Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 18 March 2010
Prime Minister
Creative Industries
My officials and I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a range of subjects.
Reading Berkshire
I understand my office did seek to inform the hon. Member of the visit in advance.
Wales
Departmental Buildings
In the current financial year the Wales Office spent £8,186 on new furniture to provide a dedicated Video Conference facility which links our London and Cardiff offices. In 2008-09 there was no expenditure on refurbishment. In 2007-08 the Wales Office spent £52,900 on a refurbishment project to replace worn and damaged carpets, furniture and curtains, including bomb blast curtains, for health and safety as well as security reasons. There has been no expenditure on refurbishment in previous years.
Departmental Pay
The amount claimed in reimbursable expenses by special advisers is:
£ 2004-05 2,520.71 2005-06 2,037.60 2006-07 2,671.39 2007-08 1,462.17 2008-09 7,070.67
The increase in costs in 2008-09 was because the Wales Office had only one special adviser who was based in Cardiff and who needed to be in London for work on a regular basis. All official travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.
Departmental Theft
My Department operates a clear desk policy, ensuring that all personal or sensitive material is locked away at the end of each working day. We also have 24/7 security at both our London and Cardiff based sites.
Health
Arthritis
Information on the number of general practitioners with special interests in individual specialties is not collected centrally and could not be obtained other than at disproportionate expense.
Arthritis: Drugs
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and it would not be appropriate for Ministers to interfere in an ongoing technology appraisal. I wrote to the Prime Minister on 9 March 2010 to assure him that RoActemra for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is receiving a thorough assessment through NICE's technology appraisal process.
No, because it relates to the formulation of Government policy.
Drugs: Rehabilitation
Figures for the amount of money spent on methadone programmes in South Sefton Primary Care Trust (PCT) are not collected centrally.
Drug treatment consists of packages of individualised care based on an assessment of an individual's need. Typically opioid substitution treatment with prescribed drugs like methadone and buprenorphine is only one of a number of components of effective treatment programme. This makes it difficult to isolate the cost of a single component, such as methadone prescribing.
The National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) records the number of people receiving prescribed opioid substitute treatment (methadone or buprenorphine) from specialist services or their general practitioner (GP), but not which drug they are being prescribed. Figures for the Sefton drugs partnership area are shown in the following table:
Number 2005-06 985 2006-07 1,130 2007-08 1,156 2008-09 1,234 Notes: 1. Data for years before 2005-06 were not broken down to local areas and are therefore unavailable. 2. Figures combine numbers receiving prescribed opioid substitute treatment from specialist community services or GPs. 3. NDTMS does not record which drug is prescribed (methadone or buprenorphine). 4. Figures for South Sefton PCT are not collected centrally by the NDTMS. Source: National Treatment Agency
Health Services: Dance
Free dance classes were offered on 6 and 7 March 2010 as part of the Let's Dance with Change4Life promotion. The Fitness Industry Association provided at no cost to the public purse the dance classes which had an equivalent value of £1.2 million. The Department spent £650,000 on publicising the classes and digital expenses related to the Let's Dance with Change4Life website.
Health Services: Greater London
Information is not held in the format requested. Information is available on the number of attendances at accident and emergency (A and E) departments for individual national health service trusts.
The NHS trusts in London north west with an A and E department in at least one of their sites are: Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust; North West London Hospitals NHS Trust; Ealing Hospital NHS Trust; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust; West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust; and Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The information is shown in the following table.
Name 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Q1-Q3 London north-west combined 827,016 916,634 923,512 957,951 970,629 780,613 The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 86,996 115,142 117,189 126,226 129,866 102,328 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 197,679 210,882 204,407 224,375 239,886 214,364 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 97,375 101,134 102,801 102,101 98,324 74,861 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust n/a n/a n/a 130,905 266,927 205,777 St Mary's NHS Trust 139,529 155,588 154,134 78,676 n/a n/a The Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 108,882 112,644 110,011 56,150 n/a n/a West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 90,019 107,373 118,558 123,768 119,011 98,754 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 106,536 113,872 116,413 115,752 116,616 84,528 Notes: 1. Independent sector-provided services were added in Quarter 1 2007-08. These data were collected retrospectively at the end of 2007-08. They were added to the QMAE from Q1 2008-09. 2. “n/a” = not applicable. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust was formed on 1 October 2007 from the merger of St Mary's NHS Trust and the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust. St Mary's NHS Trust and the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust activity in 2007-08 is in respect to Q1 and Q2, while Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is in respect of Q3 and Q4. Source: Department of Health dataset QMAE. Published. Revised 12 February 2010 in line with the Department's revision policy.
Hearing Aids
(2) how many (a) analogue and (b) digital hearing aids the NHS has issued in (i) Ribble Valley, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) England in each of the last five years.
NHS hearing aids are provided by qualified audiologists who undertake individual assessments. The assessment determines whether an individual requires a hearing aid and if so what type is suitable for their hearing loss. The Department does not collect central information on the types of analogue or digital hearing aids that have been dispensed or individuals’ preferences.
In Vitro Fertilisation
(2) how many primary care trusts provide up to three cycles of in-vitro fertilisation treatment to NHS patients;
(3) how many strategic health authority regions provide three cycles of in-vitro fertilisation treatment to NHS patients.
A Department survey of primary care trusts (PCTs), in 2009, showed that 27 per cent. provided three cycles of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment to patients who fulfilled the criteria for funding, an increase from 5 per cent. in 2007. A further 23 per cent. of PCTs provided two cycles and 47 per cent. provided one cycle. Information on IVF provision at the level of strategic health authority (SHA) is not collected centrally.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence was commissioned by this Government to produce a clinical guideline on fertility. Published in 2004, the guideline recommended the provision of up to three cycles of IVF for eligible couples.
There is no obligation on either SHAs or PCTs to adopt the recommendations set out in the fertility guideline, but the Government have made clear that they expect national health service organisations to do so over time using available resources.
To support PCTs in this we have undertaken a programme of work, including the publication of a commissioning aid considering the barriers to the provision of IVF, dissemination of standardised access criteria prepared by patient group Infertility Network UK, and have held the first ever conference for commissioners of fertility treatments.
Medical Treatments Abroad
Between 2007 and 2008, the United Kingdom, in line with other European Economic Area (EEA) countries, switched from funding planned maternity care using the Electronic Health Insurance Card to issuing an E112 in order to inform capacity planning throughout the EEA area. This change explains the increase in maternity-related E112s between 2007 and 2008.
Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust
The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
NHS: Billing
The guidance issued by this Department to the national health service on the recommended time period for payments to suppliers is contained within the NHS Manuals for Accounts. In summary, this states that all NHS trusts, primary care trusts (PCTs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs) must comply with the Better Payment Practice Code by paying at least 95 per cent. of bills within contract terms or within 30 days where no terms have been agreed.
In addition, David Nicholson, the chief executive of the NHS, has written to NHS trusts, PCTs and SHAs emphasising the importance placed on prompt payment, and the need to comply with both the Better Payment Practice Code and Government Accounting. He has also reminded them that they have a key economic role to play in their local communities and of the importance of having best practice payment processes in place. Monitor, the independent regulator for foundation trusts (FTs), has also written to FTs regarding prompt payment processes.
NHS: Contracts
NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) is a 50:50 joint venture between the Department and Steria and provides shared finance and accounting services to 100 national health service organisations. NHS SBS delivers services through an integrated onshore and offshore model. Its offices are based in Leeds, Bristol, Southampton and Ilford in the United Kingdom, and in Noida and Pune in India.
The Department does not hold data on other outsourced finance contracts and the locations from which they are delivered.
NHS: ICT
Information is not available in the form requested. The Department does not routinely collect whole-programme management information relating to expenditure on the national programme for information technology (IT) separately from figures covering its wider responsibilities for national health service TV.
