Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 11 March 2010
Leader of the House
Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund
The Leader has not had any recent discussions with the Trustees on this subject. The investment of the assets of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund is a matter for the Fund's Trustees. The scheme regulations require the Trustees to have in place a Statement of Investment Principles and to consult with the Leader about it.
The current Statement of Investment Principles states that the Trustees have instructed their investment managers
“to exercise the rights attached to the Fund's investments in order to ensure, so far as is consistent with the Trustees' duty to act in the best financial interests of the beneficiaries, that the companies in which the Fund is invested adopt high standards”
in relation to a
“responsible approach to social, ethical and environmental issues”.
Northern Ireland
Criminal Proceedings
This is an operational matter for the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Gentleman and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) contributes data annually to the NI Public Sector Energy Campaign (PSEC) regarding energy consumption.
The most up-to-date figures on carbon dioxide emissions are contained within the 2007-08 PSEC report and are shown in the following table:
Tonnes 2007-08 1,546 2006-07 1,873 2005-06 1,616 2004-05 1,751
The Department has a Green ICT strategy in place, derived from the Cabinet Office “Greening Government ICT” strategy, to assist in reducing energy consumption and emissions.
The Department participates in Government Carbon Offsetting Fund (GCOF) to offset emissions relating to air travel by Ministers and staff on official business.
Departmental Internet
The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) maintains an internal intranet. Since 2005 the homepage has been redesigned at a cost of £7,040 and the content management system upgraded at a cost of £1,760. Two further updates were carried out by departmental ICT staff at no additional cost.
Prisoners: Ex-servicemen
While all prisoners are asked their occupation on committal, there is no requirement for prisoners to disclose this information. Of those currently in prison, 0.36 per cent. (five persons) have stated their occupation as being in the armed forces or protective services.
Work and Pensions
Children: Maintenance
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:
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 individuals paid off their arrears to the Child Support Agency by credit card in each of the last three years. [318744]
Data on child maintenance arrears payments made only by credit card is not available as it is not possible to separate regular and arrears payments and it is not possible to break down payments made by credit or debit card.
I am sorry on this occasion I can not be more helpful.
Housing Benefit: Greater London
[holding answer 11 March 2010]: The most recent available information is in the table.
£ Local authority Local authority tenants Registered social landlord tenants Private tenants All tenancy types Camden 93.08 115.23 211.99 118.67 City of London 86.40 102.98 174.18 97.24 Hackney 91.68 108.11 194.93 120.33 Hammersmith and Fulham 90.72 124.58 196.77 124.77 Haringey 121.10 119.23 157.60 132.78 Islington 91.14 111.00 194.00 109.26 Kensington and Chelsea 123.75 117.47 274.64 154.47 Lambeth 107.44 99.94 148.65 112.94 Lewisham 86.22 90.81 162.65 109.08 Newham 132.36 121.84 167.97 142.92 Southwark 82.95 104.36 147.75 95.94 Tower Hamlets 121.78 100.57 193.32 119.57 Wandsworth 103.62 109.48 215.40 135.71 Westminster 97.73 127.03 310.74 182.54 Barking and Dagenham 86.52 102.39 158.61 107.69 Barnet 85.61 138.18 184.16 145.27 Bexley 266.29 89.38 148.43 110.33 Brent 108.77 145.21 199.75 159.12 Bromley — 97.96 143.12 110.48 Croydon 88.38 103.44 154.47 121.48 Ealing 121.71 120.37 178.32 141.57 Enfield 122.99 110.83 179.10 147.84 Greenwich 76.44 96.58 146.17 94.15 Harrow 81.11 143.85 180.14 147.75 Havering 84.54 90.94 149.34 104.98 Hillingdon 115.65 100.24 164.66 129.48 Hounslow 92.77 102.00 173.07 119.28 Kingston upon Thames 113.46 103.38 175.40 134.13 Merton 80.99 101.67 156.66 115.23 Redbridge 159.50 106.05 163.35 152.43 Richmond upon Thames 241.47 91.19 175.53 119.15 Sutton 76.83 95.32 151.45 107.21 Waltham Forest 105.49 99.94 149.23 119.36 Notes: 1. Data as at second Thursday of the month. 2. Average amounts of housing benefit are shown as pounds per week and rounded to the nearest penny. 3. Housing association tenants are shown as registered social landlord tenants. 4. Tenure type does not include recipients with unknown tenure type. 5. “—” denotes nil cases. 6. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 7. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data are available monthly from November 2008 and October 2009 is the most recent available. Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE).
Treasury
Climate Change Levy
Final outturns of climate change levy receipts are published at Budget in table C.6 in chapter C “The public Finances” for each fiscal year.
Public Bodies
The Government's response will be set out alongside responses to the other Committee of Public Accounts' conclusions and recommendations from its Fifteenth Report in a Treasury Minute in due course.
Tax Allowances: Energy
The Enhanced Capital Allowances scheme for energy saving technologies is dynamic and kept under regular review. Updates and changes to the EGA schemes are normally announced at Budget.
Taxation: Holiday Accommodation
None of the responses to the technical consultation on the proposed legislation to repeal the Furnished Holiday Lettings (FHL) rules identified any technical difficulties with the draft legislation which was published at the 2009 pre-Budget report. Therefore there are no plans to publish a full report on the findings from this informal consultation.
The Treasury receives representations on a range of policy issues. As was the case with the previous Administration, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of such representations.
The Government acknowledge that this change has not been welcomed by the tourism industry. However, for legal reasons, a change is necessary.
Culture, Media and Sport
Departmental Consultants
The Government Olympic Executive in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport runs an East London digital network. This is an on-line forum for invited members of the public to give their opinions and ideas and is one of the key ways in which Government are meeting their promise to engage with local people about what they want from the Olympics and ensure that Government policy reflects their views.
The cost of the project, including the contracting of consultants stands at £111,759.20 exclusive of VAT.
Digital Switchover Help Scheme: Gordon
The Switchover Help Scheme receives eligibility data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and is only able to report statistically at an ITV region level. The provision of help scheme eligibility data at both country and local level is a matter for the DWP. The help scheme estimates around 170,000 people in the STV North TV Region will be eligible to receive help. It is estimated that 37 per cent. of the 170,000 eligible people in the STV North TV Region are entitled to receive the help for free. The numbers of help scheme eligible people and people entitled to receive the help for free in this region are likely to change between now and when the last STV North transmitter switches in October 2010.
Irish Language Broadcast Fund: Expenditure
My Department acted as the conduit through which the UK Government paid £3 million for the Irish Language Broadcasting Fund in 2009-10. Funding was provided through the UK Film Council.
Stroud
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport'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 the Department on the Stroud constituency since 2000 include:
£156,862 given from Arts Council England to organisations based in Stroud in 2008-09 through the Grants for the Arts programme.
£121,000 of English Heritage grant offers to the Stroud constituency in 2008-09.
Digital Switchover is due to take place in Stroud in April 2010. 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 £18,046,315 of national lottery grants made to applications from the Stroud constituency since 2000.
The Stroud constituency has also benefitted 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 750,000 free swims taken in London 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 socio-economic 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.
Trade Unions
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Royal Parks Agency do not have any employees seconded to trade unions.
Both DCMS and the Royal Parks provide facility time for local trade union officials.
The annual cost of trade union facility time for DCMS is up to £25,952.
The annual cost of trade union activity for the Royal Parks is up to £29,333.
There are no figures available for the number of days other staff spend on trade union activity. To obtain such information would incur a disproportionate cost.
Ulster Scots: Expenditure
None, but under the terms of the BBC’s charter and agreement, the BBC Trust must have regard to the importance of ensuring appropriate provision in minority languages. Funding to enable the BBC to provide minority languages is included in the BBC’s funding settlement, which is set by my Department, although my Department does not specify the amounts that the BBC must spend in this area.
Transport
Aviation: Security
The Department for Transport has been working with the European Civil Aviation Conference and other international partners to test the effectiveness of liquid screening technologies and final results will be available by the end of the year.
The Department has also undertaken several studies on the time taken for passengers to pass through liquid detection systems, the results of which have been used to define options for the deployment of liquid detection machines and also to guide manufacturers on how the performance of the machines might be improved.
Departmental Advertising
The majority of television and radio advertising media expenditure by the Department for Transport is in support of the THINK! Road safety and the Act on CO2 campaigns. Among the Department's executive agencies, the most prominent use of advertising has been by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, in support of Electronic Vehicle Licensing, Sale of Marks and Vehicle Excise Enforcement (Continuous Registration).
The information sought is not held in the format requested by all parts of the Department and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information available is included in the following table:
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Television advertising DFT(C) 6,889 5,171 8,002 8,171 DSA 0 0 0 0 DVLA n/a n/a n/a 4,800 GCDA 0 0 0 0 HA 0 0 0 0 MCA 25 4 15 13 VCA 0 0 0 0 VOSA 0 0 0 0 Radio advertising DFT(C) 2,011 2,578 2,511 3,089 DSA 0 0 0 41 DVLA n/a n/a n/a 1,400 GCDA 0 0 0 0 HA n/a n/a 40 66 MCA 0 0 0 0 VCA 0 0 0 0 VOSA 0 0 0 0
Departmental Energy
The Department for Transport was formed in 2002 and therefore no records exist for the Department prior to that date.
The following tables show the electricity, gas and other fuels used by the Department for Transport and its Agencies since 2004-05.
kWh Business unit 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Central Department 8,073,203 9,187,270 8,039,848 7,522,387 7,472,014 Executive Agencies 34,810,758 36,567,277 39,721,844 37,988,465 42,271,338 DfT total 42,883,961 45,754,547 47,761,692 45,510,852 49,743,352
The following table gives the percentage of electricity consumed by the Department that came from renewable resources for each of the last five years.
Percentage Business unit 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 DfT 68 74 66 62.5 53
The reducing percentage of electricity from renewable resources depicted above is as a result of a change in the main supply contract from Buying Solutions which now has a reduced renewable allowance in order to ensure renewable energy is available in the private sector.
kWh Business unit 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Central Department 1,183,339 1,743,451 893,005 970,130 1,144,174 Executive Agencies 29,967,416 46,974,572 42,517,851 48,308,845 52,890,398 DfT total 31,150,755 48,718,023 43,410,856 49,278,975 54,034,572
kWh Business unit 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Central Department 421,858 450,079 448,200 390,760 211,385 Executive Agencies 1,639,613 219,000 2,746,182 2,819,862 2,496,956 DfT total 2,061,471 669,079 3,194,382 3,210,622 2,708,341
Part of the progressive increases shown in the above tables is accounted for by improvements in the standard of data collection.
The following table provides the total annual cost of the energy used in the above tables.
