Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 6 April 2010
Solicitor-General
BAE Systems: Fraud
The Serious Fraud Office has no record of passing information during its investigations into BAE Systems about possible false declarations relating to (a) Romania and (b) South Africa to the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
Wales
Departmental Food
My Department does not have any catering facilities, and therefore does not routinely procure food.
Departmental Information Officers
It would not be possible to obtain this information without incurring disproportionate cost.
Departmental Marketing
The cost of any items bought in the last five years, carrying the Wales Office logo could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Official Hospitality
The five most expensive receptions hosted by the Wales Office were as follows:
Receptions Cost (£) July 2008 Summer reception in London 3,284 February 2008 St. David’s Day reception in London 2,797 July 2008 Summer reception in Cardiff 2,609 December 2007 Christmas reception in London 2,594 December 2007 Christmas reception in Cardiff 2,464
Scotland
Departmental Food
The Scotland Office does not procure any meat or dairy products, with the exception of a very small quantity of milk.
Departmental Internet
We do not hold the information in the format requested. However, there were a small number of complaints regarding teething difficulties experienced when the Scotland Office website was re-designed in 2008-09. These arose as a result of broken links to Scotland Office web pages and the problems were subsequently addressed.
Figures are only available for each year as a total amount spent on web maintenance and include annual hosting fees. These costs represent the hosting, updating and development of the site.
Financial year Cost (£) 2007-08 2,990 2008-09 119,292 2009-10 3,500 1 The increase in 2008-09 includes a complete redesign and redevelopment of the website, hosting package for the site and full content management system for in-house staff to manage content.
Departmental Official Hospitality
The receptions and functions held in Dover House and Melville Crescent since October 2008 are listed in the following table. Where a reception was hosted by Scotland Office Ministers the cost to the Scotland Office of so doing is detailed in this table. Records are not routinely kept of those guests who attend a reception although such receptions usually attract a cross party representation of Scottish MPs, Peers, lobby correspondents and other stakeholders. Where a reception has been arranged by a third party attendees and the cost of catering are matters for the third party.
£ 1 October 2008 National Fraud Strategic Authority — 8 October 2008 CBI Scotland — 15 October 2008 Poppyscotland — 21 October 2008 David Torrance book launch — 23 October 2008 Royal Caledonian Schools Trust — 12 November 2008 UKBA — 18 November 2008 Commission on Scottish Devolution — 26 November 2008 Secretary of State's lunch for the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 3,718 27 November 2008 Scottish Development International — 15 December 2008 Community Service Volunteers — 16 December 2008 Scotch Whisky Association — 20 January 2009 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns: launch of Royal Mail commemorative stamps and Royal Mint commemorative coins 152 26 January 2009 Association of Scottish Colleges 1,938 24 February 2009 Scottish North American Business Council — 17 March 2009 CBI Scotland — 23 March 2009 Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland — 1 April 2009 Reception for media attending the G20 summit 5,065 6 May 2009 MG ALBA — 13 May 2009 Hamish McDonnell book launch — 14 May 2009 University of Stirling Alumni — 19 May 2009 Scottish Financial Enterprise — 6 June 2009 King's Own Scottish Borderers Association — 9 June 2009 Spouses in the Houses — 10 June 2009 National Trust for Scotland — 11 June 2009 Poppyscotland — 13 June 2009 Secretary of State's reception for Trooping the Colour 6,311 17 June 2009 Scottish Council for Development and Industry 2,030 6 July 2009 John Smith Memorial Trust — 15 September 2009 International Capital Conference China — 14 October 2009 Poppyscotland — 21 October 2009 Federation of Small Businesses Scotland — 27 October 2009 CBI Scotland — 3 November 2009 Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland — 25 November 2009 Secretary of State's lunch for the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 4,123 8 December 2009 Scotch Whisky Association — 9 December 2009 Crown Estate — 16 March 2010 CBI Scotland —
£ 18 December 2008 Annual reception for the Scottish media 207 26 June 2009 Armed Forces Day and Veterans Scotland 2,312 23 June 2009 Ministerial dinner 751 18 August 2009 Secretary of State's reception for Edinburgh Festivals 2,426 8 October 2009 Ministerial dinner 754 27 November 2009 Women's National Commission 68 3 December 2009 Annual reception for the Scottish media 858 10 December 2009 Ministerial dinner 799 28 January 2010 Ministerial dinner 754
Departmental Pay
The total reimbursable expenses paid to special advisers are as follows:
Amount reimbursed (£) 2008-09 10,751 2009-10 (April 2009 to February 2010) 7,564
Culture, Media and Sport
Conservation Areas: Waste Disposal
English Heritage has not provided standard advice to local authorities on household wheeled refuse containers in conservation areas. English Heritage's Streets for All manuals offer guidance on accommodating modern needs to reduce the impact of street clutter on conservation areas.
The manuals are available to download from the English Heritage website at:
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.8682
Departmental Food
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no canteen facilities which use meat or fresh dairy products.
Departmental Internet
The information is as follows:
2007 (0)
2008 (3)
1. No print format on press releases 2. Use of lower case initial letters on DCMS website 3. Usability of contact us form 4. Request to remove consultation response 5. Broken RSS feed.
2009 (6)
1. Broken RSS feed 2. Inaccessibility and usability of contact us form 3. Broken link to DCMS document 4. Request to remove consultation response 5. Usability of contact us form 6. Missing DCMS document 7. Request to remove consultation response 8. Badly redacted document. 9. Inaccessible document format. No facility to auto forward information by e-mail.
Over the last three years, the only spend on external website design consultants has been in the current financial year. The Department spent £13,000 on external website design consultants to update and enhance the homepage and improve user journey and digital functionality.
Museums and Galleries: Newcastle upon Tyne
[holding answer 30 March 2010]: Arts Council England has paid Newcastle city council £871,281 in capital funds to support the redevelopment of the Waygood Gallery. Revenue funding has gone directly to the gallery.
Sports: Training
The UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC) Review is being led by Sportscoach UK, Sport England and SkillsActive. The review will be conducted in partnership with national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport, the Home Country Sports Councils and UK Sport. The NGBs will be consulted throughout this process and, following the completion of the review, the NGBs may choose to reassess the construction of their coaching awards should they feel it is necessary.