Social Services
I have been asked to reply.
The provision of sheltered housing schemes is non-statutory and the employment of wardens and care workers within those schemes is a matter for local authorities and other providers of sheltered housing.
House of Commons Commission
Departmental Energy
It has now been agreed that, for the hour in question, the floodlights and clock lighting will be turned off, and those working on the Estate will be encouraged via the intranet to turn off their office lights.
Parliament: Environment
The Commission has recently endorsed Parliament’s new environmental policy statement and the following short and long term environmental targets:
To reduce carbon emissions by 7 per cent. by 2010-11 and 34 per cent. by 2020-21, relative to 2008-09;
To reduce water consumption by 12 per cent. by 2010-11 and 25 per cent. by 2020-21, relative to 2008-09;
To reduce the volume of waste generated by 10 per cent. by 2010-11 and 25 per cent. by 2020-21, relative to 2008-09, and
To recycle 60 per cent. of waste generated by weight by 2010-11 and 75 per cent. by 2020-21.
These targets address current UK and international environmental commitments and expectations, including the 10:10 carbon emissions reduction campaign, as well as the operational arrangements for Parliament in 2010-11. They are supported by a robust environmental improvement plan to ensure the targets are achieved.
Electoral Commission Committee
Bearwood Corporate Services
(2) if the Electoral Commission will place in the Library a list of the officials and staff of the Conservative Party who did not accept the invitation for interview with representatives of the Electoral Commission as part of its investigations into Bearwood Corporate Services;
(3) if the Electoral Commission will place in the Library a copy of the report by forensic accountants commissioned as part of the Electoral Commission's investigations into Bearwood Corporate Services.
I will give the hon. Member substantive replies as soon as possible.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
British Indian Ocean Territory: Fisheries
No renegotiation of the British Indian Ocean Territory Administration’s current contract with Marine Resources Assessment Group Ltd. has taken place. The current contract is due to expire at the end of May and there is an option to extend that contract for a further year under the current terms. Any new contract for management of the territory’s fisheries would be put out to tender.
Iran: Nuclear Power
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General’s 18 February report outlines why we have serious concerns with regards to Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran continues to stockpile enriched uranium and develop heavy water projects in defiance of UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs). Iran has gone further and has announced its intention to build more enrichment plants and begun some enrichment to higher levels (20 per cent. U-235) despite the IAEA asking for sufficient time to install safeguards measures. Most importantly I share the IAEA’s concerns about the possible existence in Iran of past or current undisclosed activities related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile. Iran must either comply with UNSCRs and co-operate with the IAEA, or face further sanctions.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: Israel
The UK supports Israel’s bid for accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
On the specific points raised:
(a) Israel became a party to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention on 10 May 2009, and has made significant progress in this field, amending its legislation on sanctions for, and jurisdiction over, the offence of bribery of foreign public officials, in response to the recommendations of the Working Group on Bribery. We now look to Israel to address the remaining recommendations of the Working Group
(b) During the accession process, Israel made significant commitments to make changes in its regulatory framework for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.
(c) There are a small number of issues, in particular the scope of statistical data, which are being resolved in the course of the accession process.
Work and Pensions
Charities: Food
Information on the number of such organisations is not held centrally.
Cold Weather Payments: Chelmsford
[holding answer 8 March 2010]: The information requested is not available by Chelmsford postcode districts. Cold weather payment information is only available by weather station. The weather stations that cover the Chelmsford postcode districts also cover areas that are not part of the districts.
For winter 2009-10, for Great Britain, to 3 March an estimated 11.8 million cold weather payments worth an estimated £296 million have been authorised. Payments authorised have not necessarily already been paid.
The Government provide information about Cold Weather Payments on the Directgov website at:
www.direct.gov.uk
This includes the eligibility rules, details of how payments are made and a postcode search which allows customers to find out whether the weather station that is linked to a specific postcode has triggered.
Source:
DWP records of triggers to weather stations up to and including 3 March 2010 and estimates of potential qualifiers by weather station.
Departmental Pay
Please see in the following table the details of reimbursable expenses to special advisers in each of the last five years.
Financial Year (£) 2005-06 427.50 2006-07 428.48 2007-08 349.90 2008-09 226.60 2009-10 132.00 1 To date
Reimbursable expenses are expenses claimed by special advisers and do not include expenses which are paid directly by the Department for example centrally booked travel, mobile phones provided under a central contract etc.
Departmental Training
This information is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Economic Activity
I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the economic activity rate was for (a) men and (b) women with (i) no long-term health problems, (ii) long-term health problems, (iii) long-term musculo-skeletal problems, (iv) chest problems, (v) heart problems, (vi) mental illnesses and (vii) learning difficulties in each (A) region and (B) country of the UK in (1) 2006 and (2) 2009. (321043)
Estimates of economic activity are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). In accordance with the International Labour Organization (ILO) definition, people are classed as economically active if they are in employment or unemployed.
The estimates provided comprise those who have had a health problem lasting longer than 12 months that may or may not affect their activity; categorised by their main health problem only. Regional data are not available for the more detailed long-term health problem categories due to small sample sizes.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
Percentage 2006 2009 Long-term health problem No long-term health problem Long-term health problem No long-term health problem Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women United Kingdom 67 61 90 79 68 62 89 79 North East 61 54 90 79 62 62 88 80 North West 62 59 88 79 65 58 89 78 Yorkshire and Humberside 67 60 91 79 67 63 88 79 East Midlands 72 67 91 81 70 64 90 82 West Midlands 66 60 90 78 69 63 88 77 East 73 65 91 79 76 67 90 81 London 54 47 92 76 51 49 92 76 South East 77 69 91 80 74 68 91 81 South West 71 65 91 82 69 70 89 82 England 72 65 91 81 72 67 90 81 Wales 58 51 89 80 59 55 86 80 Scotland 67 58 91 83 65 61 90 82 Northern Ireland 50 44 87 74 49 41 86 74 1 Applies to all people of working age (men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59). 2 Health problem lasting more man 12 months that may or may not limit activity. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey.
Percentage 2006 2009 Men Women Men Women Musculoskeletal 69 60 69 62 Chest or breathing problems 81 73 82 74 Heart problems 75 71 76 75 Mental illness 23 22 25 28 Learning difficulties 48 39 47 39 1 Applies to all people of working age (men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59). 2 Health problem lasting more than 12 months that may or may not limit activity. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey.
Employment: Disabled
The information requested is not available.
Future Jobs Fund
(2) how many Future Jobs Fund job vacancies had been uploaded to the Jobcentre Plus computer system on the latest date for which figures are available;
(3) how many and what proportion of Future Jobs Fund vacancies had remained unfilled after four weeks on the latest date for which figures are available.
The Department for Work and Pensions is currently assessing the quality of new sources of information on the Future Jobs Fund. The Department expects to publish official statistics in spring 2010.
Future Jobs Fund: Tyne and Wear
The information cannot be provided due to its commercially sensitive nature.
Housing Benefit
Our policies over the past 12 years have made a real difference in providing increased support to help people on benefits move into work. The introduction of the national minimum wage and tax credits have meant that almost everyone is better off in work than on benefits.
However, for some, the financial gains are not clear enough. The reduction in housing benefit when income increases can discourage people from moving into work even when they are financially better-off by doing so. Many are also concerned about the effect on their benefit income where their income changes and worry about reporting changes to earnings
On 15 December 2009 we launched the consultation document "Supporting People into Work: The next stage of Housing Benefit Reform" which examines how housing benefit might play a part in encouraging people to work. We consulted on a specific proposal to set fixed awards of housing benefit for six months which would be unaffected by increases in income and earnings during that time. This would remove some of the uncertainty over benefit entitlement that comes with going back to work.
