber 2,460 4,760 4,620 2,570 2.840 2,230 2,710 3,250 2,070 2,330 East Midlands 2,000 4,090 3,820 2,200 2,300 2,050 1,990 2,460 1,990 2,010 West Midlands 2,460 4,860 5,290 2,590 2,670 2,610 2,560 3,590 2,710 2,670 East of England 2,540 4,800 4,880 2,430 2,790 2,480 2,280 3,290 2,810 2,570 London 2,520 4,940 5,870 2,780 2,750 2,810 2,040 3,440 2,560 2,070 South East 3,210 6,710 7,680 3,150 4,140 3,670 3,310 4,590 4,680 3,030 South West 2,240 4,130 4,730 2,270 2,740 2,360 2,290 3,220 2,840 2,780 1 The estimated number of excess winter deaths is the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average number of deaths during the preceding four months (August to November) and the following four months (April to July). Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2 Data are based on deaths occurring in each month.
Departmental Marketing
The information requested is not held centrally, but a search of available records has not found any complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by the Cabinet Office. The Advertising Standards Agency maintain a register covering the last five years of all the complaints made to them, with their decisions, on their website at:
http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/
Departmental Publications
The White Book was last published in September 2008. Copies are available in the Library.
Departmental Video Recordings
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Central Office of Information. I have asked the chief executive to reply.
Letter from Alan Bishop, dated December 2008:
As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, with reference to the Answer of 13 October 2008, Official Report, column 949W, on departmental recordings, if he will list the names of external film production companies that have been used by the Central Office of Information in the last 12 months. (241898)
These are listed below.
Aardman Animations Limited
Academy Productions
Another Film Company
Bermuda Shorts Limited
Cheerful Scout
Gorgeous Enterprises Limited
Independent Films Limited
Jacaranda Productions Limited
Jack Morton Worldwide
Mustard
New Moon
Nexus Productions Limited
Partizan Lab
Passion Pictures Limited
Pretzel Films Limited
Pukka Films Limited
Rogue Films Limited
RSA Films Limited
Serious Pictures Film Company Limited
Stink Limited
The Edge Picture Company
Tomboy Films Limited
U-Dox Creative Agency
Straker Films
Defeatures
Radley Yelder
Feel Films
Underdog Media
Insight News Television Limited
Story House Films Limited
Moon Films Limited
Spank Corporation
Sledge Limited
Moxie Pictures
Th1ng
Tandem Films
Shine Limited
Wonky Films
Knucklehead Limited
Addiction
Duke
Plunge Films
Disclosure of Information
[holding answer 18 December 2008] The appropriate action to take for anyone in receipt of an unauthorised disclosure is to return the material to the relevant Government Department.
Government Communication Network
The Cabinet Office does not classify staff as Government communicators. Its central communications unit currently includes 28.4 full-time equivalent professional communications staff, with a further eight employed in cross-Government roles in the Government Communication team.
Any civil servant who works in a communication role can register online as an individual to gain access to GCN and the resources it provides through its website. The Cabinet Office recruits to communication roles against GCN professional competences; it also encourages staff in these roles register for GCN to build their professional skills and experience and so help to improve Government communication.
Government Departments: Public Relations
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Central Office of Information. I have asked the chief executive to reply.
Letter from Alan Bishop:
As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what representations the COI has received calling for the establishment of an approved list of public affairs agency suppliers. (241757)
Neither I nor our Director of News and PR have received representations for the establishment of such a list.
Health and Safety Executive: Advertising
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Central Office of Information. I have asked the chief executive to reply.
Letter from Alan Bishop, dated December 2008:
As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the (a) name and (b) cost was of each advertising campaign carried out in relation to the Health and Safety Executive by COI in each of the last five years [240573].
The information that you have requested is given in the table below.
