Written Answers to Questions
Friday 20 March 2009
Justice
Coroners
The Ministry of Justice collects statistics on the number of finds under the Treasure Act 1996 reported to coroners in England and Wales during each calendar year, the number of treasure inquests concluded during the year and, of these, the number of verdicts of treasure returned. Information is not collected on the time taken to conduct treasure inquests.
Informal figures are collated by the British Museum, which record the time between the inquest being requested by the British Museum and a verdict being returned. However, these figures only relate to treasure inquests which have been requested since 2006. The figures do not include inquests which were requested in earlier years, and so they do not reveal the longest time taken for treasure inquests which were concluded in each of the last three years. The British Museum figures show that the current longest-running ongoing treasure inquest was requested by them in March 2007.
Family Courts: Fees and Charges
(2) when he expects the review of the effects of court fees on child protection to be completed.
The Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) has appointed Francis Plowden to lead the review. His report is expected in September 2009.
Fraud: Civil Proceedings
Allegations of fraud may lead to proceedings in civil or criminal courts, or both. Fraudulent misrepresentation (or "deceit"), whether or not it leads to a particular entry being made in an individual register or title plan, is a tort. The civil courts have jurisdiction to hear these cases.
In addition, disputes arising out of objections to applications to Land Registry are referred to the Adjudicator to HM Land Registry, an independent tribunal. Such objections may involve, for example, an allegation that a deed was executed as a result of fraudulent misrepresentation. Decisions of the Adjudicator may be the subject of an appeal to the High Court.
HM Inspectorate of Probation: Statistics
Such figures are not precisely discernible. This information is valuable. HM Inspectorate of Probation considers the regular information produced by NOMS on the ethnicity of offenders as background to each of its individual inspections. HMI Probation is able to segment findings over a whole inspection programme by a number of characteristics including race, but this does not involve any additional inspection resources.
Mentally Incapacitated
The Court Funds Office provides a banking and investment service to the civil courts in England and Wales, including the Court of Protection. Where the Court of Protection has directed that funds be lodged with the Court Funds Office, or where a deputy appointed to manage funds on behalf of a Court of Protection client has chosen to lodge funds with the Court Funds Office, those funds are dealt with as directed by the deputy, in accordance with the Court of Protection order. The Court Funds Office does not make investment decisions, or deal with funds lodged other than as instructed by the deputy or by way of a direction from the Court of Protection,
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 was fully implemented on 1 October 2007. It introduced new Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) to enable people to appoint someone to make decisions on their behalf in relation to their property and affairs and/or their health and welfare.
In addition, Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) made prior to October 2007 remain valid.
EPAs only need to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) once the person to whom they relate has lost capacity.
All LPAs must be registered with the OPG before they can be used. Between October 2007 and September 2008 the OPG received
21,200 applications to register EPAs.
9,600 applications to register health and welfare LPAs
28,500 applications to register property and affairs LPAs
During the period October 2008 to January 2009 the OPG received
8,200 applications to register EPAs.
6,000 applications to register health and welfare LPAs
22,000 applications to register property and affairs LPAs
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 gave statutory force to valid and applicable advance decisions to refuse treatment (previously also sometimes referred to as ‘living wills'). The Ministry of Justice has no information regarding how many advance decisions have been made.
Offenders: Rehabilitation
Precise figures are not discernible. A major element of HM Inspectorate of Probation's inspections is an assessment of the effectiveness of the management of offenders' Risk of Harm to the public, including the delivery of restrictive interventions, in a representative sample of individual cases. While the Inspectorate's assessment of the effectiveness of the delivery of restrictive interventions takes into account any diversity issues, the latter forms only a small—though important—part of that assessment.
Culture, Media and Sport
Big Lottery Fund: Equality
Information from the DCMS Lottery grants database, which is searchable at:
www.lottery.culture.gov.uk
uses information supplied by lottery distributing bodies and indicates that a grant of £495,933 was paid by the Big Lottery Fund to Equality South West in November 2007. The purpose of this award was to support the development of the organisation's work in training voluntary and community organisations to ensure that equality and diversity are systemic within their work.
Museums and Galleries
Figures are not available for all museums. The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council advises that regional figures for museum visits specifically in regard to the Renaissance programme 2002-08 are as follows.
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 North West 62,175 61,750 68,456 78,669 81,456 71,397 North East 92,033 102,821 115,180 115,053 111,780 125,891 Yorkshire and Humberside 110,299 104,318 96,165 96,479 109,792 111,872 West Midlands 116,599 133,618 157,202 157,780 156,132 141,422 East Midlands 114,216 111,278 94,027 89,889 87,691 93,953 East of England 50,310 50,744 56,233 63,814 67,462 81,341 South West 36,976 56,262 62,646 57,133 54,175 59,123 South East 24,650 60,834 105,555 98,743 110,336 115,732 London 69,322 81,181 87,782 78,558 84,905 95,351 Total 676,580 762,806 843,246 836,118 863,729 896,082
Since 2001-02, 181 of DCMS's sponsored museums have collected figures measuring the number of children aged 16 and under attending on and off-site organised educational sessions. DCMS cannot disaggregate the data by region, to provide a regional breakdown, because some institutions who have branches across different parts of the country provide a single return for the organisation. The figures are as follows:
Number 2001-02 1,705,634 2002-03 2,256,386 2003-04 2,270,448 2004-05 2,785,155 2005-06 2,722,094 2006-07 2,894,499 2007-08 3,525,037
1 British Museum, Geffrye Museum, Horniman Museum, Imperial War Museum, Museum of London, Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, National Gallery, National Maritime Museum, National Museums Liverpool, National Museum of Science and Industry, National Portrait Gallery, Natural History Museum, Royal Armouries, Sir John Soane’s Museum, Tate Gallery, Tyne and Wear Museums Service, Victoria and Albert Museum and Wallace Collection.
National Lottery: Coastal Areas
The Heritage Lottery Fund was founded in 1994. The Heritage Lottery Fund has advised that Heritage Lottery funding as provided to each of the principal seaside towns in England and Wales since that date is as follows.
Town Total value of project (£) Barry 1,446,161 Bognor Regis 1,866,292 Bridlington 307,521 Burnham-on-Sea 439,731 Clacton-on-Sea 601,270 Dawlish/Teignmouth 587,368 Deal 355,866 Eastbourne 2,789,531 Exmouth 95,709 Falmouth 22,171,173 Folkestone/Hythe 4,921,621 Great Yarmouth 6,865,010 (Greater) Blackpool 7,933,638 (Greater) Bournemouth 3,774,209 (Greater) Brighton 14,023,150 (Greater) Worthing 2,324,665 Hastings/Bexhill 8,838,763 Ilfracombe 1,537,824 Isle of Wight1 6,755,735 Llandudno/Colwyn Bay 2,691,304 Lowestoft 5,605,289 Minehead 1,091,431 Morecambe 365,624 Newquay 135,960 Penzance 7,576,752 Porthcawl 103,743 Rhyl/Prestatyn 2,854,951 Scarborough 3,890,353 Sidmouth 1,335,159 Skegness 1,883,154 Southend-on-Sea 1,851,142 Southport 5,917,842 St. Ives 781,309 Swanage 3,395,728 Thanet2 7,492,243 Torbay3 9,783,519 Weston-Super-Mare 2,402,646 Weymouth 2,948,901 Whitby 10,586,503 Whitley Bay 492,117 Whitstable/Herne Bay 4,033,126 Grand total 164,854,032 1 Includes only the resorts of Cowes, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor 2 Includes only the resorts of Broadstairs, Margate, Ramsgate and Westgate 3 Includes only the resorts of Brixham, Paignton and Torquay
Playing Fields: Private Sector
[holding answer 6 March 2009]: Sport England has advised that as of January 2009 Active Places data show private companies own 391 sites containing 901 (grass) pitches.
At present, Active Places, which was set up in 2004, does not capture historical data on the number of fields owned by private companies which have closed in the last 10 years.
