Written Answers to Questions
Monday 24 July 2006
Communities and Local Government
Arm's Length Management
Tenant satisfaction is one of the best value performance indicators used to measure performance by local authorities. To date there are only data available to cover the first two years of operation for the first eight ALMOs. As soon as sufficient data are available we will be able to assess the impact of ALMOs on tenant satisfaction more generally.
City of York Council
The following table shows the amount of revenue support grant, redistributed business rates and specific and special grants allocated to the City of York council in the period 1996-97 to 2006-07.
Revenue Support Grant Redistributed Business Rates Specific and Special Grants within Aggregate External Finance (AEF) Cash terms Current prices Cash terms Current prices Cash terms Current prices 1996-97 36.598 46.663 41.981 53.526 3.305 4.214 1997-98 38.597 47.821 39.451 48.879 3.128 3.876 1998-99 39.274 47.454 41.267 49.862 4.113 4.970 1999-00 39.478 46.754 44.995 53.288 6.185 7.325 2000-01 36.901 43.096 51.078 59.654 10.977 12.820 2001-02 40.309 45.985 50.021 57.065 15.044 17.162 2002-03 35.89 39.715 55.16 61.039 21.172 23.429 2003-04 45.361 48.747 54.927 59.027 31.192 33.520 2004-05 51.761 54.149 50.943 53.293 31.743 33.208 2005-06 47.84 49.009 61.026 62.517 31.318 32.083 2006-07 6.011 6.011 31.140 31.140 106.983 106.983
Please note that these amounts are not comparable year-on-year due to changes in funding and function. For example, in 2006-07 support for school funding moved from formula grant (i.e. revenue support grant plus business rates) to the dedicated schools grant.
The current prices have been calculated using the GDP deflator as the measure of inflation.
The Department for Communities and Local Government does not routinely collect data on all individual special grants from other Government Departments. The purpose of the special grants is a matter for the department that provides them.
Specific grants within aggregate external finance are those revenue grants paid for councils’ core services (such as schools funding), excluding funding for local authorities’ housing management.
Commission for Equality and Human Rights
[holding answer 20 July 2006]: I anticipate that the chair of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights will be appointed during the summer period.
Consultancies
The requested document will be made available in the Library of the House.
Contaminated Land
(2) what is the commercial remit of the Contaminated Land: Application in Real Environments programme; and what its principal commercial activities are.
I have been asked to reply.
Contaminated Land: Application in Real Environments (CL:AIRE) is an independent registered charity, which organises and independently reviews demonstration projects on the remediation of contaminated land and disseminates the results in line with its charitable objectives. Details are provided in CL:AIRE’s annual accounts.
CL:AIRE’s board includes representatives from the private and public sectors. Some £465,000 of public funds from several sources has been agreed for this financial year, including £80,000 per year from DEFRA for this year and the next two years. Public funding is mainly for specific remedial projects, and also for dissemination of information and other activities. Funding organisations establish their individual requirements in discussions and formal arrangements with CL:AIRE, which has been encouraged to diversify its sources of income.
Council Tax
The number of chargeable dwellings liable for council tax in Greater London as at November 2005 was 3,108,000 of which 1,281,000 dwellings (41.2 per cent.) were entitled to a discount.
The number of chargeable dwellings and those entitled to a discount are taken from the CTB1 forms submitted to this Department by all 33 London billing authorities including the City of London.
The number of individuals liable for council tax cannot be accurately determined from these or other sources.
The council tax received by local authorities in England in 2005-06 was £18,419 million. This figure excludes amounts funded by council tax benefit and includes both arrears received for previous years and prepayment of council tax for subsequent years.
Net current expenditure on administering the council tax system for 2004-05 by local authorities in England is tabled as follows.
£ million Council tax collection 340.9 Council tax benefits administration 277.5 Total 618.4
The data are as reported by local authorities and are taken from Revenue Outturn (RO) returns for 2004-05.
Net current expenditure is defined as gross expenditure on employees and running expenses, less income from sales, fees and charges, and ‘other income’.
The council tax collection figures also include any costs relating to collection of arrears of pre-1990 domestic rates and community charges.
The results from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax people’s panels, for the now postponed council tax revaluation in England, are for input to the formulation and development of Government policy and it is not therefore appropriate to place these in the public domain.
E-Government
The Government recognise the strategic importance of (a) a single property account and issued an outline prospectus entitled “Towards the National Spatial Addressing Infrastructure” for public consultation in May last year, containing technical details and governance structures. Discussions with stakeholders regarding this initiative are currently ongoing.
The Government Connect Programme will provide local government with a single secure approach to registering and authenticating users of online services. This will include checking identity details through data matching and data sharing processes to enable joined-up or shared service provision.
In relation to (b) a single citizen account, a core element of the Government Connect programme is the ability to offer a ‘single sign-on’ to citizens, i.e. once a citizen has registered and authenticated themselves online, all subsequent transactions will use this authentication, which means that citizens will no longer be asked for the same information again and again as they use different services from different providers.
Local authorities in England were allocated the following capital grant for Implementing Electronic Government:
Capital grant (£) 2002-03 200,000 2003-04 200,000 2004-05 350,000 2005-06 150,000 2006-07 0 2007-08 0
The Local e-Government Programme was completed in March 2006, so no Implementing Electronic Government funding has been allocated for 2006-07 or 2007-08.
Empty Dwellings
The information is as follows:
At October 2005 there were an estimated 723,194 vacant homes in England.
At October 2005 Swindon district council reported a total of 2,374 vacant homes.
Source:
Council Tax Base 1 (CTB1) returns.
Fair Trade Councils
Local authorities are responsible for taking their own procurement decisions subject to the requirements of Best Value Legislation and to the EU/UK regulatory framework. Fair trade options have to be considered by local authorities within this framework.
False Fire Alarms
Information provided by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) is shown in the following tables:
2004-05 2005-06 Barking and Dagenham 342 158 Barnet 245 157 Bexley 119 62 Brent 312 137 Bromley 182 122 Camden 267 321 City of London 18 13 Croydon 140 165 Ealing 234 96 Enfield 327 150 Greenwich 308 152 Hackney 368 121 Hammersmith and Fulham 132 59 Haringey 390 181 Harrow 222 91 Havering 114 78 Hillingdon 169 88 Hounslow 152 61 Islington 265 95 Kensington and Chelsea 135 66 Kingston-upon-Thames 65 64 Lambeth 348 149 Lewisham 324 109 Merton 65 41 Newham 446 173 Redbridge 136 103 Richmond-upon-Thames 35 26 Southwark 385 175 Sutton 65 36 Tower Hamlets 513 219 Waltham Forest 263 154 Wandsworth 196 102 Westminster 301 196
2004-05 2005-06 Barking 177 96 Battersea 62 35 Beckenham 50 28 Bethnal Green and Bow 311 129 Bexleyheath and Crayford 49 26 Brent East 90 52 Brent North 88 33 Brent South 134 52 Brentford and Isleworth 83 30 Bromley and Chislehurst 57 35 Camberwell and Peckham 139 70 Carshalton and Wallington 37 26 Chingford and Woodford Green 37 45 Chipping Barnet 63 23 Cities of London and Westminster 231 167 Croydon Central 60 84 Croydon North 60 45 Croydon South 20 36 Dagenham 165J 62 Dulwich and West Norwood 93 38 Ealing North 82 30 Ealing, Acton and Shepherd’s Bush 109 47 Ealing, Southall 101 50 East Ham 179 60 Edmonton 84 45 Eltham 71 45 Enfield North 166 69 Enfield, Southgate 77 36 Erith and Thamesmead 135 53 Feltham and Heston 69 31 Finchley and Golders Green 62 47 Greenwich and Woolwich 153 68 Hackney North and Stoke Newington 154 52 Hackney South and Shoreditch 214 69 Hammersmith and Fulham 74 28 Hampstead and Highgate 51 45 Harrow East 183 76 Harrow West 39 15 Hayes and Harlington 103 44 Hendon 120 87 Holborn and St. Pancras 216 276 Hornchurch 31 28 Hornsey and Wood Green 135 86 Ilford North 46 25 Ilford South 75 63 Islington North 117 48 Islington South and Finsbury 148 46 Kensington and Chelsea 67 37 Kingston and Surbiton 61 60 Lewisham East 139 45 Lewisham West 114 42 Lewisham, Deptford 71 22 Leyton and Wanstead 88 49 Mitcham and Morden 41 27 North Southwark and Bermondsey 198 87 Old Bexley and Sidcup 19 22 Orpington 75 59 Poplar and Canning Town 290 132 Putney 42 24 Regent’s Park and Kensington North 155 70 Richmond Park 12 13 Romford 48 26 Ruislip-Northwood 26 17 Streatham 85 54 Sutton and Cheam 28 10 Tooting 92 43 Tottenham 255 95 Twickenham 27 17 Upminster 35 24 Uxbridge 40 27 Vauxhall 218 75 Walthamstow 153 75 West Ham 179 71 Wimbledon 24 14 Note: Data supplied by LFEPA.
The total number of malicious false fire alarms by constituency is slightly less than by borough because of missing geographic information.
Fire Control Centres
The FiReControl project is managed in line with the principles of PRINCE2 methodology and Office of Government Commerce (OGC) best practice.
It is managed in stages and includes separate accommodation and technology procurements. Regional projects have been established to plan and manage the changes at regional and FRS levels. Progress is monitored and reported against the project plan. Internal reports are provided to the Project Board, and upwards to the programme executive and DCLG Board. As a mission critical project, quarterly reports are also made to OGC and subject to the Gateway Review process.
All functions and duties currently undertaken in FRS control rooms that are essential to the operation of the fire and rescue service will be done in either the new regional control centres (RCCs) or FRS HQs. Following the responses to a recent questionnaire on current control room activities, we are working with our local delivery co-ordinators in each FRS to plan the effective transition of activities.
More detailed information on our recent follow-up work on existing control room activities can be found on the FiReControl website:
www.firecontrol.communities.gov.uk
The Fire Brigade Union sent a copy of their document “Regional Control: national resilience” to the Deputy Prime Minister and requested a meeting. The Deputy Prime Minister met with the Fire Brigade Union Secretary on the 7 February 2006 to discuss their proposals, amongst other things.
The information requested is tabulated as follows:
Region Staff (full-time equivalents) East of England: 6 control rooms Kempston, Bedford 26 Huntingdon 29 Hutton (Essex) 144 Hertford 26 Heathersett, Norwich 27 Ipswich 23 East Midlands: 5 control rooms Littleover, Derby 32 Glenfield, Leicester 27 Lincoln 24 Northampton 23 Arnold, Nottingham 28 London: 1 control room London SE1 111 North East: 4 control rooms Hartlepool 23 Durham 27 Morpeth 23 Newcastle upon Tyne 36 North West: 5 control rooms Winsford 24 Cockermouth 18 Swinton, Manchester 68 Fulwood, Preston 45 Bootle, Liverpool 54 South East: 9 control rooms Tilehurst, Reading 34 Aylesbury 21 Eastbourne 27 Eastleigh 38 Newport (Isle of Wight) 13 Tovil, Maidstone 39 Kidlington, Oxford 21 Reigate 28 Chichester 31 South West: 7 control rooms Bristol 34 Truro 16 Clyst St. George, Exeter 28 Dorchester 24 Quedgeley, Gloucester 21 Cheddon Fitzpaine, Taunton 21 Potterne, Devizes 24 West Midlands: 5 control rooms Worcester 21 Shrewsbury 17 Stone 31 Royal Leamington Spa 17 Birmingham 62 Yorkshire and the Humber: 4 control rooms Kingston upon Hull 29 Northallerton 24 Sheffield 38 Birkenshaw, West Yorkshire 55 1 2004 figure. Source: Fire and Rescue Service returns to DCLG.
Firefighters
The information requested is not held centrally.
Fires
Information provided by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) is tabulated as follows.
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Barking and Dagenham 2,451 2,066 2,960 1,853 1,651 Barnet 1,333 1,299 1,641 1,152 1,248 Bexley 1,745 1,295 1,968 1,337 1,370 Brent 1,367 1,230 1,518 1,124 1,062 Bromley 1,870 1,702 2,130 1,544 1,794 Camden 1,467 1,479 1,303 1,159 1,027 City of London 131 115 131 127 90 Croydon 1,949 1,481 2,084 1,407 1,360 Ealing 1,723 1,534 1,853 1,335 1,336 Enfield 1,834 1,554 2,116 1,496 1,398 Greenwich 2,766 2,285 3,270 1,892 2,092 Hackney 2,609 1,945 1,958 1,557 1,438 Hammersmith and Fulham 744 743 829 655 604 Haringey 1,569 1,402 1,426 1,192 1,107 Harrow 823 746 840 600 531 Havering 1,831 1,482 2,099 1,396 1,485 Hillingdon 1,997 1,893 2,134 1,313 1,211 Hounslow 1,875 1,589 2,112 1,219 1,187 Islington 1,797 1,701 1,707 1,127 1,177 Kensington and Chelsea 666 516 668 553 489 Kingston-upon-Thames 607 527 707 568 467 Lambeth 2,039 1,702 1,772 1,390 1,241 Lewisham 1,588 1,443 1,822 1,313 1,336 Merton 1,090 1,012 1,195 706 761 Newham 3,618 2,929 2,985 1,830 1,688 Redbridge 1,318 1,165 1,664 1,117 1,025 Richmond-upon-Thames 533 525 750 464 404 Southwark 2,740 2,341 2,523 2,026 1,737 Sutton 1,033 908 1,142 731 755 Tower Hamlets 4,008 3,162 3,531 2,761 2,602 Waltham Forest 1,301 1,289 1,779 1,115 1,165 Wandsworth 1,273 1,131 1,367 1,037 921 Westminster 1,501 1,377 1,300 1,197 1,199 Total 55,196 47,568 57,284 40,293 38,958 Note: Data supplied by LFEPA, and include both primary and secondary fires.
The information requested is tabulated as follows:
Thousand Total primary fires Dwelling fires Secondary fires 1976 — 39.8 — 1977 — 40.1 — 1978 — 39.6 — 1979 — 48.4 — 1980 — 42.2 — 1981 113.0 44.4 112.9 1982 118.8 44.2 126.2 1983 122.4 45.0 132.6 1984 129.1 45.6 169.8 1985 131.0 48.5 125.6 1986 134.1 49.1 122.5 1987 135.0 49.4 102.9 1988 135.7 50.0 118.2 1989 144.5 50.1 194.0 1990 146.0 48.7 210.7 1991 155.8 49.4 156.3 1992 162.5 50.2 148.8 1993 160.2 50.7 168.6 1994 159.4 52.0 195.8 1995 161.3 52.2 300.2 1996 168.6 56.6 226.7 1997 164.5 57.6 189.5 1998 163.4 56.5 146.3 1999 178.8 57.5 180.0 2000 180.0 56.2 179.8 2001 188.4 54.8 229.5 2002 182.6 51.6 225.9 2003 176.8 51.1 308.5 2004 150.9 48.1 192.0 Notes: 1.Data collection methods have varied over time, so categories may not be consistent throughout the period. 2. Data includes estimates for incidents not recorded in November 2002 and January and February 2003 during industrial action. Source: Fire and Rescue Service returns to DCLG.
Information provided by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) is showing in the following tables:
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Barking and Dagenham 729 478 403 275 200 Barnet 195 229 200 138 180 Bexley 362 276 254 162 137 Brent 195 170 164 123 133 Bromley 569 461 375 299 336 Camden 147 120 81 57 61 City of London 0 2 0 0 1 Croydon 389 257 252 179 198 Ealing 316 278 220 142 145 Enfield 451 326 318 210 181 Greenwich 576 462 448 332 279 Hackney 585 399 267 139 156 Hammersmith and Fulham 51 67 46 26 24 Haringey 289 281 242 140 125 Harrow 150 138 74 49 36 Havering 377 333 330 201 196 Hillingdon 645 515 345 229 171 Hounslow 417 371 283 177 176 Islington 330 222 189 67 107 Kensington and Chelsea 32 31 26 23 21 Kingston-upon-Thames 133 96 120 124 51 Lambeth 234 179 144 92 104 Lewisham 267 255 185 117 131 Merton 253 205 157 102 93 Newham 830 579 441 237 215 Redbridge 332 222 177 124 132 Richmond-upon-Thames 46 48 33 25 28 Southwark 399 310 222 171 130 Sutton 162 140 145 73 68 Tower Hamlets 624 505 357 298 252 Waltham Forest 211 194 192 114 121 Wandsworth 127 92 112 56 54 Westminster 34 41 34 17 32
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Barking and Dagenham 1,835 1,540 2,348 1,305 1,019 Barnet 698 706 815 518 592 Bexley 1,272 920 1,420 838 756 Brent 604 547 693 507 444 Bromley 1,362 1,247 1,499 1,072 1,141 Camden 664 685 585 407 341 City of London 15 16 17 20 3 Croydon 1,125 842 1,174 748 728 Ealing 1,084 847 944 619 605 Enfield 1,163 985 1,339 822 720 Greenwich 1,951 1,580 2,418 1,271 1,226 Hackney 1,871 1,249 1,083 647 585 Hammersmith and Fulham 293 314 328 187 174 Haringey 853 746 748 554 449 Harrow 477 393 408 257 206 Havering 1,317 1,061 1,525 925 880 Hillingdon 1,347 1,276 1,271 679 607 Hounslow 1,275 1,051 1,386 746 673 Islington 1,134 1,114 1,039 575 562 Kensington and Chelsea 189 129 198 153 114 Kingston-upon-Thames 307 245 347 299 198 Lambeth 932 780 806 548 468 Lewisham 866 795 980 639 619 Merton 632 577 704 346 346 Newham 2,743 2,148 1,989 1,013 856 Redbridge 841 691 823 565 515 Richmond-upon-Thames 229 254 326 197 145 Southwark 1,656 1,339 1,360 958 711 Sutton 663 564 739 404 406 Tower Hamlets 2,888 2,172 2,398 1,782 1,526 Waltham Forest 716 785 984 574 526 Wandsworth 565 472 611 419 292 Westminster 393 398 300 221 159 Note: Data supplied by LFEPA, and includes both primary and secondary fires.
The information requested is in the following table.
Number FRS area 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 England 1,934 1,666 1,420 1,446 2,261 1,554 1,711 1,655 1,890 1,476 England-Non-Met counties 1,132 1,015 766 663 1,314 933 1,020 1,057 1,279 970 Avon 10 46 16 23 37 36 31 37 63 34 Bedfordshire 17 20 23 0 9 25 10 1 14 24 Berkshire 28 28 12 13 40 22 1 23 30 39 Buckinghamshire 28 21 10 6 24 15 4 31 16 7 Cambridgeshire 20 23 8 5 35 16 18 16 13 19 Cheshire 51 32 24 25 33 28 12 46 50 34 Cleveland 25 14 22 4 37 17 25 29 5 27 Cornwall 16 33 17 3 17 34 10 5 1 0 Cumbria 9 7 1 10 7 15 17 11 11 9 Derbyshire 25 15 8 9 17 8 12 17 16 12 Devon 57 39 42 33 33 23 55 100 34 54 Dorset 49 29 28 28 52 63 61 62 66 41 Durham 15 1 14 5 4 7 7 8 6 9 East Sussex 22 17 11 1 29 26 16 21 26 25 Essex 58 42 33 23 67 45 69 21 72 2 Gloucestershire 13 31 4 17 13 26 3 15 22 16 Hampshire 41 44 30 33 69 65 51 34 84 39 Hereford and Worcester 33 15 18 18 17 15 30 23 24 20 Hertfordshire 55 21 14 26 58 26 27 24 28 22 Humberside 47 48 19 20 72 24 51 68 59 12 Isle of Wight 9 3 16 3 7 6 5 0 0 0 Kent 92 116 60 45 '105 90 101 115 96 65 Lancashire 20 28 34 53 78 42 43 33 46 51 Leicestershire 25 18 35 31 33 22 13 24 20 20 Lincolnshire 27 19 12 23 28 28 17 15 24 33 Norfolk 36 13 24 10 53 29 38 42 48 39 North Yorkshire 30 18 29 8 14 11 10 28 21 20 Northamptonshire 16 13 6 8 54 11 2 4 36 19 Northumberland 10 2 27 6 4 1 0 6 17 9 Nottinghamshire 26 21 6 21 37 20 16 17 30 46 Oxfordshire 15 29 27 16 49 20 25 5 39 14 Shropshire 20 21 14 14 18 5 7 20 7 7 Somerset 13 13 5 12 35 18 25 27 21 16 Staffordshire 41 26 10 14 31 22 10 25 30 28 Suffolk 46 78 18 36 16 15 39 30 48 40 Surrey 13 20 27 9 20 5 46 16 58 26 Warwickshire 21 5 15 16 5 0 13 25 13 36 West Sussex 34 27 31 18 30 40 49 23 66 55 Wiltshire 17 19 16 18 29 12 50 7 21 1 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 England-Met Counties 802 651 654 783 947 621 691 598 611 506 Greater Manchester 92 58 60 66 78 50 120 95 108 75 Merseyside 50 38 31 38 69 33 22 48 28 21 South Yorkshire 10 21 12 6 30 16 20 5 20 18 Tyne and Wear 28 28 62 40 44 25 99 33 38 24 West Midlands 117 126 156 249 209 197 126 135 136 138 West Yorkshire 98 62 50 56 63 49 52 58 40 30 Greater London 409 318 283 328 455 252 252 224 242 200 1 Including additional late call and heat and smoke damage incidents (not recorded prior to 1994). 2 Excluding incidents not recorded during periods of industrial action in 2002 and 2003. Note: Figures are based on sampled data grossed to fire and rescue service totals. Source: Fire and rescue service returns to DCLG
Fire Service
Hertfordshire experienced three individual periods of strike action, on 20, 26 and 31 May 2006, each lasting for eight hours. The level of fire and rescue cover varied from 11 up to 16 pumping appliances, plus a specialist rescue vehicle. All pumping appliances had capability for both firefighting and road traffic accidents. The specialist rescue vehicle was for road traffic accidents. It was in service for the first two periods of strike action, but not for the last period, when the skills were available in other crews.
The Firelink project, providing updated wide area radio communications to the fire and rescue service, will roll out from this autumn through until 2009. Firelink will provide inter-operability with police and ambulance services at strategic and tactical command levels.
Golf Courses
The number of properties described as a golf course in the 2005 Rating List for England, at 31 January 2006, is 1,786.
Green Belt
In deciding whether a development is inappropriate in the Green Belt the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is guided by Planning Policy Guidance note 2 (PPG2), Green Belts.
Horses
I have been asked to reply.
The Animals Act 1971 and the Highways Act 1980 contain provisions that relate to stray horses. Responsibility for enforcing this legislation lies with the police and local authorities.
The Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act 1988 created a specific offence under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 of causing unnecessary suffering to a horse, ass or mule by the manner or condition of its tethering. Anyone can seek to bring a prosecution where there is evidence of cruelty, either by tethering or by allowing horses to run free.
It is also an offence under the Abandonment of Animals Act 1960 to abandon an animal in circumstances likely to cause it unnecessary suffering. The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of £5,000 or a six months imprisonment, or both.
House Prices
Average house prices for London boroughs and local authority districts from 1996 based on data from the Land Registry are published in Table 585 on the Department for Communities and Local Government website at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=l156110
Housing (Hounslow)
Capital investment by the London borough of Hounslow since 1997 via the housing revenue account system is set as follows. ALMO—arm’s length management organisations—allowances are included in these figures.
£ million 1997-98 15,200,000 1998-99 12,523,000 1999-2000 12,948,000 2000-01 12,690,000 2001-02 10,028,000 2002-03 23,019,000 2003-04 38,901,000 2004-05 68,894,000 2005-06 (Planned) 68,413,000
Housing Renewal (Morecambe)
Under the West End Masterplan for the renewal of the West End of Morecombe, English Partnerships have approved an investment of £8.6 million of which £4.5 million has been spent on land assembly and masterplanning works.
Intelligent Addressing
The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has a development and demonstration licence with the Improvement and Development Agency to use the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) data produced under contract by Intelligent Addressing. NLPG data supports the National Register of Social Housing data collection. DCLG has previously used Intelligent Addressing directly as a contractor to perform address matching.
Local authorities access data and services provided by Intelligent Addressing through their Mapping Services Agreement.
Land Classification
From the Department's statistics for Urban Settlements, the amounts of urban land in England were as follows:
1991 2001 North East 57,200 60,200 North West 153,100 160,300 Yorkshire and the Humber 114,100 121,000 East Midlands 92,300 100,900 West Midlands 122,700 129,200 East of England 124,200 134,900 London 130,600 130,500 South East 190,100 205,100 South West 103,000 116,700 England 1,087,200 1,158,900
Urban settlements are defined here as settlements with a population of 1,000 or more. They are based on the built-up extent and not on administrative boundaries. They are available only for census years, when there is information on population down to the necessary geographic level.
There is no standard definition of suburban areas and no information available centrally on their extent.
Land Value Tax
The Department for Communities and Local Government has not made any assessment of the likely effects of introducing a land value tax.
Local Authority Staff (London)
The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect this information.
Local Government
As part of the Implementing Electronic Government return process, local authorities were asked to provide information on compliance with BS 7799 on information security management, as an advisory good practice outcome relating to the internal organisation and management practices of the council that are required to help deliver the people, systems and service management changes necessary for e-government. No specific estimate of the costs of BS 7799 compliance has been made, as this outcome is advisory in status only. However, every local authority in England has been allocated £900,000 in capital grant to help in Implementing Electronic Government up to the end of 2005-06.
The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.
Best Value Performance Indicator 199d measures the year-on-year reduction in the number of incidents and the increase in the number of enforcement actions taken to deal with fly-tipping. The indicator was introduced in 2005-06. It will not be possible to publish data showing year-on-year changes until the indicator has been in place for two years.
Local Government Finance
The table shows formula grant per head for each London borough for 1997-98 to 2006-07. Formula grant comprises Revenue Support Grant, redistributed business rates and principal formula Police Grant.
Formula grant per head has been calculated by dividing the total amount of formula grant received by the authority and dividing through by the mid-year population used in the calculation of the formula grant. For 1997-98 to 2005-06, the latest population estimates were used. These relate to the period two-years before the period for formula grant. For example, in 2005-06, the mid-2003 population estimates were used. In 2006-07, the population projections relating to the period of formula grant have been used i.e. the mid-2006 population projections.
Please note that these amounts are not comparable year-on-year due to changes in funding and function. For example, in 2006-07 support for school funding moved from Formula Grant (i.e. Revenue Support Grant plus Business Rates) to the dedicated schools grant.
