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Written Answers

Volume 506: debated on Wednesday 24 February 2010

Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 24 February 2010

Wales

Manufacturing Industries

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been employed in the manufacturing sector in Wales in each year since 1997. (318482)

The estimated numbers of employee jobs in the manufacturing sector in Wales in each year since 1997 are as follows:

As at September each year

Number

1997

214,006

1998

216,186

1999

206,861

2000

201,647

2001

194,762

2002

184,952

2003

181,649

2004

179.941

2005

172,090

2006

158,004

2007

160,293

2008

154,982

2009

140,593

Source:

NOMIS, Employee Job Estimates

Ports

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he had with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Transport on ports policy between the date of publication of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee's Fifteenth Report of Session 2008-09, on Ports in Wales HC 601 and the date upon which the Government responded to that report. (318279)

The Wales Office contributed to the formulation of the Government response to the Welsh Affairs Committee “Ports in Wales” Report for which the Department of Transport was the lead Department. There were no direct discussions between Ministers of the respective departments but the issues raised by the Report are discussed on an ongoing basis.

Scotland

Computer Games Industry

4. To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had on assistance to the computer games industry in Scotland. (317404)

My right hon. Friend has regular discussions with colleagues on a range of issues affecting the games industry in Scotland.

During a visit to Abertay university, Dundee, in December 2009 my right hon. Friend announced a £2.5 million investment for a games industry centre from the Government’s strategic investment fund.

Social Deprivation: Ayrshire

12. To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on policy to reduce levels of social deprivation in Ayrshire. (317413)

I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues about deprivation and reducing poverty including discussions about tax credits, the national minimum wage and employment.

Economic Performance

13. To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had on the performance of the Scottish economy. (317414)

I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues, representatives from business, trade unions and communities about the performance of the Scottish economy.

Common Agricultural Policy

14. To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on discussions at EU level on reform of the common agricultural policy. (317415)

My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues.

Departmental Energy

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the estimated (a) amount and (b) cost was of energy used in his Department in each year since 1997; what proportion of the energy used was generated from renewable sources in each of those years; and if he will make a statement. (317232)

The Scotland Office did not centrally record all of its utility usage before the current financial year. This information is, however, now recorded and will be reported in our forthcoming annual report.

Future Jobs Fund

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Future Jobs Fund in Scotland. (317407)

The Future Jobs Fund is making a significant impact in Scotland. Last week I announced funding for a further 1,371 new jobs in Scotland through the Future Jobs Fund, which brings the total number of jobs created in Scotland to just under 9,000.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Dubai: Death

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Dubai on the alleged murder of a Palestinian national by a group alleged to include British passport holders; and if he will make a statement. (318478)

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) of 22 February 2010, Official Report, columns 22-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Israel on the use of British passports in association with the death in Dubai of a Palestinian national; and if he will make a statement. (318480)

The defrauding of British passports is unacceptable. The Government will continue to take all the action that is necessary to protect British nationals from identity-fraud. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made this clear in a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman in Brussels on 23 February 2010.

Nigeria: Human Rights

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights record of the government of Nigeria. (318204)

The UK is committed to supporting the Government of Nigeria in addressing the human rights challenges it faces. We welcome Acting President Jonathan’s commitment of 9 February 2010 to ensuring the safety and security of Nigerians’ lives and property while respecting human rights.

We have recently raised our concerns with the appropriate state and federal authorities about issues such as the rights of children in Akwa Ibom state, the handling of unrest by the Nigerian security services in Maiduguri in 2009 and Jos in 2010, as well as allegations of extra- judicial killings by the Nigerian police force in Enugu state, as identified in Amnesty International’s report of 9 December 2009. These issues have been covered particularly in discussions with the Inspector General of the Nigerian police force and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Our high commission in Abuja and the Department for International Development (DFID) will continue to raise UK concerns at the highest level, and to encourage reform and accountability in Nigeria’s police force, for example through DFID’s Justice for All programme.

Home Department

Drugs: Crime

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the volume of illegal drugs trafficked through the UK. (317216)

The trafficking of drugs to the UK is the subject of constant attention by the law enforcement agencies working collaboratively, in the United Kingdom and overseas, against the drugs and individuals involved. In 2008-09 the Serious Organised Crime Agency was involved, with partner agencies, in seizures of 88 tonnes of cocaine and heroin. SOCA works closely with international partners to help them destroy production capability in source countries and deny traffickers the ability to operate their routes to the UK. This enforcement activity appears to have contributed to increases in the wholesale price of cocaine and a reduction in its purity at street level, changes which are suggestive of a shortage of supply of the drug in the UK.

We are currently implementing the recommendations of ‘Extending Our Reach: a comprehensive approach to tackling serious organised crime’ which was published in July 2009 which, through a wide range of measures, will improve the UK's effectiveness against organised crime, including drugs trafficking.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) Europe, (b) the US and (c) Afghanistan on measures to tackle the trafficking of illegal drugs. (317217)

I had discussions with US counterparts (John Brennan, the President's Assistant on Counter-Terrorism, Janet Napolitano, the Homeland Security Secretary, and Eric Holder, the Attorney General) in Washington in September. We discussed measures to tackle the trafficking of illegal drugs, looking at source countries and supply routes. Our discussions immediately followed my visit to the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force in Key West, Florida, where joint work is producing strong results in interdicting the traffic in cocaine from Latin America and the Caribbean. I secured agreement for the creation of a senior level US/UK group on organised crime, to include counter narcotics activity.

In my absence on other business earlier this month, Lord West met Gil Kerlikowske, the US Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, in London and a number of common issues were discussed, including operational cooperation in tackling drug trafficking.

I continue to take a close interest in EU proposals and actions to tackle drug trafficking, where UK officials are fully engaged with our EU colleagues, focusing on work in Latin America and the Caribbean, West Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Powers of Entry

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to his Department's document entitled Guidance on Powers of Entry—Scrutiny by the Home Department, how many requests for new powers of entry from organisations other than the police have been (a) approved and (b) refused by his Department since October 2007. (312858)

Applications are submitted to the Home Department in accordance with guidance issued to Government Departments on entry powers:

http://www.police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/operational-policing/GuidanceonPowersofEntry.html

The function of referral to the Home Office is to assist Departments in complying with that guidance rather than refusing applications. The following statutory provisions have been subject to referral to my Department since October 2007.

Current Bills before Parliament

Statute

Department responsible

Number of powers

1

Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill

BIS

2

cl. 12 Power to enter premises and search for prohibited munitions

cl. 21 Power to search and obtain evidence: issue of warrant

2

Flood and Water Management Bill

DEFRA

1

Sch.1 para. 13 Powers of entry without warrant.

3

Sunbeds (Regulation) Bill 2009-10

DOH

1

cl. 7 Enforcement by local Authorities

Secondary legislation

Year

Statute

Department responsible

Number of powers

1

2000

Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (as amended by Political Parties and Elections Act 2009)

MOJ

1

Schedule 19B Investigatory powers of Electoral Commission—Para. 2: Issue by JP of Inspection warrants authorising EC staff to enter premises

2

2006

Childcare Act 2006 (as amend by Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009) Part 3A Inspection of Children Centres.

DCSF

2

s.98D: Inspection of Children Centres powers of entry without warrant.

s.98F: Power of constable to assist in exercise of power of entry under a warrant.

3

2008

Regulatory and Enforcement Sanctions Act 2008

BIS (BERR)

Part 3 s.55 Power to make Order conferring/extending powers of entry, search seizure.

4

2008

Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Repeals and replaces powers of entry etc. under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003)

DOH

1

s.62-65: Powers of person authorised by Care Quality Commission to enter and inspect regulated premises.

5

2008

Pensions Act 2008

DWP

s.61 amends 2004 Act

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2008/pdf/ukpga_20080030_en.pdf

6

2009

Banking Act 2009—Enforcement of inter-bank payment system

HMT

1

s.194: JP may issue warrant to authorised BoE inspector appointed under s.193 or constable to enter and search premises/part of premises where inter-bank payment system is managed or operated.

7

2009

Coroners and Justice Act 2009–Powers for Coroners to investigate deaths

MOJ

1

Schedule 5: para. 3 Chief Coroner may authorise senior coroner to enter and search land

8

2009

Data Protection Act 1998 (as amended by Coroners and Justice Act 2009, Sch. 20 Part 6)

MOJ

1

Schedule 9 (Powers of Entry and Inspection): Para. 1(1A)/(1B): Allows circuit judge or District Judge to grant warrant to authorise DP Commissioner to enter and search premises specified in an assessment notice to determine whether data controller is complying with DP principles.

9

2009

Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 Part 8, Chapter 2 Common enforcement powers

DEFRA

4

s.246: Power of enforcement officer to board and inspect vessels and marine installations

s.247: Power of enforcement officer to enter and inspect premises for purposes of exercising functions.

s.248: Power of enforcement officer to enter and inspect vehicles purposes of exercising functions.

s.249/Schedule 17: Provides for issue of warrant to authorise enforcement officer to enter a dwelling. (Believed these provisions may replace one or more powers in marine/fishery protection/regulation type legislation) DEFRA

Secondary legislation

No.

Year

SI No.

Authority

Title

Department

No. of powers

1.

2008

2347

European Communities Act 1972

Sea Fishing (Recovery Measures) Order 2008 [2008/2347]

DEFRA

3

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20082347_en_1

Reg. 13 Powers of British sea-fishery officers in relation to fishing boats

Reg. 14 Powers of British sea-fishery officers on land

Reg. 15 Warrant to enter premises

2.

2008

2795

European Communities Act 1972

Cat and Dog Fur (Control of Import, Export and Placing on the Market) Regulations 2008 [2008/2795]

BIS

1

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20082795_en_1

Reg. 3: Powers of investigation and enforcement.

3.

2009

1899

European Communities Act 1972

Motor Vehicles (Replacement Catalytic Converters and Pollution Control Devices) Regulations 2009 [2009/1899] Reg. 9(2) and Schedule Para. 5: Powers of search etc.

DFT

2

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20091899_en_1

(2): Power of authorised enforcement officer to enter premises without warrant—not dwellings

(5): JP may issue warrant authorising authorised enforcement officer to enter premises

4.

2009

261

European Communities Act 1972

Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2009 [2009/261] (Revoke and remake with amendments the Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2008/41)

DEFRA

1

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20090261_en_1

Reg. 46: Powers of authorised persons to enforce regulations.

5.

2009

2048

European Communities Act 1972

Port Security Regulations 2009 [2009/2048]

DFT

1

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/pdf/uksi_20092048_en.pdf

Reg. 25: Powers of a constable, port security officers and others to enter and search controlled buildings in designated ports.

6.

2009

463

European Communities Act 1972

Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 [2009/463]

DEFRA

2

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20090463_en_5

Reg. 32(2): Entry and inspection of land and premises w/o warrant.

Reg. 32(3): Warrant to enter dwelling

7.

2009

360

European Communities Act 1972

European Fisheries Fund (Grants) (Wales) Regulations 2009 [2009/360]

NAFW

1

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/wales/wsi2009/wsi_20090360_en_1

Reg. 12: Powers of authorised officers.