The consultation concluded on 22 February 2010. We are considering the responses that we received as well as the details of how we will take our proposals forward. The level of help that we will provide will depend on final design decisions. We will set out these decisions in due course.
Income-related benefits help provide a secure source of income for people out of work or receiving low income in work. Although most people are better off in work due to the introduction of the national minimum wage and tax credits, and the availability of housing benefit and council tax benefit when in work, benefit entitlement can be reduced as their income from working increases. This is known as the benefit taper. The combined taper rate that an individual faces is known as the marginal deduction rate (MDR) and reflects the proportion of any extra pound earned that is lost through increased taxes and national insurance and reduced benefits or tax credits.
The level of the housing benefit taper targets support at those most in need, by ensuring that those with very low income receive help with their living and housing costs, whilst those with higher incomes become independent of benefit and maximising incentives to increase their earnings. Reducing the taper would be expensive and increase the level of income required to become entirely independent of benefit. We need to ensure that the taper in housing benefit continues to balance affordability with targeting support to those on lower income.
The local housing allowance was rolled out from 7 April 2008 and is a more transparent way of calculating the rent element of housing benefit for people living in the deregulated private rented sector who make a new claim for housing benefit or for existing customers who change address.
The Department has committed to completing a review of the local housing allowance scheme over a two-year period from the commencement of its roll-out in April 2008. The aim of the review is to monitor the impact of the local housing allowance at a national level, against the original local housing allowance policy objectives.
Jobcentre Plus
[holding answer 15 March 2010]: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Darra Singh:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what plans she has to send Jobcentre Plus outreach advisers into selected areas of high unemployment; what areas will be selected; and what the budget is for this plan. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Jobcentre Plus announced in the White Paper “Building Britain's Recovery: Achieving Full Employment” that it would be extending an initiative that has been running in three Districts (Merseyside, South London and South Tyne & Wear Valley) from June 2010.
Jobcentre Plus Advisers will work in the community to deliver an employment-focused outreach service specifically targeting high-density social housing estates and communities with high concentrations of worklessness.
A key theme will be to work with a range of partners and agencies to deliver a holistic approach to tackle deep-rooted, generational worklessness concentrated on social housing estates. This is an extension of our existing partnership activity to do more to target entrenched worklessness in these deprived areas/estates and helping to prevent these communities falling further behind as a result of the economic downturn.
The Department of Work and Pensions Parliamentary Under Secretary, Helen Goodman, announced on Tuesday 9th March which areas have been selected for this community outreach (please see table below). The cost for this activity is £12m a year.
This project is in addition to Jobcentre Plus' wide range of other outreach activity that already sees advisers operating from over 800 locations away from Jobcentres on a regular basis.
I hope you find this information helpful.
Jobcentre Plus: Racism
The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Darra Singh:
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply to your question asking how many complaints of racism have been made by customers against other Jobcentre Plus staff in each of the last five years, broken down by smallest geographical area for which information is available. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
I can only provide data to regional level—to provide the data to district level would be of disproportionate cost to Jobcentre Plus and risk individuals being exposed.
Complaints received by Jobcentre Plus include those made about Jobcentre Plus, which include an element of complaint about other parts of government—these are included in the figures.
In addition, there are occasions when the Chief Executive Office of Jobcentre Plus receives some complaints, but these are not broken down by region and are categorised as “discrimination”—therefore the figures below do not include these complaints.
Every working day Jobcentre Plus conducts 50,000 adviser interviews, processes over 20,000 new benefit claims and its Contact Centres receive over 113,000 calls. The number of complaints of racism from customers against Jobcentre Plus staff is very low in the context of the number of interactions between Jobcentre Plus and our customers. However, Jobcentre Plus takes all complaints about racism very seriously.
Please see below the data as described:
Region 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 to date East Midlands 6 3 3 4 6 East of England 3 8 6 0 7 London 18 29 26 11 9 North East 1 3 7 9 3 North West 9 11 6 6 0 Scotland 5 8 5 5 1 South East 7 8 11 4 6 South West 4 10 10 6 6 Wales 3 11 8 10 6 West Midlands 4 10 16 6 9 Yorkshire and Humber 4 7 8 9 3 Not assigned to a region 1 9 3 7 2 National total 65 117 109 77 58 Source: Jobcentre Plus Management Information.
The data in the table refers to complaints and not proven cases of racism.
All staff are required to adhere to the Department for Work and Pensions Standards of Behaviour which states that:
“The Department's reputation depends on the quality of service provided and the way in which our employees conduct themselves. This includes treating all customers sympathetically and in a way that complies with the Diversity and Equality Policy.”
The Diversity and Equality policy makes it clear that discrimination on the grounds of race will not be tolerated and all complaints that a member of staff have behaved inappropriately when dealing with a customer are thoroughly investigated. Whenever a member of staff is found to have breached the Department for Work and
Pensions Standards of Behaviour, then they will be dealt with in accordance with our HR policies.
I hope this information is helpful.
National Employment Savings Trust
The procurement process for this contract was governed by Public Procurement Rules and DWP Procurement Policy, which aim to achieve value for money.
Throughout procurement, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (TCS) progressively demonstrated they were a strong bidder and this was confirmed by their final bid.
There is now a contract in place to ensure value for money.
New Deal for Young People
The available information can be found in the following table.
The New Deal for Young People is a mandatory programme for jobseeker's allowance customers who have been claiming for six months. However, customers can volunteer for early entry to NDYP in certain circumstances.
Time series-year of starting Total Early entrant Normal entrant 2005 158,940 32,600 126,340 2006 182,510 29,560 152,950 2007 174,690 31,830 142,860 2008 168,930 36,880 132,050 2009 207,930 38,430 169,500 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Some additional disclosure control has also been applied. 2. The latest New Deal figures will be affected by the introduction of the new Jobseekers Regime and Flexible New Deal (gradual implementation started from April 2009). 3. Early entrant indicator—early entrants are estimated to be those participants who join New Deal for Young People before reaching six months unemployed. 4. Time Series—year of starting is the calendar year of starting New Deal. The New Deal for Young People pilots began in January 1998 and full national roll-out occurred in April 1998. Latest data are to November 2009. Source Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate
Social Security Benefits: British Nationals Abroad
Benefits cannot be reinstated automatically without further information from the affected customers. The Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS) will start writing to all affected customers by the end of March 2010. On receipt of the required information, claims for reinstatement will be processed as quickly as possible.
Social Security Benefits: Disabled
The information requested is not available.
Social Security Benefits: Mentally Ill
As the single biggest cause of both sickness absence and claims for ill health benefits, mental health is a key challenge for the Department and for Government more widely. To address this challenge, we must support people with existing mental health conditions to find, keep or return to a job.
Our employment programmes are designed to be tailored for the employment needs of individual customers regardless of the nature of their health condition or disability. Our recent mental health and employment publications outline practical actions to improve well-being at work for everyone and to deliver better employment results for people who have mental health conditions.
The available information is in the table.
At August each year Mental and behavioural disorders 1997 751,500 1998 794,100 1999 837,180 2000 888,420 2001 947,240 2002 995,330 2003 1,036,950 2004 1,074,980 2005 1,089,150 2006 1,097,480 2007 1,109,290 2008 1,105,170 2009 989,610 Notes: 1. Figures for 1997 and 1998 have been derived by applying 5 per cent. proportions to 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study totals and rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Figures from August 1999 onwards have been rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation. To qualify for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work which is called the personal capability assessment. Therefore, the medical condition recorded on incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claim form does not itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefits, so for example, the decision for a customer claiming incapacity benefit on grounds of a mental and behavioural disorder would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities in the personal capability assessment. 4. Employment and support allowance replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008 and data by medical condition are not yet available for employment and support allowance claims. Source: August 1997 and August 1998: Department for Work Information Directorate, Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 5 per cent. data. August 1999 onwards: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate, Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent data.