£ per head Authority 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 City of London 18,164.52 15,852.79 16,047.26 16,256.25 14,534.16 Camden 982.61 961.99 984.95 1,004.76 1,007.84 Greenwich 897.73 927.66 979.21 1,011.24 1,031.47 Hackney 1,194.50 1,180.36 1,223.50 1,219.51 1,220.75 Hammersmith and Fulham 880.69 859.55 881.44 891.84 888.44 Islington 1,034.01 1,031.03 1,057.50 1,095.58 1,131.96 Kensington and Chelsea 707.27 678.37 676.28 663.68 658.17 Lambeth 931.84 925.89 947.68 942.82 955.25 Lewisham 876.35 913.88 943.20 971.95 984.69 Southwark 979.61 1,017.10 1,079.73 1,111.58 1,142.66 Tower Hamlets 1,374.95 1,445.85 1,505.97 1,529.05 1,557.43 Wandsworth 755.36 732.30 755.23 763.54 770.85 Westminster 994.83 919.91 907.86 882.24 858.16 Barking and Dagenham 723.85 788.88 860.49 895.62 939.30 Barnet 544.66 564.16 575.81 590.74 609.57 Bexley 552.35 597.26 645.43 672.22 707.46 Brent 821.59 839.38 852.72 853.46 887.18 Bromley 482.85 500.64 523.78 546.53 573.70 Croydon 565.60 590.75 610.79 635.57 664.47 Ealing 658.24 690.73 708.83 728.48 748.79 Enfield 672.87 715.91 750.44 779.80 815.67 Haringey 863.87 903.95 914.60 945.85 974.67 Harrow 519.96 549.44 564.62 583.78 604.80 Havering 497.14 527.39 551.82 578.43 606.61 Hillingdon 564.99 579.41 601.07 628.46 657.98 Hounslow 721.59 738.92 761.13 783.11 816.62 Kingston upon Thames 485.93 495.37 508.72 520.12 540.01 Merton 514.27 542.20 572.85 577.62 587.09 Newham 1,059.98 1,147.08 1,193.80 1,236.93 1,279.71 Redbridge 634.79 672.79 708.52 740.91 780.59 Richmond upon Thames 374.93 381.37 388.29 393.32 404.90 Sutton 546.11 569.83 598.98 620.89 652.49 Waltham Forest 759.34 806.74 845.99 869.86 908.69
Authority 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 City of London 13,974.07 13,336.05 13,658.95 13,990.73 10,892.15 Camden 975.93 1,029.92 1,065.62 1,128.11 649.22 Greenwich 1,024.41 1,141.71 1,191.33 1,273.76 637.32 Hackney 1,227.81 1,349.32 1,406.90 1,529.12 926.93 Hammersmith and Fulham 881.52 933.38 960.60 1,022.59 607.79 Islington 1,144.29 1,231.86 1,276.68 1,361.13 779.20 Kensington and Chelsea 642.46 811.08 811.43 804.81 475.65 Lambeth 973.20 1,062.03 1,109.44 1,184.75 720.99 Lewisham 994.07 1,083.38 1,139.18 1,224.82 654.45 Southwark 1,187.73 1,273.47 1,330.79 1,419.22 818.59 Tower Hamlets 1,587.54 1,652.19 1,699.98 1,835.16 964.30 Wandsworth 756.02 833.61 844.45 875.22 481.47 Westminster 838.59 1,189.86 1,175.91 1,069.94 644.46 Barking and Dagenham 950.49 984.56 1,058.69 1,130.13 489.58 Barnet 586.25 684.46 700.94 735.17 240.81 Bexley 710.29 755.29 786.46 833.38 260.15 Brent 877.72 952.43 973.54 1,053.47 568.01 Bromley 551.10 611.57 630.81 661.23 184.43 Croydon 681.04 742.02 769.71 812.14 306.90 Ealing 742.43 827.53 850.90 918.79 422.17 Enfield 815.37 861.06 897.12 952.19 351.52 Haringey 990.07 1,071.42 1,086.46 1,143.28 583.70 Harrow 623.92 707.04 737.48 789.50 278.34 Havering 619.26 687.16 720.61 754.58 209.03 Hillingdon 647.95 749.14 786.76 844.87 286.72 Hounslow 792.16 859.34 885.70 951.47 381.50 Kingston upon Thames 522.92 585.92 616.03 662.54 208.76 Merton 588.37 648.65 675.70 731.91 307.94 Newham 1,311.56 1,396.40 1,416.75 1,514.26 742.24 Redbridge 753.08 795.06 828.45 882.46 326.06 Richmond upon Thames 412.06 503.07 512.91 537.24 126.87 Sutton 635.30 702.69 754.39 815.00 263.32 Waltham Forest 932.00 991.33 1,022.27 1,080.25 492.69
London Mayor
In line with our policy of meeting net new burdens costs, the Government are committed to meeting reasonable net additional costs falling on the GLA as a result of its new responsibilities.
Mineral Extraction
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today.
(2) what her Department's definition is of an exceptional circumstance, for the purposes of Minerals Policy Statement 2, in which mineral extraction would be allowed in an area of outstanding beauty;
(3) what steps she has taken to satisfy herself that Minerals Policy Statement 2, on controlling and mitigating the environmental effects of mineral extraction in England, protects areas of outstanding natural beauty from unnecessary and damaging quarrying.
Planning guidance to local authorities on planning applications in areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs) is set out in Planning Policy Statement (PPS)7 Sustainable Development in Rural Areas. PPS7 states that AONBs confirmed by the Government have the highest standards of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty. Major developments (including mineral working) should not take place in these areas except in exceptional circumstances and applications for such developments should be subject to the most rigorous examination. Major development proposals should be demonstrated to be in the public interest before being allowed to proceed and will need to be assessed against the criteria set out in paragraph 22 of PPS7. However, it will be for local planning authorities to decide on a case by case basis whether exceptional circumstances exist which would allow them to grant planning permission for a minerals development in an AONB.
No recent assessment of the impacts of mineral operations on residential areas or areas of outstanding natural beauty has been undertaken by my Department. Any adverse potential impacts of quarries will need to be considered by mineral planning authorities after applications for planning permission have been submitted. Mineral operators will need to demonstrate to local planning authorities in planning applications including (where appropriate) through the preparation of environmental impact assessments that their proposals are acceptable. Minerals Policy Statement (MPS)2 “Controlling and Mitigating the Environmental Effects of Minerals Extraction in England” stresses that mineral planning authorities should take account of the full range of social, community, economic and environmental issues relevant to the planning decision. Any adverse effects on local communities, environmental damage or loss of amenity must be kept to an acceptable minimum. MPS2 advises mineral planning authorities on the use of appropriate planning conditions, which must be capable of being monitored, to mitigate any environmental impacts. Where adverse environmental effects cannot be adequately controlled or mitigated through the design of proposals or the attachment of conditions, planning permission should be refused.
Ministerial Visits
[holding answer 6 July 2006]: We consider that Kettering plays an important part in the growth proposals for North Northamptonshire. We are kept regularly updated on development of the plans to take these forward and I chair the regular Milton Keynes and South Midlands Inter Regional Board. In addition, officials are closely involved with the borough council and other partners in bringing forward housing, growth and other agendas. There have already been a number of ministerial visits to North Northamptonshire and more are planned. DCLG Ministers are more than happy to discuss housing development in Kettering with key partners during future visits to Northamptonshire.
Multi-foil Insulation
The Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned the Building Research Establishment to provide ‘The thermal performance of multi-foil insulation’ a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
The Department for Communities and Local Government issued guidance to building control officers in England and Wales on 19 June, following its circular letter on 30 March in which we mentioned UKAS accreditation. We have since understood that UKAS accreditation was not possible since there was no adopted test method, so the Department wrote to LABC Services and the Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors on 19 June and referred them instead to the Approved Documents for Part L, Conservation of Fuel and Power, and Regulation 7 which sets out ways for assessing fitness for purpose for materials.
Part L of the Building Regulations and its associated Approved Documents do not refer to multi-foil insulation or any other type of insulation product. The Approved Documents indicate that the methods for calculating thermal performance and establishing the thermal properties of insulation materials must be as described in BR443 “Conventions for U-value calculations”.
National Land and Property Gazetteer
This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission. The Chief Executive of the Audit Commission has written to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter has been placed in the Library of the House.
National Land Information Service
The National Land Information Service is a community interest company, and the Government do not therefore have any formal role in assessing its effectiveness.
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Ordnance Survey
The Valuation Office Agency does not take any imagery or photographic data from Ordnance Survey and consequently makes no payment for such.
Pathways to Work
I have been asked to reply.
Our Welfare Reform Bill set out our plans to assess people based on the effects a condition has on a person's capacity to work. This is not done on the basis of a single “snapshot” assessment but over a reasonable period of time given the nature of the condition. In this way we will take account of the effects of fluctuating and long-term conditions. Personal advisers have the freedom to waive or defer a work-focused interview where a claimant is unable to participate for good reason.
We aim to have a system that can be flexible to an individual's changing condition. We will be sensitive to each person's situation and take serious consideration of any medical advice given, such as that provided by a GP. Our services are delivered by personal advisers whose key motivating factor is the help they are able to offer. These advisers receive specialist training to give them the skills, knowledge, techniques and confidence to deal with customers whose circumstances include having a health condition or disability. If someone cannot reasonably participate in back-to-work activity because of their current health condition, they will not be required to do so. It is about people meeting with an adviser to discuss their circumstances and look for ways to improve the quality of their day-to-day living and perhaps begin to chart a route back to work.
In Pathways to Work areas, our Condition Management Programmes have been effective in helping individuals with health conditions to return to work. The programmes, jointly delivered by Jobcentre Plus and NHS Primary Care Trusts, offer help to the very large proportion of people coming on to incapacity benefit who want and expect to work again but genuinely believe that they are too ill to do anything about it. The programmes are designed to assist individuals understand and manage their health conditions better, particularly in a workplace environment, and reflect current best clinical practice in the management of these conditions.
Planning (London)
The number of planning enforcement notices issued in each London borough in each year since 1997 is presented in the following table:
Council name 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 City of London 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Barking and Dagenham 9 5 1 5 14 15 20 12 16 Barnet 51 36 38 47 42 27 53 67 97 Bexley 24 1 15 5 10 4 6 9 15 Brent 71 64 119 103 85 104 101 117 157 Bromley 123 128 105 105 87 101 65 111 115 Camden 64 67 73 105 62 64 41 47 27 Croydon 23 19 32 11 25 30 13 14 42 Ealing 11 39 26 30 44 46 31 59 46 Enfield 46 40 42 29 27 14 18 64 88 Greenwich 19 14 54 47 38 28 34 22 41 Hackney 0 9 19 0 (3) n/a (0) 9 24 16 0 Hammersmith and Fulham 30 25 65 48 54 45 39 52 31 Haringey 21 44 37 50 54 73 65 66 91 Harrow 43 21 27 9 13 22 13 8 10 Havering 17 14 13 8 8 11 16 22 20 Hillingdon 10 12 7 (2) (0) 7 (3) 0 0 0 0 (3) Hounslow 9 34 43 54 30 56 51 8 38 Islington 32 33 21 17 49 94 40 27 51 Kensington and Chelsea 58 53 53 45 34 53 66 84 38 (3) Kingston upon Thames 13 9 10 (3) 12 20 17 23 36 13 Lambeth 12 41 18 21 32 19 31 26 43 Lewisham 7 6 2 (1) 7 (3) 3 7 18 26 28 Merton 5 (3) 5 0 8 7 7 22 20 16 Newham1 53 25 24 9 1 25 18 14 73 Redbridge 35 24 55 26 21 19 0 1 10 Richmond upon Thames 14 31 10 22 21 33 39 17 58 Southwark1 12 15 5 6 4 7 9 26 9 Sutton 13 2 (3) 14 11 9 10 20 11 19 Tower Hamlets1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Waltham Forest 28 28 39 0 27 31 4 36 45 Wandsworth 8 7 1 5 10 8 19 40 15 City of Westminster 75 37 67 102 84 104 104 164 156 Total 938 889 1,036 947 922 1,083 1,004 1,222 1,408 n/a = Not available. 1 These councils included areas within London Dockland Development Corporation, however the statistics exclude enforcement within the LDDC. The LDDC served no enforcement notice during 1997 or 1998 when the LDDC was wound up. Note: The number in parenthesis indicates how many quarters were reported. Source: DCLG General Development Control Return, PS1.
Small Business Rate Relief
This information is not held centrally.
Sports and Leisure Facilities
I have been asked to reply.
I agree with the report's conclusion that there is no single “best practice” model for managing local authority leisure services. The report makes clear that both the public and private sector can provide good public leisure services for local communities where councils have taken decisions based on a robust options appraisal. It is important that councils, with support from Government, continue to get better at managing their leisure provision which is why I have asked Sport England to work closely with them in taking forward the Audit Commission's recommendations.
I have been asked to reply.
We want to help local authorities to revitalise their leisure facilities and to ensure that the right sports facilities are in the right places. Sport England has already developed a range of strategic planning tools to assist them. These include, among others: the Active Places database, which provides a comprehensive picture of sports facilities across the country; the National Benchmarking Service; a Facilities Planning Model; and a Sports Facilities Demand Estimator. In addition, I have charged Sport England with the task of driving forward work with local authorities to improve the quality of their sports facilities and service delivery. They are creating an Improvement Unit to deliver this.
Valuation Office Agency
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has maintained a national database of properties in England and Wales to enable it to discharge its statutory functions for many years.
The VOA has not researched the development of a National Spatial Data Infrastructure.
The answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) of 10 May 2006, Official Report, columns 956-7W, explains that a communications strategy was being drafted by the Valuation Office Agency before the postponement of council tax revaluation in England, announced on 20 September 2005.
Working jointly with the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Agency worked on a proposed strategy from late 2003. The draft was last amended in April 2005 and has not been updated since, due to the postponement.
Valuebill Database
The Valuation Office Agency’s Automated Valuation Model (AVM) is a processing tool and does not hold data.
Education and Skills
Accidents
The Department has received three personal injury claims relating to accidents on its premises, since 1 July 2005. Two of the cases are ongoing and one was settled out of court, at a cost to my Department of £479.99 to cover costs for physiotherapy and damage to personal property.
Adoptions
We do not collect centrally information on parents of looked-after children therefore figures are not available for the number of children adopted whose parents have learning difficulties.
Advertising Campaigns
The Department’s total spend on advertising campaigns was:
£ 2000-01 29,110,000 2001-02 17,665,000 2002-03 13,790,000 2003-04 20,170,000
Campaigns over £500,000 are:
£ Don’t Quit Now 2,700,000 New deal 50 plus 2,400,000 ICT Employability 2,011,000 Childcare Recruitment 1,821,000 Parents’ Magazine 1,484,000 Disability Discrimination 1,242,000 Fast Track Teachers 1,056,000 Modern Apprenticeships 856,000 Individual Learning Accounts 612,000
£ Adult Basic Skills ‘Get on’ 5,096,143 Childcare Recruitment 2,504,000 Science Year 2001/02 1,803,000 Excellence Challenge 1,750,000 Modern Apprenticeships 1,670,000 Foundation Degree 1,325,000 Fast Track Teachers 1,250,000 Millennium Volunteers 848,000 Parents’ Magazine 770,000 New Deal 25+ 633,000
£ Adult Basic Skills 5,478,117 Childcare Recruitment 2,741,377 Aim Higher 2,649,999 Connexions 1,320,331 HE Funding 655,000 Foundation Degree 549,397
£ Adult Basic Skills 6,672,938 Aim Higher 4,190,018 Childcare Recruitment 2,986,659 Foundation Degree 2,813,787 Connexions 2,608,005
It is not possible, except at disproportionate expense, to provide a more detailed breakdown for actual dates for when each campaign ran, other than detailing the Financial Year within which the expenditure occurred.
The Department runs a number of campaigns in support of our key delivery priorities, in order to inform our target audiences of how they are affected by our policies. All of our campaigns follow the guidelines which govern Government information on issues of propriety and cost.
Every campaign is measured vigorously against specific communication objectives using pre- and post-campaign research, to record shifts in awareness, attitudes, knowledge or behaviour among the target audience(s).
The Department employs tracking research to monitor these shifts over time and, typically, conducts telephone surveys of respondents to advertising campaigns, to monitor satisfaction with the services offered and actions taken as a result of the campaign. It routinely tests the likely effectiveness of different creative approaches on the target audience(s) through market research, as part of the development of advertising campaigns. Lessons learnt from previous campaigns are used to inform future ones.
Autism
(2) what steps his Department is taking to support specialist teacher training for the support of children with autism in mainstream schooling.
The framework for teacher training ensures that qualifying and newly qualified teachers, including those who support children with autism in mainstream schools, are aware of their responsibilities to children with special educational needs (SEN) and can plan effectively to meet these children’s needs. Further, in-service training on particular SEN, such as autism, is a matter for schools and local authorities.
In order to be awarded Qualified Teacher Status, all trainee teachers must demonstrate that they understand their responsibilities under the statutory Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, know how to seek advice from specialists on less common types of SEN, can differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of pupils, including those with SEN, and can identify and support pupils who experience behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.
The current standards for teachers are under review. Once revised, it is proposed that they will be strengthened to include a standard which requires teachers to know and comply with current legislation on well-being of children and young people and one which requires teachers to know and understand the role of others when dealing with children who have special needs and/or disabilities.
Induction Standards require Newly Qualified Teachers to demonstrate that they can plan effectively to meet the needs of pupils in their classes with SEN, with or without a statement, and in consultation with the SEN Co-ordinator (SENCO), can contribute to the planning for individual needs.
The Department’s published SEN Strategy, ‘Removing Barriers to Achievement’ recognised the importance of training and committed us to work closely with the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) to ensure that initial teacher training and programmes of continuing professional development provide a good grounding in core skills and knowledge of SEN. We have commissioned the TDA to carry forward a range of initiatives designed to improve and strengthen the SEN skills and confidence of trainees, newly qualified and established teachers. These initiatives will be implemented over the period 2005-08 at a cost of approximately £1.1 million.
All schools receive a School Development Grant which they are able to use to support improvements in any aspect of teaching and learning. Local authorities may retain a proportion of this grant, under certain conditions, to provide specific training and development of SEN.
In 2002 we published jointly with the Department of Health, “Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs): Good Practice Guidance” which offered a series of pointers to good practice, including pointers on in-service training. The Guidance advises that,
“all those who plan or provide for children with an ASD should have some knowledge and understanding of autism”.
Many schools, local authorities and Regional Partnerships have used the Guidance to develop their autism provision. The West Midlands Regional Partnership last month published “autism spectrum disorders: training policy and framework” to ensure more consistency in ASD training by clarifying the knowledge and skills that courses are aiming to cover. This has been distributed to all the Regional Partnerships.
BECTA
The most recent review of BECTA was published in March 2003. Copies of the reports are lodged in the Commons Library and are also available on BECTA's website:
www.foi.becta.org.uk
Building Schools for the Future Programme
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my predecessor on 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 394W, when she was advised that Brent has been informed that it may expect to start in the programme in waves 7-9.
CAFCASS
This is a matter for CAFCASS. Anthony Douglas, the Chief Executive, has written to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
Letter from Lamorna Wooderson, dated 20 July 2006:
In my capacity as Acting Chief Executive, whilst Mr Douglas is on leave, I am responding to the recent parliamentary question that you tabled.
PQ 86962 - what the timetable is for the allocation of cases in (a) private and (b) public law in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.
CAFCASS aims to allocate all cases at the earliest opportunity. In public law we have a Key Performance Indicator, to allocate at least 70% of cases within 2 days of receipt by March 2007. At the end of May 2006 five of our ten regions are exceeding this target. The national average was 55.3%. In addition, we have a Key Performance Indicator, to allocate 98% of public law cases within 28 days of receipt. At the end of May we achieved this in 92% of cases, with 5 regions exceeding the target.
We have an internal performance indicator that there will be no more than 4% of Private Law cases unallocated. At the end of May 3% of cases were unallocated. All but 4 regions met the target as 97% of requests received had been allocated by the month end.
Child Care
The available information on child care places, for Swindon local authority area, is shown in Tables 1 and 2.
Type of provider 19973 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Day nurseries n/a n/a 1,100 1,100 1,100 n/a Playgroups and pre-schools n/a n/a 1,600 1,500 1,500 n/a Child minders n/a n/a 2,200 2,200 2,100 n/a Out of school clubs n/a n/a 550 680 840 n/a Holiday schemes4 n/a n/a 2,700 1,300 1,400 n/a Family Centres n/a n/a 5—- 5—- 5—- n/a n/a = Not available. 1 Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 places. 2 Data Source: Children’s Day Care Facilities Survey. 3 Affected by local government reorganisation on 1 April 1997. 4 From 1999, places were counted once for each school holiday. Before 1999, places were counted once each year. 5 Under 5.
Type of care 2003 2004 2005 2006 Full day care 1,200 1,800 2,100 2,200 Sessional day care 1,400 1,400 1,300 1,200 Child minders 1,900 1,800 1,800 2,000 Out of school day care 1,300 1,500 1,500 1,400 Crèche day care 100 100 100 100 1 Rounded to the nearest 100 places. 2 Data Source: Ofsted.
The figures for child care places for 2003 to 2006 are not directly comparable with the day care figures for 1997 to 2001. The figures for 2003 to 2006 were derived from the Ofsted database of registered child care providers. The figures for 1997 to 2001 were derived from the Children’s Day Care Facilities Survey, which was discontinued in 2001. There are no figures for 2002.
With the introduction of the National Day Care Standards and the transfer of responsibilities for registration and inspection of child care providers from local authority social service departments to Ofsted in September 2001, child care places were classified according to the type of day care provided: full day care, sessional day care, child minder, out of school day care or crèche day care. Ofsted have produced figures based on this classification on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Their latest figures were published on 5 May 2006 in their report “Registered Childcare Providers and Places, 31 March 2006”, which is available on their website, www. ofsted.gov.uk/publications
Up until March 2001, child care providers were classified according to the type of provider: day nurseries, playgroups and pre-schools, child minders, out of school clubs and holiday schemes. Figures based on this classification were published in a series of statistical bulletins, which are available from the Department’s website, www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics
Child Deaths
The Child Protection Database, maintained by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, provides the data in the table on the numbers of confirmed Serious Case Reviews (SCRs), following the death of a child, in each local authority since 2000. Accurate data prior to 2000 are not available. The following table includes only those authorities where a child death has led to a confirmed SCR and provides an overall total for between 2000-05. In order to maintain the confidentiality of individual children who were the subject of a SCR, (1—) denotes fewer than three SCRs. The data for 2006 are not yet complete.
Responsible Council Number Barking and Dagenham 1— Barnsley 4 Bedfordshire 4 Birmingham 12 Blackpool UA 1— Bolton 9 Bournemouth UA 3 Bradford 4 Brent 1— Bristol UA 1— Calderdale 1— Cambridgeshire 1— Camden 1— Cheshire 5 Cornwall 1— Coventry 4 Croydon 1— Cumbria 3 Derby UA 1— Derbyshire 1— Devon 4 Doncaster 6 Durham 5 Ealing 1— Enfield — Essex 5 Gloucestershire 3 Hackney 1— Hartlepool UA 4 Havering 4 Hertfordshire 7 Hounslow 1— Isle of Wight UA 1 Islington 1— Kent 1— Kingston-upon-Hull UA 1— Kingston-upon-Thames 3 Kirklees 4 Knowsley 1— Lambeth 1— Lancashire 5 Leeds 4 Leicester UA 1— Leicestershire 1— Lewisham 3 Lincolnshire 3 Liverpool 1— Luton UA 5 Manchester 12 Medway Towns UA 1— Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1— Newham 8 Norfolk 1— North Lincolnshire UA 5 North Somerset UA 1— North Yorkshire 1— Northamptonshire 11 Northumberland 1— Nottingham UA 1— Nottinghamshire 7 Oldham 3 Other 1— Plymouth UA 3 Rochdale 1— Rotherham 1— Sandwell 1— Sheffield 3 Solihull 1— Somerset 1— Somerset 1— South Gloucestershire UA 1— Southend-on-Sea UA 1— Southwark 1— St. Helens 1— Stockport 1— Stockton-on-Tees UA 3 Stoke-on-Trent UA 6 Suffolk 6 Sunderland 1— Surrey 1— Sutton 1— Swindon UA 6 Tameside 1— Thurrock UA 1— Torbay UA 1— Trafford 3 Wakefield 6 Waltham Forest 4 Warwickshire 1— Westminster 1— Wigan 3 Wirral 1— Wolverhampton 3 Worcestershire 1— 1 Fewer than three SCRs.
Chinese Students
The latest available information is given in the table:
Academic year Number 1997/98 2,070 1998/99 3,040 1999/2000 4,990 2000/01 8,685 2001/02 15,265 2002/03 26,975 2003/04 36,580 2004/05 39,280 1 Figures include both undergraduate and postgraduate students and also full-time and part-time students. Notes: 1. Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December (excluding those writing up, on sabbatical or dormant). 2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data.
Diplomas
(2) what his Department’s targets are for the take-up of (a) academic and (b) vocational qualifications in each of the next five years;
(3) how many and what proportion of pupils (a) in the fourth key stage and (b) between the ages of 14 and 19 years he expects to opt for vocational qualifications in each of the next five years.
Chapter 6, paragraph 18, of the ‘Department’s Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners’, published on 8 July 2004, set out our aim to extend vocational options across all schools as part of our commitment to strengthening choice and the personalisation of the curriculum. To support this aim, the Strategy stated that we will dramatically increase the number of 14-16 year olds studying vocational subjects in schools, colleges and training providers to just over 180,000 by 2007-08.
The Department published its projections for 14-16- year-olds’ take up of specialised Diplomas in the 14-19 Implementation Plan, Chapter 1, page 20, figure 1.3. A copy of the Implementation Plan is in the Library. Figure 1.4 shows the estimated participation of 16-18- year-olds in education and work-based learning over the period 2002/03 to 2014/15. We expect the numbers of young people participating to increase as more learning options become available to them. We also expect the balance of provision to shift towards specialised Diplomas as these come onstream.
Young people wishing to do just GCSEs will be able to do so. They will also be eligible for award of the General Diploma when this is introduced in 2009.
Electronic Children's Database
(2) what plans there are (a) to link and (b) to enable data-sharing between the Information Sharing Index and the National Identity Register;
(3) what rights (a) children, (b) their parents and (c) children on the index who have reached adulthood will have to view their personal data stored on the Information Sharing Index;
(4) what legal requirement there will be permanently to delete information from the Information Sharing Index once (a) the child reaches adulthood and (b) a set period of time has passed;
(5) whether the Information Sharing Index will hold (a) fields and (b) information for Audit Trail log files on which organisations or individuals have been examining or amending individual records;
(6) what the differences are between the Information Sharing Index database and Integrated Children’s system database;
(7) what plans he has to introduce offences for the misuse or abuse of the database;
(8) whether he plans to establish the statutory limitation on what data the Information Sharing Index will hold and which public sector bodies can access the database by means of (a) primary legislation and (b) secondary legislation.
In relation to questions 86889 and 86903, the Information Sharing Index will be designed to ensure a high level of physical and environmental security to protect against natural hazards that could interrupt service. Arrangements will be in place to enable operations to continue effectively, notwithstanding any system component failures. There will be an effective and tested contingency plan that would, for example, ensure that a back-up system is in place.
We see no need to introduce specific offences as there are already measures in criminal law which impose penalties for theft or misuse of data or unauthorised access to computer records. Mandatory training for all users and operators of the index will stipulate that the Data Protection Act provides that a serious offence, with a penalty of a fine up to the statutory maximum, will be committed where personal data is unlawfully obtained or disclosed without the consent of the data controller. The Computer Misuse Act 1990 provides that unauthorised access, or attempted unauthorised access to a program or data held on a computer may be punishable by imprisonment.
In relation to question 86901, all index use will be monitored through the creation of an audit trail record. Users will be required to supply a valid reason when searching for and viewing an index record. All access to any record will be recorded and reviewed regularly for suspicious patterns of access. Misuse of the index will therefore be detected and dealt with through internal disciplinary procedures or the criminal measures referred to.
In relation to question 86890, the index will not be linked to the National Identity Register, nor are there plans for data-sharing between them.
In relation to questions 86892 and 86891, the Children Act 2004 provides that records of children and young people will remain on the index until they reach age 18. There is also provision for records of young people who receive additional services—for example, care leavers and those with learning disabilities—to remain on the index, with their consent, up to age 25 in order to provide continued support in the transition to adult services. We will be consulting over the autumn on draft regulations that will, among other issues, propose a period of time during which records will be kept in a secure archive before permanent destruction.
Children, young people, and parents when acting on their behalf, have rights under the Data Protection Act to see the data that is held about them on the index and to request that incorrect data is corrected or removed.
In relation to question 86902, the Information Sharing Index is a central database containing a basic record on all children in England, with contact details of practitioners working with them. There will be no case information on the index record. The Integrated Children’s System (ICS) is not a database. ICS is a framework that provides a set of principles for case record management by local practitioners working with individual children in need (as defined under the Children Act 1989) and looked-after children. ICS is not itself an IT system, but it is IT-enabled to help practitioners carry out their key tasks effectively.
In relation to question 86978, section 12 of the Children Act 2004, and affirmative resolution regulations to be made under section 12, will set out the information that must or may be included on the index and specify the types of practitioner whose role would make it appropriate for them to have access. Consultation on the draft regulations will run over the autumn.
Examinations
[holding answer 20 July 2006]: The information required is in the following table.
Thousand 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Key Stage11 Reading task2 589.2 604.1 603.7 583.0 581.4 568.6 557.9 — — Reading test3 488.3 499.8 512.3 503.9 505.2 495.3 487.6 — — Writing task2 572.0 585.6 587.4 569.0 570.0 558.5 545.2 — — Key Stage 24 English 546.5 568.7 593.9 589.0 601.0 608.9 604.8 580.5 579.8 Mathematics 553.2 574.6 599.4 595.2 606.5 613.7 609.1 585.5 584.6 Science 554.2 577.2 602.5 598.3 610.4 619.2 617.3 594.0 592.0 Key Stage 34 English 491.2 500.1 524.0 527.9 539.7 561.4 551.6 544.7 569.0 Mathematics 520.0 518.9 543.2 550.7 565.0 582.5 579.2 586.0 595.1 Science 514.4 519.0 542.9 548.5 559.9 578.3 578.0 582.8 595.0 GCSE 551.6 545.1 553.3 554.1 577.4 581.5 597.3 618.2 618.1 GNVQ 3.7 7.0 11.7 14.2 9.3 64.5 123.7 67.0 79.6 GCE/VCE A-level 231.3 236.0 236.0 231.4 241.0 257.9 268.7 265.3 263.6 1 The 2004 and 2005 figures have not been made available as they are not directly comparable to figures prior to and including 2003. This is to reflect the following: in 2004 a trial took place in which some local authorities (LAs) were asked to only submit teacher assessments to the Department, and the remaining LAs continued to submit both. in 2005, for the first time, schools were only required to report teacher assessments. 2 Figures are calculated as pupils eligible for assessment less those who were absent (A), disapplied (D) and “working towards” level 1 (W). 3 Figures are calculated as pupils eligible for assessment less those who were absent (A), disapplied (D) and not require to be entered for the reading tests (X). 4 Figures are calculated as pupils eligible for assessment less those who were absent (A), working below the level of the test (B) or disapplied/unable to access the test (A/T).