8.

2009

842

European Communities Act 1972

Organic Products Regulations [2009/842] (revoke and replace Organic Products Regulations 2004 (SI 2004/1604)

DEFRA

1

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20090842_en_4#pt5-l1g26

Reg. 23: Powers of entry—authorised officers

Reg. 24: Powers after entry

9.

2009

209

European Communities Act 1972

Payment Services Regulations 2009 [2009/209]

HMT

1

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20090209_en_8

Reg. 83: Entry, inspection without a warrant etc—FSA officer

10.

2009

717

European Communities Act 1972

Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2009 [2009/717]

DFT

1

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20090717_en_7#pt6-pb1-l1g34

Reg. 34: Powers of entry—authorised person

11.

2009

216

European Communities Act 1972

Ozone-Depleting Substances (Qualifications) Regulations 2009 [2009/216] (revoke and replace, with amendments, Ozone Depleting Substances (Qualifications) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1510)

DEFRA

1

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20090216_en_1

Reg. 8: Powers of an authorised person

12.

2009

2194

European Communities Act 1972

Motor Vehicles (Refilling of Air Conditioning Systems by Service Providers) Regulations [2009/2194] Reg. 8: Powers of search etc.

DFT

2

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20092194_en_1

(2): Power of authorised enforcement officer to enter premises without warrant –not dwellings

(4): JP may issue warrant authorising authorised enforcement officer to enter premises

13.

2009

1361

European Communities Act 1972

Marketing of Fresh Horticultural Produce Regulations 2009 [2009/1361]

DEFRA

2

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20091361_en_1

Reg. 7(1) Power of authorised officer to enter without warrant to enforce Regs.

Reg. 7(4): Entry on warrant

14.

2009

1551

European Communities Act 1972

Marketing of Fresh Horticultural Produce (Wales) Regulations 2009 [2009/1551] W151

NAFW

2

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/wales/wsi2009/wsi_20091551_en_1

Reg. 7(1) Power of authorised officer to enter without warrant to enforce Regs.

Reg. 7(4): Entry on warrant

15.

2008

3252

European Communities Act 1972

Beef and Veal Labelling Regulations 2008 [2008/3252]

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/pdf/uksi_20083252_en.pdf

Reg. 6(1) Entry to inspect w/o warrant

DEFRA

2

Reg. 6(3) Entry on warrant

Revokes Beef Labelling (Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2000 [2000/3047]

16.

2009

1850

European Communities Act 1972

DEFRA

3

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/pdf/uksi_20091850_en.pdf

Sea Fishing (Landing and Weighing of Herring, Mackerel and Horse Mackerel) Order 2009 [2009/1850]

Reg. 11 Powers of British sea-fishery officers in relation to fishing boats

Reg. 12 Powers of British sea-fishery officers on land

Reg. 13 Warrant to enter premises

17.

2010

Await

European Communities Act 1972

(Proposed) Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (England) Regulations 2009

DEFRA

18.

2010

Await

European Communities Act 1972

(Proposed) Red Meat Industry (Wales) Measure

NAFW

UK Border Agency: Overtime

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the UK Border Agency spent on overtime payments to civil servants at grade (a) 5 and (b) 6 in each of the last two years. (317150)

The amount that the UK Border Agency spent on overtime payments to civil servants at grade (a) senior civil service and (b) six in each of the last two years was (a) nothing and (b) £1,684.

Home Office civil servants in the UK Border Agency at grade (a) 5, are not eligible for overtime payments and, (this grade has now been re-graded into the senior civil service whose contracts specifically exclude overtime). Civil service staff at grade 6 level are not eligible for overtime payments. There is guidance on discretionary payments instead of overtime, which are used rarely.

Vetting: Compensation

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2008, Official Report, columns 756-7W, on vetting: compensation, how much the Criminal Records Bureau has paid in financial awards to provide redress for customers for maladministration since 1997. (317218)

The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) makes financial awards to redress customers for its maladministration in accordance with Treasury policy.

The following table shows the number of claims made, the number of those claims which resulted in an award and the amount paid out in each financial year since the Bureau's inception.

Financial year

Total certificates issued

Claims

Awards

Total paid (£)

Percentage of Awards against total certificates issued

2002-03

1,437,094

340

112

29,882

0.008

2003-04

2,284,688

609

257

108,669

0.011

2004-05

2,430,937

466

125

62,812

0.005

2005-06

2,770,265

532

71

118,272

0.003

2006-07

3,277,957

684

151

165,043

0.005

2007-08

3,23,251

594

151

159,148

0.046

2008-09

3,855,881

1085

301

290,124

0.008

2009-10

3,215,409

1442

265

340,266

0.008

These figures are calculated by financial year and information for 2009-10 contains the figures up to December 2009. The full financial year's figure will not be available until after March 2010.

Work Permits

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits carrying entitlement to settlement in the UK were issued to non-EU citizens in each year since 2005. (317635)

Written Questions: Government Responses

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to answer question 300301, on departmental pay, tabled on 18 November 2009. (313135)

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 22 February 2010, Official Report, columns 346-47W.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to answer question 310383, on fingerprints in passports, tabled on 7 January 2010. (317196)

[holding answer 22 February 2010]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 22 February 2010, Official Report, column 373W.

House of Commons Commission

Members: Email

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission with reference to the answer of 2 March 2009, Official Report, columns 1211-2W, and pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2010, Official Report, column 434W, on Members: email, if the House of Commons Commission will direct to be placed on the House of Commons website (a) a list of the forms of email encryption members of the public can use to communicate securely with their Members of Parliament and (b) a directory of encryption certificates and PGP keys used by hon. Members. (318317)

It is a matter for individual Members whether to make details of their encryption software available to their constituents.

Nurseries: Costs

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate he has made of the cost of converting Bellamy's Bar, Bellamy's Club Room and the Astor Suite and surrounding rooms into a crèche, including the cost of all other construction work required associated with the crèche. (317550)

The cost, including fees, of converting Bellamy's Bar, Bellamy's Club Room and the Astor Suite and surrounding rooms into a nursery is provisionally estimated to be some £490,000 excluding VAT.

Culture, Media and Sport

Castle Point

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Castle Point constituency, the effects on that constituency of changes to his Department’s policies since 1997. (318082)

My Department’s aim is to improve the quality of life for everyone through cultural and sporting activities, to support the pursuit of excellence and to champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries.

The impact of bodies and policies of my Department on the Castle Point constituency since 1997 include:

Digital switchover is due to take place in Castle Point in 2012. By the time switchover is complete at the end of 2012, 98.5 per cent. of households nationwide will be able to receive digital TV—the same number that can currently receive analogue.

Over £4 million of national lottery grants made to applications from the Castle Point constituency since 1995.

The Castle Point constituency has also benefited from other policies and spending whose impact cannot be broken down by constituency. This includes:

£4 billion of Exchequer funding spent on culture.

More than £5.5 billion invested in sport by the Government and the national lottery since 1997.

Almost 800,000 free swims taken in the south east in the first eight months of the Free Swimming programme.

A 68 per cent. increase in national museum visits from 1998-99 to 2008-09—10 per cent. of which were by adults from lower socioeconomic groups.

£416.6 million in grants allocated by English Heritage since 1997.

48 per cent. of buildings on the original 1999 Buildings at Risk Register having their future secured.

90 per cent. of all pupils taking part in at least two hours of high quality PE or sport per week in 2008 from an estimated 25 per cent. in 2003-04—exceeding our target.

Departmental Energy

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated (a) amount and (b) cost was of energy used in his Department and its agency in each year since 1997; what proportion of the energy used was generated from renewable sources in each of those years; and if he will make a statement. (317237)

The information requested is shown in the following tables.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Electricity Kwh

Electricity cost (£)

Gas Kwh

Gas cost (£)

2003-04

4,368,200

n/a

3,275,900

n/a

2004-05

4,186,300

n/a

2,643,900

n/a

2005-06

4,438,600

n/a

2,488,400

n/a

2006-07

4,320,100

361,500

2,631,300

86,600

2007-08

3,647,800

293,100

2,135,400

48,800

2008-09

3,091,900

318,500

1,344,400

37,300

n/a = Not available.

Since December 2005 the Department has purchased energy generated from 100 per cent. renewable sources. Information relating to years prior to 2003 is not available.

The Royal Parks

Electricity Kwh

Electricity cost (£)

Gas Kwh

Gas cost (£)

1999-2000

1

213,300

1

45,700

2000-01

1

228,400

1

77,900

2001-02

1

208,800

1

78,800

2002-03

1

245,000

1

82,100

2003-04

1

270,200

1

107,000

2004-05

4,141,300

270,600

1,275,700

81,300

2005-06

3,346,100

360,000

1,402,600

2,100

2006-07

3,220,000

357,000

1,505,300

46,600

2007-08

2,995,000

224,900

1,490,500

61,900

2008-09

1

505,600

1

110,600

1 Not recorded.

Since 2002 The Royal Parks has purchased energy generated from 100 per cent. renewable sources. Information relating to years prior to 2002 is not available.

Departmental Internet

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many designs for its website his Department has commissioned since 2005. (318655)

My Department commissioned one redesign of its website in 2005. We are currently redesigning the website home page.

Departmental Temporary Employment

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which companies were contracted by his Department for the provision of temporary staff in each of the last three years; how many temporary staff were employed by his Department in each such year; and what the monetary value was of contracts with each such company in each such year. (317997)

The information requested is shown in the following tables.

Supplier

(£)

2008-09

2007-08

2006-07

Adecco UK Ltd.

96,969.99

217,233.72

453,499.54

Poolia UK Ltd.

109,206.97

106,107.84

47,714.39

Josephine Sammons

35,258.31

50,420.96

99,876.23

Venn Group

0.00

0.00

44,907.83

Morgan Law

161,065.94

50,290.00

36,895.00

Marks Sattin

0.00

7,226.25

26,709.54

Reed Personnel Services

0.00

0.00

38,826.75

TFPL Ltd.

40,670.04

6,319.60

0.00

Robert Walters Operations Ltd.

0.00

0.00

32,890.27

Goodman Masson Recruitment Services

0.00

0.00

0.00

Hays Office Support

76,648.69

13,824.64

0.00

Brook Street

283,321.95

52,591.39

0.00

Taylor Bennett

18,800.00

19,352.25

0.00

Odgers, Ray and Berndtson

54,991.18

238,210.59

149,048.92

Capita Resourcing

34,368.75

12,337.50

32,431.88

Whithead Mann Ltd.

0.00

0.00

164,368.02

Total

911,301.82

773,914.74

1,127,168.37

2008-09

2007-08

2006-07

Average number of temporary staff employed

31

21

22

Holiday Accommodation

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the compliance with European Commission state aid rules of his Department's policy on the participation in marketing initiatives promoted by (a) Visit England and (b) Visit Britain by operators of holiday homes who do not participate in the National Quality Assurance scheme; and if he will make a statement. (316863)

My Department has been involved in discussions with the European Commission in relation to the specific matters raised by the hon. Member. These discussions have not been concluded and it would be inappropriate to comment on them at this time.