£ Business unit 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Central Department 1,261,721.52 1,931,567.00 1,124,339.31 870,380.58 1,031,824.05 Executive Agencies 2,371,574.30 4,559,976.64 4,237,074.20 5,195,331.01 7,238,984.25 DfT total 3,633,295.82 6,491,543.64 5,361,413.51 6,065,711.59 8,270,808.30
In addition to the above listed energy use the Highways Agency is responsible for the provision of roadside technology and lighting which incurred £23.9 million in energy costs in 2008-09. It is not possible to provide consumption data for this facet of departmental activity.
Departmental Manpower
The Department’s records indicate that no staff from BAA have been seconded to the Department for Transport in the last five years.
Departmental Theft
The figure provided here is for all items recorded as stolen in the past two years and is for the entire Department for Transport including its agencies and shared service centre. The figure provided does not include thefts where records are not available centrally, or such thefts that were not reported. While some of this information may exist in records held locally within the central Department and the agencies, it could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
Central records show that since 10 February 2008, 76 items have been reported stolen. Of these 54 were reported stolen from within departmental premises.
The Department has in place access control measures in accordance with cabinet office guidance, issues staff awareness guidance on its Intranet and provides lockable pedestals and personal lockers. Reminders on security awareness are also disseminated to employees via security liaison officers within the Department teams.
Official Cars: Senior Civil Servants
The annual cost of providing official cars to senior civil servants by the Government Car and Despatch Agency is £371,379.00.
Roads: Litter
The Highways Agency retains responsibility for litter collection on the motorways and also on some all purpose trunk roads. A list of these roads has been placed in the Libraries of the House. The Highways Agency will continue to collaborate with local authorities to ensure the effective removal of roadside litter.
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
The following table gives the amount spent on completing work on the first tranche of schemes out of the up to £6 billion allocated to the National Roads Programme in the January 2009 Roads Announcement.
£ million M6 Carlisle to Guardsmill 31.4 M1 J6a-10 Widening 82.5 A14 Haughley New Street to Stowmarket 14.0 M62 J6 Improvements 14.7 M25 J1b-3 widening 15.1 A5117/A550Deeside Park Junction improvement 23.3 A1 Bramham to Wetherby 31.8 Total 212.7
Thameslink Railway Line
Key Output 0 has already delivered an increase of 2,500 seats in each peak period. The Key Output 1 service, from December 2011, will increase the capacity into central London initially by approximately a further 1,000 seats in each peak period.
As the new Key Output 2 trains are progressively brought on to the rail network, capacity will increase in to the central London section of the Thameslink route by up to approximately 30,000 additional seats in each peak period.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund: Nottinghamshire
It is for local authorities to decide how to spend money provided via ALSF as a non ring fenced area based grant. These monies are spent according to local priorities.
Nottinghamshire county council uses all money allocated to it on aggregates projects and reports through the DEFRA ALSF database, which can be viewed at:
http://alsf.defra.gov.uk/
The database currently records 73 projects funded by Nottinghamshire county council with a total value of nearly £2 million, of which £495,000 is from ALSF grants.
DEFRA is currently undertaking an assessment of the effectiveness of the ALSF, including funds provided to local authorities, in advance of the next spending review.
Compost: Mushrooms
Our officials continue to receive regular updates from Bassetlaw council about the regulation of the mushroom composting plant in their district, most recently from council officers on 3 March. DEFRA officials spoke to the newly-employed consultant to the council on 9 March. The decision on whether or not to prosecute is a matter for the council, having regard to, among other matters, the statutory Regulators' Compliance Code.
Noah's Ark Farm Zoo
The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 places responsibility for the inspection and licensing of zoos with local authorities, in this case North Somerset council. The Act provides local authorities with all the powers they require to ensure that zoos operate to high standards consistent with the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
We are unable to provide the information requested on procedures initiated or average length of time that procedures take as responsibility for commencing capability and minor disciplinary procedures rests with line management across the Department. No records are collated centrally regarding how many procedures are initiated in the Department.
Staff may be dismissed for poor performance, poor attendance, gross misconduct or repeated misconduct. Information for the Department, including any predecessor Departments and data for UK Trade and Investment, in relation to dismissals on these grounds are set out in the following table. Totals of five or less are suppressed on the grounds of confidentiality.
Number of staff dismissed (all reasons) 2009-101 2— 2008 8 2007 14 2006 12 2005 15 1 To date. 2 Unable to supply this information under section 40 (personal data) of the Data Protection Act.
Departmental Paper
The Department uses the Pan- Government Office Supplies Framework set up by the MOD. Under the framework Office Depot are the paper suppliers. Our reprographics department also use The Paper Company (formally Dixon and Roe) for their supplies.
Our hand towels, toilet rolls and kitchen paper are purchased through our cleaning company—GBM who in turn purchase from either Bunzi Cleaning and Hygiene Supplies or Futures Supplies and Support Services Ltd.
For the paper we use some unbranded products and some branded products as follows:
Reprographics Department uses Evolve Office Paper and Nine Lives Paper.
Office Depot provides Evolve, Unbranded; Filemaster; Paradis; Kendall; Kestrel; Communiques; Conqueror; Copyspeed; Classic and Rellex.
Our cleaning consumables are Kimberley Clark.
Insolvency: Essex
Official statistics for corporate insolvencies, including administrations, are not currently available at a sub-national level within England and Wales.
Additionally, the number of employees of a company in administration is not recorded on the Companies House source data.
Met Office
I have been asked to reply.
The underlying data that have been made available are detailed in the following table. These data can be downloaded for free from the Met Office website at the following link:
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/pws/invent/weathermap/
As outlined in ‘Putting the Frontline First: Smarter Government', the Met Office has also released a free iPhone application to access weather data and a widget that enables other websites to deploy Met Office supplied weather information.
Category Data details Weather warnings Type, validity period, risk and severity for all current valid warnings issued by the Met Office Weather For all UK weather stations for which an observation or a forecast is available: Site name Latitude Longitude Wind direction Wind speed Wind gust Weather type (as numerical code, decode provided on website) Visibility Temperature Pressure—observed values only Pressure tendency (e.g. “Rising”)—observed values only Mountain and leisure areas For Mountain areas: For the current day (day zero): weather hazards including severity, fell top conditions, weather forecast including precipitation probabilities For the next day (day one): weather forecast For days two and three: weather outlook For Leisure areas: a textual overview of the current day's weather Pressure Forecast Pressure for the entire UK area at various time frames Ultra Violet Forecast UV values for the current day through to day four for every forecast location in the UK
Post Offices: Bank Services
(2) what recent discussions he has had with Post Office Ltd. on the collection of back-payments from sub-postmasters for ATMs in their branches; and if he will make a statement.
Following agreement with the National Federation of Sub-postmasters, Post Office Ltd. notified sub-postmasters in September 2009 that they would not be asked to pay any backdated fees from the time their ATM was installed up to the end of August 2009.
Royal Mail
The chief executive post is not a Government appointment. The Royal Mail Board has begun the search for Adam Crozier's replacement but there is no set timetable for the recruitment process. An announcement will be made when the process is concluded.
Women and Equality
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
Since its creation in 2007, the Government Equalities Office has had one disciplinary case, in 2009. The case involved one member of staff and did not result in dismissal. It was initiated and completed within the 2009 calendar year.
Cabinet Office
Departmental ICT
My Department has not cancelled any information technology projects in the last 12 months.
Employment
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people have moved from being (a) unemployed and (b) economically inactive to employed in each quarter in each (i) region and (ii) country of the UK since 2007; and what proportion of the labour force this represented in each (A) quarter and (B) such area. (321064)
Estimates for the working age population of the UK are provided in the attached table. They are derived from datasets extracted from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) which enable the estimation of the labour market status of people surveyed in two successive quarters. These datasets are made publicly available as the “LFS Longitudinal Datasets”. Estimates for the regions and countries within the UK, and for all people aged 16 and over, are not available due to sample size restrictions and the limitations of the estimation methodology.
As with any estimates extracted from sample surveys, the figures provided are subject to a margin of uncertainty. More precise estimates of the quality of the estimates provided in this answer are not available.
Flows (Thousand) Flows as a percentage of total economically active Unemployment to employment Economic inactivity to employment Unemployment to employment Economic inactivity to employment 2007 Q1 376 406 1.3 1.4 Q2 448 478 1.5 1.6 Q3 454 655 1.5 2.2 Q4 567 528 1.9 1.8 2008 Q1 395 453 1.3 1.5 Q2 421 444 1.4 1.5 Q3 409 600 1.4 2.0 Q4 549 503 1.8 1.7 2009 Q1 370 359 1.2 1.2 Q2 450 330 1.5 1.1 Q3 555 518 1.8 1.7 Q4 582 405 1.9 1.4 1 From the previous calendar quarter to the quarter shown. 2 Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey Longitudinal Datasets
Communities and Local Government
Birmingham City Council: Finance
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with Birmingham city council regarding its financial situation.
Community Development: Finance
The neighbourhoods which benefited from Connecting Communities funding were identified after a range of hard and soft data around cohesion, deprivation and crime, perceived unfairness in the allocation of resources had been carefully examined. Feedback was also given by people working locally. The plans for each area were decided after discussions between local authorities and their Government office about the support required. The data and the plans are specific to each local authority and may include sensitive information. The hon. Member may wish to contact Peterborough city council about the selection of areas and the activities taking place in his constituency.
Departmental Location
Communities and Local Government has not relocated any posts from either Essex or the Castle Point constituency.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Two full-time and one 0.4 full-time equivalent civil servants support the special advisers in the offices of the Secretary of State and the Minister for Housing. All three civil servants provide support of a non-political nature, in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers. They also provide support to Ministers' private offices.
Departmental Pay
For information up to 2007-08, I refer the hon. Member to the answer he was given on 21 July 2008, Official Report, column 765W.
Since 2007-08, the information is as follows:
£ 2008-09 4,407.35 2009-10 1,327.90
Procedures for reimbursing staff expenses are set out in the Department's staff handbook, and are in line with the provisions set out in the Civil Service Management Code.
Empty Dwelling Management Orders: Squatting
The Department issued a Guidance Note on Empty Dwelling Management Orders in July 2006 which can be downloaded from the Communities website:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/guidancenote
An interim Empty Dwelling Management Order can be issued only by the Residential Property Tribunal Service if the dwelling has been wholly unoccupied (i.e. no part is occupied whether lawfully or unlawfully) for at least six months.
The issue of squatters is managed through separate provisions—other powers exist to evict squatters. The landlord must obtain an eviction order from a county court. The EDMO provisions can then be followed if required.