Sport England are in the process of collecting further data on public and privately owned facilities, including closures where possible, and hope to conclude that work by the end of 2009.
Sports: Anti-Semitism
While I have received no recent representations or held any recent meetings on the issue of tackling anti-Semitism in sport, I remain fully committed to a sporting landscape free from all forms of discrimination. To this end:
(a) Football treats anti-Semitism as an offence under the ground regulations, thereby empowering the clubs and police to take action if abuse occurs. The Football Association also provides funding for the Kick It Out campaign, which tackles anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination through the Equality Standard for professional clubs. In addition, the Football Association also jointly hosted a seminar on Tackling Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in April 2008, and the subsequently convened working group will report its findings to the FA board in April 2009.
(b) Other sports receiving Government funding through Sport England and UK Sport for the 2009-13 period will do so on the basis of their compliance with the Equality Standard for Sport. The standard forbids discrimination on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, colour, religion, disability, age, occupation, religion or political opinion.
Swimming
The Free Swimming Programme will be delivered in pools owned by participating local authorities, on Health and Safety Executive-enforced premises. All operators are required to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of their operations and to identify necessary control measures. The Health and Safety Executive supplies extensive guidance to help them do this.
Tourism
I met the South West Regional Development Agency Chair on 8 January 2009 and 11 December 2008. A meeting with all the regional development agency tourism leads has been arranged for April 2009.
Tourism: South West
[holding answer 18 March 2009]: In the financial year 2008-09 DCMS allocated £3.5 million to regional development agencies for tourism. The South West of England Regional Development Agency have advised that their allocation was £403,000.
Northern Ireland
Security
The level of threat from dissident republicans, as evidenced by attacks at Antrim and Craigavon, continues to be assessed as “Severe”. These are reckless and callous individuals who are seeking to drag Northern Ireland back to the misery of the past. The people of all communities are united in demonstrating that they will not be allowed to succeed.
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Housing
The Scheme for the Purchase of Evacuated Dwellings (SPED) is a matter for the devolved administration.
House of Commons Commission
Occupational Health
The Safety, Health and Wellbeing Service provides a comprehensive occupational health service to hon. Members, Peers, and staff employed by both Houses. Hon. Members are entitled to regular health screening on request and can also self-refer for a consultation with the occupational health adviser or physician, if they believe that their work is having a detrimental effect on their health. There is also an emergency GP service available locally to Members. Given that the House is not the employer of Members' staff, it does not routinely provide occupational health services to them. The Parliamentary Welfare Service is aimed at staff of both Houses and does not formally provide welfare services for Members or their staff; but Members and their staff can ask for informal advice and guidance on the best way to deal with issues of concern. There is no provision for occupational health and welfare services for any civil servants who work on the Parliamentary Estate, as they have adequate access via their own employer.
Leader of the House
Written Questions: Government Responses
The information that the hon. Member has requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The statistics for written parliamentary questions tabled to the Leader of the House of Commons for the past four Sessions are detailed in the table.
Session Percentage of named day questions answered on the specified day Percentage of ordinary written answered within five working days Average number of sitting days to answer ordinary written questions 2004-05 100 (14 of 14) 97 (38 of 39) 2.9 2005-06 100 (72 of 72) 100 (189 of 189) 2.8 2006-07 100 (40 of 40) 99 (163 of 165) 2.7 2007-08 100 (40 of 40) 99.5 (201 of 202) 2.9
Defence
Departmental Manpower
The figures for civilian staff, excluding Trading Funds and Locally Employed Civilians, are as follows (at 17 March 2009):
Number Air Command 8,685 Central 16,885 Chief of Joint Operations 343 Commander-in-Chief Fleet 2,396 Defence Equipment and Support 17,114 Defence Estates 2,707 Land Forces 16,437 Science Innovation and Technology 332 Total 64,899
Number Air Command 572 Central 274 Chief of Joint Operations 162 Commander-in-Chief Fleet 74 Defence Equipment and Support 438 Defence Estates 204 Land Forces 210 Science Innovation Technology 32 Total 1,966
Number Air Command 0-3 months 0 3-6 months 1 6-12 months 113 12 months plus 44 TLB Sub-Total 158 Central 0-3 months 0 3-6 months 1 6-12 months 54 12 months plus 112 TLB Sub-Total 167 Chief of Joint Operations 0-3 months 0 3-6 months 0 6-12 months 1 12 months plus 10 TLB Sub-Total 11 Commander in Chief Fleet 0-3 months 0 3-6 months 0 6-12 months 16 12 months plus 29 TLB Sub-Total 45 Defence Equipment and Support 0-3 months 2 3-6 months 22 6-12 months 84 12 months plus 55 TLB Sub-Total 163 Defence Estates 0-3 months 0 3-6 months 0 6-12 months 16 12 months plus 8 TLB Sub-Total 24 Land Forces 0-3 months 2 3-6 months 6 6-12 months 206 12 months plus 492 TLB Sub-Total 706 Science Innovation Technology 0-3 months 0 3-6 months 0 6-12 months 1 12 months plus 1 TLB Sub-Total 2 Grand Total 1,276
These figures are derived from the Department’s central system, and it is possible that some engagement of agency staff (who are not employees) may not be recorded where arrangements have been made locally.
USA: Military Alliances
Arrangements have not been finalised but it is intended that the next Stocktake meeting will take place in early June in the UK.
Welsh Language
This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
We received no representations from the Welsh Language Board during the public consultation on the Welsh Language Scheme. However, during the process of updating the scheme, officials from MOD and the Welsh Language Board met on several occasions as well as having regular exchanges of correspondence.
Work and Pensions
Apprentices
In reply to the questions asked, I refer to the Government Skills cross-Government response recorded on 24 February 2009, Official Report, column 741W.
Child Benefit: Foreigners
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of non-UK EU citizens claiming child benefit; and how many children in respect of whom such benefit is paid are not resident in the UK.
I have been asked to reply.
Any person making a claim for child benefit must provide documentary evidence of the child being claimed for, such as an original birth certificate, adoption certificate or passport. HMRC checks the validity of this document upon receipt. All claims for child benefit are subject to a wide range of checks throughout the life of each claim and it would be inappropriate to disclose a complete list of such checks as to do so may provide assistance to those attempting to defraud the system. Claims by EU migrant workers to family benefits in the UK (child benefit and child tax credit) are subject to additional checks between HMRC and the competent authorities of the other member state on the composition of the worker's family resident in that other state and whether family benefits are in payment there.
I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him of 13 November 2008, Official Report, column 1306W, for my response to his request for estimates of receipts.
Clear
According to our records, no such payments have been made.
Cycling
The Department now has in place arrangements to make financial support available to staff working in the Department and its agencies who wish to cycle to work.
These arrangements make it possible for staff to purchase a cycle and the necessary safety equipment through a salary advance scheme. This arrangement can provide an interest-free advance of their salary so they can purchase the cycle and safety equipment of their choice. In addition staff can also use the Department’s staff benefits scheme, which provides the opportunity for staff to purchase the cycle and safety equipment at a significant discount from a choice of three retail outlets.
These arrangements are comparable to Cycle to Work schemes being operated in a number of organisations and are also viewed as being of better value in support of the Department’s staff who wish to cycle to work.
Departmental Car Allowances
[holding answer 13 March 2009]: There are a range of mileage allowances available to staff in DWP, its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who undertake business travel. The rate of mileage allowance payable will depend on the type of vehicle being used and whether the vehicle is privately owned or provided by the Department. The rates are based on the rates set by HMRC under the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments.
£ per mile Privately-owned vehicle Higher standard rate (up to 6,000 miles) 0.40 Lower standard rate (over 6000 miles) 0.25 Vehicle provided by DWP Private user scheme—petrol 0.15 Private user scheme—diesel 0.13 Private user scheme—LPG 0.08 Motor cycle 0.24 Passenger supplement (per passenger) 0.02 Pedal cycle 0.20 Candidates for civil service posts—motor cars 0.25 Candidates for civil service posts—motor cycles 0.24
In addition, DWP will only pay the higher standard rate to the first 1,000 miles unless the employee has an approved business case, in which case the higher standard rate is paid up to 6,000 miles.