The Department’s objective is to ensure that the activities of VisitBritain and VisitEngland are compatible with the rules relating to state aid.

Theatre: Young People

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many free theatre tickets have been provided to under-26 year olds by the Arts Council since February 2009. (310092)

Between February 2009 and November 2009, 121,742 tickets were taken up by young people under the ‘A Night Less Ordinary’ scheme. Over 20,000 of these tickets have been given away by organisations based in the West Midlands.

Results from 1 December 2009 to 28 February 2010 will be made available in April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Arts Councils England's A Night Less Ordinary scheme in achieving its objectives. (317185)

An independent evaluation project is running alongside the two year ‘A Night Less Ordinary’ scheme.

The evaluation will identify, record and measure the effectiveness of the scheme in achieving its objectives at a national and local level.

‘A Night Less Ordinary’ is a pathfinder programme and the report will help inform the future direction of the programme. We also expect the report to be a useful audience development tool for the entire theatre sector. Evaluation reports will be published in due course.

Olympics

Departmental Written Questions

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what average time her Office took to answer questions for (a) ordinary written answer and (b) written answer on a named day in the last 12 months. (313675)

Information on the average time taken to answer parliamentary questions is not readily available in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However in my role as Minister for the Olympics, during 2009, I answered 28 per cent. of ordinary written and 45 per cent. of named day questions on time. These figures are unacceptable and were due to failings in departmental processes. Work has been done to mitigate these failings, and future figures should reflect this.

Further to this, with effect from the current Session of Parliament, each Department will provide the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics on the time taken to answer written questions. This implements recommendation 24 of the 3rd report from the Procedure Committee, Session 2008-09.

Olympic Games 2012: Construction

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps she is taking to encourage construction workers from the North East to work on construction sites for the London 2012 Olympics; and how many such workers there are. (313910)

At the end of December 2009, 41 per cent. of the Olympic park workforce were from parts of the UK outside of London. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) does not measure the number of workers from each region. People from the North East can access employment opportunities through the national Jobcentre Plus network and businesses from the North East that have won Olympic-related contracts are providing further economic benefits for the region.

In addition to those working on the park, the ODA has 17 direct suppliers registered in the North East, including the designer of the Broxbourne White Water Canoe Centre for Games and legacy from Newcastle upon Tyne. More businesses are securing work further down the supply chain, such as the Durham-based company providing roof cladding for the aquatics centre and the company from Wallsend who are supplying and operating jack machines for bridges and highways projects. More information on businesses that have won Games-related contracts can be found at the business section of the London 2012 website:

www.london2012.com/business

The ODA and its partners have put a range of measures in place to help local people in particular access training and employment opportunities on the Olympic park, which includes 48 hours’ exclusive access to vacancies.

Olympic Games 2012: Recruitment

To ask the Minister for the Olympics if she will ensure that notification of job vacancies arising from the London 2012 Olympics is made through Jobcentre Plus before such vacancies are advertised elsewhere. (316829)

Vacancies on the Olympic park can be accessed across the UK through the national Jobcentre Plus network. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and its partners have put in place a range of measures to help local people in particular access training and employment opportunities on the site.

Vacancies are offered exclusively to each of the five host borough employment brokerages and Jobcentre Plus offices in the area for a period of 48 hours, to give local people the best possible chance of accessing vacancies on the site. Vacancies unfilled after this time are then made available across London through Relay London Jobs and Jobcentre Plus for a further 24-hours, before being made available nationally through the Jobcentre Plus network. At the end of December 2009, 20 per cent. of the Olympic park workforce were from the five Olympic host boroughs, 33 per cent. from other London boroughs and 41 per cent. from the UK outside of London. 11 per cent. of the workforce were previously unemployed.

In addition to direct employment opportunities on the park, companies are winning contracts both directly with the ODA and in the supply chains of its contractors, helping to spread the economic benefits of the games across the UK. In the North West alone, 44 businesses are directly supplying the ODA and many more are winning work further down the supply chain, such as the Horwich-based company providing steelworks for the Stadium and the Merseyside company supplying roof cladding for the Aquatics Centre.

More information on businesses that have won games-related contracts can be found at the business section of the London 2012 website at:

www.london2012.com/business

Work and Pensions

Children: Maintenance

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases under consideration by the Child Support Agency involve absent parents in (a) Scotland and (b) Perth and North Perthshire constituency. (317061)

The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 24 February 2010:

In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.

You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases under consideration by the Child Support Agency involve absent parents in (a) Scotland and (b) Perth and North Perthshire constituency. [317061]

I have interpreted ‘under consideration’ as cases where an application has been made but which has yet to be cleared.

The Child Support Agency's performance has continued to show improvement over the last quarter, building on the stable base provided by successful completion of the Operational Improvement Plan in March 2009.

As at December 2009, the number of uncleared cases in Scotland was 2,120, which represents a 20% decrease from 2,650 in September 2009. In Perth and North Perthshire Parliamentary constituency the volume of uncleared cases fell from 55 in September 2009 to 45 in December 2009. These figures include both old and current scheme applications and those cases administered clerically.

Nationally, uncleared applications fell to 28,900 in December 2009, which is a 6,300 (18%) reduction from September 2009.

I hope you find this answer helpful.

Departmental ICT

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of her Department’s information technology projects have been outsourced in the last three years; and what the monetary value was of each contract let in respect of such projects. (313374)

The provision of IT services to the Department for Work and Pensions in support of business change has been outsourced to private sector suppliers since it was created in 2001. There has been no further outsourcing in the last three years.

Departmental Surveys

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether her Department has conducted any staff satisfaction surveys in the last 12 months. (317156)

DWP has conducted two such surveys in the last 12 months: in March 2009 and as part of the Civil Service People Survey in October 2009.

Employment Schemes: Financial Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) whether her Department operates programmes to assist workers made redundant from the financial services sector to find employment; (315898)

(2) how much her Department has spent on measures to fund employment for workers previously employed in the financial services sector in the last 12 months; and what steps it has taken to that end.

The Government are taking decisive steps to tackle the effects of the recession and reduce unemployment and are committed to helping every unemployed person return to work.

While we do not operate programmes specifically aimed at supporting redundant workers from the financial services sector, we have made available up to £5 billion, since November 2008, to offer a substantial package of new back to work support to all jobseekers, irrespective of their background, throughout their time on jobseeker’s allowance.

We have quadrupled funding to the Rapid Response Service which provides support to employees under threat of redundancy, helping them to find new employment quickly.

We have also significantly increased the funding to maintain and increase the existing support that is available to newly unemployed claimants through Jobcentre Plus and its external partners. As well as help with jobsearch, skills and access to basic skills training, newly unemployed people now have day one access to Local Employment Partnership vacancies, help to meet the expenses involved in finding work and, for some, access to Work Trials.

In April 2009, we strengthened this support by introducing group jobsearch sessions specifically targeted at newly unemployed people, as well as specialist back to work support for newly unemployed professionals and executives, delivered through recruitment agencies. We built on this in the recent White Paper “Building Britain’s Recovery: Achieving Full Employment”, and from spring 2010, we will be strengthening the support offered to professional customers by offering further access to a follow-up session with these agencies to maintain the momentum of their journey back to work.

Further back to work support is available to all jobseekers throughout their claim and the longer somebody is on jobseeker’s allowance, the more support they can get. This currently includes access to recruitment subsidies, self-employment support, work focused training and volunteering at six months and more intensive personalised support from external providers later in a claim.

There is also a substantial package of support available to 18 to 24-year-olds to help them get back to work which includes a guarantee of a job, work focused training or work experiences at the six month stage in a claim.

Employment Schemes: Young People

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents of each local authority area in the North West aged between 16 and 24 years old have taken up (a) graduate internship, (b) a non-graduate internship, (c) work and (d) training since the Young Person's Guarantee came into effect; and how many are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance under that Guarantee. (317210)

Information on graduate internships, non-graduate internships, work, and training through the Young Person's Guarantee, is not currently available, but will be made available from spring 2010 through a statistical release that is planned to cover the whole of the Young Person's Guarantee. This is normal practice for the Department's employment programmes and it allows time for the information to be collected, understood, verified and reported.

Future Jobs Fund

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many bids for Future Jobs Fund funding have been accepted in each parliamentary constituency; and how many jobs are expected to be created under bids in each such constituency. (304377)

The information requested has not been recorded by parliamentary constituency and therefore cannot be provided.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people are participating in Future Jobs Fund jobs; and how many Future Jobs Fund job vacancies there are. (304397)

The information requested is not currently available. Information on numbers of young people participating in Future Jobs Fund jobs will be made available in future through a statistical release covering the whole of the Young Person’s Guarantee. The first publication will be available in the spring, and quarterly thereafter.

Jobcentre Plus: Racism

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints of racism have been made by Jobcentre Plus staff against other Jobcentre Plus staff in each of the last five years, broken down by the smallest geographical area for which information is available; and if she will make a statement. (316597)

The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Darra Singh, dated 24 February 2010:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many complaints of racism have been made by Jobcentre Plus staff against other Jobcentre Plus staff in each of the last five years, broken down by smallest geographical area for which information is available. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.

The Department does not maintain any automated data to capture the volumes of formal complaints from current or former staff relating to race discrimination. Although Jobcentre Plus retains clerical information on official written complaints from existing or former members of staff; this data does not identify where complaints relate specifically to any allegations of racism.

Although formal investigations into allegations of harassment, bullying and discrimination are handled through our Department for Work and Pensions Human Resources Investigation Service, some complaints may be addressed separately through local management investigations and there is no available data to provide the requested information in full.

I am, therefore, unable to provide a more detailed reply.

Mining: Industrial Diseases

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many former miners have (a) applied for and (b) been granted industrial injuries benefit for miners' knee in the North East region to date. (317160)

The information is not available in the format requested.

The current national position is that since the addition of osteoarthritis of the knee to the list of prescribed industrial diseases on 13 July 2009, 32,820 claims have been received nationally of which 7,713 have received an award of, or an increase of industrial injuries disablement benefit.

This information is based on an ongoing informal count by the Jobcentre Plus offices dealing with industrial injuries disablement benefit. We are looking into arrangements to publish this information as official statistics.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will estimate the number of miners and former miners who experience chronic back and neck pain as a result of their working conditions. (317242)

It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate because the Labour Force Survey contains insufficient cases of miners, or former miners, who have self-reported work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what rate of interest her Department used in calculations of entitlements and payments under the Support for Mortgage Interest Scheme in each of the last 12 months. (316746)

The standard interest rate used to calculate Support for Mortgage Interest was 6.08 per cent. in each of the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Support for Mortgage Interest Scheme funding recipients reached the maximum two-year period permitted for claiming in each of the last eight quarters. (316802)

The two-year period limit for jobseekers claiming Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) was introduced in January 2009. It applies only to customers receiving jobseeker's allowance.