This review incorporates the following elements:
National Occupational Standards and Common Units
UKCC endorsement criteria
UKCC endorsement process
UKCC support to sports
UKCC Communication and Marketing
UKCC Costings.
[holding answer 30 March 2010]: The UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC) Review is being led by Sportscoach UK, Sport England and SkillsActive. The national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport will be consulted throughout this process and following the completion of the review the NGBs may choose to reassess the construction of their coaching awards should they feel it is necessary.
The findings from the UK Coaching Certificate Review are due to be announced during the UK Coaching Summit at the end of June this year.
Tourism: Finance
[holding answer 16 March 2010]: Beyond the current spending round, no decisions have been taken on the future funding levels for tourism.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Research
DEFRA funding of research on agriculture and food (including animal health and welfare) over the last three financial years is shown in the following table:
£ million 2008-09 63 2007-08 68 2006-07 75 Source: DEFRA Science Information System.
Figures for 2009-10 will not be available till after the end of the financial year but the expenditure is expected to be in the region of £64 million. This includes DEFRA's contribution to the new Technology Strategy Board (TSB), DEFRA and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council innovation platform for sustainable agriculture and food (SAF), which will invest up to £90 million over five years in match-funding for industry for agricultural research. The TSB contribution represents £50 million of additional sponsorship for the agricultural sector.
Coastal Erosion
Where the Environment Agency has carried out the managed realignment of existing raised defences any land owner who considers that they have been adversely affected can make a claim for compensation. The legal provisions for this are set out in section 177 and Schedule 21 of the Water Resources Act 1991.
The value of damages and losses is assessed by professional valuers acting for the Environment Agency and it pays for the costs of a professional valuer to act on behalf of the landowner. All claims are assessed on their own merits and if agreement cannot be reached the matter can be referred to the Lands Tribunal. The level of compensation paid will vary depending upon the local circumstances and the damage suffered.
If the Environment Agency secures agreement to buy the land then it is purchased at the market value.
Dairy Farming
DEFRA has recently received correspondence on one particular proposal for a large-scale dairy unit.
Departmental Buildings
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not built nor incurred any expenditure on smoking shelters for staff in the last five years.
The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and its agencies have spent the amounts shown as follows on rooms for staff leisure:
Foss House: Kings Pool, York—£171,800 (gym and pool room): 2008-09
Nobel House: London—£65,000 (gym): 2008-09.
These are the only amounts spent in the last five years.
DEFRA does not provide directly subsidised gym facilities for its staff. There are several such facilities on the core-DEFRA estate, but all these are managed by volunteer staff committees and paid for through membership subscriptions.
Identifying expenditure on interior design in relation to office refurbishment in each of the last five years incurred by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when undertaking office refurbishment could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental ICT
The Department has not cancelled any IT projects since April 2009.
The Rural Payments Agency cancelled the Microsoft Project Server project at a cost to the public purse of £183,140.76, and postponed the Customer Communications Improvement programme at a cost of £60,843.48. The Food and Environment Research Agency cancelled an IT project to extend the Laboratory Information Management System for use in a Forensic DNA profile facility. FERA spent a total £70,000 of staff time configuring existing IT systems. No other departmental agency has cancelled any IT projects since April 2009.
Departmental Legislation
The information requested is tabled as follows:
SIs introduced SIs revoked 2000 92 39 2001 143 82 2002 115 60 2003 105 45 2004 133 45 2005 139 32 2006 144 18 2007 165 21 2008 87 110 2009 96 57 2010 136 122 1 As at March 2010.
Departmental Marketing
The Departmental Communications Directorate’s spend on promotional items carrying the Department’s branding and logo is detailed in the table.
Detailed spend by DEFRA agencies is not held centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
Item description Cost (£) 2005 T-Shirts 475 2006 T-Shirts 475 Toothbrush travel set 435 Pens 3,550 Travel wallets 13,025 2007 Pens 1,600 Travel wallets 6,650 2008 T-Shirts 500 Pens 1,600 Mugs 2,700 Travel wallets 7,500 2009 T-Shirts 497.50 Pens 2,980 Mugs 2,670 Travel wallets 6,375
Departmental Pay
DEFRA records payment of reimbursable expenses made to special advisers in its financial system.
Departmental Theft
Measures to deter, prevent and detect theft are an essential feature of the Department's protective security controls. These controls reflect the standards set out in the HMG Security Policy Framework (SPF) issued by the Cabinet Office and available at:
www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/spf.aspx
It would not be appropriate to provide details of specific controls as this could undermine their effectiveness.
Departmental Written Questions
Where the total cost to the Department of obtaining an answer to a parliamentary question is over £800, this is considered to be a disproportionate cost.
Environment Protection: Coastal Areas
(2) how much his Department spent on tackling coastal erosion in each of the last five years.
The majority of the investment for all flood and coastal erosion risk management activity is now delivered through grants from DEFRA to the Environment Agency. The Environment Agency invests directly in coastal flood risk management and also gives grants to local authorities and internal drainage boards.
The following table shows the grants that were allocated to coastal local authorities for coastal erosion risk management in the last five financial years. Levels of grant allocation for coastal erosion in part reflect the number and nature of schemes coming forward in any one year. For example, 2006-07 and 2007-08 were characterised by a number of large schemes such as that in Blackpool which was allocated £12 million and £17 million in 2006-07 and 2007-08 respectively.
£ million 2005-06 52 2006-07 65.7 2007-08 49 2008-09 32 2009-10 30 Source: DEFRA website and Environment Agency financial records.
Local authorities can also fund coastal erosion risk management using a number of sources, including central Government specific grants, council tax and formula grant from central Government. The following table gives final outturn estimates of local authority revenue expenditure and financing (i.e. formula grant) for coast protection for the last five financial years. Further details on this expenditure are not held centrally.
£ million 2005-06 13.8 2006-07 13.6 2007-08 14.5 2008-09 14.8 2009-10 114.3 1 Budget not outturn. Source: Department for Communities and Local Government, revenue expenditure and financing statistics.
The Government have also directly allocated £11 million funding to 15 coastal local authorities through the coastal change pathfinder programme that was announced in December 2009. The pathfinders, working in partnership with their local communities, are exploring a range of new and innovative approaches to help communities adapt to the effects of coastal change (including coastal erosion).
Horses
The latest estimate of the horse population is taken from the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) National Equestrian Survey 2005-06. This survey estimates the horse population of Great Britain to be 1.3 million. There are no estimates available for England only.
