To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what guidance the Electoral Commission issues on the release of electoral packs to candidates at local elections and their agents. (277984)

The Electoral Commission informs me that it issues guidance to local government returning officers advising that packs containing nomination papers, an election timetable and guidance notes for prospective local election candidates should be prepared well before the start of the formal election period and supplied on request.

The Commission has also published performance standards for returning officers in Great Britain. In order to meet performance standard seven, “Communication of information to candidates and agents”, returning officers must ensure that candidates and election agents are offered briefing sessions and are issued with written guidance on the election process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of claims for single farm payments made in 2008 have not yet been settled. (277872)

The percentage of remaining claims expected to receive a payment under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme is 1.2 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many proposals for anaerobic digestion plants have been licensed by each local authority in each of the last five years. (275798)

Prior to the implementation of the Environmental Permitting Regulations in 2007, waste disposal and waste recovery operations were regulated under separate legislation. Environment Agency records are therefore split between the two different information systems used. These systems are currently in the process of being integrated.

Five anaerobic digestion plants have been permitted by the Environment Agency in the last five years under waste management licensing regulations.

41 sites that utilise biogases derived from anaerobic digestion under the pollution prevention and control (PPC) regulations have been permitted across England within the last five years. Environment Agency records do not specify the local authority for PPC sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on the screening of imported wildlife for potential diseases in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. (275940)

Animals and animal products are imported from EU member states and from third countries approved as having equivalent animal health status to an EU member state for the species in question. Strict EU rules are imposed to prevent disease entering the European Community.

As soon as an animal is captured and transported it becomes a ‘kept animal’ and therefore animal health import legislation applies. This includes ensuring a veterinary health check is undertaken within the 24-hour period prior to loading at the country of origin in order to determine that no clinical signs of disease are present—the cost is met by the importer. An animal cannot travel to this country unless accompanied by a valid veterinary health certificate. Live animals imported from approved third countries must enter at a designated Border Inspection Post (BIP) where they are again subject to veterinary inspections for clinical signs of disease and the accompanying health certificates are verified. However, Animal Health does not keep a record of the individual costs for imported animals tested as part of its disease prevention measures.

When there is a significant increase in disease risk, DEFRA's Global Animal Health Division will act quickly to mitigate it, usually in concert with the EU. DEFRA may take unilateral safeguard measures to block legal imports from countries or regions with outbreaks of disease. Recent imports of animals which might present a risk would also be traced and checked.

DEFRA also carries out international disease surveillance work and takes emergency safeguard action to restrict or ban imports from countries that have reported an outbreak of disease.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will bring forward proposals to expand the categories of used cooking oil which may be classified as fuel under the proposed end-of-waste protocol. (276676)

In October 2007, the Environment Agency issued for public consultation a draft end-of-waste protocol for “biodiesel derived from waste vegetable oil”. Following consideration by the Agency of the responses to that consultation, the terms of the protocol were expanded to cover “the production and use of biodiesel derived from waste cooking oil and rendered animal fat”. On this basis, a post-consultation draft of the protocol was notified to the European Commission under the Technical Standards Directive (98/34/EC). The notification period required under the directive has now ended and the Agency proposes to publish the final protocol in the next few weeks, and to review the published protocol in June 2011. In the meantime, the Agency has no plans further to expand the categories of waste covered by the protocol.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to inoculate badgers in Devon against tuberculosis. (277478)

On 19 March 2009 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the initial outline for a Badger Vaccine Deployment Project, which will see vaccination of badgers in six areas with high incidence of cattle TB in England. Each area will be up to 100 sq km.

Plans for the areas have not yet been finalised. As potential areas emerge from our discussions with the farming industry, local engagement to encourage participation will be our highest priority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what activities have been undertaken by his Department's Euro Minister in that capacity. (277169)

Euro Ministers are responsible for Euro preparations in their Department and attend Euro Ministers Steering Group meetings. Meetings are held only when necessary to discuss practical preparations to ensure a smooth changeover.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned research on the effect in (i) England and (ii) elsewhere of intensive pig farming on developments in swine influenza. (276852)

DEFRA is currently funding research at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency looking at cross- species transmission of influenza viruses. This work has been ongoing for a number of years. While this research is not specifically focused on the effects of intensive farming, it seeks to give us a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in cross-species transmission and hence to better understand the risks.

DEFRA funds a surveillance programme for swine influenza in England and Wales. This is delivered by Veterinary Laboratories Agency and has been in operation since 1991. Private veterinary practitioners can submit samples for swine influenza testing in cases where this disease is suspected. This testing is performed free of charge. Under this programme, samples are tested from pig herds from various types of production system. If virus is isolated from a sample, further genetic analysis is performed to determine if there is any evidence that the virus may be genetically different from commonly seen swine influenza viruses in the UK. In addition, a random subset of influenza viruses is subjected to further genetic analysis. The aim of the programme is to identify any unusual changes in swine influenza viruses and to monitor the natural evolution of the virus over time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many pig farms he has visited in his official capacity in the last 12 months. (277334)

[holding answer 1 June 2009]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has visited two pig farms in the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which genetically-modified products are authorised for sale in the UK. (277132)

