Written Answers to Questions
Friday 3 July 2009
Business, Innovation and Skills
Broadband
(2) what steps he plans to take to assist households in the UK which cannot access broadband services.
The Digital Britain Final Report, published on 16 June, set out the Government’s plans to provide a Universal Service Commitment for broadband at a speed of 2Mbps, and the Government will invest approximately £200 million of public funds to support this. The Government will establish an arm’s length body, the Network Design and Procurement Group, who will be responsible for the procurement and delivery of this commitment.
This Department has not allocated central funding for expansion of high-speed broadband in the next three years. The Digital Britain Final Report, published on 16 June, set out the Government’s plans to ensure the delivery of high-speed broadband which includes a 50p levy per month on all fixed telephone lines to create a Next General Fund to ensure that high speed broadband reaches the Final third of the country that the market alone will not deliver to.
[holding answer 24 June 2009]: Rural households connected to broadband speeds of at least 2Mbps can expect to benefit from improved access to public and government services offered online. They will also benefit from the opportunity to access a wider range of goods and services than before, some of which may not be available in the high street, and at potentially lower prices. Further, connection to 2Mbps broadband will help to reduce the risk to rural households of social exclusion.
The Department is committed to publishing a full impact assessment containing estimates of the expected costs and benefits once the procurement process has taken place.
Broadband: East of England
This Department does not hold records in regard to the number of companies which offer high-speed broadband services in (a) Mid Bedfordshire and (b) the Eastern region in each year since 1997.
This Department has not allocated central funding for expansion of high-speed broadband usage in (a) Mid Bedfordshire and (b) the Eastern region since 1997.
As the hon. Member may already be aware, in the Budget on 22 April the Chancellor confirmed the Government’s commitment to delivering a universal service for broadband at a speed of 2 megabits per second, by no later than 2012. In the Digital Britain report, we will set out in greater detail our plan of how the universal service commitment might work and we will be publishing the report very shortly.
This Department has made no recent steps to ensure competitiveness among high-speed broadband providers specifically in Mid Bedfordshire. However, through Ofcom, the Government have ensured that the majority of consumers across the country benefit from competition in the broadband market by ensuring wholesale access to the BT Openreach network, and the Local Loop Unbundling of BT Exchanges.
The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in both the Libraries of the House.
Broadband: Essex
The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
This Department does not hold records in regard to the numbers of companies which offer high speed broadband services in Essex and Castle Point in each year since 1997.
Broadband: Merseyside
This Department does not hold records in regard to the number of companies which offer high-speed broadband usage in (a) Crosby and (b) Merseyside in each year since 1997.
Broadband: Milton Keynes
The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
This Department has not allocated central funding for expansion of high-speed broadband to Milton Keynes. The Digital Britain Final Report, published on 16 June, set out the Government’s plans to ensure the delivery of high-speed broadband which includes a 50p levy per month on all fixed telephone lines to create a Next Generation Fund to ensure that high-speed broadband reaches the final third of the country that the market alone will not deliver to.
Broadband: Rural Areas
The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Business: Government Assistance
(2) how many loans he estimates will be taken out under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme in the next 12 months; and what estimate he has made of the average value of such loans.
The Enterprise Finance Guarantee, Capital for Enterprise Fund and the Working Capital Scheme were announced under the Real Help with Finance package on 14 January.
Since its launch on 14 January, the Enterprise Finance Guarantee has nearly £495 million of eligible applications from 4,420 firms that have been granted, are being processed or assessed.
With respect to £75 million "Capital for Enterprise" equity scheme the appointed fund managers have received serious proposals seeking a total of around £100 million of investment.
The appointed fund managers have so far made offers totalling nearly £11 million to eight businesses. Three businesses have accepted the terms of the funding offered with a total value of £2.4 million. The fund managers are continuing due diligence on the further proposals that have been put forward.
The Working Capital Scheme is not available directly to businesses. The scheme enables participating banks to increase the amount of working capital they can make available to businesses.
The Department records information on the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and Capital for Enterprise Fund on a regional basis, including the East of England. It does not hold the information at the level requested and it could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Set out in the tables is the information for East of England since the launch of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and Capital for Enterprise Fund on 14 January:
Number Value (£ million) Eligible Applications 427 38 Loans Offered 397 35.4 Loans drawn 258 24.7
Capital for Enterprise Fund Number of inquiries 44 Investment required (£ million) 38.5 Number of inquiries at advanced stage of processing 2 Value of inquiries under consideration (£ million) 4.0
The fund managers are continuing due diligence on the proposals that have been put forward.
The Department records information on the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and Capital for Enterprise Fund on a regional basis, including the East of England. It does not hold the information at the level you request and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Set out in the following tables is the information for East of England since the launch of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and Capital for Enterprise Fund on 14 January:
Number Value (£ million) Eligible applications 427 38 Loans offered 397 35.4 Loans drawn 258 24.7
Capital for Enterprise Fund Number of inquiries 44 Investment required (£ million) 38.5 Number of inquiries at advanced stage of processing 2 Value of inquiries under consideration (£ million) 4.0
The fund managers are continuing due diligence on the proposals that have been put forward.
Cabinet: Glasgow
For information relating to the Cabinet and public engagement event held in Glasgow on 16 April I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on Wednesday 3 June 2009, Official Report, column 487W.
Credit: Insurance
Take-up is demand-led as it depends on the number of credit limit reductions in the private sector. We publish information on scheme take-up on a monthly basis. In May, the first month in which the scheme was operational, there were 13 policies written, to a value of £718,000.
Demos
Central records indicate that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills currently has no contracts with the think-tank Demos.
Departmental Business Plans
The publication process for a BIS business plan has not yet been agreed. Decisions will be taken over the summer to fully integrate and align priorities for the new Department, which will then be set out in a new business plan document.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
For the period 2006-07 the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from road-based transport for admin operations was 393 tonnes equivalent to 0.12 tonnes per full-time member of staff.
For the period 2007-08 the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from road-based transport for admin operations was 349 tonnes equivalent to 0.10 tonnes per full-time member of staff.
These figures are for the main Department only and do not include the Department's agencies.
For the period 2006-07 the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from air travel was 4,469 tonnes equivalent to 1.4 tonnes per full-time member of staff.
For the period 2007-08 the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from air travel was 5,933 tonnes equivalent to 1.7 tonnes per full-time member of staff.
These figures are for the main Department only and do not include the Department's agencies.
Departmental Correspondence
The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members’ correspondence. The report for 2008 was published on 2 April 2009, Official Report, columns 80-86WS.
Departmental Data Protection
Under the mandatory requirements of the Data Handling Report published on 25 June 2008 Departments are required to give a summary report on data breaches reported to the Information Commissioner in their annual resource accounts.
The Department for Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has reported on personal data breaches in the 2007-08 annual resource account and this can be found at:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/aboutus/corporate/performance/annual-spending/page47093.html
We will be publishing information on personal data security breaches reported to the Information Commissioner for the 2008-09 reporting year before Parliament rises in July. I am however, pleased to report that there were no losses of personal protected data reported to Information Commissioners Office in 2008-09.