The Pensions Protection Fund, Independent Living Fund and Health and Safety Executive pay at the above rates with the exception that the higher standard rate is paid for the first 10,000 miles.
Remploy pay the higher standard rate for the first 4,000 miles and the lower standard rate for any mileage above 4,000. Company car users receive £0.20 per mile regardless of total mileage.
Departmental Scientists
The Department does not undertake research into science, technology, engineering or mathematics as usually defined. The only advice which partly requires scientific input comes from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. Its budget for 2008-09 was £70,932; it has been similarly funded by DWP and predecessor Departments since its creation in 1948. The secretariat includes one post for which a scientific degree qualification is required. No information is held on other people employed in the Department with a science or engineering degree as it is not a requirement for holding other posts.
Discrimination: Disabled
[holding answer 9 February 2009]: I met with a number of stakeholders at the largest consultation event, which was held in London on 11 December. I provided an introduction to the event and answered questions from the floor.
My officials held four consultation events, three in London and one in Edinburgh. The London events were held on 4, 11 and 15 December; the Edinburgh event was held on 9 December. Stakeholders were invited to attend and the consultation events were also publicised through the Office for Disability Issues website, the Office for Disability Issues newsletter (which reaches approximately 2,000 people), and via charities who raised the profile of the consultation through their own emails and websites. Following is a list which gives a selection of organisations which attendees came from. Notes were taken at each event and a summary will be included in the Government's response to the consultation, which is currently being prepared. A copy of the response will be placed in the Library on publication.
Informal meetings between officials and stakeholder groups have also taken place. Those stakeholder organisations with which informal discussions were held included the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Disabilities Charity Consortium (DCC). The DCC is an informal coalition of charities made up of Leonard Cheshire Disability, Mencap, Mind, RNIB, RNID, RADAR, Scope, The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and Sense. Minutes of these meetings were not taken due to their informal nature.
Alzheimer's Society
British Dyslexia Association
Cheshire Constabulary
Disability Voice Bromley
Equality 2025
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Independent
Leonard Cheshire Disability
London borough of Ealing
London borough of Hounslow
National AIDS Trust
National Deaf Children's Society
National Housing Federation
Public and Commercial Services Union
RADAR
Spinal Injuries Association
Techmobility
Trade Union Disability Alliance
UNISON
Unite The Union
IDS Employment Law Brief
Discrimination Law Association
Russell Jones and Walker
Wandsworth and Merton Law Centre
Addleshaw Goddard
Coventry Law Centre
The Law Society
Disability Law Service
Skill
One Essex Court Chambers
Birmingham Law Centre
London Probation
KPMG UK LLP
Goldsmiths, University of London
Future Inclusion
National Landlords Association
Employers' Forum on Disability
Disability Forward Limited
CBI
Health Professions: Manpower
Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and advice. It is not the usual practice of Government to disclose details of such meetings.
Housing Benefit
Housing benefit information is not available at constituency level.
Incapacity Benefit
The information is in the following table.
Great Britain North East Government office region South Tyneside local authority Jarrow parliamentary constituency August 1997 2,829,000 196,000 12,200 5,800 1998 2,759,900 186,600 11,500 5,700 1999 2,721,500 185,240 11,600 6,080 2000 2,745,460 185,790 11,520 5,940 2001 2,794,330 189,050 11,680 6,070 2002 2,800,130 188,710 11,760 6,090 2003 2,807,290 187,160 11,430 5,930 2004 2,804,980 182,790 11,020 5,680 2005 2,755,460 176,190 10,550 5,450 2006 2,712,850 170,250 10,320 5,290 2007 2,671,210 163,600 10,020 5,120 2008 2,620,420 156,290 9,540 4,810 Note:100 per cent. figures are rounded to the nearest 10, 5 per cent. figures are rounded to the nearest 100 and have been uprated to be consistent with Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study data. Source: Data pre-1999: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample and Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study data. Data from 1999 onwards: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.
Performing Arts
The Department and its agencies have engaged actors, musicians or other performers from time to time, however details of any such engagements are not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Duchy of Lancaster
Christmas
(2) whether it is the policy of the Prime Minister's Office to offer staff (a) additional leave entitlement for Christmas shopping and (b) Christmas bonus payments.
Crime Prevention: Internet
(2) if he will make potential threat information received from the National Fraud Reporting Centre available on the Get Safe On-line website.
Get Safe Online is a joint public and private sector initiative to raise awareness of internet safety. Its work includes not only a website but community events, educational publicity campaigns, roundtable discussions and conferences as well as general PR and marketing activity to reach a broad audience and help inform general internet users of how to go online safely and with confidence. Research carried out in November 2008 showed that 22 per cent. of people were spontaneously aware of Get Safe Online. www.getsafeonline.org currently has over 291,000 links on the Internet compared to its US counterpart www.staysafeonline.info which has 11,000 links. The research also highlights an improvement in steps people are taking to prevent themselves falling victim to online crime such as a decrease in the number of people opening e-mail attachments from unknown sources and an increase in those updating their software, although it is difficult to directly attribute this to the campaign activity.
The Cabinet Office has sponsored Get Safe Online for the past four financial years. Budgets for 2009-10 are yet to be determined in relation to my Department’s sponsorship of Get Safe Online. Get Safe Online has agreed to promote relevant internet fraud alerts from the National Fraud Reporting Centre.
Death
(2) how many death certificates included the words (a) legionnaires' disease, (b) self-harm, (c) cataract, (d) tuberculosis, (e) measles, (f) mumps and (g) rubella in the cause of death section in each of the last five years.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
1) How many death certificates included (a) smoking, (b) knife, (c) overweight, (d) anorexia, (e) bulimia and (f) influenza in the cause of death section in each of the last five years. (264116)
2) How many death certificates included (a) Legionnaires' disease, (b) self-harm, (c) cataract, (d) tuberculosis, (e) measles, (f) mumps and (g) rubella in the cause of death section m each of the last five years. (264117)
The accurate reporting of deaths by specific causes depends on the complete recording of all relevant causes of death by medical practitioners and coroners. Medical practitioners are required to complete the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) to the best of their knowledge and belief. Internationally accepted guidance from the World Health Organisation requires only those conditions that contributed directly to death to be recorded, and medical practitioners and coroners are not supposed to record all of the diseases or conditions present at or before death. Whether a condition contributed is a matter for their clinical judgment. The MCCD is not designed to collect information on risk factors or exposures related to the development of disease, such as smoking behaviour.
The tables attached provide the number of deaths where:
1) (a) Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco (b) contact with sharp object, (c) obesity, (d) anorexia nervosa, (e) bulimia nervosa, (f) influenza, or
2) (a) Legionnaires' disease, (b) intentional self-harm, (c) cataract, (d) tuberculosis, (e) measles, (f) mumps and (g) rubella were mentioned on the death certificate, in England and Wales, for 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
The number of deaths due to (1) (a) mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco is not the same as the number of deaths attributable to smoking. The cause of death recorded in the great majority of cases where smoking was a causal factor would be the specific disease, such as lung cancer or ischaemic heart disease, which led to death.
Although there are codes for contact, assault and intentional self-harm by sharp object, there are no specific codes for 'knife1, so these figures are likely to exceed the actual number of deaths involving (1) (b) knives.
Figures for (2) (b) self-harm are likely to be an underestimate, as they exclude any deaths where intent could not be ascertained. These figures do not correspond directly to the statistics published by ONS on suicides.