Fire Services: Finance
The latest available outturn net current expenditure on the fire and rescue services per 100,000 of the population in each local authority in England is for 2008-09 and is tabled as follows:
£000 per 100,000 population Greater London Authority 5,388 Greater Manchester Fire and CD Authority 3,887 Merseyside Fire and CD Authority 5,013 South Yorkshire Fire and CD Authority 4,168 Tyne and Wear Fire and CD Authority 4,648 West Midlands Fire and CD Authority 4,393 West Yorkshire Fire and CD Authority 3,184 Avon Combined Fire Authority 3,862 Bedfordshire Combined Fire Authority 3,651 Berkshire Combined Fire Authority 3,758 Buckinghamshire Combined Fire Authority 3,505 Cambridgeshire Combined Fire Authority 2,714 Cheshire Combined Fire Authority 3,927 Cleveland Combined Fire Authority 5,006 Derbyshire Combined Fire Authority 3,129 Devon and Somerset Combined Fire Authority 4,048 Dorset Combined Fire Authority 3,375 Durham Combined Fire Authority 4,417 East Sussex Combined Fire Authority 4,714 Essex Combined Fire Authority 4,032 Hampshire Combined Fire Authority 3,449 Hereford and Worcester Combined Fire Authority 3,691 Humberside Combined Fire Authority 5,085 Kent Combined Fire Authority 4,071 Lancashire Combined Fire Authority 3,966 Leicestershire Combined Fire Authority 3,245 North Yorkshire Combined Fire Authority 3,598 Nottinghamshire Combined Fire Authority 3,853 Shropshire Combined Fire Authority 4,145 Staffordshire Combined Fire Authority 2,813 Wiltshire Combined Fire Authority 3,618 County councils Cornwall 3,842 Cumbria 3,865 Gloucestershire 3,184 Hertfordshire 3,600 Lincolnshire 3,835 Norfolk 3,499 Northamptonshire 3,428 Northumberland 5,033 Oxfordshire 3,547 Somerset1 39 Suffolk 3,279 Surrey 3,778 Warwickshire 3,955 West Sussex 4,047 Isles of Scilly 15,547 Unitary authority Isle of Wight UA 4,227 1 Fire and rescue responsibility was transferred from Somerset county council to Devon and Somerset Combined Fire Authority on 1 April 2007. However, Somerset county council still has some residual costs. Source: Communities and Local Government provisional Revenue Outturn (RO) returns.
Population figures used in the calculation are the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) Mid-Year Population estimates for 2008.
The current expenditure defined here is on a Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 17 basis and is the cost of running local authority services within the financial year. This includes the costs of staffing, heating, lighting and cleaning, together with expenditure on goods and services consumed within the year. This expenditure is offset by income from sales, fees and charges and other (non-grant) income, to give net current expenditure.
Greater Manchester
My Department does not routinely collect information at constituency level but, as the constituency of Manchester, Gorton falls within the local authority of Manchester we have, where relevant, included information from them in this answer.
The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources.
This service is available on the National Statistics website at:
http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/
Communities and Local Government statistical publications can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/researchandstatistics/statistics/
This includes time series data across the Department’s remit at various geographic levels.
Details of research projects commissioned by Communities and Local Government and its predecessors are available from our Research Database (RD) at:
http://www.rmd.communities.gov.uk/
This includes evaluations of key policies.
Over the last year, Communities and Local Government has:
Played a critical role responding to the recession ensuring people, business and communities receive the practical help they need, including: helping people avoid repossession; Real Help Now; supporting the construction industry, critical regeneration projects, jobs through Future Jobs Fund; and businesses with the business rates deferral scheme.
Set in place a platform for greater local devolution for more effective decision making through local area agreements (LAAs)—including slashing central performance standards from over 1,200 to fewer than 200.
Continued building on this through Total Place pilots, leading innovation across public services—cutting out waste, overlap and duplication, meaning more and belter quality services at less cost to the taxpayer.
Established the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) set out in the Planning Act 2008—which will make the major Infrastructure Planning decisions for) the country, delivering a faster, fairer and more transparent planning regime.
Announced the £1.5 billion Housing Pledge to deliver an additional 20,000 units of affordable housing, creating 45,000 jobs in the construction industry over this year and next, including 1,300 new apprenticeship schemes.
Last year there were 330 additional affordable homes provided by Manchester local authority. See link for further information:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/1406085.xls
During the period since 1997, the Department’s achievements include:
Working with local housing authorities to reduce the number of people accepted as owed a main homelessness duty by 71 per cent. since the peak in 2003—the lowest level since the late seventies—through greater emphasis on the prevention of homelessness.
In 2008-09, there were 539 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in Manchester local authority compared to 2,688 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in 2002-03. See link for further information:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/141476.xls
Launching the Local Government White Paper “Strong and Prosperous Communities” which set out a new stage of public sector reform, significantly strengthening leadership and devolving power to local government as well as providing a major expansion of opportunities for local people to influence local decision-making and improve their lives.
Helping reduce accidental fire-related deaths—the lowest level since 1959.
In 2008-09, there were 12 accidental fire related deaths in Greater Manchester, compared to 28 accidental fire relate deaths in 2001-02. At the local level, fire deaths may fluctuate within a general declining national trend. See link for further information (Table 4b):
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1403049.xls
Reducing by 1.2 million the number of non decent social homes
As at 1 April 2009, there were 7,201 non-decent dwellings in Manchester local authority, compared to 40,586 non decent dwellings at 1 April 2001. See links for further information:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/1393612.xls
(2008-09 data)
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/141950.xls
(2001-02 data)
Investing through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund £1.87 billion for England’s 88 most deprived local authorities, leading to real positive change.
Hackney
The Department does not routinely collect information at constituency level as far back as to 1997. The constituency of Hackney, North and Stoke Newington constituency falls within the London borough of Hackney and therefore where relevant information is available, this has been included in the answer.
The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at:
http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/
Communities and Local Government statistical publications can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/researchandstatistics/statistics/
This includes time series data across the Department's remit at various geographic levels.
Details of research projects commissioned by Communities and Local Government and its predecessors are available from our Research Database (RD) at:
http://www.rmd.communities.gov.uk/
This includes evaluations of key policies.
Over the last year, Communities and Local Government has:
Played a critical role responding to the recession ensuring people, business and communities receive the practical help they need, including: helping people avoid repossession; Real Help Now; supporting the construction industry, critical regeneration projects, jobs through Future Jobs Fund; and businesses with the business rates deferral scheme.
Set in place a platform for greater local devolution for more effective decision-making through Local Area Agreements (LAAs), including slashing central performance standards from over 1,200 to fewer than 200.
Continued building on this through Total Place pilots, leading innovation across public services, cutting out waste, overlap and duplication, meaning more and better quality services at less cost to the taxpayer.
Established the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) set out in the Planning Act 2008, which will make the major infrastructure planning decisions for the country, delivering a faster, fairer and more transparent planning regime.
Announced the £1.5 billion Housing Pledge to deliver an additional 20,000 units of affordable housing, creating 45,000 jobs in the construction industry over this year and next, including 1,300 new apprenticeship schemes.
Last year there were 990 additional affordable homes provided by the London borough of Hackney, compared to 709 additional affordable homes provided in 1996-97. See link for further information:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/1406085.xls
During the period since 1997, the Department's achievements include:
Working with local housing authorities to reduce the number of people accepted as owed a main homelessness duty by 71 per cent. since the peak in 2003—the lowest level since the late seventies—through greater emphasis on the prevention of homelessness.
In 2008-09, there were 615 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in the London borough of Hackney compared to 1,136 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in 2002-03. See link for further information:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/141476.xls
Launching the Local Government White Paper “Strong and Prosperous Communities” which set out a new stage of public sector reform, significantly strengthening leadership and devolving power to local government as well as providing a major expansion of opportunities for local people to influence local decision-making and improve their lives.
Helping reduce accidental fire-related deaths—the lowest level since 1959.
In 2008-09, there were 30 accidental fire related deaths in Greater London, compared to 56 accidental fire related deaths in 2001-02. See link for further information (Table 4b):
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1403049.xls
Reducing by 1.2 million the number of non-decent social homes.
As at 1 April 2009, there were 7,326 non-decent dwellings in the London borough of Hackney, compared to 26,649 non-decent dwellings as at 1 April 2001. See links for further information:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/1393612.xls
(2008009 data)
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/142466.xls
(2001-02 data)
Investing through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund £1.87 billion for England's 88 most deprived local authorities, leading to real positive change.
Non-domestic Rates: Ports
The Department does not hold information on the extent to which individual businesses have met their business rates liabilities for 2009-10.
Local authorities reported that, as at 8 October 2009, ratepayers occupying 221 properties within ports had fully discharged their backdated liability and ratepayers occupying a further 200 business properties within ports had been granted a schedule of payments.
In a Business Rates Information letter dated 10 February 2009, the Government said that, based on historical trends, they estimate that up to 1,500 properties could benefit from a schedule of payments in 2009-10.
The Government have listened to the concerns of businesses with significant and unexpected backdated bills, including some of those within ports. It has legislated to enable such bills to be repaid over an unprecedented eight years rather than in one instalment thus helping affected businesses to manage the impact on their cash flows during the downturn by reducing the amount they are required to pay now by 87.5 per cent.
Stroud
My Department does not routinely collect information at constituency level but, as the constituency of Stroud falls within the local authority of Stroud we have, where relevant, included information from them in this answer.
The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at:
http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/
Communities and Local Government statistical publications can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/researchandstatistics/statistics/
This includes time series data across the Department’s remit at various geographic levels.
Details of research projects commissioned by Communities and Local Government and its predecessors are available from our Research Database (RD) at:
http://www.rmd.communities.gov.uk/
This includes evaluations of key policies.
Over the last year, Communities and Local Government has:
Played a critical role responding to the recession ensuring people, business and communities receive the practical help they need, including: helping people avoid repossession; Real Help Now; supporting the construction industry, critical regeneration projects, jobs through Future Jobs Fund; and businesses with the business rates deferral scheme.
Set in place a platform for greater local devolution for more effective decision making through local area agreements (LAAs), including slashing central performance standards from over 1,200 to fewer than 200.
Continued building on this through Total Place pilots, leading innovation across public services, cutting out waste, overlap and duplication, meaning more and better quality services at less cost to the taxpayer.
Established the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) set out in the Planning Act 2008, which will make the major Infrastructure Planning decisions for the country, delivering a faster, fairer and more transparent planning regime.
Announced the £1.5 billion Housing Pledge to deliver an additional 20,000 units of affordable housing, creating 45,000 jobs in the construction industry over this year and next, including 1,300 new apprenticeship schemes.
Last year there were 70 additional affordable homes provided by Stroud local authority compared to 50 additional affordable homes provided in 2000-01. See link for further information:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/1406085.xls
During the period since 1997, the Department’s achievements include:
Working with local housing authorities to reduce the number of people accepted as owed a main homelessness duty by 71 per cent. since the peak in 2003—the lowest level since the late seventies—through greater emphasis on the prevention of homelessness.