Decisions on the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) products are taken at European Union (EU) level. Currently there are 27 GM products that are authorised for food and animal feed uses in the EU. Full details are available on the European Commission website. Only one type of GM crop seed has EU approval for cultivation and is being sold in some EU member states. It is a type of insect-resistant maize known as MON 810, and it is not being marketed in the UK because it is unsuitable for our growing conditions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the outcome was of the meeting of 31 March 2009 on voluntary guidance on the labelling of food produce from the West Bank; (276766)

Following the meeting on 31 March, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently working with other Departments including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, HM Revenues and Customs, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Food Standards Agency to consider the clarity of labelling of produce from the West Bank.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations his Department has received from the business sector on the effect of the operation of the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2007 on businesses involved in the manufacture of fuels from waste. (276286)

DEFRA officials have received correspondence from companies whose business involves the processing of waste to produce fuels about various issues arising from the Court of Appeal ruling in the case of OSS Group v. Environment Agency. Officials at the Environment Agency have also held meetings with the companies concerned to discuss these issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance (a) his Department, (b) the Waste Improvement Network and (c) the Waste and Resources Action Programme has issued on fixed penalty notices in relation to (i) closed lid policies, (ii) no side waste collection policies and (iii) putting household waste out at the wrong time. (275786)

DEFRA has not provided any guidance on the use of fixed penalty notices other than what is available on its website at:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/legislation/cnea/fixed-penalty-guidance.pdf

This does not refer to (i) closed lid policies, (ii) no side waste collection policies and (iii) putting household rubbish out at the wrong time.

Neither the Waste Improvement Network (WIN) nor the Waste and Resources Action Programme has issued any such guidance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) financial and (b) other effects on zoos of EU regulations banning feeding of necrophagous birds with category 1 material; and if he will seek an opt-out from the regulations. (277087)

No assessment of the financial and other effects on zoos of banning the feeding of necrophagous birds with category 1 material has been made. The EU Animal by-products regulation 1774/2002/EC only permits the feeding of category 1 material to endangered or protected species of necrophagous birds and other species living in their natural habitat, for the promotion of biodiversity. However, it does permit member states to authorise the feeding of animal by-products which do not contain specified risk material and other category 1 animal by-products to birds of prey and other carnivorous animals in zoos. The UK exercises this derogation.

The European Council and Parliament are likely to shortly agree amendments to the regulation which, among other things, would allow member states to permit feeding of certain category 1 material to necrophagous birds and other carnivorous animals in zoos. The UK would be looking to take advantage of such a provision and understands that after the amended regulation is agreed, work will commence on laying down implementing rules in Brussels which would permit such feeding while ensuring protection of animal and public health.

A derogation to permit the feeding of fallen stock to necrophagous birds is available to Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and France as part of approved conservation measures for vultures. This derogation is not available in the UK. We understand that the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is content with the existing arrangement of the feeding of category 2 and 3 material (ie butchers’ waste) to wild necrophagous birds and that a derogation to permit the use of ruminant fallen stock as feed material is not, therefore, necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what standard security checks are operated at British airports for (a) economy class passengers, (b) business class passengers, (c) first-class passengers, (d) very important persons, (e) Ministers, (f) the Prime Minister, (g) Ministers of foreign Governments, (h) foreign heads of Governments and (i) foreign heads of state. (276792)

The Department for Transport is responsible for drafting UK aviation security regulations which are served on regulated airports within the UK in the form of Directions. The Department operates a multi-layered approach to security that is proportionate to and commensurate with the threat we are seeking to mitigate. The primary objective is to protect the travelling public and, in respect of searching individuals, to ensure that prohibited articles are not transported on to aircraft. Airports and airlines are responsible for implementing the security regulations and the Department operates a compliance regime that inspects and where necessary enforces the standards required.

All passengers, including flight crew, staff, Ministers of the Government and Ministers of foreign Governments, regardless of class of travel, are subject to the following standard security procedures: identity check, access controls, security questions, 100 per cent. screening of hold and cabin baggage and 100 per cent. screening of the individual, where necessary enhanced via a hand search and additional technological enhancements.

In line with international protocols, and the UK's international commitments in this respect, a relatively small number of individuals in recognised positions are exempt from these screening procedures. This is in part a reflection of the degree to which security, in various forms, accompanies such posts or individuals.

You will appreciate that for obvious security reasons it is not possible for me to specifically detail the posts, incumbents and security measures that apply in these cases.

I can assure you that TRANSEC and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) hold a ‘Restricted’—‘Closed’ list of persons that are exempt, or may be deemed as an exempted person, for the purpose of aviation security screening and that this list is subject to periodical review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely effect of Regulation (EC) 80/2009 on a code of conduct for computerised reservation systems on UK (a) airlines and (b) internet ticket booking companies. (277188)

No assessment has been made of the likely effect on UK airlines or internet ticket booking companies of Regulation (EC) 80/2009 which entered into force on 29 March 2009 and which updated and replaced previous European Community legislation in this field dating from 1989.

Regulation (EC) 80/2009 results from a Commission proposal to simplify and update the Code to safeguard its key principles while increasing its relevance to today’s market conditions. The Commission conducted a public consultation and an impact assessment when it proposed the legislation in 2007.

Regulation (EC) 80/2009 as adopted should enhance the ability of airlines and Computerised Reservation Systems (CRS) to negotiate competitive deals and bring reductions in booking costs or increased travel options which benefit the consumer. The Government considered that full deregulation was not yet appropriate and that safeguards should remain in place to guard against discriminatory behaviour, especially in view of the continued existence of some ownership links between airlines and some CRS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies paid in interest to suppliers under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years for which figures are available. (275194)

The Department for Transport has only started to hold separate records for late payment of commercial debts since 2008-09. The interest cost for this year was £84,000. Information for the previous two years could be provided only at a disproportionate cost as the interest charge are not held separately for those years.