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco 676 622 614 719 596 Contact with sharp object 160 182 171 164 160 Obesity 888 901 993 1,150 1,203 Anorexia nervosa 26 19 30 35 29 Bulimia nervosa 3 3 3 3 5 Influenza 80 51 57 25 37 Legionnaires' disease 30 38 24 37 38 Intentional self-harm 3,286 3,453 3,316 3,332 3,165 Cataract 19 11 15 15 9 Tuberculosis 641 606 627 633 561 Measles 3 5 0 2 1 Mumps 4 2 1 2 1 Rubella 1 0 0 0 0 1 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised in Table 1, and their corresponding ICD-10 codes, are shown in the box below. Deaths were included where one of these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate. 2 Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. 3 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.
Cause of death ICD-10 code(s) Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco F17 Contact with sharp object X78. X99, Y28 Obesity E66 Anorexia nervosa F50.0, F50.1 Bulimia nervosa F50.2 Influenza J10-J11 Legionnaires' disease A48.1 Intentional self-harm X60-X84 Cataract H25-H26 Tuberculosis A15-A19 Measles BOS Mumps B26 Rubella B06
Departmental Internet
The Real Help Now website brings together information about the range of support available during the economic downturn and makes it easier for people and businesses to access that support.
The development work on the website took less than two weeks and was overseen by the existing Cabinet Office website team, supported by one member of staff on part-time secondment from another government department. One member of the Cabinet Office web team has ongoing responsibility for updates to the website as part of their existing duties.
Departmental Reorganisation
The overall staff costs are not anticipated to increase due to changes in the grading of staff. The reorganisation will deliver substantial efficiency savings and will reduce the overall cost of the unit by approximately £500,000.
The current funded number of staff is 41 full time equivalents, which include four staff provided by the Central Office of Information on a repayment basis. The current plans for restructuring Cabinet Office Communications will see the overall number rise to 45.5 FTE.
The restructuring of Cabinet Office Communications is intended to better align staff resources with the Department’s objectives.
Electoral Register: Northern Ireland
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question asking how many and what proportion of people were registered to vote in each local authority area in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. (264186)
Table 1 shows the number of people who were registered to vote in Local Government elections for each District in Northern Ireland for 1998 to 2007. Table 2 shows the number of people who were registered to vote as a proportion of the resident population aged 18 and over for the same years. The latest year for which estimates of the usually resident population are available by Local Authority is mid-2007.
These proportions should not be interpreted as registration rates as not everyone who is usually resident is entitled to vote, people who have more than one address may register in more than one place and electoral registration officers vary in how quickly they remove people from the registers after they have moved away from an area or died.
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Antrim 31,981 32,379 32,440 32,159 28,215 28,857 27.620 31,589 29,808 31,658 Ards 52,492 53,097 53,569 53,272 48,875 48,561 47,388 52,373 49,231 51,167 Armagh 37,735 38,019 38,135 38,065 35,685 36,257 35,672 39,187 37,184 39,179 Ballymena 42,906 43,010 43,212 43,210 40,191 40,310 39,860 43,350 40,427 42,635 Ballymoney 18,453 18,686 18,914 19,139 18,248 18,392 18.420 20,291 19,170 20,379 Banbridge 28,646 29,149 29,511 29,652 27,899 28,279 27,947 30,731 29,207 30,690 Belfast 190,972 188,921 186,440 181,224 153,870 153,063 144.567 166,483 147,246 158,425 Carrickfergus 26,468 26,606 26,911 26,599 24,014 24,237 23,278 26,050 24,620 25,595 Castlereagh 48,795 48,667 48,361 47,648 42,851 42,367 40.878 44,707 41,387 42,864 Coleraine 38,349 38,570 38,437 38,114 35,087 34,782 34.148 37,425 34,737 36,154 Cookstown 22,590 22,681 22,577 22,687 21,547 21,668 2L150 23,538 21,802 23,347 Craigavon 55,120 55,494 55,737 55,560 51,670 52,104 5L500 56,707 53,950 56,586 Derry 68,322 69,456 69,521 68,790 61,677 61,586 60.012 68,454 61,840 66,422 Down 43,200 43,704 44,025 44,082 40,895 41,068 40,284 44,597 41,783 44,248 Dungannon 33,841 34,150 34,235 34,385 32,121 32,220 31,353 35,040 32,800 34,668 Fermanagh 40,823 41,198 41,275 41,360 39,067 39,482 38,387 42,739 40,169 42,258 Larne 22,645 22,834 22,813 22,362 20,303 20,234 19,814 21,978 20,723 21,472 Limavady 20,506 20,691 20,833 20,935 19,569 19,800 19,507 21,361 19,762 20,825 Lisburn 74,043 74,298 74,327 73,505 65,617 65,177 64,816 72,914 67,699 72,180 Magherafelt 27,012 27,359 27,479 27,538 26,399 26,769 26,218 28,665 27,095 28,656 Moyle 10,972 11,095 11,077 11,044 10,211 10,394 10,297 11,359 10,553 11,159 Newry and Mourne 59,506 60,142 60,561 60,637 55,045 55,848 54,829 61,790 57,389 61,342 Newtownabbey 56,977 57,402 57,490 56,909 50,720 51,211 48,905 54,774 51,141 53,193 North Down 55,446 55,492 55,263 54,873 49,484 49,276 47,734 52,994 49,282 51,501 Omagh 32,356 32,629 32,713 32,441 30,767 30,697 29,232 33,322 30,744 32,934 Strabane 26,241 26,599 26,716 26,526 24,622 24,615 23,855 26,575 24,542 26,154 Source: Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Antrim 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 Ards 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 Armagh 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.9 Ballymena 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Ballymoney 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Banbridge 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Belfast 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.8 Carrickfergus 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 Castlereagh 1,0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 Coleraine 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 Cookstown 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Craigavon 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 Derry 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 Down 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 Dungannon 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Fermanagh 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.9 Lame 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.9 Limavady 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 Lisburn 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 Magherafelt 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Moyle 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 Newry and Mourne 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Newtownabbey 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 North Down 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 Omagh 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 Strabane 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 1 The proportions have been calculated using the mid-year population estimates for local authorities in Northern Ireland of those age 18 and above, and the number of people registered to vote in local government elections on 1 December. Source: Electoral Office for Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.
Government Departments: Information and Communications Technology
(2) how many and what proportion of Government IT systems used (a) open source and (b) proprietary software (i) in total and (ii) in each department as at the end of each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
Details of individual software procurements across Government and of software used in individual Government IT systems are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Higher Civil Servants: Retirement
Of permanent secretaries in post as at 30 September 2008, three will reach the age of 65 (the mandatory retirement age for senior Civil Servants) on or before 6 February 2014.
Ministers: Domestic Visits
The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Official Residences
No former Ministers occupy an official residence.
Project Scope
In respect of information requested concerning the costs associated with the SCOPE programme, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Grieve) on 4 November 2008, Official Report, columns 360-1W.
Public Sector: Public Consultation
The Cabinet Office does not routinely receive any additional Delivery Index data from IPSOS Mori beyond that available on their website; the underlying data can be found here:
http://ipsosmori.com/content/government-delivery-index9.ashx
Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Unemployment: Young People
(2) what proportion of those claiming jobseeker's allowance in (a) Braintree constituency, (b) Essex and (c) England were female in each of the last five years.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many people aged 16-24 were unemployed in (a) Braintree constituency (b) Essex and (c) England in each year since 1997; and what proportion of those claiming Jobseeker's allowance in (a) Braintree constituency (b) Essex and (c) England were female in each of the last 5 years. (264443, 264445)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
Table 1 shows the number of people aged 16-24, resident in Braintree constituency, Essex and England who were unemployed in each year since 1997. Estimates for Braintree parliamentary constituency and for Essex, for the majority of the periods requested, can be derived from APS and annual LFS at the level of geography requested. However, due to the small sample sizes at this level of detail, the estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes and have not been provided.
Estimates for July 2007 to June 2008 have also been provided as this is the most recent for which figures are available.
Table 2 shows the percentage of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance who were female in January of each of the last five years for the geographies requested.