No SMI customer has been affected by the introduction of this two-year limit because it is less than two years since it was introduced. The earliest date that a jobseeker could be affected by the two year limit is 5 January 2011 assuming continuous receipt of jobseeker's allowance including SMI throughout the two year period.

New Deal Schemes

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many flexible New Deal phase 1 suppliers were fully operational on 6 October 2009. (304381)

Fourteen supplier organisations were contracted to start delivering flexible new deal from October 2009. Twelve of the 14 started delivery from 5 October, meaning there was a supplier operating in every contract package area from that date. By 20 October all 14 suppliers were fully operational in all phase one contract package areas covering 28 Jobcentre Plus districts.

New Deal Schemes: Feltham

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women resident in Feltham and Heston have participated in the New Deal for (a) Lone Parents and (b) Partners since 1997; and if she will make a statement. (316693)

Number of woman participants in the New Deal in Feltham and Heston parliamentary constituency: Time Series to August 2009 - Starters (Spells)New Deal for Lone ParentsNew Deal for PartnersFeltham and Heston19971—n/a199840n/a1999210n/a2000230n/a2001290n/a2002330n/a2003340n/a20043301020053102020063701020075801—20086101020092301— n/a = Not applicable.1 Nil or negligible.Notes 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Some additional disclosure control has also been applied.2. The latest New Deal figures will be affected by the introduction of the new Jobseeker's Regime and Flexible New Deal (gradual implementation started from April 2009).3. Westminster parliamentary constituency (post May 2005) is allocated using the Office for National Statistics Postcode Directory and customer's postcode.4. The New Deal for Lone Parents was introduced in October 1998.5. Data for New Deal for Partners are available from April 2004.6. Latest Data are to August 2009.7. Spells are not available for New Deal for Partners so individual level data are used instead. Spells are used for New Deal for Lone Parents.SourceDepartment for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate.

Over 2.2 million people have been helped into work through the New Deals, and we are building on the success of this programme to create the Flexible New Deal. This programme will better meet the employment and skills needs of those who have been on Jobseeker's Allowance for a long time or who have struggled to find a stable pattern of work.

Pension Credit: Kingston

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in (a) the Royal borough of Kingston and (b) Kingston and Surbiton constituency have been in receipt of pension credit in each of the last three years. (318040)

The information requested is in the following tables:

Recipients of pension credit in Kingston upon Thames, local authority

As at August each year

Household recipients

Individual beneficiaries

2009

4,090

4,780

2008

3,990

4,660

2007

4,020

4,710

Recipients of pension credit in Kingston and Surbiton parliamentary constituency

As at August each year

Household recipients

Individual beneficiaries

2009

3,180

3,710

2008

3,090

3,600

2007

3,140

3,670

Notes:

1. Numbers rounded to the nearest ten.

2. Pension credit is claimed on a household basis—household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a partner. Beneficiaries are the number of claimants in addition to the number of partners for whom they are also claiming.

3. Parliamentary constituencies and local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant Office for National Statistics postcode directory.

4. On April 1 2009 structural changes to the local authorities of England took effect. Changes are reflected from May 2009 in the Tabulation Tool.

Source:

DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Pensioners: Per Capita Costs

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much her Department has spent on pensioners per capita in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. (313339)

Complete information is not available. Such information as is available is in the tables.

Pensioner spending per capita (£, cash)

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

Jarrow

5,060

5,480

5,870

6,190

6,290

6,630

6,910

South Tyneside

5,080

5,530

5,890

6,210

6,330

6,660

7,010

North East

4,960

5,350

5,700

6,000

6,110

6,430

6,770

Great Britain

4,680

5,020

5,320

5,610

5,700

6,000

6,320

Pensioner spending per capita (£, 2009-10 prices)

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

Jarrow

6,030

6,360

6,620

6,850

6,770

6,930

7,050

South Tyneside

6,060

6,410

6,650

6,880

6,810

6,970

7,150

North East

5,910

6,200

6,430

6,650

6,570

6,720

6,910

Great Britain

5,580

5,820

6,010

6,220

6,140

6,280

6,450

Notes:

1. The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for expenditure in Great Britain only. Expenditure in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office.

2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10.

3. Figures include spending on: state pension; attendance allowance; winter fuel payment; bereavement benefits; widow's benefit; minimum income guarantee; pension credit, over-65s payment and over-70s payment. figures for other benefits, and for these benefits before 2002-03, are not available.

4. Figures are estimated by dividing expenditure on the above benefits by the number of state pensioners in the relevant area.

5. Great Britain benefit expenditure data for all benefits, and local authority and parliamentary constituency benefit expenditure data for some benefits, can be found here:

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp

6. The DWP Tabulation Tool, which gives caseload and expenditure data for some benefits split by local authority, parliamentary constituency and Government office

region, among others, can be found here:

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp

Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of pensioners receive earnings-related state pensions under (a) the state earnings-related pension scheme only, (b) the state second pension scheme only and (c) both schemes. (317177)

The information is in the table

Pensioners in receipt of additional state pension (Great Britain, March 2009)

State earnings-related pension scheme (SERPS) only

State second pension (S2P) only

Both SERPS and S2P

Number of pensioners in receipt

6,491,000

144,900

1,838,000

Percentage of total number of recipients of any state pension

59

1

17

Notes:

1. Figures shown are for March 2009.

2. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 100 pensioners. Percentages are rounded to the nearest percent. Note the denominator used in the percentages is total state pension caseload in Great Britain, rather than total population in Great Britain at or above state pension age.

3. The state second pension (S2P) scheme reformed the state earnings-related pension scheme (SERPS) from April 2002. Only people reaching state pension age from April 2003 onwards can have built up some entitlement to S2P.

4. Pensioners in receipt of additional pension under the S2P scheme but not under SERPS were either credited into S2P through caring or disability, or are receiving an S2P top-up on account of contracted-out employment.

Source:

Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, administrative data 5 per cent. sample

Post Office Card Account

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimated cost to her Department is per transaction of Post Office Card Account transactions under (a) the new Post Office Card Account due to be introduced in 2010 and (b) each other benefit transaction method. (317181)

The new Post Office card account contract began on 1 October 2009 and the current average cost to the Department for each payment made into a POca is around 50p.

Other payment method costs are: 1p per payment into a bank or other account; £2.00 per cheque; and 55p per payable order.

The costs are made up of contract costs and where appropriate, other costs such as postage, stationery and administration.

Social Security Benefits: Students

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate she has made of the average annual cost of implementing amended deemed income rules to provide for income from student loans to be disregarded in respect of the entitlement to benefits of those students who suspend their studies because of serious ill health; (311602)

(2) what estimate she has made of the number of students who would be affected by the amendment of the deemed income rules to provide for income from student loans to be disregarded in respect of the eligibility for benefits of those students who suspend their studies because of serious ill health.

We are looking with colleagues in other Departments at the position for students who suspend their studies because of serious ill health and who, as a result, have not drawn down their student loan. I will also explore with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, education providers and students' representative bodies, whether we can strengthen the awareness and transparency of the current arrangements.

Information on the number of students that might be affected by such a change to the deeming rules for those who abandon their course is not available as it would depend on the detailed conditions that were set.

Unemployment Benefits

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if she will publish each version of the sanctions regime applicable to (a) jobseeker’s allowance, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) employment and support allowance and (d) income support which has been in effect for any period since 1997; (313077)

(2) what assessments her Department has made of the effectiveness of alternative sanctions regimes; and if she will publish the reports of those assessments;

(3) what changes she plans to make to the Jobcentre Plus sanctions regime;

(4) if she will publish each evaluation her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Jobcentre Plus sanctions regime.

Benefit sanctions are aimed at establishing a framework of rights and responsibilities with benefit customers, and encourage positive outcomes by obliging customers in receipt of working age benefits to engage with the support on offer and help them move into employment.

Benefit sanctions have been an integral part of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) since it was introduced and the detail is set out in the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996.

Since April 2000 the sanction regulations for Incapacity Benefit customers have been set out in various Work Focused Interviews (WFI) regulations: The Social Security (Work-focused Interviews) Regulations 2000 No. 897; The Social Security (Jobcentre Plus Interviews) Regulations 2001 No. 3210; The Social Security (Jobcentre Plus Interviews) Regulations 2002 No. 1703; The Social Security (Incapacity Benefit Work-focused Interviews) Regulations 2003 No. 2439; and The Social Security (Incapacity Benefit Work-focused Interviews) Regulations 2008 No. 2928, Regulation 9.

The sanctions regime for Employment and Support Allowance customers is set out in The Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008 No. 794, Regulation 63.

The Income Support sanction regime was introduced through the Social Security (Work-focused Interviews for Lone Parents) and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2000; The Social Security (Jobcentre Plus Interviews) Regulations 2001; and the Social Security (Jobcentre Plus) Regulations 2002 respectively. Copies of all of this legislation are available in the Library.

The Department continually reviews the effectiveness of conditionality and the associated sanctions regimes across all working age benefits and undertakes research on their effectiveness in supporting customers to move into employment. Published reports on the operation of sanctions are listed on the Department for Work and Pensions website at:

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rrs-index.asp

and are available in the House Library.

The 2008 White Paper ‘Raising expectations and increasing support: reforming welfare for the future’ (CM7506), set out the Government’s intention to test a model of escalating sanctions based on the principles set out in the 2008 independent review of conditionality ‘Realising Potential: A vision for personalised conditionality and support’ by Professor Paul Gregg. The model introduces five stages of sanctions, initially in Progression to Work pathfinder areas, which will allow for more attempts at contact and in depth case reviews with lone parents and partners of certain benefit recipients, and a number of stages before a financial sanction is considered.

Furthermore, the Welfare Reform Act 2009 introduced two new sanctions to the Jobseeker’s Allowance. The first is the power to sanction a customer who commits acts of violence or threatening behaviour against Jobcentre Plus staff during the course of a claim for Jobseeker’s Allowance. The second is a sanction for Jobseeker’s Allowance customers who fail to attend their mandatory appointments as part of the requirements of receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance, this change will be implemented from April 2010.

The Welfare Reform Act 2009 also introduced the power to sanction lone parents on Income Support and partners of certain benefit recipients, with younger children, for not undertaking agreed work related activity. The first stage of implementation for these measures will be in October 2010 in the Progression to Work pathfinder Jobcentre Plus districts.

As part of the ongoing review of support for Jobcentre Plus customers with disabilities and health conditions, we are reviewing the current sanctions regime for Employment and Support Allowance customers and we will publish details about any proposed changes in spring 2010.

Unemployment Benefits: Appeals

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much her Department has spent on contesting employment support allowance appeals in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland since 27 October 2008. (317756)

The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.

Unemployment Benefits: Cancer

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many terminally ill cancer patients (a) in total and (b) normally resident in Scotland have been required by her Department to (i) undergo a medical examination and (ii) attend a work-focused interview since 27 October 2008. (317752)

Unemployment Benefits: Glasgow East

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals are in receipt of (a) attendance allowance, (b) incapacity benefit and (c) jobseeker’s allowance in Glasgow East constituency; and what the average weekly payment was in respect of each such benefit in the latest period for which figures are available. (317248)

The available information is in the following table.