In 2008-09, there were 22 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in Stroud local authority compared to 89 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in 2002-03. See link for further information:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/141476.xls
Launching the Local Government White Paper “Strong and Prosperous Communities” which set out a new stage of public sector reform, significantly strengthening leadership and devolving power to local government as well as providing a major expansion of opportunities for local people to influence local decision-making and improve their lives.
Helping reduce accidental fire-related deaths—the lowest level since 1959.
In 2007-08, there were five accidental fire related deaths in Gloucestershire, compared to two accidental fire relate deaths in 2001-02. At the local level, fire deaths may fluctuate within a general declining national trend. See link for further information (Table 4b):
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1403049.xls
Reducing by 1.2 million the number of non decent social homes
As at 1 April 2009, there were 625 non-decent dwellings in Stroud local authority, compared to 1,895 non decent dwellings at 1 April 2001. See links for further information:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/1393612.xls
(2008-09 data)
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/142016.xls
(2001-02 data)
Investing through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund £1.87 billion for England’s 88 most deprived local authorities, leading to real positive change.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Democratic Republic of Congo: Armed Conflict
The UN Peacekeeping mission, MONUC, has a conditionality clause in its mandate that support will be withdrawn from Congolese army units (FARDC) which commit human rights abuses.
We fully support this approach and will continue to maintain pressure on the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to take appropriate action against perpetrators of human rights abuses and uphold the rule of law. My noble Friend the Minister for Africa visited DRC last month and raised the issue with President Kabila, urging progress on security sector reform and implementation of his “zero tolerance” policy on human rights abuses. The Minister also met with FARDC officers and UN Peacekeeping troop commanders in South Kivu, in eastern Congo, and was encouraged by their considered approach to the newly mandated operation, Amani Leo, where they have created a method for vetting FARDC commanders before collaborating with them, shifted emphasis to predominantly civilian protection and developed a robust message on zero tolerance and the need to maintain professional standards. We will continue to monitor the mission through our staff on the ground as well as UN, non-governmental organisations and independent reporting.
Accountability is essential for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) armed forces to be able to provide civilian protection. My noble Friend the Minister for Africa raised the issue of impunity for human rights abusers with Prime Minister Muzito and President Kabila when in the country last month. We have lent support to developing the justice sector in DRC. We are providing about £80 million over five years to increase accountability of the security sector through strengthened oversight mechanisms, technical assistance and training.
Through the EU advisory and assistance mission for security reform in the DRC we are funding a biometric census project which provides accurate personnel figures for the military of the DRC regiments and allows child soldiers to be successfully identified and removed.
UN Security Council Resolution 1698 states that political and military leaders recruiting or using children in armed conflict in violation of applicable international law, and individuals committing serious violations of international law involving the targeting of children in situations of armed conflict, including killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction and forced displacement be subject to sanctions. We fully support this measure as stated in the declaration.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Political Prisoners
[holding answer 9 March 2010]: My noble Friend Baroness Kinnock raised freedom of expression and the need for media freedom and freedom of association in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the President, Prime Minister and other Ministers when she visited in late February. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials will raise the specific case of Lutu Mabangu at the meeting of the EU human rights working group in Kinshasa next month. We are currently not making any specific representations to the Government of DRC about this case.
Departmental Location
No such expenditure has been incurred.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Since June 2009 there have been two full-time Civil Servants: one Band A member of staff (AO equivalent) and one Band B member (EO equivalent) employed to assist Special Advisers. These Civil Servants have provided administrative support of a non-political nature in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.
Palestinians: International Assistance
Vessels in international waters enjoy the right of freedom of navigation. However, the Government strongly advise against any travel to Gaza at this time. Humanitarian aid workers and other essential specialist staff needing to travel to Gaza should co-ordinate their entry to Gaza with the major international humanitarian organisations already on the ground. The Government also regularly lobby the Israeli Government to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
If, despite this advice, Free Gaza decide to travel to Gaza, they do so at their own risk. They should review their security arrangements and seek professional security advice on whether they are adequate. They should register with our consular office in Gaza. The level of consular assistance the FCO can provide is extremely limited.
Terrorism: Northern Ireland
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Libya/Northern Ireland Reconciliation Unit continues to support the campaign by victims and families of victims of Irish Republican Army terrorism to obtain a settlement from the Libyan Government. This dedicated unit continues to provide facilitation, logistical support and advice to the campaign.
Trade Unions
This information is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Western Sahara: Politics and Government
Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have not discussed the effect of the Western Sahara dispute on the Maghreb Arab Union with all governments in North Africa. This issue has, however, been discussed with the Moroccan authorities. The UK recognises the negative impact of the long-running dispute over the territory of Western Sahara on a range of regional co-operation initiatives, including the Arab Maghreb Union.
The UK regards the status of the disputed non- self-governing territory of Western Sahara as undetermined, pending UN efforts to find a solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. To this end, we continue to support the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, Christopher Ross, in their efforts to resolve the dispute.
Home Department
Alcoholic Drinks
The Partnership Support Programme, run by the Alcohol Strategy Unit identified 50 CDRP areas where they expected to see action to tackle binge drinking and related antisocial behaviour. These areas are being encouraged to engage with their communities about the damaging effects of irresponsible drinking and the action they are taking to address problem areas. A total of £1.5 million has been distributed between the 50 CDRPs for this purpose.
12 selected CDRPs on the partnership support programme have received specialist strategic consultancy to develop sustainable communications plans to engage local communities and tackle people’s perceptions of the issues. The consultancy included research dissemination and feedback, the facilitation of communications workshops and the development of communications strategies. This is supported by ongoing liaison with regional Know Your Limits stakeholders, providing them with promotional materials to run their campaigns about irresponsible drinking and keeping them informed of Home Office activity and news.
We provide support to CDRPs and other stakeholders who have questions and requests about the Know Your Limits campaign. This includes information about materials available to them, using logos and amplifying campaigns locally, advice on the type of communication programme that they could run in their area, as well as general communication guidance and best practice.
The Know Your Limits advertising campaign targets 18 to 24-year-olds to prompt them to reconsider their behaviour around binge drinking. Throughout the summer adverts appeared on websites, radio, TV and in magazines. The cost of media for the financial year 2009-10, excluding production and fees, was £1,661,612.
Additionally, we have funded a number of adult and young people’s alcohol arrest referral projects. These seek to offer a brief intervention to individuals who have been arrested for an offence, and are under the influence of alcohol. A total of £1.6 million has been spent on these arrest referral projects during the financial year 2009-10.
The number of defendants proceeding against at magistrates courts and convicted and fined at all courts in England and Wales, and issued with a penalty notice for disorder for not obeying an instruction to stop drinking in a designated public place in each year from 2006 to 2008 (latest available) can be viewed in the following table. No defendants have received the maximum fine of £500 between 2006 and 2008.
Court proceedings data for 2009 are planned to be published in autumn 2010.
Offence description Number 2006 2007 2008 Failure to obey an instruction to stop alcohol consumption in designated public place (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, sec. 12) Proceeded against 101 113 4153 Found guilty 73 98 4123 Penalty notice for disorder 1,061 1,544 1,761 Maximum fines issued — — — Number of defendants fined 59 76 92 1 The court proceedings figures given in the table 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 it 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. 3 The offence of alcohol consumption in designated public place (section 12 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001) came into force on 1 September 2001. 4 Excludes prosecutions and convictions data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July, and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.
Alcoholic Drinks: Crime
[holding answer 8 March 2010]: Legislative provisions that fall under the responsibility of the Home Office and have not yet been brought into force are as follows:
Policing and Crime Act 2009
The secondary legislation in relation to the mandatory licensing conditions for alcohol retailers. The Licensing Act 2003 (Mandatory Licensing Conditions) Order is currently before Parliament for approval.
Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006
Sections 6,7 and 8 in relation to Drinking Banning Orders on conviction will come into force on 1 April 2010.
Alcoholic Drinks: Fixed Penalties
(2) how many penalty notices for disorder have been issued for the offence of being drunk in a highway in each of the last three years; and how much was paid in fines for such notices in each of the three years;
(3) how many penalty notices for disorder were issued for the offence of purchasing alcohol on behalf of a person under 18 in each of the last three years; and how much was paid in fines for such notices in each of those years;
(4) how many penalty notices for disorder were issued for the offence of buying or attempting to buy alcohol by a person under 18 in each of the last three years; and how much was paid in fines for such notices in each of those years;
(5) how many penalty notices for disorder have been issued for the offence of selling alcohol to a person who is drunk in each of the last three years; and how much was paid in fines in each of those years.;
(6) how many penalty notices for disorder were issued for the offence of being drunk and disorderly in each of the last three years; and how much was paid in fines in each of those years;
(7) how many penalty notices for disorder were issued for the offence of selling alcohol to a person under 18 years old in each of the last three years; and how much was paid in fines in each of those years.
The number of penalty notice for disorder issued for selected offences 2006 to 2008 (latest) are given in the tables. Alcohol related offences have been italicised.
Offences requested as follows:
DB07—consuming alcohol in a designated public place
DB05—being drunk in a highway
DA19 and DA20— purchasing alcohol on behalf of a person under 18
DB14—buying or attempting to buy alcohol
DA16—selling alcohol to a person who is drunk
DA06—drunk and disorderly
DA18—selling alcohol to a person under 18 years old
Penalty notices for disorder data for 2009 are planned to be published in autumn 2010.