Departmental Electricity
I would refer the hon. Member to the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) reports in which central Government Departments publicly reported on the data requested. The most recent report can be found at:
http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/sdig2008/.
Departmental Expenditure
The creation of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills brings together the estimates for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Figures for 2009-10 and 2010-11 are available in the supplementary budgetary information (SBI). The summation of the resource budget for DIUS and BERR is £19.9 billion for 2009-10 and £20.0 billion for 2010-11. The summation of the capital budget for DIUS and BERR is £8.3 billion for 2009-10 and £7.2 billion for 2010-11. Budgets beyond 2010-11 have not yet been determined.
The costs of setting up the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are ongoing and the processes will take some time to complete. Costs of establishing the new Department will be published as a note to the annual report and accounts in 2010.
The costs of setting up the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have not been finalised and the processes will take some time to complete. Costs of establishing the new Department will be published as a note to the annual report and accounts in 2010.
Departmental Internet
The domains in question were registered on the following dates:
www.berr.gov.uk—29 June 2007
www.dius.gov.uk—27 June 2007
www.bis.gov.uk—11 June 2009
Departmental Marketing
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills brought together the science, innovation, higher and further education agendas together for the first time.
In order to promote the new Department, it spent a total of £171,441. This included two events for stakeholders and delivery partners, a leaflet to explain the training offer for businesses and the inclusions of DIUS stands and publicity at key events for employers and universities.
In addition the Department spent £953,911 on the creation of a new website. This included the design of both an initial website launched shortly after the creation of the Department and a later improved version. This total covers the purchase of hosting and content management system as well as project management and content migration (i.e. staff) costs.
As well as promoting the Department these activities were also used to inform employers and individuals of the support services it funds to help them. These continue to be managed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Departmental Marketing
The costs of setting up the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are ongoing and the processes will take some time to complete. Costs of establishing the new Department will be published as a note to the Annual Report and Accounts in 2010.
Departmental Official Hospitality
[holding answer 12 May 2009]: Central financial records indicate that the following was spent by the former BERR on events management, including spend with external providers:
£ 2008-09 1,587,402.08 2007-08 4,064,306.91 2006-07 1,355,389.54
These figures are taken from the Department’s finance system and may cover a wider range of expenditure than requested in the question.
Departmental Publications
We expect that the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills' Departmental Annual Report will be published in early July. DIUS's Departmental Annual Report was originally due to be published on 12 June. Following the Machinery of Government changes on 5 June, and in consultation with HM Treasury, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills decided to delay publication so that minor redrafting could be undertaken to reflect those changes.
Departmental Publicity
The costs of setting up the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are ongoing and the processes will take some time to complete. Costs of establishing the new Department will be published as a note to the Annual Report and Accounts in 2010.
Departmental Recycling
I refer the hon. Member to the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) reports in which central Government Departments publicly reported on the data requested. The most recent report can be found at:
http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/sdig2008/.
Departmental Reorganisation
The Machinery of Government changes of 5 June 2009 announced the creation of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) through the merger of the former Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
It is not possible at this stage to give an estimate of the costs involved in establishing the new Department; however, all costs will be covered from the existing budgets of the two former Departments. There will be no new money available.
There will be costs covering re-branding, and some limited cost as senior officials and Ministers move to the former BERR building at 1 Victoria Street.
Some staff from the former DIUS already share a building managed by the former BERR, and the two have the same IT supplier. Over the longer term there will be opportunities to rationalise the estate and make savings.
The processes of setting up the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are ongoing and will take some time to complete.
The costs of setting up the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are ongoing and the processes will take some time to complete. The costs will be met from within existing resources. The costs of establishing the new Department will be published as a note to the Annual Report and Accounts in 2010.
The cost of setting up the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills in June 2007 was met within the existing departmental budgets of the former Department for Education and Skills (now Department for Children, Schools and Families) and the former Department for Trade and Industry.
Departmental Responsibilities
The Secretary of State chairs MISC 33 (the Ministerial Committee on the Post Office network). A revised Cabinet Committee list will be published shortly.
This will be decided in due course.
Digital Broadcasting
[holding answer 19 June 2009]: We have recognised that those on the lowest incomes might have difficulty paying the fixed line levy and that is why we have confirmed that those on social telephony schemes will be exempt. The social telephony schemes are available to those on income support, income-based Job Seeker's Allowance, Employment Support Allowance (income-rated) or Guaranteed Pensions Credit and should be an accurate indication of ability to pay. We have no plans for additional exemptions from the levy.
[holding answer 23 June 2009]: In the Digital Britain report, the Government estimated that a supplement of 50p per month can be expected to raise £150 million-£175 million a year for the Next Generation Fund.
Digital Technology: Conferences
[holding answer 11 May 2009]: As we set out in the Interim Digital Britain report we have held a number of summits and public meetings. The total cost to the Government of holding events in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast was £59,798. The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform contributed £34,507.
Employment Agencies: Conditions of Employment
The Pay and Work Rights helpline was launched on 18 May 2009. No prosecutions of employment agencies have been taken forward in respect of a complaint received by the new helpline yet.
Successful prosecutions of employment agencies were secured in January and June 2009 as a result of complaints made to the Employment Agency Standards (EAS) helpline before its transfer.
Export Credit Guarantees
(2) what steps are being taken by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to provide Government support for short-term trade finance for exports.
[holding answer 13 May 2009]: Since the start of 2009, the Government have introduced a number of initiatives which will provide real help to exporters, as well as other businesses, during the current economic downturn. These have included the Working Capital Scheme, and ECGD is currently consulting on proposals for a Letter of Credit Guarantee Scheme. The Government are considering other measures to provide real help to UK exporters, including a possible export trade credit insurance scheme along the lines of that announced for domestic business in the Budget which will address the cash flow, credit and investment needs of businesses.
Higher Education: Admissions
The Government do not collect data on the number of people resident in a particular area who are not in higher education. Therefore, it is not possible to calculate what proportion of people resident in North West Cambridgeshire constituency, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, the East of England, or Huntingdonshire entered university in each of the last 10 years.
The numbers of entrants to higher education from North West Cambridgeshire constituency, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, the East of England, Huntingdonshire and England, in each of the last 10 years, are shown as an alternative in the tables.
Figures for the 2008-09 academic year will be available in January 2010.
