To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason the Rural Payments Agency has decided to carry out remote sensing mapping induction in Gloucestershire; what the average time taken to process information gathered by the process is; for what reason such processes have delayed the award of single farm payments; and if he will take steps to expedite any payments so delayed. (317706)

[holding answer 22 February 2010]: All European Union member states have a requirement to inspect at least 5 per cent. of single payment scheme (SPS) applications each scheme year to confirm eligibility.

The majority of these eligibility inspections are carried out by RPA using remote sensing. Remote sensing uses very high resolution satellite images to check the land area in a selected zone and then to check it matches what the farmer has claimed for on the SPS application form. The geographical zones to be inspected are selected as far as possible in counties not having been previously selected and this explains why part of Gloucestershire has been included. Claims in these zones are targeted using a risk-based approach.

RPA employs a specialist contractor to undertake preliminary checks using remote sensing. When the findings reach RPA, they are checked against the SPS claim and the Rural Land Register (RLR) and then if necessary conveyed to the farmers concerned. In previous years remote sensing inspection cases have generally been paid later in the regulatory payment window, which closes on 30 June. This year and because RPA has been more successful in paying farmers earlier non payment of remote sensing cases appears more pronounced.

Owing to the complex and scientific nature of analysing thousands of hectares of land cover and topography using satellite imagery, RPA inevitably discovers instances where it is difficult to interpret what the imagery is showing, for example because of atmospheric conditions or apparent land use and management changes, which require further clarification with the farmer. This year has also been more complex because of the work to update all of the boundaries, position and accuracy of the land in the RLR.

RPA must ensure that findings from these inspections are taken fully into account before a claim can be paid, which often necessitates ongoing communications with farmers to reach an accurate outcome. Because of the range of checks on claims some will inevitably take longer than others to complete. Remote sensing processing is being carried out as quickly as possible and RPA is working to make these payments as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on the (a) public health and (b) moral and religious implications of undisclosed elements of pork and beef being fed to chickens. (318786)

We have received no recent representations on these subjects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding the National Heritage Memorial Fund received from the public purse in each of the last three years. (318017)

[holding answer 23 February 2010]: The grant in aid funding figures for the National Heritage Memorial Fund received from my Department in each of the last three full financial years are in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the reason was for the time taken for his Department to determine the application of Birmingham city council for a certificate of immunity from listing in respect of its proposal to redevelop Birmingham Central Library; and for what reason his Department has declined to release documents relating to that decision in response to an application under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. (318137)

The Birmingham Central Library case involved a great deal of detailed consultation and careful consideration of high volumes of correspondence before a decision could be reached.

All departmental responses to freedom of information requests are handled within the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Where exemptions apply, a full explanation is provided to the applicant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he made of the revenue which would accrue to the Exchequer in circumstances in which Ofcom re-auctioned the three existing independent national radio licences. (317595)

An assessment of the potential revenue was made in the impact assessment which accompanied the draft Digital Economy Bill. This is available at:

http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/digitalbritain_impactassessment.pdf

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2010, Official Report, column 326W, on electoral register: expenditure, how much was spent on each type of initiative on electoral registration referred to in the answer in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09. (318592)

The Electoral Commission informs me that the figures given in the previous answer were the total expenditure for registration objectives as recorded in its resource accounts for 2007-08 and 2008-09. The Commission further informs me that the expenditure is not recorded by activity in its accounts and that it is not possible to provide the detailed information sought without incurring disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the potential effects on the energy industry in Scotland of proposals on carbon capture and storage. (318695)

My right hon. Friend and I hold regular discussions with ministerial colleagues across Government about a wide range of issues. The Energy Bill allows for the introduction of a carbon capture and storage incentive to support the construction of up to four UK commercial-scale demonstration projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on international trade in Scotland. (318589)

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

The Scotland Office worked closely with DEFRA on the recent Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009. The regulations came into force on 23 November last year and provide a significant step forward in providing extra protection for an important Scottish industry. These regulations will help safeguard Scotch whisky from unfair and deceptive practices and will help protect whisky customers across the globe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many industrial tribunal cases are outstanding in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point. (318109)

The allocation of claims to an Employment Tribunal office is determined by the postcode of the respondent against whom the claim has been brought. Employment Tribunal claims against respondents based in the county of Essex are dealt with by the Bury St. Edmunds, East London and Watford Employment Tribunal offices. Claims against respondents based specifically in the borough of Castle Point are dealt with by the East London Office.