Foreign Language Teaching
The Department does not collect data on the number of primary school children learning languages. However, in January 2005 the findings of Headspace, a survey of head teachers by Education Guardian and Edcoms, indicated that 56 per cent. of all primary schools in England were planning for or implementing language learning programmes to their pupils, (b) In 2005, the percentage of pupils at the end of key stage 4 attempting any modern foreign language examination was 59 per cent. (375,300 pupils out the cohort of 633,400).
Further Education Colleges
Information about tarot card reading, stand-up comedy and various forms of cake decorating courses is available on the learndirect website (http://www.learndirect.co.uk/) or the London Floodlight website (http://www.floodlight.co.uk/). The websites provide course information plus details of those colleges and other providers which offer the course.
GCSE/A-levels
The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The National Assessment Agency (NAA) collected data on the number of GCSE, AS and A-level examination scripts missing on results day in 2004 and 2005; comparable data is not available for previous years. More than 20 million exam scripts circulated in summer 2005 across all awarding bodies. The number of scripts missing prior to marking was as follows:
2004 2005 GCSE/GNVQ Total for AQA, Edexcel and OCR 3,411 3,054 AS, A-Level and Vocational Certificate of Education (VCE) Total for AQA, Edexcel and OCR 3,235 2,204
Gifted Pupils Register
The National Register is a key part of our programme to support gifted and talented learners in our schools. The National Register will help schools to identify these learners, as requested in the Schools Census, including those aged 11-19 who are eligible for membership of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth. It will enable schools and local authorities to target interventions where necessary to help pupils at risk of underachieving to fulfil their potential. We are also exploring whether higher education institutions might use data from the register to assist with their widening participation strategies.
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill
My right hon. Friend and I have been informed of the content of discussions between DfES and Home Office officials and representatives of the industry about the provisions in the Bill for vetting chat room moderators. My hon. Friend the Minister for Policing, Security and Community Safety wrote to the Moderation Sub-Group of the Home Secretary's Taskforce for Child Protection on the Internet setting out the two Departments' response to the concerns raised by the group. Discussions are continuing with a view to clarifying how the requirements in the Bill will work alongside the “Good Practice Guidance for the Moderation of Interactive Services for Children”, which the taskforce published in November 2005. There is ongoing discussion at official level on matters arising from the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill which impact upon both Departments as and when they occur as well as a range of other areas concerning child protection on the internet. The taskforce child protection measures sub group has, for example, set up a working group, of which DfES is part, to look at the safety issues for children caused by the development and growth of social networking sites.
School Finance
The Government believe that schools are best placed to decide how to deploy the resources available to them through their delegated budgets and allocations of devolved formula capital and to decide on the appropriate level of investment to maintain the fixtures and fittings of their schools, including ergonomic furniture.
School Sport
[holding answer 20 July 2006]: Data on areas of school playing fields and external spaces were supplied to my Department by local education authorities in 2001 and 2003. However, the completeness and quality of the data are not good enough accurately to assess the proportion of schools that have playing fields or playgrounds where students can practice sports and participate in physical education lessons. Nor can the data provide information on the total area of land in use as school playing fields.
Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was introduced in October 1998 to stop the indiscriminate sale of school playing fields. Local authorities and governing bodies of all maintained schools now need the Secretary of State’s consent before they can dispose of a playing field or any part of a playing field.
Since 1998, 175 applications to sell an area of school playing field capable of forming at least a small sports pitch have been approved. Of these, 73 related to playing fields at closed or closing schools. In every case the sale proceeds were used to provide new or improved sports or educational facilities.
School Toilets
The Department does not hold information on how many schools have fitted cistern displacement devices (such as hippos), cistern and flush controls and other water saving devices. However the Water Regulations (Water Regulations Advisory scheme 2005) require automatic controls to be fitted to all new or refurbished urinal flushing cisterns. Comprehensive guidance on the fitting of water saving devices in schools is available in a new free publication “Sustainable water management in schools1”.
1 Publication reference CIRIA W12, 66 pages, available for free download from http://www.ciria.org/downloads.htm
Sign Language
Data on the particular courses offered by colleges are not held centrally. However, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) holds information on which FE providers have at least one LSC-funded learner taking a British Sign Language course for 2003/04 (336 providers in total) and 2004/05 (312 providers). A list of these FE providers will be placed in the House of Commons Library. Full year figures for 2005/06 are not yet available as the academic year which spans 1 August to 31 July has not finished, but an initial list based on enrolments at 1 October 2005 will also be provided in the House Library. Full-year information for 2005/06 is likely to be available in December 2006.
FE college planning data for 2006/07 or 2007/08 at the level of individual courses are not required by the Learning and Skills Council. The Learning and Skills Council plans provision with FE providers at a higher and more aggregated level i.e. Full level 2 achievements, etc.
In 2004-05 the LSC funded 641,000 learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities at a cost of around £1.5 billion. Continuing investment in this provision remains a priority, which was confirmed in our 2006-07 Grant Letter to the LSC and the LSC has in turn made clear in its strategic planning guidance the priority it attaches to this provision.
Speech and Language Development
(2) what professional support is available to assist early years practitioners to assist children with communication disabilities;
(3) what assessment the Department has made of the long-term impact for children with a speech and language disability;
(4) what steps he has taken to improve parental awareness of Government support for children with communication disabilities;
(5) what assessment his Department has made of the merits of implementing a national unitary framework for special educational needs.
The Joint Planning and Commissioning Framework for Children, Young People, and Maternity Services, published in March 2006, aims to help local partners to put in place a unified planning and commissioning system which will put improved outcomes at the centre of their thinking, will create a clear picture of what children and young people need, will make the best use of resources, and will join up services so that children and young people with multiple needs experience a seamless service.
To assist the process of joint working, the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health have commissioned a study of good practice in the provision of speech and language therapy services to children and young people with special educational needs in the age range 0 to 19. A research team from Christ Church College Canterbury is carrying out this study and the fieldwork is currently under way.
The Department recognises that early identification of need, early intervention and early co-ordinated support are key in improving outcomes for children with communication difficulties. As part of a major new £250 million investment in improving the quality of the early years work force, the Department has identified training to support practitioners working in private, voluntary and independent sector settings in meeting the needs of disabled children and their families as one of four priority areas. This is new money and complements the training resources already available to local authorities through the General Sure Start Grant. The Department has also funded the development in partnership with 45 partnership areas of a wide range of practical resources and training materials through the Early Support Programme.
The Department is supporting a longitudinal study by the university of Warwick looking into the learning needs of a group of children with specific language and communication difficulties, the characteristics of the current provision made for them and its impact, their aspirations for the future and the ways in which services can best support them. The results of the study are due to be published in autumn 2006.
Parental awareness of speech and language difficulties is of course very important. In 2005 the Department published a detailed and well received information booklet for parents on speech and language difficulties under the Early Support Programme. This resource was produced in close collaboration with specialist organisations in the voluntary sector and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. It explains how children normally develop communication, language and speech, how adults can help in this, the difficulties that can arise and how to seek help from professionals.
In the report of their inquiry into special educational needs published on 6 July 2006, the Education and Skills Select Committee make recommendations concerning the possible shape and nature of a national framework on SEN. We are considering the Select Committee's report very carefully and will respond in due course.
(2) what assessment he has made of the merits of implementing a national delivery model for schools and other educational settings to support children's speech and language development;
(3) what recent assessment his Department has made of the level of speech and language skills in England; and if he will make a statement.
The Department does not itself provide advisory support services for children with communication disabilities. We have however published a detailed information booklet for parents on speech and language difficulties under our Early Support Programme and we continue to look for opportunities to work in collaboration with relevant voluntary sector organisations. We have, for example, given grants for particular projects to the Association For All Speech Impaired Children (AFASIC), I CAN, the Aiding Communication in Education Centres and the Selective Mutism Information and Research Association (SMIRA).
The Primary and Secondary National Strategies provide a range of support and guidance to schools and childcare settings on the teaching of English and the development of speaking and listening skills, including frameworks to help teachers meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. The primary framework for teaching literacy is currently being revised, and we are developing a statutory framework for care and learning for children aged between birth and five—the Early Years Foundation Stage. Both of these documents will emphasise the importance of supporting children’s development of speaking and listening skills from an early age. We have also rolled out a national training programme—Communicating Matters—for practitioners in early years settings, dealing specifically with children’s language acquisition. This training, which relates closely to the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage, includes a module focused on support for children with additional needs.
Speech and language skills are assessed by teachers on an ongoing basis in all key stages including the Foundation stage. Speaking and listening is an explicit element of the overall subject level for English and it is reported within the overall subject level for English at the end of each key stage; it is not reported separately. In the Foundation Stage, it is reported within communication, language and literacy in the Foundation Stage Profile.
The Department has also indirectly assessed levels of speech and language development in Sure Start Local Programme areas to monitor progress towards its targets in this area. This has been collected using the Sure Start Language Measure (SSLM), a parental report tool used to measure change in the language skills of two year old children in Sure Start Communities. SSLM data collected by Sure Start local programmes has shown that between 2001-02 and 2004-05 the proportion of children in Sure Start areas with a high word count score at age two and whose parents were not worried about their development rose from 70 per cent. to 74 per cent.
Student Finance
Borrowers enter repayment status in the April after they leave their course as they are, in principle, eligible to repay their loans. However, borrowers only make repayments when they are earning over £15,000 and those earning less are not required to make any repayments.
The following table shows the number in repayment status and the numbers who made a repayment in each financial year. Full data is not yet available for more recent financial years.
2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 Total in repayment status 568,500 298,300 100,000 35,500 Total who made a repayment1 270,900 132,600 42,600 14,500 Percentage making a repayment 48 44 43 41 1 Figures include those who made a repayment but who are not in repayment status. Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 100.
The repayment system is still relatively young. The table shows an increasing proportion repaying each year as older cohorts earn more and pass the threshold. However, full cohorts did not enter repayment until 2002-03 onwards. These larger, new cohorts have a negative impact on the percentage repaying compared to the positive impact of the older, but smaller, cohorts. This ‘drag’ effect will become less evident as more cohorts move into repayment and the system reaches a steady state.
Student Loans
The currently estimated average times for loans to be fully repaid are (a) around eight years for mortgage-style loans and (b) around 13 years for income-contingent loans. There is no evidence available to suggest that there is any difference in time taken to repay between particular borrower cohort years.
In both cases, the average number of years is counted from the statutory repayment due date, which is the April following the year of graduation.
Sure Start
There are three Sure Start children’s centres up and running in Swindon offering services, including 56 child care places, to 2,7391 children under five and their families. These build on the earlier Sure Start Local Programme set up in 2001 to offer services to 804 children under four. Information on numbers using children’s centres’ services is not available yet, however information for the month of March, 2005 (the latest available) shows 28 per cent.2 of children in Swindon had significant contact (that is, a home visit or attendance at a centre-based activity) with the Penhill and Pinehurst Sure Start programme.
1 2,739 children include 804 children previously served by the 1 SSLP in Swindon that has become a children’s centre.
2 Source:
Sure Start Local Programme data returns March 2005.
The information requested by constituency is not collected centrally. Between 1999 and 2003, 524 Sure Start local programmes were approved to deliver services to 400,000 children aged under 4 and their families in disadvantaged areas. The latest information available (for March 2005) shows an average of 23 per cent. of children had significant contact (that is a home visit or at a centre-based activity) with their local Sure Start programme. We expect all of these to become children’s centres providing services to children aged under 5 and their families. The first children’s centres were approved in 2003. By the end of September 2006 we expect children’s centre services to be offering services to 893,977 children. By March 2008 we expect this to rise to 2,132,279 children across England, including all those living in the 30 per cent. most deprived areas.
Translation
The procedure for visitors and telephone calls is to use the DfES internal network services. The network provides information on officers who are native or fluent in a language and can be called upon when required.
The Department provides official languages for its website in association with official language bodies. It does not provide translation in any other language at present. It should be noted however that our website is being moved in 2007 to a new technical infrastructure that will allow multiple language capability.
DfES operates a Welsh Language scheme in accordance with section 21(3) of the Welsh Language Act 1993. Although the Department has limited responsibilities in Wales, any telephone helplines, or similar facility we set up to give information, services or support in Wales, to the public, we would provide a Welsh language service.
Truancy
The Department does not hold data on pupils recorded as truant. However, the figures for the proportion of half days missed due to unauthorised absence (of which truancy forms a part) in maintained mainstream secondary schools in (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas in each year since 1997 are given in the table as follows:
Rural areas Non-rural areas 1997/98 0.6 1.2 1998/99 0.6 1.1 1999/2000 0.6 1.1 2000/01 0.7 1.0 2001/02 0.64 1.16 2002/03 0.64 1.14 2003/04 0.70 1.20 2004/05 0.76 1.31 1 Includes middle schools as deemed. 2 Figures are only available to 1 decimal place prior to 2001/02.
Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy.
Tuition Fees
The number of students in Barnsley and Doncaster local authority making no contribution to their tuition fees in 2004/05 was 970 and 1,4301 respectively.
Students on full-time undergraduate courses and their families are expected to make a contribution towards the cost of their tuition based on household income. Students from lower income backgrounds are wholly or partially exempt from paying tuition fees.
From 2006/07 upfront fees are abolished and full-time students will be eligible for tuition fee loans of up to £3,000. In addition, we expect around 30 per cent. of students to receive a maximum maintenance grant of £2,700 and an HE institution bursary of at least £300. Overall, we expect around half of all eligible students to receive at least some maintenance grant.
1 Numbers rounded to the nearest 10 students.
Under-25s
The following table shows the percentage of 16 to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training for Hyndburn constituency, Lancashire LEA and England. Figures are for 2004 and are the latest available; figures for 1997 are not available.
Geographic area Percentage of 16 to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training, 20041 Hyndburn 16 Lancashire 12 England 14 1 To reduce the margin of error, figures have been produced by combining information from the Local Labour Force Survey for 2002, 2003 and 2004. However, sample sizes for Hyndburn and Lancashire are still small and are subject to sampling variability. Care should be taken when interpreting the figures.
University Admissions
[holding answer 18 July 2006]: I am not aware of any such representations. Higher education institutions are autonomous organisations and are entirely responsible for their own admission assessments, entry requirements, and decisions.
University Staffing Costs
The latest available information is given in the following tables. Information for the former polytechnics for the years prior to 1996-97 is not held centrally. Figures for 1979-80 were not published; figures for 1978-79 are given instead.
1976/77 1978/79 1985/86 Institution name Staffing costs (£000) Full-time equivalent student load Staffing costs (£000) Full-time equivalent student load Staffing costs (£000) Full-time equivalent student load Aston 6,483 5,076 9,110 5,554 14,329 3,599 Bath 4,456 3,734 6,335 3,835 15,722 3,799 Birmingham 16,739 8,527 20,124 8,975 48,439 8,939 Bradford 6,553 4,553 8,650 4,994 16,410 4,436 Bristol 12,548 6,746 16,028 6,804 38,395 7,099 Brunel 4,286 2,642 5,567 2,898 15,026 3,196 Cambridge 18,896 11,633 25,196 11,968 61,614 12,567 City 4,720 2,546 6,056 2,977 14,305 3,326 Durham 5,045 4,278 6,670 4,269 17,643 4,996 East Anglia 4,155 3,507 5,808 3,883 16,213 4,383 Essex 3,036 2,523 4,024 2,860 10,834 3,082 Exeter 4,932 4,333 6,844 5,165 15,825 4,943 Hull 5,157 4,616 6,804 5,227 15,318 4,862 Keele 3,158 2,725 4,125 2,983 8,715 2,759 Kent 3,732 3,329 5,035 3,868 12,149 4,230 Lancaster 4,871 4,232 6,742 4,610 16,095 4,530 Leeds 16,317 10,058 20,990 10,451 52,903 10,374 Leicester 6,140 4,214 8,174 4,478 22,330 4,729 Liverpool 12,616 7,656 16,208 7,859 39,631 8,144 London Graduate School of Business Studies 883 327 1,116 334 3,070 363 London University 103,830 42,922 133,518 45,333 329,325 44,908 Loughborough 5,325 4,001 8,059 5,284 23,045 5,295 Manchester Business School 740 143 948 144 2,656 259 Manchester University 18,895 10,765 24,706 11,385 55,337 11,539 Manchester Institute of Science and Technology 7,295 3,874 9,711 3,899 26,996 4,019 Newcastle 11,988 6,915 15,716 7,610 38,754 7,769 Nottingham 10,199 6,359 13,741 6,704 34,485 7,364 Oxford 20,259 12,503 27,296 12,946 68,695 13,139 Reading 8,356 5,435 10,695 5,972 24,413 5,563 Salford 6,231 4,545 7,874 4,714 16,764 4,143 Sheffield 12,300 7,702 15,736 7,996 35,416 7,960 Southampton 10,748 5,805 14,710 6,119 36,235 6,502 Surrey 5,095 3,069 6,537 3,542 19,629 3,336 Sussex 7,133 4,251 8,693 4,274 18,370 4,532 Warwick 4,770 4,203 7,459 5,099 23,431 5,697 York 3,884 2,918 5,203 3,216 13,220 3,606 Source: University Grants Committee.
Expenditure (£000)1 Student FTE numbers2 Institution 1996/97 1997/98 2001/02 2004/05 1996/97 1997/98 2001/02 2004/05 0047 Anglia Ruskin University 35,325 34,593 49,083 54,321 14,020 13,805 17,555 18,330 0108 Aston University 22,415 24,060 31,178 42,011 4,670 5,070 5,920 6,880 0048 Bath Spa University 8,002 8,467 11,388 16,455 2,560 2,920 3,930 5,335 0109 The University of Bath 41,169 42,790 58,270 72,411 6,390 6,735 8,525 10,380 0127 Birkbeck College 19,335 18,886 28,904 37,839 6,500 6,385 6,880 7,060 0110 The University of Birmingham 115,107 114,025 154,316 181,401 17,530 17,835 21,765 23,100 0049 The University of Bolton 15,944 16,694 16,664 22,766 5,335 5,250 4,770 4,920 0050 Bournemouth University 21,072 21,567 31,106 38,871 9,250 9,540 11,105 12,100 0111 The University of Bradford 39,383 39,629 44,745 51,696 8,340 8,600 8,105 8,795 0051 The University of Brighton 37,642 38,468 49,000 62,081 12,565 12,940 14,420 15,350 0112 The University of Bristol 99,949 101,727 129,578 165,195 12,055 11,940 14,260 15,715 0113 Brunel University 43,502 43,484 51,925 61,817 11,535 12,040 11,695 12,540 0009 Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College 17,687 18,538 24,230 30,024 7,190 6,995 7,320 7,125 0203 The University of Buckingham — — — — — — — 575 0114 The University of Cambridge 151,581 159,109 227,791 334,764 16,010 15,990 18,015 18,395 0012 Canterbury Christ Church University 17,927 19,366 27,862 40,702 7,025 7,220 9,305 10,365 0052 University of Central England in Birmingham 44,911 45,842 58,509 74,183 17,845 17,200 16,735 17,925 0053 The University of Central Lancashire 38,788 37,109 56,738 77,228 14,490 14,900 17,220 19,365 0129 Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School 21,308 — — — 970 — — — 0011 University of Chester 10,193 10,392 15,581 29,621 3,540 3,530 5,330 7,750 0082 University of Chichester 7,173 8,293 9,514 12,861 3,110 3,915 3,605 4,100 0115 City University 39,223 40,580 55,117 74,446 7,395 7,730 10,210 12,870 0056 Coventry University 37,133 38,868 50,942 60,044 13,080 13,800 13,470 13,530 0002 Cranfield University 50,524 50,424 63,850 71,515 2,455 2,590 2,720 2,985 0068 De Montfort University 63,475 63,619 68,347 74,807 20,305 20,110 19,235 18,690 0057 University of Derby 25,449 26,481 37,742 43,841 10,540 11,025 10,070 10,885 0116 University of Durham 52,847 54,589 72,872 93,288 10,495 10,445 12,000 14,200 0117 The University of East Anglia 40,935 42,328 56,657 72,599 5,385 9,420 9,075 11,095 0058 The University of East London 34,129 33,040 38,244 46,792 10,040 10,065 10,430 12,190 0118 The University of Essex 29,742 30,209 41,217 54,506 5,500 5,805 6,980 8,440 0119 The University of Exeter 44,306 42,906 53,238 77,711 8,730 8,855 9,805 11,350 0017 University College Falmouth 3,241 3,516 5,769 8,353 1,045 1,115 1,425 1,895 0054 University of Gloucestershire 17,288 17,059 21,985 28,842 5,935 5,730 7,515 6,635 0131 Goldsmiths College 20,328 21,200 28,289 32,960 5,145 5,565 5,870 5,875 0059 The University of Greenwich 51,394 51,275 55,969 58,673 13,215 13,375 13,900 16,175 0018 Harper Adams University College 5,068 5,341 7,297 8,863 1,530 1,535 1,610 1,425 0060 University of Hertfordshire 44,822 45,304 58,530 73,777 14,225 15,000 15,775 19,325 0061 The University of Huddersfield 31,532 31,206 40,605 46,393 12,035 13,225 12,935 13,360 0120 The University of Hull 44,671 45,849 58,012 68,444 9,530 9,440 12,555 13,365 0132 Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine 121,073 179,096 220,671 268,439 7,715 9,605 10,540 11,595 0133 Institute of Education 14,085 14,905 21,213 28,673 2,270 2,290 2,310 2,970 2001 Institute of Psychiatry (associated with King’s College London) 16,997 — — — 355 — — — 0121 The University of Keele 31,489 31,690 40,749 49,150 7,935 8,415 7,255 7,850 0122 The University of Kent 39,991 39,347 47,323 58,893 8,105 7,905 9,975 12,215 0134 King’s College London 85,974 109,074 201,075 225,984 11,225 11,895 15,690 17,200 0063 Kingston University 42,362 42,540 55,450 72,477 12,015 11,930 13,895 16,755 0123 The University of Lancaster 44,231 40,978 52,603 69,903 8,345 8,455 9,200 10,825 0064 Leeds Metropolitan University 43,786 42,496 63,450 83,788 14,005 15,105 17,120 20,770 0124 The University of Leeds 129,829 130,309 175,116 213,023 20,775 21,225 25,510 28,655 0125 The University of Leicester 62,721 64,689 84,422 103,176 11,145 11,195 12,640 12,365 0062 The University of Lincoln 23,878 23,131 31,391 35,504 11,995 11,830 9,585 10,175 0023 Liverpool Hope University 10,728 11,351 16,118 22,249 3,705 4,105 5,910 6,030 0065 Liverpool John Moores University 51,405 52,196 60,352 77,552 15,105 16,270 16,925 17,930 0126 The University of Liverpool 92,843 94,865 118,847 143,661 13,735 13,665 15,595 16,825 0024 University of the Arts, London 39,903 41,693 55,476 73,314 8,415 8,320 9,845 11,760 0135 London Business School 14,634 15,135 27,645 37,167 870 940 1,315 1,655 0151 University of London (institutes and activities) 54,310 55,908 41,336 47,718 1,145 955 700 305 0055 London Guildhall University 23,825 23,377 32,935 — 9,165 9,805 10,130 0202 London Metropolitan University — — — 92,354 20,645 0076 London South Bank University 47,213 47,353 58,650 62,294 14,560 16,390 13,825 13,810 0137 London School of Economics and Political Science 34,243 36,226 56,609 72,745 6,310 8,310 6,725 7,520 0138 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 16,511 16,956 25,956 30,377 930 640 770 800 0152 Loughborough University 53,532 55,124 71,069 87,271 9,325 9,665 11,280 13,070 0026 University of Luton 27,248 23,738 28,685 24,688 11,820 13,325 8,365 8,110 0153 University of Manchester 139,582 142,790 181,833 — 20,910 20,890 22,270 — 0165 The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology 47,631 49,238 63,179 — 6,850 6,860 6,465 — 0066 The Manchester Metropolitan University 73,247 73,406 82,828 102,994 25,045 24,975 24,690 27,080 0204 The University of Manchester — — — 311,796 — — — 32,525 0067 Middlesex University 46,332 48,262 61,801 71,575 18,595 18,715 17,790 20,920 0154 The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne 92,946 93,190 127,992 142,721 12,655 12,950 14,770 16,635 0070 The University of North London 31,556 32,193 41,112 — 11,610 11,660 11,975 — 0027 The University of Northampton 22,738 23,362 26,740 33,446 8,015 8,880 9,210 8,640 0069 The University of Northumbria at Newcastle 55,965 53,775 70,485 83,077 15,690 16,085 17,930 19,740 0071 The Nottingham Trent University 56,895 57,686 73,169 84,605 21,585 21,420 21,655 22,770 0155 The University of Nottingham 106,574 108,897 147,037 186,114 15,330 15,645 20,465 24,715 0001 The Open University 121,001 119,270 175,537 197,976 63,335 57,710 66,185 64,130 0072 Oxford Brookes University 35,811 36,629 53,868 70,095 9,520 10,035 12,165 14,450 0156 The University of Oxford 153,306 158,426 209,869 268,808 16,000 16,250 17,100 18,400 0073 The University of Plymouth 48,823 49,438 66,427 80,434 17,275 17,480 18,875 21,410 0074 The University of Portsmouth 48,935 48,941 53,745 70,720 14,140 15,010 14,875 17,915 0139 Queen Mary and Westfield College 78,455 76,344 87,665 106,077 7,485 7,805 8,190 9,865 0157 The University of Reading 65,302 66,597 81,270 93,194 10,525 10,195 10,795 11,095 0031 Roehampton University 18,670 18,464 24,035 28,100 5,530 5,880 6,305 7,260 0140 Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine 19,273 20,334 — — 685 710 — — 0141 Royal Holloway and Bedford New College 27,996 28,752 37,975 47,858 5,115 5,575 5,390 6,630 0142 Royal Postgraduate Medical School 30,671 — — — 295 — — — 0143 The Royal Veterinary College 9,924 10,346 14,852 21,250 620 640 865 1,285 0145 St. George’s Hospital Medical School 28,814 29,744 39,568 44,443 1,365 1,230 1,890 2,365 0158 The University of Salford 57,039 56,615 68,509 83,573 13,760 14,760 16,610 16,220 0146 The School of Oriental and African Studies 16,173 17,227 21,592 26,731 2,575 2,660 3,220 3,555 0147 The School of Pharmacy 4,613 4,754 5,966 8,721 575 580 730 930 0075 Sheffield Hallam University 61,893 57,315 75,775 91,132 19,980 19,265 21,900 22,755 0159 The University of Sheffield 106,958 112,319 143,339 183,631 20,320 19,625 20,965 22,340 0037 Southampton Solent University 25,245 25,870 33,010 34,050 13,750 11,500 9,630 9,490 0160 The University of Southampton 87,938 93,325 127,332 166,246 13,030 14,565 16,305 19,090 0077 Staffordshire University 35,762 35,309 44,811 48,601 12,870 13,025 12,580 10,820 0078 The University of Sunderland 31,284 32,256 39,539 45,613 12,270 12,155 10,060 11,620 0161 The University of Surrey 49,139 52,876 69,028 90,740 7,300 7,695 8,715 9,870 0162 The University of Sussex 42,522 42,991 53,808 68,471 8,965 8,535 9,120 9,210 0079 The University of Teesside 28,533 29,397 38,253 51,413 10,090 9,820 11,120 12,525 0080 Thames Valley University 35,109 34,967 36,530 68,785 15,155 13,325 12,130 13,690 0148 United Medical and Dental Schools, Guy’s and St. Thomas’s Hospitals 49,898 49,560 — — 2,220 2,270 — — 0149 University College London 177,929 185,224 273,137 325,512 13,475 13,860 15,300 17,190 0163 The University of Warwick 71,865 74,440 99,539 145,850 12,200 11,925 13,645 16,150 0081 University of the West of England, Bristol 55,809 54,769 72,633 89,741 19,265 19,750 20,330 23,020 0083 The University of Westminster 37,651 38,440 54,933 71,835 12,670 13,045 14,805 15,960 0021 The University of Winchester 9,258 9,430 10,486 14,158 3,965 4,125 3,950 3,955 0085 The University of Wolverhampton 45,697 45,473 55,332 71,199 16,485 17,995 15,855 16,265 0046 University of Worcester 9,110 10,025 12,502 18,175 3,195 3,395 4,435 5,030 0164 The University of York 44,395 46,345 65,092 87,240 6,680 7,115 9,145 9,685 Notes: — indicates: No separate finance record was collected for that institution in that year. No Student Record was collected separately for that institution in that year. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency’s Finance and Student records 1996-97,1997-98,2001-02, 2004-05 Students FTES have been rounded to the nearest 5.