Horses: Travel
Information is not collected on the number of horses entering the UK without a valid passport. Horse passports legislation requires any horse without a valid passport to have an application submitted to an EU-approved issuing body within 30 days of arrival in the UK.
The National Equine Database contains details of all horse passports issued and amended in the UK. Information is uploaded on a monthly basis.
Incinerators
DEFRA has not received any direct representations on the use of incinerator bottom ash in road building and construction materials. However, a technical advisory group has been established, which is currently pooling evidence to demonstrate whether end-of-waste criteria can be met. The Environment Agency is working closely with industry to obtain additional data to help this process.
More information is available on the Environment Agency's website at:
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/waste/114416.aspx
Inland Waterways
British Waterways categorises the condition of its principal and most significant non-principal assets using a five-point condition grading system of A (very good) through to E (bad) in order to establish priorities for maintenance work. The latest information available as at 31 March 20091 is as follows:
1 Information provided by British Waterways.
A: Very good B: Good C: Fair D: Poor E: Bad Assets assessed Principal assets 3.6 22.3 54.1 17.6 2.4 10,516 Significant non-principal assets Towpath 19.1 26.7 35.2 15.3 3.7 2,718 km Bank protection 10.8 33.2 38.4 12.7 4.9 5,220 km (both sides of canal) Lock gates 13.8 21.9 40.9 15.8 7.6 3,362
British Waterways take a risk-based approach in using the funding available to maintain the network. They concentrate on those assets in the poorest condition and that have the highest consequence of failure e.g. in terms of safety or the impact on the wider network.
The level of grant funding for the waterways will be a decision for the next Spending Review and will need to balance long-term sustainability of the waterways with the overall fiscal position at the time. Government grant are, however, not the sole factor in determining what is spent on the waterways—efficiency savings, third party funding and commercial income are also very important.
Spend on maintenance of the network is a priority for British Waterways who take a risk-based approach in using the funding available to maintain the network. They concentrate on those assets in the poorest condition and that have the highest consequence of failure e.g. in terms of safety or the impact on the wider network.
Marine Conservation Zones
(2) whether the seven principles of ecological coherence will be adhered to in the designation of marine conservation zones;
(3) whether the minimum conservation objective for marine conservation zones will be that of favourable condition.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood (Paddy Tipping) on 29 March 2010, Official Report, columns 609-10W.
Marine Management Organisation
The Marine Management Organisation is due to vest on 1 April 2010 and will manage coastal offices currently under the control of the Marine and Fisheries Agency. On 1 April 2010 there will be 102 staff employed in coastal offices. The following table details the number of staff in each of these coastal offices:
Location Number Amble 1 Blackpool (coastal office, training centre) 12 Brixham 10 Grimsby 8 Hartlepool 2 Harwich 2 Hastings 5 Kings Lynn 2 Lowestoft 7 Newlyn 10 North Shields 8 Penryn 4 Plymouth 9 Poole 6 Portsmouth 2 Scarborough 7 Shoreham 5 Whitehaven 2
Nature Conservation: Crime
Information on how many people were charged with offences related to wildlife crime since July 2009 is not held centrally.
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones
The Nitrates Directive requires each member state to review its nitrate vulnerable zone (NVZ) designation and Nitrates Action programme every four years. Any changes as a result of the next review in England will be implemented from January 2013. DEFRA will be working closely with the farming industry, other interested parties and the European Commission over the next two years to consider what changes might be necessary.
Opposition
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, North (Sarah McCarthy-Fry) on 30 March 2010, Official Report, column 1044W.
Pets: Vaccination
Canine Health Concern (CHC) sent an open letter on pet vaccination intervals dated 10 February 2010 to the Chief Executive of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).
Following the open letter from CHC the VMD has received 39 additional letters from concerned members of the public either directly or via their MPs referring to it. The VMD has placed the CHC’s open letter and its response on the VMD website
www.vmd.gov.uk
Recycling: Greater London
A copy of the ‘Bin the Bin’ Business Case will be placed in the Library.
Rights of Way: Cycling
There have been no instances where dedication of land under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 has had an effect on access to open countryside for equestrians and cyclists.
Waste Disposal: EU Action
I have placed the following documents produced by the European Commission in the Library:
(a) The Study on the feasibility of the establishment of a Waste Implementation Agency—Overview;
(b) The Waste Agency study—April workshop—summary;
(c) The Summary of the study's interim report; and
(d) The Waste Agency study—September workshop—summary.
I have placed the UK’s response of 8 April 2009 to the European Commission’s informal “Questionnaire for Member State Officials” on the feasibility of establishing a Waste Implementation Agency in the Library.
Transport
A5: Shropshire
(2) what recent assessment he has made of the condition of the A5 between Shrewsbury and the Shropshire/Wales border; and if he will make a statement.
There are currently no plans to widen the A5 between Wolfshead and Queen's Head. The A5 Queen's Head to Wolfshead widening scheme was submitted in the Regional Funding Advice submission to the Government at the end of February 2009. The West Midlands Regional Assembly's decision was not to prioritise the scheme for funding in the period 2009-19.
The A5 between Wolfshead roundabout and Shotatton is currently in good condition. The section of carriageway from Shotatton to Queen’s Head is due to be surface dressed between June and July 2010 to improve the condition of the surface. A survey is currently programmed to identify the causes of a surface water drainage issue approximately 400 metres south of the Queen’s Head Junction.
(2) how many people have been killed on the A5 between Shrewsbury and the Shropshire/Wales border in each of the last 12 years.
The following table shows the number of people killed or injured on the A5 between Telford and Shropshire/Wales border, in each of the last 12 years. These figures have been provided by the police and validated by the Department. It has not been possible to disaggregate the data to only report on Shrewsbury to Shropshire/Wales border casualties.
Fatal Serious Slight 1997 5 28 108 1998 1 22 94 1999 6 23 82 2000 2 23 102 2001 2 18 104 2002 6 14 86 2003 2 14 74 2004 2 13 107 2005 1 11 73 2006 3 10 84 2007 0 3 107 2008 1 6 85
(2) how many times the A5 between Shrewsbury and the Shropshire/Wales border has been closed following a road traffic accident in each of the last five years.