The following table shows the number of live claims held in each of the offices covering the county of Essex at 31 January 2010:

Claimants from Essex or Castle Point may have brought claims against respondents outside Essex and these claims may be held in other offices depending on the address of the respondents. Statistical information is not collated centrally in relation to such cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many serving prisoners convicted of each type of offence are recorded as having no nationality, broken down by length of sentence. (317170)

On 30 June 2009, there were 68,375 prisoners under immediate custodial sentence in England and Wales, including 156 prisoners whose nationality was not yet recorded.

The following table shows these 156 prisoners by type of offence and sentence length.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department plans to bring forward legislation to change the law which prevents prisoners from voting in general elections. (318409)

The Government have recently undertaken the second stage consultation on this issue. We are currently considering the responses. The Government will then consider the next steps towards implementing the judgment in legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of illicit drug seizures within prisons was attributed to (a) sniffer dogs, (b) closed circuit television, (c) strip searches, (d) intimate searches, (e) searches of prison cells and (f) police intelligence in each of the last five years. (317397)

Information is not recorded in the format requested and would require requests for and detailed analysis of data returns from all prisons in England and Wales. To do so would incur disproportionate costs.

The combination and extent to which these methods have been used to seize drugs is specific to individual prisons, and will have varied over time as priorities and tactics have changed and evolved.

Local searching strategies are based on an individualised assessment of risk while containing mandatory actions set out in the National Offender Management Service's (NOMS) National Security Framework. NOMS searching policy is based on: common law principles of decency; human rights principles of necessity and proportionately; and not subjecting prisoners to degrading treatment.

An intimate search is defined as a manual search of buccal, anal and/or vaginal cavities. Intimate searching runs a significant risk of causing internal damage, particularly where the subject is non-compliant. Only qualified medical practitioners or registered nurses are able to undertake an intimate examination and will do so only with consent and for health-related reasons.

NOMS policy on searching in prisons does not permit intimate searches to be conducted. Where prison staff suspects internal concealment, the prisoner may be placed in confinement until the item is produced and/or referred to health care whenever there are concerns about health, for example, due to the concealment of drugs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2010, Official Report, column 734W, on public sector: disclosure of information, if he will list each of the 57 primary requests that have been accepted by the Unlocking Service; and what the status is of each. (318341)

The following 57 requests to the Unlocking Service were accepted:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of the Youth Justice Board's expenditure was spent on purchasing custodial places in 2008-09. (318441)

The cost of custodial places currently includes payment for education provision. In respect of certain establishments, it also includes contributions to primary care trusts for health provision.

For the financial year 2008-09 the cost to purchase places and regimes for children and young people in the secure estate was £297,952,000 which equates to 63 per cent. of their annual budget.

The data contained in this answer is taken from the published YJB annual accounts.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what research his Department is undertaking in respect of the safety aspects of the two recent major incidents in the Channel Tunnel. (318763)

The Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission acts for and on behalf of the British and French Governments to supervise all matters relating to the operation of the Channel Tunnel, including safety.

The Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission is advised by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority on all matters relating to safety.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many members of staff of (a) Directly Operated Railways and (b) East Coast Trains occupy office space in his Department. (318677)

At the moment there are three full-time and two part-time Directly Operated Railways staff based at the Department for Transport's Marsham street offices. In addition, two non-executive directors also use these offices for up to two days each month.

From the 6 May, Directly Operated Railways staff will be based at offices in Kemble street which are not Department for Transport premises.

There are no East Coast staff occupying space in the Department for Transport offices.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in (i) his Department and (ii) the executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff. (317898)

The following table details how many and what proportion of staff in the Department for Transport and its Executive agencies are declared disabled; and what the average salary is of full-time declared disabled staff, full-time non-disabled staff, part-time declared disabled staff and part-time non-disabled staff.