Visual Impairment
(2) how much funding has been allocated by his Department for the provision of appropriate literature and equipment for partially-sighted and blind students in (a) primary, (b) secondary, (c) further and (d) higher education in (i) Somerset and (ii) England in each year since 1997.
The special educational needs (SEN) code of practice provides advice to local authorities and schools on their statutory duties to identify, assess and make provision for children who have special educational needs, including children who are blind or partially sighted. The code sets out a graduated approach to providing support. Many children who are blind or partially sighted will have statements of SEN. All statements are reviewed at least annually. The purpose of the review is to consider a child’s progress, to ensure they are achieving desired outcomes and, if necessary, to amend their statements to reflect newly identified needs and provision.
Children with SEN, including those who are blind or partially sighted, benefited from the substantial increase of £1,170 in the funding per pupil from £2,940 in 1997-98 to £4,110 per pupil in 2005-06 (a rise of nearly 40 per cent.) and from the increase in local authorities’ budgeted expenditure on the education of children with SEN from £2.8 billion in 2001-02 to £4.5 billion in 2006-07. £300 million was also made available from 2003-04 through the schools access initiative to improve access to mainstream schools for disabled pupils. Recently a further £100 million per annum has been announced for both 2006-07 and 2007-08. Funds can be used for improving physical access, including adaptations for sensory disability such as improved colour schemes; access to the curriculum; access to written information in alternative formats. This encompasses information, communication technology equipment (both hardware and software).
Decisions about the support provided for children in Somerset are a matter for the local authority, taking into account its statutory duties.
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has a responsibility under the Learning and Skills Act to support young people and adults with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including learners with visual impairments. Overall, in 2004/05 the LSC supported more than 640,000 learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities which accounted for nearly £1.5 billion.
Disabled students’ allowances (DSAs) are available to help students in higher education with the extra costs they may incur on their course as a direct result of a disability (or specific learning difficulty).
DSAs are paid in addition to the standard student support package; they are not means-tested and do not have to be repaid.
In academic year 2004/05 (the latest for which figures are available) 64,2001 DSAs were awarded in England and Wales totalling £74.1 million. In addition there were over 2,600 OU students with DSAs worth around £3.5 million.
1 The total number of students in receipt of DSAs involves an element of double-counting since a student can have more than one allowance.
York Schools
Records are not maintained centrally of local authority capital expenditure on schools, as this is decided in accordance with local asset management plans and will depend upon local authorities’ total sources of available funding. The Department has maintained records of capital allocations to local authorities for schools since 1996, and those for York city council and schools in its area are set out in the following table:
£ million 1996-97 0.8 1997-98 1.3 1998-99 1.8 1999-2000 4.5 2000-01 7.4 2001-02 4.8 2002-03 25.5 2003-04 9.7 2004-05 9.4 2005-06 8.7 2006-07 28.3
The large allocations in 2002-03 and 2006-07 result, respectively, from a PFI allocation of £15.4 million and successful Targeted Capital Fund bids of £22.2 million.
The Department does not hold any comparable expenditure information for pre primary pupils and it is not possible to distinguish figures for sixth formers from 11 to 16-year-old secondary pupils. The Department does not collect figures for York College. The available information is contained in the following tables:
£ cash terms10,11 Primary school based expenditure per pupil1,2,3,4 Pre-primary and primary school based expenditure per pupil1,2,3,4 Secondary school based expenditure per pupil1,2,3,5 Combined LA and school based expenditure per pupil1,6 1996-97 — 1,540 2,210 2,500 1997-987 — 1,600 2,350 2,590 1998-997 — 1,730 2,460 2,690 1999-20008,9 1,760 1,800 2,430 2,710 2000-01 1,860 1,870 2,640 2,850 2001-02 2,180 2,260 2,830 3,130 2002-03 2,390 — 3,080 3,270 2003-04 2,560 — 3,330 3,740 2004-05 2,680 — 3,660 3,900
Primary school based expenditure perpupil1,2,3,4 Pre-primary and primary school based expenditure per pupil1,2,3,4 Secondary school based expenditure per pupil1,2,3,5 Combined LA and school based expenditure per pupil1,6 1996-97 — 1,920 2,760 3,110 1997-987 — 1,940 2,840 3,130 1998-997 — 2,040 2,900 3,170 1999-20008,9 2,030 2,080 2,810 3,130 2000-01 2,120 2,130 3,010 3,250 2001-02 2,430 2,510 3,150 3,480 2002-03 2,580 — 3,330 3,530 2003-04 2,680 — 3,490 3,920 2004-05 2,740 — 3,740 3,980 1 The expenditure data to 1998-99 are drawn from the annual ‘RO1’ spending returns which local authorities submitted to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions. Figures for 1999-2000 to 2001-02 are drawn from section 52 (table 3) outturn statements which local authorities submitted to the DfES. Figures for 2002-03 onwards are taken from section 52 (table A) outturn statements. The change in sources is shown by the blank rows. 2 School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by local authority maintained schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure. The pupil data are drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis. 3 From 2002-03 onwards the school based expenditure calculation is broadly similar to the calculation in previous years. However, 2001-02 and earlier years includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses, while from 2002-03 only the schools element of these categories is included. In 2001-02 this accounted for approximately £70 per pupil of the England total, while the schools element of these categories accounted for approximately £50 per pupil of the England total in 2002-03. Also, for some LAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LA part of the form from 2002-03 and would therefore be excluded from the school based expenditure calculation, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources. 4 Figures for the primary sector alone were not available until the inception of section 52 in financial year 1999-2000. The pre-primary figures are not sufficiently robust to use in this reply. 5 Secondary school based expenditure includes all expenditure incurred directly by local authority maintained secondary schools. It is not possible from existing sources to distinguish this expenditure between expenditure on 11 to 16-year-olds and expenditure on 6th form pupils attending maintained secondary schools. 6 Combined local authority and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in local authority maintained establishments and pupils educated by the authority other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA). Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under fives funded by the authority and being educated in private settings (only available from 1999-2000), pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and any other local authority maintained pupils. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis. 7 Spending in 1997-98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998-99. 8 Figures prior to 1999-2000 exclude any expenditure on service, strategy and regulation. 9 The expenditure data for 1999-2000 onwards reflect the return of grant maintained schools to local authority maintenance. 10 ‘—’denotes figures are not available or have not been scored on a consistent basis 11 Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. 12 Cash figures are converted to 2005-06 prices using the 30 June 2006 gross domestic product (GDP) deflators. Note: As reported by York local authority as at 17 July 2006.
Prime Minister
Casinos
(2) what meetings (a) he and (b) his officials have had with (i) Mr. Philip Anschutz and (ii) representatives of Anschutz Entertainment Group;
(3) what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with Anschutz Entertainment Group on its development of the millennium dome site and surrounding land.
(2) what meetings he has had with (a) casino developers, (b) representatives of Kerzner International and (c) representatives of the Anschutz Entertainment Group in the last five years.
My officials and I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
I also refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 10 November 2004, Official Report, column 696W.
Correspondence
My Office had no record of receiving this correspondence at the time this question was tabled. However, my Office has since received copies of the letters. These have been forwarded to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for reply.
Declaration of War (Parliamentary Vote)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 15 February 2006, Official Report, column 2033W.
Gifts
It would not be appropriate to disclose this information.
Intelligence and Security Committee
At each stage in the preparation of Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) Assessments (the drafting of a paper, its consideration by the Current Intelligence Group, its review prior to circulation to the JIC, in discussion at JIC itself), there is careful testing of assumptions, inferences and judgements and encouragement of active debate about them. The challenge function within the Assessments staff itself has been strengthened.
Middle East
I refer the hon. Member to my statement of 18 July 2006, Official Report, columns 151-54, and to the debate in the House on International Affairs on 20 July 2006, Official Report, columns 510-67.
Millennium Dome
I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
(2) which Minister chaired the Cabinet Sub-Committee on the sale of the millennium dome.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the then Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Robin Corbett) on 19 December 2000, Official Report, column 108W. The Ministerial Group on the Millennium Dome (MISC10) was dissolved in September 2003.
Ministers (Criminal Inquiries)
I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my Official Spokesman on Friday 14 July. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Ministerial Code
Ministers’ personal taxation declarations and assessments are subject to the same rules as other citizens.
Ministerial Payments
Hospitality received by Ministers, including when a charitable donation has been made, is declared in the Register of Members’ Interests as appropriate.
Ministerial Visits
For security reasons, my future engagements are announced as and when appropriate.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) on 2 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1385-1387W.
Official Gifts
The arrangements for the handling of gifts are set out in chapter 5 of the Ministerial Code.
Privy Council
I submit nominations to the Queen seeking her approval.
Red Tractor Day
The Red Tractor Day launch was organised by Assured Food Standards (AFS), who administer the Red Tractor logo.
Sir David Varney
I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Work and Pensions
Advertising Campaigns
The Department for Work and Pensions was formed on 8 June 2001 from parts of the former Department for Social Security, the former Department for Education and Employment, and the Employment Service. Information prior to 2001 is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The Department runs a number of promotional campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of rights and responsibilities. The dates and costs are given as follows.
(a) Dates of activity (b) Annual cost (£000) Age Positive 2001-02 6 2002-03 706 2003-04 70 2004-05 29 Council Tax Benefit 2003-04 556 2004-05 674 Direct Payment 2002-03 858 2003-04 11,095 2004-05 8,379 Disability Discrimination Act 2001-02 2,882 2002-03 50 2003-04 40 2004-05 1,992 Future pensioners/Informed choice 2001-02 4,740 2002-03 2,878 IB Reforms Pilot 2003-04 113 2004-05 106 Inherited SERPS 2002-03 646 Jobcentre Plus Customer Marketing 2003-04 1,401 Jobseeker’s Direct 2003-04 1,632 Lone Parent Leaflet Promotion Marketing 2004-05 216 Minimum Income Guarantee 2000-01 3,365 National Employer Campaign 2003-04 1,158 National Vacancy Campaign 2004-05 390 New Deal 2003-04 5,678 New Deal 25 Plus 2001-02 613 New Deal for Disabled People 2001-02 350 New Deal for Musicians 2002-03 33 Pension Service Awareness 2003-04 906 Pension Credit 2003-04 9,907 2004-05 4,388 State Pension Deferral 2004-05 115 Second State Pension 2002-03 489 2003-04 216 Targeting Benefit Fraud 2001-02 8,039 2002-03 35 2003-04 8,383 2004-05 6,017 Winter Fuel Payments 2001-02 475 2002-03 627 2003-04 625 2004-05 515 Notes: 1. The table does not include the following as the information is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost. Spend by non-departmental bodies for which the Department is responsible details of highly localised publicity activity by the Department’s customer-facing businesses recruitment or procurement advertising. 2. The figures in the table refers to media spend only, excluding production and other costs. 3. All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand. 4. All figures are exclusive of VAT.
Age Positive Campaign
The Age Positive campaign operates nationally, covering England, Scotland and Wales. Costs for Scotland and Wales are not available separately. The approximate spend on the campaign was £646,000 for 2004-05, £913,000 for 2005-06 and up to the end of May 2006 £94,000 for 2006-07.
The campaign is aimed at employers, not individuals, and aims to raise awareness amongst employers of the business benefits of employing older workers in a mixed age workforce. It is not appropriate therefore to express the amount spent on the campaign per head of population.
The funding has enabled attendance at regional, sector and national events and exhibitions, has sponsored a number of age diversity awards, provided support materials; and overall had helpful the campaign to generate media coverage estimated to be worth £11.8 million since January 2004.
Benefit Applications
All Medical Services doctors who carry out benefit assessments receive training in disability assessment medicine, which is constantly evaluated and improved. The training includes the need to take account of long-term fluctuating conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, and how these conditions affect a person over a period of time.
They are supported in their work by evidence-based protocols that provide up to date guidance on disabling conditions and their effects.
Doctors are also required to undertake continuing professional education on topics relevant to disability assessment.
Benefits
The information requested is not available. However, the proportion of pensioner units in receipt of some state pension income in Great Britain is shown in the table. The 2 per cent. without state pension income may include those not entitled as well as those deferring their state pension or misreporting their income when asked.
Percentage 1997-98 98 1998-99 98 1999-2000 98 2000-01 98 2001-02 98 2002-03 98 2003-04 98 2004-05 98 Notes: 1. Results are for all pensioner benefit units, where a pensioner couple is defined as a couple where the man is at or above state pension age. 2. State pension income includes income from other contributory benefits for the elderly including widows’ benefits and incapacity benefit. 3. Results are based on survey respondents’ identification of different elements of benefit income, and are therefore subject to misreporting. Source: Table 3.3, Pensioners Income Series 2004/05 which is based upon data from the Family Resources Survey.
Information is not available for incapacity benefit, council tax benefit, and housing benefit. The available information on the amount of income support, jobseeker’s allowance, and pension credit overpaid due to fraud or customer error is in the table.
There are no estimates available for how many prisoners would have been involved.
£ million Incorrectness Income support Jobseeker’s allowance Pension credit 2004-05 Fraud 6 0 0 Customer error 0 1 0 2003-04 Fraud 2 0 0 Customer error 2 0 0 2002-03 Fraud 2 0 0 Customer error 0 0 0 Notes: 1. All overpayments estimates rounded to the nearest £1 million. 2. Estimates are based on sampling exercises. Benefit paid incorrectly to prisoners form a small proportion of total overpayments. Estimates for them are based on reviews of small numbers of cases and so are subject to large sampling errors and other uncertainties. Sampling uncertainty is expressed in the form of confidence intervals - these have not been provided in these tables. 3. Estimates for overpayments to prisoners were not reported separately for earlier years.
Estimates for the main income-related benefits—income support/minimum income guarantee, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and income-based jobseeker’s allowance—for eligible private household population in Great Britain, are available in the DWP report entitled “Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take- Up”. Copies of the latest publication, which describes patterns in take-up since 1997-98, together with past reports, are available in the Library.
Most people who qualify for a winter fuel payment do not need to make a claim because they are paid automatically from DWP records. Some people aged 60 or over who are not in receipt of a benefit administered by DWP do need to claim. Many men aged 60-64, for example, fall into this category and need to claim. However, we do not have any estimate for how many eligible people have not claimed.
Currently it is not possible to estimate take-up rates for disability living allowance and attendance allowance. Following a recommendation in “Meeting DWP’s long-term information needs on disability: a feasibility report”, (DWP Research report number 267), the Department is commissioning research to test two possible approaches to establish whether it is possible to estimate take-up rates for these benefits. Results will be available in 2007.
No estimates are available for incapacity benefit.
Child support is not a benefit.
Carers Allowance
The administration of carer’s allowance is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Terry Moran:
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are in receipt of carer’s allowance in (a) Barnsley, East and Mexborough (b) Barnsley and (c) Doncaster.
The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
The information requested is in the following table:
Number Barnsley, East and Mexborough parliamentary constituency 1,130 Barnsley local authority 2,490 Doncaster local authority 3,240 Definitions and Conventions: "-" nil or negligible; "." not applicable; Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and expressed in thousands. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Notes: 1. Only cases in payment are shown (those with underlying entitlement but not actually receiving payment have been excluded). 2. Government office region, local authorities and parliamentary constituencies have been allocated using the ONS postcode directory. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.
I hope you find the information helpful.
(2) how many people over the age of 60 have been registered as carers in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.
The administration of carer’s allowance is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.
Letter from Terry Moran, dated 24 July 2006:
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people are in receipt of a Carer’s Allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency (b) South Tyneside (c) the North East and (d) the UK; and how many there were in each year since its inception; and (2) how many people over the age of 60 have been registered as carers in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.
The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
You have kindly confirmed that your second question referred specifically to how many people over the age of 60 are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance in your constituency and in the UK.
Prior to 2001, reliable figures for the number of people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance are not available because data available then did not distinguish between those in payment and those with underlying payment.
The information available is provided in the attached Appendix.
I hope you find the information helpful.
Appendix:
Jarrow Parliamentary Constituency South Tyneside LA North East GOR Great Britain 2005 850 1,520 25,810 443,990 2004 840 1,480 25,630 431,580 2003 810 1,430 24,840 406,140 2002 800 1,430 25,180 403,370 2001 760 1,330 23,870 376,210
Jarrow Parliamentary Constituency South Tyneside LA North East GOR Great Britain 2005 70 100 2,140 42,570 2004 60 100 2,070 40,070 2003 60 110 1,910 35,760 2002 70 120 1,980 36,320 2001 50 110 1,840 33,110 Definitions and Conventions: “—” Nil or Negligible; “.” Not applicable; Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 1 Only cases in payment are shown (those with underlying entitlement but not actually receiving payment have been excluded). Notes: 1. Figures are only available for GB because the Department for Social Security Northern Ireland (NI) is responsible for NI statistics. 2. 2001 and 2002 figures are as at December. 2003, 2004 and 2005 figures are as at November. 3. Government Office Region, Local Authorities and Parliamentary constituencies have been allocated using the ONS postcode directory. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study for 2003-2005 and 100% samples for 2001-2002.
Child Poverty
Information below regional level is not available.
Information below regional level is not available.
Command Papers
Documents which are laid before Parliament as unnumbered Command Papers are generally restricted to Explanatory Notes to Treaties, Explanatory Memorandum to Statutory Instruments and some Treasury Minutes. All other documents are published in the numbered Command Papers series.
A complete list of unnumbered Command Papers can only be produced at disproportionate cost.
Copies of all unnumbered Command Papers are made available via the Vote Office.
Correspondence
[holding answer on 16 June 2006]: I replied to the hon. Member on 8 June 2006.
Crisis Loans
(2) where the officials answering calls to the telephone lines dedicated to applicants for crisis loans in the North West are located.
The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.
Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 24 July 2006:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking how many telephone lines are available in Crewe and Nantwich that are dedicated lines to the North West call centre for crisis loans; how many missed calls were recorded per day on average in the last period for which figures are available; how many complaints have been received about those lines in the last 12 months; how crisis loans can be accessed if the Department's local office is closed and where the officials answering calls to the telephone lines dedicated to applicants for crisis loans in the North West are located. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The Social Fund Unit in Hartford House, Northwich is one of 13 such units in the Jobcentre Plus North West Region, which process applications for Crisis Loans. This unit covers more than one individual site. Customers can apply for a Crisis Loan by telephone (Crisis Loan Direct) or opt for a face-to-face interview.
The Northwich unit administers the Social Fund for the area covered by the Cheshire and Warrington Jobcentre Plus District. Customers within this District are able to access the Crisis Loan team in Northwich by telephone, or by the freephone facility at their local Jobcentre. Nantwich Jobcentre has one telephone programmed for Social Fund customers and Crewe Jobcentre has four. Applications for Crisis Loans for the rest of the North West are processed in the following sites: Mitre House, Lancaster; Marton Mere, Blackpool; Barry House, Preston; Rusholme, Manchester; Graeme House, Chorlton; Park Road, Toxteth; Hordan House, Birkenhead; Edendale House, Huyton; Webster House, Kirkby; Eastbank House, Southport; Gregson House, St Helens; Kingsway House, Widnes; Newgate House, Rochdale; Elizabeth House, Bolton; Beech House, Hyde; and Brun House, Burnley. Overall, there are 110 dedicated telephone lines for Crisis Loans throughout the North West Region.
I regret that I am unable to provide you with reliable data on the numbers of missed calls, as the current telephony system does not record this.
The Northwich team receive an average of sixty-five Crisis Loan applications each day. In the last twelve months a total of fifty-five complaints have been received concerning the difficulties experienced by customers in accessing this service. A number of those complaints followed a period between October and November 2005 during which the telephony system experienced extensive service interruptions and suspensions. Jobcentre Plus is currently investing in an enhanced telephony and IT system, to improve customer service as part of our programme to transform Social Fund delivery.
From April 2008 all Social Fund functions, including Crisis Loan Direct, for customers in our Cheshire and Warrington District will be delivered from a specialist unit in Belle Vale, Liverpool. Until then, Northwich will continue to administer Crisis Loan Direct.
Those customers who need a Crisis Loan when our offices are closed (i.e. outside normal working hours) can access the “Out of Hours Service” (OOHS), by contacting their Local Authority, Social Services or the police. The Pension Service can also make a referral to the OOHS on a weekday night up to 20.00. These contacts have details of the OOHS dedicated telephone numbers.
I am extremely concerned that your constituents have continued to experience difficulties in accessing the Crisis Loan service in Northwich, and can assure you that both my Regional and Local Social Fund Managers are taking action to address these capacity issues. I am confident that, as staff gain greater experience, with the introduction of a number of streamlined processes, and with improvements to the telephone service, we should be able to resolve these problems.
Both Bill Marks, NW Region Benefit Delivery Manager and Angela Keith, NW Region Social Fund Manager, will be more than happy to discuss any further concerns you may have, and I have also asked that they arrange an early meeting with the appropriate Citizens Advice Bureaux.
The information requested is not available.
Departmental Complaints
The following annexes provide details of complaints received in DWP in 2004 and 2005.
I am unable to provide exactly the same information across all our businesses because, historically, the different agencies of the Department have counted complaints in different ways. This is an issue that we are now addressing, as part of work to bring a consistent approach to complaints handling across the Department.
Complaints from advice agencies are not recorded separately from those for members of the public. However, the Appeals Service started recording them separately in April 2005, and, from that date, complaints from advice agencies are included in the overall figure, and shown in brackets alongside.
Jobcentre Plus The Pension Service Disability and Carers Service1 Child Support Agency2 Appeals Service3 Compensation Recovery Unit 2004 January 4, 54736 6— 71130 3248 54 5 February 5— 6— 7— 3340 58 11 March 5— 6— 7— 3901 59 10 April 1317 2347 81685 3363 45 10 May 1430 2931 8— 3759 59 12 June 2728 3627 8— 4091 67 26 July 2890 3346 91596 3985 52 4 August 3460 2462 9— 3845 56 17 September 3477 1954 9— 4108 44 5 October 3112 1540 101358 3742 53 4 November 3332 1535 10— 4081 54 6 December 2604 1109 10— 3009 36 10 2005 January 3234 1517 111293 3395 56 0 February 3164 1532 11— 3877 63 0 March 3682 1520 11— 3988 77 6 April 2273 1741 12902 4287 54 (14) 3 May 2506 1307 12— 3370 47(5) 0 June 2488 1218 12— 3705 45(12) 0 July 2840 1623 13917 3340 61 (13) 8 August 3062 1945 13— 3589 67(10) 3 September 2887 1942 13— 3727 63(18) 3 October 2928 1979 14997 3671 49(13) 2 November 3104 2257 14— 4110 56(15) 5 December 428 1464 14— 3156 40(7) 1 2006 January 516 1899 151112 3965 66(13) 5 February 755 1980 15— 3932 43(9) 5 March 537 2110 15— 4324 72(13) 7 April 483 1331 n/a 3078 16— 4 May 541 1346 n/a 3484 16— 2 1Figures recorded only on a quarterly basis 2 Figures are for First Stage of the complaints process, Treat Official and Chief Executive complaints, some of which may come from MPs 3 Until April 2005, the Appeals Service included all complaints in one count 4 Figures recorded on a quarterly basis until April 2004 5 Total 6 Figures could not be retrieved within the required timescale 7 Total 8 Total 9 Total 10 Total 11 Total 12 Total 13 Total 14 Total 15 Total 16The Appeals Service moved to the Department for Constitutional Affairs in April 2006. n/a=Not yet available.
Jobcentre Plus The Pension Service Disability and Carers Service Child Support Agency1 Appeals Service2 Compensation Recovery Unit 2004 January 165 208 3— 428 — 1 February 126 199 3— 551 — 0 March 203 247 3— 569 — 0 April 144 191 163 566 — 0 May 132 161 263 499 — 1 June 160 169 269 592 — 0 July 224 181 319 723 — 0 August 144 145 293 755 — 0 September 168 193 315 722 — 1 October 170 207 290 755 — 0 November 198 217 368 891 — 0 December 125 180 305 705 — 1 2005 January 148 204 289 714 — 0 February 180 213 352 962 — 0 March 235 201 328 987 — 6 April 165 196 185 793 6 3 May 106 97 185 719 2 0 June 216 127 292 789 4 0 July 230 134 290 814 3 8 August 296 98 199 754 6 3 September 232 121 210 798 9 3 October 208 101 230 820 11 2 November 238 132 242 1001 4 5 December 192 119 218 814 4 1 2006 January 199 58 207 717 4 1 February 227 73 250 873 6 0 March 335 90 296 837 6 0 April 227 83 233 649 4— 0 May 299 79 250 780 4— 0 1 Figures are for MP complaints to business units; MP complaints to Chief Executive are included with other Chief Executive complaints in Annex 1 2 Until April 2005, the Appeals Service included all complaints in one count 3 Figures could not be retrieved within the required timescale 4 The Appeals Service moved to the Department for Constitutional Affairs in April 2006.
Debt Management did not keep separate statistics for complaints and general correspondence, with all letters received being logged as correspondence regardless of content, until the roll out of the new Debt Management Complaints Process on 1 July 2005. Complaints statistics were then maintained separately from correspondence as shown.
Source of Complaint Customer MP 3rd Party 2005 July 48 10 13 August 49 15 23 September 38 23 19 October 57 18 29 November 98 19 78 December 72 14 87 2006 January 118 17 132 February 134 8 131 March 208 7 174 April 162 6 89 May 141 7 49 Notes: The “3rd party” category includes next of kin, appointees and executors as well as welfare rights organisations. The “Customer” category includes both written and verbal complaints by the customer. The table reflects figures across Debt Management, including the Enforcement Initiative.
The Rent Service
The Rent Service has provided figures for the period January 2004 to April 2006.
They received 73 letters of complaint from the public, and one letter of complaint from an MP.
Health and Safety Executive
Figures for the Health and Safety Executive are not provided as they do not deal directly with customers.
Departmental Staffing
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) does not discriminate on grounds of age. From October 2006 staff below Senior Civil Service grades will no longer have a mandatory retirement age in DWP. This means that once they have reached the minimum pension age of 60, staff themselves decide when to retire.
Where staff incur a period of sickness absence the Department provides extensive support to all staff through its Occupational Health Service contract, Employee Assistance Programme and generous sick leave provision if an employee is sick or has an incapacity.
The Department considers reasonable workplace adjustments in all cases where the Disability Discrimination Act could apply. These ensure the employee is not placed at a disadvantage in comparison to other employees. The Department takes seriously its responsibilities for managing attendance and has developed a supportive policy and procedures for managing sickness absences. The policy was commended by the National Audit Office (NAO) as meeting best practice.
Disabled people are included in all restructuring plans in the same way as other employees. They are guaranteed interviews in selection exercises if they meet the minimum criteria for the post. All applicants are offered reasonable adjustments at all stages of the selection exercise. When a disabled person is successful at the selection exercise our Human Resources teams work closely with occupational health to ensure that any adjustments needed, to either the workplace environment or the post, are put in place quickly to enable the person to commence work without delay. Workplace adjustments are given priority to facilitate moves. Should volunteers be called for to move jobs, or compulsory moves required, the same adjustments are made for any disabled people included in these moves.
Disability Awareness
Voluntary and private sector organisations have been involved with Jobcentre Plus since its inception to design, develop, deliver and quality assure the training provided to their staff.
Details of the providers available to Jobcentre Plus staff for support on the diversity agenda and for learning and development across the business have been placed in the Library.
Disability Living Allowance
The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Terry Moran, dated 24 July 2006:
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Lancashire include a person with a learning disability who receives the care component of disability living allowance at the (a) highest (b) middle and (c) lowest rate.
The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
The information available is in the following tables:
Care component Total with care component Highest rate Middle rate Lowest rate Blackpool, North and Fleetwood 410 140 70 200 Burnley 410 120 80 210 Chorley 430 140 50 240 Fylde 330 110 50 170 Hyndburn 490 140 80 260 Lancaster and Wyre 280 90 40 150 Morecambe and Lunesdale 410 150 60 200 Pendle 350 100 40 200 Preston 450 150 90 220 Ribble Valley 340 120 40 180 Rossendale and Darwen 340 110 60 170 South Ribble 360 100 70 190 West Lancashire 370 150 50 170 Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. The parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. Figures are based on the care component condition only. Source: DWP, WPLS 100 per cent. data.