Attendance allowance, incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance and jobseeker’s allowance claimants in Glasgow East parliamentary constituency: May 2009

Caseload

Average weekly amount (£)

Attendance Allowance

3,380

61.34

Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance

8,920

53.75

Jobseeker’s Allowance

3,510

57.83

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and average amounts to the nearest penny.

2. Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance figures do not include employment and support allowance.

3. Attendance allowance totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example, if they are in hospital.

4. Data is published on the Department for Work and Pensions’ website at:

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/

Source:

DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Unemployment Benefits: Medical Examinations

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints (a) in total and (b) from residents of Scotland regarding fitness to work assessments her Department has received since 27 October 2008. (317754)

Information on the number of complaints received by the Department specifically about the work capability assessment element of employment and support allowance is not available.

Vocational Training: Disabled

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what her latest assessment is of the adequacy of skills training on offer to claimants of Incapacity Benefit and Employment and Support Allowance; and for what reason claimants of Incapacity Benefit and Employment and Support Allowance are not able to access Train to Gain if they have more than four GCSEs or NVQ Level 2. (315694)

It is the role of Jobcentre Plus to work with all customers and help them overcome any barrier to getting into work. Where this involves meeting a skills need, a customer, including one in receipt of either incapacity benefit or employment and support allowance, can be referred to a range of training provision provided by either Jobcentre Plus or the Learning and Skills Council.

There is a wide range of training provision on offer throughout the country for all customers, including those in receipt of incapacity benefit and employment and support allowance. Customer training needs are assessed on an individual basis and customers are then referred to provision that not only meets their needs but also the needs of local employers. The adequacy of skills training is therefore not assessed on a national basis but is driven by the local labour market and an assessment of the individual's needs.

The primary national return to work programme for people claiming incapacity benefits or employment and support allowance is Pathways to Work. In Pathways to Work areas, private and voluntary sector providers are contracted to tailor provision to meet the needs of the customer. It is their responsibility to ensure that any training is adequate and appropriate.

Last October we announced a review of Pathways to Work. The White Paper, ‘Building Britain's Recovery: Achieving Full Employment’, published in December, set out our underpinning principles for reform and confirms that we will bring forward proposals in the spring.

Train to Gain is not routinely offered to those on benefits. It is a programme aimed specifically at employers, giving them better access to a range of training opportunities for improving the skills of their employees and the productivity of their business.

Over the last few years, to boost demand and respond to the downturn the Government introduced a number of temporary funding flexibilities for qualifications delivered as part of Train to Gain. Until August 2010, this includes providing full funding in respect of full level 2 qualifications (5 A*-C GCSEs or the vocational equivalent) where the employee already holds a qualification at that level.

The National Skills Strategy Skills for Growth (November 2009), set out the Government's intention to focus their substantial investment through Train to Gain on areas of high growth and ensure a greater level of co-funding by employers. The emphasis will therefore be on fully supporting employers to upskill their employees, with employers contributing the costs where their staff need to reskill.

Winter Fuel Payments

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) whether her Department has made an estimate of the cost in real terms of extending the winter fuel payment to people (a) receiving the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance and (b) receiving the higher rate care component of disability living allowance because they are terminally ill, who otherwise would not be entitled to it, in each of the next six years; and if she will make a statement; (316495)

(2) if she will estimate the cost to the public purse in real terms of paying winter fuel allowance in respect of all children aged under five years old in receipt of the higher care component of disability living allowance in each of the next five years.

It is not possible to identify these costs as it is not possible to identify disability living allowance customers who would not be entitled to a winter fuel payment because they are living in households that already receive a winter fuel payment.

Disability living allowance is specifically designed to help meet the extra costs of disability, including heating.

Winter Fuel Payments: Rotherham

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been paid out in winter fuel payments to eligible households in Rotherham in winter 2009-10. (317109)

For winter 2008-09 (the last winter for which information is available) we spent £3.4 million on Winter Fuel Payments in Rotherham.

Notes:

1. Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million

2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant Office for National Statistics postcode directory.

Winter Fuel Payments: Stroud

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the number of householders in Stroud constituency who will receive (a) £250 and (b) £400 winter fuel payment in 2009-10. (317086)

Information on the number of households in Stroud which received winter fuel payments for winter 2008-09 (the last year for which information is available) is in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Stroud constituency are in receipt of winter fuel allowance; and how much her Department paid to such pensioners in winter fuel allowances in 2009. (317087)

In winter 2008-09 (the last winter for which information is available) 25,540 people in Stroud received a winter fuel payment, at a cost of £5.4 million.

Notes:

1. Payment figures are rounded to the nearest ten

2. Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million

3. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant Office for National Statistics postcode directory.

Justice

Drugs: Sussex

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2009, Official Report, column 618W, on drugs: Sussex, how many people were found guilty of offences of drug (a) possession and (b) dealing in (i) Sussex and (ii) Lewes constituency in 2008. (317036)

The number of persons found guilty at all courts in the Sussex police force area for offences of possession, and supplying or offering to supply, a controlled drug in 2008 (latest available) is shown in the following table.

Data are not available at parliamentary constituency level.

Data for 2009 are planned for publication in the autumn, 2010.

Number of persons found guilty at all courts in the Sussex police force area for offences of possession, and supplying or offering to supply, a controlled drug, 20081, 2

Offence description

2008

Having possession of a controlled drug

752

Having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply

165

Supplying or offering to supply a controlled drug

107

1 The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Source:

Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Family Conciliation Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what recent representations he has received from agencies involved in child contact cases of the effects on children of compulsory mediation in such cases; and if he will make a statement; (318043)

(2) what estimate he has made the total savings to the public purse likely to accrue from the implementation of compulsory mediation as an alternative to court action in child contact cases.

I have not received any representations regarding the effects on children of compulsory mediation in child contact cases. Family mediation in England and Wales is voluntary and I have not made any estimate of savings from the implementation of compulsory mediation.

On 20 January 2010, the Green Paper, Support For All: The Families and Relationships Green Paper, was published. Family mediation forms part of the consultation process as the Government are seeking views about whether mediation assessment (not mediation in its entirety) should be made compulsory for parents who go to court to seek to resolve residence or contact disputes, where it is safe to do so.

At the same time, the Government announced a comprehensive review of the family justice system, which will report jointly to the Secretaries of State for Justice and Children, Schools and Families and the Welsh Assembly Government. The principle that ‘the interests of the child should be paramount’ will be at the heart of this review. The review will focus on the management and leadership of the family justice system and what can be done to promote informed settlement and agreement of family law cases outside of the court system. It will seek to learn from the experience of other jurisdictions and from research and will be supported by the appointment of an expert, external advisory group. The review will report in 2011.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in how many cases involving a child contact decision a court has granted contact against the wishes of the child subject to that decision in each of the last five years. (318050)

Her Majesty’s Courts Service does not record any information centrally on whether a court granted contact against the wishes of the child. Information on the wishes of the child could be obtained by inspection of individual case files only at disproportionate cost.

HMCS does record the total number of contact orders made. Table 1 shows the number of public and private law section 8 contact orders made in all tiers of court between the years of 2004 and 2008. 2008 is the latest full calendar year for which data are published. Statistics on contact orders made are published by the Ministry of Justice in the annual command paper “Judicial and Court Statistics”, copies of which are available in the Library of the House and on the Ministry’s website at:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/judicialandcourtstatistics.htm

Table 1: Section 8 public and private law contact orders made in all tiers of court between 2004 and 2008

Public

Private

Total

2008

2,568

76,759

79,327

2007

2,471

69,713

72,184

2006

1,848

62,672

64,520

2005

1,562

60,294

61,856

2004

2,045

70,169

72,214

Notes:

1. Figures presented are for England and Wales only.

2. Figures relate to the number of children subject to each application.

3. All tiers of court are represented in the answer; specifically the Family Proceedings Court, county court and High Court.

4. There are known data quality problems with the figures for the Family Proceedings Courts. A new data collection method, introduced in April 2007, has made some improvements to the completeness of the data.

5. Section 8 is the part of the Children Act 1989 that refers to contact orders, residence orders, prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders.

6. Public Law refers to Children Act 1989 cases where there are child welfare issues and a local authority, or an authorised person, is stepping in to protect the child and ensure they get the care they need.

7. Private Law refers to Children Act 1989 cases where two or more parties are trying to resolve a private dispute. This is commonly where parents have split up and there is a disagreement about contact with, or residence of, their children.

8. Due to changes in methodology and data collection methods over time, comparisons between years should be avoided.

Source:

Judicial and Court Statistics

National Offender Management Service: Manpower

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the human resources department of the National Offender Management Service is taking to redress the imbalance in the terms and conditions of staff in the prison and probation services. (312572)

The prison and probation services operate within the framework of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Agency. For historical reasons the two services have different employment structures. Prison service staff are civil servants and are directly employed by the NOMS Agency. Probation service staff are not civil servants and are employed by a probation board or trust. It is recognised that there is a difference in the operational need of both services. This is reflected in their terms and conditions and different operational structures. Terms and conditions are kept under review in developing pay modernisation strategies for both services.

Paedophilia

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convicted paedophiles there were in bail hostels in each of the last five years; and what his most recent estimate is of the number of convicted paedophiles in bail hostels. (318526)

The number of child sex offenders accommodated in approved premises (formerly known as probation and bail hostels) in England and Wales will vary from time to time. Statistical information about the offending history of offenders residing in approved premises at any one time is not collected centrally, although offenders' assessed level of risk of harm at the point of admission is.

Approved premises provide for enhanced and effective supervision of certain offenders. This would be much more difficult to achieve if such offenders were dispersed into less suitable accommodation in the community.

Prison Sentences

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) UK, (b) Irish and (c) other European economic area nationals are serving a sentence of (i) mandatory life imprisonment, (ii) discretionary life imprisonment and (iii) imprisonment for public protection. (318048)

The following table shows the numbers of British, Irish and other EEA nationals serving mandatory life sentences, other life sentences (including discretionary life imprisonment) and indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP) in prison establishments in England and Wales as at 30 June 2009. These are the latest available data.

British nationals

Irish nationals

Other EEA nationals

Mandatory lifers

4,381

55

67

Other lifers

2,263

24

12

IPPs

4,882

38

63

The figures on mandatory and other lifers have been drawn from the prison IT system. The IPP figures were taken from the Public Protection Unit Database (PPUD) in the National Offender Management Service. The PPUD is a live database, updated on a regular basis. Data taken from the database on consecutive days will contain differences reflecting updates.

Both the prison IT system and the PPUD are administrative systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoner Escapes

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many abscondees from each prison were foreign nationals in each year since 1997. (317636)

Figures on the number of foreign national prisoners who have absconded from each prison since 1997 are not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by accessing the individual record of each absconder.

A prisoner absconds if he or she absents themselves from prison without overcoming a physical security barrier such as that provided by fences, locks, bolts and bars, a secure vehicle or handcuffs. The rate of abscond from open prisons continues to fall and absconds are now at their lowest level since centralised reporting of this type of incident began in 1995.