Thousand 12 months ending: Essex England February 1998 — 504 February 1999 — 468 February 2000 — 448 February 2001 — 435 February 2002 — 417 February 2003 14 449 February 2004 — 455 March 2005 — 460 March 2006 — 522 March 2007 — 564 March 2008 — 553 June 20081 ***14 *563 ‘—’ = Figures are disclosive or statistically unreliable. 1Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality below. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV<5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV <10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV <20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes Source: Annual Population Survey/Annual Labour Force Survey
Percentage As at January each year Braintree Essex England 2004 33 29 25 2005 31 29 26 2006 32 29 26 2007 30 29 27 2008 32 30 27 2009 28 28 26 Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative data
Health
Abortion
The NHS Choices web page ‘Abortion: know your options' at:
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Sexualhealth/Pages/Abortionyouroptions.aspx
does include information on counselling. It includes links to several sources of further information, including pages from the Family Planning Association's website which cover both counselling and alternatives to abortion at:
www.fpa.org.uk/Information/Readourinformationbooklets/Pregnantanddontknowwhattodo
Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse
Data for all hospitals on the rate of alcohol-related finished hospital admissions per 1,000 admissions in England for 18 to 21-year-olds are set out in the following table. The data are only available for the period 2002-03 to 2007-08.
Data by university and non-university hospitals are not available.
Alcohol-related admissions of patients aged 18 to 21 Admissions of patients aged 18 to 21 Rate of alcohol-related admissions of patients aged 18 to 21 per 1,000 admissions of patients aged 18 to 21 2002-03 13,207 408,782 32 2003-04 15,188 422,802 36 2004-05 17,243 441,861 39 2005-06 19,524 470,296 42 2006-07 21,758 478,128 46 2007-08 23,054 494,483 47
The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO). Following international best practice, the NWPHO methodology includes a wide range of diseases and injuries in which alcohol plays a part and estimates the proportion of cases that are attributable to the consumption of alcohol. Details of the conditions and associated proportions can be found in the report Jones et al. (2008) Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions.
Cancer: Surgery
The information is not available in the format requested. A table which shows the count of finished consultant episodes for cancer-related prostatectomy, cystectomy and cystoprostatectomy in 2007-08 by trust has been placed in the Library.
Children: Health Services
(2) what steps his Department is taking to provide packages which co-ordinate health, social care and education to meet the needs of children with long-term complex health needs and their families; and if he will make it his policy to improve co-ordination between hospital and community services;
(3) if he will increase the funding his Department provides for community children's nurses to work specifically with children with long-term complex health needs; and if he will make a statement.
Both the Child Health Strategy, ‘Healthy Lives, Brighter Future’, published recently a copy of which has been placed in the Library, and the ‘National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services’, published in 2004, have reiterated our policy of providing coordinated support, as close to home as possible, for children with complex health needs and their families. A copy of the framework has already been placed in the Library. The Children's Continuing Care Framework, which we hope to launch at the end of May, will provide local partners with the tools to provide tailor made packages of care, involving health, social care and education components. We are taking forward a discrete project looking at the benefits and opportunities arising from investment in community children's nursing services.
Dentistry: Registration
(2) what evidence his Department evaluated prior to its endorsement of the General Dental Council's annual fee registration requirement.
The General Dental Council is responsible for setting its fees and the Department has no role in the approval or endorsement of these fees.
There have been no meetings about registration fees for dental care professionals in the past 12 months between the Department's Ministers and the General Dental Council.
Dentistry: Training
The General Dental Council (GDC) has introduced a requirement for dentists and dental care professionals to undertake regular continuing professional development (CPD) to maintain their registration. We have not commissioned research in respect of CPD, but we expect the GDC's requirement to develop into a revalidation scheme where by health professionals would be required to keep up to date with advances in medical and dental science. The White Paper Trust Assurance and Safety—The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century stated:
"In the traditional system for regulating health professionals, once people had qualified and demonstrated that they were fit to practise with patients, their names were placed on the relevant professional register and remained there unless a definite reason came to light for their removal. Public and professional opinion has moved on in the course of this debate, from a position where trust alone was sufficient guarantee of fitness to practise, to one where that trust needs to be underpinned by objective assurance. Public opinion surveys suggest that people expect health professionals to participate in the revalidation of their registration and that many believe this takes place every year."
Departmental Publications
To identify the number of articles appearing in healthcare publications and journals in the last five years that have been funded in whole or in part by the Department and its agencies would incur a disproportionate cost.
To identify the amount of expenditure by the Department and its agencies on articles appearing in healthcare publications and journals in the last five years would incur a disproportionate cost.
Food: Contamination
The number of reported food-borne outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease in England and Wales (1997 to 2007) is provided in the following table.
Number of food-borne outbreaks1 1997 256 1998 152 1999 130 2000 133 2001 109 2002 92 2003 87 2004 74 2005 89 2006 86 2007 49 Total 1,257 1 Data include food-borne outbreaks caused by Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli 0157, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus, Cryptosporidum, Bacillus spp., Giardia lamblia, norovirus, astrovirus and scrombrotoxin. Data include all settings, including all restaurant premises, hotels, shops, residential, schools, hospitals and private establishments. Source: Health Protection Agency (Centre for Infections).
Human Papilloma Virus
(2) if he will increase (a) the amount of funding available for the human papilloma virus sentinel sites implementation project and (b) the number of areas in which triage testing will be made available.
Work on the implementation phase of human papilloma virus (HPV) triage for women with borderline and low-grade abnormalities using HPV testing has begun in six sentinel sites. Decisions on expenditure, further roll-out and evaluation will be made once the results from these sites are known at the end of December 2009.
Influenza: Vaccination
Uptake of the influenza vaccine is collected for those aged 65 and over and those aged under 65 in a clinical at risk group. The Department is unable to provide a figure for the proportion of people aged over 60 years who received the vaccine.
In 2007-08, 73.5 per cent. of people aged 65 and over received the influenza vaccine.
These figures only cover those who received the vaccine as part of the national health service influenza programme. It does not cover those who receive the vaccine privately.
Khat
In March 2005 the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was asked by the then Home Office Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) to assess the extent of the harm posed by khat use in the United Kingdom, to the individual, their communities and to society as a whole.
The ACMD reported in January 2006 and continues to monitor the situation in relation to khat through its Technical Committee.
Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust
I refer the hon. Member to the oral statement given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 18 March 2008, Official Report, columns 909-11.
Multiple Sclerosis: Research
The information requested is shown in the following table.
£ million Department of Health Medical Research Council 1998-99 0.6 n/a 1999-2000 0.5 n/a 2000-01 0.5 1.5 2001-02 0.6 2.1 2002-03 0.1 1.8 2003-04 0.1 1.1 2004-05 0.1 1.4 2005-06 0.8 1.9 2006-07 0.01 3.1 2007-08 0.8 3.6 n/a = Not available
The departmental figures relate to national research programme and, from 2007-08, National Institute for Health Research expenditure. They do not include expenditure in the areas of human health concerned from the research and development allocations made annually over the last 10 years to national health service providers. That information is not held centrally.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support biomedical research. The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
NHS: Finance
The 2007-08 programme budgeting data are being checked prior to their publication shortly on the Department’s website.
(2) at what rate trusts which have NHS funding (a) 1 to 5 per cent. and (b) over 5 per cent. (i) above and (ii) below target funding will be brought towards target funding over the next five financial years; and if he will make a statement.
Primary care trusts' (PCTs) target revenue allocations are made on the basis of a fair funding formula, recommended by the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation, that directs funding towards areas of greatest need.
We are committed to moving all PCTs towards their target allocations as quickly as possible, but this must be balanced with the need to ensure that all PCTs are appropriately supported with stable funding that both supports existing commitments and allows long-term planning, as well as recognising the unavoidable cost pressures that all PCTs face.
The allocations for 2009-10 and 2010-11 achieve this by ensuring that:
average PCT growth is 5.5 per cent. each year;
minimum growth is 5.2 per cent. in 2009-10 and 5.1 per cent. in 2010-11;
no PCT will be more than 6.2 per cent. under target by the end of 2010-11; and
no PCT will move further under target as a result of above average population growth in 2010-11.