The following agencies have not paid interest charges in the last three years:

Highways Agency

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Vehicle Operator Services Agency

Vehicle Certification Agency

The following agencies can provide information only at a disproportionate cost as they do not split the interest charges separately:

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Driving Standards Agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the current business plan for the flexible benefits project; and what estimate he has made of the level of take-up required for the scheme to break even. (277685)

The flexible benefits business plan is a confidential document so it would not be appropriate for it to be placed in the House Library. However, we estimate that the level of take-up required to break even with the scheme is about 2 per cent. over three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many breaches of security have been reported at (a) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, (b) the Driving Standards Agency, (c) the Government Car and Despatch Agency, (d) the Highways Agency, (e) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, (f) the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and (g) the Vehicle Certification Agency in the last five years; and what procedures each agency follows when a breach of security involves the disclosure of personal data. (276950)

Information on breaches of security for the last five years for Department for Transport Agencies is not held centrally.

The Department and its agencies report all significant personal data security breaches to the Cabinet Office and the ICO. Information on personal data security breaches is published on an annual basis in the Department’s annual resource accounts as was announced in the Data Handling Review published on 25 June 2008.

Additionally, all significant control weaknesses including other significant security breaches are included in the Statement of Internal Control which is published within the annual resource accounts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2009, Official Report, column 881W, on a London-Scotland high-speed rail link, what topics were discussed during the meeting on 24 April 2009; and whether any decisions on funding methodology for high-speed rail links were made at that meeting. (276928)

There was a general discussion about the potential benefits of high-speed rail, including environmental considerations; the possibility of modal shift; economic priorities; and the consideration of the Scottish Government’s views as work is taken forward.

It was noted there is still a great deal of work to be done in developing a business case and identifying funding solutions, and the Scottish Executive was encouraged to engage with “High Speed Two” as this work commences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on contracts for collecting data on congestion on roads in England in each of the last five years. (276463)

The following table shows spending by the Department for Transport and the Highways Agency on contracts which wholly or mainly collect and/or process congestion data. It does not include feasibility studies, research or analysis contracts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which road building programmes completed in each year since 2005 have affected areas of outstanding natural beauty and sites of special scientific interest. (276460)

I have today placed in the Libraries of the House tables identifying major road schemes, costing over £5 million, completed by local highway authorities and the Highways Agency since 2005 and where the scheme has affected (1) areas of outstanding natural beauty and (2) sites of special scientific interest.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department plans to make a decision on the cases of people wrongly notified of speeding offences as a result of the malfunctioning of the speed camera on the A35 at Chideock following the expiry of the March 2009 deadline for an announcement. (277485)

The Highways Agency is currently working with the Dorset Safety Camera Partnership regarding speeding offences from a Traffic Regulation Order on the A35 at Chideock in Dorset, found by the courts to be invalid. Any announcement will come from the partnership. The Highways Agency is working closely with them and it is anticipated that a statement will be made shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what activities have been undertaken by his Department’s Euro Minister in that capacity. (277170)

Euro Ministers are responsible for Euro preparations in their Department and attend Euro Ministers Steering Group meetings. Meetings are held only when necessary to discuss practical preparations to ensure a smooth changeover.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the proposed amendment to schedule 5 of the Government of Wales Act 2006, as set out in the proposed Legislative Competence (Environment) Order 2009, Cm 7608, will cover land-based radioactive fallout other than at military sites. (276851)

It would enable the National Assembly to legislate on radioactivity in these areas with certain exceptions. The exceptions relate to nuclear energy and nuclear installations, including nuclear safety and liability for nuclear occurrences, (other than the disposal of very low level radioactive waste moved from nuclear licensed sites) and the transport of radioactive material.

To ask the Prime Minister what the cost was of holding the meeting of the Cabinet in Glasgow on 16 April 2009. (274177)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Davies) on 7 May 2009, Official Report, column 378W. An additional invoice of £4,788 has been received for the venue.

To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2009, Official Report, column 1429W, on domestic visits: costs, when he expects the information requested to be available. (260394)

The information requested is not separately available. However, the costs will be included in the overall Operating Cost Statement of the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts, which will be published in the usual manner before the summer recess.

To ask the Prime Minister who the members of the Special Advisers' Remuneration Committee are; what specialist qualifications each holds; when each was appointed and by whom; where the committee holds its meetings; what the budget of the committee is for (a) office accommodation, (b) staff costs and (c) travel and subsistence in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement. (270077)

The Special Advisers' Remuneration Committee has existed in its current form since 2001. It is chaired by the Leader of the House of Lords, and has as its members a HM Treasury Minister, a Cabinet Office Minister, and a senior Cabinet Office official acting as an Accounting Officer. The Remuneration Committee meetings are held on the Government Estate. The Remuneration Committee incurs no accommodation, travel or subsistence costs. Support, including expertise on remuneration issues, is provided from existing resources within the Cabinet Office.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many officials of each grade from his Department and its predecessor were seconded to work with British Airways in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. (269849)

Secondments are not managed centrally in the Department as they are delegated locally to line management. The information is not easily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many businesses have received assistance from the Capital for Enterprise Fund; and how much funding has been committed to date. (259008)