Of those paid Offence description Number issued Total paid in full % Paid in full within 21 days % Paid in full outside 21 days % £80 Tickets issued DA01 Wasting police time 3,933 1,911 49 1,355 34 556 14 DA02 Misuse of public telecommunications system 909 523 58 388 43 135 15 DA03 Giving false alarm to fire and rescue authority 106 43 41 35 33 8 8 DA04 Causing Harassment, alarm or distress2 82,235 43,120 52 30,757 37 12,363 15 DA05 Throwing fireworks 682 380 56 267 39 113 17 DA06 Drunk and disorderly 43,556 24,673 57 18,123 42 6,550 15 DA11 Criminal Damage (under £500)2 20,620 11,351 55 8,342 40 3,009 15 DA12 Theft (retail under £200)2 38,772 16,169 42 12,370 32 3,799 10 DA13 Breach of fireworks curfew 53 34 64 27 51 7 13 DA14 Possession of category 4 firework 28 12 43 9 32 3 11 DA15 Possession by a person under 18 of adult firework 76 51 67 34 45 17 22 DA16 Sale of alcohol to drunken person 47 35 74 29 62 6 13 DA17 Supply of alcohol to person under 18 60 53 88 41 68 12 20 DA18 Sale of alcohol to person under 18 3,195 2,756 86 2,354 74 402 13 DA19 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 407 268 66 213 52 55 14 DA20 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 for consumption on premises 60 39 65 35 58 4 7 DA21 Delivery of alcohol to person under 18 or allowing such delivery 297 176 59 132 44 44 15 £50 Tickets issued DB03 Trespass on a railway 1,042 551 53 320 31 231 22 DB04 Throwing stones at a train/railway 15 6 40 5 33 1 7 DB05 Drunk in a highway 2,712 1,433 53 1,064 39 369 14 DB07 Consumption of alcohol in public place 1,061 252 24 165 16 87 8 DB08 Depositing and leaving litter 1,169 593 51 427 37 166 14 DB12 Consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 75 55 73 46 61 9 12 DB13 Allowing consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 14 10 71 10 71 — — DB14 Buying or Attempting to buy alcohol by person under 18 73 52 71 43 59 9 12 All offences 201,197 104,546 52 76,591 38 27,955 14
Offence description Number issued Total paid in full Fine registered % Court hearing requested % PND cancelled % Potential prosecution % Outcome unknown % £80 Tickets issued DA01 Wasting police time 3,933 1,911 1,787 45 44 1 108 3 81 2 2 0 DA02 Misuse of public telecommunications system 909 523 319 35 14 2 26 3 24 3 3 0 DA03 Giving false alarm to fire and rescue authority 106 43 52 49 — — 6 6 5 5 — — DA04 Causing Harassment, alarm or distress2 82,235 43,120 35,154 43 780 1 1,914 2 1,126 1 141 0 DA05 Throwing fireworks 682 380 264 39 5 1 23 3 10 1 — — DA06 Drunk and disorderly 43,556 24,673 16,919 39 269 1 886 2 725 2 84 0 DA11 Criminal Damage (under £500)2 20,620 11,351 8,492 41 134 1 324 2 287 1 32 0 DA12 Theft (retail under £200)2 38,772 16,169 21,157 55 203 1 732 2 392 1 119 0 DA13 Breach of fireworks curfew 53 34 16 30 1 2 1 2 — — 1 2 DA14 Possession of category 4 firework 28 12 15 54 — — — — — — 1 4 DA15 Possession by a person under 18 of adult firework 76 51 21 28 — — 3 4 1 1 — — DA16 Sale of alcohol to drunken person 47 35 9 19 1 2 2 4 — — — — DA17 Supply of alcohol to person under 18 60 53 7 12 — — — — — — — — DA18 Sale of alcohol to person under 18 3,195 2,756 390 12 6 0 30 1 10 0 3 0 DA19 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 407 268 122 30 1 0 10 2 6 1 — — DA20 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 for consumption on premises 60 39 20 33 — — — — 1 2 — — DA21 Delivery of alcohol to person under 18 or allowing such delivery 297 176 99 33 3 1 14 5 3 1 2 1 £50 Tickets issued DB03 Trespass on a railway 1,042 551 463 44 2 0 19 2 6 1 1 0 DB04 Throwing stones at a train/railway 15 6 6 40 — — 2 13 — — 1 7 DB05 Drunk in a highway 2,712 1,433 1,158 43 7 0 94 3 16 1 4 0 DB07 Consumption of alcohol in public place 1,061 252 749 71 7 1 45 4 6 1 2 0 DB08 Depositing and leaving litter 1,169 593 536 46 3 0 26 2 10 1 1 0 DB12 Consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 75 55 17 23 — — 2 3 1 1 — — DB13 Allowing consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 14 10 4 29 — — — — — — — — DB14 Buying or Attempting to buy alcohol by person under 18 73 52 20 27 — — 1 1 — — — — All offences 201,197 104,546 87,796 44 1,480 1 4,268 2 2,710 1 397 0
Of those paid Offence description Number issued Total paid in full % Paid in full within 21 days % Paid in full outside 21 days % £80 Tickets issued DA01 Wasting police time 3,966 1,862 47 1,384 35 478 12 DA02 Misuse of public telecommunications system 1,193 670 56 526 44 144 12 DA03 Giving false alarm to fire and rescue authority 96 55 57 38 40 17 18 DA04 Causing Harassment, alarm or distress2 77,827 40,357 52 30,761 40 9,596 12 DA05 Throwing fireworks 649 374 58 290 45 84 13 DA06 Drunk and disorderly 46,996 26,367 56 19,727 42 6,640 14 DA11 Criminal Damage (under £500)2 19,946 11,072 56 8,401 42 2,671 13 DA12 Theft (retail under £200)2 45,146 19,111 42 15,390 34 3,721 8 DA13 Breach of fireworks curfew 39 25 64 20 51 5 13 DA14 Possession of category 4 firework 22 10 45 7 32 3 14 DA15 Possession by a person under 18 of adult firework 106 67 63 57 54 10 9 DA16 Sale of alcohol to drunken person 81 64 79 50 62 14 17 DA17 Supply of alcohol to person under 18 54 41 76 31 57 10 19 DA18 Sale of alcohol to person under 18 3,583 3,074 86 2,623 73 451 13 DA19 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 555 320 58 244 44 76 14 DA20 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 for consumption on premises 64 31 48 23 36 8 13 DA21 Delivery of alcohol to person under 18 or allowing such delivery 431 268 62 219 51 49 11 £50 Tickets issued DB03 Trespass on a railway 1,527 780 51 441 29 339 22 DB04 Throwing stones at a train/railway 25 13 52 11 44 2 8 DB05 Drunk in a highway 2,066 1,146 55 942 46 204 10 DB07 Consumption of alcohol in public place 1,544 328 21 259 17 69 4 DB08 Depositing and leaving litter 1,374 705 51 541 39 164 12 DB12 Consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 85 67 79 55 65 12 14 DB13 Allowing consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 11 9 82 8 73 1 9 DB14 Buying or Attempting to buy alcohol by person under 18 158 109 69 85 54 24 15 All offences 207,544 106,925 52 82,133 40 24,792 12
Offence description Number issued Total paid in full Fine registered % Court hearing requested % PND cancelled % Potential prosecution % Outcome unknown % £80 Tickets issued DA01 Wasting police time 3,966 1,862 1,807 46 34 1 122 3 140 4 1 0 DA02 Misuse of public telecommunications system 1,193 670 431 36 17 1 43 4 32 3 — — DA03 Giving false alarm to fire and rescue authority 96 55 37 39 — — 3 3 1 1 — — DA04 Causing Harassment, alarm or distress2 77,827 40,357 33,021 42 626 1 2,210 3 1,577 2 36 0 DA05 Throwing fireworks 649 374 223 34 9 1 30 5 13 2 — — DA06 Drunk and disorderly 46,996 26,367 18,161 39 244 1 1,038 2 1,177 3 9 0 DA11 Criminal Damage (under £500)2 19,946 11,072 7,979 40 112 1 384 2 393 2 6 0 DA12 Theft (retail under £200)2 45,146 19,111 24,344 54 172 0 988 2 507 1 24 0 DA13 Breach of fireworks curfew 39 25 13 33 — — 1 3 — — — — DA14 Possession of category 4 firework 22 10 10 45 — — 2 9 — — — — DA15 Possession by a person under 18 of adult firework 106 67 31 29 1 1 5 5 2 2 — — DA16 Sale of alcohol to drunken person 81 64 9 11 3 4 2 2 3 4 — — DA17 Supply of alcohol to person under 18 54 41 11 20 1 2 1 2 — — — — DA18 Sale of alcohol to person under 18 3,583 3,074 405 11 13 0 69 2 22 1 — — DA19 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 555 320 211 38 4 1 14 3 5 1 1 0 DA20 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 for consumption on premises 64 31 22 34 — — 10 16 1 2 — — DA21 Delivery of alcohol to person under 18 or allowing such delivery 431 268 138 32 1 0 19 4 5 1 — — £50 Tickets issued DB03 Trespass on a railway 1,527 780 675 44 — — 45 3 26 2 1 0 DB04 Throwing stones at a train/railway 25 13 10 40 — — 2 8 — — — — DB05 Drunk in a highway 2,066 1,146 788 38 8 0 94 5 30 1 — — DB07 Consumption of alcohol in public place 1,544 328 1,090 71 6 0 87 6 32 2 1 0 DB08 Depositing and leaving litter 1,374 705 589 43 2 0 64 5 13 1 1 0 DB12 Consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 85 67 16 19 — — 2 2 — — — — DB13 Allowing consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 11 9 1 9 — — 1 9 — — — — DB14 Buying or Attempting to buy alcohol by person under 18 158 109 35 22 — — 13 8 1 1 — — All offences 207,544 106,925 90,057 43 1,253 1 5,249 3 3,980 2 80 0
Of those paid Offence description Number issued Total paid in full % Paid in full within 21 days % Paid in full outside 21 days % £80 Tickets issued DA01 Wasting police time 3,443 1,659 48 1,302 38 357 10 DA02 Misuse of public telecommunications system 888 532 60 422 48 110 12 DA03 Giving false alarm to fire and rescue authority 77 50 65 35 45 15 19 DA04 Causing Harassment, alarm or distress2 57,773 29,646 51 23,172 40 6,474 11 DA05 Throwing fireworks 531 296 56 240 45 56 11 DA06 Drunk and disorderly 44,411 24,775 56 18,371 41 6,404 14 DA11 Criminal Damage (under £500)2 13,427 7,624 57 5,880 44 1,744 13 DA12 Theft (retail under £200)2 45,616 20,903 46 17,280 38 3,623 8 DA13 Breach of fireworks curfew 23 21 91 17 74 4 17 DA14 Possession of category 4 firework 23 12 52 10 43 2 9 DA15 Possession by a person under 18 of adult firework 67 42 63 38 57 4 6 DA16 Sale of alcohol to drunken person 66 51 77 47 71 4 6 DA17 Supply of alcohol to person under 18 83 70 84 60 72 10 12 DA18 Sale of alcohol to person under 18 2,824 2,473 88 2,121 75 352 12 DA19 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 524 291 56 232 44 59 11 DA20 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 for consumption on premises 50 34 68 24 48 10 20 DA21 Delivery of alcohol to person under 18 or allowing such delivery 286 162 57 134 47 28 10 £50 Tickets issued DB03 Trespass on a railway 1,468 797 54 313 21 484 33 DB04 Throwing stones at a train/railway 27 16 59 7 26 9 33 DB05 Drunk in a highway 1,438 773 54 657 46 116 8 DB07 Consumption of alcohol in public place 1,761 296 17 254 14 42 2 DB08 Depositing and leaving litter 1,202 660 55 543 45 117 10 DB12 Consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 36 23 64 19 53 4 11 DB13 Allowing consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 6 4 67 4 67 — — DB14 Buying or Attempting to buy alcohol by person under 18 114 79 69 62 54 17 15 England and Wales 176,164 91,289 52 71,244 40 20,045 11