Campaign title Total (£) 2003-041 — 2004-05 HSE Classified/Recruitment Advertising 2004-05 189,017 HSE Pitch Costs 2004-05 — HSE Workplace Transport 2004-05 57,727 HSE Business Case Campaign 2004-05 967,054 1,213,798 2005-06 HSE Workplace Health Direct 2005-06 137,484 HSE MSD Campaign—Bad Backs 2005-06 1,390,660 HSE Classified Advertising 265,025 Slips and Trips Campaign 2005-06 1,455,545 HSE Agriculture Safety Ads 2005-06 5,675 HSE Classified/Recruitment Advertising (Barkers) 2005-06 7,142 HSE Miscellaneous 2005-06 11,616 HSE Waste and Recycling 2005-06 3,798 HSE Better Business SME Campaign 2005-06 1,097,461 HSE Noise Campaign 2005-06 47,697 Workplace Transport Police 2005-06 110,671 HSE Secondment Placement 2005-06 — HSE Telegraph Business Club 2005-06 33,201 4,565,975 2006-07 HSE Backs 2006-07 1,597,220 Falls from Height 2006-07 813,298 HSE Dermatitis Campaign 2006-07 39,020 HSE Workplace Health 2006-07 90,414 HSE Asbestos 2006-07 48,426 HSE Recruitment Advertising 2006-07 78,715 HSE Telegraph Business Club 2006-07 56,843 Workplace Transport 2006-07 9,424 Respiratory Disease Briefs 2006-07 — HSE Miscellaneous 2006-07 5,871 Overarching Campaign Strategy for HSE 2006-07 — 2,739,230 2007-08 Workplace Transport 2007-08 104,166 HSE Miscellaneous 2007-08 17,169 HSE Overarching Campaign Strategy 2007-08 — HSE Dermatitis 2007-08 — HSE Asbestos Campaign 2007-08 217,966 Slips Trips and Falls 2007-08 1,443,844 Workplace Health Connect 2007-08 — Workboost Wales 2007-08 — 1,783,145 1 No advertising activity during 2003-04.
Liam Byrne
It is not normal practice to publish internal working documents. But I am always happy to update the right hon. Member personally on matters of significance.
Life Expectancy
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the life expectancy of (a) men and (b) women in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) England was (A) in 1987, (B) in 1992, (C) in 1997, (D) in 2001, (E) in 2005 and (F) at the latest date for which information is available. (247601)
Life expectancy figures are calculated as three year rolling averages and are available from 1991-93 onwards for local authorities and government office regions. Figures for counties are only available for 2005-07, therefore figures have also been given for Yorkshire and The Humber government office region.
The table below provides the period life expectancy at birth for (a) men and (b) women in (i) North Yorkshire county, (ii) Yorkshire and The Humber and (iii) England for 1991-93, 1996-98, 2000-02, 2004-06 and 2005-07 (the latest figures available).
Years of life Sex North Yorkshire Yorkshire and the Humber England 1991-93 Male — 73 74 Female — 79 79 1996-98 Male — 74 75 Female — 79 80 2000-02 Male — 75 76 Female — 80 81 2004-06 Male — 77 77 Female — 81 82 2005-07 Male 79 77 78 Female 83 81 82 1 Period life expectancy at birth is an estimate of the average number of years a newborn baby would survive if he or she experienced the area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. The figure reflects mortality among those living in the area in each time period, rather than mortality among those born in each area. It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area in each time period could actually expect to live, both because the death rates of the area are likely to change in the future and because many of those born in the area will live elsewhere for at least some part of their lives. 2 Using boundaries as of 2008 for all the years shown. 3 Three year rolling averages, based on deaths registered in each year and mid-year population estimates.
National Income
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question requesting details of the change in gross domestic product in each year since 1997-98. (247605)
Table A provides the latest GDP figures in real terms together with the annual growth rates for each calendar year since 1997. Data for 2008 will be first available with the publication of the Preliminary Estimate of GDP for the Fourth Quarter on 23 January.
GDP in real terms (£ million) (ABMI) Percentage growth rate (IHYP) 1997 951,208 3.3 1998 985,506 3.6 1999 1,019,735 3.5 2000 1,059,658 3.9 2001 1,085,745 2.5 2002 1,108,508 2.1 2003 1,139,746 2.8 2004 1,171,178 2.8 2005 1,195,276 2.1 2006 1,229,196 2.8 2007 1,266,680 3.0 Note: These figures are based on data published on 23 December 2008.
Non-profit Making Associations
Following the Public Administration Select Committee’s report on ‘Public Services and the Third Sector: Rhetoric and Reality’, the Government Response was published on 11 December 2008. This included an assessment of how far the Government’s vision of the state and the third sector working together at all levels and as equal partners can bring about real change in our public services. The Government welcomed the Committee’s recognition of the capacity of the sector to deliver excellent and innovative public services but also acknowledged the need to build a robust evidence base that supports the case for more public and private investment in the third sector as a delivery partner. This is why, through the Office of the Third Sector, £5 million has been invested in a new third sector research centre, led by Birmingham university, which will collect and disseminate evidence about the true social and economic value of the sector to society. Government are also investing in a four-year National Programme for Third Sector Commissioning, which is providing training for up to 3,000 commissioners of public services to ensure they get the best out of working with the third sector.