Academic year North West Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire Peterborough 1998-99 795 5,775 1,215 1999-2000 810 5,945 1,175 2000-01 725 5,555 1,120 2001-02 885 6,040 1,245 2002-03 865 6,045 1,195 2003-04 930 6,100 1,280 2004-05 955 6,365 1,395 2005-06 955 6,305 1,300 2006-07 875 6,225 1,205 2007-08 1,035 5,530 1,395 1 Covers undergraduate and postgraduate entrants to full-time and part-time courses. 2 Parliamentary constituency and local authority are defined by full and valid home postcodes recorded on the HESA student record. Note: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December and are rounded to the nearest five. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
Academic year East of England Huntingdonshire England 1998-99 47,510 1,415 516,930 1999-2000 48,655 1,505 515,565 2000-01 48,740 1,350 516,750 2001-02 52,035 1,535 548,000 2002-03 52,915 1,525 570,695 2003-04 54,695 1,555 578,790 2004-05 54,295 1,505 579,200 2005-06 55,295 1,540 598,745 2006-07 52,905 1,575 575,085 2007-08 55,590 1,590 589,055 1 Covers undergraduate and postgraduate entrants to full-time and part-time courses. 2 Government region and census district are defined by full and valid home postcodes recorded on the HESA student record. Note: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December and are rounded to the nearest five. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) published ‘Young participation in higher education’ in January 2005, which is available from the HEFCE website at
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05_03/
The HEFCE report shows participation rates for young people who enter higher education aged 18 or 19 disaggregated by parliamentary constituency, local education authority and region for the years 1997 to 2000.
At national level, the Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) covers English-domiciled 17 to 30-year-old first-time entrants to higher education courses, at UK higher education institutions and English, Scottish and Welsh further education colleges, who remain on their course for at least six months. The latest available figure is 43 per cent. in 2007-08.
Higher Education: Anti-Semitism
This Department has set up a group on anti-Semitism and Higher Education to facilitate discussions between the Jewish community and higher education stakeholders, which I chair. We see this group as playing an important role in helping to tackle anti-Semitism in higher education. The first meeting took place in April and resulted in practical actions to be taken forward by higher education stakeholders and Jewish Community representatives working collaboratively.
London Development Agency: Manpower
The London Development Agency is primarily accountable to the Mayor of London, and the Government do not collect detailed information on its organisational structure.
Ministerial Responsibility
Lord Davies of Abersoch is the Minister for Trade, Investment and Business. He reports jointly to the Business Secretary and Foreign Secretary in respect of UK Trade and Investment, but this is not a matter of dividing time between two Departments, as UK T&I is a joint operation.
Network Design and Procurement Group
As set out in the Digital Britain report, the Government will by the end of October this year, seek to recruit a CEO for the Network Design and Procurement Group with network, procurement, delivery and management skills. The recruitment will follow standard procedures for public appointments.
[holding answer 23 June 2009]: Recruitment of the CEO for the Network Design and Procurement Group is the priority and an important role for the CEO will be to advise on and recruit people for the group with the skills required to deliver the Universal Service Commitment. I hope that the appointment process will be complete during the autumn.
Phorm
It is not the Government's policy to publish such correspondence. Publication of these letters has already been sought by members of the public under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Each request has been refused, and this position has not changed.
In April 2008, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) issued a statement on the use of Phorm under UK law:
http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/pressreleases/2008/new_phorm_statement_040408.pdf.
A further Government statement was issued on 16 September 2008 (as follows).
Since the latter statement was released, neither this Department nor its predecessor Departments have received any further representations on the compliance of Phorm's technology.
The Government statement of September 2008 was as follows:
The UK is committed to providing a high level of consumer protection. We take our community obligations very seriously especially in the area of data protection and e-privacy. The possible future use of Phorm technology has raised material concerns in this area and the UK authorities are working to ensure that if it is introduced into the market for internet based advertising services, this is done in a lawful, appropriate and transparent fashion.
After conducting its inquiries with Phorm the UK authorities consider that Phorm's products are capable of being operated in this fashion on the following basis:
the user profiling occurs with the knowledge and agreement of the customer;
the profile is based on a unique ID allocated at random which means that there is no need to know the identity of the individual users;
Phorm does not keep a record of the actual sites visited;
search terms used by the user and the advertising categories exclude certain sensitive terms and have been widely drawn so as not to reveal the identity of the user;
Phorm does not have nor want information which would enable it to link a user ID and profile to a living individual;
users will be presented with an unavoidable statement about the product and asked to exercise a choice about whether to be involved; and
users will be able to easily access information on how to change their mind at any point and are free to opt in or out of the scheme.
Future developments involving Phorm will be closely scrutinised and monitored by the enforcement authorities.
Post Offices: Bank Services
Post Office Ltd. currently plays a vital role providing access to financial services through its national network of around 11,500 branches. It already offers an extensive range of financial services products including savings, insurance, mortgages, credit cards, and over 1,600 free-to-use cash machines providing further access to cash across the network.
We are keen for Post Office Ltd. to increase its financial services offering using its unrivalled network to put a wider range of services within reasonable reach of the whole UK population.
Post Offices: Closures
This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have, therefore, asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL to reply directly to the hon. Member.
Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Regeneration: Bournemouth
[holding answer 22 June 2009]: South West of England Regional Development Agency has no funding allocated for the regeneration of Shelley Manor, Bournemouth.
Regional Development Agencies
[holding answer 1 June 2009]: Each regional development agency (except the London Development Agency—see table) participates in two statutory over-arching strategies: the regional economic strategy (RES) and the regional spatial strategy. The aim of the RES is to improve economic performance and enhance regional competitiveness, addressing market failures that prevent sustainable economic development, regeneration and business growth. It is drawn up and kept under review by the RDA.
The RSS (which incorporates a regional transport strategy) provides a spatial framework to inform the preparation of land-use programmes. It takes into account provision for new housing; priorities for the environment; transport, infrastructure, economic development, agriculture, minerals extraction and waste treatment and disposal.
RDAs may also lead the development of non-statutory strategies with regional partners. Examples of these are listed in the table.
Following the Government’s 2007 Sub-National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration, RDAs are working with local authorities to prepare development of integrated regional strategies, replacing the current regional economic strategy and regional spatial strategy. The Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Bill will enact this. The London Development Agency, working with the GLA, has its own arrangements in this matter.