Care component Total with care component Highest rate Middle rate Lowest rate Lancashire total 4,630 1,510 710 2,410 Burnley 410 110 80 210 Chorley 430 140 50 240 Fylde 250 80 40 130 Hyndburn 460 130 70 250 Lancaster 540 190 80 270 Pendle 350 100 40 200 Preston 560 190 90 280 Ribble Valley 200 80 20 110 Rossendale 240 80 40 120 South Ribble 410 110 80 230 West Lancashire 410 160 60 180 Wyre 370 120 60 190 Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. The local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. Figures are based on the care component condition only. Source: DWP, WPLS 100 per cent. data.
Disabled Staff
Any Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) employee requiring equipment and adaptation support up until March would have received the necessary support with costs attributed to the national Access to Work budget. However, Jobcentre Plus Access to Work did not collect the numbers of departmental disabled staff accessing adaptations and equipment support at that time.
Currently any DWP employee requiring equipment and adaptations continues to receive the necessary support, and costs are attributed to the individual local budgets relevant to the individual employee. Prior to the introduction of our new resource management system, we are collecting clerical statistical data on numbers of reasonable adjustments undertaken each quarter, the information is shown in the following table.
Quarter ending Number of reasonable adjustments undertaken August 2005 492 December 2005 545 March 2006 321
Draft Bills
The Department of Work and Pensions has produced no draft Bills since October 2005.
Announcements on future legislation and future draft legislation which will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny will be indicated in the Queen’s Speech.
Family Poverty
Information below National or Government Office regional level is not available.
Financial Assistance Scheme/Pension Protection Fund
The financial assistance scheme will provide a qualifying member with assistance that will top-up their scheme pension to a level broadly equivalent to 80 per cent. of their expected pension. Payments are subject to a de minimis level and a cap.
Gross (£) Average 205.11 Highest 629.84 Lowest 50.08
Under the Data Protection Act it is inappropriate to reveal such
“data which relate to a living individual who can be identified from those data”.
As there is only one former ASW member receiving a payment living outside of Wales, I cannot comment on payments that may have been made to this individual.
The Financial Assistance scheme has paid a total of £707,121.93 (gross) to members of pension schemes that had completed wind up or were in the winding up process before April 6 2005.
Following the recent review, on 25 May we announced that we will extend eligibility for the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) to members of qualifying pension schemes who were within 15 years of their scheme's normal retirement age on 14 May 2004.
Those within seven years of their scheme's normal retirement age on 14 May 2004 will benefit from the FAS topping up their pensions to around 80 per cent. of their expected core pension. Those between seven and 15 years from their scheme's normal retirement age who can more reasonably be expected to supplement their retirement income will be considered for a top-up to around 65 per cent. of their expected pension if they are between seven and 11 years from scheme pension age, and 50 per cent. between 12 and 15 years.
We estimate that this will require funding of £2.3 billion. This is £1.9 billion more than the £400 million over 20 years that we allocated in May 2004.
The Pension Protection Fund is an independent body governed by a board. It is funded in two ways; through the assets of schemes for which it assumes responsibility and by charging an annual pension protection levy on the pension schemes eligible for entry to the PPF. The PPF is responsible for setting the levy and has estimated a levy of £575 million for 2006-07 following wide consultation with industry.
Provisions in the Pensions Act 2004 prevent the PPF from increasing its levy by more than 25 per cent. each year, up to an overall maximum ceiling. If the PPF wish to raise a levy beyond the ceiling then it must undertake consultation before asking Secretary of State to increase the levy ceiling.
Fuel Direct
The information is not available.
Fuel Direct is part of the DWP Third Party Deduction (TPD) scheme. This is a system of last-resort protection available to the most vulnerable of our customers and is designed to shield a minority of people on income-related benefits from the consequences of getting into debt with essential household outgoings.
The scheme works by deducting a prescribed amount at source from someone’s weekly benefit, currently £2.90, and paying it direct to the creditor until the debt is cleared. In fuel and water cases an amount is also deducted to cover current consumption costs preventing further debt accruing. The scheme is regulated under Schedule 9 of the Social Security (Claims and Payment) Regulations 1987 No. 1968. These allow for either a benefit customer or a supplier, to make an application for TPD. However, only the DWP Decision Maker can decide whether or not the application is accepted.
Funeral Payments
Funeral Payments from the social fund cover the cost of certain necessary charges in full; these include fees levied by burial authorities and crematoria. An additional sum of up to £700 is allowed for other funeral expenses, which give the person arranging the funeral the freedom to select items or services they consider appropriate.
Although there are no plans to make changes to the Funeral Payment scheme at this time the level of help is kept under review.
Government Employment (St. Annes)
(2) what plans he has to relocate staff presently employed at the Government office site at Heyhouses Lane in St. Annes to other department locations within the Fylde area;
(3) when he expects to announce the outcome of his Department’s estates review.
My Department intends to make an announcement to staff on the position of its non-London Headquarters estate by the end of July.
Change to the size and shape of the Department’s estate will not automatically lead to a reduction in staff numbers. However, as set out in the 2004 Spending Review, the Department is currently managing a major efficiency programme which involves reducing staff numbers by 30,000 by March 2008. These reductions are being made in all parts of the Department and across all of the country.
Harassment Complaints
The Department for Work and Pensions records complaints relating to bullying and sexual harassment that are formally investigated by the Department. The following table contains information about the number of complaints that were formally investigated in the years 2003 to 2005. The figures in the table relate to the Department and all its businesses.
Number of investigations started Number upheld Number of investigations started Number upheld 2003-04 215 73 Less than 5 Less than 5 2004-05 191 72 24 15 2005-06 119 24 25 8
Hinkley Point B
None. Accountability for the safety of the civil nuclear industry rests with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Safety Directorate is the independent nuclear safety regulator and I am satisfied that it will respond appropriately with regard to its own safety assessments.
Housing Benefits
The information is in the following table.
Pathfinder area Number of recipients Blackpool 200 Brighton 150 Conwy 50 Coventry 100 Edinburgh 100 Leeds 200 Lewisham 200 Teignbridge 1— All Pathfinders 1,100 1 A number less than 25. Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 50 and as such components may not sum to total. Source:Administrative data, February 2006.
Identity Cards
The Department has appealed against the Information Commissioner's decision to an Information Tribunal and we await the outcome.
However, we have previously confirmed in replies to earlier parliamentary questions that a study on identity fraud by the Cabinet Office, published in 2002, estimated that up to £50 million per year of benefit fraud occurred as a result of identity fraud. This figure was derived from the Regional Benefit Review data collected from Jobseekers Allowance and Income Support claims. The introduction of an identity card would have a significant impact by removing the bulk of this loss.
Incapacity Benefit
Information on the number incapacity benefit claimants seeking help from this Department to find work during the period October 2003 to February 2006 is not available. Data are not held on the type of inquiries made by clients.
All services that are available to all incapacity benefits claimants are available to clients in both rural and urban areas.
We produce an internal annual Rural Proofing Report for the Countryside Agency; this includes examples of how the Department has addressed service delivery issues in rural areas. A copy of the Countryside Agency's Rural Proofing Report for 2004-05 is available in the Library.
The Department has developed more flexible ways of delivering services through working in partnership with national and local organisations. For example, Jobcentre Plus advisers provide advice and information sessions through partners premises and in some areas mobile offices have been introduced to take the service on the road. Advances in technology are also being used to develop innovative ways of delivering services to customers, particularly for those in rural areas. We are also piloting our successful “Pathways to Work” programme in a range of different geographical locations, including areas such as Somerset in England and Argyll and Bute in Scotland which are significantly rural in character. The programme will be offered nationally by 2008.
The available information is in the following table:
Number of claimants 2000 2,490 2001 2,560 2002 2,670 2003 2,650 2004 2,680 2005 2,610 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 2. “Claimant” figures include all incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance, including incapacity benefit credits only cases. Source: DWP Information Directorate, Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data.
Jobcentre Plus
The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Lesley Strathie:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what financial savings were achieved by Jobcentre Plus in 2005-06 against budget. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The financial figures for 2005-06 are currently being audited. The unaudited position for 2005-06 shows an overall saving of £94 million against budget, as set out in the table below.
Budget Outturn Saving/(Overspend) Resource DEL Staff costs 1,786 1,797 (11) Non-staff costs 2,007 984 23 Net programme costs 1,088 1,076 12 Total resource DEL 3,881 3,857 24 Capital DEL 356 286 70 Total Jobcentre Plus 4,237 4,143 94
Jobseeker's Allowance
In June 2006, the average clearance time for jobseeker’s allowance claims in the south-west region was 17 days, and for Somerset claims was 17 days. The average time taken for the contact centres to return a customer's call was within the target 48 hours within the region. The average time between contacting the contact centre and the claim being taken in the Jobcentre was two days.
We recognise that the delivery of jobseeker’s allowance in the south-west and Somerset are not as we would want and that is why we have put additional measures in place to improve performance. These include the recruitment of additional staffing and increased telephony capacity. These measures along with closer working within Jobcentre Plus have resulted in an improvement in average clearance time for the south-west and Somerset. Jobseeker’s allowance claims are now being actioned on the day of receipt in all processing centres. We anticipate the improving trend to continue.
We are also operating a fast track system for those customers in urgent need. Details of this have been shared with local stakeholders.
There are no special considerations given to a woman’s suitability for employment when wearing a veil or any other specific item of clothing.
Means Testing
The assumptions and modelling techniques underpinning the analysis contained in Security in Retirement: towards a new pensions system (Cm 6841) have been developed and refined over a number of years through a process of regular contact and validation with a range of expert organisations. In the past year these have also been scrutinised by the independent Pensions Commission who found them to be broadly comparable with their own analysis.
As part of the consultation process on Cm 6841 we will continue to engage with such organisations, including the Government Actuary’s Department, to set out and explain in detail the analysis it contained, including our projections on future public expenditure and eligibility for pension credit. We also intend to publish, prior to the introduction of legislation, the research on which our proposals are based.
National Insurance Numbers
The information is not available.
The information is not available in the format requested.
National insurance numbers (NINOs) are only ever allocated when an individual has proved their identity. Individuals who present false documentation would not be allocated a NINO as we would not be satisfied as to their identity.
In May 2006 DWP undertook a review of the NINO allocation rules to see whether DWP systems could be tightened to protect the security of the NINO.
As a result of this review on Monday 5 June 2006 I announced changes to improve the NINO allocation process. These changes were introduced during July 2006 and will introduce a “right to work” pre-condition for employment-related NINO applications. This will prevent illegal workers being allocated a NINO.
In order to maintain the integrity of the system (and for benefit purposes) national insurance numbers (NINOs) are not removed. For example, they are retained after a person dies or moves abroad. This is because individuals who move abroad may at some point have a call upon contributions paid while in the UK. In the case of deceased individuals, a partner may make a claim for a contributory benefit, which is dependant on the contribution record of the deceased individual.
The information is in the table.
Million NINOs in issue to deceased people 16.5 NINOs in issue to those in receipt of benefits outside the UK 1 NINOs in issue to others abroad 5.5 Note: These figures are from 2003 and relate to the total number of NINOs in issue at the time.
New Deal
The New Deal Reduced Rail Fare Scheme was established in 1997 and, in England and Wales, is jointly operated by Jobcentre Plus and the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). The scheme was set up to provide new deal participants with reduced travel costs whilst on the New Deal programme.
New deal participants are advised about the availability of the Reduced Rail Fare Scheme either in their first invitation letter or at the initial gateway interview. Rail fare reductions can be made available, at adviser discretion, to eligible new deal for young people participants travelling in England and Wales throughout their time on new deal, on all trains participating in the scheme. In addition, ATOC have agreed to provide further reductions for the first three months of rail travel once participants have left new deal for a sustained job. In this instance, all travel tickets must be bought whilst the participant is on the new deal programme.
In Scotland, First ScotRail, SPT, GNER and Virgin Trains offer free and reduced rate travel to all new deal customers in certain geographical locations. This provision is available to new deal customers from their first day on the programme until their first wage is received.
Local agreements are also in operation with some bus companies for the provision of reduced rate fares for new deal customers and, in certain circumstances, travel costs are paid through other sources such as the Adviser’s Discretion Fund or the Travel to Interview Scheme.
Data is not held on the number of travel passes issued, and expenditure has not been accounted for at the level of detail required to separately identify the costs of the New Deal Reduced Fare Scheme, or the costs of funding travel for new deal customers through other sources. However, no subsidy is paid to train or bus companies by Jobcentre Plus for the Reduced Fare Scheme and the only costs incurred by the Department are the administrative costs involved in managing any necessary paperwork.
Mentoring was introduced into new deal provision to help those people who may need additional support to that offered by their new deal personal adviser. New deal mentoring is available at Jobcentre Plus District Manager's discretion, depending on the needs of the local labour market, and can supplement and complement new deal personal adviser support given to new deal participants.
Young people on new deal for young people can access mentoring support on a voluntary basis. It is provided by independent volunteers who use their skills, experience and expertise to help unemployed people break down the barriers preventing them from working. Young people with a health condition or disability who are participants on New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) may also access mentoring support if their NDDP job broker identifies this as being appropriate in helping them into employment. Mentoring support is also available to eligible lone parents and partners.
Information is not available on the number of people providing independent mentoring support, or on the number of young people they assist into work each year. Information is also not available on the cost of providing mentoring support as new deal financial data is not broken down in that way.
Occupational Pensions
[holding answer 16 June 2006]: The Government’s position is that the United Kingdom’s interpretation of article 8 of directive 80/987/EEC is consistent with the text of the directive, the legislative history, the case law of the European Court of Justice and, until recently represented, the view of the European Commission.
In the event of the European Court’s judgment being that article 8 requires a higher level of protection than provided in the UK, the Government asked the Court, in the interests of legal certainty, to consider imposing a temporal limitation on its judgment.
It is usual practice to ask for a temporal limitation on the judgment in a case such as this, where the relevant criteria that the Court has set down for imposing a temporal limitation are met.
Parliamentary Questions
The Department received 4,124 ordinary, named day and Lords parliamentary questions in the 12 month period to 30 June.
A total of 190 parliamentary questions to the Department of Work and Pensions were awaiting answer on 10 July 2006, of which 10 had been outstanding for more than two weeks but less than three weeks and 85 were outstanding for more than three weeks.
The reasons for delay in each case are not collated centrally and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The Department endeavours to answer named day questions on the day named and to reply to ordinary written questions within a working week.
Pension Credit
Production of the pension credit plastic wallets ceased because there was sufficient stock to meet likely demand.
Pensioners who satisfy the terms and conditions set by Post Office Ltd. for opening a Post Office card account can have their pension credit payments made this way.
In order for pensioners to make an informed choice about the type of account they should have their pension credit paid into, they are being advised that the contract which supports the Post Office card account ends in March 2010 and that if they choose to be paid into a Post Office card account now, they will need to switch to a different type of account at some point in the next few years.
The information requested is in the following table.
November 2003 November 2004 November 2005 Ward name Individual beneficiaries Average weekly payments (£) Individual beneficiaries Average weekly payments (£) Individual beneficiaries Average weekly payments (£) Blakelaw 850 38.68 1,030 38.93 1,050 39.34 Fenham 775 39.28 955 37.92 970 39.68 Jesmond 275 42.18 305 44.32 300 43.37 Kenton 635 43.28 770 41.10 770 42.37 Moorside 630 47.01 735 44.38 740 47.66 Sandyford 660 43.46 775 40.64 770 43.58 South Gosforth 245 40.24 290 38.41 305 38.04 Wingrove 400 49.20 470 48.29 520 48.44 Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central constituency total 4,440 42.80 5,300 41.30 5,380 42.76 Notes: 1. The number of recipients are rounded to a multiple of five and average payments to the nearest penny therefore ward totals do not always sum to area totals. 2. Wards are based on 2003 ward boundaries. 3. The number of individual beneficiaries includes both claimants and their partners. Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) 100 per cent. data.
Pensioners
Take-up of retirement pension cannot be calculated accurately. However, 98 per cent. of pensioner benefit units were in receipt of some state pension in 2004-05. Those not receiving may include pensioners deferring their state pension or misreporting their income when asked.
Estimates of take-up of pension credit and minimum income guarantee administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), as well as local authority administered housing benefit and council tax benefit, can be found in the DWP publication series entitled: “Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up”. Latest estimates of pension credit relate to the year 2004-05; the most recent take-up results for all the other benefits relate to 2003-04. Copies of the latest publications, which describe patterns in take-up since 1997-98, together with past reports, are available in the Library.
Information on the take-up of other benefits is not available.
Pensions Act
The information is as follows:
(a) 16 sets of regulations implementing the Pensions Act 2004 and due to take effect from April 2006 have been made and laid on behalf of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
These are listed as follows:
Regulations that came into force on 28 March 2006:
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Cross-Border) Regulations 2006 (amendment).
Regulations that came into force on 1 April 2006:
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Pension Protection Levy and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Fraud Compensation Levy) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Levies) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Valuation of the Pension Protection Fund) Regulations 2006.
Regulations that came into force on 6 April 2006:
The Pension Protection Fund (Administration of Compensation) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Compensation) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Entry Rules) (Amendments) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Assumption of Responsibility, Discharge of Liabilities and Equal Treatment) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Reviewable Matters) and (Review and Reconsideration of Reviewable Matters) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Provision of Information) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Member Nominated Trustees and Directors) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Modification of Subsisting Rights) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Trustees' Knowledge and Understanding) Regulations 2006
The Occupational and Personal Pensions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Payments to Employer) Regulations 2006.
The draft Occupational Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations, which were published for consultation in September 2005, have not yet been laid.
In the light of comments received during consultation on the draft Occupational Pension Schemes (Exemption) Regulations 2006, we have decided not to proceed with those regulations.
Regulations on the subject of contracting out have been taken forward in a HM Revenue and Customs Order.
(b) The following codes of practice, issued by the Pensions Regulator in respect of the Pensions Act 2004, are in force from 30 May 2006:
Late Payments (Money Purchase)
Late Payments (Personal Pension)
Trustees Knowledge and Understanding
Reasonable Periods in Disclosure
Early Leavers
Member Nominated Trustees/Member Nominated Directors was laid in its final form on 13 July 2006.
The following codes of practice are currently being developed:
Modification of Past Rights
Internal Controls.
Pensions White Paper
Under our reforms, more people will be receiving state pensions based on their national insurance records, and there will be a more generous basic state pension due to the restoration of the earnings link. This provides a solid foundation for private saving. Incentives are further enhanced by reducing the growth of the savings credit.
The following table shows the difference between the number of pensioner households projected to be receiving savings credit in each year requested under the current system projected forward and under the proposals contained in the White Paper “Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system”. These figures do not take into account the effects of introducing personal accounts, which should lead to lower proportions of older people being eligible for pension credit.
Number of pensioner households that may receive savings credit under the current system projected forward (million) Number of pensioner households that may receive savings credit under the white paper proposals (million) Difference 2010 2.40 2.05 0.35 2020 3.00 1.85 1.15 2030 4.00 1.60 2.40 2040 5.05 1.60 3.40 2050 6.15 1.70 4.45 Notes: 1. Projections of numbers receiving savings credit in the future are subject to a range of uncertainties and a number of factors including policies on uprating different benefits, and assumptions on rates of take-up. 2. The assumptions applied here are consistent with those that underpin published long-run expenditure projections, and are applied to projections of the number of pensioner households estimated to be eligible for the savings credit. 3. The projections of recipients of the savings credit under the current system and the reform proposals are calculated by applying assumed rates of take-up, care should be taken when interpreting these projections. In particular data deficiencies make it difficult to be confident in the split between the number of people who may be in receipt of only the guarantee credit and those who may be in receipt of both the guarantee credit and the savings credit. Also the projections are sensitive to the assumed take-up rates. 4. Estimates of the proportion of pensioner households eligible to the savings credit are the mid-points of projections taken from two separate micro-simulation models. Modelling of the reform proposals does not assume any increase in private saving from the introduction of personal accounts, which would further reduce the numbers eligible for the savings credit. 5. The projections of the number and proportion of pensioner households eligible for the savings credit are sensitive to modelling assumptions and to projected changes in the distribution of pensioner incomes. 6. The projections of the number of pensioner households eligible for the savings credit are derived from the projected proportions eligible and projections of the number of pensioner households in Great Britain. 7. The reform projections assume: continued earnings uprating of the standard guarantee credit; the savings credit maximum is uprated by earnings from 2008 and then by prices from 2015; earnings uprating of the basic state pension from 2012; measures to improve coverage of the basic state pension described in the White Paper. 8. The projections under the current system assume that basic state pension is uprated in line with prices and the standard guarantee credit with earnings each year. It should be noted that there is a government commitment to uprate the standard guarantee credit with earnings until 2008. Treasury projections for the current system assume price uprating of the standard guarantee credit beyond 2008. 9. Estimates are calibrated to the mid-points of the 2004-05 National Statistics range estimates of non-eligibility to pension credit, which adjust 2004-05 Family Resources Survey data to take account of possible biases in reporting. Although the estimates here are not presented as ranges, they are subject to a margin of uncertainty. 10. The projections are rounded to the nearest 50,000. Totals are rounded separately so components may not sum to totals.
People Living in Poverty
The following table shows the number of all individuals living in households which are situated in either rural or urban areas of England and with household incomes below the 60 per cent. threshold of the contemporary median. The threshold of 60 per cent. of median household income is the most commonly used in reporting trends in low income. The figures are on a before and after housing costs basis for the years 1996-97 to 2004-05. The urban/rural marker information is not available on a consistent basis on the data for Scotland and Wales.
Before housing costs After housing costs Total number of all individuals (million) Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural 1997-98 Number (million). Below 60 per cent. median 6.5 2.2 8.7 2.7 133.8 114.0 Number per 1,000. Below 60 per cent. median 190 150 260 200 1— 1— 1998-99 Number (million). Below 60 per cent. median 6.4 2.2 8.6 2.8 234.5 213.6 Number per 1,000. Below 60 per cent. median 190 160 250 210 2— 2— 1999-2000 Number (million). Below 60 per cent. median 6.4 2.1 8.6 2.7 334.5 313.7 Number per 1,000. Below 60 per cent. median 180 150 250 200 3— 3— 2000-01 Number (million). Below 60 per cent. median 6.1 2.0 8.3 2.6 434.4 414.0 Number per 1,000. Below 60 per cent. median 180 140 240 190 4— 4— 2001-02 Number (million). Below 60 per cent. median 6.1 2.0 8.1 2.5 534.9 513.7 Number per 1,000. Below 60 per cent. median 170 150 230 180 5— 5— 2002-03 Number (million). Below 60 per cent. median 6.2 2.0 8.1 2.4 634.9 613.9 Number per 1,000. Below 60 per cent. median 180 140 230 180 6— 6— 2003-04 Number (million). Below 60 per cent. median 6.0 2.1 7.7 2.7 733.8 715.2 Number per 1,000. Below 60 per cent. median 180 140 230 180 7— 7— 2004-05 Number (million). Below 60 per cent. median 5.9 1.9 7.5 2.4 834.2 815.0 Number per 1,000. Below 60 per cent. median 170 130 220 160 8— 8— 1 Total 2 Total 3 Total 4 Total 5 Total 6 Total 7 Total 8 Total Source: Households Below Average Income (HBAI). The main source for HBAI is the Family Resources Survey (FRS).
Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is detailed in "Households Below Average Income (HBAI) 1994-95 to 2004-05", which is available in the Library. The main source for HBAI is the Family Resources Survey (FRS).
The standard measurement of low income is a household with income below 60 per cent. of the GB median.
The data source does not allow us to provide robust estimates below a regional level. Therefore estimates for numbers of adults or children living in low income in the Peterborough constituency or the Peterborough city council area in each year since 1997 are not available.
Before housing costs After housing costs 1995-96 to 1997-98 16 22 1996-97 to 1998-99 16 22 1997-98 to 1999-00 16 21 1998-99 to 2000-01 16 21 1999-2000 to 2001-02 16 20 2000-01 to 2002-03 16 20 2001-02 to 2003-04 16 19 2002-03 to 2004-05 15 19 Note: Figures are provided using a three-year moving averages, as single-year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year on year changes. Hence, figures are not consistent with previously published single-year estimates and there may be differences in changes over time. Source: FRS
Before housing costs After housing costs 1995-96 to 1997-98 23 32 1996-97 to 1998-99 24 33 1997-98 to 1999-00 24 32 1998-99 to 2000-01 22 32 1999-2000 to 2001-02 21 31 2000-01 to 2002-03 20 29 2001-02 to 2003-04 20 29 2002-03 to 2004-05 20 28 Note: Figures are provided using a three-year moving averages, as single-year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year on year changes. Hence, figures are not consistent with previously published single-year estimates and there may be differences in changes over time. Source: FRS
Safety at Work
Available information via reports to HSE under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) in 2004-05 revealed 19 injuries to workers where reports mentioned the term “sulphuric acid” but no injuries mentioning “methyl bromide”. Of these injuries, 13 were recorded as burns and four as asphyxiations or poisonings. This information from RIDDOR is limited by significant under-reporting of relevant cases to HSE and local authorities.
Since 2000, there have been a small number of reports of cases of ill health resulting from occupational exposure to sulphuric acid or methyl bromide by consultant occupational and NHS physicians reporting to The Health and Occupation Reporting (THOR) network, a voluntary reporting scheme for work-related illness sponsored by the Health and Safety Executive. These are described in the following table. THOR will record only those cases where the individual has access to an occupational physician or which are serious enough to be referred for hospital assessment. Many clinicians reporting to the network do so only one month in twelve, meaning that only a proportion of all cases will be recorded.
Agent Illness or injury Number of reported cases Sulphuric acid Asthma 3 Cough 1 Inhalation accident 1 Burn 1 Methyl bromide “Poisoning” 3
Seasonal Unemployment
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1609W.
Stakeholder Pensions
We will continue to provide public information in order to help individuals make informed choices about saving for a pension, including information about stakeholder pensions.
Statutory Instruments
On three occasions in the Committee's fourth, twenty-second and twenty-fifth reports.
Sure Start Maternity Grant
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
Number of awards 2001-02 172,130 2002-03 199,010 2003-04 204,310 2004-05 203,480 2005-06 205,750 2006-07 to 30 June 49,890
Number of awards 2001-02 2,930 2002-03 to 31 October 1,980
Sure Start maternity grants for area covered by Tees Valley Jobcentre Plus DistrictNumber of awards2002-03 from 1 November1,6102003-044,1402004-053,8402005-064,0602006-07 to 30 June990 Notes:1. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency but only by JobcentrePlus District, and, before Jobcentre Plus Districts were used for theadministration of the social fund, by social fund district.2. Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland parliamentary constituency used to be part of Tees social fund district and is now part of Tees Valley Jobcentre Plus District. The latter was formed in November 2002 by merging part of Durham social fund district with Tees social fund district. Thus data in the third table is not comparable with that in the second table.3. Figures are for all awards, irrespective of whether the award was made to the mother or her partner.4. Some women will have received more than one sure start maternity grant since 2001-02.5. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System
Unclaimed Benefits
Information is not available broken down below national level. For the available information I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave my right hon. Friend the Member for North Tyneside (Mr. Byers) on 3 March 2006, Official Report, column 1034W.
We are keen that everybody claims the benefits to which they are entitled. The Department for Work and Pensions works closely with local authorities and other organisations to ensure that people understand their entitlement and claim the appropriate benefits.
Deputy Prime Minister
Background Reading
I am provided with the publications necessary to enable me to fulfil my ministerial duties.
Casinos
On the company’s website, AEG are described as “sports and entertainment presenters.”
Gambling (Government Policy)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) on 19 July 2006, Official Report, column 302.
Ministerial Meetings
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created in June 2002. Information prior to this time is not available. Since that time, I have not had any meetings with the persons named.
Ministerial Office and Staff
[holding answer 13 July 2006]: None.
My office in 26 Whitehall has not been decorated since I moved into it in September 2002.
Ministerial Responsibilities
I do not have any responsibility for the implementation of policy in relation to the international slave trade. However, the hon. Member may be aware that I chair the 2007 Bicentenary Advisory Group, which brings together stakeholders from across the cultural, faith and community sectors to discuss how best we can maximise their organisations’ contributions to the bicentenary.
Ministerial Visits
The number of visits I have made to each of the English regions in the past 12 months is shown in the table.