Pensioners
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question asking how many (a) men and (b) women it is estimated will reach state pension age between the end of the first full week in December 2008 and the end of (i) January and (ii) February 2009 (246585).
The numbers of men and women projected to reach state pension age in Great Britain are:
8 December 2008 to 31 January 2009 inclusive: 46,000 males and 56,000 females
8 December 2008 to 28 February 2009 inclusive: 69,000 males and 85,000 females
These estimates are derived from the 2006-based national population projections for Great Britain published in October 2007.
Strategic Communications Unit
The communications budget, which includes the costs associated with the Strategic Communications Unit and the Press Office, for the financial year 2007-08 was £2.46 million. For the cost of digital communications I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) on 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1482W.
Voluntary Work
Over the 2008-11 CSR period the Office of the Third Sector will be investing £150 million in volunteering programmes. This supports a range of programmes including v, GoldStar, Volunteering for All and strategic funding to large national organisations.
The monitoring of these projects consists of formal monitoring meetings with delivery partners, tracking of volunteering numbers through the Government’s Citizenship Survey and, where appropriate, external programme evaluations.
In relation to the specific programmes, recent assessments show that v has created 875,000 volunteering opportunities since its launch in 2006, the GoldStar programme has run a programme of activities to promote good practice in volunteering and Volunteering for All has successfully delivered a number of campaigns to promote volunteering to groups at risk of social exclusion.
Written Questions: Government Responses
I have nothing further to add to the answer provided to my hon. Friend on 24 November 2008.
Young People
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question regarding how many (a) male and (b) female 18-year-olds there were in each year since 2005 and what the Office for National Statistics projects the number of 18-year-olds to be in each year to 2015. (247129)
The table below shows the United Kingdom population of males and females aged 18 for each year from 2005 to 2015. The figures up to and including 2007 are population estimates. The most recent national population projections, based on the population at the middle of 2006, have been used to provide the estimated population aged 18 from 2008 to 2015.
Thousand Population aged 18 Males Females Population estimates 2005 405 385 2006 417 392 2007 412 388 Population projections1 2008 417 392 2009 423 396 2010 415 391 2011 403 377 2012 398 372 2013 389 364 2014 386 362 2015 389 365 1 2006-based national population projections, ONS
Innovation, Universities and Skills
Aimhigher Programme
Aimhigher projects are delivered through the 44 area-based Aimhigher partnerships of schools, colleges and universities. Partnerships submit plans to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), summarising the type of activities they intend to undertake. However, they are not required to detail their activities with primary schools separately and do not set out the costs of individual activities.
From 2004 to 2007, HEFCE supported the ‘Professor Fluffy’ project based at the University of Liverpool. £274,000 was provided jointly from Aimhigher and HEFCE's own funds. The ‘Professor Fluffy’ project aims to raise awareness of higher education at an early age. In 2004, Professor Fluffy started a tour of primary schools in Greater Merseyside. In a project called ‘Professor Fluffy's Greater Merseyside Primary Roadshow’, year five and six pupils take part in a range of activities aimed at raising aspirations and introducing the vocabulary of higher education. The project reaches over 140 primary schools a year in Greater Merseyside of which 30 also participate in a visit into one of the colleges or universities. Professor Fluffy's resources are linked to the key stage 2 national curriculum and include the Professor Fluffy comic book, activity booklet and over 20 curriculum modules, e.g. five modern languages and a variety of STEM subjects. The children, and their parents, are also able to access Professor Fluffy's own interactive website which has had over a million pages viewed over the last couple of years. At the end of the programme each pupil receives a special Professor Fluffy certificate in a ‘graduation ceremony’ to celebrate their participation, together with their very own Professor Fluffy. In addition to the roadshow and university visits, a teachers' pack, offering five sessions, will be available shortly for purchase by schools. The Professor Fluffy concept and delivery models have been franchised to over 20 partners across the country. So far, Professor Fluffy has visited over 350 primary schools and talked to 30,000 primary pupils and their parents.