These data are based on returns made by Government Departments and agencies to ONS for the reference date of 31 March 2009.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of recent adverse weather on the delivery of car tax renewal notices to motorists; how many have been delayed; and what the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s policy is on this matter. (318746)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s policy is to send out vehicle tax renewal reminders around three weeks before the existing tax disc expires. This gives customers, plenty of time to get a new tax disc. The agency’s online and telephone based tax disc services are available 24 hours a day to ensure that customers need never miss the deadline for taking action.

Renewal reminder notices are sent as a courtesy. The registered keeper of a vehicle is responsible for ensuring it is correctly licensed, even if a renewal reminder is not received. Our assessment is that there is no evidence that reminders were unduly delayed during recent bad weather and that 3 million motorists licensed their vehicles during January.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what research (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have commissioned on the reliability of electronic systems fitted in vehicles in the last five years. (318756)

The Department for Transport or its agencies has not commissioned any specific research to look at the reliability of vehicles' electronic systems. However, under harmonised European construction rules electronic vehicle systems such as braking and steering are assessed for potential failures and any effect they may have on the safe operation of the vehicle.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport for what reasons the Government Car and Despatch Agency has no contact details on its website. (318343)

The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) publishes its contact details on its website:

www.dft.gov.uk/gcda

Within the ‘Contact Us’ section, telephone numbers for GCDA departments are shown.

E-mail addresses and contact telephone numbers are shown at the end of each of the GCDA product/service pages.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) on what date the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency was informed by Toyota of the possibility of the need to recall certain models of the Prius motor car; and if he will make a statement; (318755)

On 1 February 2010, the Vehicle Safety Branch (VSB) of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) held a meeting with Toyota GB to discuss the Toyota accelerator pedal matter.

The Vehicle Standard Branch raised at the same time the issue concerning the braking system fitted to the Toyota Prius. Toyota GB advised that its parent company was conducting an investigation and agreed to keep VSB informed.

Toyota GB believed this to be a brake pedal issue during brake application and the intervention of the ABS on low friction road surfaces rather than a safety defect. The Vehicle Standard Branch engineers conducted extensive tests and concluded that there was no safety defect.

On 9 February 2010 Toyota GB informed VSB of their intention to treat this matter as a recall. Keepers of 8,500 Prius vehicles in the UK will be contacted to submit their vehicle to a dealer who will re-programme the Anti Lock Braking System software. Toyota GB informed VSB that as of 22 February 2010, 1,258 vehicles have been fixed.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many vehicles failed an MOT test for incorrectly adjusted headlamps in the last five years. (318757)

The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) does not record this specific information and to find this information would result in disproportionate cost being incurred.

VOSA publishes MOT failures by categories in its Effectiveness Report. Incorrectly adjusted headlamps would be recorded within the Lighting and Signalling category along with other related failures. Figures for the last three years are listed in the table.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2010, Official Report, column 420W, on official cars, how many such cars were available for (a) Ministers and (b) senior civil servants in 1997-98; and what the annual cost was of providing the service in that year. (318194)

The Government Car and Despatch Agency holds no historical information for that period and this could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport to what use fines received from train operating companies as a result of franchise breaches are put. (318676)

No fines have been imposed on train operating companies since the Department for Transport assumed responsibility for rail franchising, as the Government have instead sought appropriate passenger benefits from the train operator concerned, at a financial cost to the operator.

To ask the Prime Minister how many staff of his Office attended the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. (318778)

None.

To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2010, Official Report, column 1070W, on official residences, on what date the squatters who occupied the property at the beginning of December 2009 left the ministerial residence of South Eaton Place; whether the police or courts were used to secure occupation; and what steps have been taken to secure the property in future. (318301)

I have been asked to reply.

Following a court order the persons illegally occupying South Eaton Place vacated it on 13 December 2009. The property is for sale.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many and what proportion of staff in the Government Olympic Executive are disabled; and what the average salary in the Government Olympic Executive is of (a) full-time disabled staff, (b) full-time non-disabled staff, (c) part-time disabled staff and (d) part-time non-disabled staff. (317903)

The Government Olympic Executive (GOE) reports to me through the permanent secretary at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). GOE will be included within the answer provided by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at DCMS.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much her office has spent on entertainment in each of the last five years. (318472)

My office has been in existence since June 2007. In the reporting year 2007-08 £1,215 was spent on entertainment, in the reporting year 2008-09 £717.05 was spent. Figures for 2009-10 will not be available until the end of the reporting year.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many staff of the Government Olympic Executive attended the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver; and whether she attended. (318779)