Further, we have ensured that the most under-target PCTs will benefit from the highest increases in funding. At the start of 2009-10, the most under-target PCT will be 10.6 per cent. below its target allocation. Over the next two years, that PCTs' allocation will grow by more than 17 per cent. and it will end 2010-11 only 6.2 per cent. below target. This is a significant achievement by historic standards: in 2003-04, the most under-target PCT was 22 per cent. below target.
The rate at which PCTs will move towards their target allocation in future years will need to be considered in light of a number of factors including population changes, cost pressures and the resources available to the national health service.
Compensation for PCTs that have received under-target allocations in the past would be difficult to determine as targets vary over time. It would effectively mean re-opening those allocation rounds, which would undermine stability of NHS funding and so long-term planning. Further, it could be funded only by reducing resources for other PCTs, which may result in painful cuts to services.
Smoking: Yorkshire and the Humber
The information requested is not available centrally.
The information is not available in the format requested. However, data on the number of people setting a quit date and successfully quitting through the National Health Service Stop Smoking Services are available for Barnsley primary care trust (PCT) and Doncaster PCT in 2006-07 and 2007-08 and for Barnsley PCT, Doncaster Central PCT, Doncaster East PCT and Doncaster West PCT for 2004-05 to 2006-07.
Information for 2007-08 is available from the annual Statistics on “NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2007 to March 2008”. This information can be found in table 3.5 on page 28.
Information for 2006-07 is available for both the old and new strategic health authority (SHA) and PCT from the annual Statistics on “NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2006 to March 2007”. This information can be found in table 2.12 (old SHA and PCT configuration) and table 5.4 (new SHA and PCT configuration) on pages 19 and 65 respectively.
Information for 2005-06 is available for both the old SHA and PCTs from the annual Statistics on “NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2005 to March 2006”. This information can be found in table 4.12 on page 38.
Information for 2004-05 is available for both the old SHA and PCTs from the annual “Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2004 to March 2005”. This information can be found in table 19 on page 54.
All of the publications have already been placed in the Library.
Notes:
1. The Information Centre for health and social care collects data from the NHS Stop Smoking Services as part of the NHS Stop Smoking Services quarterly monitoring returns forms, undertaken since 2005 on behalf of the Department.
2. On the basis that the clinical viewpoint tends to be that a client should not be counted as a ‘failure’ if he/she has smoked in the difficult first days after the quit date, a client is counted as having successfully quit smoking if he/she has not smoked at all since two weeks after the quit date. The four-week follow-up (and Carbon Monoxide (CO) validation, if appropriate) must be completed within six weeks of the quit date. Persons not contacted within this time are treated as lost to follow-up for evaluation purposes.
3. Only people who set a quit date through the NHS Stop Smoking Services are included in the quarterly monitoring returns, those who attend the service but do not set a quit date are not included.
Strokes: Health Services
High quality imaging of the brain and blood vessels is a key part of a successful stroke service and the Department issued ‘Implementing the National Stroke Strategy—an imaging guide’ in May 2008 to support local improvement. A copy has been placed in the Library. The 2008 National Sentinel Stroke Audit notes that providing access to magnetic resonance imaging within 24 hours to high risk patients will require a major reorganisation of imaging facilities. The Stroke Improvement Programme (part of NHS Improvement) has been established to support providers and commissioners in implementing the necessary changes to achieve these standards.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Anti-Semitism
My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary signed the London Declaration on combating anti-Semitism in their capacity as parliamentarians.
The London Declaration was signed by 125 parliamentarians from 40 countries.
The Government are committed to combating anti-Semitism wherever and whenever it occurs.
The recent London Conference on combating anti-Semitism, organised by the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism and co-hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, called for the establishment of an international task-force of internet specialists to measure racism and anti-Semitism online and propose international responses.
It also called for the exposure and isolation of governments and politicians engaging in hate against Jews, and urged the EU to address the issue of combating anti-Semitism.
We will work with the Inter-parliamentary Coalition and other partners on follow-up to the London Conference.
Brasilia
Our records indicate that in the period running from the 1 April 2007 to the 31 March 2008, there were four visits by Government Ministers to Brasilia. These were the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Secretary of State for Transport, the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Secretary of State for Health.
Departmental Temporary Employment
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)’s policy on the renewal of temporary contracts follows the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Code. Information can be found on their website:
http://www.civilservicecommissioners.org/Reference_Documents/Recruitment_Code_Reference/
The use and renewal of temporary agency staff is devolved to FCO directorates. They use agency staff when there is a pressing short-term operational need and there are no permanent members of staff available. There is central internal guidance available to directorates on using temporary agency staff.
Exercise
I have been asked to reply.
The Government's 2012 legacy action plan, published in June 2008, sets a cross-Government target to get two million more adults active through sport and physical activity by 2012. The Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and Sport England lead on getting one million people doing more sport. A range of Government Departments will deliver programmes that will increase wider physical activity. These programmes are outlined in the Department of Health's new Physical Activity Plan “Be Active, Be Healthy” published on 11 February 2009. A copy has been placed in the Library.
Sport England's Active People survey will be the measure for the two million target. The baseline for the target will be established using the 2007-08 Active People survey, the results of which were published on 11 December 2008. The target is based on those adults aged 16 and over achieving three sessions of at least 30 minutes of at least moderate intensity activity per week. The target will also be informed by additional data collected on dance, active conservation and gardening from January 2009. A newly established Physical Activity Programme Board, chaired jointly by the Department and DCMS, will oversee the delivery of programmes against the Legacy Action Plan (LAP) target.
The LAP target applies to all adults aged over 16 and “Be Active, Be Healthy” recognises that people with disabilities, ranging from physical and neurological to sensory impairments and learning disabilities are at particular risk from inactivity.
Kenya: Elections
[holding answer 19 March 2009]: The Government have made clear, both privately and publicly through the media, their support for the recommendations made by the independent Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence. The creation of a Special Tribunal to prosecute those responsible for the violence will be an important step in efforts to end impunity and foster healing and reconciliation in Kenya.
Our support for a local independent tribunal is in line with the views of Kofi Annan, the Inquiry’s recommendations and the Kenyan government’s adoption of the recommendations. Such a tribunal, with an international prosecutor and judges and strong witness protection systems, could help rebuild confidence in Kenya’s judiciary and would be a good route to justice for the victims of that violence, and to stopping it from re-occurring. The International Criminal Court in The Hague is another route for seeking justice and would be an alternative option if the creation of a local tribunal failed. But a local solution would be of greater benefit to Kenya in the long term.
Our high commissioner to Kenya has discussed this subject with Kenyan ministers, including the President and Prime Minister, and with MPs and civil society groups.
Redundancy
My answer of 25 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1208-10W, provided a breakdown of total lifetime costs to the Department of early retirements between April 2005 and March 2009. The figures do not represent the value of sums received by staff, which will be lower.
The number of early retirement settlements over the past four years broken down into the categories listed above according to lifetime cost to the Department is:
(a) 30
(b) 23
(c) 46
(d) 29
(e) 63
(f) 2
(g) 0
Torture
[holding answer 17 March 2009]: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s statement of 18 March 2009, Official Report, column 55WS, in which he addressed these allegations and outlined the steps being taken in response to them.
UN World Conference against Racism
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini announced on 5 March 2009 that Italy would not participate in negotiations on the draft outcome document for the Durban Review Conference.
Italy would, however, continue to follow the process and reconsider its position if EU red lines were respected.
The Government have on several occasions expressed its view on the Durban Review Conference, the follow-up to the 2001 World Conference Against Racism. We want the conference to forge a collective will to fight against racism in all its forms, in all countries in the world. It should not be seen as an opportunity to press unrelated political interests and issues.
Canada and Israel have formally withdrawn from the Durban Review Conference. The United States and Italy announced that they would not take part in negotiations on the draft document that was under negotiation, and set conditions for their re-engagement.