Higher Education: Finance
The assurances we have previously given this House made clear that there would be an independent review of tuition fees, reporting to the House, once we had evidence on the first three years of the variable fee regime. The first three years of operation will not be concluded until this autumn. The timing and duration of the review and the publication of its results will enable us to fulfil the commitment given to the House in 2004 that there will be no vote before 2010 at the earliest, and to enable the review to present Parliament with an evidence-based report covering the full range of the issues it has been asked to consider through its terms of reference. It will then be for the House to consider how to respond to any recommendations.
Part-time Education
Numbers of part-time students in England have increased by over 200,000 to some 770,000 in 2006-07 since 1997-98 and we will continue to support increased HE participation in future. Our grant letters to HEFCE set out the expected growth in core fundable students (in full-time equivalent terms); however, no distinction between full-time and part-time students is made. Our plans allow for an increase of 30,000 full-time equivalent places by 2009-10 compared with 2007-08.
Prime Minister
Intelligence Services
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Darling) set out the additional provisions for the single intelligence account for 2008-11 in the 2007 pre-Budget report and comprehensive spending review: “Meeting the Aspirations of the British People” (Cm 7227). Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Opposition
I have written to Opposition parties on this matter.
Northern Ireland
Attorney-General for Northern Ireland: Public Appointments
The appointment of the Attorney-General for Northern Ireland is a matter for the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
Departmental Drinking Water
The companies that provided bottled water were as follows:
Antrim Hills Spring Water,
Ballygowan;
Classic Mineral Water.
Departmental Telephone Services
The Northern Ireland Office and its executive agencies use two telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers. One number is used by the Department and one by an executive agency.
Inquiries
I am advised by the Billy Wright inquiry that the following legal firms have worked on it:
Legal firm Period of engagement Representation Cleaver Fulton and Rankin Solicitors January 2006 Legal services to the inquiry John McAtamney and Co April 20081 David Wright Crown Solicitors Office February 20051 A number of prison governors and officers Treasury Solicitors April 20071 Northern Ireland Prison Service, and the Northern Ireland Office McCartan Turkington Breen Solicitors March 20071 Police Service of Northern Ireland Diamond Heron Solicitors January 20051 Prison Officers Association 1 To date.
In accordance with the Billy Wright inquiry’s published funding protocol, witnesses to the inquiry are also entitled to reasonable legal advice at the inquiry’s expense and a number of firms have represented witnesses:
Legal firm Period of engagement Bircham Dyson Bell Solicitors September 2008 Campbell and Caher Solicitors March 2006 Edwards and Co Solicitors December 2006 Ferguson and Co Solicitors February 2007 Hart Coyle Collins Solicitors August 2007 John J Rice and Company April 2007 McBurney and Company Solicitors April 2008 Madden and Finucane Solicitors September 2007 O'Rorke McDonald and Tweed Solicitors March 2006 Reid Black and Co Solicitors July 2005 Trevor Smyth and Co Solicitors August 2006 to April 2007 Corker Binning Solicitors November 2007 Donnelly and Wall Solicitors November 2008 McConnell Kelly and Co Solicitors June 2005 Morrison and Broderick Solicitors September 2006 S.C. Connolly Solicitors November 2007
Some of these firms have represented only anonymous witnesses, some have represented only witnesses seen in public, and some have represented both. For security (to preserve anonymity) and public interest reasons (not all the witnesses of either type have yet been called to give evidence) it is not felt appropriate to release even the names of the ‘public’ witnesses before the end of the hearings. Once witnesses are called to give oral evidence the name of their legal representative is published on the inquiry website.
The total cost incurred by the Billy Wright inquiry for legal fees is £6.89 million.
The monthly spend of the inquiry is as follows:
£000 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 April -222 421 191 27 — May 1,304 416 145 114 — June 776 955 292 239 — July 843 1,608 185 105 — August 770 428 232 120 — September 265 1,011 254 167 — October 811 -264 265 209 — November 1,138 751 314 151 — December — 566 332 271 — January — 491 442 168 — February — 777 483 40 1 March — 1,444 1,303 651 58 Total 5,685 8,604 4,438 2,262 59
£000 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 April 0 0 0 0 May 0 0 0 29 June 0 0 0 1 July 0 122 0 2 August 0 0 0 -2 September 0 0 0 0 October 0 -122 0 0 November 0 0 0 3 December — 0 0 -3 January — 0 0 2 February — 0 0 0 March — 266 0 5 Total 0 266 0 37
The inquiry is expected to report by March 2010.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Advertising: Complaints
Central records indicate that no complaints have been made to the Advertising Standards Authority regarding advertisements sponsored or funded by the Department or its predecessor, the DTI, in any year since 1997.