Foreign nationals, including those subject to enforcement proceedings under the Immigration Act, must be risk assessed for open conditions in the same way as all other prisoners but with the additional requirement that the UK Border Agency is asked to contribute any information which might indicate an increased risk of abscond.

Prisoners

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has implemented programmes for the purposes of de-radicalising prisoners who are serving sentences for terrorism offences. (317014)

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is taking forward a wide-ranging programme of work to manage the risks of violent extremism and radicalisation among offenders. Part of this programme includes work to research, develop and evaluate potential intervention approaches.

Given the comparatively low numbers of terrorist offenders and the different motivations and behaviours they present in relation to their offending, it is difficult to identify with statistical significance and reliability factors associated with terrorist offending or reoffending. Therefore prison and probation staff need to use all available sources of evidence to assess the risk of serious harm or reconviction which terrorist offenders pose, and to identify appropriate intervention strategies.

For any intervention to be effective it will need to target the reasons why people offend which are different for each individual. There are currently no group work programmes specifically accredited for use with those convicted of offences related to terrorism. NOMS is working to understand the potential use of a wide range of intervention strategies which may help combat violent extremist offending and address the criminogenic factors of the individual violent extremist offender.

Prisoners’ Discharge Grants

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on subsistence payments to offenders on end of custody licence in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10. (317125)

The available information on the subsistence payments to offenders on end of custody licence in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10 is as follows:

1 July to 31 March 2007-08

2008-09

1 April to 30 September 2009-10

Paid by DWP on behalf of the National Offender Management Service

859,199.74

2,270,140.29

1,363,313.05

Paid direct by prison establishments

2,405,446.00

74,292.17

Prisoners released on End of Custody Licence, ECL, are paid subsistence in place of benefits. This subsistence payment is necessary to ensure that during their period of ECL they are able to purchase food and meet essential living expenses. Sentenced prisoners known to have over £500 in personal funds do not receive any subsistence payments.

When the ECL scheme was first introduced, offenders released for the maximum of 18 days received their subsistence payments in instalments through the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), which made payments on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. Prisoners released for less than 18 days were paid in full by prisons on release. From 23 June 2008, payment in instalments by DWP was extended to prisoners spending 15 days or more on ECL. From 15 December 2008, payment in instalments by DWP was further extended to offenders spending eight days or more on ECL. The advantage of the system of payments through DWP is that prisoners receive their subsistence in instalments rather than in a single lump sum.

It is not possible to break down the amount paid directly by prison establishments between 2007-08 and 2008-09. The available information has been collected manually from all prison establishments and may be subject to a margin of error. In addition, figures for payments by prisons in January-March 2009 cannot be identified and an estimated element has been included for these.

Prisoners Release: Reoffenders

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 11 January 2010, Official Report, column 792W, on prisons: release, how many of the 12 serving ex-prisoners who have not been back into the criminal justice system since their release in error have committed further offences; what the original offence was for which each was convicted; and what proportion of the original sentence each had served at the date of release. (318052)

Only one of the 12 offenders listed as follows is shown on the police national computer as having committed a further offence (theft/fraud) or is wanted for anything other than the release in error.

Prisoner discharge can be a complex area and the following table and associated notes reflect this complexity. Despite this the number of releases in error is small, accounting for fewer than 0.05 per cent. of discharges from prison.

The following table shows the details of the 12 offenders who had not been accounted for at the time of my answer of 11 January 2010. Since then, four of these 12 offenders have been returned to custody or have appeared in court and resolved the outstanding issue.

Individual offenders released in error according to offence and proportion of sentence served at time of release

Offence

Proportion of sentence served (percentage)

Drug Production

1100

Other Motoring

1100

Breach of Bail

2100

Wounding

41

Fine Default

50

Fine Default

50

Burglary

3n/a

Breach Community Service Order

n/a

Fine Default

4100

Wounding

498

Common Assault

4100

Theft

4, 5, 6n/a

1 Served all of sentence but released in error because offenders were due to be interviewed by another law enforcement agency.

2 Served all of sentence but released in error because offender was due to appear in court on further charges.

3 Sentence length not applicable—remand prisoner released in error prior to trial.

4 Four offenders have since appeared in court or been returned to custody to resolve the outstanding error.

5 Served all of current sentence but released in error because he had, prior to the current sentence, served a previous period in prison. He had been released on licence to serve the remainder of that earlier sentence in the community. While he was serving his second sentence it had been decided that he should serve some or all of the remaining period of the earlier sentence in prison. He was released in error before that could happen. The additional period he could have served would have been subject to the view of the Parole Board. That period could have been up to a maximum of a further one year and one day.

6 Committed further offence of theft/fraud since release in error but is now back in custody.

These figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

Prisons: Construction

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in what locations his Department intends to provide the 3,500 further prison places announced for 2010; how many will be (a) part of new-build prisons, (b) additions to existing prisons and (c) refurbished disused cells in existing prisons; and how many will have been brought on stream at the end of each month in 2010. (318053)

In total, over 3,600 places are currently planned for delivery in 2010 as part of the Core Capacity Programme. Over 500 of these places have been provided through the more efficient use of cellular accommodation. The following table shows the locations of the new places to be provided in new prisons, expansions on existing sites and through cell reclaim schemes:

Location

Places

Accommodation type

Littlehey1

Cambridgeshire

480

New build

Swaleside1

Kent

176

Expansion

Wymott1

Lancashire

16

Cell reclaim

Lowdham Grange

Nottinghamshire

260

Expansion

Exeter

Devon

8

Cell reclaim

Holme House

Cleveland

180

Expansion

Nottingham

Nottinghamshire

344

Expansion

Birmingham

West Midlands

10

Cell reclaim

Bure

Norfolk

264

Conversion2

Hollesley Bay

Suffolk

20

Cell reclaim

Elmley

Kent

190

Expansion

Feltham

London

34

Cell reclaim

Isis

London

480

New build

Moorland

South Yorkshire

23

Cell reclaim

Wealstun

West Yorkshire

300

Conversion3

Buckley Hall

Lancashire

60

Expansion

Parc

South Wales

330

Expansion

1 Already delivered.

2 Final phase of opening of new prison Bure. Not new build but a conversion of the former RAF Coltishall.

3 Places created through conversion of open accommodation to closed conditions.

The following table shows how many of these places are currently planned for delivery in each month in 2010. The number of places delivered in each month may be subject to change.

Number of places

January

672

February

268

March

534

April

284

May

224

June

0

July

480

August

23

September

0

October

300

November

60

December

330

Terrorism: Compensation

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on the retrospective provision of financial support to British citizens who have been subject to terrorist acts overseas. (318203)

The Government have tabled amendments to the Crime and Security Bill to establish a Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation scheme. This will be a forward looking scheme. In accordance with the long standing general principle that the Government and Parliament do not legislate retrospectively, the new scheme will only apply to designated terrorist attacks that take place on or after 18 January 2010 (that is, the date on which the scheme was announced). However, we appreciate that there will be victims of overseas terrorist attacks in recent years who continue to face hardship as a result of the on-going consequences of a disability arising from injuries sustained in such an attack. In recognition of this, the Government have announced plans to provide financial assistance to eligible victims of overseas terrorist attacks since 1 January 2002 who are in such a position. Although separate from the Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation scheme, the introduction of these non-statutory arrangements is subject to the passage of the provisions in the Crime and Security Bill.

Further details will be announced shortly.

Victim Support: Hounslow

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding has been allocated to victim support in the Hounslow constabulary area in each year since 1996. (316688)

Prior to 2001 records of specific allocation of how Victim Support decided to allocate Government funding, broken down into areas, is not available. The following table gives the detail of the allocation of Government funding to Hounslow from 2001 to date. In 2004-05, Hounslow joined the Middlesex region and London thereafter in 2008-09.

Victim Support region

Funding allocated to Hounslow (£)

Total government funding to Victim Support (£ million)

1996-97

Hounslow and Feltham

n/a

11.7

1997-98

Hounslow and Feltham

n/a

12.7

1998-99

Hounslow and Feltham

n/a

12.7

1999-2000

Hounslow and Feltham

n/a

17.5

2000-01

Hounslow and Feltham

28,803

18.6

2001-02

Hounslow and Feltham

65,159

25.1

2002-03

Hounslow including Brentford, Greenford and Southall

121,274

29.3

2003-04

Hounslow including Brentford, Greenford and Southall

123,532

30

2004-05

Middlesex

229,637

30

2005-06

Middlesex

229,637

30

2006-07

Middlesex

227,137

30

2007-08

Middlesex

227,137

35.8

2008-09

London

5,087,796

37

n/a = Not available

Young Offenders

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young offenders received remand decisions of (a) conditional bail, (b) unconditional bail, (c) local authority accommodation and (d) custody in each youth offending team area in the last six month period for which figures are available. (317575)

The following table shows the number of remand decisions of (a) conditional bail, (b) unconditional bail, (c) local authority accommodation and (d) custody in each youth offending team area during the six-month period from October 2008 to March 2009.

The data have been supplied by the Youth Justice Board and have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time. Differences in counting rules may mean that figures from other databases are not directly comparable.

Remands of young people under 18, October 2008 to March 2009

Conditional bail (including ISSP1)