[holding answer 26 February 2009]: As from 20 May 2009, the Capital for Enterprise Fund has made offers totalling round £9 million to eight businesses.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when the Capital for Enterprise Scheme began to operate. (261374)

The Capital for Enterprise Fund was launched on 14 January 2009, when a registration helpline was set up to manage inquiries and register applications.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assistance the South West of England Regional Development Agency is providing to small and medium-sized businesses in the South West region during the recession; and if he will make a statement. (277286)

The South West Regional Development Agency’s activity to support SMEs during the recession involves two key strands:

1. Strategic Leadership

The South West RDA is an integral part of the South West Regional Economic Task Group (RETG), chaired by the Regional Minister for the South West, which is responsible for co-ordinating the region's overall response to the recession. It leads on work strands focusing on business support, skills and employment, and green economic recovery.

In December 2008 the RDA established a Regional Business Forum to enable regular dialogue with key business representative organisations in the region. It acts as a sounding board for new plans and initiatives and provides business a voice to help shape policy development.

Through its management of South West EU programmes, the RDA is ensuring that over £1 billion of EU and domestic investment from 2007 to 2013 is being targeted at improving the productivity of small and medium-sized businesses in the South West.

2. Support for Business

The RDA has been working to enhance the support already available through the Government’s Solutions For Business services provided via the Business Link network. Since October 2008, Business Link has provided over 4,350 free Business Health Checks to local SMEs, and developed a Business Survival Guide to help small businesses cope with the downturn and prepare for recovery.

On 14 April the RDA launched its £10 million business loan fund which offers viable businesses with growth potential loans of up to £250,000. This augments the financial support available through the Government’s Real Help for Business support package launched earlier this year.

The RDA organised eight workshops in April and May which provided 500 businesses in the region with advice, guidance and networking opportunities.

In November 2008 the RDA established eight Area Action Forces across the region to co-ordinate the public sector response to individual businesses in difficulty.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many officials in his Department are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension. (270523)

There are less than five current suspensions in the Department. The detailed information requested could lead to the identification of individuals and therefore cannot be provided for reasons of confidentiality.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many members of staff in his Department and its agencies were dismissed (a) for under-performance and (b) in total in each of the last 10 years. (274184)

The information is as follows.

Information for earlier years is not available.

The total number of staff dismissed for reasons of under-performance, including both capability and attendance over the period 2002-08 inclusive is 25. A breakdown by individual year cannot be provided on the grounds of confidentiality.

I have asked the Chief Executives of Companies House and Insolvency Service to provide separate data for the respective agencies.

Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 3 June 2009:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 May 2009, UIN 274184, to the Minister of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

Companies House only has computer records of dismissals from 2004 onwards. The cost of obtaining information for previous years would be disproportionate.

There have been no dismissals for under performance since 2004. The total number of dismissals is as follows:

Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 3 June 2009:

The Minister of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has asked me to reply to you directly in respect of your question (2008/2880) asking how many member of staff in his Department and its agencies were dismissed (a) for under-performance and (b) in total in each of the last 10 years.

The numbers of dismissals within The Insolvency Service are shown in the table below:

The figures shown for under-performance include dismissals due to unsatisfactory attendance:

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cost of replacing lost or stolen property from his Department was in the last 12 months. (268036)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, East (John Mason) on 19 May 2009, Official Report, column 1333W.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department has spent on placing advertisements in (a) weekly and (b) regional newspapers in each of the last five years. (277067)

The following was spent on regional press advertising by the former DTI and its agencies via the Central Office of Information:

The following was spent by the Department on national and regional press advertising via the Central Office of Information, but cannot be broken down to show only spend on regional newspapers:

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2009, Official Report, column 2298W, on official cars, how many of the cars owned by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are over six years old. (276778)

BERR does not own any cars.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 21 May 2009, Official Report, column 1489W.

I have approached the Chief Executives of the Insolvency Service and Companies House agencies and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.

Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 3 June 2009:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 18 May 2009, UIN 276778, to the Minister of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

Companies House does not own any cars. The only vehicle we do own is a van which is under six years old.

Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 3 June 2009:

The Minister of State, for the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has asked me to reply to you directly in respect of your question (2008/3015) asking pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2009, Official Report, column 2298W, on official cars, how many of the cars owned by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are over six years old.

The Insolvency Service does not own any official cars.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many breaches of security there have been at (a) Companies House and (b) the Insolvency Service in the last five years; and what procedures are invoked in each organisation when a breach of security relating to personal data is identified. (276942)

There have been no breaches of security into Companies House main building or any items stolen. However, in the last five years, three bicycles were stolen from the car park and four laptops have been stolen from private premises.

There have been no breaches of security relating to personal data in the last five years. Companies House has a documented security incident procedure in line with the requirements of HMGIA Standard No. 6 —Protecting Personal Data and Managing Information Risk and the Security Framework. Any reportable breaches are recorded in Companies House Annual Report and Accounts.

The Insolvency Service has experienced one breach of security in the last five years, namely the theft of four laptops from its Manchester office on 28 August 2008. Only one of the laptops contained personal data. The breach was reported to the police, Ministers, Cabinet Office and the Information Commissioner’s Office. A press release was also issued in relation to the incident.