Companies: Mentally Ill
[holding answer 9 December 2008]: There is no statistical breakdown available for the reasons why directors ceased to hold their appointments as there is no requirement for a company to give a reason for a director ceasing to hold appointment when, as required, it notifies the registrar of any change in its directors.
Departmental Correspondence
The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members/peers correspondence. Information relating to 2008 will be published as soon as it has been collated. The report for 2007 was published on 20 March 2008, Official Report, columns 71-74WS. Reports for earlier years are available in the Libraries of the House.
In respect of e-mails, this Department will not be able to provide the information without incurring disproportionate cost. To do so would require gathering information from every official in the Department.
Departmental Official Hospitality
No official funds have been used for Christmas parties in the last three years. The Department does not separately record amounts spent on staff entertainment and figures could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Pay
Staff employed by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) on short-term contracts are paid under the same pay systems that apply to permanent staff in BERR. They are salaried workers and are not paid at an hourly rate.
The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform awards non-consolidated bonuses in two formats:
1. 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.
2. Annual performance awards paid to highly successful performers as part of the annual pay award.
Based on the information available the total amount spent on annual performance awards in 2008-09 is £2,240,592. Information on special bonuses paid in 2008-09 is not yet available, however the maximum expenditure is 0.4 per cent. of pay bill, in 2007-08 this was approximately £693,386.
This figure includes staff who were transferred from BERR to DECC as part of the October 2008 Machinery of Government changes as these staff received a BERR pay award in 2008.
Departmental Sick Pay
The estimated total cost of sickness absence in the Department in each year from 2003 to 2007 is as follows:
Average cost1 (£) 2008 (to November 2008) 1,650,240 2007 1,947,436 2006 2,213,308 2005 2,698,448 2004 3,375,352 1 Cost calculated for all years using the full-time equivalent figure for the Department in each of the last five years and the figure of £764 average cost per person sick (all staff), used in the “Analysis of Sickness absence in the civil service 2007” report published on the public civil service website at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp along with data for other Departments and agencies.
Japan: Trade
Through UK Trade and Investment, the Government support initiatives and provide services across a range of sectors for UK companies seeking to do business in Japan, with a clear focus on activity that delivers maximum added value for business and the UK economy.
Royal Mail
I am happy to meet the Select Committee to discuss the Hooper Report when invited to do so.
My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State appeared before the Select Committee for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) today.
Scandinavia: Trade
The data requested are shown in the following tables:
UK exports of goods to Sweden UK exports of services to Sweden UK imports of goods from Sweden UK imports of services from Sweden 2003 3,823 1,700 4,568 1,133 2004 4,356 1,701 5,118 1,148 2005 4,588 1,755 5,463 1,318 2006 5,246 1,964 5,985 1,357 2007 4,899 2,323 5,256 1,223
UK exports of goods to Denmark UK exports of services to Denmark UK imports of goods from Denmark UK imports of services from Denmark 2003 2,180 1,528 3,399 783 2004 2,042 1,605 3,357 844 2005 2,314 1,541 4,393 927 2006 3,715 2,313 6,439 1,016 2007 2,180 2,371 3,430 996 Source: UK Balance of Payments Pink Book, 2008 edition
Woolworths
The company is in administration and the administrators are in charge. We have been closely following the administrators’ efforts to find purchasers for Woolworths’ stores and its wholesale business though neither Woolworths’ management nor its administrators have requested any Government assistance.
The Insolvency Service is doing all it can to get payments to those employees made redundant as soon as possible.
Yorkshire Forward
The Government have commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to conduct an independent evaluation of the economic impact of RDAs. Their report has just been completed and I will be presenting it to the House shortly.
Treasury
Child Tax Credit
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 14 July 2005, Official Report, column 1173W, and to paragraph 5.11 of Budget 2002, which can be found on the HM Treasury website at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/Budget 2002.pdf
Claims for children's tax credit for tax year 2002-03 must be submitted to HMRC by 31 January 2009.