Four members of the Government Olympic Executive have attended the 2010 Winter Olympics. It is planned that a further four officials will attend the Paralympics. They are participating in the observer programmes which run throughout the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

I attended the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games from 10 to 18 February, with my private secretary, a press officer and a special adviser. This provided an invaluable opportunity to study at first-hand Vancouver’s experience in staging an Olympic Games and to learn lessons for London 2012.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much was spent on humanitarian assistance programmes in each of the last five years. (318624)

The role of my Humanitarian Assistance Unit is to:

ensure that the needs of British people affected by major emergencies are acted on within Government in building preparedness for and responding to major emergencies; and

act as an advocate for victims and their families within Government and beyond.

Expenditure on humanitarian assistance programmes in each of the last five years is as follows:

In addition, the Government provided:

£1 million to the British Red Cross in 2006-07 to set up the Relief Fund for Victims of Terrorism; and

£1 million to the Royal Parks for the 7 July memorial in Hyde Park.

18. To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will review the effectiveness of the role of Eaga in the allocation of grants under the Warm Front scheme. (318559)

All applications to Warm Front will be considered by the scheme manager, Eaga, in accordance with the regulations which govern the scheme. The assistance provided to qualifying households will depend on their circumstances and the range of measures available. Work is allocated to those installers appointed under the scheme to work in the local area. The Department has an independent quality assurance contract in place to verify the work of the scheme manager.

20. To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much additional gas storage capacity he expects to be available in the UK by 2012; and if he will make a statement. (318561)

22. To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much additional gas storage capacity he expects to become available in the UK by 2012. (318564)

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change gave to the hon. Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay) earlier today.

21. To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many miners' claims relating to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remain to be settled; and when he expects the compensation scheme to end. (318562)

The Department has settled over 590,000 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims to date. A further 1,762 claims remain to be settled of which less than 270 have yet to receive an offer. The Department aims to settle these claims by end of December 2010, although some claims involve protected parties and may take longer to resolve.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to secure progress in the post-competitive phase of the carbon capture and storage programme. (318542)

I expect to announce shortly which consortia will be selected following detailed scrutiny to undertake the tens of millions of pounds-worth of work for the front-end engineering and design for the first CCS demonstration project, the necessary work prior to construction. Later this year, we will also open the competition for the three other projects, to be funded under the CCS Incentive. The latter is, of course, dependent on the successful passage of the Energy Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to publish his Department’s household energy management strategy. (318552)

The Government consulted on their plans for improving the energy efficiency of existing homes from February to May last year. We had over 300 responses to that consultation, from a wide variety of organisations and individuals, expressing a broad range of views.

In response to that consultation, our Strategy for Household Energy Management will be published very shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will give additional support to promote the use of co-firing of biomass in coal-powered electricity generation. (318563)

Co-firing, along with other eligible renewable electricity generation technologies is supported under the renewables obligation.

In October 2010 we will start the first scheduled banding review for all eligible renewables technologies supported under the renewables obligation.

This will include reviewing at the level of support for co-firing of biomass and energy crops in fossil-fuelled generation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent steps he has taken to increase the use of new environmental technologies; and if he will make a statement. (318558)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has a range of policies in place that will increase the use of new environmental technologies by driving carbon emission reduction. These policies include the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, our carbon budgets, and the carbon reduction commitment.

Recent steps to increase the use of new environmental technologies include Feed In Tariffs; the Renewable Heat Incentive and the Low Carbon Communities Challenge.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure the security of the UK’s gas supply in the event of proposed industrial action at Milford Haven; (318463)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has been closely following events at Milford Haven Port Authority over the past few weeks. My officials have been in regular contact with the operators of LNG import facilities and refineries in the area to understand the implications of possible industrial action. We have also been in contact with national grid to discuss the potential implications for UK’s gas supply. Officials have maintained close communication with port authority management to follow developments and, between 1 and 23 February, Ministers and officials have spoken on a number of occasions with senior representatives from Unite to seek their assessment of the dispute.