The Insolvency Service follows Cabinet Office policies and procedures in dealing with notification of breaches involving personal data.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department and its predecessor spent on the purchase of (a) recycled office supplies in the last 12 months and (b) printer ink cartridges in each of the last five years. (274209)

BERR spend on recycled office supplies in the last 12 months up to the end of April 2009 was £220,250.

BERR and its predecessor spent the following on printer ink cartridges in each of the last five years:

BERR purchase remanufactured ink cartridges, unless stock availability prevents this.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the average waiting time for callers to his Department’s telephone help lines was in the latest period for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. (276868)

In the last three months the Inquiry Unit received 28,316 calls. 97 per cent. of these calls were answered within 15 seconds.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance his Department provides to the Insolvency Service on procedures to be followed when people who are subject to a disqualification order or undertaking apply for permission to act as a director or take part in the management of a specific company. (277313)

No guidance is provided by BERR to the Insolvency Service on the procedures that need to be followed. Such procedures are largely determined by the courts, the legislation and the Civil Procedures Rules. The Insolvency Service has developed its approach to such applications by referral to prior case judgments and to legal advice.

To assist applicants, the Insolvency Service provides a guidance sheet (approved by Treasury Solicitors) to potential applicants which includes details of the information which my noble Friend the Secretary of State considers should normally be included in an applicant's evidence.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people who are subject to a disqualification order or undertaking have (a) applied for and (b) been successful in an application to act as a director or take part in the management of a specific company in each month since January 1997. (277314)

From 1 April 2006 the known figures for applications are:

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what procedures his Department has in place to monitor applications from people who are subject to a disqualification order or undertaking for permission to act as a director or take part in the management of a company. (277315)

All such applications must be served on my noble Friend the Secretary of State, as he has a duty to appear on such applications and to call the attention of the court to any matters which seem to be relevant, and may give evidence or call witnesses. Most such applications are dealt with by the Defendant Liaison Team of the Insolvency Service which provides a guidance sheet (approved by Treasury Solicitors) to potential applicants which includes details of the information which my noble Friend the Secretary of State considers should normally be included in an applicant’s evidence. Applicants should support their application to the court with full and particularised affidavit evidence which is supported by appropriate exhibits, and serve such evidence on my noble Friend the Secretary of State in sufficient time so as to give him a proper opportunity to consider it fully before the hearing of the application.

The stance taken by my noble Friend the Secretary of State on each application, including whether to file evidence and/or oppose the application, can only be decided having regard to the facts and circumstances of each individual case.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will introduce measures to provide financial support for the capital costs of building new hotels. (264106)

The Real Help for Business measures announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 14 January 2009 are available to all businesses across the UK, with limited exemptions within some measures which apply to specific sectors, largely because there is alternative support already in place or the business is wholly speculative in nature.

Details of all Real Help measures can be accessed at

www.businesslink.gov.uk/realhelp.

Information on finance schemes and an initial assessment of eligibility is available at

www.businesslink.gov.uk/realhelp/finance.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter on redundancies sent by his Department to insolvency practitioners on 4 March 2009. (273218)

I will place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House today.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many businesses in (a) Crosby and (b) Sefton have entered into administration in the last 12 months. (277735)

There were 5,273 administrations (Enterprise Act 2002) in England and Wales between April 2008 and March 2009. Statistics covering business administrations are not currently available on a regional basis within England and Wales.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much the Low Pay Commission has spent on advertising and marketing in each of the last five years. (277475)

[holding answer 1 June 2009]: The Low Pay Commission has spent nothing on advertising and marketing in the last five years.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff of the Low Pay Commission are paid an annual salary of (a) less than £15,000, (b) between £15,000 and £20,000, (c) between £20,000 and £25,000, (d) between £25,000 and £30,000, (e) between £30,000 and £40,000, (f) between £40,000 and £50,000 and (g) over £50,000. (277476)

[holding answer 1 June 2009]: The information requested is as follows:

(a) None

(b) None

(c) One

(d) Two

(e) Two

(f) One

(g) Three.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the salary of each member of the Low Pay Commission is; and what (a) pension and (b) expenses arrangements there are for Commission members. (277481)

[holding answer 1 June 2009]: Low Pay Commissioners do not receive a salary or pension. They are entitled to claim daily attendance fee of £242.12 a day (Commissioner) and £530.96 a day (Chairman), although not all do. In addition, Commissioners can claim reasonable actual travelling, subsistence and incidental costs necessarily incurred in the course of the Commission’s business.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he plans to reply to the letter of 13 November 2008 from the hon. Member for Wycombe concerning his constituents, Houshab and Nitesh Patel of Biofuel Refineries, regarding unfair overseas competition in the biodiesel trade. (275507)

I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding. The hon. Member will receive a response shortly.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he will reply to the letters of 23 February and 17 April 2009 from the hon. Member for Forest of Dean, on credit for small leisure business, reference SP2151. (275957)

[holding answer 15 May 2009]: The Minister for Competitiveness and Small Business responded to the hon. Member on 15 May. I apologise for the delay which was caused by the current high volumes of correspondence.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he plans to reply to the letter of 6 April 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. D. Healey. (276508)

I apologise to my right hon. Friend for the delay in responding. I will endeavour to respond shortly.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when a reply will be sent to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford’s letter of 9 March 2009 concerning his constituent, Mr Allan Jasson, of Chelmsford. (277671)

[holding answer 1 June 2009]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding. The hon. Member will receive a response shortly.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when his Department plans to respond to the letter of 19 April 2009 from the hon. Member for North East Milton Keynes on his constituent, Mr. Robert Bluffield. (277857)