Written Questions: Government Responses
The hon. Member's questions have been answered as follows:
(a) 304402 on 12 March 2010, Official Report, column 507W;
(b) 304401 on 13 March 2010, Official Report, column 507W;
(c) 304400 on 14 March 2010, Official Report, column 507W;
(d) 304393 on 25 February 2010, Official Report, column 740W;
(e) 304403 on 14 March 2010, Official Report, column 507W;
(i) 304392 on 2 March 2010, Official Report, column 1029W;
(ii) 304397 on 24 February 2010, Official Report, column 570W;
(iii) 304391 on 2 March 2010, Official Report, column 1029W;
(iv) 304390 on 12 March 2010, Official Report, columns 505-506W;
(v) 304388 on 2 March 2010, Official Report, column 1029W;
(vi) 304377 on 24 February 2010, Official Report, column 570W;
(A) 304399 on 23 February 2010, Official Report, column 463W;
(B) 304398 on 23 February 2010, Official Report, column 463W;
(C) 304381 on 24 February 2010, Official Report, column 572W.
I replied to the hon. Member's question on 15 March 2010, Official Report, column 601-2W.
[holding answer 5 February 2010]: I have replied to the hon. Member’s questions as follows: 316961 on 15 March 2010, Official Report, columns 600-01W and 316962 on 16 March 2010, Official Report, columns 804-05W.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Both the UK and Afghan Governments are party to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, which defines corruption as:
“The promise, offering or giving to a public official, directly or indirectly, of an undue advantage, for the official himself or herself or another person or entity, in order that the official act or refrain from acting in the exercise of his or her official duties;
The solicitation or acceptance by a public official, directly or indirectly, of an undue advantage, for the official himself or herself or another person or entity, in order that the official act or refrain from acting in the exercise of his or her official duties”.
HMG officials based in Kabul and Lashkar Gah include Governance and Rule of Law advisors, who are able to identify and advise on how to tackle corruption. The UK Government also provide annual guidance to all embassies and overseas offices on reporting suspected corruption.
In recognition of the importance the UK Government places on dealing with corruption, both military and MOD civilian staff based in Afghanistan receive appropriate training to recognise and report corruption in their functional areas.
Furthermore, all MOD civilian staff, including those based in Afghanistan, adhere to the Civil Service Code and its principles of integrity, honesty, objectivity, impartiality and political impartiality. The importance of dealing with corruption is also outlined in UK Military Doctrine, and included in exercises for military units prior to deployment.
Contractors and civil servants carry out a wide range of roles in Afghanistan, including at the main hospital in Camp Bastion and in catering posts in main operating bases. They are also employed in specialist roles such as Financial and Commercial Officers. Civil servants and contractors are an important resource on operations, and are principally used to complement military capacity and capability. Their support to operations is highly valued.
Force and manning levels are kept under continual review, and if it is more appropriate to employ a contractor or civilian in theatre than a member of the armed forces then full consideration is given. However, estimating the cost to the public purse of the replacement of military personnel by contractors or civil servants is difficult due to significant differences in their terms and conditions of employment. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Housing
(2) how much the Armed Forces Home Ownership Scheme has provided to members of the armed forces in each year since its inception; and how many members of the armed forces have participated in the scheme in each of those years;
(3) when he expects to make a decision about the future of the pilot for the Armed Forces Home Ownership Scheme.
[holding answer 11 March 2010]: The Armed Forces Ownership Scheme Pilot was launched on 26 January 2010. It will run until spring 2013. Ahead of that, the Department's Strategic Defence Review will look at the issue of terms and conditions of service.
This initiative forms part of the overall commitment to facilitate access to affordable homes for our armed forces, set out in ‘The Nation's Commitment to the Armed Forces’, published in July 2008 (The Nation's Commitment: Cross-Government Support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans, CM7424).
The Ministry of Defence has been working with Communities and Local Government and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to develop a pilot, bespoke, shared equity scheme for the armed forces. The HCA have engaged the Swaythling Housing Society to administer the scheme and they have reported a high number of inquiries regarding it, but due to its infancy no house purchase has yet been completed.
I will write to the hon. Member.
Armed Forces: Northern Ireland
For the purposes of answering this question the cost of providing military security has been interpreted to mean the costs of maintaining a military presence in the Province.
The data requested is shown in the following table:
Cash outturn (£ million) Current prices (£ million) Percentage of total outturn 1997-98 508 657 12.3 2008-09 131 131 20.4 1 Departmental outturn for 1997-98—£21.517 million. 2 Departmental outturn for 2008-09—£28.059 million.
The reduction in the outturn is illustrative of the reduction in the military presence in Northern Ireland.
Armed Forces: Expenses
[holding answer 8 March 2010]: Senior officers of the armed forces are generally tasked with a wide range of responsibility which requires them to travel to meetings as well as visits to exercise areas and deployment theatres. Service accommodation is to be used where it is available but this is not always the case and as a result overnight accommodation expenses will be incurred.
In order to reduce expenditure, greater use is being made of video and telephone conferencing. When travel is necessary, all personnel are strongly encouraged to maximise the value of their time away by incorporating several meetings, thus avoiding the need to travel to the same location on separate occasions. If travelling by road, all practical measures are to be taken to allow the sharing of transport. Furthermore, when arranging meetings, due consideration is to be made to holding the meeting at a time that will allow attendees to return to their home units and avoid the need to stay overnight.
The following table provides information on expenditure reimbursed through the Joint Personnel Administration expenses system for those approximate 500 officers holding the rank of brigadier and equivalent and above for the 12 month period ending 28 February 2010.
Serial Expense type £ 1 Nightly Subsistence Allowance1 686,000 2 Motor Mileage Allowance 109,000 3 Incidental Expenses—Overseas2 44,000 4 Taxi Fare 40,000 5 Rail Fare 31,000 6 Incidental Expenses—United Kingdom2 21,000 7 Car Parking 12,000 8 Air Fares 12,000 9 Day Subsistence—Overseas 8,000 10 Day Subsistence—United Kingdom 8,000 11 Hire Car Fuel Costs 7,000 12 Excess Fares 7,000 13 Home to Duty Vehicle Allowance 7,000 14 Get You Home Overseas Allowance 6,000 15 Educational Psychologists Report 5,000 16 Ferry Charges 5,000 17 Foreign Currency Exchange Costs 4,000 18 Underground Fares 3,000 19 Passport/Visa Fees 3,000 20 Home to Duty Cycle Allowance 3,000 1 Nightly Subsistence Allowance is the cost of bed and breakfast and up to a further two meals in a 24 hour period. 2 Incidental Expenses are designed to cover necessary personal incidental expenses actually incurred when an overnight absence in a hotel or temporary service single accommodation is occupied. This includes, for example, the cost of a telephone call.
This table only includes reimbursed expenditure and does not include payment for services made directly by the Department.
Defence: Expenditure
The statement that the Department has routinely made in terms of the real term increase since 1997 is that:
“The Defence budget has had the longest period of sustained real growth since the 1980s. It is now over 10 per cent more in real terms than in 1997.”
Due to changes in the accountancy methods over this period, the only way to compare historic Defence budgets is through ‘Near Cash’, which includes those elements measured on an accruals basis that turn into cash transactions quickly. For example: pay, current procurement, and income from sales. The MOD’s Near Cash budget is direct RDEL added to capital DEL.
The Near Cash Defence budget in 1997-98 was £21.80 billion, which equates to a real terms value of £28.37 billion at 2008-09 prices using the HM Treasury GDP deflator. For the year 2009-10, the Near Cash Defence budget is £31.92 billion, which equates to a real term value of £31.30 billion. This represents a 10.31 per cent. increase since 1997.
In addition, for the year 2010-11 the planned Near Cash Defence budget is £33.33 billion, which will equate to a real term value of £31.93 billion, an increase of 12.63 per cent. since 1997.