Number of visits North West 3 North East 1 Yorkshire and the Humber 6 East Midlands 2 East of England 1 West Midlands 0 South East 1 South West 4 London 4
Nuclear Waste
I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to such discussions, including Cabinet and its committees, is generally not disclosed, as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Official Visit
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands) on 19 July 2006, Official Report, column 301W.
Planning
Responsibility for planning policy rests with the Department for Communities and Local Government.
I chair the Cabinet Committee on Housing and Planning. The chair of a Cabinet Committee must act in a neutral way if the system is to work effectively. Departments’ views are represented by their own Ministers who attend the meetings.
Northern Ireland
Charities Commissioners
On 17 July I launched a public consultation about proposed new Northern Ireland charities legislation which will, inter alia, set up a Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. The 12 week consultation process will close on 13 October 2006. Following this the responses will be considered and where feasible account will be taken of these but we must ensure that we put in place adequate regulation and governance arrangements.
It is then the intention to present the draft Order for consideration by Parliament in November 2006. It is intended subject to the will of Parliament:
to have legislation approved early in 2007;
to enable the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland to be established by mid-2007;and
to enable the Northern Ireland Register of Charities to reach initial operational capability by end-2007.
Concessionary Fares
The Northern Ireland concessionary fares scheme currently provides half fare travel on public transport for all children up to the 30 June after they become 16, that is, until the end of their period of compulsory attendance at school. On 26 June 2006, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland launched a review of the scheme. This review will consider the feasibility and desirability of options for extending the provision of concessionary travel to additional categories, such as pupils returning to school in the sixth form.
Departmental IT Systems
The following table gives information on IT projects costing in excess of £1 million within the Northern Ireland Office Core, its agencies, the Bloody Sunday Inquiry and the Northern Ireland legal offices (Director of Public Prosecutions and Crown Solicitors Office).
Project Purpose Amount spent (£ million ex. VAT) Cost of over run (£ million ex. VAT) Time of over run 1997 — — — — — 1998 — — — — — 1999 OASIS Y2K Refresh To upgrade NIO departmental infrastructure and make it Y2K compliant 2.2 None None . 1999 COMPASS (to 2002) To provide an e-human resources system for the Northern Ireland Prison Service 5 0.06 3 months 2000 TARIFF (to 2004) To provide office automation and an electronic claim processing system for criminal injuries compensation in Northern Ireland 2 0.2 1 year 2001 PRISM (to spring 2006) To provide a prisoner record system for the Northern Ireland Prison Service 7 Project ongoing Project ongoing 2002 (CAUSEWAY (PPP project to 2013) A joint enterprise by criminal justice organisations in Northern Ireland to share information electronically 45 Project ongoing Project ongoing 2003 DPP INFRASTRUCTURE To implement a modern ICT infrastructure for the DPP NI. 1.2 None None 2003 FLAX (to 2005) Replace NIO IT infrastructure, provide Internet and intranet and meet electronic document and records management targets 8.5 None None 2004 — — — — — 1998 Bloody Sunday Inquiry-Londonderry and London Implementation of IT systems to support the work of the Inquiry. 1.1 None None 1999 Bloody Sunday Inquiry-Londonderry and London Implementation of IT systems to support the work of the Inquiry 1.6 None None 2000 Bloody Sunday Inquiry-Londonderry and London Implementation of IT systems to support the work of the Inquiry 7.2 None None 2001 Bloody Sunday Inquiry-Londonderry and London Implementation of IT systems to support the work of the Inquiry 5.8 None None 2002 Bloody Sunday Inquiry-Londonderry and London Implementation of IT systems to support the work of the Inquiry 7.1 None None 2003 Bloody Sunday Inquiry-Londonderry and London Implementation of IT systems to support the work of the Inquiry 5 None None 2004 Bloody Sunday Inquiry-Londonderry and London Implementation of IT systems to support the work of the Inquiry 2.6 None None 2005 Bloody Sunday Inquiry-Londonderry and London Implementation of IT systems to support the work of the Inquiry 3.7 None None
Departmental Staff
Recruitment Service of the Department of Finance and Personnel has responsibility for providing a vetting service for all employees appointed to the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS).
The vetting process for all prospective appointees to the NICS includes a number of levels which will be determined by the nature of the duties the appointee is required to carry out. Approximately 95 per cent. of all appointees are required to satisfy a Basic Check level which consists of an identification check as well as a Criminal Record Check (CRC). The CRC, which is undertaken by the Criminal Records Division of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), identifies all instances where an individual has either been convicted of an offence or where a criminal case is pending.
A small number of posts within the NICS may require enhanced vetting. In addition to those checks carried out under Basic Check, enhanced vetting, which is undertaken by the NI Security and Vetting Unit of the NIO, includes an assessment of an applicant's credit and pecuniary history and an assessment of the individual as a security risk.
Recruitment Service does not have any direct links, or liaise in any way, with foreign law enforcement agencies, when vetting prospective recruits.
The figures for those employed by Northern Ireland Civil Service Departments within the years and the categories specified are contained within the following table.
Classification EU Non-EU EU Non-EU EU Non-EU EU Non-EU EU Non-EU Department DARD 6 2 11 1 15 4 27 8 13 1 DCAL 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 DE 0 0 2 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 DEL 5 2 3 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 DETI 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 DFP 12 4 11 3 10 4 11 4 4 3 DHSSPS 2 0 2 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 DOE 0 0 3 2 7 2 21 3 11 2 DRD 5 1 13 1 11 2 8 0 1 1 DSD 18 8 15 3 15 2 18 3 11 3 OFMDFM 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 NIO 1 1 0 1 2 0 1 1 1 0 Total 53 18 60 11 69 16 89 20 46 11
Domestic Rates
The simulated average district rate for 2006-07 is 0.00258 or £2.58 per £1,000 of capital value, while the regional rate is simulated to be 0.00340 or £3.40 per £,000 of capital value. This gives an overall average rate of 0.00598 or £5.98 per £1,000 of capital value. This estimate simulates what domestic rates would have been in 2006-07 had capital values been in place. Individual district rates are shown in the table.
District rate (pence) Regional rate (pence) Total rate (pence) Total rate per £1,000 of CV Antrim 0.00282 0.00340 0.00622 6.22 Ards 0.00241 0.00340 0.00581 5.81 Armagh 0.00305 0.00340 0.00645 6.45 Ballymena 0.00258 0.00340 0.00599 5.99 Ballymoney 0.00257 0.00340 0.00598 5.98 Banbridge 0.00293 0.00340 0.00634 6.34 Belfast 0.00234 0.00340 0.00575 5.75 Carrickfergus 0.00280 0.00340 0.00620 6.20 Castlereagh 0.00178 0.00340 0.00518 5.18 Coleraine 0.00239 0.00340 0.00579 5.79 Cookstown 0.00237 0.00340 0.00578 5.78 Craigavon 0.00322 0.00340 0.00662 6.62 Derry 0.00320 0.00340 0.00660 6.60 Down 0.00275 0.00340 0.00615 6.15 Dungannon 0.00221 0.00340 0.00561 5.61 Fermanagh 0.00200 0.00340 0.00540 5.40 Larne 0.00307 0.00340 0.00648 6.48 Limavady 0.00300 0.00340 0.00640 6.40 Lisburn 0.00223 0.00340 0.00563 5.63 Magherafelt 0.00214 0.00340 0.00555 5.55 Moyle 0.00303 0.00340 0.00643 6.43 Newry and Mourne 0.00267 0.00340 0.00607 6.07 Newtownabbey 0.00274 0.00340 0.00615 6.15 North Down 0.00213 0.00340 0.00554 5.54 Omagh 0.00308 0.00340 0.00648 6.48 Strabane 0.00287 0.00340 0.00627 6.27 Northern Ireland 0.00258 0.00340 0.00598 5.98 Notes: 1. Based on VLA domestic revaluation data at 26 May 2006. 2. Missing or zero capital values are omitted. 3. Rates based on 2006-07 rate revenues. 4. Simulates what domestic rates would have been in 2006-07 had capital values been in place. 5. For example, the average bill for a domestic property valued at £112,000 would be: 112,000 x 0.00598 = £669.80.
The average rate bill for domestic properties in Northern Ireland in 2007-08 is estimated at £705. This figure takes into account the planned 6 per cent. increase in the regional rate between 2006-07 and 2007-08, but also assumes that the district rate set by councils will also increase by an average of 6 per cent. during this time.
The following table the information for each district council in Northern Ireland. Again, these assume that both regional and district rates will increase by 6 per cent. in 2007-08.
£ Antrim 736 Ards 789 Armagh 724 Ballymena 678 Ballymoney 655 Banbridge 721 Belfast 699 Carrickfergus 661 Castlereagh 719 Coleraine 747 Cookstown 680 Craigavon 635 Down 771 Fermanagh 589 Larne 625 Limavady 668 Lisburn 737 Derry 668 Magherafelt 641 Moyle 776 Newry and Mourne 755 Newtownabby 687 North Down 901 Omagh 661 Strabane 564 Northern Ireland 705
It should also be noted that none of the estimates given take account of those households which will be in receipt of any of the domestic rate reliefs which will be available, such as housing benefit, the new rate relief scheme or transitional relief.
The average domestic rate liability for properties in Northern Ireland in 2006-07, combining both regional and district rates, is estimated at £668.
The following table provides the information for each district council in Northern Ireland.
These estimates show only the average rate liability for properties, as information is not available on the level of housing benefit that each household may receive.
Average domestic rate liability 2006-07 (£) Antrim 667 Ards 672 Armagh 689 Ballymena 663 Ballymoney 651 Banbridge 721 Belfast 580 Carrickfergus 671 Castlereagh 604 Coleraine 700 Cookstown 601 Craigavon 665 Down 690 Dungannon 563 Fermanagh 533 Larne 623 Limavady 662 Lisburn 667 Derry 661 Magherafelt 606 Movie 705 Newry and Mourne 658 Newtownabbey 670 North Down 761 Omagh 650 Strabane 571 Northern Ireland 668
Domestic rates consist of two elements, the Regional Rate, set by the Secretary of State on a uniform basis across Northern Ireland, and the district rate, set separately by each district council relevant to the location of the property The current estimates of total revenue to be raised from domestic rates in 2006-07 and 2007-08 are detailed in the table as follows.
£ million 1Regional rate 2District rate 2006-07 248.7 197.4 2007-08 269.9 Not yet available 1 Based on domestic Regional Rate increases of 19 per cent. in 2006-07 and 6 per cent. in 2007-08 as set out in Northern Ireland Priorities and Budget 2006-08. 2 District councils set their rate in February of the preceding year so figure for 2007-08 not yet available.
These estimates will be subject to revision as information is updated.
The expected change in the regional domestic rate levy for 2007-08 is £21.2 million. The estimated changes in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2005-06 are £42.1 million and £26.3 million respectively.
Driving Tests
Average waiting times for practical driving tests during week ending 15 July 2006 for each test centre are shown in the following table.
Test centre Average waiting time (weeks) Armagh 5 Ballymena 5 Belfast 2 Coleraine 6 Cookstown 6 Craigavon 4 Downpatrick 8 Enniskillen 7 Lame 10 Lisburn 5 Londonderry 2 Newry 8 Newtownards 8 Omagh 10 Overall average 6
Information on the number of individual candidates involved is not available. However, details of the number of tests conducted in the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2006 are as follows.
Centre Tests conducted Failed first test Passed first test Armagh 4,329 2,870 1,459 Ballymena 11,441 9,060 2,381 Belfast (Balmoral Road) 12,243 9,680 2,563 Belfast (Dill Road) 8,203 6,510 1,693 Coleraine 9,686 7,042 2,644 Cookstown 10,665 7,446 3,219 Craigavon 12,147 8,328 3,819 Downpatrick 6,077 3,722 2,355 Enniskillen 4,728 2,897 1,831 Lame 11,499 9,147 2,352 Lisburn 7,315 5,855 1,460 Londonderry (New buildings) 2,057 1,343 714 Londonderry (Waterside House) 9,864 7,733 2,131 Newry 8,278 5,410 2,868 Newtownards 8,829 6,098 2,731 Omagh 7,881 5,319 2,562
Drug-related Offences
The information requested is provided as follows. The Police Service of Northern Ireland collates information according to district command unit and cannot supply information broken down by Westminster constituency.
(a) Cannabis (b) Cocaine (c) Crack cocaine DCU 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Antrim 2 1 11 13 3 0 2 1 7 Ards 11 4 8 0 0 1 8 5 7 East Belfast 10 5 5 1 0 5 6 3 3 North Belfast 8 14 8 1 1 5 3 3 5 South Belfast 7 7 8 1 2 4 3 9 6 West Belfast 3 5 5 0 1 0 0 0 4 Carrickfergus 8 3 1 3 2 0 2 3 2 Castlereagh 13 8 1 0 1 1 5 0 3 Larne 9 0 1 0 0 0 4 1 3 Lisburn 16 26 7 3 2 1 9 13 8 Newtownabbey 9 4 8 3 0 0 6 1 1 North Down 14 15 8 4 1 0 7 5 5 Urban 110 92 71 19 13 17 55 44 54 Armagh 3 4 8 1 0 1 5 1 6 Banbridge 9 4 1 0 0 0 5 2 1 Ballymena 11 7 11 0 0 2 4 11 8 Ballymoney 1 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Coleraine 13 10 12 0 1 3 13 15 17 Cookstown 4 1 0 0 4 0 7 11 2 Craigavon 6 7 2 0 4 2 6 4 2 Dungannon 4 2 1 2 0 3 1 1 3 Down 5 1 9 0 0 1 1 5 3 Fermanagh 14 5 6 0 0 2 4 6 3 Foyle 5 5 6 1 2 5 7 10 10 Limavady 4 5 12 0 0 0 5 6 4 Magherafelt 2 7 1 0 0 1 2 2 1 Moyle 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Newry and Mourne 6 1 4 0 1 3 1 1 3 Omagh 4 7 5 0 0 0 1 4 3 Strabane 4 1 3 0 0 2 2 3 1 Rural 95 70 82 5 12 25 64 82 67 Northern Ireland2 205 162 153 24 25 42 119 126 121 1 (c) One person was charged with intent to supply crack cocaine in Antrim DCU in 2003-04. 2 As one person can be charged for supply of several different drug types, the total number of persons charged with intent to supply cannot be derived by adding the totals for cannabis, cocaine and others together. Note: Please note other includes Amphetamine, Steroids, Benzodiazepines, Heroin, LSD, MDMA (Ecstasy), Methadone, Morphine, Psilocin (Magic Mushrooms) and Stanozolol. Should a person be charged with intent to supply more than one of these drug types, they are only included once.
Environmental Management
The Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Strategy, published on 9 May 2006 identifies the implementation of environmental management systems as a mechanism that will reinforce progress made, and being made, in the improvement of the sustainable development profile of the Northern Ireland Government Estate.
Sustainable Development Action Plans are currently being developed by Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office in line with a commitment made in the Sustainable Development Strategy. Each department will set out in its action plan with regard to the implementation of environmental management systems.
It will be for each department to decide which of the available standards such as ISO 14001, EMAS, the European eco audit scheme, etc. is most appropriate for the management of its own estate. A number of Departments have environmental management systems in place, some of these accredited to ISO 14001 and some to other standards.
Greyhounds
Under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972, all animals are protected from unnecessary cruelty or suffering, although there are no specific provisions on the welfare of racing greyhounds.
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (NI) officials are currently finalising a review of animal welfare legislation aimed at identifying measures needed to strengthen powers to deal with animal welfare abuses and will consult stakeholders on proposals for new animal welfare legislation shortly. It is anticipated that the consultation document will include proposals to better regulate the animal welfare aspects of greyhound racing, and stakeholders will be asked to consider what, if any, specific issues might be included in any new legislation to protect the welfare of racing greyhounds.
Language Support
The Education and Library Boards (ELBs) are responsible for ensuring that appropriate support arrangements are in place for children who have significant difficulty with English as an additional language (EAL). The range and nature of language support services available to both primary and secondary schools varies within each ELB area. Some ELBs provide peripatetic teaching staff, some offer schools the opportunity to “buy in” peripatetic services, whilst others provide support through advisers. In addition, some Boards make available interpreting services in certain languages.
The Department of Education provides earmarked funding, which must be used solely for English as an Additional Language (EAL) provision, to the Education and Library Boards. This funding was originally distributed equally across the five Boards but since 2004-05 funding has been distributed on a per capita basis for each EAL pupil recorded in the school census. The funding by ELB by financial year is shown in the following table:
£ Board 2003-04 2004-05 (Allocated gradually) 2005-06 2006-07 BELB 80,000 110,000 159,000 160,000 NEELB 80,000 72,000 92,000 96,000 SEELB 80,000 85,000 112,000 96,000 SELB 80,000 85,000 153,000 177,000 WELB 80,000 58,000 54,000 52,000 Total 400,000 410,000 570,000 581,000
Since 2005-06, funding, additional to that provided to the ELBs, is given direct to schools through the Common Funding Formula. This funding, which is not earmarked, includes an EAL factor that targets resources directly to schools with EAL pupils. The cash value for each EAL pupil identified in the school census was £864 in 2005-06 and £912 in 2006-07. The funding by ELB by financial year is shown in the following table:
£ 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 BELB1 73,000 129,000 432,000 614,000 NEELB — — 287,000 441,000 SEELB — — 344,000 379,000 SELB — — 462,000 885,000 WELB — — 162,000 218,000 Total 73,000 129,000 1,687,000 2,537,000 1 BELB were the only funding authority to distribute resources to schools from an EAL factor within its Local Management Schools formula, prior to the introduction of Common Funding from 2005-06.
In addition, £100,000 has been allocated in 2006-07 and £75,000 in 2007-08 within the Children and Young People's Package for regional interpreting and translation of documents services for teachers, EAL pupils and their parents.
The Department is working with the ELBs to develop a comprehensive policy and a proposal for a regional EAL service.
Local Government Finance
The remuneration for chief executives of district councils is negotiated by the Joint Negotiating Committee for Chief Executives Northern Ireland. Currently their salary scales range from £64,185 to £109,503, however, actual salary costs are not held centrally. The issue of remuneration for the new local government chief executive posts will be considered as part of the process of implementing the Review of Public Administration.
Newly Qualified Teachers
Destination of Leavers from higher education data are collected by HESA six months after graduation but not thereafter, therefore no data are available one year after graduation. Of the 704 teachers who qualified from Northern Ireland higher education institutions in 2004-05 and had Destination of Leavers data returned to HESA, 104 had not gained a teaching professional post six months after graduation.
Out-of-classroom Education
The Department of Education has not carried out any formal assessment of the barriers to effective out-of-classroom education in secondary schools in Northern Ireland. Delivery of the curriculum, including out-of-classroom learning, is a matter for schools to determine, with the support of the Education and Library Boards.
As part of the Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Strategy, Government have already committed to promoting the use of the Education and Library Boards' “Education for Sustainable Development Good Practice Guide” in all schools. This guide includes information on education outside the classroom.
(2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that every secondary school child in Northern Ireland has the opportunity to experience out-of-classroom learning in the natural environment.
The Department of Education specifies the minimum curricular content that schools are required to provide but does not specify how the curriculum should be delivered. It is therefore a matter for schools, with the support of the Education and Library Boards, to determine what out-of-classroom learning opportunities they provide. As part of the Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Strategy, Government have already committed to promoting the use of the Education and Library Boards’ “Education for Sustainable Development Good Practice Guide” in all schools. This guide includes information on education outside the classroom.
There have been no meetings between the Department and the chief executives of the education and library boards, specifically, to discuss the promotion of outdoor learning.
Paediatric Cardiology
[pursuant to the reply, 6 June 2006, Official Report c. 559W]: I am now in a position to provide the information requested.
The number of children awaiting an initial paediatric cardiology assessment in each applicable Health and Social Service Trust at 26 May 2006 is provided in the following table:
Health and Social Service Trust Number of Children waiting for an initial outpatient paediatric cardiology appointment at 26 May 2006 Altnagelvin Group1 39 Causeway 13 Craigavon Area Hospital Group1 84 Royal Group of Hospitals 681 Ulster Community and Hospitals2 96 United Hospitals Group 58 NI Total 971 1 Altnagelvin Group and Craigavon Group trusts provided numbers waiting at 30 April 2006. 2 Subsequent to when this answer was initially prepared, Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust provided numbers waiting at 31 May 2006. Source: Health and Social Services Trusts
Parliamentary Questions
When drafting responses to parliamentary questions, my officials contact whichever bodies are necessary to provide the correct information. These bodies range from government agencies, non-departmental public bodies and other Whitehall departments to outside organisations in receipt of public funds. These contacts can be on a formal or informal basis. Where appropriate, I will ask those bodies with operational autonomy to write to hon. Members in response to parliamentary questions. Apart from those instances, all answers to hon. Member’s questions are cleared at ministerial level.
Pensioners
The information is not available. The Decent Homes Standard applies only to social housing. The Interim House Condition Survey identified 32,000 homes as failing to meet the Standard but did not disaggregate the figures into particular age categories.
While it is currently not possible to specify the exact number of pensioners in Northern Ireland who have home internet access, the most recent NISRA Omnibus Survey (March 2006) indicates that some 11 per cent. of respondents aged 65 and over in Northern Ireland claim to access the internet from home. This rises to 14 per cent. who regularly make use of the internet and 24 per cent. who have access to an internet-enabled PC.
Average weekly expenditure for pensioner households in Northern Ireland on the following commodities/services are as follows:
Expenditure (£) Food and non-alcoholic drinks 24.90 Electricity 6.00 Fuel (other fuels and gas) 10.70 Source: Northern Ireland Expenditure and Food Survey (EPS) 2004-05.
The definition of a pensioner household and the expenditure categories detailed in the table are consistent with those published for the UK, by the Office for National Statistics, in ‘Family Spending: A report on the 2004-05 Expenditure and Food Survey’.
The 2004 Interim House Condition Survey collected fuel poverty information on a Northern Ireland wide basis. Due to the small sample size it is not possible to break down the information into parliamentary constituency or district council area. The Survey did, however, indicate that 54 per cent. (82,310) of fuel poor households are headed by someone aged 60 or over.
It is not possible to provide estimates of pensioners in Northern Ireland who did not take up their eligibility to pension credit and housing benefit.
Benefit uptake
The Social Security Agency (SSA) promotes the range of benefits for pensioners through pension tele-centres in Belfast and Londonderry, the internet, promotional leaflets and regional benefit uptake events. A network of pension advisers is also located in its 35 jobs and benefit offices/social security offices.
The 2005-06 Benefit Uptake Strategy piloted a number of exercises targeting 3,750 pensioners offering them a comprehensive benefit assessment. Of those targeted by the 2005-06 strategy 10 per cent. made successful claims; resulting in £400,000 paid in arrears and an average weekly increase of £30 for each successful customer amounting to additional yearly benefit spend of £575,000.
The 2006-07 expanded programme is targeting 35,000 clients including older people, people with disabilities and carers. Of the 35,000 clients being targeted 33,000 are older people.
The SSA has been working in partnership with the NI Housing Executive (NIHE) to promote uptake of housing benefit (HB) among the elderly. An exercise last year identified those in receipt of pension credit (PC), living in rented accommodation but not receiving HB. 23,765 people were contacted by the Agency and invited to apply for HB with the latest figures indicating 6,071 applications issued, with 3,923 (65 per cent.) having been returned and passed to either the NIHE or Rate Collection Agency for assessment.
All new PC claimants are now also invited to apply for HB when making their claim for PC.
Police
The Department has not queried any details contained in either financial returns or end of year financial reports received from the Northern Ireland Police Fund for the financial year in question.
The total number of senior PSNI officers (inspector rank and above) that have resigned from the service within the period 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2006 is three. This figure includes one chief inspector from Newtownabbey DCU and two inspectors—one from Lisburn DCU and one from Magherafelt.
Recruitment of staff to the Northern Ireland Police Fund is a matter for the fund.
Railway Safety
Translink have advised that there have been six fatalities on the railway lines in Northern Ireland over the last three years.
Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) continually reviews safety with regard to access to railway lines and engages in a wide range of activities to prevent accidents. In this respect NIR recognises that a partnership is required between the public and Translink. By their nature it is not possible to totally separate rail lines from public access as access to and across tracks is required at various defined points.
NIR has spent over £8 million upgrading either half or full barriers at public level crossings in the last five years. CCTV also protects full barrier crossings and the crossings are inspected on a quarterly basis for maintenance purposes. These crossings are also subject to Level Crossing Orders made under the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967. Furthermore, they are also subject to a tripartite annual safety inspection involving NIR, PSNI and Roads Service.
NIR has developed a comprehensive risk model covering all private user accommodation crossings and has a programme of improvements and closures in progress to reduce overall risk. User worked crossings are inspected twice a year with access points, where defined, protected by a number of means including user worked gates and arras boards (planking laid on the ground) to discourage people and animals from going onto the track.
Recycling
Significant progress has been made across all sectors to integrate resource and waste management into the teaching curriculum for Northern Ireland primary schools.
The Environment and Heritage Service (EHS)'s Wake Up to Waste awareness programme is providing targeted resources (including lesson plans, games and activities) for teachers that enable resource and waste management to be tied into the everyday teaching of all key stage groups. In addition, this approach is supplemented by the qualified teachers employed at each of the EHS's Environmental Education Centres across Northern Ireland, who have integrated waste education into their teaching programme.
District councils have waste management education officers, who visit primary schools on a regular basis, raising awareness of how to prevent and recycle waste. In March 2006, EHS launched its Waste Education Resource Pack to provide support, guidance and practical tools for these officers.
Non-governmental organisations funded by EHS also provide education officers to deliver waste education programmes in primary schools throughout Northern Ireland over the next three years.
Redundancy
Redundancy terms for staff employed by the Northern Ireland Police Fund are matters for the fund.
Registered Charities
At present, charities in Northern Ireland are not registered. On 17 July 2006 I launched a public consultation about proposed new Northern Ireland charities legislation which will, inter alia, create a Northern Ireland Register of Charities and require all charities operating in Northern Ireland to register.
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Her Majesty The Queen is advised by the Committee on the grant of honours, decorations and medals on all matters to do with honours and medals. My department has no plans to recommend the introduction of such a medal to the Committee.
Road Safety
The information requested is provided as follows. The Police Service of Northern Ireland collates information according to district command unit and cannot supply information broken down by Westminster constituency.
2003 2004 2005 DCU Pillion Motor cyclist Pedal cyclist Pillion Motor cyclist Pedal cyclist Pillion Motor cyclist Pedal cyclist Antrim 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 1 1 Ards 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Armagh 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 Banbridge 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 East Belfast 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 North Belfast 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 South Belfast 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 West Belfast 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Ballymena 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Ballymoney 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Carrickfergus 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Coleraine 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Cookstown 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Craigavon 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Castlereagh 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Dungannon and South Tyrone 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 Down 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Fermanagh 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 Foyle 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Larne 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Limavady 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Lisburn 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 2 0 Magherafelt 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 Moyle 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Newtownabbey 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 North Down 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 Newry and Mourne 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Omagh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Strabane 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Total 2 20 2 0 22 2 1 14 4
Science Teachers
Since vacancies are identified by boards of governors in accordance with the staffing complement they determine under LMS, the information is not currently held by the Department of Education nor by the relevant employing authorities, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Department of Education will carry out an annual survey of teacher vacancies in schools, the first in the autumn of this year, similar to that undertaken annually by DfES in January each year.
Secondary School Trips
The Department advises schools to carry out a risk assessment when they are planning trips. In 2002 the Department issued comprehensive guidance to schools entitled “Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits”, which was published by the then Department for Education and Employment (DfEE). The Education and Library Boards provided their own guidance to schools in 2004. Both sets of guidance provide advice on carrying out risk assessment, including evaluating potential risks, putting control measures or mitigations in place and informing all relevant people.
Sports Facilities
The Department of Education does not collect information on the amount of time schools allocate to any area within the curriculum, therefore the information requested is not available. It is a matter for individual schools to determine how much time they allocate to any subject but the Department has advised schools to provide at least two hours of physical education, including sport, each week.
The Government recognise the importance of physical activity for the long-term health and wellbeing of the community. Therefore physical education is, and will remain, a compulsory part of the Northern Ireland curriculum.
Sustainable Buildings
A number of steps are being taken to ensure newly built public buildings in NI use energy efficient measures. These are:
(i) A revision to the NI Building Regulations will apply from the end of November 2006. This will mean an improvement of around 40 per cent. on current energy standards.
(ii) The Achieving Excellence Agenda for Construction. Under this agenda, a Policy Framework for Construction Procurement has been developed and implemented. The policy framework requires that, for all new Government buildings, energy efficiency measures over and above those required by the building regulations should be considered. These measures include low carbon design, energy targets, whole life costing and energy efficiency and management. In addition all new Government buildings should minimise energy used in construction and should aim to achieve a rating of Excellent using the Building Research Establishment Environment Assessment Method (BREEAM).