Offence description Number issued Total paid in full Fine registered % Court hearing requested % PND cancelled % Potential prosecution % Outcome unknown % £80 Tickets issued DA01 Wasting police time 3,443 1,659 1,519 44 35 1 115 3 113 3 2 0 DA02 Misuse of public telecommunications system 888 532 285 32 11 1 40 5 20 2 — — DA03 Giving false alarm to fire and rescue authority 77 50 25 32 1 1 — — 1 1 — — DA04 Causing Harassment, alarm or distress2 57,773 29,646 24,623 43 419 1 1,688 3 1,387 2 10 0 DA05 Throwing fireworks 531 296 204 38 3 1 17 3 11 2 — — DA06 Drunk and disorderly 44,411 24,775 17,368 39 299 1 873 2 1,072 2 24 0 DA11 Criminal Damage (under £500)2 13,427 7,624 5,251 39 72 1 210 2 266 2 4 0 DA12 Theft (retail under £200)2 45,616 20,903 23,090 51 189 0 881 2 540 1 13 0 DA13 Breach of fireworks curfew 23 21 1 4 1 4 — — — — — — DA14 Possession of category 4 firework 23 12 11 48 — — — — — — — — DA15 Possession by a person under 18 of adult firework 67 42 22 33 — — 2 3 1 1 — — DA16 Sale of alcohol to drunken person 66 51 9 14 3 5 1 2 2 3 — — DA17 Supply of alcohol to person under 18 83 70 12 14 — — — — 1 1 — — DA18 Sale of alcohol to person under 18 2,824 2,473 309 11 9 0 15 1 17 1 1 0 DA19 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 524 291 210 40 4 1 10 2 9 2 — — DA20 Purchase alcohol for person under 18 for consumption on premises 50 34 15 30 — — 1 2 — — — — DA21 Delivery of alcohol to person under 18 or allowing such delivery 286 162 116 41 — — 8 3 — — — — £50 Tickets issued DB03 Trespass on a railway 1,468 797 585 40 1 0 69 5 16 1 — — DB04 Throwing stones at a train/railway 27 16 10 37 — — 1 4 — — — — DB05 Drunk in a highway 1,438 773 586 41 4 0 55 4 20 1 — — DB07 Consumption of alcohol in public place 1,761 296 1,365 78 2 0 72 4 26 1 — — DB08 Depositing and leaving litter 1,202 660 496 41 8 1 25 2 12 1 1 0 DB12 Consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 36 23 11 31 — — 2 6 — — — — DB13 Allowing consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises 6 4 2 33 — — — — — — — — DB14 Buying or Attempting to buy alcohol by person under 18 114 79 30 26 1 1 4 4 — — — — England and Wales 176,164 91,289 76,155 43 1,062 1 4,089 2 3,514 2 55 0 “—” = Nil. 1 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 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. 2 Offence is a Notifiable offence included within OBTJ figures. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. [Ref: IOS 120-10], [Ref: IOS 124-10], [Ref: IOS 125-10], [Ref: IOS 126-10], [Ref: IOS 127-10], [Ref: IOS 128-10] and [Ref: IOS 129-10]
Animal Experiments: Primates
Appraisal of the breeding centres in China and Vietnam currently regarded as acceptable by the Home Office has not revealed any evidence that animals consigned to the United Kingdom have been bred other than at the Chinese or Vietnamese centre in question.
Following each shipment of non-human primates to the United Kingdom, the Inspectorate has access to the full-lifetime records of the individual animals to be used under project licence authority including details of their origin. Second and subsequent Inspectorate visits to overseas sources allow supplementary checks to be made of the reliability of the records provided to the United Kingdom users.
The Home Office has no authority to designate primate breeders or suppliers outside Great Britain. However, the use of any non-human primate from an overseas source under the authority of a project licence issued under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 requires prior approval which is given only if the conditions at the supplying centre, and at the breeding centre where the animals originate, if different, are acceptable to the Home Office at the time of the supply. There are three centres in China currently considered acceptable to provide non-human primates to UK designated user establishments and one in Vietnam.
Antisocial Behaviour
The total number of incidents classified as antisocial behaviour as defined within the National Incident Category List (NICL) in 2007-08 and 2008-09 are set out in the table. Data are not available by constituency and were only collected in 2007-08 and 2008-09.
These data are normally used for management information only and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications.
Force area 2007-08 2008-09 South Tyneside 19,030 16,233 North East of England1 298,864 271,707 England and Wales 3,868,002 23,669,100 1 For policing purposes the Home Office defines the North East region as consisting of three police forces: Cleveland, Durham, and Northumbria. 2 This figure has increased by 7,602 compared to the figure in PQ ref: 289587 owing to a correction to Wiltshire's figure. Note: The data represent calls for service as recorded by police forces under the ASB categories and may be subject to local variation in reporting and classifying.
Arrest Warrants: Operating Costs
[holding answer 8 March 2010]: The European arrest warrant has been in operation since 1 January 2004. The Home Office does not hold these data. They could not be accessed without incurring disproportionate cost.
Departmental Translation Services
The Department's expenditure on translation and interpretation services from 2003-04 to 2008-09, being the most recent period for which audited figures are available, is as follows:
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Home Office, including UKBA 13,499 14,903 10,419 9,683 9,636 8,301 Identity and Passport Service 3 3 3 6 1260 1,177 Criminal Records Bureau 0 0 0 13 0 0 1The Identity and Passport Service introduced compulsory face-to-face interviews for first time applicants in 2007-08. The first compulsory interview making use of an interpreter took place on 11 May 2007.
The Home Office figures in the table, for the financial years 2004-05 to 2007-08, do not include those for the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the Office of Criminal Justice and Reform (OCJR), which transferred to Ministry of Justice on 1 April 2007: figures for NOMS and OCJR for 2003-04 could not be deducted from the Home Office total without incurring disproportionate cost.
Data prior to 2003-04 can only be extracted at disproportionate cost.
Firearms: Arrests
The relevant Home Office data collection includes information on the number of arrests for possession of firearms resulting from searches under the Firearms Act 1968 Section 47 and other legislation. Data on the number of arrests under these powers from 1997-98 to 2007-08 (latest available) are provided in Table (A). The information provided only covers arrests under these powers and does not cover other arrests for firearms.
Information on the number of arrests for possession of firearms not resulting from these searches is not available centrally.
Data on offences in which firearms (excluding air weapons) were reported to have been used from 1997-98 to 2008-09 are given in Tables (B) and (C). Statistics for 2009-10 are scheduled to be published in January 2011.
Firearms are taken to be involved in a crime if they are fired, used as a blunt instrument or used as a threat against a person.
The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced in April 2002. Firearm offences before and after that date are not directly comparable.
Number 1997-98 726 1998-99 707 1999-2000 756 2000-01 815 2001-02 899 2002-03 1,041 2003-04 924 2004-05 1,438 2005-06 1,417 2006-07 1,410 2007-08 1,496
Number of offences 1997-98 4,903 1998-992 5,209 1999-2000 6,843 2000-01 7,471 2001-023 10,024 1 Firearms are taken to be involved in a crime if they are fired, used as a blunt instrument or used as a threat 2 There was a change in the counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998. 3 Figures may have been inflated by some police forces implementing the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard before 1 April 2002.
Number of offences 2002-032 10,248 2003-04 10,338 2004-053 11,069 2005-06 11,088 2006-07 9,645 2007-08 9,865 2008-09 8,208 1 Firearms are taken to be involved in a crime if they are fired, used as a blunt instrument or used as a threat. 2 The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced in April 2002. Figures before and after that date are not directly comparable. 3 More explicit guidelines for the classification of weapons introduced on 1 April 2004 may have increased the recording of firearm offences, particularly those committed by imitation weapons.
Intelligence Services
The draft consolidated guidance is being seen and agreed by the relevant Ministers, which includes myself, and, as the Prime Minister has made clear, will be published shortly.
Post Office
The Secretary of State for the Home Department has not discussed with Post Office Ltd. the award of the contract set out in tender notice 2009/S 247-354963.
The National Identity Scheme Management Board and its professional advisers concluded that a competition was required to find partners to help provide the services set out in tender notice 2009/S 247-354963. They advised the Secretary of State for the Home Department accordingly.
Prisoners: Health
I have been asked to reply.
The Department does not collect information on the number and proportion of sentenced prisoners (including young offenders (18 to 20 years), adult males and adult females) who experienced drug dependency and alcohol dependency health problems.
A source of information regarding prevalence of substance misuse among sentenced prisoners is “The problems and needs of newly sentenced prisoners: results from a national survey” published by the Ministry of Justice in October 2008. This reviewed 1,457 newly sentenced prisoners from 49 prisons.
In 2008, 703 sentenced prisoners were transferred from prison because of a mental illness severe enough to warrant treatment in a mental in-patient facility commissioned by the national health service.
UK Border Agency: Manpower
661 UK-based UK Border Agency staff are posted or are working overseas.
Another 1,510 staff locally engaged by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office also work for the UK Border Agency are based abroad.
The following tables give the breakdown by each country:
Countries2 Number France 125 India 76 Nigeria 68 United Arab Emirates 43 Belgium 36 China 39 South Africa 25 Philippines 23 Russian Federation 21 Ghana 23 Pakistan 17 Bangladesh 12 Jamaica 10 Kenya 10 Turkey 10 Egypt 8 Thailand 8 Poland 6 Total of employees in countries with five or fewer posted UK staff3 101 Total 661 1 Border Force staff as at 31 December 2009, International Group staff as at 22 January 2009. 2 Countries with more than five posted UK staff. 3 Total representation in countries with five or fewer posted UK staff.
Country Locally engaged workers (Number) India 208 Nigeria 133 China 110 United Arab Emirates 106 Pakistan 88 United States 66 South Africa 51 Bangladesh 43 Philippines 36 Russian Federation 34 Australia 33 Turkey 32 Ghana 31 Thailand 28 Kenya 26 France 18 Germany 18 Iran 17 Malaysia 16 Sri Lanka 14 Italy 13 Jamaica 13 Jordan 13 Saudi Arabia 13 Ukraine 13 Canada 12 Egypt 12 Ethiopia 12 Spain 11 Colombia 10 Gambia, The 9 Irish Republic 9 Kuwait 9 Cyprus 8 Morocco 8 Taiwan (China) 8 Brazil 7 Macedonia 7 Yugoslavia 7 Libya 6 Netherlands 6 Romania 6 Vietnam 6 Countries with five or less locally engaged workers 184 Total 1,510
Energy and Climate Change
Electricity
(2) whether he has made a recent estimate of the potential carbon savings arising from the adoption of the highest energy efficiency standards in distribution of transformers distribution network operators; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what mechanisms are in place to encourage distribution network operators to procure the most energy efficient distribution transformers; and if he will make a statement.