The following table show the number of times the A5 between Shrewsbury and the Shropshire/Wales border has been closed for roadworks and following a road traffic accident, for each of the last five years:
Total number of closures in both directions due to roadworks Total number of closures due to road traffic accident (figures include closures in one or both carriageways) 2005 1 5 2006 4 6 2007 3 10 2008 1 6 2009 0 4
Bexley
The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Cycling: Shropshire
Shropshire benefits from four main streams of departmental funding to encourage cycling in England.
Local Transport Plan funding
Shropshire received £4,011,000 integrated transport funding for 2009-10. Funding for other years is available on the Department for Transport website under “Funding for local transport”. Local authorities have discretion to spend their allocations in line with their priorities. The Department does not keep records of local funding decisions.
Cycle City and Town funding
Shrewsbury was chosen as a cycle town in June 2008 and is funded until 2010-11. Departmental funding is used to encourage cycling in the town. The funding is match funded by Shropshire council.
Shrewsbury (£) 2008-09 600,000 2009-10 800,000 2010-11 665,000 Total 2,065,000
Links to schools
The Department funds links to schools to encourage cycling and walking to schools, as a contribution to the total cost, with the rest of the funding coming from the local authority.
Location DfT fund (£) Total cost (£) 2004-05 Shrewsbury 28,000.00 201,571.00 2004-05 Whitchurch 1,589.00 3,177.92 2004-05 Albrighton 27,000.00 61,533.08 2004-05 Market Drayton 1,756.00 3,512.00 2004-05 Oswestry 35,000.00 70,504.00 2006-07 Shrewsbury 38,000.00 344,000.00 2006-07 Shifnal 5,000.00 35,607.00 2006-07 Shawbury 10,000.00 76,420.00 2009-10 Oswestry 46,531.56 159,870.90 2009-10 Wem 10,000.00 20,000.00
Cycle training grants
Local authorities apply for grants to train school children in Bikeability level 2. Bikeability level 2 is an approved cycle training course normally undertaken by children in years five to six (ages 10-11).
Shropshire received the following:
Shropshire (£) 2008-09 20,000.00 2009-10 31,996.00
Departmental Food
The Department for Transport conducts its procurement in accordance with UK Government's value for money policies and principles, utilising collaborative arrangements where these are available and in accordance with the legal and regulatory framework.
The Department and its agencies generally provide staff catering and vending services via estates private finance initiative or facilities management contracts. These provisions are typically provided on a commercial basis and are not directly subsidised, and they operate in a very competitive environment.
For example, the Department's headquarter facilities management contract requires the contractor to comply with Government guidance on sustainable food and farming in the delivery of the contract. The contract also requires the contractor to take into account the Government's commitment to the public sector food procurement initiative, and directs them to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs websites. Thus the contractor is encouraged to consider higher level schemes for food standards and animal welfare.
Another example is the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's estates private finance initiative contract, which requires the service provider to comply with the sustainable food procurement initiative and other Government guidance on food and farming in delivery of the service.
As and when each of the Department's catering contracts needs to be renewed, consideration will be given to emerging higher level welfare standards when specifying replacement contracts.
Hang Gliding and Paragliding: EU Action
Eurocontrol is preparing the draft implementing rule on Standardised European Rules of the Air on behalf of the European Commission under the umbrella of the Single European Sky (SES) initiative.
The preliminary view of the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is that the proposals will not impact adversely on hang gliding and paragliding activities as the CAA, as the Competent Authority for the purposes of the legislation, will retain the discretion to permit visual flight rule flights. However, the UK will continue to seek clarity from Eurocontrol on the intent of the element of the regulation which concerns the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA).
The Department has set up a UK European Air Traffic Management Stakeholders Forum, as a requirement of the SES legislation, at which policy officials directly concerned in this work update aviation stakeholders across the board on SES proposals and elicit views. The BHPA is on the invitee list for the Forum which will next be convened in late spring. In the meantime, Eurocontrol’s consultation is still open till 12 April for the BHPA to express its concerns directly to the Agency.
Humber Bridge
The lane restrictions are a matter for the Humber Bridge Board. My understanding is these are currently in place at the Humber Bridge and are essential for traffic management for the dehumidification work on the bridge, and that they will need to be implemented on a regular basis over the next two years.
The works have been carefully planned to avoid contraflow on the bridge other than when absolutely essential and generally only on weekends.
Humber Bridge: Tolls
There are currently lane restrictions in place at the Humber Bridge to allow dehumidification work to take place. The Board is monitoring closely the impact of the lane closures on congestion on the bridge. Toll levels are a matter for the Bridge Board. The tolls are levied for the crossing of the estuary and that service is being maintained.
Lorries: Testing
The total number of heavy goods vehicles tested (both motor vehicles and trailers) outside normal working hours between April 2009 and February 2010 was 9,963. This consists of first and annual tests and retests.
Customer input into the requirements for, and likely uptake of, extended opening hours for annual tests of heavy goods vehicles has been provided from direct customer feedback and through quantitative customer research with 500 service agents in 2009-10 and a similar survey in 2008.
Public Transport: Shropshire
For bus usage, data for Shropshire are available from the local government National Indicator Set. The following table shows the figures for Shropshire for the relevant National Indicator (number 177—local bus and light rail passenger journeys originating in the authority area).
Thousand Total journeys1 during year Average journeys1 per day2 2004-05 6,458 17.7 2005-06 6,359 17.4 2006-07 6,678 18.3 2007-08 6,723 18.4 2008-09 6,793 18.6 1 The national indicator definition includes bus and light rail journeys in these totals, although there are presently no light rail systems in Shropshire. 2 Average journeys per day for all days in the year, including weekends, school holidays and public holidays. The working day average is likely to be higher than shown here. Source: National Indicator Set
These data are not necessarily consistent with the Department for Transport's published official statistics on bus patronage, and they have not gone through the same reconciliation and consistency checks. Department for Transport bus patronage statistics cannot be released at local authority level, owing to the assurances of commercial confidentiality given to local bus operators.
The Department for Transport does not hold any corresponding data on passenger rail journeys.