This document has now been superseded by an updated version, which was issued on 17 March 2009.
The Government have expressed a consistent view on the Durban Review Conference. We want the conference to forge a collective will to fight against racism in all its forms, in all parts of the world. It should not be seen as an opportunity to press unrelated political interests and issues.
Zimbabwe: Sequestration of Assets
The Government do not consider seizure of the overseas assets of the Government of Zimbabwe an appropriate means of obtaining funds for the payment of pensions of former employees of the Southern Rhodesian Government and other Zimbabwean pensioners. We continue to make representation to the Government of Zimbabwe reminding them of their legal obligations to meet pension liabilities.
Children, Schools and Families
Children: Social Services
The planned expenditure on the Integrated Children's System (ICS) for 2009-10 is £8.7 million. This consists of £5 million for capital grants to local authorities and £3.7 million to cover project costs. ICS investment beyond 2009-10 will be subject to the outcomes of the 2009 Spending Review. Our plans will be informed by the conclusions of the feasibility study of ICS recommended by Lord Laming in his report earlier this month on progress on the protection of children in England.
Children’s Centres
Local authorities are responsible for planning and delivering their Sure Start Children's Centre programmes so that by March 2010 there will be at least 3,500 centres offering access to services for all children under five and their families. The Department's delivery partner, Together for Children, is working with authorities to support them in finalising and delivering their plans for the final phase of the roll-out of centres. The exact number of centres to be delivered between January 2009 and March 2010 is therefore subject to change as local authorities confirm their plans. At 23 February 2009 there were 2,925 designated Sure Start Children's Centres. Local authorities are on track to meet the target for 3,500 centres by March 2010.
Grammar Schools: Kent
As these arrangements are determined and administered locally, we do not hold data centrally on the number of pupils offered such places.
Parents: Advisory Services
(2) how many people have used the Parent Know How programme websites in each quarter since they were established;
(3) how many people have used the Parent Know How (a) instant messaging and (b) SMS service in each quarter since each was established;
(4) how many calls there have been to each Parent Know How helpline in each quarter since their establishment.
An independent evaluation of the Parent Know How programme was commissioned last year to look at the effectiveness of the telephone helpline and the pilot new services under the programme. The evaluation will support decisions we make about which of the pilot services we will continue to fund beyond June 2009. A full report will be published in the late spring.
The information requested about how many people have used the Parent Know How website, instant messaging and SMS services, and how many calls there have been to each helpline, in each quarter since the launch of the programme last year are as follows. Information about the quarter January-March 2009 will not be available until late April:
Quarter April-June 2008 July-September 2008 October-December 2008 Total Services: Got a teenager, thecoupleconnection, Contact a Family, Dad Talk, Dad's Space, Dad's Team, One Space, Netmums, Parent Supporters 26,417 80,215 187,146 293,778
Quarter April-June 2008 July-September 2008 October-December 2008 Total Instant messaging services1: Live Talk 0 209 289 498 SMS services: Ask ACE Relate SMS 434 489 724 1,647 1 Service launched in July 2009
Calls made to telephone helplines April-June 2008 July- September 2008 October- December 2008 Total Advisory Centre for Education 33,395 10,669 14,783 58,847 Children's Legal Centre 4,978 6,752 7,070 18,800 Contact a Family 4,361 6,598 4,575 15,534 Family Rights Group 6,498 5,560 4,211 16,269 Gingerbread 2,544 2,923 2,434 7,901 ParentlinePlus 47,033 40,140 39,266 126,439 YoungMinds 2,501 1,985 2,437 6,923 Total 101,310 74,627 74,776 250,713
Primary Education: Sanitation
(2) what guidance his Department offers primary schools who wish to redesign and rebuild their school toilets and drinking water facilities.
In answer to the first question, the Department offers guidance on the design of toilets in primary schools in the following publications:
The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999, SI No. 2 1999, state the numbers of toilets that should be provided in schools.
Building Bulletin 99 Briefing Framework for Primary School Projects outlines key issues on toilet design.
Primary Ideas, Projects to Enhance Primary School Environments includes a number of ‘design principles' for toilet design.
Building Bulletin 102: Designing for Disabled Children and Children with Special Educational Needs includes guidance on accessible toilets for mainstream and special schools.
Standard Specifications, Layouts and Dimensions SSLD 3: Toilets in Schools sets out standards of performance for toilet facilities and shows how they might be delivered through design examples. The standards were developed for secondary schools and aspects of the guidance apply equally to primary schools.
In answer to the second question, the Department has no plans to issue further guidance on this subject.
The Department offers the following guidance on drinking water provision:
The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 (S11999 No 2), require that ‘A school shall have a wholesome supply of water for domestic purposes including a supply of drinking water' (Part iv, Regulation 22).
The joint DFES/Department of Health's publication National Healthy Schools Status—a Guide for Schools 2005, recommends easy access to free clear palatable drinking water (Section 2, part 2, Healthy eating).
The Department's Building Bulletin No 87: Guidelines for Environmental Design in Schools has a section on hot and cold water supplies.
Pupils: Diabetes
(2) what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of provision of care for children with diabetes (a) in schools and (b) on school trips;
(3) what estimate he has made of the number of children of school age whose diabetic conditions (a) prevent and (b) reduce their attendance at school;
(4) what guidance his Department provides to schools on in school healthcare for children with diabetes;
(5) what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department of Health on healthcare for children with diabetes when in school;
(6) what estimate he has made of the number of children with diabetes who were unable to participate in school trips owing to a lack of healthcare provision during such trips in the last 12 months.
It is for schools and local authorities to support children with medical conditions at schools. The Department has issued guidance to schools to help them support their pupils. Our guidance to schools, “Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings”, issued jointly with the Department of Health in 2005, specifically addresses what schools can do to support pupils with medical needs such as diabetes. It encourages schools and local authorities to develop policies on the management of pupil’s medicines and on supporting pupils with medical needs, taking account of local resources and their various responsibilities. We produced sister guidance in the same year, entitled “Including me: managing complex health needs in schools and early years settings”.
We are taking a number of steps to ensure that pupils with long term medical conditions have access to the help they need to enable them to attend school and participate in school activities.
In April 2007, the Department of Health published a report entitled “Making Every Young Person with Diabetes Matter”, and has convened a group to support the implementation of best practice as set out in the report. The Department for Children, Schools and Families is represented on that group, and also on the sub-group set up to look specifically at support in schools.
Since September 2007 schools have a duty to promote the well-being of all pupils, including those with long term medical conditions. This duty defines well-being as the five outcomes of Every Child Matters, including being healthy and staying safe.
Most recently, the “Child Health Strategy, Better Health: Brighter Futures”, published on 12 February this year, announced that we will be revising the guidance to schools on managing medicines which will include clear statements of expectations of those involved in supporting pupils with medical conditions, such as schools and PCTs. Our intention is that this work will be done in consultation with expert organisations, such as Diabetes UK, and will be supported with an awareness raising campaign.
Teachers: Enfield
The National College for School Leadership began recording such data centrally in 2003. Since then 547 members of school staff from the Enfield local authority have engaged with the college. 122 of these did not provide information about the nature of their role within their school and although we cannot be certain that they have a teaching role, it is likely that most of them do.
International Development
Afghanistan: Roads
On 3 March, I announced a £50 million increase in funding to Afghanistan, including £32 million for infrastructure projects in Helmand.
The UK currently supports the construction and maintenance of roads through the infrastructure component of the Afghan Government’s Helmand Agricultural and Rural Development Programme (HARDP). The Department for International Development (DFID) contributes £30 million to support HARDP (2006-07 to 2008-09).
These programmes are delivered by the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in close co-ordination with the International Security Assistance Forces (which include UK forces) and Afghan military forces.
The design phase for DFID’s continued support to rural development in Helmand is under way, including an impact assessment of infrastructure projects completed under HARDP. Until this assessment is completed we cannot predict what shape future support to the infrastructure sector will take.