Actual figures are used in the calculation of percentages.
Defence: Scotland
[holding answer 11 March 2010]: Officials in the Ministry of Defence were consulted on, and I agreed, the Scotland Office Background Paper, based upon advice from those MOD officials.
Princess Royal Barracks
No. This is entirely a matter for the police.
Territorial Army: Shropshire
Budgets for financial year 2010-11 have yet to be finalised for this site.
Transport
Public Transport: Rural Access
The Department for Transport has commissioned studies in northern England, as part of Delivering a Sustainable Transport System, which include rural aspects. We have funded a project with the Improvement and Development Agency to produce and publish guidance on accessible rural transport. We also work closely with the Commission for Rural Communities, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who publish a number of studies each year.
Public Transport Usage
Record levels of investment in the public transport networks by the Department for Transport have led to substantial increases in its usage: over £15 billion has been committed to support the railways between 2009 and 2014; we have increased public expenditure on buses in England to £2.6 billion a year, double the level of support a decade ago; and, around £1 billion is being spent on concessionary travel every year. This investment has resulted in more journeys now being made on the railways than at any time since the 1940s; we are starting to see year-on-year increases in bus patronage—the first time since the 1950s; and, around 11 million people are benefiting from the greater freedom and independence brought through concessionary fares.
Roadworks
Street works by utility companies and others contribute to traffic congestion that costs the economy £4.2 billion a year. The Government are committed to reducing the impact of street works on traffic and pedestrian flows, and I have consistently made clear to the utility companies that this level of impact is simply not acceptable.
Kemble to Swindon Line
Finance totalling £2.6 million has been allocated from the south-west region, the Department for Transport and the Welsh Assembly Government to complete a detailed study into the redoubling of the 13 mile section of line between Swindon and Kemble. This has led to an indicative price of £52.4 million from Network Rail.
Bus Services: Concessions
Administration of the concessionary travel scheme in Leeds North West is carried out by West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive. The Government provide funding for concessionary travel through two channels: Formula Grant to Leeds city council and special grant to West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority (WYITA).
Before 1 April 2008, funding for the statutory minimum bus concession was provided exclusively through the formula grant system. Formula grant is an unhypothecated block grant and as such it is not possible to identify how much formula grant has been allocated to local authorities for any particular service, such as concessionary travel for older and disabled people.
When the statutory minimum concession increased from half-fare to free fare in April 2006, additional funding of £350 million in 2006-07 and £367.5 million in 2007-08 was added to Formula Grant to fund the additional burden to local authorities.
From April 2008, the Department for Transport has provided additional special grant funding to local authorities to cover the extra costs of providing England-wide travel, of which WYITA received £8,666,725 in 2008-09 and £8,871,129 in 2009-10. The Department for Communities and Local Government continues to provide the bulk of concessionary travel funding to local authorities through Formula Grant.
The following table shows how much was spent on concessionary travel by West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority since 2000, when the Government first introduced a statutory minimum bus concession. These figures include spending on both older and disabled travel concessions and include any discretionary enhancements offered:
£ million 2000-01 21,712 2001-02 23,689 2002-03 21,622 2003-04 21,424 2004-05 21,985 2005-06 20,678 2006-07 39,895 2007-08 42,177 2008-09 45,115
Cycling: Helmets
The Department for Transport does not intend to make a formal response to the report on The Potential for Cycle Helmets to Prevent Injury. The Department publishes numerous reports throughout the year and it would not be practical to make a formal response for each report's publication. As with all research carried out for the Department, we will take account of its findings in considering our policies.
Departmental Domestic Visits
[holding answer 15 March 2010]: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Departmental ICT
The following are the only major Department for Transport projects known to be cancelled in the last 12 months:
ISYS, an Information Management System costing £110,333, proved to be unsuitable as the software response times were too slow. However, this project helped us to define our requirements and feed into the wider initiative on records management.
TVTTT, a project for Tracking Vehicles Through the Trade, cost £7,800,000 and was cancelled as another project was found to be better and less costly. Agreement was made with the National Audit Office that we would assess how much of the work undertaken was reusable, which will be done in due course.
VINI, a project for Northern Ireland Vehicle Integration Project cost £7,500,000, but changes in vehicle excise duty led to the need to concentrate on other DVLA systems. Much of the analysis work remains valid and may be resurrected in future using some of the existing work.
In each of these cases all efforts are being made to use both the experience gained, and the work already carried out, in future projects.
Departmental Information Officers
The titles of the roles of the embedded communicators for each of the Department's executive agencies, together with the date each position was created is set out in the following table.
Number Title of embedded communicator Date role(s) created Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 1 Internal Contact Centre Group Manager 1 October 2009 1 The Richard Ley Development Centre Marketing and Events Manager 1 June 2004 1 Marketing Account Manager for Personalised Registrations 1 April 2009 1 Marketing Support Manager for Personalised Registrations 1 October 2008 1 Auction and Events Manager for Personalised Registrations 1 November 2007 1 Marketing Account Manager for Electronic Vehicle Licensing 1 March 2008 1 Marketing Officer for Electronic Vehicle Licensing 1 November 2007 1 Drivers Marketing Account Manager for On-line activities 1 September 2008 1 Drivers Marketing Manager for On-line activities 1 March 2009 1 Data Analyst Team Leader for DVLA Marketing 1 March 2009 1 Drivers Marketing Support for On-line activities 1 March 2009 1 Internal Human Resources Communications Manager 1 April 2007 1 Internal Vehicle Customer Services Communications Manager including on-line website 1 August 2007 1 Internal Strategic Management Communications Consultant Local Services Network 1 August 2008 0.5 Communications Manager for Enforcement of Vehicle Excise Duty 1 August 2008 1 Internal Local Services Network Communications Officer 1 August 2008 2 Internal Local Services Network Communications Support 1 August 2008 Highways Agency 1 Communications Manager—Health and Safety 7 December 2009 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 0.5 UK Ship Register Specialist Co-ordinator Marketing February 2007 0.25 Deputy Manager—Seafarer Health and Safety Marketing October 2009
In the answer to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Hurd) of 9 February 2010, a clerical error led to the number of embedded communicators for the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) being reported as three. There are no embedded communicators in VOSA.
Departmental Legal Costs
The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002. Information on the costs and compensation in specific types of legal cases is not held centrally either by the Department or its agencies and could not be collated without incurring disproportionate cost.
Departmental Marketing
The Department for Transport and its Executive agencies have not incurred any expenditure in relation to “Real Help Now” and “Building Britain’s Future” themed campaigns to date.
Departmental Pay
As temporary civil servants, special advisers undertake their duties in line with the requirements of the civil service code, civil service management code, and the code of conduct for special advisers, which includes rules on the reimbursement of expenses incurred when carrying out departmental business.
The reimbursable expenses paid to special advisers in the Department for Transport over the past five years is as follows:
Financial year Total expenses reimbursed (£) 2005-06 184.60 2006-07 110.50 2007-08 514.10 2008-09 755.56 2009-101 1,957.77 1 Data correct for the financial year up to and including 15 March 2010.
Departmental Surveys
The 2009 People Survey results for the Department for Transport are now available in the Libraries of the House. These results are also available on the Department of Transport website:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/staff/staff-survey09
High Speed Two: Freedom of Information
High Speed Two Ltd. is a “public authority” as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and therefore responds to requests for information by members of the public.
Northern Rail: Rolling Stock
Discussions are taking place with Northern Rail to provide additional vehicles. The Department for Transport has already agreed some initial stages with Northern Rail, whereby 10 diesel vehicles formerly deployed on the Oldham Loop will be retained in the Northern Rail franchise, and Northern Rail will procure a further eight net additional vehicles. These 18 vehicles will be used to lengthen certain train services, principally in Greater Manchester. Further work will continue and further announcements will be made in due course.