Railways: Construction
(2) whether he has made an estimate of the number of dwellings in (a) the parish of Coldharbour, (b) the parish of Aylesbury, (c) the parish of Stoke Mandeville, (d) the parish of Ellesborough, (e) the parish of Wendover, (f) the parish of Great Missenden and (g) the county of Buckinghamshire which lie within (i) 100, (ii) 200, (iii) 300, (iv) 400 and (v) 500 metres of his Department's preferred route for High Speed Two; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 18 March 2010]: The effects of the recommended route on properties will be made available as part of the Appraisal of Sustainability (AoS), on which work is continuing. The AoS will be published later in the year in order to inform the formal public consultation which we expect to launch in the autumn. The Government will write to the owners of relevant properties at this time. Additional design work will be required to refine HS2 Ltd's proposals, and this would be likely to reduce the number of properties affected.
[holding answer 30 March 2010]: Copies of the consultation document on the proposed Exceptional Hardship Scheme have been sent to the parties listed at Annex B in the consultation document. The National Association of Local Councils, which represents the 8,500 town and parish councils in England, was sent copies of the consultation materials. Any interested party can respond to the consultation.
Copies of the consultation document are available on the Department for Transport's website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2010-18/
and can be ordered free of charge from DfT Publications (0300 123 1102) or
www.dft.gov.uk/foi/dftps/howtoobtaindftpublications/form
(2) if he will publish the results of the investigations which have been made into the effect of modal switch in the context of passenger demand modelling for HS2; what methodology was used in the investigation; and if he will make a statement.
All work commissioned and undertaken on demand modelling and on modal switch for HS2 Ltd.’s report was published alongside the Government’s Command Paper on 11 March. In particular, I refer the hon. Member to HS2 Ltd.’s “Demand and Appraisal Report”, published on the Department for Transport website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/hs2ltd/demandandappraisal/
Railways: Shropshire
There have been recent discussions at official level with Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway and Chiltern Railways regarding services between London and stations in Shropshire. These discussions are ongoing.
Roads: Accidents
The information requested in shown in the following table:
Fatal accidents Year/month Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Total 1997 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 1998 1 1 1 0 2 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 9 1999 3 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 10 2000 0 0 3 3 2 2 0 3 0 2 0 0 15 2001 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 1 0 3 1 2 12 2002 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 2 0 2 10 2003 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 2 0 0 1 0 7 2004 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 5 2005 4 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 1 0 1 2 12 2006 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 2007 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 7 2008 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 6 1 Based on 2004 parliamentary constituency boundaries.
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
In 2008-09 the Department for Transport allocated £246 million to local authorities for local major road schemes. The Highways Agency (an agency of this Department) spent £725 million on road building.
In 2008-09 the Highways Agency spent £914 million on maintenance of the strategic road network. The Department does not directly maintain local authority roads. However, it provides capital maintenance funding to local authorities (outside London) as part of the Local Transport Plan settlement; and funding as part of the private finance initiative. Information about the amounts allocated can be found at:
www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/localauthorities/funding/fundingstreams/capital/
Sea Rescue: Flamborough Head
Following a recent inspection by the local fire and rescue service, the estimated cost to improve safety in the Flamborough Head property is £4,200. The cost to install an external fire escape to the three- storey property is in the region of £20,000.
Thameslink Railway Line
The Thameslink Programme will enable the operation of a high-frequency service through central London to destinations both north and south of London. In recognition of this, the train maintenance strategy is based on there being two new depots, one north of London and the other south of London. A two-depot strategy will provide the most efficient means of servicing the new Thameslink fleet.
The current programme for the introduction of the new fleet of trains shows the first trains entering passenger service in early 2014. Our plans assume that at least one of the two new depots proposed for this new fleet of trains will be operational before this date. There will therefore be sufficient depot servicing facilities in time for the introduction of these first trains by this date.
There will be a point in the production cycle for the new fleet of trains when the second new depot will be required. Our plans assume that the second depot will be operational before this production cycle milestone is realised.
Network Rail has commenced the process for progressing planning consents for the two new train maintenance depots for the new Thameslink rolling stock with the relevant local authorities.
It would be inappropriate to comment on the outcome of these discussions at this stage.
Transport: Sustainable Development
A number of responses to the consultation on Delivering a Sustainable Transport System in spring 2009 referred to the draft guidance to regions, including two specifically relating to the guidance. The Department for Transport published a response to the consultation on 28 April 2009 at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/archive/2009/planning/consultresponses/
The final guidance issued to the regions last July may be found at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/strategy/dasts/guidance/
Details of the regional study programme for Delivering a Sustainable Transport System are on the Department for Transport website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/strategy/dasts/
and details on the national studies are at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/transportstrategy/nationalnetworksstudy?view=Standard
The Department is monitoring progress closely through representation on all study steering groups. It is anticipated that a full interim assessment of the work to date will be reported to Ministers in the summer of 2010.
I meet the chair of Advantage West Midlands (AWM) from time to time to discuss “Delivering a Sustainable Transport System” and other matters.
Officials from my Department and from Government offices also meet regularly with representatives of both AWM and Shropshire council.
Olympics
Olympic Games 2012: Birmingham
The Government and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) have established the Nations and Regions Group to ensure UK-wide engagement and to maximise the legacy for London 2012. This group works directly with representatives from each of the nations and English regions to maximise the sporting, economic, and cultural benefits of the 2012 games. Some examples of how Birmingham and the West Midlands region are benefiting from the games are given as follows.
Both the American and Jamaican track and field teams will be based in Birmingham in the run-up to the games.
West Midlands businesses are already benefiting from the games. To date, 213 businesses in the region have won contracts through CompeteFor. To date 53 businesses have won direct contracts with the Olympic Delivery Authority. This includes a contract for the construction of the Olympic Park’s primary sewer and pumping station, and for the manufacture and installation of the security fence and gates around the park.
The region has been awarded 20 Inspire Marks, the non-commercial brand for programmes inspired by the games. So far, the West Midlands region has also had over 1,046 schools register on ‘Get Set’, LOCOG’s domestic education programme for London 2012.
Over £6 million worth of funding has been secured to support an extensive programme of events and cultural activity across the West Midlands region in the run-up to 2012 including £2.2 million from the Legacy Trust to fund programmes to bring people together for community activities of all kinds.
Olympic Games 2012: Tickets
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Ltd. (LOCOG) is responsible for ticketing for the London 2012 games. LOCOG’s ticketing plan will ensure that it raises the funds to stage the games and that it provides affordable and accessible tickets to deliver full venues.
Under EU competition law, LOCOG must ensure that all EU citizens, including UK residents, are given fair and equitable opportunities to purchase London 2012 tickets.