Unconditional bail

Remand to local authority accommodation

Court-ordered secure remand

Remand in custody

Barking and Dagenham

72

88

5

2

17

Barnet

42

41

1

0

10

Barnsley

29

50

1

0

5

Bath and North East Somerset

19

62

0

1

4

Bedfordshire

83

117

1

1

19

Bexley

45

52

1

3

4

Birmingham

288

626

22

10

96

Blackburn with Darwen

51

87

6

0

8

Blackpool

105

136

8

4

15

Blaenau, Gwent and Caerphilly

27

93

1

2

6

Bolton

60

178

0

3

27

Bournemouth and Poole

40

119

1

0

5

Bracknell Forest

18

48

0

0

7

Bradford

196

277

5

2

45

Brent

117

127

11

10

43

Bridgend

13

42

1

0

4

Brighton and Hove

27

63

2

2

6

Bristol

135

160

0

8

39

Bromley

73

102

2

4

16

Buckinghamshire

33

103

0

0

11

Bury

40

64

0

1

7

Calderdale

42

83

2

2

18

Cambridgeshire

80

92

5

2

18

Camden

83

100

0

2

16

Cardiff

138

132

4

1

21

Carmarthenshire

36

33

0

0

5

Ceredigion

8

17

0

0

1

Cheshire

84

121

0

0

19

Conwy and Denbighshire

57

84

1

0

6

Cornwall

40

58

2

0

5

Coventry

87

162

2

0

29

Croydon

106

174

4

0

20

Cumbria

36

85

5

0

9

Darlington

11

53

0

0

2

Derby

87

124

2

5

10

Derbyshire

102

251

5

3

13

Devon

50

203

3

1

14

Doncaster

45

114

2

1

13

Dorset

32

72

0

0

3

Dudley

51

70

3

0

13

Durham

62

234

1

0

10

Ealing

84

73

1

5

30

East Riding of Yorkshire

24

82

0

0

3

East Sussex

52

168

2

3

17

Enfield

97

110

4

4

14

Essex

121

272

4

1

23

Flintshire

37

22

1

0

0

Gateshead

18

5

0

3

4

Gloucestershire

64

154

1

3

10

Greenwich

94

82

5

3

27

Gwynedd Mon

33

11

6

0

2

Hackney

101

118

2

4

35

Halton and Warrington

50

71

3

3

10

Hammersmith and Fulham

66

70

1

1

6

Haringey

81

104

1

2

12

Harrow

52

73

3

5

8

Hartlepool

26

59

3

0

5

Havering

37

38

7

0

6

Hertfordshire

111

229

6

0

20

Hillingdon

46

96

1

2

13

Hounslow

73

79

1

2

23

Islington

64

116

1

2

14

Kensington and Chelsea

56

45

2

2

12

Kent

292

309

14

4

36

Kingston-upon-Hull

104

119

5

3

18

Kingston-upon-Thames

23

52

0

3

5

Kirklees

114

300

8

4

16

Knowsley

56

69

0

2

10

Lambeth

103

150

2

0

39

Lancashire

171

145

9

7

37

Leeds

335

428

16

12

64

Leicester City

65

173

4

3

13

Leicestershire

43

121

3

3

8

Lewisham

151

122

7

5

38

Lincolnshire

72

140

4

2

10

Liverpool

153

281

3

4

27

Luton

64

81

0

0

6

Manchester

194

386

0

9

66

Medway

47

83

2

2

13

Merthyr Tydfil

33

24

1

0

4

Merton

38

67

0

0

5

Milton Keynes

50

100

5

0

9

Monmouthshire and Torfaen

11

70

0

0

0

Neath Port Talbot

15

50

0

1

3

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

75

214

1

0

18

Newham

75

101

4

5

40

Newport

41

86

0

2

3

Norfolk

103

246

3

3

11

North East Lincolnshire

96

105

22

3

24

North Lincolnshire

49

80

13

4

21

North Somerset

34

35

9

1

8

North Tyneside

64

133

0

1

10

North Yorkshire

77

148

8

0

11

Northamptonshire

210

198

9

11

15

Northumberland

82

188

0

0

8

Nottingham

102

225

13

1

41

Nottinghamshire

66

196

4

4

10

Oldham

77

139

2

5

8

Oxfordshire

49

118

5

2

15

Pembrokeshire

22

23

2

1

4

Peterborough

50

74

0

2

13

Plymouth

43

133

0

0

7

Powys

8

29

0

0

0

Reading

39

83

0

0

9

Redbridge

75

47

3

0

12

Rhondda Cynon Taff

45

75

3

2

6

Richmond-upon-Thames

21

12

0

0

4

Rochdale

67

159

2

0

18

Rotherham

52

103

2

4

9

Salford

62

113

2

0

15

Sandwell

87

112

4

2

22

Sefton

50

50

0

0

12

Sheffield

134

174

5

9

35

Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

66

100

2

0

7

Slough

54

81

0

0

11

Solihull

18

38

0

0

9

Somerset

46

68

3

1

7

South Gloucestershire

28

78

0

0

5

South Tees

83

144

2

3

17

South Tyneside

61

139

3

0

6

Southend-on-Sea

48

52

0

0

7

Southwark

115

142

1

5

29

St. Helens

62

79

0

2

17

Staffordshire

91

201

5

1

13

Stockport

25

78

0

0

6

Stockton-on-Tees

25

58

0

0

3

Stoke-on-Trent

66

161

3

3

11

Suffolk

68

167

2

1

9

Sunderland

34

189

0

0

3

Surrey

71

158

1

2

12

Sutton

36

49

0

1

3

Swansea

52

62

0

1

3

Swindon

86

119

4

1

2

Tameside

61

87

0

0

10

Thurrock

39

47

2

1

10

Torbay

11

46

2

1

2

Tower Hamlets and City of London

90

75

2

2

14

Trafford

57

86

0

0

20

Vale of Glamorgan

46

49

2

4

4

Wakefield

67

101

2

0

8

Walsall

48

100

6

1

12

Waltham Forest

95

86

1

1

22

Wandsworth

133

96

6

11

21

Warwickshire

56

103

2

2

5

Wessex

365

742

34

16

82

West Berkshire

18

49

0

0

2

West Sussex

64

221

1

5

15

Westminster

60

38

2

0

6

Wigan

37

98

3

0

11

Wiltshire

67

81

1

0

4

Windsor and Maidenhead

2

30

1

0

3

Wirral

54

86

0

7

9

Wokingham

15

44

0

0

0

Wolverhampton

62

148

6

1

12

Worcestershire and Herefordshire

122

237

8

4

13

Wrexham

39

49

3

2

9

York

53

61

0

0

10

1 Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme.

Source:

Data provided by YJB

Northern Ireland

Departmental Energy

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated (a) amount and (b) cost was of energy used in his Department and its agencies in each year since 1997; what proportion of the energy used was generated from renewable sources in each of those years; and if he will make a statement. (317230)

The information requested is contained in the following tables.

Northern Ireland Office Core

Total energy Kw/h

Total cost( £)

Percentage of electricity purchased generated from renewable sources

Biomass Kw/h

2004-05

4,216,520

174,877

12

0

2005-06

5,625,286

253,901

19

0

2006-07

4,852,080

309,608

17

0

2007-08

5,660,863

347,854

18

0

2008-09

3,446,157

377,179

16

43,200

Public Prosecution Service

Total energy usage

Kw/h

£

2004-05

174,9371

122,620

2005-06

2,082,376

190,063

2006-07

3,024,459

281,620

2007-08

3,276,114

341,330

2008-09

3,281,271

303,600

Crown Solicitor's Office

Total energy usage

Fuel (Oil) (£)

Electric (£)

2004-05

9,453

10,774

2005-06

5,535

6,366

2006-07

11,441

16,506

2007-08

6,696

9,071

2008-09

19,595

13,065

Northern Ireland Prison Service

Total Kw/h

Total (£)

Percentage green electricity

Total renewable

2004-05

42,610,301

2,134,684

15

4.1

2005-06

55,708,772

2,530,790

20

4.4

2006-07

58,238,073

2,941,982

20

4.4

2007-08

58,631,316

3,169,019

20

4.5

2008-09

60,377,730

4,273,141

100

23.0

Forensic Science Northern Ireland

Total energy usage

Kw/h

£

2006-07

2,048,872

98,892

2007-08

1,999,447

92,285

2008-09

2,325,183

139,595

Youth Justice Agency

Total energy usage

Kw/h

£

2004-05

206,525

2005-06

246,966

2006-07

359,759

2007-08

255,494

2008-09

380,590

The Compensation Agency’s best estimate is that the energy costs since 1997 directly paid have been £10,000 per annum.

Weapons

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning to publish an inventory of decommissioned terrorist weapons, explosives and materials. (318274)

The decommissioning arrangements ended in the United Kingdom on 9 February 2010 and end in Ireland on 25 February 2010. The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) will shortly provide both Governments with a report on the decommissioning which has taken place in the last six months. I will place copies of that report in the Libraries of both Houses. I am discussing with the Irish Government and the IICD arrangements to conclude the work of the IICD.

Defence

Defence Medical Services: Manpower

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 21 October 2009, Official Report, column 1468W, on Defence Medical Services: manpower, when a copy of the October 2009 figures will be placed in the Library. (310002)

I apologise for the delay in responding to this question.

The latest available data are summarised in the following table:

Defence Medical Service Regulars: Manning as at 1 October 2009

Requirement

Trained strength

Shortfall (percentage)

Medical officers

818

476

42

Nurses

1,900

1,500

21

Medical support services

4,083

3,882

5

Dental officers and allied dental healthcare professionals

777

764

2

Total

7,578

6,622

13

Notes:

1. Requirement excludes the manning and training margin.

2. Trained strength only includes personnel that are qualified in their speciality.

3. ‘Medical support services’ include the paramedics cadre.

4. Dental officers and allied dental healthcare professionals includes dental practitioners, dental support officers, dental surgery assistants and dental technicians.

It has been decided that detailed data will no longer be published where this would highlight potential pinch points within the armed forces, including the Defence Medical Services. I am withholding information on pinch points as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

In order to maintain appropriate external scrutiny of such data, the Department will continue to provide comprehensive restricted manning data to the House of Commons Defence Committee.

Departmental Manpower

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the proportion of staff of (a) his Department and (b) its agencies managed out in the last five years who remain working in the public sector. (313843)

This information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on urgent operational requirements in 2009-10. (314472)

We have recently raised our 2009-10 Urgent Operational Requirements estimate to £936 million. The precise in-year spend will not be known until after the end of the financial year but we are currently forecasting that we will spend close to, but below, the estimate.

Nuclear Submarines: Decommissioning

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the total cost of the interim storage of laid-up submarines project. (318369)

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 24 November 2009, Official Report, column 54W and on 30 November 2009, Official Report, column 418W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recent estimate he has made of the whole-life cost of the submarine dismantling project; (318412)

(2) what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the submarine dismantling project in (a) Rosyth Dockyard and (b) Devonport Dockyard.

The project currently has approval to undertake a £14 million assessment phase due to complete in 2011. This will be followed by the demonstration phase, which will run from 2011 to 2013; costs for this phase have not yet been approved. Whole life cost figures will be developed as part of the preparation of the main gate business case, which is planned to be submitted for approval in 2013.

The development of the costs associated with different project options, including site options, will form a part of this work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment his Department has made of the merits of using the site at Sellafield for the (a) submarine dismantling and (b) radioactive waste storage elements of the submarine dismantling project; (318414)

(2) what sites his Department is considering to use for the (a) submarine dismantling and (b) radioactive waste storage elements of the submarine dismantling project.

There are currently four regions where there are MOD or defence-related commercial sites that are likely to be considered for submarine dismantling project activities. These regions are Devon, Fife, Argyll and Bute and Berkshire. A number of briefings to elected representatives in these regions have already been carried out, including to the hon. Member, and others have been scheduled.

The project is at an early stage in the process to develop an effective public consultation and associated strategic environmental assessment. This work has included identification of existing nuclear sites, both defence and civil, that are technically capable of submarine dismantling or storing the resultant radioactive waste. At this stage, two sites have been identified that could be technically capable of carrying out dismantling activities and 12 sites have been identified that could be technically capable of carrying out waste storage. Technical capability is only one aspect and the wider suitability of sites has not yet been assessed.

Further analysis work is still required and, until the public consultation is complete, no decisions will be taken on sites for either submarine dismantling or waste storage. I am withholding details of the individual sites identified at this time, as the MOD intend to publish this information in the future as part of the planned public consultation and strategic environmental assessment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the technical barriers to the (a) submarine dismantling and (b) radioactive waste storage elements of the submarine dismantling project. (318416)

No technical barriers have been identified that would prevent either submarine dismantling or radioactive waste storage from taking place. Most technical aspects of the work have already been demonstrated elsewhere, either in other industry sectors, particularly the civil nuclear sector, or through other countries' work on dismantling nuclear submarines.