DECC recognises the strategic importance of the port to the energy industry and has urged the parties concerned to do everything possible to reach a resolution to the dispute whilst recognising that the issues under negotiation are a matter for the management and employees of the port authority. We welcome the announcement that the industrial action at Milford Haven port scheduled to start on 23 February has been averted and are pleased that consultation is under way on proposals which we hope will lead to an agreement.

My officials and I will continue to monitor developments closely and I urge the parties concerned to seek a swift and sustainable agreement to the dispute.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding his Department has allocated for (a) year end and (b) in-year bonuses for its staff in 2009-10. (307023)

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) operates three non-consolidated performance payment schemes: an in-year, special performance scheme (to reward particularly meritorious contributions during the year); an end-of-year performance payment scheme for staff below the Senior Civil Service (SCS) (to reward performance and delivery throughout the previous year); and a performance payment scheme for SCS staff, which is an integral part of the pay arrangements in operation in all Whitehall Departments.

The annual costs of the end-of-year performance payment scheme for staff below Senior Civil Service is £348,300. This equates to 0.54 per cent. of the pay remit available to those staff eligible to participate in the scheme.

In respect of performance payments for Senior Civil Service for 2009-10, the NIO will, as usual, await the advice of the Senior Salaries Review Body and Cabinet Office Guidance.

The funding allocated to the in-year special performance scheme equates to 0.4 per cent. of the pay remit available to those staff eligible to participate in the scheme. The funding for the 2009-10 year was set at £258,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the travel guidance issued to staff of each of his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies. (315033)

Most of the Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies follow travel policy/guidance issued by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO).

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission have their own guidance document and the Northern Ireland Prison Service follow the guidance contained in the Northern Ireland Civil Service Handbook.

I will place in the Library of the House copies of travel guidance documents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many turbines other than those delivered in September 2008 are operational at Kajaki dam; in what year such turbines were installed; and what the volume of electricity output has been of such turbines in the last five years for which figures are available. (311001)

I have been asked to reply.

There are two turbines operational at Kajaki dam, which were installed between 1972 and 1975. In 1975, the dam began to produce electricity for the Helmand Valley and Kandahar. It produces 33 mega watts of power.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the turbine delivered to Kajaki dam by UK forces in September 2008 is not functioning; whether that turbine has functioned since its delivery; when he expects that turbine to function; and if he will make a statement. (311003)

I have been asked to reply.

The turbine delivered in September 2008 requires other materials, namely mechanical and construction equipment, to make it functional. These have not yet been moved to the Kajaki area. While the dam does not operate to its full capacity, currently it does provide electricity to the population of Helmand. Two generators are in place and being used, along with diesel-powered local generation, to increase supply. While the security situation in the area makes access and delivery to Kajaki challenging, supplies, including oil, are being delivered. USAID, the US federal government agency responsible for the US effort in the field of development and reconstruction, is leading the work on the refurbishment of the power station. They continue to plan to make the facility fully operational.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of each grade of his Department's single living accommodation housing stock in Scotland was empty in each of the last five years. (317784)

We record details of void bed-spaces which are defined as those which are available but not currently required for occupation by single Service personnel. Separate figures for Scotland are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current shortfall is of (a) reservist and (b) regular (i) medical, (ii) nursing and (ii) paramedic staff. (309014)

[holding answer 6 January 2010]: The latest available data are provided in the following tables:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many people of each occupation are employed as personal staff for the Director General Land Warfare; (316934)

Director General Land Warfare has access to a pool of staff as part of a garrison-wide contract. He shares the use of one gardener and one domestic assistant to maintain his service family accommodation with the whole garrison of about 2,000 people. As such their staff duties are not solely dedicated to Director General Land Warfare. This is within MOD guidelines on proportionate staffing levels for the post.

The contract value of the support provided to Director General Land Warfare was valued at approximately £1,200 per month from February 2009 to January 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many performance reviews were undertaken in respect of staff of (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each of the last five years; in how many cases performance was rated as unsatisfactory or below; how many staff left as a direct result of such a rating; and what percentage of full-time equivalent staff this represented. (313834)

This information is not held in the format requested.