The following table lists non-statutory strategies by region:
RDA Regional strategies AWM Examples of external strategies that help deliver the RES are shown as follows. These are augmented by a series of tactical internal strategies and plans which relate to AWM’s main areas of responsibility. Regional Marketing Strategic Framework International Business Action Plan Skills Action Plan West Midlands Manufacturing Support Strategy Regional Visitor Economy Strategy EEDA Regional Business Support Strategy Regional Women’s Enterprise Strategy Regional Higher-level Skills Strategy Regional Strategic Framework for Manufacturing 2007-12 Regional Adult Skills and Employment Strategy Regional Social Strategy Emda Underpinning the RES and RSS are a number of sector based strategies and action plans that contain the activities required to implement the vision and aims of the two statutory strategies: East Midlands Innovation Strategy and Action Plan 2007-11 East Midlands Business Support Strategy 2008-11 East Midlands Tourism Strategy 2003-10 Employment Skills and Productivity Partnership Action Plan Regional Energy Strategy Regional Transport Strategy LDA As part of London’s unique governance arrangements, the Mayor of London produces a number of statutory and non statutory strategies, including the London Plan, the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy. As a functional body of the Greater London Authority, the London Development Agency is involved to varying degrees in the development and delivery of the majority of these strategies. NWDA NW Regional Housing Strategy ONE ONE and the region’s local authorities have developed action plans to take forward the delivery of the RES and the Regional Spatial Strategy. ONE has worked with partners to develop the following: Regional Employment and Skills Strategy Regional Enterprise Strategy Regional Innovation Strategy Regional International Trade Strategy Regional Digital Strategy Regional Housing Strategy North East Environment Strategy North East Tourism Strategy Additionally, ONE has developed ‘mini’ strategies in relation to low carbon vehicles, off-shore wind power and printable plastic technologies in response to the Government’s New Industry, New Jobs agenda. SEEDA Partner organisation sector based strategies which SEEDA participates in include two South East NHS Trust strategies for action on health, to achieve a healthy work force best placed to deliver smart growth. SWERDA Regional Skills Strategy Regional Enterprise Strategy Regional Innovation Strategy South West International Trade Strategy YF In addition to delivering the Regional Economic Strategy and the Integrated Regional Strategy that will replace it, Yorkshire Forward works with partners to join up other strategies to the RES in the interests of integration and effectiveness. These are listed as follows: Regional Innovation Strategy Regional Visitor Economy Strategy Regional Housing Strategy Regional Cultural Strategy Regional Major Events Strategy Yorkshire Gold Strategy (relating to the 2012 Olympics) Regional Forestry Strategy
Regional Development Agencies: Finance
The RDAs' investment budgets are their Capital budgets. Changes were made to the RDAs' Capital budgets to take account of the following Government initiatives:
HomeBuy Direct: RDAs' contribution was £25 million (2009-10);
Fiscal Stimulus: RDAs bringing forward £100 million of their regeneration projects from 2010-11 to 2009-10; and
Capital for Enterprise Fund: RDAs' contribution of £10 million in 2009-10.
The following table shows how individual RDA Capital budgets, given to them as indicative allocation following the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 Settlement, were affected in 2009-10 by the above initiatives. All figures are in £ million.
Indicative Allocation RDA Capital Budgets (£ million) Change (£ million) Advantage West Midlands 136 16 East of England Development Agency 57 4 East Midlands Development Agency 75 1 London Development Agency 186 -6 North West Development Agency 191 14 One North East 124 6 South East England Development Agency 68 4 South West Regional Development Agency 70 7 Yorkshire Forward 148 18
Regional Development Agencies: Mass Media
The table shows organisations that have provided media monitoring services to RDAs and the RDA National Secretariat in the last three years.
RDA Media monitoring services Cost (£) 2008-09 AWM Haven Research 27,952 EEDA TNS; EDS Media (now Precise) 9,000 EMDA EDS Media (now Precise) 29,004 LDA1 Speedex, Newsping 18,000 NWDA Cision 21,824 ONE EDS Media (now Precise) 35,291 SEEDA Cision, Meltwater, Durrants, Newsping, Precise 19,884 SWRDA TNS; Durrants 33,036 YF TNS; EDS Media (now Precise) 24,876 RDA Secretariat Meltwater 4,738 2007-08 AWM Haven Research 20,467 EEDA Cision; Magenta; Metrica 20,000 EMDA EDS Media (now Precise) 19,999 LDA1 Speedex, Newsping 9,210 NWDA Cision 14,441 ONE TNS; Meltwater 32,154 SEEDA Cision, Meltwater, Durrants, Newsping, Precise 26,811 SWRDA TNS; Durrants; Newsping 36, 544 YF TNS; EDS Media (now Precise) 21,385 RDA Secretariat Meltwater 4,353 2006-07 AWM Haven Research 15,807 EEDA Cision; Magenta 19,000 EMDA Romeike 41,472 LDA1 Speedex, Newsping 5,437 NWDA Cision 21,864 ONE TNS; Meltwater 18,864 SEEDA Cision, Meltwater, Durrants, Newsping, Precise 24,819 SWRDA TNS; Durrants; Newsping 27,152 YF TNS; EDS Media (now Precise) 30,014 RDA Secretariat Meltwater 3,520 1 During the period 2006-07 to 2008-09 the LDA also made an annual contribution towards the GLA Group In-House cuttings service of approximately £75,000 per annum.
Rover Group
[holding answer 2 July 2009]: The inspectors delivered their report on 11 June 2009. It will be for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to consider its findings and next steps.
Children, Schools and Families
Departmental Carbon Emissions
The Department for Children, Schools and Families makes an annual report to the Sustainable Development Commission on carbon dioxide emissions from offices as part of their returns for the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) report.
From the 2007 and 2008 SDiG reports—available in full under ‘Publications’ at:
http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/
—carbon dioxide emissions for the office estate was reported as (a) 10,321 tonnes in 2006-07 and (b) 12,316 tonnes in 2007-08 which equated to (aii) 1.705 tonnes per full-time equivalent and (bii) 1.789 tonnes per full-time equivalent.
Grants for Education Support and Training
The answer to the question is set out in the following table.
Suffolk Oldham Total (a) Estimate eligible population (number) 8,449 4,758 13,207 (b) Grants issued (number) 7,545 4,115 11,660 Percentage of estimated eligible learners served 89 86 88
Pupil Exclusions
The requested information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
This information is shown in the following table.