We continue to work closely with a range of organisations, including both industry and Government, in the UK and elsewhere, to ensure that we develop appropriate technical solutions that are both safe and effective.

International Development

Developing Countries: Overseas Aid

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent in each developing country on promoting good governance in 2009-10 to date; and how much it spent in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09. (317199)

The Department for International Development (DFID) spent £688,453,000 in 2007-08 and £684,014,000 in 2008-09 bilaterally on promoting good governance. The figure for 2009-10 is not yet available.

DFID supports a broad definition of good governance and the above figures include funding for elections, civil society strengthening, security sector reform, post-conflict peace building, legal and judicial development, corruption and public sector financial management.

DFID bilateral spend by country, by sector and by year is available on DFID's website at:

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Finance-and-performance/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2009

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has allocated to supporting Parliaments in developing countries in 2009-10 to date; and how much funding it allocated in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09. (317200)

The Department for International Development (DFID) supports Parliaments in our partner countries as part of our overall support to governance. We do not track absolute values of support to Parliaments within this category. DFID bilateral aid for promoting good governance totalled £688,453,000 in 2007-08 and £684,014,000 2008-09. The figure for 2009-10 is not yet available.

Remittances

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2009, Official Report, columns 229-30W, on remittances, what information he sought from offices of his Department in African countries on remittance flows in the last quarter of 2009-10. (316927)

The Department for International Development (DFID) does not independently compile data on remittances. We monitor trends in remittance flows using data compiled by the World Bank, which sources its information directly from Central Banks. Based on the information currently available, the World Bank is expecting remittance flows to Sub-Saharan Africa in 2009 to have remained stable at 2008 figures of $21 billion.

Health

Blood

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions exist in the NHS blood and transplant contract in respect of the re-sale of blood and blood components by private hospitals; and on what date the contract entered into force. (317272)

The current NHS Blood and Transplant contract for the supply of blood to hospitals stipulates that blood components, whether purchased directly or on behalf of a third party, must not be sold on for a profit. This contract came into force on 1 April 2008, and runs until 31 March 2011. Current contractual arrangements allow hospitals to supply blood to other NHS or private hospitals and pass on the costs, provided no profit is made.

Crimes of Violence: Females

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to his Department's taskforce on the health aspects of violence against women and girls in 2009-10. (316956)

The Department has allocated approximately £335,000 to the taskforce on the health aspects of violence against women and girls in 2009-10. This funding has paid for a series of detailed focus groups to explore the experiences of women and children who are victims of violence and the national health service response, employment of staff, a literature review, publication of associated reports and ongoing support for the running of taskforce itself.

Health Protection Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the consultants' reports on (a) the outline business cases for the Porton Down and Terlings Park options and (b) the preferred option analysis for the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response Developments at Terlings Park or at Porton Down. (318206)

The documents to which the hon. Member refers have not been submitted to the Department.

The Department does not disclose business cases, such as this, which contain commercially sensitive information.

Health Protection Agency: Location

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are being made for the relocation of Health Protection Agency staff and activities from Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle; and how many such (a) staff and (b) activities have so far been relocated and to each site. (318000)

The Health Protection Agency’s (HPA’s) clinical microbiology activity at Newcastle is to be transferred to other national health service accommodation in Newcastle as a result of redevelopment plans for Newcastle General Hospital. No clinical microbiology staff or activities have yet been transferred.

The HPA’s Food, Water and Environmental Unit at Newcastle is transferring to Leeds as part of a phased transfer. Three senior staff will transfer to Leeds or will work remotely, as part of this transfer. The remainder of the staff have been offered alternative employment within the Newcastle Clinical laboratory and will re-locate with these units to sites within Newcastle Trust. The HPA is aiming to complete this process by 31 March.

Health Protection Agency: Porton Down

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the terms of the Health Protection Agency's (HPA) recommendation to his Department to close the HPA site at Porton Down. (318172)

The Health Protection Agency has made no recommendation to the Department to close its site at Porton Down. The Department does not disclose business cases, such as this one, which contain commercially sensitive information.

Muscular Dystrophy

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to increase the number of centres for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. (316865)

It is the responsibility of local health bodies to ensure they have appropriate facilities available for the care of those living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Neuromuscular services, including those for muscular dystrophy, are included within the Adult Neurosciences Chapter of the Third Edition of the Specialised Services National Definitions Set (SSNDS). SSNDS helps hospitals to provide soundly based costings and commissioners to effectively plan, procure and monitor specialised services activity. The third edition of the set will improve the precision and coverage of the definitions, incorporating the most up to date diagnosis and intervention codes to make the SSNDS as comprehensive as possible.

The National Specialised Commissioning team has brought to Specialist Commissioning Groups attention the key issues arising from the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign ongoing awareness campaign.

The Government’s National Service Framework (NSF) for Long-term Conditions focuses on improving the standard and quality of services for people with neurological conditions including muscular dystrophy. The aim of the NSF is to ensure all those with these conditions will get faster diagnosis, more rapid treatment and a comprehensive package of care.

Prostate Cancer: Medical Treatments

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with a diagnosis of prostate cancer were recorded as having received treatment by (a) watchful waiting, (b) active surveillance, (c) radical prostatectomy, (d) laparoscopic prostatectomy, (e) robotic prostatectomy, (f) low-dose rate brachytherapy, (g) high-dose rate brachytherapy, (h) cryotherapy, (i) external beam radiotherapy, (j) hormone therapy, (k) high intensity ultrasound, (l) chemotherapy, (m) bisphosphonates and (n) another method in each primary care trust commissioning area of responsibility in each year since 1997-98. (317710)

This information is not held in the requested format. We are not able to provide figures relating to watchful waiting, active surveillance, radical prostatectomy and bisphosphonates, as these are not captured in Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS)-4 codes.

We have provided a count of finished consultant episodes where the primary diagnosis was prostate cancer and this information has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on hormonal therapy prescriptions for prostate cancer in (a) England, (b) each primary care trust area and (c) each constituency since 2007. (317715)

The information requested has been placed in the Library, apart from constituency information, which is not collected centrally.

The tables provide the net ingredient cost of prescription items dispensed in the community by primary care trust (PCT) and nationally. Information on usage in hospitals is available and has been included in the response for England but is not available at PCT level.

Swine Flu: Musgrove Park Hospital Taunton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated for symptoms of swine influenza at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton in the last 12 months. (317973)

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is collected at trust level. Musgrove Park Hospital is part of Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has treated an estimated 62 in-patients with swine flu (H1N1 swabbed or clinically presumed) from 8 am 6 July 2009 to 8 am 11 February 2010. The Department did not collect data prior to 6 July 2009.

Turning Point

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has evaluated the effectiveness of the Turning Point charity's handling of the Connected Care programme on behalf of his Department; and if he will make a statement. (318199)

Delivering Connected Care in Hartlepool is one of the Department's social enterprise pathfinder projects. The Department's 26 social enterprise pathfinder projects have been collectively evaluated but no specific evaluations of Turning Point in this regard was undertaken. The evaluation focused on the processes, barriers and enablers to social enterprise in the health and social care sector.

Cabinet Office

Central Office of Information: Contracts

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) of 5 January 2010, Official Report, column 101, on the Central Office of Information: public relations, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Building Britain’s Future Urban Youth contract; which firm was awarded the contract; and what the monetary value is of the contract. (314846)

Livity Ltd were engaged by Cabinet Office to work on communicating the themes in Building Britain’s Future to young audiences. The total value of the contract was £20,000 (excluding VAT).

The Cabinet Office does not place contracts with its commercial suppliers in the Library as they are classified commercial in confidence. In this instance, the contract with Livity Ltd was drawn up by COI. The standard Terms and Conditions were those as per the COI’s Cultural Diversity Framework. A copy of these has been placed in the Library. Future COI Framework Terms And Conditions will be published on the COI website when renewed.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the predicted monetary value is of the Branding lot of the Central Office of Information's Marketing and Brand Strategy Consultancy Framework; what contracts have been awarded under that lot; to which public bodies; and what estimate she has made of the total monetary value of all contracts under the Framework agreement. (315231)

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Mark Lund, dated 8 February 2010:

As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question [315231] asking for information regarding the Strategic Consultancy Framework.

There is no estimated monetary value of the Branding lot of the Central Office of Information's Marketing and Brand Strategy Consultancy Framework.

Two contracts have been awarded from the lot to Dept for Innovation and Shills and the National Fraud Authority Development Board.

The estimated total monetary value of all contracts under this Framework agreement is £13-14m over 4 years.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the predicted monetary value is of the Brand and Values lot of the Central Office of Information's Internal Communication, Engagement and Change Consultancy Framework; what contracts have been awarded under that lot; to which public bodies such contracts have been awarded; and what estimate she has made of the total monetary value of all contracts to be let under the Framework agreement. (315232)

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Mark Lund, dated 2 February 2010:

As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question [315232] on the Internal Communication, Engagement and Change Framework;

No contracts have been awarded under Lot 3 (Brand & Values) of the Internal Communications, Engagement and Change framework.

Total estimated monetary value of all contracts to be let under the duration (4 years) of the ICEC Framework Agreement is £9-10 million.

Departmental Computer Software

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what her policy is in respect of the installation and use of (a) Internet Explorer, (b) Firefox and (c) Opera website browsers by Government Departments. [Official Report, 1 March 2010, Vol. 506, c. 12MC.] (318248)

Government policy regarding installation and use of web browsers is that all decisions must be in line with value for money requirements. In addition, the Open Source, Open Standards, Re-use strategy requires Departments to consider open source browsers such as Firefox and Opera on a level basis with proprietary browsers such as Internet Explorer. The strategy can be found at:

www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/318020/open_source.pdf

Departmental Freedom of Information

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2010, Official Report, column 1140W, on departmental correspondence, what her Department’s policy is on the target for providing (a) an acknowledgement and (b) a substantive response to a request made under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. (318340)

Requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are handled in accordance with the Act. Section 10 of the Act deals with the time for compliance with requests. Requests must be responded to promptly or in any event not later than 20 working days following receipt. In certain circumstances this 20 working day deadline can be extended.

Government Departments: Advertising

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much the Government has spent on advertisements for Government services on (a) television and (b) commercial radio since 2005. (317102)

This information is not collected centrally. Each Government Department, agency and non-departmental public body is responsible for setting its own communications priorities and outputs, and each Secretary of State is responsible to Parliament.

While no central figures are held on the total Government communications spend, figures for Departments’ expenditure through the Central Office of Information (COI) are shown in the COI Annual Report. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House. However these figures only provide a partial picture and do not distinguish between different advertising media.

Government Departments: Marketing

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to page 16 of Smarter Government, Cm 7753, what the monetary value is of the planned reduction in marketing and communications spend; over what period the planned reduction is expected to take place; whether the reduction relates to (a) Central Office of Information expenditure and (b) departmental expenditure; and whether she expects there to be any reduction in the number of departmental press officers employed. (315280)