Other than certain medical grades, all MOD civilian staff are required to participate in an annual performance review process. If performance is identified as unsatisfactory —at any point in the reporting year—individuals may be subject to the restoring efficiency process, which involves warning the individual, encouraging improvement, and allowing a reasonable opportunity to improve. If a satisfactory performance is not achieved, the individual may be dismissed or downgraded. The number of staff dismissed for unsatisfactory performance in each financial year was as follows:

These figures include staff in MOD agencies but exclude Trading Funds and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans' badges have been issued to former members of the armed forces since the badges were introduced. (318256)

As at 19 February 2010, 770,324 Veterans Lapel Badges have been issued to former members of the armed forces and their entitled dependants since their introduction on 10 April 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many search and rescue operations took place beyond the standard operational range of the Hercules aircraft in the last five years. (318838)

None. The UK has responsibility for search and rescue operations within a specified area, which includes the north Atlantic, extending out to 30 degrees west. Hercules aircraft are capable of covering the entirety of the UK search and rescue area of responsibility.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on substitute accommodation in Scotland for (a) service family accommodation and (b) single living accommodation in each of the last five years. (316513)

It will take more time to collate and verify the information requested. I will write to the hon. Member.

Substantive answer from Kevan Jones to Angus Robertson:

In my answer of 9 February (Official Report, column 811W) I undertook to write to you with details of how much the Department has spent on substitute accommodation in Scotland for Service Family Accommodation and Single Living Accommodation in each of the last five years.

Substitute Service Family Accommodation (SSFA) and Substitute Service Single Accommodation (SSSA) are only ever used as a last resort in cases where service accommodation either does not exist or is not available. SSSA properties may accommodate more than one entitled Service person of the same gender and of an equivalent rank. As part of the value for money programme that I chair, the entitlements of all Ministry of Defence employees are being considered.

The amount spent on SSFA and SSSA in Scotland in each of the last five years is shown in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will (a) make available to the Iraq Inquiry and (b) place in the Library a copy of all legal advice given by his Department to military personnel prior to the beginning of the Iraq war; and if he will make a statement. (318459)

The Ministry of Defence is providing the inquiry with all the documentation that the inquiry has requested including legal advice. The Department will consider any requests to place documents containing legal advice relating to the Iraq conflict in the Library of the House on a case-by-case basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maximum operational range is of the (a) MR2 and (b) Hercules search and rescue aircraft without air-to-air refuelling. (318837)

The Nimrod MR2 and Hercules C130K aircraft perform other tasks aside from long-range search and rescue. We therefore cannot comment on actual capability levels as this is classified information.

The UK has responsibility for search and rescue operations within a specified area, which includes the North Atlantic out to 30 degrees West and both the Nimrod MR2 and Hercules C130K aircraft are capable of covering the entirety of the UK's search and rescue area of responsibility. The maximum time on task is dependent on a wide range of factors including load, configuration and weather, and this can be extended through use of diversions as far afield as Iceland in the north or indeed the Azores in the south. Additionally, the Hercules C130K has the capacity to air-to-air refuel which could significantly extend its time on task if it was required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many search and rescue missions were flown from RAF Kinloss using MR2 aircraft in each of the last five years; and what the (a) distance and (b) duration was of each such mission. (318839)

The number of search and rescue missions flown by MR2 aircraft from RAF Kinloss in each of the last five years is provided in the following table:

The available information relating to distance and duration of each mission in each of the last five years is provided in the following tables. The distance provided represents the nautical miles from RAF Kinloss to the search and rescue (SAR) task and does not represent the total distance flown. The duration of each mission relates only to the actual search and rescue mission and does not, in every case, represent total flying time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has for the replacement of MR2s in the protection of the UK's nuclear submarine fleet; (318833)

The Nimrod MR2 will be taken out of service on 31 March 2010, and will be replaced by the substantially more capable Nimrod MRA4. The MRA4 production programme remains unchanged, but the aircraft will be introduced into service at a slower rate as part of a package of key adjustments to the Defence programme announced on 15 December last year. During the period of transition we intend to use other assets to fulfil its various roles. We do not currently have any plans to lease aircraft to fulfil the long range search and rescue tasks undertaken by the MR2.