DECC's policy is to ensure that grids, including at distribution level, support the new generation mix we need to meet our targets.
Ofgem did consider setting minimum standards for losses as part of its review of the losses incentive in DPCR5 but opted to retain the output based incentive (which was improved in DPCR5) in order to encourage distribution network operators (DNOs) to manage losses both through low loss technology and also through network operations or network users and to incentivise them to identify ways to tackle the issue of theft.
The downside of setting minimum standards would be the need for Ofgem to specify equipment which could lead to the risk of equipment market distortion and could stifle DNO's innovation on technical loss reduction.
Insulation
The English Housing Survey published by the Department for Communities and Local Government provides annual estimates on loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and heating controls. Using the approach contained within the Energy Performance Certificate, the 2007 report from the survey identified the following number of homes that would benefit (that is, their energy efficiency rating would significantly increase) in terms of loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and heating controls. The survey is not able to measure the benefiting impact of draught proofing.
This is an estimate of the number of properties that would benefit from this measure, but that does not imply any requirement for such measures. The survey also does not take into account any practical issues of installing such measures. Many of these homes will be performing to a reasonable standard in terms of their energy efficiency.
Size of applicable group1 (thousand) Number of dwellings that would benefit from the measure (thousand) Percentage Loft insulation 19,908 8,871 45 Cavity wall 15,527 7,088 46 Heating controls 19,499 7,784 40 1 The total number of dwellings that have some level of existing loft insulation; have cavity walls, including those already insulated; have heating systems appropriate for heating controls, including those with controls fitted. Source: English House Condition Survey 2007 Annual Report, Table 2.6, pg 119 CLG.
Figures for 2008 will be published later in the year.
Warm Front Scheme
The following table shows the number of households which have received works funded by Warm Front in each month since January 2009 to January 2010, the latest month for which figures are currently available.
Number of households assisted January 2009 19,402 February 2009 30,023 March 2009 21,674 April 2009 17,690 May 2009 21,004 June 2009 19,960 July 2009 15,954 August 2009 19,676 September 2009 24,308 October 2009 20,664 November 2009 17,855 December 2009 15,982 January 2010 12,010
Wind Power
The Renewable Energy Strategy (July 2009) contains recent analysis of the full technology breakdown to achieve the renewable energy target on a consistent basis across instruments and technologies. It is based on economic modelling of the costs and support for renewable technologies in the electricity, heat and transport sectors. The data below are based on the lead scenario from the Renewable Energy Strategy for large-scale electricity, which reaches 29 per cent. large-scale renewable electricity in 2020, and include estimates of onshore wind additionally brought on through feed in tariffs. However these numbers are just an illustrative mix on how we could reach 29 per cent. large scale renewable generation. The Government do not set targets for individual energy generation technologies but take a market-based approach to generation.
Electricity generation from 2012 2015 2020 Onshore wind 4 5 9 Offshore wind 2 5 11 Source: Data are based on analysis by independent consultants Redpoint/Trilemma and Element Energy for the renewable energy strategy.
Children, Schools and Families
Building Schools for the Future Programme
[holding answer 2 March 2010]: Neither the Department nor Partnerships for Schools routinely collects information about the gross internal floor area of schools before they are rebuilt under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. However, we require all secondary schools to be in line with the Department's current area guidelines, for example, Building Bulletin 98 ‘Briefing Framework for Secondary School Projects', published in 2004, and Building Bulletin 82 ‘Area Guidelines for Schools', published in 1996. Prior to 1996 schools had to comply with statutory Minimum Teaching Area.
The following table shows the gross internal floor area for schools completed as part of BSF where data are available. It excludes ‘quick win' projects (those in wave 1 of BSF that were accelerated for early completion) and ‘one school pathfinders' (single projects for those local authorities in later BSF waves).
Local authority School Gross internal floor area m2 Bradford Titus Salt School 16,773 Bradford Tong High School 15,145 Bradford Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College 15,965 Bristol Bristol Brunel Academy 13,056 Bristol The Bridge Learning Campus 14,450 Bristol Brislington Enterprise College 17,640 Bristol Bristol Metropolitan College 11,200 Durham Durham Johnston 13,100 Hackney Stoke Newington School (Phase 1) 13,430 Hackney Clapton Girls Technology College 11,077 Haringey John Loughborough 2,977 Haringey Highgate Wood Secondary School 11,970 Haringey Alexandra Park School 12,256 Haringey Gladesmore Community School 10,034 Haringey Homsey School for Girls 11,739 Haringey Park View Academy 12,462 Haringey Northumberland Park Community School 13,985 Islington Holloway School 8,215 Islington Highbury Grove + New Sixth Form 12,626 Islington Samuel Rhodes SEN School 2,834 Kent Dane Court School 10,148 Kent The Community College Whitstable 10,777 Kent Northfleet School for Girls (phase 1) 9,861 Kent St. George's Church of England Foundation School (phase 1) 8,242 Knowsley All Saints Centre for Learning 10,872 Knowsley St. Edmunds Arrowsmith Centre for Learning 10,315 Knowsley Huyton Arts & Sports Centre for Learning 10,949 Knowsley Knowsley Park Centre for Learning—serving Prescot, Whitson and the wider community 10,844 Knowsley Kirkby Sports College 10,872 Knowsley Halewood Centre for Learning 12,455 Knowsley Christ the King Catholic and Church of England Centre for Learning 9,585 Lambeth Stockwell Park 11,919 Lambeth Elm Court Special School 1,272 Lambeth Park Campus 2,399 Lambeth The Michael Tippett School 3,468 Lambeth Elmgreen School (temporary accommodation) 12,240 Lancashire Sir John Thursby Community College 13,574 Lancashire Burnley Campus (Thomas Whitham Sixth Form) 13,262 Lancashire Pendle Vale Campus 14,122 Lancashire Shuttleworth College 9,888 Leeds Swallow Hill Community College 13,965 Leeds Allerton Grange 13,528 Leeds Cockburn College of Arts 10,336 Leeds Allerton High School 12,114 Leeds Pudsey Grangefield School 10,528 Leeds Rodillian School 12,485 Leeds Temple Moor High School 11,811 Leeds Crawshaw 11,528 Leicester Soar Valley College 13,291 Leicester Judgemeadow Community College 10,750 Leicester Beaumont Leys 10,129 Leicester Fullhurst Community College 9,225 Lewisham Catford 8,873 Lewisham Sedgehill 15,227 Liverpool Lower Lee SEN School 4,631 Manchester Enterprise Academy 8,278 Manchester Health Academy 7,273 Manchester Our Lady's RC Sports College (Higher Blackley Education Village) 7,023 Manchester St. Matthews RC High School 9,541 Manchester Newall Green High School 5,028 Manchester Gorton Education Village 11,931 Manchester St. Paul's 13,112 Manchester Gorton Education Village (Melland High School) 4,110 Manchester Piper Hill 13,112 Manchester Meade Hill (Part of Higher Blackley Education Village) 2,745 Manchester Buglawton Hall 2,850 Newcastle Kenton School 19,382 Newcastle Benfield School (phase 1 of refurb) 11,461 Newcastle Walbottle Campus Technology College 17,106 Newcastle Thomas Bewick (Previous PFI delivered by LEP) 4,106 Newham Brampton Manor School 15,186 Nottingham Big Wood 7,759 Nottingham Hadden Park High School (phase 1) 9,728 Sheffield Yewlands Technology College (two phases) 9,143 Sheffield Talbot Special School 4,199 Sheffield Newfield Secondary School 8,366 Sheffield Silverdale Secondary School 10,913 Solihull Archbishop Grimshaw Catholic School 12,086 Solihull Smith's Wood 12,850 Solihull Park Hall School 12,557 Solihull Lanchester School 3,911 South Tyneside Mortimer Community College 11,105 South Tyneside Jarrow School 9,383 Sunderland Red House Academy 5,322 Sunderland Castle View Enterprise Academy 7,880 Sunderland Academy 360 10,104 Sunderland Washington School 8,903 Waltham Forest Walthamstow School for Girls 9,614 Waltham Forest Frederick Bremer 9,519 Waltham Forest Kelmscott School 7,413 Westminster Westminster City Boys 8,344 Westminster St. Marylebone CE 9,198 Westminster Pimlico 12,769 Note: The gross floor areas are estimates based on returns from local authorities
Departmental Taxis
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was created in June 2007. The Department does not currently have any contracts with private hire taxi companies but does have an arrangement with the Government Car Despatch Agency (GCDA). Any other expenditure incurred would be through account arrangements or through spot hire.
Expenditure incurred for each year with companies through accounts or spot hire since the Department was established is as follows. These figures also include expenditure (GCDA).
£ June 2007 to March 2008 247,738.00 April 2008 to March 2009 319,447.03 April 2009 to December 2009 237,359.30 Total 804,544.33
Stroud
Since 2000 the Government have transformed education and child care with improved outcomes for children and young people. Figures showing the performance at Key Stage 2 and GCSE and equivalents in Stroud are given in the following tables:
Percentage of pupils gaining level 4 and above 2000 20092 Percentage point improvement 2000-09 Stroud English 79 86 7 Maths 77 84 7 Science 89 92 3 England English 75 80 5 Maths 72 79 7 Science 85 88 3 1 Includes pupils attending all maintained schools (including academies and city technology colleges). 2 Revised data. Source: School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables.
Percentage of pupils gaining 2000 20094 Percentage point improvement 2000-09 Stroud 5+ A*-C 61.3 70.2 8.9 5+ A*-G 95.1 94.0 -1.1 England 5+ A*-C5 49.2 70.0 20.8 5+ A*-G5 88.9 92.3 3.4 1 From 2004 results incorporate GCSEs, GNVQs and a range of other qualifications approved pre-16. Prior to 2004 results are based on GCSEs and GNVQs only. 2 From 2006 figures are for pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. Prior to 2006 results are based on pupils aged 15. 3 Includes pupils attending all maintained schools (including academies and city technology colleges) and from 2000 does not include pupils recently arrived from overseas. 4 Revised data. 5 England figures also include independent schools as well as hospital schools and PRUs. Source: School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables.
Further information by constituency is provided within the Department's “In Your Area” website available at:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea
Information available at constituency level includes the number of specialist schools, number of operational academies, number of teaching assistants and other support staff, number of teachers and pupil:teacher ratios. Where information is not available at constituency level it has been provided at local authority level.
Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Support for All: The Families and Relationships
The funding for the proposals outlined in “Support for All: the Families and Relationships” Green Paper has been allocated from current budgets. We have provided over £3.5 million of strategic funding to a range of third sector organisations, such as Relate, Marriage Care and the Asian Family Counselling Service, who provide relationship counselling for families, including those with disabled children. Over the past year, we have also provided funding of £3.1 million to support families through the recession, including £1 million to Relate for more face-to-face and telephone counselling to families, again including those with disabled children.
In addition, around £400,000 for 2010-11 has been re-prioritised from the current Aiming High for Disabled Children budget to provide specialist relationship counselling services for families with disabled children and to enhance helpline support for these families through third sector organisations.
Defence
Armed Forces: Food
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) food supply contract with Purple Foodservice Solutions (PFS) commenced in October 2006; it is a five-year contract with two two-year extension options. The MOD has taken up the first of these options and the contract is currently due to expire in October 2013. The MOD is considering the merits of extending the current contract with PFS against the benefits of competition.
Armed Forces: Health Services
The following table presents the number of personnel from all three services treated at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) Headley Court from September 2008, by patient status (in-patient/out-patient/residential patient). Patients are treated for injuries and illnesses requiring rehabilitation that have arisen as a result of both operational and non-operational circumstances.
2008 (September-December) 2009 In-patients 98 304 Out-patients 882 2,414 Residential patients 335 806 All 1,136 2,607 Notes: 1. An in-patient is a patient that has been admitted and allocated a ward bed. A residential patient is a patient that is on a three week rehabilitation course; they are not allocated a ward bed, but reside in dormitory style accommodation. An outpatient is a non-resident patient attending DMRC for treatment. 2. Patients include naval service personnel, Army personnel (including those from the Gibraltar Regiment), RAF personnel, and reservists. The totals shown exclude special forces and other nations service personnel. 3. The Defence Patient Tracking System (DPTS) is a live system that is constantly being updated. Therefore data are provisional and subject to change.
Information on the total number of patients treated at DMRC has only been captured by the DPTS since 1 September 2008. Prior to this date only patients treated at DMRC following aero-medical evacuation to the UK were captured on the DPTS. Figures between October 2007 and August 2008 are included in monthly statistics published by MOD’s Defence Analytical Services and Advice (DASA) organisation on armed forces personnel returned to the UK from Iraq and Afghanistan as a result of an injury or illness who have been treated at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) Birmingham and at Headley Court. Monthly reports for the whole of 2007, 2008 and 2009 are available both in the Library of the House and on the DASA website at the following link:
www.dasa.mod.uk
Equivalent verified data prior to this date are not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Ministry of Defence's Defence Analytical Services and Advice (DASA) organisation publishes information on Armed Forces personnel returned to the UK from Iraq and Afghanistan as a result of an injury or illness, who have been treated at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) Birmingham. Monthly reports covering the period October 2007 to January 2010 are available both in the Library of the House and on the DASA website at:
www.dasa.mod.uk
Equivalent verified data prior to this date are not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The following table offers a summary of the DASA data, showing Armed Forces personnel treated at RCDM Birmingham and the cause of their injury/illness.
Battle injury Non-battle injury Natural causes All 20071 54 65 31 150 2008 218 270 224 712 2009 411 285 211 907 Total 683 620 466 1,769 1 October to December. Notes: 1. A battle injury includes those wounded as a result of hostile action. This includes injuries sustained while avoiding direct and indirect fire. A non-battle injury is any injury that is not caused by a hostile act and includes any accidental injuries such as sports injuries, road traffic accidents etc. 2. Patient totals include Naval Service personnel, Army personnel (including those from the Gibraltar Regiment), RAF personnel, and reservists. These totals exclude Special Forces, other nations' Service personnel, and patients returned from theatres other than Iraq and Afghanistan. Numbers include both in- and out-patients. 3. Some data are provisional and subject to change.
Armed Forces: Rescue Services
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 February 2010, Official Report, column 47W, to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) and the answer I gave him on 25 February 2010, Official Report, column 678W.
The maximum operational radius for the RAF Sea King Mk 3/3a is 240 nautical miles. The Sea King undertakes short range Search and Rescue tasks.
(2) what onboard communications capability the C-130 Hercules has to co-ordinate search and rescue agencies involved in major off-shore incidents.
The Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC), based at RAF Kinloss, is responsible for co-ordinating major off-shore incidents and multi-agency rescues. An on the scene co-ordinator may be designated, if required, by the ARCC. If appropriate, this could be an RAF aircraft.
RAF Hercules C130K and C130J have HF, UHF and VHF radios using aeronautical and marine frequency bands as standard equipment. This would enable them to communicate with and co-ordinate civil and military aircraft, ships and ground stations including the ARCC and HM Coastguard.
In the last five years a Hercules C130 aircraft has been utilised on a Search and Rescue task only once, to provide on-scene co-ordination for the rescue of a civilian casualty from a ship at sea.
During the period 1 March 2009 to 28 February 2010, the Search and Rescue aircraft at HMS Gannet were available for 97 per cent. of the time. There were 46 occasions when an aircraft was not available at the required notice of 15 minutes by day, 45 minutes by night. These occasions were all due to technical problems. The average down-time was three and a half hours, although there were four occasions when an aircraft was not available for a period of over 24 hours. These four occurred during a period when Gannet had loaned one of its complement of three aircraft to its sister SAR unit, 771 Naval Air Station based at RNAS Culdrose.
On an occasion when no aircraft was available, any calls for assistance received by the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre at RAF Kinloss would have been channelled to RAF Stations at Lossiemouth or Boulmer or to the Maritime Coastguard Agency at Stornoway.
The future joint Ministry of Defence/Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MOD/MCA) Search and Rescue Helicopter service will be provided by the contractor Soteria under a service contract - MOD/MCA will not be procuring any helicopters. It will be the contractor's responsibility to ensure, throughout
the life of the contract, that they have sufficient helicopters to meet the requirement to be able to field one helicopter to incidents from each base during its operating hours. The helicopters will be based at RAF Boulmer, RMB Chivenor, RNAS Culdrose, Glasgow Airport, Leconfield, Lee On Solent, RAF Lossiemouth, Portland, Stornoway, Sumburgh, RAF Valley and Wattisham Airfield.
Armed Forces: Vehicles
The breakdown of UOR vehicles by each type ordered and delivered since 2006 is as follows:
Vehicle Total qty ordered Number of UOR procurements Date of first order Achieved/forecast date of last delivery to MOD/user Qty issued to Purple Gate Qty delivered to land forces Mastiff (1 and 2) 299 5 1 January 2007 2 August 2008 Spring 2011 275 207 Wolfhound 101 2 April 2009 Winter 2010/spring 2011 32 8 Ridgback 177 2 October 2008 Summer 2011 156 125 Jackal (1 and 2) 445 6 July 2007 Winter 2010 332 260 Coyote 76 1 April 2009 Spring 2010 52 36 Husky 333 2 February 2009 Spring 2010 218 86 Snatch Vixen (Plus) 100 1 March 2009 Summer 2010 87 49 Snatch Vixen 32 1 August 2008 Autumn 2008 31 0 Vector 198 5 June 2006 Spring 2011 178 127 Talisman Systems 6 1 July 2008 Spring 2010 0 0 Cougar 30 1 November 2008 Summer 2009 30 30 Warthog 115 2 December 2008 Autumn 2010 4 0 Springer 78 1 December 2008 Summer 2009 78 75 Total 1984 + 6 Talisman systems 30 — — 1,473 1,003
The quantities delivered to land forces are for whole vehicle UOR platforms and do not include details of those vehicles delivered to MOD, awaiting receipt and inspection by land. It should be noted that while land forces is the major recipient of many of these UOR procurements, vehicles are also delivered to other defence users. Also excluded are non UOR vehicles which have had UORs added to them. In addition, I am withholding details of covert vehicles, civilian armoured vehicles, EOD vehicles and special forces procurements as this could compromise operational security.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
(2) pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 15 December 2009, Official Report, column 802, on Future Defence Programme, whether the £280 million funding for the new vehicles includes funding for the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle;
(3) when he expects the assessment phase of the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle programme to be completed;
(4) what the cost of the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle order is to (a) his Department's core budget and (b) the contingency reserve;
(5) whether a target (a) main gate and (b) in-service date has been set for the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle;
(6) how many tranches will form the full order of the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle; and what the total number of vehicles will be.
Two contenders, which could fill the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle (LPPV) requirement, are currently being assessed as part of a Concept Vehicle Evaluation. It is expected that this assessment phase will be complete in early April 2010. It is currently assessed that 200 LPPV will meet the need in Afghanistan. These 200 vehicles will form the first batch ordered under an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) as soon as the design was ready, in order to get them into theatre as quickly as possible.
Until the full military requirement has been refined we judge that it makes sense to order an initial batch of 200 vehicles with a view to further buys in future. Buying vehicles in tranches allows us to learn lessons, to modify the vehicle if necessary and helps speed up the delivery of future orders.
Due to commercial sensitivities, and while the full requirement is being refined, I am unable to comment on the likely cost of the full LPPV order, or the funding arrangements. I can, however, confirm that the initial batch of 200 vehicles will be funded from the Treasury reserve as a UOR. This will be over and above the £280 million for additional equipment announced by the Secretary of State for Defence on 15 December 2009. A business case will be submitted for the initial 200 vehicles in the coming weeks, once the assessment is complete. As the contract for the LPPV requirement has yet to be let, delivery details cannot be confirmed at this stage as they are still subject to commercial negotiations, but we intend that they should be delivered in 2011.
Departmental ICT
The Ministry of Defence and its Agencies (excluding trading funds) did not cancel any of its information technology projects, prior to completion, during Financial Year 2008-09. This excludes low value projects funded locally by individual units across the Department. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Interpreters
No professional Pashto or Dari interpreters are currently employed by the Department. However, military personnel who have been trained to higher levels of proficiency in Pashto and Dari are available. Although not at the level of a professional interpreter, they are able to provide trusted translation and some consecutive interpreting capability.
When professional interpreting services are required, external provision is sought by the customer area from commercial agencies.
Joint Strike Fighter
The Government remain committed to the Joint Strike Fighter as stated by the then Secretary of State on 18 March 2009, Official Report, column 54WS, on the approval to purchase three Joint Strike Fighters to allow the UK to participate in Operational Test and Evaluation in the US. The Joint Strike Fighter remains the optimum solution to the UK’s Joint Combat Aircraft requirement as part of our Carrier Strike programme. We have not made further investment decisions at this stage and cannot, therefore, announce overall numbers, variants or the in-service date.
Land Mines: Detectors
Personnel are trained in Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Tactics, Techniques and Procedures and how to use the Vallon Hand Held Metal Detector during pre-deployment training, if their operational role in theatre requires it. Additional training is provided on arrival in theatre to ensure that personnel are given the latest tactics, techniques and procedures. All pre-deployment training is reviewed constantly in the light of operational experience.