I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding. The hon. Member will receive a response shortly.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assistance is available from his Department for a person who wishes to start a business as a sole trader. (263963)

Advice for those wishing to start up as sole traders, or in other corporate forms, is available from the Business Link website

www.businesslink.gov.uk

which provides a wide range of advice and support tools for new business start ups.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of support provided to social enterprise by regional development agencies. (271425)

The RDAs produce corporate plans setting out corporate objectives and expenditure plans across all major activities including social enterprise. Progress against these plans is subsequently reviewed and reported in the RDA's annual report and accounts. RDAs are also required to undertake impact evaluations of their major projects. That work was recently collected together in a report “Impact of RDA Spending” carried out on the Department's behalf by PriceWaterhouseCoopers which provided an overall assessment of RDAs’ effectiveness. The report concluded that RDA expenditure produced economic benefits in all regions.

The Office of the Third Sector's Social Enterprise Action Plan announced £5.9 million for the regional development agencies to March 2011 to improve social enterprise support via Business Link. A formal evaluation of the programme by the Office of the Third Sector has begun, with BERR involvement, and will provide a mechanism to share results across the country, with central Government and with the sector. A draft report on the early stages of the programme is currently being considered by OTS, BERR, the RDAs and a group of social enterprise experts.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what post office services are operated with the Bank of Ireland. (269075)

[holding answer 20 April 2009]: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd (POL). Alan Cook, managing director of POL, wrote directly to the hon. Member on 27 April 2009.

Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what funding streams are provided by each regional development agency. (277362)

[holding answer 1 June 2009]: Since April 2002, the RDAs have been financed through a Single Programme budget (the “Single Pot”). Money from the seven contributing Departments (BERR, CLG, DIUS, DECC, DEFRA, DCMS and UKTI) is pooled into one single budget.

The funding, once allocated, is available to the RDAs in order to achieve the regional priorities identified in their regional economic strategies (RES) and the challenging targets set by them in their corporate plans. The corporate plans are approved by Ministers. Each region’s plan will differ according to the needs, opportunities, and priorities for economic growth in each region.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much funding each regional development agency plans to give to each regional design panel in 2009-10. (270126)

The following table shows RDA proposed funding for regional design panels in 2009-10.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether Deutsche Post has informed him of the reasons for which it decided not to seek a stake in the Royal Mail. (274701)

Deutsche Post’s decision in relation to a partnership with Royal Mail Group Limited is a matter for them.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for what reasons each of the recommendations in the Glover Review on small and medium-sized enterprises and public procurement cannot be implemented during 2009; and if he will make a statement. (264376)

Working with the Office of Government Commerce, this Department expects to implement 10 of the 12 recommendations contained in Anne Glover’s report “Accelerating the SME economic engine” before the end of 2009. The two remaining recommendations concern the provision of a free procurement portal recommended by Anne Glover for delivery by 2010. Consideration is currently being given to delivery options which may involve a procurement exercise involving advertising in the “Official Journal of the European Union”.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many businesses have made successful applications for a Small Firms Loans Guarantee; and how much has been guaranteed under the scheme in each year from 2002-03 to 2007-08. (267578)

[holding answer 27 March 2009]: For figures on the value and volume of loans made under SFLG in each of the last five years, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1947W, to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Alan Duncan). Figures on the distribution of SFLG lending across all regions of England for financial years 2000-01 to 2006-07 are set out in the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Annual Report to Parliament 2006-07. Copies of the Annual Reports are placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. (277330)

The Department for International Development (DFID) is in regular consultation with development agencies and other donors on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. These include the Government of Afghanistan, the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN World Food Programme (UN-WFP) and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA).

DFID monitors closely the effectiveness of the delivery of humanitarian aid through assessments made by agencies who deliver aid on the ground such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and UN-WFP.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the cost of reconstruction required in the Cayman Islands following Hurricane Paloma. (276809)

The Department for International Development (DFID) continues to monitor the situation through the Governor's Office and the Cayman Islands hazard management agency.

In April the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean submitted their detailed study of economic damage and losses to the Cayman Islands Government. This indicates that the cost of reconstruction, based on replacement costs for direct damage caused by Hurricane Paloma, to be US$124.5 million, or 7.4 per cent. of gross domestic product. DFID provided support for this study.

On 15 May, the Governor visited Cayman Brae, finding that all critical facilities are functioning, including Government buildings, schools and hospitals. Housing repair is well under way and is a priority.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff employed in London on work contracted out by his Department earn less than £7.45 per hour. (275175)

26 individuals employed in London on work contracted out by the Department for International Development earn less than £7.45 per hour. We are currently reviewing these contracts.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department paid in end-of-year performance bonuses to (a) all staff and (b) senior Civil Service staff in 2008-09; and how many such payments were made. (275251)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 26 March 2009, Official Report, column 656W.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent progress his Department has made towards the publication of its White Paper; and if he will make a statement. (275068)

The forthcoming White Paper on International Development is on track to be laid before Parliament before both Houses rise for the summer recess in July. The consultation period finished on 27 May. Through events, online discussions and written submissions, the consultation received contributions from approximately 3,000 organisations and individuals.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many actions under employment law have been brought against his Department in each of the last three years; how many such actions were brought under each category of action; and how many such actions were contested by his Department at an employment tribunal. (277419)

The Department for International Development was subject to less than five actions under employment law in each of the last three years; no actions were contested at an employment tribunal.