I cannot comment on the levels of protection assigned to the Deterrent for reasons of national security.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library copies of the proposals received by his Department for funding each project which is to receive funding from the Civil Society Challenge Fund 2010. (317592)

Details for the projects to receive funding from the Civil Society Challenge Fund in 2010 are available on the Department for International Development's (DFID's) website at:

www.dfid.gov.uk

Signing of grant agreements for 2010 is still subject to negotiation of financial and other arrangements and the usual DFID approval procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have had with (i) politicians and (ii) officials in Haiti on the role the UK can play in the reconstruction of that country. (318157)

Reconstruction on such a vast scale is best led multilaterally. The Government of Haiti have asked the World Bank and United Nations to be the joint international leads on this, and we expect the other international financial institutions, the European Commission and Haiti's major bilateral donors also to have a strong role. The United Kingdom is and will remain a major contributor to multilateral funding and in that role fully expects to attend the main reconstruction conference in New York at the end of March.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the (a) aid and (b) other assistance provided by his Department to the people of Haiti since the earthquake in that country. (318158)

The Department for International Development's (DFID's) assessment team provide daily field reports on the developing humanitarian situation in Haiti, to inform departmental decisions on funding and strategic choices. These situation reports are published on the DFID website for members of the public to view.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has allocated to support work with refugees from (a) Iraq, (b) Afghanistan, (c) Sudan, (d) Somalia and (e) Rwanda in 2009-10. (318006)

To date, in 2009-10 the Department for International Development (DFID) has provided a core contribution of £19 million to the UN Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to work with refugees worldwide.

DFID has also provided earmarked funding to UNHCR to support refugees in specific countries. In 2009-10 this has included £1.5 million for humanitarian assistance in Iraq and £2 million for Somali refugees in Kenya.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to (a) ensure local HIV positive survivors of the Rwandan genocide continue to receive targeted support and (b) support local organisations in Rwanda in providing services to HIV positive genocide survivors after March 2010. (317224)

Since 2006 the Department for International Development (DFID) has funded a £4.25 million Care and Treatment of Survivors Programme (CTP) targeting victims of genocide who are HIV positive.

From March 2010 this programme will be managed by the Government of Rwanda. DFID worked closely with the Rwandan Ministry of Health (MoH) and genocide survivors' local organisations to ensure that HIV positive survivors will continue to receive targeted support from the Global Fund through government systems.

DFID will continue to support Rwanda's health and social services system, including its specialised services to genocide survivors, through Sectoral Budget Support and General Budget Support. DFID's monitoring and policy dialogue with the government will provide a means of ensuring that services to HIV positive genocide survivors continue to be provided after March 2010.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what recent assessment he has made of the performance of banks in meeting his Department's mortgage lending requirements; (318816)

The Government agreed lending commitments with Lloyds Banking Group and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in February 2009. Under these legally binding agreements, Lloyds committed to lend an additional £3 billion and RBS an additional £9 billion to households on commercial terms (and subject to market demand) over the 12 months from March 2009.

The Government will report annually to Parliament on the delivery of these commitments.

The lending commitments include qualitative commitments on first-time buyers. For example, they require both these banks to ensure that they market products to first-time buyers including mortgage products of up 90 per cent. loan to value.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to support first-time buyers in the housing market. (318817)

In England, the Government's key objective for housing is to ensure everyone has access to a decent home at a price they can afford. The Government remain committed to the delivery of affordable housing, including through both shared equity and shared ownership schemes. Since 1997 the Government have helped more than 110,000 households in England into low-cost homeownership through shared ownership and shared equity.

The Pre-Budget Report 2009 announced that the Government would increase the Development of HomeBuy Direct Homes in 2010-11, delivering an investment of over £150 million in HomeBuy Direct that year and an increase of 3,000 homes above the original target of 10,000 for England. Additionally, the Government announced that housing for first-time buyers would be priorities within the Kickstart Housing Delivery Programme. Further information on Government measures to help homebuyers in England is available at

www.realhelpnow.gov.uk

Decisions concerning whether to engage in lending to support shared equity or shared ownership remain commercial decisions for firms. Where there is public sector investment in financial institutions these stakes will be managed on an arm's length and independent basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd.