Maintained primary schools State-funded secondary schools Special schools Total England 4,850 38,590 2,130 45,570 North East 160 1,640 110 1,910 Darlington 20 190 10 220 Durham 50 390 30 470 Gateshead 10 60 * 80 Hartlepool * 40 0 40 Middlesbrough 10 160 * 170 Newcastle upon Tyne 10 150 * 160 North Tyneside 10 60 10 80 Northumberland 20 210 10 240 Redcar and Cleveland 10 110 10 130 South Tyneside 0 120 0 120 Stockton-on-Tees 10 90 20 110 Sunderland 20 70 10 100 North West 560 5,330 380 6,260 Blackburn with Darwen 10 90 * 110 Blackpool 30 140 0 170 Bolton 40 300 * 340 Bury 10 150 * 160 Cheshire 70 590 50 720 Cumbria 30 400 * 430 Halton 10 60 * 60 Knowsley * 90 10 100 Lancashire 70 830 70 980 Liverpool 30 150 10 190 Manchester 80 420 30 530 Oldham 20 210 * 230 Rochdale 20 190 10 220 Salford 20 150 20 190 Sefton 10 30 10 40 St. Helen’s 20 100 * 120 Stockport 10 310 30 350 Tameside 30 260 30 310 Trafford 10 130 10 150 Warrington 10 180 20 210 Wigan 20 300 50 370 Wirral 20 260 30 300 Yorkshire and the Humber 550 5,160 160 5,870 Barnsley 50 150 0 190 Bradford 60 530 * 590 Calderdale 30 180 0 210 Doncaster 20 430 10 460 East Riding of Yorkshire 40 460 * 510 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 40 150 10 200 Kirklees 60 380 60 490 Leeds 40 770 30 830 North East Lincolnshire 20 150 0 170 North Lincolnshire 30 120 10 160 North Yorkshire 40 340 10 380 Rotherham 30 280 10 320 Sheffield 50 630 10 690 Wakefield 30 480 20 530 York 30 120 * 150 East Midlands 430 3,080 100 3,610 Derby 30 130 10 160 Derbyshire 130 440 40 600 Leicester 40 240 10 300 Leicestershire 40 510 10 550 Lincolnshire 50 220 10 280 Northamptonshire 60 650 20 720 Nottingham 30 200 * 240 Nottinghamshire 60 690 * 750 Rutland * 10 0 10 West Midlands 540 3,780 240 4,570 Birmingham 210 970 60 1,240 Coventry 20 210 20 250 Dudley 20 300 * 320 Herefordshire 10 160 * 170 Sandwell 30 190 * 230 Shropshire 10 190 10 200 Solihull 20 180 20 210 Staffordshire 40 450 20 500 Stoke-on-Trent 20 140 20 170 Telford and Wrekin 40 180 10 230 Walsall 30 170 10 210 Warwickshire 50 320 10 390 Wolverhampton 10 120 50 170 Worcestershire 30 220 20 270 East of England 500 4,180 160 4,850 Bedfordshire 20 260 10 300 Cambridgeshire 40 240 * 270 Essex 170 1,330 40 1,540 Hertfordshire 80 790 70 950 Luton 20 70 0 90 Norfolk 80 460 10 550 Peterborough * 110 0 120 Southend-on-Sea 10 110 20 140 Suffolk 50 640 * 700 Thurrock 20 180 * 200 London 650 3,990 350 4,980 Inner London 290 1,310 110 1,700 Camden 30 100 10 130 City of London 0 0 0 0 Hackney 20 80 * 100 Hammersmith and Fulham 30 50 * 70 Haringey 20 160 0 170 Islington 20 50 * 70 Kensington and Chelsea * 30 * 30 Lambeth 30 170 30 230 Lewisham 20 100 * 120 Newham 30 190 20 240 Southwark 60 110 10 180 Tower Hamlets 10 70 * 80 Wandsworth 20 110 30 160 Westminster 10 120 0 120 Outer London 360 2,680 240 3,280 Barking and Dagenham 20 70 0 100 Barnet 10 200 * 210 Bexley * 120 20 140 Brent 30 140 10 180 Bromley 20 70 30 120 Croydon 20 90 40 150 Ealing 10 160 0 170 Enfield 20 190 10 220 Greenwich 80 260 40 370 Harrow 30 110 0 140 Havering 10 150 0 160 Hillingdon 20 230 * 260 Hounslow 10 130 10 140 Kingston upon Thames 20 40 0 60 Merton 10 150 20 180 Redbridge 20 150 30 190 Richmond upon Thames * 50 * 50 Sutton 20 110 30 150 Waltham Forest 20 290 10 320 South East 920 7,450 330 8,690 Bracknell Forest * 80 0 80 Brighton and Hove 50 270 10 340 Buckinghamshire 30 270 50 350 East Sussex 130 560 40 720 Hampshire 120 1,180 50 1,350 Isle of Wight * 140 0 140 Kent 130 1,390 30 1,550 Medway 60 430 0 490 Milton Keynes 20 160 10 180 Oxfordshire 50 450 * 500 Portsmouth 60 190 20 270 Reading 20 40 10 70 Slough 10 30 * 50 Southampton 60 410 20 490 Surrey 70 920 50 1,050 West Berkshire 10 120 0 130 West Sussex 70 650 20 750 Windsor and Maidenhead 10 70 * 80 Wokingham 10 100 10 120 South West 530 3,980 300 4,820 Bath and North East Somerset 10 160 30 200 Bournemouth 30 80 * 100 Bristol, City of 130 330 60 510 Cornwall 40 220 * 260 Devon 60 740 20 820 Dorset 20 230 * 250 Gloucestershire 30 500 40 570 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0 0 North Somerset 10 70 * 90 Plymouth 10 120 40 170 Poole 40 190 10 240 Somerset 50 500 40 590 South Gloucestershire 40 220 10 260 Swindon 20 170 40 220 Torbay 20 120 * 140 Wiltshire 40 350 10 400 * = less than 5. 1 Includes middle schools as deemed. 2 Includes CTCs, academies and non-maintained special schools. Note:Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Schools Census.
Communities and Local Government
Departmental Energy
The Department for Communities and Local Government spent the following on energy efficiency measures between 2007 and 2009:
Investment (£) 2007-08 75,000 2008-09 95,000
Investment records prior to 2007 are not readily available.
Between April 2007 and March 2009, the Department reduced gas and electricity consumption by 41 per cent. and 27 per cent. in its main building, compared to 2006-07.
Prior to implementation, all energy efficiency projects are subject to a rigorous assessment of predicted carbon reduction and financial benefits, as well as consideration of alternative solutions. Post-implementation efficacy is based upon analysis of smart meter utility data. These data are fed into the Department's Energy Efficiency Action Plan to ensure an effective and structured approach to continued carbon reduction.
To date, the majority of the efficiency measures taken across the departmental estate have been relatively low or no cost. As many of these opportunities have now been realised future measures will increasingly focus on capital investment projects, such as upgrading heating, cooling and ventilation systems.
Departmental Information Officers
All press office staff are press officers with the exception of speech writers. In the period since the Department was created in May 2006, there has been one speechwriter post at pay band 7 (grade 6) and one speechwriter post at pay band 6 (grade 7) in press office. The 2008-09 pay ranges are £43,836 to £57,110 for pay band 7 and £54,018 to £70,375 for pay band 6. Press office staff in the predecessor Department, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, were press officers.
Departmental Older Workers
[holding answer 1 July 2009]: 17 members of staff, in post on 30 June 2009, are due to reach their 65th birthday by the beginning of 2011. A further 14 reach this birthday during 2011. However, it is likely that at least some of these staff will no longer be working for the Department by then.
Departmental Public Expenditure
CSR07 allocated budgets for the period to 2010-11. The net administration budget for the core Department for 2009-10 and 2010-11 is £167 million and £165 million respectively. Budgets beyond 2011-12 have yet to be agreed with the Treasury.
Departmental Publications
The terms and conditions of employment that form our staff handbook are stored on the Department's intranet site as individual web pages.
Environment Protection: Greater London
There is no record of any payment to these groups, by either the central Department or the Government Office for London, on the Department's accounting system.
Fire Service College: Recruitment
The Department has spent £9,895 plus VAT in respect of advertising costs associated with the current recruitment of a non-executive chair and a non-executive board member for the Fire Service College.