Tolerance Promotion
The Government's Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland and A Shared Future (Policy and Strategic Framework for Good Relations in Northern Ireland) provides the framework for Government and wider civic society to combat racism and sectarianism and to promote good relations. Both are supported by action plans which set out the practical steps to be taken by Government Departments and their agencies to promote racial equality and good relations.
In addition, the Criminal Justice (No2) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 “hate crime” deals with crimes motivated or aggravated by hatred based on race, religion, disability or sexual orientation. This legislation gives courts the power to increase prison sentences if it is proven that crimes are motivated by hatred.
Tourism
The Northern Ireland Tourist Board's (NITB) Tourism Barometer implemented in June indicates a good 2006 performance to date by all tourism business sectors and a positive outlook for the summer period. Accommodation occupancy surveys also support evidence of a positive start to the year. 2006 visitor number forecasts for the full year are not yet available. The table indicates the number of visitors in the last three years.
Number 2005 1,972,000 2004 1,985,000 2003 1,896,000
Untaxed Vehicles
A nationwide Vehicle Excise Duty Evasion Survey was undertaken by the Department for Transport during June 2005. The results showed that the vehicle excise evasion rate in traffic in Northern Ireland had fallen from 7.2 per cent. in the 2004 survey to 5.4 per cent. in 2005.
Although 52,552 vehicles were surveyed in Northern Ireland, the sample size was insufficient to calculate a precise figure of evasion in vehicle stock. However, based on the in traffic evasion rate measured in the survey, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland estimates that the number of untaxed vehicles on Northern Ireland roads is approximately 50,000.
Another Vehicle Excise Evasion Survey has been carried out in June 2006 and it is anticipated that the results will be available in the autumn.
The number of untaxed vehicles clamped/seized from the roads in Northern Ireland in each of the last five operational years is:
Number 2001-02 413 2002-03 2,872 2003-04 1,435 2004-05 1,899 2005-06 5,343
Vocational Training
The Jobskills programme provides the guarantee of a training place for all 16 and 17-year-old school leavers wishing to avail of the opportunity for vocational training. It is not possible to split the data between 16 and 17-year-olds, however, in the 2004-05 financial year, 6,985 16 and 17-year-olds commenced the Jobskills programme.
Water Tax
(2) what the latest estimate is of the average water tax bill per dwelling that will be paid in 2007-08 in (a) Northern Ireland as a whole and (b) each district in Northern Ireland.
The currently available capital value data enable information to be provided on the estimated average unmeasured bills for properties throughout Northern Ireland and within each local government district. The variable charge element of the bill is based on property capital value.
The data in the following table show the estimated charges that would be payable in 2007-08—this is one-third of the full charge because charges are being phased in over three years from 1 April 2007.
Water charge Sewerage charge Standing Average variable Total water Standing Average variable Total sewerage Overall total water and sewerage charges Northern Ireland 17 34 50 18 36 54 104 Antrim 17 31 48 18 31 50 98 Ards 17 38 54 18 40 58 112 Armagh 17 32 49 18 30 49 98 Ballymena 17 32 49 18 33 51 100 Ballymoney 17 30 47 18 31 50 97 Banbridge 17 32 49 18 31 49 98 Belfast 17 34 50 18 38 55 105 Carrickfergus 17 30 47 18 33 52 99 Castlereagh 17 39 56 18 43 62 118 Coleraine 17 36 53 18 40 58 111 Cookstown 17 34 51 18 35 53 105 Craigavon 17 27 44 18 28 47 91 Derry 17 28 45 18 31 49 94 Down 17 35 52 18 36 54 107 Dungannon 17 33 50 18 34 52 102 Fermanagh 17 32 49 18 32 51 100 Larne 17 27 44 18 28 47 91 Limavady 17 29 46 18 30 48 95 Lisburn 17 37 53 18 38 56 109 Magherafelt 17 33 50 18 35 53 104 Moyle 17 34 51 18 36 54 105 Newry and Mourne 17 36 53 18 36 54 107 Newtownabbey 17 31 48 18 34 53 101 North Down 17 44 61 18 48 66 127 Omagh 17 30 47 18 30 48 95 Strabane 17 25 42 18 26 44 87 Note: Totals might not add up due to rounding.
Constitutional Affairs
1901 Census
The National Archives has not released sections of the 1901 Census in the last 12 months.
The whole of the 1901 Census was released to the public in January 2002.
Adoption Placements
The average time taken to obtain a court date from the time of application in adoption cases over the last two financial years is as follows:
Weeks 2004-05 4.65 2005-06 6.02
Weeks 2004-05 5.56 2005-06 5.71
Coroners
There are measures in the draft Coroners Bill which will assist coroners to operate more effectively, in particular the appointment of a Chief Coroner to provide national leadership and to introduce national standards, including on the timely hearing of inquests. The Chief Coroner will have oversight of the workload of coroners and, subject to the views of relatives and other interested parties and taking account of the requirements of the new coroners charter for bereaved people, he or she will be able to reallocate cases to reduce the length of time it takes for an investigation to be completed. The Chief Coroner will make an annual report to the Lord Chancellor on the performance of the coroner system and, in turn, the Lord Chancellor will ensure the report is laid before Parliament. A Coronial Advisory Council will also be appointed to provide advice, and make recommendations, to the Chief Coroner and Lord Chancellor on any matters relating to the operation of the coroner system.
In the event that a complainant is unable to resolve the matter with the coroner, a complaint about the personal conduct of a coroner can be made to the Office for Judicial Complaints. Coroners were brought into the remit of the disciplinary provisions of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 on 3 April 2006. Regulations made under the Act, entitled “Judicial Discipline (Prescribed Procedures) Regulations 2006”, set out the responsibilities of the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice, and the Office for Judicial Complaints, with regard to the handling of complaints and the discipline of judicial office holders. Further information is available on the website of the Office for Judicial Complaints, at www.judicialcomplaints.gov.uk.
Where a member of the public wishes to challenge a judicial decision made by a coroner, this must be pursued through the court process. The draft Coroners Bill provides for new appeal arrangements which will make it easier for the public to seek review of coroners' decisions, relating to both an investigation and an inquest. The procedure for complaining about coroners' personal conduct will remain the same.
Correspondence
The right hon. the Baroness Ashton of Upholland wrote to the hon. Member on 28 April 2006 in response to his letter of 14 March 2006 to the Foreign Secretary. I apologise that the letter of 28 April omitted to say that the letter of 14 March was transferred to my Department for reply.
Courts Service
(2) what consultation was carried out prior to the decision to amalgamate the Dorset Courts Board with the Wiltshire Courts Board and the Gloucestershire Courts Board from October; and what the effect of the restructuring will be upon the Courts Service in Dorset;
(3) how many people are employed by the Courts Service in (a) Dorset, (b) Gloucestershire and (c) Wiltshire; and how many jobs will be lost in each county as a result of the restructuring in October.
The budget allocation for FY 2006-07 is: Dorset—£7.647 million; Gloucestershire—£5.644 million; and Wiltshire—£6.620 million. Re-structuring will not be completed until 31 March 2007 and no changes will be made to the FY2006-07 budget allocations for these three areas as a result of the re-structuring exercise. The appropriate budget allocation for the new amalgamated Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire area will be determined in due course as part of the annual financial planning cycle.
Under the provisions of the Courts Act 2003, Section 4, the Lord Chancellor may make orders altering the HMCS areas but, before doing so, must consult any Courts Board(s) affected. This process has been invoked and each of the existing Court Boards have been invited to express their views by 31 July 2006. It is anticipated that the separate Courts Boards for Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire will continue to operate in their current form until the end of FY 2006-07. Meanwhile, arrangements will be made to select members for a new single Courts Board which will correspond to the amalgamated Dorset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire area. This will be done in close liaison with the Chairmen and Members of the existing bodies. Delivery of the service to court users in Dorset (as with Gloucestershire and Wiltshire) will not be affected by the re-structuring, and support to the judiciary at bench and court level will remain as it is now.
The number of people employed by Her Majesty’s Courts Service in the three areas (expressed as full-time equivalents) as at June 2006 is: Dorset—219; Gloucestershire—163; and Wiltshire—193. While the precise management structure for the amalgamated area cannot be determined until a new Area Director has been appointed in October 2006, it is likely that re-structuring will directly affect only a very small number of senior management posts and those more junior staff who directly support them, leaving the courts operational staff unaffected. It is anticipated that this will be achieved through a combination of redeployment, natural wastage and targeted voluntary redundancy. Trades Unions will be consulted, at every stage.
Departmental Staff
The statistics requested are as at 31 December 2005 in the following tables. Declaration of a disability is voluntary and the statistics are therefore based on the number of respondents to a confidential questionnaire, which all staff are asked to complete, and not total staff.
Staff from the 42 former magistrates courts areas were transferred into DCA in April 2005. They operate different terms and conditions, including grade structures, which do not map into known government grades. For that reason figures have been shown separately and can only be presented as an overall figure.
Percentage Government grade Female Male Declared disability AA 62.84 37.16 4.95 AO 69.55 30.45 4.41 EO 68.47 31.53 3.50 EO(h)/HEO(l) 48.44 51.56 3.97 HEO 61.47 38.53 4.33 SEO 51.53 48.47 3.21 G7 49.38 50.62 3.53 G6 43.00 57.00 1.93 SCS 36.36 63.64 1.30 Grand total 64.57 35.43 4.13
Percentage Government grade Female Male Declared disability All 70.99 29.01 1.33
Digital Documents
The National Archives is working with the Government’s Chief Technical Officers (CTO) Council to address the problem of the survival of electronic records with a mid and long-term value across Government.
The National Archives has implemented a Digital Preservation Programme to ensure the long-term preservation of documents held in digital form. It has established
a Digital Archive facility, in which it preserves a wide range of electronic records transferred by Government departments;
a Web Archiving Programme to preserve government websites of long-term value;
the National Digital Archive of Datasets to preserve historically significant datasets created over the past thirty years.
Dr. David Kelly
There has been one meeting between my officials and one of the newly appointed assistant deputy coroners of the Oxfordshire jurisdiction to discuss progress on the inquests into those who have died in the Iraq conflict.
Family Courts
The information requested is not collected.
(2) when she last met the President of the Family Division.
Since being appointed as Minister for Family Justice, I have discussed openness of the family courts with a wide range of stakeholders. Members of the judiciary included:
Sir Mark Potter, President, and Lord Justice Thorpe;
Mr. Justice Ryder;
Mrs. Justice Black and Mr. Justice McFarlane;
District Judge (Magistrates Courts) Crichton; and
Margaret Wilson JP.
I have also visited Wells Street and Croydon family proceedings courts where I met a number of magistrates; and I have spoken at the President's Conference, which was attended by 97 members of the judiciary, and to the Greater London Family Panel, which was attended by 90 members of the judiciary.
I last met the President of the Family Division on 3 July 2006.
FOI Officers
On 5 June 2006, my Department published guidance on examining the key differences between the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI Act). This guidance was specifically designed to assist freedom of information officers in recognising circumstances in which they should apply the EIRs rather than the FOI Act. The guidance is called “EIR/FOI Boundaries Guidance” and can be found at www.foigov.uk. My Department and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs continue to provide advice and assistance to Departments on the interpretation of the FOI Act and the EIRs.
Gravestones
The Local Government Ombudsmen's special report on memorial safety in local authority cemeteries was a helpful and timely reminder to local authorities that it should normally be unnecessary to lay down large numbers of gravestones.
The Government are considering what further advice and guidance it may be appropriate to issue on this matter.
Home Repossession
The following table shows the number of mortgage possession orders made in all London county courts since 1987.
The civil procedure rules state that all claims for the repossession of land must be commenced in the district in which the land is situated. However, county courts’ jurisdictions are not coterminous with London borough boundaries, and therefore any single court’s repossession actions are likely to relate to homes in a number of different boroughs.
These figures do not indicate how many houses have been repossessed through the courts, since not all the orders will have resulted in the issue and execution of warrants of possession.
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Brent 349 311 372 272 821 345 332 248 117 Bow 470 724 1832 1614 1974 1046 1183 563 421 Brentford 313 475 568 588 965 779 445 273 236 Bromley 401 461 557 405 811 486 447 340 285 Central London 0 0 0 0 0 585 885 585 537 Clerkenwell 72 102 96 120 225 353 245 120 221 Croydon 549 357 470 1256 2306 816 672 593 542 Edmonton 509 261 860 682 815 1016 713 369 534 Ilford 172 452 283 386 484 386 319 186 146 Kingston-upon-Thames 161 134 215 479 465 499 369 292 259 Lambeth 203 587 397 505 421 649 337 291 319 Mayors and City 0 0 0 11 4 5 7 3 11 Romford 309 286 425 434 579 412 271 180 202 Shorditch 135 104 145 195 222 256 268 99 120 Uxbridge 302 265 329 697 562 435 407 321 335 Wandsworth 213 193 588 497 607 443 478 375 287 West London 146 133 189 323 380 380 249 168 236 Willesden 440 510 578 1965 1650 1114 943 1635 1095 Woolwich 171 228 268 209 425 395 255 156 143 Bloomsbury 220 358 495 466 643 973 4— 4— 4— Westminster 11 62 54 42 41 36 4— 4— 4— London total 5,146 6,003 8,721 11,146 14,400 11,409 8,825 6,797 6,046
1996199719981999200020012002200320042005Brent1236648115786610097143302Bow520389709662291176248295456817Brentford225103216222138110113124189290Bromley218186164154163103161235271486Central London3038310426524388101162281Clerkenwell6165801043331355978132Croydon485392372301252257254338394644Edmonton365602296175143176206228285553Ilford21613722312712010511593219309Kingston-upon-Thames2832221401388858589194165Lambeth1771391314366117160195311533Mayors and City3022211020Romford137172123119100111118179211445Shorditch11497110285454880113155225Uxbridge2549415919214310810098149227Wandsworth3442061442475996100135187295West London23811575434140406479150Willesden613251332310168155147236255459Woolwich134107889791539696181348 Bloomsbury4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—Westminster4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—London Total4,8133,4263,5163,3622,0731,8542,2202,7773,8216,661 1 Local authority and private.2 The court, following a judicial hearing, may grant an order for possession immediately. This entitles the claimant to apply for a warrant to have the defendant evicted. However, even where a warrant for possession is issued, the parties can still negotiate a compromise to prevent eviction.3 For the years 1987 to 1989, “Suspended orders” were not separately counted. They are thus included in “Orders made”.4 Court closed.
Information Commissioner
I have no plans to make an announcement on the budget for the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The Commissioner's budget is derived from two sources. His data protection work is funded by notification fees payable under the Data Protection Act 1998. His freedom of information work is funded by grant in aid. On 18 April 2006, Baroness Ashton announced to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee that an additional £550,000 in funding would be provided to the ICO. This means that the total grant in aid for the ICO for 2006-07 is £5,550,000.
Legal Aid
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Consitutional Affairs how much in legal aid has been provided to Mr. Nabeel Sami Fathallah; and if she will make a statement.
Vera Baird: I am not able to disclose this information. The Department can only disclose legal aid details where individuals have received legal aid in connection with litigation, and where that litigation has ceased.
Magistrates
Magistrates are assigned to 28 Local Justice Areas in London. The following table provides a breakdown of the average age, ethnicity and gender of magistrates for each area, as of 20 July 2006.
Local justice area Total Average age White BME Unknown Female Male Barking and Dagenham 88 56 71 17 1— 42 46 Barnet 111 57 93 17 1— 69 42 Bexley 105 57 93 10 1— 49 56 Brent 142 57 98 44 1— 82 60 Bromley 110 57 100 9 1— 53 57 Camden and Islington 79 56 63 14 1— 46 33 City of London 136 55 111 25 1— 75 61 City of Westminster 108 56 90 18 1— 63 45 Croydon 175 55 143 31 1— 83 92 Ealing 133 55 95 37 1— 72 61 Enfield 111 55 85 25 1— 56 55 Greenwich and Lewisham 71 56 55 14 1— 45 26 Hackney and Tower Hamlets 62 54 47 15 1— 30 32 Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea 56 54 43 10 1— 33 23 Haringey 158 57 135 22 1— 93 65 Harrow Gore 96 57 76 19 1— 52 44 Havering 87 57 80 6 1— 35 52 Hillingdon 115 57 92 20 1— 57 58 Hounslow 141 55 92 43 6 60 81 Kingston-Upon-Thames 84 56 77 1— 1— 49 35 Lambeth and Southwark 72 55 60 11 1— 44 28 Merton 101 55 88 12 1— 60 41 Newham 112 54 70 41 1— 52 60 Redbridge 112 54 80 32 1— 62 50 Richmond-Upon-Thames 85 58 82 1— 1— 49 36 Sutton 91 58 84 5 1— 41 50 Waltham Forest 106 55 74 32 1— 48 58 Wandsworth 65 56 49 10 6 38 27 Grand total 2,912 56 2,326 546 40 1,538 1,374 1 Figures less than five are not quoted following established government statistics guidelines for protecting the confidentiality of data subjects.
We have put in place a range of measures to attract magistrates from ethnic minority backgrounds including:
informative publicity material about the magistracy to encourage applications from all sections of local communities and to raise awareness among employers;
a new Working Group of the main employer organisations and the Trade Union Congress has been set up to seek their active support in encouraging employees to join the magistracy;
funding of the Magistrates Shadowing Scheme run by Operation Black Vote to enable people from black and minority ethnic (BME) groups to shadow magistrates in order to gain valuable insight into the roles and responsibilities of a magistrate, and encourage applications.
Progress has been made in increasing diversity among magistrates.
As of 31 March 2005 there were 28,300 magistrates of which 6.7 per cent. were from the Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. As of 31 March 2006 the magistracy increased to 28,865, of which the proportion of those from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds rose to 7.2 per cent.
Magistrates Courts
(2) how many magistrates courts have closed in each year since 1980 in (a) rural areas and (b) non-rural areas; and if she will make a statement.
My Department does not hold information on the magistrates courthouse closures which occurred prior to 1995. The following table provides details of the magistrates court closures (broken down into (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas) which took place between 1995 and 2006. HM Courts Service is committed to improving the standard of facilities provided to court users and in delivering greater value for money by increasing courtroom utilization. This includes the modernization and building of new modern courthouses as well as the co-location of magistrates courts with county courts.
Rural 75 Rural 50 Significant rural Other urban Large urban Major urban Total number of courts closed 1995 3 1 1 0 2 0 7 1996 8 6 2 2 0 3 21 1997 2 4 3 3 1 8 21 1998 12 4 1 3 2 3 25 1999 1 0 1 2 1 2 7 2000 8 1 0 2 0 2 13 2001 12 7 3 3 3 2 30 2002 5 0 2 0 0 0 7 2003 9 2 1 1 0 0 13 2004 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 2005 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2006 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 The rural constituency classification (introduced by the Rural Evidence Research Centre on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2006) has been used to define whether court closures took place in rural/urban areas. The classification divides constituencies into the following six categories: Rural 75: Over 75 per cent. of the population live in rural settlements (including 207 large market towns) Rural 50: Over 50 per cent. of the population live in rural settlements (including 207 large market towns) Significant rural: More than 37,000 or between 26 per cent. and 50 per cent. of the population live in rural settlements. Other urban: Fewer than 37,000 or less than 26 per cent. of the population live in rural settlements; Large urban: A minimum of 50,000 or 50 per cent. of the population live in a large urban area; Major urban: A minimum of 100,000 or 50 per cent. of the population live in a major urban area (i.e. over 750,000 of the population).
The information is as follows.
Court(s) Borough Barking Magistrates Court Barking and Dagenham Barnet Magistrates Court and Hendon Magistrates Court Barnet Bexley Magistrates Court Bexley Brent Magistrates Court Brent Bromley Magistrates Court Bromley (Served by Highbury Corner Magistrates Court) Camden City of London Magistrates Court City of London City of Westminster Magistrates Court and Marylebone Magistrates Court City of Westminster Croydon Magistrates Court Croydon Ealing Magistrates Court and Acton Magistrates Court Ealing Enfield Magistrates Court Enfield Greenwich Magistrates Court, Woolwich Magistrates Court and Belmarsh Magistrates Court Greenwich (Served by Thames Magistrates Court) Hackney West London Magistrates Court Hammersmith and Fulham Haringey Magistrates Court Haringey Harrow Magistrates Court Harrow Havering Magistrates Court Havering Uxbridge Magistrates Court Hillingdon Feltham Magistrates Court and Brentford Magistrates Court Hounslow Highbury Corner Magistrates Court Islington (Served by West London Magistrates Court) Kensington and Chelsea Kingston Magistrates Court Kingston Camberwell Green Magistrates Court Lambeth (Served by Greenwich Magistrates Court) Lewisham Wimbledon Magistrates Court Merton Stratford Magistrates Court Newham Redbridge Magistrates Court Redbridge Richmond Magistrates Court Richmond Tower Bridge Magistrates Court Southwark Sutton Magistrates Court Sutton Thames Magistrates Court Tower Hamlets Waltham Forest Magistrates Court Waltham Forest South Western Magistrates Court (and Balham Youth Court) Wandsworth
My Department does not hold information on the magistrates courthouse closures which occurred prior to 1995. The following table provides details of the magistrates court closures which took place between 1995 and 2006. HM Courts Service is committed to improving the standard of facilities provided to court users and in delivering greater value for money by increasing courtroom utilization. This includes the modernization and building of new modern courthouses as well as the co-location of magistrates courts and county courts.
Total number of courts closed 1995 7 1996 21 1997 21 1998 25 1999 7 2000 13 2001 30 2002 7 2003 13 2004 2 2005 0 2006 2
Outsourcing
My Department has not outsourced any of its administrative functions overseas and has no plans to do so. No assessment has been made of the merits of off-shoring.
Parliamentary Questions
I have today responded to the hon. Member’s question. It raised important legal considerations concerning the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and these took time to consider. I am sorry that it has taken so long.
Private Prosecutions
Information about the number of private prosecutions is not collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost to the Department.
Rescheduled Court Cases
The following tables show the number of trials held in London which had to be rescheduled (became ineffective) because the defendant did not attend. Separate tables are provided for cases dealt with in the magistrates courts where data are only available for Local Justice Areas, and for each of the Crown courts. Information on the number of cases where the defendant failed to bring the appropriate documentation is not collected and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Crown court centre 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Blackfriars 25 35 19 24 19 Central criminal court 7 6 2 1 2 Croydon 47 32 37 17 10 Harrow 32 29 27 15 17 Inner London Sessions House 38 53 34 35 31 Isleworth 35 43 42 30 23 Kingston upon Thames 18 31 37 25 22 Middlesex Guildhall 29 32 31 11 5 Snaresbrook 73 66 72 74 49 Southwark 40 64 38 15 30 Wood Green 36 49 34 16 13 Woolwich 20 19 20 13 11 Total 400 459 393 276 232 1 Does not include defendant absence through illness or non-production from prison
Financial year 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Barking 34 47 17 Barnet 63 49 52 Bexley 37 44 10 Brent 62 64 55 Bromley 46 51 12 City of London 40 30 31 Croydon 171 130 23 Ealing 72 63 29 East Central 91 176 145 Enfield 36 60 24 Haringey 61 88 43 Harrow 75 35 23 Havering 27 32 13 Hillingdon 193 85 60 Hounslow 59 45 18 Kingston upon Thames 19 16 5 North Westminster 24 44 25 Redbridge 47 75 31 Richmond upon Thames 36 14 12 South Central 206 193 89 South Eastern 82 90 56 South Western 69 55 40 South Westminster 255 176 86 Stratford 111 124 65 Sutton 42 21 8 Thames 158 182 113 Waltham Forest 80 44 23 West London 196 113 57 Wimbledon 28 8 6 Total 2,420 2,154 1,171 1 Does not include defendant absence through illness or non-production from prison.
Residential Property Tribunal
The fee would be £150.
Special Advocates
No family impact statements have yet been made in any of the five pilot courts. The scheme applies to cases where a charge of murder or manslaughter is brought on or after 24 April 2006.
Statutory Instruments
Reports from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments contain full details of the statutory instruments which they have reported. The Department has provided information for the Joint Committee on Statutory Instrument’s Departmental Returns report for 2005. This is due to be published shortly. In 2006 there have been three statutory instruments reported as defective.
Culture, Media and Sport
Advertising Campaigns
The Department had a zero spend on advertising between 2000 and 2002. The expenditure on advertising from 2003 has been as follows.
Spend (£) 2003-04 120,987 2004-05 137,085 1 BBC Charter
Arts Council England
(2) how much of the Arts Council England allocation to subsidised theatre between 1997 and 2005 was paid to (a) actors, (b) musicians and (c) writers;
(3) what representations she has received from (a) theatre managers, (b) orchestras and (c) entertainment trade unions regarding the impact of the comprehensive spending review on theatre between 2008 and 2011.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave him on 18 July 2006, Official Report, columns 331-32W.
BBC Charter
We are not considering adding any areas of the BBC’s financial responsibility to the scrutiny remit of the National Audit Office (NAO). As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently announced, we are currently exploring with the NAO how we might best establish an efficiency benchmark against which future performance might be judged.
Broadcasting
We are not considering adding any areas of the BBC’s financial responsibility to the scrutiny remit of the National Audit Office (NAO). We are currently exploring with the NAO how we might best establish an efficiency benchmark against which future performance might be judged.
Chance to Shine Campaign
The “Chance to Shine” initiative, a £50 million campaign to improve participation in cricket in state schools and run by the Cricket Foundation, has recently issued its first mid-term report.
In the six weeks since its launch, 33,600 boys and girls have taken part in the schools programme, 7,471 curriculum and extra-curriculum sessions have been delivered and 504 boys and girls in schools involved in the initiative have joined clubs.
It is anticipated that over the next 10 years, “Chance to Shine” will reach a third of all schools in England and Wales.
There are no plans to extend the scheme to other sports.
Computing Equipment
This question cannot be answered save at disproportionate cost.
Cultural Agreement with India
The United Kingdom does not have general cultural agreements with other countries. However, we are in the process of finalising a Film Co-Production Treaty with India. The UK has similar Agreements on Film with France, Germany, Canada, Norway, Australia and New Zealand and we are also finalising one with South Africa.
Departmental Staff
The Cabinet Office collects and publishes annually statistical information on the civil service by Department. Historical information on the numbers of people employed by DCMS and its agency, The Royal Parks, is available in the Library and on the civil service website at:
<http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/archive/staff/index.asp>
Data for 2005 can be found at:
<http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/employment/index.asp>
Digital Switchover
(2) what steps she is taking to encourage private landlords to upgrade their properties to provide digital television services to their tenants.
The digital switchover programme, led by Digital UK working with Government and Ofcom, has established a dedicated workstream on housing issues. This will make sure the progress in converting communal television systems is tracked and that the right messages go to private and social landlords and to managing agents and other representatives. It will also be important to make sure that tenants are aware of what is happening, something Digital UK will do as part of its wider communications campaigns.
The housing workstream is supported by a dedicated Housing Stakeholder Group, chaired by Ross Fraser, the chief executive of Housemark and drawn from representatives from the private and social housing sectors, from practitioners, and from tenants’ representatives, as well as central and local government.
We have had extensive contacts with the National Landlords Association and National Housing Federation regarding the provision of digital television services and digital switchover. Both organisations were represented on the editorial board which oversaw the development of the “Digital Switchover: A Good Practice Briefing Special", which we published, in association with the Chartered Institute of Housing in August 2005.
No. It is for landlords in consultation with residents to determine the most appropriate way of adapting communal TV aerial systems for digital television services.
Digital switchover will begin in the second half of 2009 in the HTV Wales region. We hope to be able to provide more specific information on the transmitter timetable for Wales later in the year, as well as for the west country and Granada regions, where the process will also begin in 2009.
Disability Discrimination Act
Visit Britain’s National Accessible Scheme (NAS) helps hotels, guest houses, self-catering accommodation and other accommodation providers, to improve access and quality for those with hearing, mobility and visual impairment. It includes a self-assessment pack, which businesses can complete to see where improvements should be made to improve access.
In addition the Department paid a grant of £27,500 to Tourism for All in 2005-06 to help them provide their holiday care information service, update their current database of service users and members and to organise a series of roadshows to raise awareness about access improvements made by businesses and local authorities with suitable marketing opportunities. Tourism for All provides an important service to disabled people and helps the tourism industry to meet their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act.
Football
My officials are currently consulting with all of the football authorities including the FA, the FA premier league and the Football League on the Independent European Sports Review. We will also be consulting the devolved Administrations who have responsibility for sport in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) who represent the interests of all sporting national governing bodies.