Providing specific information on such a small number of cases could potentially breach the confidentiality of individuals concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of Sri Lankans in camps for the internally displaced; what estimate he has made of the number of such camps hosting such people; and what reports he has received on the access of UN officials to such camps. (277230)

The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the camps is growing rapidly as thousands of civilians leave the conflict zone. The United Nations (UN) has stated that approximately 280,000 people have now been security screened and registered. IDPs are currently accommodated in 41 sites situated in Vavuniya, Jaffna and Trincomalee. The UN has generally had better access to the camps than NGOs, particularly in Jaffna.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that there is a comprehensive and efficient library service in (a) Wirral and (b) England. (277692)

Local authorities have a duty under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to provide a “comprehensive and efficient” library service. On 3 April 2009, the Secretary of State announced his intention to use his powers under the Act to hold an inquiry to test whether the Wirral MBC's plans for its library service, arising from its strategic asset review, are consistent with its statutory duties. If the council is found to have fallen short of these duties, the inquiry will recommend the actions necessary to rectify that breach. The inquiry has now been launched and will report in due course.

In considering the findings of both the Wirral inquiry and the DCMS Library Service Modernisation (which will determine the Government's vision for a modern, world-class public library service and set out some of the necessary steps to support all local authorities in providing continuously improving, excellent library services) the Secretary of State will consider what further guidance is needed by local authorities on the interpretation of “comprehensive and efficient”.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire of 1 April 2009, Official Report, columns 1217-8W, on tourism, what estimates have been made for 2008-09; and how much funding each Department provided under each heading in each year. (277479)

[holding answer 1 May 2009]: The following table gives details of Government spending on tourism for 2008-09:

The funding received by the British Tourist Authority and its successor VisitBritain came from DCMS, and the RDA funding from the RDA Single Pot administered by BERR, including a £3.5 million contribution from DCMS (which was £3.6 million in the years up to 2007-08). The funding for the GLA also came from DCMS. The £19 million emergency funding for the “Million Visitor Campaign” in 2001-02 was provided by HMT.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much CLM has been paid since its appointment as an Olympic contractor; and how much it is expected to be paid over the duration of the contract. (277457)

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has engaged the Delivery Partner, CLM, to provide world class programme and project management expertise across the ODA's programme.

Details of payments to CLM are published annually in the ODA annual report and accounts. For the last two years the figures were:

The next ODA annual report is due to be published in July 2009 and will include the Delivery Partner payment for the financial year 2008-09.

The overall amount expected to be paid to CLM is commercially confidential and will vary depending on a number of factors including performance and scope of work undertaken.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many people have been employed by the Olympic Delivery Authority in each year since 2005; and how many have been engaged by the Authority on consultancy contracts in each such year. (277272)

[holding answer 1 June 2009]: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) was established as an NDPB by the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act, which received Royal Assent in March 2006. The following figures cover the position at the end of each financial year. The increase in the number of employees is related to the increase in the pace of the construction programme:

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many organisations at (a) national, (b) regional and (c) local level are receiving Olympic legacy funding; and how much has been disbursed at each level in the latest period for which figures are available. (277477)

The Legacy Trust UK (LTUK) was established to support a wide range of innovative cultural and sporting projects, which celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and leave a lasting legacy in communities throughout the United Kingdom. The trust was established using a £40 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund, Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Since its inception LTUK has awarded a total of £30 million in grants. £6 million has been committed for the staging of the UK School Games, which are run by the Youth Sports Trust, between 2008 and 2011.

Some £24 million has been committed to 12 nations’ and regions’ organisations to run various cultural projects as follows:

For a nation or region to receive a grant from LTUK, strict funding criteria have been applied, including a requirement to set up an advisory group, made up of a range of sporting and cultural organisations, which is responsible for the managing and distribution of the money within that region.

The LTUK is currently finalising their plans for the remaining funds to support three more national initiatives, with announcements expected shortly.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what grants have been made from the £2.7 billion Olympic contingency fund; and of those which have been allocated to the (a) programme and (b) funded stream. (277516)

[holding answer 1 June 2009]: Of the total £2.7 billion contingency, £238 million is for wider policing and security and is controlled by the Home Office. £500 million was allocated to the ODA as part of its baseline budget, as announced in December 2007.

The remaining £1.9 billion is split between funders and programme contingency. Contingency releases to the ODA are reported in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Annual Reports and Quarterly Economic Reports, the first of which was published on 13 May 2009, and are summarised as follows:

The quarterly economic update published in May 2009 reported that an additional £324 million had been invested in the Olympic Village. This was made up of £261 million contingency shown above together with £63 million of savings achieved from across the ODA programme. It is expected that the whole £324 million will be recovered from future apartment sales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department’s file FPS 15/17 Unborn Children (Protection) Bill—(Mr. Enoch Powell); and if he will make a statement; (266969)

Copies of the files have been placed in the Library. Where documents have been withheld, the reason is stated within the copy of each volume.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many practising optometrists have been trained to identify (a) low vision conditions and (b) early stage vision deterioration. (277898)

As part of their training and professional qualifying examinations, all optometrists are expected to be able to identify the signs of conditions which could give rise to vision loss and might be amenable to remediation, and the early stages of vision deterioration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints the Healthcare Commission has (a) received and (b) resolved in each year since its inception; what the average cost of processing such complaints has been to date; how many staff were employed by the Commission to handle complaints in each year; and what expenditure the Commission incurred on complaints handling in each such year. (277042)

The Care Quality Commission took over from the Healthcare Commission on 1 April 2009. At the same time, the previous three-stage national health service complaints procedure (local resolution, Healthcare Commission, health service ombudsman) was replaced by a two-stage process (local resolution, health service ombudsman). The Healthcare Commission’s complaints handling functions (including information and staffing) have therefore not been transferred to CQC.