Children: Day Care
New Opportunities, published on 13 January 2009, provides further details on the pilots to make child care payments that more closely reflect child care costs at the time they are incurred. The document also announces the forthcoming publication of a refresh to the 10-year child care strategy, which will contain additional information on the pilots.
Cox Review
The cost of the design, printing and distribution of the report of the Cox review of creativity in business, excluding internal staffing costs, was £34,420. half of which was met by the then Department of Trade and Industry. Any Treasury internal staffing costs associated with the review formed part of general departmental staff costs and are not therefore available separately.
Non-domestic Rates: Valuation
I have been asked to reply.
It is not the Government's practice to make any specific assessment of the overall effect on the British economy of particular tax bills issued in the normal course of business under existing legislation. The legislation under which the VOA is operating is designed to ensure fairness in the tax system, so that businesses using similar properties face equivalent tax liabilities regardless of their location.
Private Finance Initiative
(2) how many signed private finance initiative projects have become operational since 1997.
The full list of all signed PFI projects can be found on HM Treasury's website at:
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ppp_pfi_stats.htm.
For each PFI project, this list details the project name, the capital value, the constituency, the procuring authority and the annual unitary charge that needs to be paid over the life of the contract.
Welfare Tax Credits
(2) how many and what proportion of tax credit claims were disputed in each month between April 2003 and April 2008.
The Tax Credit Office does not separately record whether an overpayment is written off in part or in full.
For information up to and including 2007-08, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 13 October 2008, Official Report, columns 1010-11W.
The corresponding information for October and November 2008 is provided in the following table:
2008 Number of newly disputed overpayments October 20,900 November 15,700
Work and Pensions
Airwave Service
The information is as follows:
(a) The Airwave service went live in the DWP in August 2007, and in the 2007-08 year, one radio was lost and disabled. Since then no radios have been lost.
(b) There have been no breakages to radio terminals that have necessitated a terminal to be disabled.
(c) In one or two instances the radios fitted to surveillance vehicles can be difficult to remove, so when these vehicles are in for routine mechanical servicing the radios are temporarily disabled, as a precaution, for the duration of the service.
Cold Weather Payments: Hertfordshire
The temperature criterion for cold weather payments is that the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0° C or below over seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to the customer's postcode.
The estimated number of benefit units1 eligible for cold weather payments is not available by local authority, parliamentary constituency or county, but only by weather station.
The estimated number of benefit units1 eligible for cold weather payments in Great Britain in 2008-09 if the temperature criterion is met is 4.1 million.
1 Cold weather payments are made to benefit units rather than households. For example, a disabled adult on income support living with his mother on pension credit counts as two benefit units but would be thought of as one household.
Notes:
1. The estimate is the one most recently available, but it is only an estimate.
2. Estimates of the number of benefit units eligible for cold weather payments are not available by parliamentary constituency or county.
3. Information regarding cold weather payments in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland office. estimates of the number of households eligible for cold weather payments are not available.
Source:
Analysis of a scan of benefit recipients eligible for cold weather payments taken at the end of October 2008.
Housing Benefit
The available information has been placed in the Library.
The information is not available.
Income Support: Ex-servicemen
[holding answer 12 January 2009]: Normally for the income-related benefits, all income is taken into account, with disregards available only in specific circumstances.
Payments to ex-servicemen attract a disregard of £10 when calculating entitlement to income support and the other income-related benefits.
This disregard, which gives war pensioners an advantage over other disabled groups, is paid in recognition of the special nature of these payments.
Jobseeker’s Allowance
(2) how many individuals receiving housing benefit were (a) UK born and (b) non-UK born, broken down by (i) local authority area and (ii) Government Office region, in each year since 1997.
The information is not available; benefit systems do not record place of birth.
Local Housing Allowance
This information is not available.
The Department is undertaking a review of local housing allowance over the two years from the commencement of its national roll-out in April 2008. As part of this review, we will be monitoring the effectiveness of direct payments to landlords in cases of vulnerable claimant.
Means Tested Benefits
Tariff income rules apply to all the income-related benefits for which the Department is responsible: income support; income-based jobseekers allowance; income-based employment and support allowance; pension credit; housing benefit; and council tax benefit.
For the information about tariff income, I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Jim Cousins) on 15 December 2008, Official Report, columns 418-19W.
National Workload Forecasts
(2) how often Jobcentre Plus updates its national workload forecasts; and what period is covered by each forecast.