We will be holding a number of bilaterals with these consultees and will be encouraging them to reply formally to Jose Luis Arnaut, the author of the review, by the end of September.
I have not held any discussions with the FA Premier League on ticket pricing.
The Government have no role in the commercial and sporting operation of professional football. The issue of season ticket prices is a matter between individual clubs and the relevant football authorities.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no plans for any investigation into the football transfer market. This is, however, an issue that has been raised in the European Sports Review recently published by Jose Luis Arnaut.
Gambling
(2) what assessment she has made of the extent to which recent increases in turnover in the gambling industry have been a result of (a) increasing losses by those taking part in gambling activities and (b) new participants.
The Office for National Statistics publishes data on gambling expenditure (i.e. stakes minus winnings) by UK households. In the last five financial years, expenditure on gambling, including the national lottery, is as follows:
£ million 2001-02 7,216 2002-03 7,773 2003-04 8,695 2004-05 9,826 2005-06 9,807
The Gambling Act 2005, which will be fully implemented from September 2007, introduces a regulatory regime designed to ensure that the industry is crime-free, that gambling is fair, and that children and vulnerable people are properly protected.
The Government do not hold information relating to bets taken by operators based outside Great Britain.
My Department submitted evidence to the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, which undertook the study on behalf of the European Commission, and an official attended a briefing for member states hosted by the Swiss Institute.
A Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Gambling Act 2005 was published on 21 April 2005. We are currently working through the programme of secondary legislation needed to implement the Act, in order that the process of implementation will be complete in September 2007. Statutory Instruments will be accompanied by Regulatory Impact Assessments where appropriate.
The Committee of Advertising Practice will set standards and codes for non-broadcast advertising of gambling activities, including online advertising. The Secretary of State also has reserve powers under the Gambling Act 2005 to make regulations with regard to the form, content, timing and location of gambling advertising. She will not hesitate to use these powers if it becomes clear that self-regulation is not sufficient to protect children and vulnerable people from exploitation. Both the CAP codes and any Secretary of State regulations will apply to all non-broadcast advertising by gambling operators, wherever they are licensed.
Under the Gambling Act 2005 the Gambling Commission has the power to attach a condition to the licences it issues making provision for how gambling facilities may be advertised or described.
In addition, Section 331 of the Gambling Act prohibits any gambling operator based outside the European Economic Area or Gibraltar from advertising in the UK unless a specific exemption has been made for that jurisdiction under sub-section 331(4).
Officials from this department speak regularly with colleagues from other Government departments across a wide range of issues.
Gaming Machines
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she plans to raise the permitted level of stakes and prizes for category C gaming machines;
Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether stakes and prize levels for category C gaming machines are being re-considered.
I have had very constructive discussions with the relevant industry organisations and others interested in stake and prize levels for gaming machines and will be making an announcement shortly.
Horse Racing
This is a matter for the Jockey Club, which I understand has made an assessment of its financial position in relation to the transfer of its functions to the new Horserace Regulatory Authority.
The arrangements relating to the horserace betting levy were established before the UK joined the European Community. The European Commission keeps systems of aid under review in all member states but aids that pre-date a state's accession benefit from special rules. The Government are satisfied that the existing arrangements for the horserace betting levy are compatible with our obligations under the treaty establishing the European Community.
(2) whether she has reviewed the conclusions of the regulatory impact assessment of the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Act 2004.
The regulatory impact assessment published in December 2003 to accompany the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Act 2004 contains consideration of the impact of the Horserace Betting Levy on the sale of pre-race data and television pictures by racing.
My Department will remain mindful of the conclusions of this regulatory impact assessment in any further consideration of the future of the Levy.
(2) whether she plans to bring forward measures to vary the provisions of the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Act 2004 as it relates to the Horserace Betting Levy.
No decision has been taken to extend the Horserace Betting Levy beyond 2009 nor to vary the provisions of the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Act, although the matter is under consideration by my Department following the publication of the phase two report of the Future Funding of Racing Review Group, Chaired by Lord Donoughue of Ashton.
IT Contracts
My Department has awarded IT contracts to NCC Group and BT in the last five years. It is not possible to provide individual costs save at disproportionate costs but the aggregated cost of all such contracts over the past five years would be less then £500,000.
My Department has not abandoned any IT contracts in the past five years.
Libraries
(2) what criteria are used to determine the quality of public libraries.
Different aspects of the performance of the 149 public library authorities in England have been assessed, on a different basis, for DCMS since 1998. There was no formal assessment by the Department before then.
Though the terms “excellent” and “good” have been part of the assessments of public library authority performance carried out for DCMS, there is no direct comparison between these different types of assessments.
Annual Library Plans were introduced in 1998 to improve the planning processes of library authorities. The scoring methodology was refined over time until they were discontinued in 2002-03 by which time 64 per cent. of authorities were producing plans that were assessed as good or excellent.
Library position statements were introduced in 2003-04 to assess the extent to which authorities were engaging with key messages that emerged from the Framework for the Future national public library strategy document. Authorities that were assessed as “excellent” in overall Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) terms; or “excellent” in CPA “Leisure and Libraries” terms and “good” overall were exempted from having to provide position statements. Additionally, authorities assessed as having provided an excellent position statement in 2003-04 were exempted from having to produce one in 2004-05. Therefore, there is no straight read across for the two years. However, of those authorities making submissions by the end of 2004-05, 87 per cent. were assessed as having presented good or excellent position statements.
The Public Library Standards originated in 2001-02 to introduce performance measurement for library authorities in England. They now form part of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment Culture Block. The basis of assessment for authorities’ performance against the standards has evolved across the period so it is not possible to make straight comparisons. In 2004-05, authorities were assessed on the number of standards they had passed. Details of each of the 149 authorities’ performance appear in the Public Library Statistics 2005-06 Estimates and 2004-05 Actuals published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. Copies are held in the House Library.
(2) how many (a) books, (b) audio books, (c) videos, (d) DVDs and (e) computer games have been lent by libraries in each London borough since 1997.
This information is not held centrally. However, the Public Library Statistics, published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, contain similar data to those being sought. The House of Commons Library holds copies for the period in question.
Licensing Act
Information on the renewal of licences held by public houses in the years prior to the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 (the 2003 Act) is not held centrally. There is no renewal process for licences issued under the 2003 Act.
The Independent Fees Review Panel, chaired by Sir Les Elton, is considering the fee levels and structure and their impact on fee payers and local authorities. We will consider carefully any recommendations that the Panel makes when it reports to Ministers in the autumn.
We have no existing plans to change the fee structure, although we have agreed in principle that there should be a single date for the annual fee. However, before we can set a single date, we will need to consider and consult on transitional arrangements and the options for which date to adopt. Licence holders will be given notice before new arrangements are brought in and should, in the meantime, continue to pay their annual fee on the anniversary of the grant of the licence.
There is no renewal process for licences issued under the Licensing Act 2003, although an annual fee is paid on the anniversary of the grant of the licence. We have not made any estimate about the number of licence holders who have paid annual fees. However, as most applications to convert licences to the new regime were made near the end of the period for converting licences in July and August last year, it is likely that the majority of annual fees will not be due until the autumn.
Since May 2006, I have held several internal meetings on the Licensing Act and have met with the Chair of the Independent Fees review panel. I have met, along with Home Office colleagues, representatives of the licensed trade on 15 May and representatives from local authorities and the police on 24 May.
I am planning to hold a series of stakeholder meetings in the autumn.
London Olympics
The Olympic Delivery Authority is currently procuring the delivery partner that will help it to deliver the Olympic and legacy construction. One element of the delivery partner’s role will be to examine the construction costs of the Olympic infrastructure. We expect this assessment to be completed within six to nine months of the appointment.
Initial site investigation and desk-top research work, undertaken in support of the Olympic and Legacy Planning Applications, identified some contamination within the footprint of the Olympic Park area. Much of the contaminated land is former Brownfield or derelict land that has been used for a variety of industrial activities.
Site investigations are currently being carried out to characterise the nature of the ground conditions and the level of contamination. These investigations will be carried out in accordance with current industry best practice to identify the exact type and concentrations. The investigations are following the principles set out in the Intrusive Investigation Method Statement approved by the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest, the Environment Agency and British Waterways. Copies of the Statement have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
The boroughs have been consulted throughout the preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessment, during the site investigation phase and will continue to be consulted throughout the development of the remediation and validation works.
In addition, generic site specific soil target values have been generated and are detailed in a Global Remediation Strategy which has been reviewed and approved by the same regulators noted above. Once the site investigation is complete, detailed remediation strategies, including generation of site specific clean up targets, will be prepared and agreed with the regulators as appropriate prior to implementation and validation. All of the sites to be remediated will be subject to detailed planning applications.
I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave him on 24 May 2006, Official Report, column 1788W. Work continues on the evaluation of the security requirements for the various phases of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and their cost.
The Government Olympic Executive (GOE) has been set up within DCMS under a Chief Executive, who has also been appointed as an additional Accounting Officer, to co-ordinate Government input into the 2012 Games. The Executive acts as a link between Government Departments on the one hand and LOCOG (the London Organising Committee) and the ODA (Olympic Delivery Authority) on the other. GOE works closely with all Departments to ensure a joined up approach to delivering the benefits and legacy of the 2012 Games.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) are reviewing all modes of transport for raw materials, including river and rail usage, and will work with their Delivery Partner—to be appointed later this summer—to develop proposals for an effective, affordable and sustainable approach.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has been a key participant in an initiative being led by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) to improve the public sector’s demand management in construction procurement and to enhance the UK construction industry’s long term capacity planning so as to meet public sector demand and provide a healthy level of competition.
DCMS has been working with OGC and the Public Sector Construction Clients Forum (PSCCF) in taking forward a number of strands in this initiative including a study, The 2005-15 Construction Demand/Capacity Study, to examine the industry’s capacity to deliver public sector construction programmes including those for the Olympics to time, budget and the required quality, and their likely effect on other capital development programmes throughout the country.
The study is due to be published shortly.
Plans for the Olympic venues were set out in Theme 8 of the London 2012 Candidature File, which can be accessed on the website of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, www.london2012.com at:
http://www.london2012.com
Since London was awarded the Games, these plans have been under development. The timing of final decisions on legacy use will vary from venue to venue because, among other things, of differences in the construction profile but key stakeholders will be consulted as part of the planning process for the Olympic Park, before any formal agreements are finalised.
The Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympics Games (LOCOG) are committed to diversity in the way they operate and engage with communities and groups. LOCOG, for instance, work with the Women's Resource Centre and the Women's Sports Foundation through their London 2012 Forum. My Department is working with the Department for Communities and Local Government (which has policy responsibility in Government for women's issues) to ensure that all sections of society have opportunities for involvement in the games. The Women and Equality Unit and the Equal Opportunities Commission have been involved in the development of this work and will help shape the final delivery plan. This work complements similar planning activity by the Greater London Authority to engage with a wide variety of London's diverse communities, including women.
The Olympic stakeholders are committed to an ethical Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012 and a sustainable legacy for London and the UK. We are determined to ensure that local communities receive tangible benefit from the Games, particularly in the areas of local employment, affordable housing, training initiatives and education.
Initiatives are already under way to realise these objectives. For example, the Olympic Delivery Authority have recently published their draft Procurement Policy, which confirms their commitment to sustainability, health and safety and partnership working.
In addition, the London 2012 Employment and Skills Task Force (LEST), established by the Greater London Authority and the London Skills Commission, will deliver a collaborative business plan to identify and co-ordinate measures to support people in accessing direct and indirect employment opportunities arising from the hosting of the Games in 2012.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), which is responsible for delivering the infrastructure for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, places high importance on ensuring its ethical values are shared by potential contractors. Through the tendering process the ODA and its Delivery Partner will assess the commitment of bidders to these values, including their approach to good employment practices, training, recruitment, equalities and diversity. The ODA’s draft Procurement Policy, which was published on 19 July, states that it would like all employees of contractors and subcontractors working on ODA contracts to be on fair employment terms and conditions, such as the good practice guidance promulgated by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.
During the Bid period the Government and the Mayor recognised that the timescale for undergrounding the powerlines was such that serious work needed to start in November 2005 if the project was to be completed within an acceptable timescale. Work was set in hand and the London Development Agency was ready to award the contract for undergrounding after we had won the Games. They will shortly transfer the project to the Olympic Delivery Authority. The initial contracts are working well and they expect the project to be completed in line with original targets.
All investment in medal potential for London 2012 is channelled through UK Sport, the Government's lead agency on high performance sport. UK Sport allocates Exchequer and Lottery funding solely through its World Class Pathway programme to the National Governing Bodies for Olympic and Paralympic sport, based on a range of factors including regular assessment of athlete performance at major international competitions. It is for those Governing Bodies to determine whether funding should then be provided for high performance sport through their clubs and associations.
Ministerial Meetings
I have visited the new National Trust offices in Swindon as well as Tyntesfield, the Victorian House and estate near Bristol. My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Minister for Sport and my hon. Friend the Minister for Media and Tourism have not yet had the opportunity to make official visits to properties owned or managed by the National Trust.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met Patricia Ferguson on 2 November 2005 at Sports Cabinet. They discussed the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Glasgow’s bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games; Sport and Physical Activity; the Terms of Reference of the Sports Cabinet; our approach to hosting mega events; practical arrangements for future Sports Cabinet meetings; and the British Council’s ‘Dreams and Teams’ initiative.
Ministerial Office
In the last five years the ministerial office of the Secretary of State has been decorated twice—in 2002 and 2005. It will be redecorated again in the coming months as part of the refurbishment of the Department’s Cockspur Street headquarters building.
Museums
Museums have a number of sources of funding for acquisitions available to them. These include government funding (be it national or local), self generated income, private donations and grants available from bodies such as the Art Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund. We do not keep figures on each of the different funding streams available for all museums.
The Government do not ring-fence acquisition budgets for the cultural institutions that it sponsors. This ceased in 1992 and allows sponsored museums and galleries the freedom to choose how they spend their grant in aid. Overall grant in aid for directly sponsored national museums and galleries increased from £205.17 million in 1997-98 to £314.93 million in 2006-07.
We are aware of concerns relating to the level of funding museums and galleries have available for acquisitions. We will continue to engage with interested groups, and are always willing to listen to their ideas with regard to acquisitions.
Museums and galleries participating in the DCMS efficiency project are required to make savings of 2.5 per cent. of their grant in aid per annum.
Tables giving details of increases in grant in aid to 17 DCMS sponsored museums since 1997 (a) without taking inflation into account and (b) taking inflation into account are in the following tables:
£ million2 Percentage change 1997-98 205.17 — 1998-99 203.46 -0.8 1999-2000 218.31 +7.3 2000-01 226.29 +3.7 2001-02 241.46 +6.7 2002-03 264.96 +9.7 2003-04 275.63 +4.0 2004-05 280.37 +1.7 2005-06 291.99 +4.1 2006-07 314.93 +7.9 2007-08 335.66 +6.6 1 Covers DCMS funding allocated to 17 DCMS Sponsored museums. Excludes allocations to some smaller museums and DCMS funding streams open to museums and galleries such as Strategic Commissioning, and the DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund. 2 £ million not taking inflation into account.
£ million2 Percentage change 1997-98 Base — 1998-99 197.75 -3.75 1999-2000 207.59 +4.7 2000-01 212.43 +2.3 2001-02 220.88 +3.8 2002-03 234.43 +5.8 2003-04 237.26 +1.2 2004-05 235.89 -0.6 2005-06 239.63 +1.6 2006-07 251.71 +4.8 2007-08 261.22 +3.6 1 Covers DCMS funding allocated to 17 DCMS Sponsored museums. Excludes allocations to some smaller museums and DCMS funding streams open to museums and galleries such as Strategic Commissioning, and the DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund. 2 £ million taking inflation into account, using 1997 as base year
The number of visits to museums and galleries in London funded directly by this Department in each year since 1997 are set out in the following table:
Number of visits (million) 1997-98 20.3 1998-99 19.5 1999-2000 19.2 2000-01 23.7 2001-02 24.4 2002-03 27.0 2003-04 28.3 2004-05 28.5 2005-06 26.8
We do not hold visit data on the 67 London museums which are funded by the Ministry of Defence, local authorities, universities and the Greater London authority.
Obesity
The Health and Safety Executive publishes guidance on seating in The Event Safety Guide and guide to fire precautions in existing places of entertainment and like premises.
For sports grounds, there is no standard allocation of space for a seated person. However, my Department’s document Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds does provide guidance on minimum seat widths and seating row depths. The purpose of the document is to give guidance on how to calculate the safe capacity of a sports ground.
More broadly, my Department, along with the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills, is taking joint action to halt the year-on-year rise in obesity amongst children under 11, in the context of tackling obesity in the population as a whole.
Portchester Castle
The guardianship of Portchester Castle was given to the Commissioner for Works on 23 June 1926. No conditions were attached to this gift.
Regulations concerning the castle have been made subsequently, most recently in 1974 by the Department of the Environment following discussions with Fareham borough council and St. Mary’s Church.
Following a direction made under section 34 of the National Heritage Act 1983, responsibility for managing the property was delegated to English Heritage.
Regal Cinema, Evesham
In October 2000, the Department received two applications to list this building. It was listed at Grade II in November 2000. Between November 2001 and January 2002, we received six requests, from the same individual, to de-list it or to approve ‘in principle’ plans to alter its interior. These were turned down. In June 2002, we received a request to upgrade the cinema to II. This was rejected, on the advice of English Heritage, 10 September 2002.
Sport England
Sport England does not hold information about funding applications in the required format. Over 900 applications have been made in the East Midlands region, however, information specifically about the Leicester, South constituency could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Sport England records show that, since 1995, 14 lottery grants have been awarded to organisations in the Leicester, South constituency at a total value of £6,927,625. In addition, the constituency may also have benefited from Community Club Development programme grants of £1,137,889 awarded to organisations throughout Leicestershire.
Details of the Lottery awards are given in the following table.
Applicant Purpose Grant (£) Leicester Rowing Club Purpose built rowing centre 232,431 Leicestershire county council Highfield Youth and Community Centre-new forecourt, sports hall and fitness room 1,999,000 International Youth House Project Ltd Community facility incorporating a 27m x 18m sports hall 420,110 Leicester City council Active sports 1,280,093 Leicester City council (Lancaster school) New sports facilities 106,160 Lancaster school School sport coordinator 285,265 Leicester Football Club Plc Spectator safety works and upgrade of security installations 13,135 Leicestershire County Cricket Club Implementation of ticket administration system; alterations to the roof of the pavilion 78,717 Leicestershire County Cricket Club Safer sports ground 15,414 Leicester Football Club Plc Demolition and rebuild 200,000 Leicestershire County Cricket Club Safer sports ground 30,250 Leicester Racial Equality council Female sports activity officer 107,050 Leicester City council New sports centre 2,000,000 Leicester City council Refurbishment of Saffron Lane athletic track 160,000
Sports Clubs
DCMS does not hold the information requested and there is no central register for such clubs.
Statutory Instruments
None to date.
Reports from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments contain full details of the statutory instruments which they have reported.
Television Licences
TV Licensing, which administers free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, is not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in the Houghton and Washington, East constituency in 2004-05 was 4,490, according to Department for Work and Pensions records. Winter fuel payment figures for the Sunderland city council area are not available; however, the figure in 2004-05 for the unitary authority of Sunderland was 15,330.
Television licences for respite care arise principally in relation to the Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) concessionary scheme. As part of BBC Charter Review, the Government re-examined anomalies within the existing concessionary arrangements, with a special focus on the ARC scheme. In the March 2006 White Paper, the Government acknowledged the shortcomings of the scheme but noted that proposals for change focused on individual anomalies rather than ways to improve the scheme as a whole. Previous changes to correct individual anomalies have done little to improve the scheme as a whole and have tended to create new problems. We therefore have no plans to amend the scheme, or to introduce a separate concessionary scheme for respite care accommodation.
The award of the contract was a commercial decision for the BBC as television licensing authority. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport did not therefore have any discussions with the corporation about the substance of the decision. However, DCMS officials were briefed by the BBC prior to the corporation's announcement of the award of the contract on 31 March this year.
Ticket Touting
At the summit on 17 July, the industry stated their agreement to introduce a returns policy whereby fans can return tickets to the original sellers at face value. There were no specific provisions agreed around charging administrative fees in relation to these tickets. The returns policy will be implemented by the industry itself and I hope that it will take all relevant views into account, especially those of the ticket buying public, when doing this. The industry also agreed to set up a website where fans could sell tickets to other fans at face value.
At the summit my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I also announced a future DCMS-led public consultation to establish the views of consumers and the industry on ticket sales issues. Other measures announced included further work with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) on terms and conditions of ticket sales and the introduction of kite marks for ticket sales websites. The Government also pledged to continue working with the industry and OFT to draw up an overarching code of practice for both primary and secondary ticket sellers.
Our principle in taking this forward remains that the interests of the consumers are paramount and that our creative, cultural and sporting industries should be able to prosper in a healthy legitimate market.
Tourism
The UK tourism balance of payments deficit was £18.1 million in 2005. This figure has been produced using a range of data sources including the UK Tourism Survey and the International Data Survey.
The deficit reflects a range of factors including increased prosperity and the availability of cheap flights. The UK is by no means alone in this regard, indeed, in 2003 Germany’s deficit stood at over £27 billion.
Domestic tourism represents around 80 per cent. of the turnover of the UK tourism industry. My Department funds VisitBritain to market England to the British, as advised by the England Marketing Advisory Board. £10.4 million a year in grant in aid to VisitBritain is presently allocated for this purpose.
VisitBritain’s domestic marketing activities include the EnglandNet project, which provides comprehensive destination information for both domestic and overseas visitors, with facilities for live booking of accommodation and other services using the websites of VisitBritain’s commercial and public sector partners. A total of £10 million has been allocated to EnglandNet to date, including £2 million over the current Spending Review period from 2005-06 to 2007-08.
My Department also works closely with regional and local government in supporting and promoting domestic tourism, currently contributing £3.6 million a year to the Regional Development Agencies to support tourism in the regions, and £1.9 million a year to the Greater London authority to support the Mayor’s statutory tourism duties.
Support for the growth of domestic tourism is central to the consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games, which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State launched on 19 July.
My Department funds VisitBritain to market Britain overseas, and market England to the British and in some European territories as advised by the England Marketing Advisory Board. Grant in aid to VisitBritain under the current Spending Review is in the following table:
Resource Capital Total (£000) 2005-06 49,051 300 49,351 2006-07 50,051 300 50,351 2007-08 50,051 300 50,351
My Department also currently contributes £3.6 million a year to the Regional Development Agencies’ Single Pot in support of their strategic responsibilities for tourism in the regions, and £1.9 million a year to the Greater London authority to support the Mayor’s statutory tourism duties.
Marketing including the use of e-tourism, and improvements in product quality and workforce skills, are essential elements of the consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games, which my RHF the Secretary of State launched on 19 July. In these and other areas, VisitBritain, the development agencies, and the Authority are expected to have major roles in tourism’s preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
The effects of any new work arising from the consultation on VisitBritain’s future funding levels cannot be foreseen at this stage. Levels of grant-in-aid from my Department to VisitBritain, the development agencies, and the GLA for years after 2007-08 are yet to be agreed, and are subject to the present Comprehensive Spending Review.
The consultation also seeks views on the possible effects of the games opportunity, and of changes in statistical methodology, on my Department’s strategic targets for tourism.
The Department is working closely with DFES and People 1st (the Sector Skills Council for the Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism industries) on a broad and ambitious skills programme.
My predecessor chaired two Skills Summits with People 1st and industry representatives to develop a draft National Skills Strategy, which is based on sectoral priorities of improving retention rates and skills levels for management, chefs and customer service. Agreement of a final employer-led Strategy is planned for the winter.
We also work closely with People 1st and industry to ensure full advantage is taken of wider initiatives such as Train to Gain, National Skills Academies and Skills Passports.
Given the nature of the tourism sector and the domination of small and micro businesses, these developments will be of direct benefit to them.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) provided support to the tourism industry via grant-in-aid to VisitBritain of £49.3 million in 2005-06. VisitBritain used this money to market and promote the UK to both the domestic and international markets.
In addition, DCMS contributed £3.6 million to the regional development agencies’ single pot in support of their strategic responsibilities for tourism in the regions.
A further £1.9 million was allocated to the Greater London authority to support the Mayor’s statutory tourism duties.
My Department does not provide direct assistance to small tourism businesses in the use of information technology. Such assistance is available to tourism and other businesses through the Small Business Service.
VisitBritain’s e-tourism activities are supported by grant-in-aid from my Department. These activities include the EnglandNet project, to which a total of £10 million has been allocated, including £2 million over the current spending review period from 2005-06 to 2007-08.
The EnglandNet portal is administered by VisitBritain and fully supported by the regional development agencies, which are providing partnership funding from 2005-06. EnglandNet provides comprehensive destination information for overseas and domestic visitors, with facilities for instant booking of accommodation and other services using the websites of VisitBritain’s commercial and public sector partners. The portal took its first live booking in December 2005.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) provides support to the tourism industry via grant-in-aid to VisitBritian (VB). VisitBritian uses this money to market and promote the UK to both the domestic and international markets.
The level of grant-in-aid for VB agreed as part of the 2004 Spending Review was as follows:
Resource Capital Total 2005-06 49,051 300 49,351 2006-07 50,051 300 50,351 2007-08 50,051 300 50,351
It is not possible to provide details of VB’s grant-in-aid beyond 2007-08, this will be decided following the completion of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
In addition, my Department contributes £3.6 million per year to the Regional Development Agencies’ Single Pot in respect of their tourism role.
The tables set out the number of visits to London from (i) overseas and (ii) the UK where this included an overnight stay. Information is provided for 2000 to 2005, equivalent data prior to this are not available.
Visit (all) (Thousand) 2000 13,145 2001 11,452 2002 11,603 2003 11,696 2004 13,398 2005 113,893 1 2005 data are provisional. Source: International Passenger Survey (ONS).
Visit (all) (Thousand) 2000 18,500 2001 16,900 2002 16,100 2003 14,300 2004 112,800 2005 210,700 1 VisitBritain believes the old UKTS methodology significantly underreported 2004. 2 In 2005 an improved methodology was introduced for UKTS therefore direct comparison with previous years is not appropriate. Source: UK Tourism Survey (National Tourist Boards).
In addition, London receives a substantial number of day visitors, the last Leisure Day Visitors Survey in 2002-03 recorded a total of 169 million to the region.
My Department does not have details of tourist visits to each London borough.
TV Transmitters
Ceredigion has one transmitter and 13 relays. The main transmitter is at Blaen Plwyf.
In Wales there are seven transmitters and 202 relays and in the UK there are 51 transmitters and 1,105 relays.
UK School Games
(2) if she will list the applicants who submitted tenders to run the UK School Games for 2007 to 2011; and if she will make a statement;
(3) whether the Youth Sports Trust has subcontracted any part of the running of the UK School Games for 2006; and if she will make a statement.
The selection of an operator to organise the UK School Games for 2006 and for 2007-11, and the subsequent grant of National Lottery money was a matter for the Millennium Commission. In my capacity as Chair of the Commission, I will write to the hon. Gentleman on this matter and arrange for copies of my reply to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Visitor Attractions
The Department does not hold estimates of the number of visitors to Bowood House, Corsham Court, Lacock Abbey, Iford Manor, Longleat or Stourhead.
The Avebury Monuments, including Silbury Hill, have free access and it is difficult to gain an accurate estimate of the number of visitors due to the nature of the site. A survey held by Bournemouth University in 1996-1998 gave an approximate figure of 350,000 a year. Data for 1999-2000, give an annual figure of 342,000 and 276,600 for the year 2004-05.
Visitor figures for the English Heritage property of Old Wardour Castle is as follows:
Number 1996-97 28,051 1997-98 24,838 1998-99 23,345 1999-2000 28,375 2000-01 19,863 2001-02 22,084 2002-03 28,375 2003-04 32,011 2004-05 29,380 2005-06 26,470
Wembley Stadium
It is estimated that when the Wembley Stadium opens it will attract around 2.5 million visitors a year, bringing an estimated annual visitor spend of £229 million to Wembley and the surrounding area. Around 7,500 permanent job opportunities will be created by economic activity directly related to the stadium.
The stadium development has also acted as a catalyst for investment in the wider regeneration of Wembley. An improved transport system, new shops, new leisure and community facilities, thousands of new jobs and 8,500 new homes will all help to bring a major boost to the Brent economy.
Youth Charter Organisation
There has been one award to the Youth Charter for Sport, Culture and the Arts. This was awarded by Sport England in May 2005. The Department does not collect information about unsuccessful lottery applications.