Parking
A local authority that has been given the power to enforce parking under the Traffic Management Act 2004 must have regard to the Secretary of State’s Statutory Guidance to Local Authorities on the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (February 2008). Paragraph 102 of that guidance says:
“If an adjudicator allows the appeal s/he may direct the authority to cancel the Notice to Owner and refund any sum already paid in respect of the penalty charge. The authority must comply with this direction without delay.”
Railways: Accidents
The Highways Agency published a Road Worker Safety Strategy last year which includes action plan measures to improve the safety for road workers on the Strategic Road Network. The Government are now consulting on proposals to revise the Safety Code of Practice which applies on other roads. The Highways Agency also leads a cross-industry group investigating improvements for road worker safety on high speed roads.
Railways: Construction
Over the past year, the Department for Transport has received representations regarding the regional economic effects of high speed rail in the UK from city councils, including Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and the Association of North East Councils.
My right hon. and noble Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport and my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Housing, have discussed a range of issues relating to high speed rail.
Railways: Todmorden
According to a Network Rail study carried out on behalf of the promoters, the cost of re-instating the Todmorden Curve is likely to be in the region of £7 million. This is subject to further studies to establish the ground conditions on the line of the preferred route for the curve.
Women and Equality
Rape Cases Stern Review
The Government welcome Baroness Stern’s report of her review which recognises the significant improvements made since 1997, but also identifies where more remains to be done to build on this progress.
The Department has published an interim government response and will carefully consider the 23 recommendations in the report before publishing a fuller response later this year.
Rapists must know that they will not get away with it, whatever the circumstances. They stand a more than one in two chance of conviction.
Equality and Human Rights Commission
I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today.
Departmental Internet
The GEO does not have an internal website or intranet.
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Manpower
The EHRC is independent and manages its own affairs. The EHRC’s Accounting officer has instigated an inquiry into the payment. He will report his findings to the Committee of Public Accounts.
Greater Manchester
The Government Equalities Office operates at a strategic level across Government to promote policies which address discrimination. It is not possible to provide statistical information about the effects on Manchester of the policies and actions of GEO since it was established.
Lord Sugar of Clapton
I have had no discussions with Lord Sugar on women in the workplace since his appointment as the Government’s enterprise champion. However, I have recently met with both the Women’s Enterprise Task Force and Lord Davies, the Minister for Trade and Investment to discuss how Government can continue to support female entrepreneurs.
The Government responded to the final report of the Women’s Enterprise Task Force in November 2009, and will shortly launch a new strategic framework and action plan aimed at realising our vision of fair and family-friendly labour market where everyone has the opportunity to develop their skills and experience.
Politics: Females
This Government are committed to improving women’s participation in politics. The Speaker’s Conference, which reported in January, identified a number of barriers to women’s participation in politics which include cost, culture of political parties, time pressures, lack of support, as well as discrimination.
The Government formally responded to the Speaker’s Conference on 10 March, welcoming their report.
We have already responded to one of the report’s recommendations by amending the Equality Bill to introduce a power that will require political parties to report on the diversity of their candidate selections. The scope and nature of the reporting requirement will be determined after consultation with political parties and others.
International Development
Chile: Earthquakes
The Department for International Development (DFID) has contributed £250,000 to the Chilean Red Cross for the provision of front line relief work. 600 tents were delivered by Royal Air Force flight to the relief agency World Vision for distribution to families made homeless by the earthquake.
Departmental Internet
(2) how much his Department spent on maintaining its Twitter feed in the latest period for which figures are available;
(3) how much his Department spent on maintaining its YouTube channel in the latest period for which figures are available;
(4) how much his Department spent on maintaining its Flickr channel in the latest period for which figures are available.
The Department for International Development (DFID) has an editorial team of six who maintain the main departmental website. As part of their duties, they all have access to the social media and networking site accounts that have been set up for DFID, including Twitter, Flickr and YouTube, and take part in maintaining them. We do not record work in a way that would make it possible to disaggregate the time spent by individuals on each activity, and therefore are unable to assign specific costs.
Departmental Press Releases
The Department for International Development (DFID) records the number of press releases by calendar year. DFID issued 139 press releases in 2009.
Departmental Sick Leave
We are unable to provide figures of the number of days staff have been absent due to sickness, in each month, without incurring disproportionate costs.
Departmental Surveys
The 2009 People Survey results for the Department for International Development (DFID) are now available in the House Library. These results are also available at
www.dfid.gov.uk
Departmental Theft
The Department for International Development (DFID) takes all thefts seriously and has a number of physical security measures in place, including CCTV, to ensure that only authorised persons access our premises. All staff are regularly reminded that they have responsibility for protecting official assets in their custody and given guidance and facilities for secure storage. All thefts are reported to our security section for any breach of security practice.
Individuals found to be involved in theft will be subject to disciplinary and, where appropriate, criminal proceedings.
Developing Countries: Literacy
The Department for International Development's (DFID's) approach to tackling adult literacy is stated in the recently launched Education Strategy, ‘Learning for All’. The approach is threefold:
1. to prioritise quality basic education for all;
2. to support improving the effectiveness of the whole education sector; and
3. where appropriate, to invest in programmes that combine literacy with vocational training, or include a focus on the empowerment of marginalised groups.
An example of DFID's work in this area is our support to the Mahila Samakhya (Women Together) in India, a government programme to promote gender equality and women's empowerment, including improving literacy and economic opportunities through better access to education. In Yemen, DFID, in participation with other donors, is also financing a substantial basic education programme which includes support to both primary and adult basic education.
The Department for International Development's (DFID's) approach to tackling child literacy is stated in the recently launched Education Strategy, ‘Learning for All.’ The strategy has been placed in the Library of the House and can be found at:
www.dfid.gov.uk/educationstrategy
Examples of the work DFID is doing to improve child literacy in developing countries includes funding a four year initiative in Tanzania to improve competencies in literacy and numeracy among children aged five to 16 years. The programme will also be conducted in Uganda and Kenya.
Earthquakes: Oxfam
Representatives of Oxfam were present at two recent meetings I have had with British relief agencies to discuss the humanitarian response to the earthquake in Haiti.
Fairtrade Initiative
The Department for International Development (DFID) did not spend anything promoting Fairtrade Fortnight. DFID's contribution was that DFID Ministers and officials took part in a number of events and awareness-raising efforts during Fairtrade Fortnight.
Haiti: Earthquakes
The Department for International Development (DFID) has committed £20 million to support the humanitarian relief effort in Haiti. The funding has helped provide an estimated 380,000 people with water, shelter, food and medical care. In addition, relief items delivered by DFID will serve approximately 20,000 families.
International Red Cross
The Secretary of State for International Development met with Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), during the World Economic Forum conference in January. They discussed progress in Haiti following the earthquake and also the situations in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Department for International Development (DFID) provides funding to ICRC, the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and the British Red Cross. DFID officials are in regular contact with all three organisations.
Internet
A total of 114 e-cards have been sent under the LIFT initiative since they, were introduced on 11 February 2010.
Snow and Ice: Leave
The Department for International Development (DFID) does not maintain a central record of authorised leave. The requested information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture
DEFRA supports Fresh Start, an industry-led initiative to encourage and support new entrants into farming, including those involved in family succession, and to help established farmers think about how they can develop their business in the future in the light of CAP reform.
Fresh Start provides business skills training to people starting out in farming, delivered through a network of Fresh Start Academies. Fresh Start is also working on providing a mentoring service for new farmers as well as a matching service linking potential new starters with existing farmers who are retiring or restructuring.
The Fresh Start Initiative only operates within England.
Animal Welfare Act 2006
DEFRA provided a number of training sessions for local authority and animal health officers before the Act came into force in order that they could familiarise themselves with the new legislation.