Fire Services: Greater London
Staff in the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority’s new regional control centre will be eligible for the Fire Brigade’s Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
Fires: Waste
The number of refuse fires believed to be deliberately set is not yet held centrally and so could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Data on refuse fires are calculated from aggregate monthly returns. These are limited to total number of refuse and refuse container fires attended by each Fire and Rescue Service. These data are shown in the table.
The recently implemented electronic Incident Recording System (IRS) records both the number and location of all incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services. The number and location of refuse fires reported as having been deliberately set will therefore be available, with the first data being for 2009-10.
FRS area 2003 2004 2005 2006 20071 England 152,461 119,430 114,307 109,577 108,335 Avon 3,583 2,587 2,136 1,613 1,489 Bedfordshire 1,332 1,074 980 863 911 Berkshire 1,323 986 869 796 831 Buckinghamshire 1,821 1,385 1,349 1,307 1,181 Cambridgeshire 1,233 1,065 1,056 1,134 941 Cheshire 3,865 3,366 3,494 3,160 2,881 Cleveland 4,776 3,569 3,787 4,001 3,853 Cornwall 414 386 375 412 320 Cumbria 1,519 1,234 1,441 1,400 1,305 Derbyshire 1,586 1,297 1,161 1,351 1,230 Devon 1,794 1,617 1,419 1,597 1,459 Dorset 674 585 569 540 525 Durham 2,674 2,185 2,332 2,325 2,419 East Sussex 1,312 1,175 966 905 862 Gloucestershire 1,022 781 777 661 618 Greater London 18,883 14,275 14,007 12,055 12,478 Greater Manchester 14,237 10,847 11,058 10,543 10,451 Hampshire 3,405 3,025 2,646 2,728 2,512 Hereford and Worcester 1,024 721 667 721 621 Hertfordshire 1,981 1,427 1,469 1,311 1,197 Humberside 5,460 4,217 3,824 3,515 3,459 Isle of Wight 120 142 130 131 130 Isles of Scilly 6 1 0 5 0 Kent 3,836 3,199 2,978 2,481 2,326 Lancashire 6,349 4,574 4,324 4,260 4,362 Leicestershire 1,772 1,550 1,392 1,455 1,429 Lincolnshire 874 726 662 836 965 Merseyside 12,913 8,854 7,310 7,086 6,493 Norfolk 1,045 941 914 1,032 861 North Yorkshire 1,255 973 985 1,026 940 Northamptonshire 2,056 1,651 1,634 1,361 1,409 Northumberland 1,199 901 856 888 949 Nottinghamshire 2,746 2,111 2,128 2,080 1,983 Oxfordshire 678 602 575 483 553 Shropshire 1,037 827 854 787 784 Somerset 729 556 490 507 541 South Yorkshire 5,850 4,670 4,965 4,958 5,563 Staffordshire 2,704 2,335 2,355 2,272 2,327 Suffolk 844 787 689 782 713 Surrey 1,185 951 945 940 916 Tyne and Wear 7,869 6,104 5,488 6,035 6,050 Warwickshire 1,088 936 831 887 816 West Midlands 9,514 7,733 7,570 7,067 7,029 West Sussex 1,212 972 838 727 728 West Yorkshire 10,949 9,030 8,455 8,000 8,407 Wiltshire 713 500 557 553 518 1 Data for 2007 are provisional and subject to change Source: CLG
Housing Revenue Accounts
On Tuesday, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing announced in the House that he intended to publish a consultation document before summer recess on reform of council housing finance. The document will set out proposals for a devolved system of responsibility and funding which removes the need to redistribute revenue nationally, in exchange for a one-off redistribution of housing debt.
Housing: Low Incomes
This data will be published on the HCA website at the end of July:
http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right Friend the Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) on 8 May 2009, Official Report, column 448W, and the answer I gave him on 19 June 2009, Official Report, column 508W.
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre
The assets management and sales strand of HM Treasury's Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP) was established to ensure more efficient and commercial operation of assets held in the public sector. The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (QEIICC) was one of nine government assets listed for further work in the pre-Budget report 2008 last November. The OEP final report published on 21 April stated:
“Following the statement in the 2008 Pre-Budget Report, further work on the QEIICC has been undertaken. Although, in theory, the QEIICC could be disposed of now, this would be potentially at a significant discount to its underlying value. A more measured approach is required. The conclusions are, therefore, as a first step, to undertake a site development study within three to six months advised by a firm of property professionals. It will explore the opportunity of redeveloping the existing site, in a way that is sympathetic to planning considerations and current business operations. This could entail retaining the existing conference business for the foreseeable future. Marketing and disposal could take place at various stages depending on market evolution and prevailing risk and reward considerations, but at the latest by mid 2012.”
Third Sector
The Department provides funding to organisations in a number of different ways, for example as a contract for services, or as a grant for an agreed activity. The terms and conditions that are set will vary depending on the nature and purpose of the funding and the type of contract or agreement between the department and the recipient. There are some that will be common to all agreements, such as that the money should be used for the purposes intended, that it is possible to demonstrate this, and that its use complies with any existing statutory or Treasury regulations, such as Managing Public Money.
In providing funding to Third Sector Organisations such as charities, voluntary organisations, and social enterprises the department seeks to apply, where possible, the principles set out in the Compact. Further details of these principles can be found in the Funding and Procurement Code of Good Practice:
www.thecompact.org.uk
Culture, Media and Sport
Digital Switchover
No estimate has yet been made of the number of jobs which might be created through digital radio upgrade. The recently published Digital Britain report sets out our vision for the future of radio, and will help to create the right environment to sustain a strong radio industry.
Israel
I have no plans to hold such discussions. However, organisations in the UK and Israel regularly form relations within sectors.
National Lottery: South Yorkshire
The following table shows the value of lottery grants awarded to organisations in Barnsley and Doncaster in the last five years, together with the total value of lottery grants awarded in those same years.
£ 2004-05 Total lottery money awarded 1,452,256,812 Total lottery money to Barnsley 2,520,805 Total lottery money to Doncaster 5,898,769 2005-06 Total lottery money awarded 1,249,237,162 Total lottery money to Barnsley 2,981,272 Total lottery money to Doncaster 2,668,872 2006-07 Total lottery money awarded 969,785,678 Total lottery money to Barnsley 1,550,769 Total lottery money to Doncaster 3,273,624 2007-08 Total lottery money awarded 1,550,673,214 Total lottery money to Barnsley 5,303,141 Total lottery money to Doncaster 1,351,850 2008-09 Total lottery money awarded 920,814,373 Total lottery money to Barnsley 2,009,366 Total Lottery money to Doncaster 1,764,034
These statistics have been prepared using the Department's lottery grants database. The database is searchable at:
www.lottery.culture.gov.uk
and uses information on lottery grants supplied by the lottery distributors.