[holding answer 12 January 2009]: A common methodology is used to produce the projections of workloads across the benefits, based on the estimates of caseload and new awards of benefit required to forecast benefit expenditure, and published at the pre-Budget report and the Budget. The caseload and new claims are projected using the most appropriate demographic, benefit payment, operational and policy information, and project forward Jobcentre Plus management information. The projections are also adjusted to take into account any seasonality in volumes.
The underlying assumptions vary according to the benefit, but are based on projecting forward recent trends, taking into account changes in relevant factors that are expected in the future. The number of assumptions underlying the projection is very large and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Jobcentre Plus updates its national workload projection once a quarter, on 31 January, 30 April, 31 July and 31 October. Each projection covers the period up to 2020-21.
Post Office Card Account
[holding answer 12 January 2009]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced to the House in his statement of 13 November 2008, the procurement exercise for a successor to the Post Office card account has been halted and instead another contract will be awarded to Post Office Ltd.
The tender process never reached a final conclusion. We have already published the notice that appeared in the Official Journal of the European Union (already in the Library) which set out what we intended to procure.
We do not intend to publish any other related documents.
[holding answer 12 January 2009]: The Government are in the process of agreeing the detailed terms of a new contract with Post Office Ltd. The amounts to be paid to Post Office Ltd. will depend on a number of factors including customer behaviour. The financial details of the contract will remain commercially confidential.
Poverty: Children
Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in "Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2006/07".
Information on the numbers of children below 60 per cent. of 1998-99 median income by region is set out in the following table. Three survey year averages are given for each of the regions as robust single year estimates cannot be produced because of volatility in estimates.
Number of children living in households with less than 60 per cent of absolute 1998-99 median household income held constant in real terms, by region or country: 1996-97-1998-99 to 2004-05-2006-07Million1996-97 to 1998-991997-98 to 1999-20001998-99 to 2000-011999-2000 to 2001-022000-01 to 2002-032001-02 to 2003-042002-03 to 2004-052003-04 to 2005-062004-05 to 2006-07Before housing costsNorth East0.20.20.20.10.10.10.10.10.1North West0.50.50.40.30.30.30.20.20.2Yorkshire and the Humber0.40.40.30.30.20.20.20.20.2East Midlands0.20.20.20.20.20.10.10.10.1West Midlands0.40.30.30.30.20.20.20.20.2East of England0.20.20.20.20.10.10.10.10.1London0.50.40.40.30.30.30.30.30.3South East0.30.30.20.20.20.10.10.20.2South West0.30.20.20.20.10.10.10.10.1England3.02.82.42.11.71.51.41.41.4Wales0.20.20.20.10.10.10.10.10.1Scotland0.30.30.30.20.20.20.20.10.1Northern Ireland1—1—0.10.10.10.10.10.10.1After housing costsNorth East0.20.20.20.20.20.10.10.10.1North West0.60.60.50.40.40.30.30.30.3Yorkshire and the Humber0.40.40.40.30.30.20.20.20.2East Midlands0.30.30.30.20.20.20.20.20.2West Midlands0.40.40.40.40.30.30.20.20.2East of England0.30.30.30.30.20.20.20.20.2London0.70.70.60.60.50.50.50.50.5South East0.50.40.40.40.30.30.30.30.3South West0.30.30.30.20.20.20.20.20.2England3.83.63.43.02.62.32.12.12.1Wales0.20.20.20.20.20.10.10.10.1Scotland0.40.30.30.30.20.20.20.20.1Northern Ireland1—1—0.10.10.10.10.10.10.1 1 Not available. Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income data. 2. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures is single financial years. Three sample years have been combined as regional single year estimates are subject to volatility. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication “Households Below Average Income” series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or "equivalised") for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. Median incomes are used as the national average in the publication. 5. The figures are based on OECD equalisation factors. 6. Figures have been presented on both a Before Housing Cost and After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Cost, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Cost they are. 7. Data for Northern Ireland are only available from 1998-99 to 2000-01 onwards. 8. Numbers of children in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest 100,000 children. Source: Households Below Average Income.
The available information on the number of children living in relative and absolute low income since 1979 is given in tables 4.3tr and 4.4tr of the Households Below Average Income publication, published in June 2008, which is available in the Library.
Information is not available for all years requested.
Social Fund
The information requested is not available.