Batteries: Recycling
I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 January 2010, Official Report, column 327W, in respect of steps taken to increase the recycling of waste industrial and automotive batteries.
The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, referred to in that answer, also contain provisions relating to the collection, treatment and recycling of waste portable batteries. From 1 January 2010, large producers of portable batteries have had responsibility for financing the net cost of the separate collection, treatment and recycling of waste portable batteries that arise in the UK. Such producers must join Battery Compliance Schemes (BCSs), which discharge their members' obligations by entering into collection arrangements with distributors/retailers and other economic operators, and finance information campaigns to raise awareness. The Government have also carried out a range of communication activities to raise awareness among consumers and businesses of the new ways to recycle waste portable batteries.
From 1 February 2010, certain distributors/retailers of portable batteries have been required to make available collection points on their premises where end-users may discard waste portable batteries. The regulations set separate collection targets of 25 per cent. by 2012, increasing to 40 per cent. by 2016, of waste portable batteries arising in the UK.
Biomass: Air Pollution
B30K is a biofuel/kerosene blended fuel that could be used for domestic heating to help reduce the use of fossil fuels. We understand that the oil industry is conducting trials on the practicality of use of this fuel. However, DEFRA currently holds no information on emissions of air quality pollutants from this fuel.
Birds: Disease Control
DEFRA plays a key part in working with industry to devise and implement policies to protect birds, and control avian diseases. Vigilance, good practice on the part of bird keepers and biosecurity are all vital in the fight against animal disease. The Department works in partnership with industry to raise awareness of and promote best practice in these areas.
Biosecurity measures are focused on animal owners working closely with their vet or other adviser to set targets for their animals' health and welfare, and take steps to measure, manage and monitor productivity.
DEFRA monitors the international disease situation and assesses its impact on the risk to the UK. It carries out risk-based post import testing to help mitigate the risk of disease entering the country, and to focus on its early detection to prevent spread. In the international context, the Department supports proportionate safeguard measures which mitigate the risk of spread of animal disease into and around the EU.
DEFRA also implements appropriate strategies for surveillance for avian diseases in the UK. These are often part of European initiatives carried out across member states.
Encouraging and incentivising bird keepers to implement good biosecurity on the ground is also being taken forward with industry as part of the Responsibility and Cost Sharing programme of work.
Cattle: Disease Control
The health of cattle is central to DEFRA's work in protecting livestock, and in controlling and eradicating disease.
The Government take bovine TB very seriously and are fully committed to tackling the disease. We have a package of measures in place to reduce further spread and incidence of bovine TB including regular testing, zero tolerance of overdue tests, pre-movement and extended use of gamma interferon. In November 2009 the EU Commission formally agreed to the UK's Eradication Plan and to provide funding of up to €10 million for 2010, which can be claimed to reimburse costs of TB testing and compensation for cattle slaughtered. The funding will be shared between DEFRA and the Welsh and Northern Irish administrations.
We are continuing to make significant investment in vaccines. £20 million will be spent over the next three years on vaccine development. A Badger Vaccine Deployment Project will take place in six high incidence areas each of 100km2 (25,000 acres) in England, with vaccination starting in this summer 2010.
Vigilance, good stockmanship and biosecurity are all vital in the fight against animal disease and DEFRA works in partnership with industry to raise awareness of and promote best practice in these areas.
Through DEFRA's Livestock Market Roadshows, key issues focus on Biosecurity measures and Bluetongue. This initiative is about livestock owners working closely with their vet or other adviser on setting targets for their animals' health and welfare and taking steps to measure, manage and monitor productivity.
DEFRA monitors the international disease situation and assesses its impact on the risk to the UK and carries out risk based post import testing to help prevent disease entering the country spreading.
Encouraging and incentivising livestock keepers to implement good biosecurity on the ground is also being taken forward with industry as part of the Responsibility and Cost sharing programme of work.
DEFRA provides a subsidised livestock disease diagnosis and investigation service to farmers through the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA). Analysis of the disease information gathered by the VLA feeds into national disease surveillance which identifies and assesses new disease threats, and provides advice on their management.
Cattle: Diseases
When cattle are confirmed to have contracted the following diseases the Secretary of State will order slaughter of the infected cattle, (but there are a few limited exceptions where he can exercise his discretion to spare certain cattle):
bovine tuberculosis;
contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia;
bovine spongiform encephalopathy;
brucellosis;
enzootic bovine leukosis;
foot and mouth disease;
lumpy skin disease;
rinderpest (otherwise known as cattle plague), and;
Rift Valley fever.
In the case of Bluetongue the chief veterinary officer is likely only to order slaughter of infected cattle (in particular if they have been imported) in the early stages of the outbreak. Otherwise the CVO will consider all relevant epidemiological circumstances and carry out benefits and risk analysis before deciding whether other control measures would be more appropriate.
Cetaceans: Conservation
(2) how many fishing vessels of 12 metres or more in length are using gillnets or entangling nets in compliance with S.I. 2005, No. 17; and what steps his Department is taking to increase the level of compliance of such vessels.
The UK is committed to enforcing all aspects of Council Regulation 812/2004 and the provisions of S.I. 2005, No. 17 in order to minimise cetacean by-catch.
The Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) monitors compliance through the inspection activities of the Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron. In addition, the MFA conducts training courses for the Fisheries Protection Squadron who undertake boarding at sea. This has led to increased industry awareness of cetacean by-catch issues.
The use of acoustic deterrent devices, as specified under Council Regulation 812/2004, has been problematic for all member states. DEFRA funded research, undertaken by the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) in partnership with the fishing industry, has identified significant problems with the acoustic deterrents stipulated in regulation 812 in terms of safety of use and their effectiveness as deterrents.
We reported these concerns to the European Commission and have commissioned an extensive research programme to develop effective deterrents that are safe for our fishers to use. As part of this research, SMRU are currently testing a new, more robust and powerful device. We eagerly await the report of this research, due in April next year.
(2) whether his Department is funding research into possible methods of mitigating cetacean bycatch;
(3) whether his Department is funding research into alternative fishing technology with the aim of eliminating cetacean bycatch.
The UK constantly assesses the risks posed to cetaceans from fisheries through our monitoring programme onboard fishing vessels, undertaken by the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU). We have used this project to identify which fisheries areas pose the greatest risk, and have moved the focus of our monitoring in order to investigate those fisheries of greatest concern.
The UK is committed to avoiding the by-catch of cetaceans wherever possible; we have, in total, spent over £2 million to date since 2000 on a range of measures to understand better, and so reduce, the incidental by-catch of cetaceans.
As part of a five-year research contract between SMRU and DEFRA that ended in 2008, research was conducted into modifications to fishing gear to reduce the by-catch of small cetaceans. This research produced inconclusive results and highlighted the need for more effective deterrents to prevent capture.
The focus of our current research and monitoring is to identify those fisheries responsible for high levels of cetacean by-catch and to test acoustic deterrents that are effective at preventing cetacean bycatch in these fisheries.
SMRU are extensively testing, on behalf of DEFRA, a new, more powerful acoustic deterrent device that we believe will address the problems of safety and effectiveness encountered with other acoustic deterrent devices, and significantly reduce the number of cetaceans caught in fishing gear.
We are committed to finding an acoustic deterrent that is both safe for fishers to use, and effective at deterring cetaceans from fishing gear, and we eagerly await the results of this research, due in April next year.
The annual reports the UK submits to the European Commission under Council Regulation 812/2004 supply more detail on all of this work and can be found at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/fisheries/marine/conservation/cetaceans.htm#1
Dairy Products: Meat
[holding answer 16 March 2010]: The following tables show imports as a percentage of total new supply1 for raw liquid milk for processing, main dairy products and beef and beef products in 2008.