Housing policy is devolved in Scotland and the Devolved Administration in Scotland has its own policies to assist first-time buyers; further information is available at

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/BuyingSelling/lift

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the sums paid from the public purse to (a) consultants, (b) accountants, (c) legal advisers and (d) other financial advisers for work connected with management of the assets of Dunfermline Building Society. (318671)

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the letter sent to him dated 11 January 2010 from Lord Myners, a copy of which will be placed in the Libraries of the House of Commons and House of Lords.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what proportion of central Government procurement is not co-ordinated through the Office of Government Commerce; (318243)

Management information from December shows that 47 per cent. of categorised central Government expenditure was undertaken through collaborative procurement in 2009-10.

A list of professional buying organisations can be found in Annex C of the Operational Efficiency Programme report Collaborative Procurement which was published in December 2009. Details of Government expenditure through professional buying organisations is not held centrally.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Financial Secretary to the Treasury plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Billericay of 11 January 2010 on his constituent, Mr. Toomey. (318678)

I have replied to the hon. Member.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many hereditaments there are with a rateable value of (a) under £5,000, (b) between £5,000 and £14,999, (c) between £15,000 and £24,999, (d) between £25,000 and £49,999, (e) between £50,000 and £99,999, (f) between £100,000 and £499,999 and (g) at least £500,000; and what the total rateable value is of hereditaments in each category. (317018)

[holding answer 22 February 2010]: The following data are as at the 2 November 2009 and extracted from the information published by the Valuation Office Agency on the 18 December 2009.

These data are consistent with the statistical release titled: ‘Non- domestic rateable values: 2010 Local Ratings Lists-England and Wales’, published on 18 December 2009. A copy of this statistical release is available at the following link:

http://www.voa.gov.uk/publications/statistical_releases/VOA_Statistics_Release_Final.pdf

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2010, Official Report, columns 932-3W, on the strategic investment fund, whether the £100 million of new funding was raised through borrowing; and from which budgets the £100 million from departmental re-prioritisation was drawn. (318429)

The £100 million from the Exchequer for the Strategic Investment Fund is funded through an additional spending allocation in 2010-11. The Government's forecast for borrowing in 2010-11 derives from forecasts of net expenditure less net receipts in that year. The £100 million not funded by the Exchequer will be funded equally from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and the Department for Transport's 2010-11 Budgets.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to amend the definition of hardship used by HM Revenue and Customs when considering debt recovery; and whether he plans to align that definition with the definition used by the Department of Work and Pensions. (317303)

Neither HM Revenue and Customs nor the Department for Work and Pensions have specific definitions of “hardship” in connection with debt recovery. When considering debt recovery, decisions are made based on the specific facts of each case and against the statutory framework within which each Department operates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many childcare places have been created in Feltham and Heston constituency since 1997. (316682)

Information on the number of childcare places is not available for parliamentary constituencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) free nursery and (b) pre-school places were available for children aged (i) three and (ii) four years old in (A) Essex and (B) Castle Point in each year since 1997. (318091)

Table 1 shows the number of part-time equivalent places filled by three and four-year-olds in Essex local authority from 1997 to 2009. Table 2 shows the number of part-time equivalent places filled by three and four-year-olds in Castle Point constituency from 2004 to 2009.

The Department publishes information on the part-time equivalent number of free early education places filled by three and four-year-olds in maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers. Information on the number of pre-school places is not separately available. Part-time equivalent places are derived by counting children taking up 12 and a half hours per week as one place, 10 hours per week as 0.8 places, seven and a half hours per week as 0.6 places, five hours per week as 0.4 places and two and a half hours per week as 0.2 places. Data at parliamentary constituency level are not available prior to 2004.

The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release (SFR) 11/2009 “Provision for children under five years of age in England: January 2009”, available on my Department’s website:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000848/index.shtml

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what initiatives his Department and its predecessors have taken to tackle child poverty in Salford since 1997. (313322)

Since coming to office in 1997 the Government have developed a number of initiatives, both nationally and locally, to tackle child poverty. Salford has built on these national policies and developed their own local strategy to drive their child poverty agenda forward. My Department and Salford's local strategies have provided and strengthened family support through universal targeted specialist approaches including:

the Common Assessment Framework;

Children's Centres and Family Intervention Projects to maximise family and parenting support; and

the “Think Family” Pathfinder which encourages family and community learning.

In addition to these initiatives, Salford is benefiting from the new multi-service assertive Outreach Teams and Children's Centres which together are able to provide parents with a range of services.