LOCOG has committed to making 75 per cent. of London 2012 tickets available via a public ballot process. The ballot will be open to all residents of the EU but LOCOG’s promotional work around ticketing will be focused on the UK. LOCOG has already launched ‘Sign-Up’ encouraging all UK residents to register their details to receive information on ticket opportunities in advance of tickets going on sale in 2011. I hope all Members of the House will encourage their constituents to sign up to receive this information and to enter the ballot in 2011.
Prime Minister
Trade Unions
The staff in my Office work on a wide range of policies with a range of institutions.
YouTube
I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave on 9 September 2009, Official Report, column 1897W.
Women and Equality
Equality and Human Rights Commission
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is independent and manages its own affairs; the following is based on information it has provided.
APCO Worldwide produced a campaign book for the EHRC. A copy of this document has been placed in the Library as requested.
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Hotels
The dates of stays in five-star hotels are shown as follows.
Date of stay Number of nights 8 July 2008 1 6 October 2008 1 6 October 2008 1 8 October 2008 1 30 April 2008 2 19 January 2009 1 16 July 2008 1 17 June 2008 2 16 February 2009 1 16 February 2009 2 16 February 2009 1 16 February 2009 1 16 February 2009 1
The names of the staff are confidential but the grades of the staff staying and number of bookings were as follows:
Number of bookings Group Director 1 Director 5 Level 5 3 Level 4 2 Level 3 1 Level 2 1 Level 1 (support worker) 1 Investigating Commissioner 1
Rape: Criminal Proceedings
The Government welcome Baroness Stern's report and have recently published an interim response to her recommendations. Her report poses a number of challenges, as well as 23 recommendations, which need to be carefully considered before a fuller response is issued later this year.
Leader of the House
Members’ Staff: Pensions
The total pension contributions paid by the House in the 2009-10 financial year to the Portcullis Pension Plan for staff of Members was £5.49 million.
In addition, pension contributions totalling £254,453 were paid by the House to individual pension arrangements for staff of Members.
Public Duty Costs Allowance
(2) what the limit is of the public duty costs allowance for former Prime Ministers; and when that limit will next be reviewed;
(3) what rules apply to claims made by former Prime Ministers from the public duty costs allowance;
(4) which office administers the public duty costs allowance for former Prime Ministers; and what checks are made to ensure that claims against the allowance meet the criteria for funding from the allowance;
(5) what guidance is provided to former Prime Ministers on claiming from the public duty costs allowance; and if she will place a copy of that guidance in the Library.
I have been asked to reply.
The public duties cost allowance, which is administered by the Cabinet Office, is paid in respect of office and secretarial expenses incurred by former Prime Ministers in connection with their public duties. All claims must be supported by documentary evidence. The allowance is not payable if the former Prime Minister is occupying the position of Leader of the Opposition. The allowance is linked to the ceiling of the centralised arrangements for payment of staff and secretarial support for MPs with London constituencies.
Information on payments before the 1997-98 financial year is obtainable only at disproportionate cost. The total amount reimbursed each year, on a cash basis, on the public duties costs allowance is:
Maximum allowance which can be claimed by each former Prime Minister (£) Total claimed by former Prime Ministers (£) 1997-98 47,568 171,827 1998-99 49,232 175,402 1999-2000 50,264 171,984 2000-01 51,572 167,955 2001-02 52,760 186,922 2002-03 72,310 278,615 2003-04 74,985 235,809 2004-05 77,534 274,794 2005-06 84,081 294,546 2006-07 87,276 244,638 2007-08 90,505 174,551 2008-09 100,205 190,888
Northern Ireland
Administration of Justice
The Northern Ireland Office already has processes to review expenditure on consultants across the Department and its arm’s length bodies.
The use of external consultants and professional services is reported in the annual departmental report which is laid in Parliament.
Departmental Energy
Voltage optimisers or equivalent technologies are not used within buildings occupied by the Department.
Departmental Furniture
The Northern Ireland Office (NIO), including its arm’s length bodies and the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland but excluding its agencies and NDPBs, has incurred no expenditure on antique furniture in the last five years.
Departmental ICT
There has been one ICT project cancelled by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) before completion since 1997. The Product Logging ICT Project was cancelled by the Forensic Science Agency at a cost of £8,500. The contractors were ICS Computing. The project commenced in June 2006 and was abandoned in November 2006.
Departmental Information Officers
The total cost to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) of employing press officers during 2008-09 was £579,343. No figures are available for the 1996-97 financial year.
Departmental Internet
The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has received no complaints regarding difficulties using the website.
A review of my Department’s website was conducted during the 2006-07 financial year to optimise the site and improve performance and download speeds. This review cost £15,677.
Inquiries
(2) what his most recent estimate is of the final cost to the public purse of the Historical Enquiries Team;
(3) when he expects the Historical Enquiries Team to have completed its work;
(4) how much the Historical Enquiries Team had spent on legal fees on the latest date for which figures are available;
(5) how many people the Historical Enquiries Team has employed in each type of post in each month since its inception;
(6) how many cases the Historical Enquiries Team has closed;
(7) what mechanisms the Historical Enquiries Team uses to measure its effectiveness;
(8) in respect of how many cases which the Historical Enquiries Team has declared closed, families of those whose deaths were under investigation have subsequently requested more information;
(9) how many and what proportion of cases within its remit the Historical Enquiries Team has examined since its inception;
(10) how much the Historical Enquiries Team has spent on security (a) for legal companies, (b) for witnesses and (c) in total since its inception;
(11) how much the Historical Enquiries Team has spent on (a) accommodation and (b) advertising since its inception;
(12) how many cases the Historical Enquiries Team has completed to the satisfaction of the families of those whose deaths were under investigation;
(13) how much the Historical Enquiries Team has spent on IT since its inception;
(14) how much the Historical Enquiries Team has spent on IT consultants since its inception;
(15) what the budget is of the press office for the Historical Enquiries Team in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11;
(16) what the cost to the public purse had been of the Historical Enquiries Team on the latest date for which figures are available.
The Historical Enquiries Team is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and copies of his letters will be placed in the Library of the House.
Prisons: Mental Health Services
Matters relating to all aspects of prisoners’ health care in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, which falls within the remit of the devolved Northern Ireland Administration.
Justice
Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse
I have been asked to reply.