Recoveries from social fund loans are recycled in the form of new loans. This means that, at the end of a financial year, the amount outstanding on all social fund loans is the total that the Government have invested in the social fund since its inception (apart from write-offs).
At 31 March 2008, the amount outstanding on all social fund loans in Great Britain was £906 million.
Notes:
1. social fund loans consist of Budgeting Loans and Crisis Loans.
2. The figure includes amounts outstanding on loans which have been partially repaid.
Source:
Social Fund Account 2007-08.
Social Fund: Funerals
The information requested is given in the table.
Time period Achieved (working days) Standard (working days) November 2008 13.9 16 Notes: 1. The processing time for an individual claim is measured in whole working days from the date of receipt of the claim to the date of the decision, inclusive. The minimum processing time recorded for an individual claim is one day, even if the claim is processed immediately. 2. The figures are based on claims processed in the relevant time period not on claims received in that time period. Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.
Communities and Local Government
Allotments
As I confirmed to the House during the passage of the Planning Act, on 24 November 2009, Official Report, column 532, we are committed to a review of the evidence on the extent of development on back gardens to establish whether or not there is a clear and genuine problem. If there is a problem, we will consider action to remedy the situation, only if it would not undermine our objectives on housing.
The terms of the review are due to be decided shortly, and we will publish the information.
Community Development
We have no plans to legislate for neighbourhood improvement districts at this time.
Community Relations
(2) how many local authorities have submitted to their Government Office monthly tension monitoring reports referred to in paragraph 66 of the publication, “Guidance for local authorities on community cohesion, contingency planning and tension monitoring”, published in May 2008; and what use the Government make of these monthly reports;
(3) what safeguards exist to prevent people from misusing the tension monitoring groups referred to in the report, “Guidance for local authorities on community cohesion, contingency planning and tension monitorin”, published in May 2008, in relation to local grievances;
(4) what procedures will exist to enable individuals to appeal against inaccurate data about themselves gathered under the tension monitoring arrangements referred to in the report, “Guidance for local authorities on community cohesion, contingency planning and tension monitoring”, published in May 2008.
Communities and Local Government does not hold a record of the number of local authorities who have set up multi-agency monitoring groups. Tension monitoring and contingency planning is about local partnership working and it is for local authorities to determine the systems they have in place and budget allocation needed to ensure they are able to effectively monitor tensions in their local areas.
The number of local authorities that submit monthly tension monitoring reports can vary each month. Communities and Local Government is therefore unable to keep a consistent record of the number of local authorities who submit monthly tension monitoring returns. We use the monthly reports to identify challenges to cohesion and to identify possible trends; this information is used to inform our strategy for supporting local authorities.
All contributors to the tension monitoring process are required to adhere to the principles of data collection set out in the Data Protection Act 1998. Each organisation that makes a contribution to tension monitoring should have local information sharing protocols in place.
The personal details of individual details are not required for tension monitoring reports. If an individual was mentioned it would be in the context of any civil arrangements brought by the local authority or as a result of any criminal procedures through the police/courts.
Council Tax
The first council tax demand notices served on a person in respect of the 2009-10 financial year will be required to include efficiency information. The Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rating (Demand Notices) (England) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/3264), which implement this requirement, were laid before Parliament on 22 December.
The specification of the Valuation Office Agency's council tax banding support tool is subject to commercial confidentiality. Accordingly, it will not be placed in the Library.
Departmental Data Protection
All IT systems within CLG and its agencies that handle protectively marked data are subject to Government security standards and processes. All such systems are accredited to the appropriate Government security standard.
Departmental Surveys
This information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Eco-Towns: Finance
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 November 2008, Official Report, column 1266W. This set out details about the funding and work undertaken by the Town and Country Planning Association in relation to the eco-towns programme.
Fires
Fire and rescue services in England do not collect information on property construction dates or a history of electrical maintenance in buildings when attending fires. Information on the number of building fires started by electrics is available in the following table. The latest statistics available are for 2007.
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Country and source of ignition England 15,226 79,502 75,983 72,451 67,709 Cooking appliances 1,386 1,441 1,485 1,502 1,419 Electric space heater 140 136 126 155 190 Plugs 56 55 76 96 81 Sockets and switches 308 316 362 371 387 Leads to appliances 495 523 434 429 380 Wire and cable 3,276 3,761 3,729 3,914 3,713 Washing machine 1,075 1,028 992 910 815 Dishwasher 443 427 370 351 381 Refrigerato