Defence
Armed Forces: Fuels
Fuel costs, broken down by type and operational theatre from 2006-07 onwards are provided in the following table:
Fuels (non utilities) Aviation fuel 2006-07 2007-08 2008-091 2006-07 2007-08 2008-091 Operation Oculus (Balkans) 3 1 2 1 1 1 Operation Telic (Iraq) 48 38 38 16 28 32 Operation Herrick (Afghanistan) 6 25 41 10 45 109 1 Figures for the financial year 2008-09 are provisional, pending final outturn which will be reflected in the Departmental report and accounts due for publication in July.
The figures in the table comprise petroleum-based liquid fuels meeting internationally recognised specifications that are used to power ships and vehicles, plus aviation fuels only. These figures can only be viewed as approximate since other fuels (such as natural gas and heating oil) are accounted for within a broader stock category, and some small local purchases may not be captured within these amounts. Costs relating to overall fuel price variance are recorded separately in terms of total departmental expenditure.
Armed Forces: Health Services
The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) was established at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, in April 2001 and has been the principal reception point for military casualties evacuated to the UK since then. A military managed ward was established at Selly Oak in late 2006 and achieved full operating capability in July 2007. The military ward concept, with additional facilities, will be carried over to the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital being built in Edgbaston. We expect that the new ward will start receiving patients in June 2010 and that other elements of the RCDM will be operational in the new hospital by 2011.
A new 58-bed staff and patient accommodation block (Wood House), enhancing existing accommodation facilities, was completed in December 2008 and opened for use in January 2009. A programme of refurbishment continues for the remainder of the living accommodation.
There has been a prosthetic limb workshop in use at Headley Court since June 2006; planning for a replacement facility is under consideration.
The new Centre for Mental and Cognitive Health was completed in April and opened for use in May 2009.
We recognise that welfare support for both our Service personnel and their families is one of our key responsibilities and one that is taken very seriously by the MOD. To this end, when Service personnel are hospitalised, depending upon the severity of their condition, their families are provided with travel and accommodation at public expense to allow them to be with their loved one at such a difficult time. Each family is also allocated a Visiting Officer whose main role is to liaise between the family and the military to ensure they receive the most appropriate support from the many specialist welfare providers such as Defence Medical Welfare Service and the single-Service specialist welfare services.
Armed Forces: Housing
A Certificate of Cessation of Entitlement to Occupy Service Accommodation is provided in order to assist personnel and their families in seeking social housing, and is issued on request.
Information relating to the certificates is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Pensions
For financial year 2008-09 the amount of pensions paid to members and dependants was as follows:
Gurkha pension scheme
The pensions paid are not allocated to a separate cost code and a fully accurate amount is not therefore available. However for financial year 2008-09 it was estimated to amount to some £48 million, subject to exchange rate fluctuations.
Armed forces pension scheme
2005: £26 million.
1975: £2.7 billion.
Armed Forces: Swine Flu
I will answer shortly.
Combat Stress
Funds are provided through the War Pensions Scheme's discretionary power to meet the cost of any necessary expenses in respect of medical, surgical or rehabilitative treatment of ex-members of the armed forces that arise from a disablement due to service before 6 April 2005 where it is not provided for under other UK legislation. This includes the individual costs of war pensioners undergoing remedial treatment at homes run by Combat Stress for conditions related to their individual pensioned disablement and of related expenses such as travel costs. Combat Stress receives separate funding from the Scottish Executive for war pensioners' resident in Scotland who receive treatment at Hollybush House.
The following table shows the funding received by Combat Stress to defray individual treatment expenses under the War Pensions Scheme for the past eight years.
Funding (£ million) 2001-02 1.2 2002-03 1.5 2003-04 1.6 2004-05 2.0 2005-06 2.3 2006-07 2.5 2007-08 3.2 2008-09 3.5
Funding figures for the previous two years and a complete breakdown of the number of war pensioners treated at each centre could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, in order to give some indication of the numbers of war pensioners receiving treatment, we can state that in financial year 2007-08 some 1,200 individuals, funded through the auspices of the War Pensions Scheme, were treated at the three Combat Stress sites.
Defence: Training
Review notes and the consequent contingent liabilities which include underwriting the costs of the planning process have been approved. These were included within departmental minutes in relation to the Defence Training Review Package 1 Project which were lodged in the Library of the House on 29 January 2008, 17 February 2009 and 26 June 2009 respectively. In the case of the latter, approval of the underwrite is dependant on the successful outcome of contract negotiations.
Departmental Buildings
The information requested will take a little time to gather and verify. I will write to the hon. Member with the information that is available as soon as possible.
Substantive answer from Kevan Jones to Edward Garnier:
In my answer of 3 June 2009 (Official Report, column 551W) I undertook to write to you with details of which military bases and other sites owned by the Department containing accommodation, are redundant or shortly to become redundant for the Departments purposes.
The Department routinely places in the Library of the House a list of its sites being disposed of or coming up for disposal. An updated list will shortly be placed in the Library of the House.
Departmental Data Protection
Under the mandatory requirements of the Data Handling Report published on 25 June 2008, the Ministry of Defence is required to give a summary report on data breaches reported to the Information Commissioner in our annual resource accounts.
We will be publishing information on personal data security breaches reported to the Information Commissioner for the 2008-09 reporting year before Parliament rises in July. The information is currently being compiled and is to be audited and verified before it is laid before Parliament. The equivalent information from the 2007-08 annual resource account can be found at:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/MODAnnualReports0708/
Departmental Information and Communications Technology
When the contract for the DII programme was approved in March 2005, the target date for completion of Increment 1 was end July 2007. The target date was revised in December 2006, when the contract was amended to include Increment 2, and again in October 2008. The delivery target of 62,800 terminals was completed in mid February 2009 within weeks of the planned milestone set for the end of the first increment.
The original estimate for the DII programme was £5,854 million. This estimate did not include the Deployed and Top Secret requirements as their capability and scope was not fully mature at that time. The current estimated cost of realising DII, including the cost of related programmes, is £7.1 billion. This remains unchanged from the figure reported by the National Audit Office in July 2008.
European Fighter Aircraft
This matter is currently the subject of negotiations with our partner nations and industry.
Frigates
Our present planning assumptions are set out in the table:
Out-of-service date Type 22 HMS Cornwall 2019 HMS Campbeltown 2020 HMS Cumberland 2021 HMS Chatham 2022 Type 23 HMS Argyll 2023 HMS Lancaster 2024 HMS Iron Duke 2025 HMS Monmouth 2026 HMS Montrose 2027 HMS Westminster 2028 HMS Northumberland 2029 HMS Richmond 2030 HMS Somerset 2031 HMS Sutherland 2033 HMS Kent 2034 HMS Portland 2035 HMS St. Albans 2036
Gurkhas
Records indicate that as at 27 June 2009, 82 Gurkhas have died in service since 1979. This includes deaths that occurred both while on and off duty.