The following Acts, which received Royal Assent between 1 May 1997 and 1 January 2010 and for which the Home Secretary has policy responsibility and contained references to the purchase, production, sale or misuse of alcohol are listed as follows:
Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997
Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001
Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006
Policing and Crime Act 2009
A total of nine new offences relating to the purchase, production, sale or misuse of alcohol are included within the Acts above. The new offences are listed as follows:
Persistent possession of alcohol in a public place (s30 of Policing and Crime Act 2009)
DPPO—refusal to comply with request (s12(4) of Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001)
Closure Orders (s25(3) of Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001)
Closure Orders (s25(4) of Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001)
Closure Orders (s25(5) of Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001)
Closure Orders (s26(1) of Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001)
Confiscation Act (s1(3) of Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997)
Breach of a Drinking Banning Order (s11(1) of Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006)
Directions to leave—failure to comply with direction (s27(6) of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006)
Cemeteries
Our current guidance reminds burial ground managers not to discriminate in the way common graves are provided in cemeteries and encourages them to be treated with as much sensitivity and respect as any other graves.
Departmental Official Hospitality
The provision and offering of hospitality is governed by the Department’s internal hospitality policy, which is consistent with the principles of Managing Public Money and the HM Treasury handbook on Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_governance_valueformoney.htm
The guiding principle of the Department’s internal policy is that gifts and hospitality must only be provided or accepted in exceptional circumstances where they:
are appropriate to the circumstances; and
are modest and appropriate
For example:
token items such as promotional pens; or
routine hospitality such as coffee and biscuits; or
a light working lunch where there are external attendees, meetings are lengthy or internal attendees have travelled long distances.
Attendance at, and hosting of, hospitality events by Department and agency staff is recorded in local hospitality registers, in accordance with Ministry of Justice policy. These data are not collated centrally, and gathering information from local registers (including operational establishments) would be possible only at disproportionate cost.
Therefore, a list of the five most expensive events during the last three years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, at the start of the legal year the Lord Chancellor hosts a breakfast after a service at Westminster Abbey. This event is attended by senior judiciary from the UK and overseas and this event is likely to be one of the higher value events hosted by the Ministry of Justice. The expenditure for the past three years is as follows:
Accounting year £ 2009-10 29,953 2008-09 50,391 2007-08 29,952
In 2008-09 there was a switch from the House of Lords Refreshments Department to the House of Commons Catering and Retail Services. The usual function rooms and catering services were not available and consequently the costs of staging the event were higher. The choice of menu/catering has since been reviewed and economies made, enabling a reduction in costs for 2009-10.
Departmental Pay
Details of the number of employees instigating legal proceedings against the Ministry of Justice (excluding NOMS) are contained in the following table.
Number 2007-08 May 0 June 0 July 0 August 0 September 1 October 3 November 0 December 2 January 1 February 157 March 1 2008-09 April 2 May 1 June 0 July 0 August 0 September 0 October 0 November 0 December 1 January 2 February 0 March 0 2009-10 April 1 May 0 June 0 July 1 August 1 September 2 October 1 November 234 December 0 January 1 1 Including one Employment Tribunal claim with 54 claimants. 2 Including one Employment Tribunal claim with 34 claimants.
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is an agency of the Ministry of Justice. It has not been possible to obtain information covering NOMS in answer to this question without incurring disproportionate cost.
In the core Ministry of Justice (excluding NOMS) none of the cases whose legal costs or compensation values reported in my answer of 16 March were subject to a final ruling.
All cases were either withdrawn by the claimants or where applicable, settlement was agreed by the Ministry in advance of a ruling.
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is an Agency of the Ministry of Justice. It has not been possible to obtain information covering NOMS in answer to this question without incurring disproportionate cost.
Magistrates: Age
The Lord Chancellor appoints magistrates with the concurrence of the Lord Chief Justice. They are recruited and selected by 101 local advisory committees. The following steps are designed to avoid all forms of discrimination in that process:
appointment is strictly on merit; eligible candidates are assessed solely against the key qualities required of all magistrates, irrespective of factors such as age
all advisory committee members undertake mandatory training on how to avoid bias or discrimination during the selection process
the selection process has been reviewed by my Department's legal advisers to ensure compliance with applicable anti-discrimination legislation.
Opposition
I refer the hon. Member to answer given by my hon. Friend, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Sarah McCarthy-Fry) on 30 March 2010, Official Report, column 1044W.
Political Parties: Finance
My response to Sir Hayden Phillips consented to the release of the minutes and background papers from the inter-party talks on party funding.
Prisoners: Mobile Phones
(2) whether his Department has evidence of the transfer of violent or pornographic images from telephone to telephone by inmates in prisons in England and Wales.
The court proceedings database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. The court proceedings database does not hold specific information on offences beyond descriptions provided by the statutes under which prosecutions are brought. Information available centrally on defendants proceeded against does not identify if the defendant is a prisoner. While data are extracted from mobile phones by a central unit, action taken as a result of that data is a matter for individual establishments and their partners. This is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
David Blakey’s report and the Government response were published on 7 July 2008. The report emphasised the difficulties inherent in reducing contraband supply in prisons, and highlighted the link between drug supply and mobile phone availability in prisons.
Good progress has been made in implementing Blakey’s recommendations and the Government are committed to reducing the number of mobile phones in prisons and addressing the risks that mobile phones present both to prison security and to the safety of the public. We have implemented a strategy to minimise the number of mobile phones entering prisons, to find phones that do get in and to disrupt mobile phones that cannot be found.
As part of this we have already strengthened the law through the Offender Management Act 2007, which made it an offence with a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment to bring a mobile phone or component into a prison. We are also taking forward legislation to criminalise the possession of devices including mobile telephones within a prison without authorisation.
Due to the covert nature of mobile phone use in prisons, the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is not able to estimate the number of mobile phones or component parts in circulation. NOMS is also unable to assess their usage.
Prisons in England and Wales are instructed to send mobile phones and SIM cards found to a central unit and the data extracted from these mobile phones are then shared with establishments so that appropriate action can be taken locally. A record of these local actions is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Prisons: Organised Crime
The data requested are not held.
There is no list of offences that relate to involvement in organised crime. Therefore, to provide these data would require an investigation into each individual conviction where the offender was in prison custody when charged, and in many cases a subjective assessment as to whether the offence related to serious organised crime. This would incur disproportionate cost.