DFID has four staff involved with the infrastructure elements of HARDP programming.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Overseas Aid
[holding answer 11 March 2009]: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains in the grip of a severe and prolonged humanitarian crisis, with 1.2 million people displaced by conflict in the east of the country, millions remaining food insecure and vulnerable to disease and natural disasters. However, the overall security situation in eastern DRC has improved over recent months. The end of hostilities and the integration into the national army of the CNDP militia (predominantly Rwandan militia group) since January has reduced barriers to humanitarian access in large areas of North Kivu, in turn allowing aid to reach those most in need. The longer-term humanitarian impact of joint DRC and Rwandan army operations against another militia group, the FDLR (former Rwandan Hutu forces) remains uncertain and the humanitarian community remains prepared to deal with any consequences that arise.
In the north of DRC, in Province Orientale, an ongoing joint DRC/Ugandan military operation which started in December against the Ugandan Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels has provoked widespread reprisals against the population by the LRA. This has generated humanitarian and protection needs for the population. MONUC have increased their military presence in the area in order to mitigate the humanitarian impact.
Departmental Bank Services
The Department for International Development (DFID) has not held contracts for the provision of financial advice with any banks for the financial year 2008-09.
Departmental Conditions of Employment
A copy of the Department for International Development's (DFID's) local Pay Determination Guidance, together with a copy of the Minimum Employment Standards for locally engaged staff (known as Staff Appointed in Country), will be placed in the Library.
Both documents are currently under review following a recent agreement between DFID and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to bring the pay scales and other terms and conditions of service of our respective locally engaged staff into greater alignment.
Departmental Consultants
The Department for International Development (DFID) does not retain a central record of contracts awarded to former DFID employees on a consultancy basis. To provide this information would incur disproportionate cost. DFID has strict rules and guidance on the engagement of former DFID employees as consultants.
Departmental Databases
The Department for International Development's (DFID) intranet, known as InSight, contains a wide range of information for staff. Information is grouped under the following categories:
About DFID;
Policy and strategy;
Peoplesight (HR policies, processes and systems);
Learningsight (staff learning and development);
Rules and guidance;
Travel; Office facilities;
Information Resources.
Departmental ICT
The Department for International Development (DFID) contracted Allegis to provide a temporary tester from the 13 to 30 November 2007.
DFID cannot comment on the salary costs as the temporary tester was not an employee. The value of the contract was £4,690, inclusive of management service fees. There were no other costs of employment payable under this contract.
The Terms of Reference for this engagement included drafting test scripts, conducting testing and report writing for a number of projects and desktop packages.
The temporary tester produced a range of outputs which included, test scripts, documentation of test results and test reports.
The Department for International Development (DFID) contracted IT Works Recruitment to provide a Systems Accountant from 6 August 2007 to 31 March 2008.
DFID cannot comment on the salary costs as the Systems Accountant was not an employee. The initial contract value was £91,450. However, the contract was reviewed after three months and it was agreed that the remainder of the work would be undertaken in-house. The actual date of the appointment was 20 August to 30 November. The total cost over this period was £25,250 plus £4,927 expenses.
The Terms of Reference for the appointment included developing coexistence procedures and error handling mechanisms between legacy systems and the new ARIES system. The Systems Accountant documented coexistence procedures, reconciliation procedures, error reporting and took investigative/corrective action to resolve data quality issues.
Departmental Internet
The information requested is as follows:
Month Page views Unique visitors February 2009 41,639 26,608 January 2009 39,772 24,635 December 2008 32,646 19,895 November 2008 39,504 26,765 October 2008 34,251 20,586 September 2008 35,525 21,831 August 2008 36,429 20,576 July 2008 42,994 27,453 June 2008 34,934 20,483 May 2008 29,323 15,670 April 2008 28,008 16,315 March 2008 26,648 15,823
Month Page views Unique visitors February 2009 23,841 10,546 January 2009 23,393 10,225 December 2008 17,014 7,429 November 2008 25,358 10,405 October 2008 31,224 11,410 September 2008 21,447 8,256 August 2008 19,678 6,684 July 2008 27,959 7,483 June 2008 18,535 7,387 May 2008 21,301 8,483 April 2008 28,687 9,646 March 2008 34,814 4,771
Departmental Manpower
The current Human Resources Director is a full-time employee of the Department for International Development (DFID). He receives a salary within the range prescribed by the Cabinet Office (£81,600 pa to £160,000 pa) for staff filling posts at director level.
The appointment of an Interim HR Manager, using a professional agency, meant that the appointment could be made at very short notice. It provided professional leadership during a period of restructuring, and also allowed the Department time to make a permanent appointment through a high quality search and selection process.
The interim human resources (HR) manager had extensive professional experience in a range of senior positions in private sector organisations, including financial services, retail and pharmaceutical companies.
The Commercial Development and Growth Specialist (CDGS) was not an employee of DFID. A contract for this work was awarded to Enterprise Partnership Ltd. for the period 1 May 2007 to 31 October 2008. The CDGS worked 156 days in 2007 at a cost of £65,470, which includes fees and reimbursable expenses.
The Economic Adviser to the EC was a consultant funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) and located in the EC Delegation Rwanda.
(a) The dates of the contract were July 2007 to December 2008.
(b) The total fees for the full 17-month contract were £103,563.
(c) Other total costs for the contract period were £23,139.
(d) The job description was to contribute to the effective implementation of EC budgetary support and related economic programmes and to the sustainable creation of capacity to manage these programmes in future.
(e) The work outputs related to budget support management, policy dialogue, economic management, and aid harmonisation.
The Department for International Development (DFID) contracted Allegis to provide a project manager for the Laptop Refresh project from 6 August 2007 to the 31 March 2008.
DFID cannot comment on salary costs as the project manager was not an employee. The value of the contract was £72,000 plus £5,000 expenses.
The Terms of Reference for this engagement included management of the project to replace DFID's existing laptops.
The project manager produced standard project management documentation which included project brief, project initiation document, project plan and regular progress reports. Other outputs included a fully tested laptop that represented value for money.
The Department for International Development (DFID) contracted Allegis to provide an interim Business Analyst from 13 August 2007 to 30 September 2008.
DFID cannot comment on salary costs as the Business Analyst was not an employee. The initial contract value was £46,750. A further extension took the total value to £105,226 inclusive of management service fees. There were no other costs of employment payable under this contract.
The Terms of Reference for this engagement included business analysis, benefits realisation, information needs analysis, business process definition, requirements capture and promotion of industry best practice.
The Business Analyst produced a range of outputs which included Requirements documentation, Use Case and Workflow Diagrams, Test Scripts and associated project management documentation.
Mr. Bohr was contracted by the Department for International Development (DFID) for the period 15 September 2007 to 2 May 2008 to carry out work on the project titled "Information on EU Development Assistance". The total cost of this contract was £46,229. The key objectives were to produce an EU Blue Book, accompanying CD Rom and an interactive, online tool to collect data on EU development assistance.
Details of staff employment at the Department for International Development are published in the Department’s Annual Report which is available in the Library of the House and online:
www.dfid.gov.uk
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
The Department for International Development’s (DFID) 2007 Health and Education Advisers retreat was:
(a) held at the Robinson Executive Centre, Wyboston Lakes, Wyboston, Bedfordshire;
(b) it took place from 6 to 9 February 2007;
(c) the retreat brought together DFID health and education advisers, and development academics, for professional development and to agree forward policy and operational priorities in health, education and HIV/AIDS, including in relation to DFID’s 2006 White Paper “Eliminating world poverty: making governance work for the poor”;
(d) there were approximately 85 attendees and 17 speakers and guests;
(e) and the total costs that were funded via HLSP were £57,700
Departmental Pay
The Department for International Development paid nine members of staff more than £100,000 (including non-consolidated performance pay) in 2007-08.
Departmental Public Expenditure
The cost of one Minister and 10 officials attending the Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in September 2008 was £50,072. This comprises:
£ Business class flights 44,484 Accommodation 3,035 Other expenses 2,553