Gurkhas: Pensions
There are around 5,000 veterans and veterans' widows who do not qualify for a Service Pension but who receive a Welfare Pension from the Gurkha Welfare Scheme, which is the field arm of the independent charity, the Gurkha Welfare Trust. The Welfare Pension is paid from donations made to the Gurkha Welfare Trust which allows them a sustainable lifestyle. The Ministry of Defence grants the Gurkha Welfare Trust more than £1 million per year, which covers most of its administrative costs in Nepal.
There are around 7,000 veterans who did not serve for long enough to qualify for a Service Pension and who are not yet old enough or needy enough to qualify for a Welfare Pension. On leaving the Brigade of Gurkhas, they would have received a gratuity but no pension. If these veterans fall on hard times they too become eligible for a Welfare Pension.
All veterans receive free primary health care and those without Gurkha Pension Scheme or AFPS payments receive free secondary health care, all through the Gurkha Welfare Scheme.
Military Aircraft
All in service frontline military aircraft are deemed to be available for operations at various states of readiness, ranging from those that are available immediately to those that may require a period of notice to deploy.
For the total number of frontline in service military aircraft, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 June 2009, Official Report, column 4MC, to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox). For the number of aircraft available for training, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 June 2009, Official Report, column 46W, to the hon. Member for Woodspring.
Royal Regiment of Scotland
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the merits of proposals to introduce a single colour of hackle for all Territorial Army soldiers in the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Since the formation of the large, single-cap badge The Royal Regiment of Scotland, the separate identities of its antecedent regiments have been preserved in a number of ways, not least by including them prominently in the battalion titles, for example; The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, and The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. Preservation is further illustrated by the retention of golden threads in uniforms and accoutrements such as the Black Watch red hackle and the Highlanders' blue hackle.
The identities of the regiment's battalions are very clear and easily understood by its officers and soldiers and the wider community in Scotland. The regiment places great importance in its heritage and uses its history to inspire and nurture its new recruits and current members; the regimental history taught to its soldiers is captured in a handbook which is given to all new recruits. The Army ensures that regimental traditions, heritage, cultures and local connections continue through the excellent relations between its retired soldiers, the serving community, and the outstanding support from the local communities associated with their antecedent regiments.
There are no plans to introduce a single colour of hackle for all Territorial Army (TA) soldiers in The Royal Regiment of Scotland as this would run contrary to the traditions of infantry regiments in Scotland.
However, 52nd Lowland, 6th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (6 SCOTS) currently wear either a black or white hackle while 51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (7 SCOTS) wear a variety of colours—each colour representing one of the former Scottish infantry regiments.
This variety of head dress (within a regiment, battalion, and in some cases a company) is as a result of the reorganisation of the infantry structure. It is very unusual in the British Army and contrary to normal regimental integrity.
Therefore, the regimental headquarters of The Royal Regiment of Scotland is currently considering proposals from each of the two TA battalions to have their own unique and distinctive hackle to establish their own identities, which will then be consistent with the other five Regular Army battalions in The Royal Regiment of Scotland, each of whom wear their own single coloured hackle.
Unmanned Air Vehicles
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 January 2009, Official Report, column 23W, to the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Willie Rennie). There has been no substantive change in the position since that time.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture
Fresh Start, an industry-led initiative supported by Government, helps train new entrants to the farming industry. There are 24 Fresh Start Academies, with more in the pipeline, focusing on developing business skills for new farmers.
DEFRA provides funding to support the activities of the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs which work with young people, aged 10-26, with an interest in rural issues. The clubs offer young people a range of activities and experiences with a rural flavour, including training in agricultural and countryside skills and competitive activities. DEFRA provides funding to support those activities which meet DEFRA priorities.
Government supported the Year of Food and Farming in 2007-08 and are supporting the legacy campaign, Think Food and Farming. These schemes have helped children and young people learn about growing food, what happens on a farm, what life is like in the countryside and what the countryside can offer in terms of employment. Through agri-environmental schemes farmers receive approximately £1 million per year to provide educational visits to their farms from schools and other interest groups.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families is developing a new Diploma offering a mix of classroom and hands on experience at different levels in Environmental and Land-based Studies for 14 to 19-year-olds. It will be available in some schools and colleges in England from September 2009, and across the whole country by 2013. It focuses on the environmental and land-based sector and includes subjects such as:
working with plants and animals
environmental sciences
the way land is used for the production of food and for recreation
he effect humans have on the world around and how to limit the damage we do.
Agriculture: Essex
Funding allocated by DEFRA for the development of agricultural businesses is not generally recorded at constituency or county level. The following table provides figures covering allocations made to farmers in Essex in each of the last five years under the agri-environment schemes, which form part of the wider Rural Development Programme that provides support to the agricultural sector. These schemes are delivered by Natural England.
Total (£ million) 2004-05 29,090,000 2005-06 33,100,000 2006-07 42,610,000 2007-08 51,090,000 2008-09 56,430,000 Grand total 212,320,000
Bluetongue Disease: Vaccination
The BTV8 vaccination programme played a vital role in keeping the UK free from circulating BTV8 disease last year, with vaccination levels in the region of 60 per cent. across England.
Vaccination remains voluntary in 2009. BTV8 vaccine is readily available both from the remaining Government underwritten supply and from the three manufacturers who are supplying vaccine direct to the market.
If adequate vaccination levels are not reached this year, and BTV8 is reintroduced, the disease may spread to unvaccinated animals. Evidence suggests that the disease is still present and circulating in some neighbouring EU member states. Farmers and livestock keepers should not become complacent and should vaccinate their animals for BTV8 as soon as possible.
Veterinary practices have played and continue to play a crucial role in making vaccine available to livestock keepers and advising on best practice usage to livestock keepers to ensure that disease does not spread. In playing this crucial role veterinary practices have also had the opportunity to benefit from sales of the vaccine, and we have no evidence of widespread negative impacts on the industry.
Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control
Animal health systems are not able to readily provide complete and accurate data in the format requested. However, the average number of days taken to retest inconclusive TB reactors for the last five years is as follows:
Average days 2004 76.0 2005 76.0 2006 89.0 2007 85.0 2008 70.0
Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination
We will shortly be writing to MPs with constituencies in the selected areas to inform them about the project, the ‘catchment’ areas where we will be signing up farmers to participate and the timetable. The letters will include a contact point so MPs can get in touch to find out more or if they would like to discuss further.
Dairy Farmers of Britain
On 17 June I attended a meeting of the Receivers (PWC), senior officials, Dairy Farmers of Britain Members Council, Dairy UK, farm unions, banks, and charity and benevolent organisations to continue coordinated efforts and work towards our common goal of minimising the impacts on all those affected.
The failure to pay the May milk cheques to members supplying the co-operative is a matter for the Receiver.
On 17 June I attended a meeting of the Receivers (PwC) and other parties to continue coordinated efforts to minimise the impacts on farmers, hauliers and employees.
All members affected are being made aware of all available schemes and assistance to help businesses and individuals through difficulties (such as Business Link and the HMRC Business Payment Support Services).