The number of complaints received and reviewed up to 31 July 2008 is available from the Healthcare Commission’s three reports “Spotlight on Complaints—A report on second-stage complaints about the NHS in England” published in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

From July 2004 to July 2006—16,130 requests for review were received. In the same period, 10,950 reviews were completed.

From August 2006 to July 2007—7,500 requests for review were received. In the same period, 10,366 reviews were completed.

From August 2007 to 31 July 2008—7,827 requests for review were received. In the same period, 8,949 reviews were completed.

In the 2007 Spotlight on Complaints report the Healthcare Commission published figures on staffing related to the period July 2004 to July 2006. During this time the number of staff dealing with cases increased from 21 to more than 150.

According to the Healthcare Commission annual report and accounts 2007-08, the net operating cost of the Commission’s complaints handling function in 2007-08 was £9.6 million, compared to £9.8 million in 2006-07. However, given that the handling and resolution of complaints also draws on resources from elsewhere in the Commission, it is not possible to calculate accurately the full average cost of handling each complaint.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he made of the number of empty beds in (a) low, (b) medium and (c) high security mental health hospitals on each day in the last 12 months. (277818)

These data are not collected centrally to this level of detail.

Data are collected by the Department on the average daily bed occupancy level in all low, medium and high secure units in a given year. In 2007-08, the average daily number of available beds in all secure units in England was 3,159, with an average daily occupancy rate of 2,885 beds or 91.3 per cent.

Snapshot data were collected on 30 September 2008, but only in respect of high secure services, when 879 beds were available, with an overall occupancy rate of 90.4 per cent. The data include 48 designated learning disability beds. Separate data for low secure and medium secure units’ bed occupancy levels have not been collected by the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on England’s position among Western European states for (a) prevalence of and (b) treatment standards for (i) heart, (ii) kidney disease and (c) stroke; and what plans he has to improve this ranking over the next 10 years. (276976)

Data from the 2006 Health Survey for England suggest the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in England was 6.5 per cent. in men and 4.0 per cent. in women. Prevalence rates increase with age, with more than one in three men and around one in four women aged 75 and over living with CHD.

Overall we estimate that there are just over 1.1 million men living in the United Kingdom who have had angina and around 970,000 who have had a heart attack and around 850,000 women who have had angina and around 439,000 who have had a heart attack. Combined, these estimates suggest that 2.1 million men and 1.3 million women, around 3.4 million adults, in the UK reporting angina and/or a heart attack. This is likely to be an overestimate as those suffering from angina are not an independent group to those suffering from a heart attack.

Comparable data on prevalence of the cardiovascular diseases are difficult to access. At present there is no routinely updated source of Europe-wide data.

With regards to plans for tackling heart disease, the Department is commissioning an external review of the implementation and delivery of the Coronary Heart Disease National Service Framework. We are also undertaking an analysis of the trends in the burden of cardiac disease including patient expectations and needs, technology and working practices and how these are likely to affect future demand and patterns of service provision.

We understand that a report on Access to Cardiac Care in the UK commissioned by the Cardio and Vascular Coalition, the British Heart Foundation and the British Cardiovascular Society was launched on 2 June 2009, which includes some comparison with other European countries. This will be a helpful contribution to our work on future needs.

The Department contributed information to the Euro Consumer Heart Index in 2008, which provides comparisons between European countries across a number of indicators including access to treatment, prevention, national guidelines and outcomes. In this index, the UK ranked 9 out of 29 European countries. No separate score was available for England.

The number of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is not accurately known, because a lack of symptoms in the early stages means it often remains undiagnosed. However, a survey of blood samples in South East England in 2000-01 indicated the prevalence of CKD to be 5,554 per million population. Also the introduction of CKD into the Quality and Outcomes Framework has determined that there are 1.5 million people with CKD stages 3-5 (5 being established as renal failure).

Part 1 of the National Service Framework for Renal Services, published in January 2004, sets five standards and identifies 30 markers of good practice in the areas of dialysis and transplantation, aimed at improving fairness of access, patient choice about the type of treatment they receive and reducing variation in the quality of dialysis and kidney transplant services. These standards and markers of good practice will help the national health service and its partners to manage the increasing demand for renal services.

Future plans for renal services are to identify people at risk of kidney disease in a timely manner to optimise care, ensure kidney patients receive high quality care and to offer patients a choice of all forms of replacement therapy.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in England, with over 110,000 strokes happening every year.

The National Stroke Strategy for England (December 2007) sets 20 ‘quality markers’ which outline the features of a good service in the assessment and treatment of strokes, and those support services needed for stroke survivors to return to as full as possible a life in their community.

The National Stroke Strategy was launched on 5 December 2007 following extensive consultation. It provides a 10-year framework setting out key elements of an improved stroke service. At the launch of the strategy, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health (Alan Johnson) announced £105 million of central funding over three years would be spent to support implementation.