The National Offender Management Service is also fully engaged in action to address serious and organised crime strategically, including the work identified in the Government report “Extending Our Reach: A Comprehensive Approach to Tackling Serious Organised Crime” to develop a strategy to manage serious organised criminals while in prison.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 30 March 2010, Official Report, column 1086W.
Covert criminal activity is, of its nature, very difficult to quantify. Prisons have a well established security information reporting framework. Where concerns are identified about a prisoner's potential criminal activity, prisons can draw on a range of measures to identify and disrupt that activity.
The National Offender Management Service is also fully engaged in action to address serious and organised crime strategically, including the work identified in the Government report “Extending Our Reach: A Comprehensive Approach to Tackling Serious Organised Crime” to develop a strategy to manage serious organised criminals while in prison.
While the number of serious offences, as defined by schedule 1 to the Serious Crime Act 2007, are recorded, data as to whether the offender was imprisoned at the time of charge are not held. To provide the data would require an investigation into each such offence, which would incur disproportionate cost.
The National Offender Management Service is also fully engaged in action to address serious and organised crime strategically, including the work identified in the Government report “Extending Our Reach: A Comprehensive Approach to Tackling Serious Organised Crime” to develop a strategy to manage serious organised criminals whilst in prison.
Protection of Badgers Act 1992
The requested information is shown in the following tables:
2006 2007 Statute Offence description Proceeded against Found guilty Sentenced Proceeded against Found guilty Sentenced 10822 Badgers Act 1973 as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1991, s.26 and Badgers Act 1991, s.1 Offences of cruelty to badgers and special protection for badgers and their setts. 10 3 3 20 6 6 11120 Badgers (further protection) Act 1991 Failing to give up a dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified. 12 4 4 10 5 5
Statute Offence description Proceeded against Found guilty Sentenced 10822 Badgers Act 1973 as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1991, s.26 and Badgers Act 1991, s.1 Offences of cruelty to badgers and special protection for badgers and their setts. 22 11 11 11120 Badgers (further protection) Act 1991 Failing to give up a dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified. 14 11 11 1 The figures given relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 3 Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services in the Ministry of Justice.
Trade Unions
Agreements are not generic documents, but are specific to the individual on secondment. We currently have two employees on secondment to PCS, and copies of their agreements will be placed in the Library.
Tribunals: Disability Living Allowance
The Tribunals Service is only able to provide figures for each administrative area from 2007-08. Prior to this, disability living allowance appeals were administered by the Appeals Service, an agency of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The DWP is unable to break down its figures in the way the hon. Member has requested.
The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support has seven administrative centres across the country. The following information is the most comprehensive that the Tribunals Service Management Information system can provide.
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 (up to 28 February 2010)1 Birmingham (East and West Midlands and East of England Government Office Regions) and (London Government2 Office Region) * * 6,445 8,846 9,054 Cardiff (Wales) and South West Government Office Region * * 7,931 7,285 7,269 Glasgow (Scotland) * * 9,601 8,220 6,803 Leeds (Yorkshire and the Humber Government Office Region) * * 5,095 5,382 4,330 North West (North West Government Office Region) * * 8,034 8,563 8,090 Newcastle (North East Government Office Region) * * 3,535 3,452 3,228 Nottingham3 * * 12,847 8,824 5,021 Sutton4 (South East and London2 Government Office Regions) * * 4,342 3,308 4,282 Total 71,125 65,088 57,830 53,880 48,077 “*” = Figures for April 2006 to March 2007 are unavailable. 1 Figures provided for April 2009 to February 2010 are provisional and subject to further change. 2 Covers whole of Government Office Region London except Hillingdon, Harrow, Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Islington, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, Waltham Forest and Hackney which are covered by Birmingham. 3 The Nottingham office transferred its caseload which covered the East Midlands, East of England and part of the London region (see 2 above) to the Birmingham office on 18 December 2009. 4 Prior to 29 June 2009, part of Sutton’s caseload was administered by the Nottingham office and is included in the Nottingham figures up until that date. Notes: 1. Figures provided for financial years April 2007 to February 2010 were extracted from GAPS 2 (Generic Appeals Processing System) Statistical Summary Reports dated 25 March 2010. 2. Figures prior to April 2007 supplied by DWP. From April 2006 there was a transitional period when DWP recorded data on more than one computer system (GAPS 1 and GAPS 2). Some information was not updated on the system and as a result a breakdown by area is not available.
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 Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases were dealt with by the Child Support Agency in each of the last 10 years. [324690]
The number of live and assessed cases being handled in each of the last 10 years is provided in the table below. This includes old scheme cases with a full or interim maintenance assessment as well as current scheme cases with a full maintenance calculation or default maintenance decision. Figures include cases processed off the system from 2008. Information on these cases prior to this date is not included as this information can not be broken down into those live or assessed.
Period as at: Old scheme Current scheme Overall agency November 2000 1,044,500 — 1,044,500 November 2001 1,054,800 — 1,054,800 November 2002 1,079,500 — 1,079,500 December 2003 935,400 65,200 1,000,700 December 2004 868,300 169,600 1,037,900 December 2005 816,400 293,700 1,110,100 December 2006 747,600 418,700 1,166,300 December 2007 669,700 556,700 1,226,400 December 2008 607,300 656,200 1,263,500 December 2009 521,900 691,200 1,213,100 Notes: 1. Figures from December 2008 accurately reflect the performance of cases processed off the system. Prior to 2008, the clerical caseload cannot be broken down to show the number of live and assessed cases. 2. Figures include old Scheme cases with a full or interim maintenance assessment as well as current Scheme cases with a full maintenance calculation or default maintenance decision. 3. From 2003, changes were made to the quarterly periods in which figures were recorded. 4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the child maintenance commissioner to write to the right 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 Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many enquiries made to the Child Support Agency (CSA) were responded to (a) over the telephone and (b) in writing in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the policy is of the CSA on responding to requests that details of a telephone conversation be confirmed in writing. [325397]
Information on how the Child Support Agency (CSA) responded to enquires made by (a) over the telephone and, (b) in writing is not available as the purpose of calls and correspondence is not recorded for management information purposes. There is no specific policy on how the CSA handle requests for written confirmation of a conversation. Management encourage employees to use the telephone when contacting clients as this is the fastest and most effective means of communication, however we will provide written confirmation to clients where there is a valid need.
I hope you find this answer helpful.