1 Total new supply is used as a proxy for consumption where total new supply is production in the UK, minus exports, plus imports. To note: some of this new supply will be processed further and exported (so not consumed in the UK). However, this presents a good assessment of imports in relation to UK consumption.
Million litres Thousand tonnes Percentage Raw liquid milk for processing Total new supply (production+imports-exports) 12,816 — — Total imports (all imports across the Irish border) 49 — — Imports as percentage of supply — — 0.4 Butter1 Total new supply (production+imports-exports) — 169 — Total imports — 81 — Imports as percentage of supply — — 48 Cheese Total new supply (production+imports-exports) — 720 — Total imports — 422 — Imports as percentage of supply — — 59 Cream Total new supply (production+imports-exports) — 247 — Total imports — 55 — Imports as percentage of supply — — 22 Condensed milk2 Total new supply (production+imports-exports) — 146 — Total imports — 39 — Imports as percentage of supply — — 27 1 Includes butterfat and oil, dehydrated butter and ghee. 2 Includes condensed milk used in the production of chocolate crumb and in the production of sweetened and unsweetened machine skimmed milk. Source: HM Revenue and Customs, DEFRA, RERAD and DARDNI.
Thousand tonnes Percentage Beef and beef products (carcase weight equivalent) Total new supply for human consumption 1,134 — Total imports 373 — Imports as percentage of supply — 33 Source: Eurostat supply balance sheet for meat.
Departmental Internet
The requested information is in the following table.
Designs commissioned since 2005 Cost (£) Comments Internet 1 181,378 The external costs for this work include audience research, web structure analysis, design templates and accessibility auditing. The redesigned site went live on 17 September 2009. Intranet 1 63,654 The external costs for this work include audience research, web structure analysis and design templates. The redesigned site is due to go live on 22 March 2010.
The DEFRA website has undergone a single redesign since the creation of the Department in 2001. This went live on 17 September 2009 and cost £181,378 (for audience research, web structure analysis, design and accessibility auditing).
Dogs
Pit bull terrier type dogs are prohibited in England with ownership of pit bull terrier type dogs allowed only under strict conditions, where a court has allowed a prohibited type of dog to be registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (as amended 1997). We have made no estimate of illegally owned pit bull terrier numbers. However, the number of live legally owned pit bull terrier type dogs that are registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs in (a) London is 462, and (b) in England (including London) is 800.
Environment Protection: Powers of Entry
[holding answer 16 March 2010]: DEFRA consulted the Home Office in respect of the power of entry contained in the Environmental Civil Sanctions (England) Order 2010, as required under guidance to Departments. The power is for Natural England only, sufficient to allow the regulator to ascertain whether the enforcement notices or undertakings available under the order have been fulfilled. As regards the “liberty test”, all powers of entry are enacted through legislation and are subject to parliamentary scrutiny.
Horses: Disease Control
The health and welfare of horses is of particular importance as the equine industry is a sizeable and significant component of the national, especially rural, economy and community. DEFRA plays a key part in working with the industry to devise and implement policies to protect all equines, and to control equine exotic diseases. Vigilance and good practice on the part of horse owners/keepers and biosecurity are all vital in the fight against animal disease and DEFRA works in partnership with industry to raise awareness of and promote best practice in these areas.
DEFRA monitors the international disease situation and assesses its impact on the risk to the UK, and carries out risk based post-import testing to help mitigate the risk of disease entering the country and to focus on its early detection to prevent spread. In the international context, DEFRA supports proportionate safeguard measures which mitigate the risk of spread of animal disease into and around the EU.
DEFRA is also working towards implementing appropriate strategies for surveillance for equine diseases in the UK. These are often part of European initiatives carried out across member states. For example, although the likelihood of introduction of African Horse Sickness virus from abroad to the UK via legal trade in horses and other equidae is considered very low, ongoing work to increase national preparedness for an outbreak of that disease, should it occur, is well under way through work on a control strategy for the disease, with a view to legislation coming into force this summer. This work has also strengthened other elements of preparedness for equine diseases more generally, for example, by increasing and deepening joint working between the sector and Government, and putting in place stronger stakeholder engagement mechanisms.
In addition, encouraging and incentivising horse owners/keepers to implement good biosecurity on the ground is also being taken forward with industry as part of the Responsibility and Cost Sharing programme of work.
Livestock
A market-driven and consumer focused agricultural sector is crucial for European and global food security. Removing the distortive link between direct payments and production allows farmers to respond more readily to market requirements and should therefore have a positive effect on food security.
Production data shows that while livestock numbers have fallen slightly in recent years, with decoupling of the common agricultural policy (CAP) support being a factor in this decline, both the value and volume of meat production has increased through higher yields. The effect of declining animal numbers on production will be partly offset by increases in productivity, such as higher milk yields and lower mortality. Together with productivity changes, market demand by domestic and overseas consumers will be a major contributor to the overall size of UK livestock herds.
The extent to which decoupling has led to a reduction in stocking densities has led to certain environmental outcomes, including an overall reduction in environmental pressures (such as overgrazing). There are already rural development programmes within pillar II of the CAP which are specifically designed to encourage farmers to adopt environmentally beneficial land management practices, and there are early signs that progress is being made in this area. Such targeted programmes need to be continued and strengthened with reform.
Nature Conservation
DEFRA and its agency, Animal Health, jointly act as the Management Authority for the Conference of the Parties to the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna (CITES) in the UK. Three policy officials are representing DEFRA at the conference with two officials from Animal Health's Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service. Representatives from our designated CITES scientific authorities and our enforcement authorities are also attending.
Based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species 2009, the latest figures we have for threatened species in the UK and the UK Overseas Territories are publicly available on the Joint Nature Conservation Committee website at: www.jncc.gov.uk. Full website address:
www.jncc.gov.uk/pdf/UKOT_IUCN%20Tables_%202009.pdf
Noise
The Government recognise that the management of noise nuisance requires a co-ordinated and long term approach that embraces various aspects of modern society. This is why DEFRA published the Noise Policy Statement for England this week, setting out the long-term vision of government noise policy, promoting good health and good quality of life through the management of noise, within the context of government policy on sustainable development.
The application of the policy statement should mean that noise is properly taken into account at the appropriate time and reinforces the raft of legislation that already exists that gives powers to local authorities to deal with noise complaints.
Pet Travel Scheme
Animal Health (AH), which administers the pet travel scheme, does not collect specific financial information on the scheme's operation. This is because its officers are allocated to deal with all imports and not just those of pet animals. However, an estimate based on information available indicates that the cost to AH for one year's operation of the scheme is £987,187. Costs have remained broadly stable over the last five years.
This is based on information from the main UK ports and airports (Heathrow, Manchester, Dover, Harwich, Portsmouth, Southampton) and from the specialist service centre for imports in Chelmsford. It includes costs for around 60,000 pet passports per year and for the Pets Helpline which fields 850 calls per week, as well as enforcement, auditing activity and carrier approvals.
Reptiles: Smuggling
We are aware of reports that the number of reptiles being imported into the EU has increased since 2007, but we do not have access to EU-wide statistics to substantiate these reports.
The Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) database, which holds information on imports into the UK, does not distinguish between species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and species not so listed.
The information available regarding numbers of reptiles is as follows:
Table 1 shows figures, supplied by the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service in Animal Health (which issues CITES permits), for imports of live CITES-listed reptiles from non-EU countries.
Table 2 shows all reptiles imported into the UK from within the EU as recorded on TRACES, which does not distinguish between CITES-listed and non-listed species. Movement of specimens within the EU does not require CITES permits to be issued, therefore no figures for this are kept by the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service.
Table 3 shows all reptile species imported into the UK from outside the EU as recorded on TRACES.
Quantity 2000 8,161 2001 8,477 2002 8,200 2003 14,538 2004 12,889 2005 14,880 2006 25,954 2007 31,155 2008 35,411 2009 32,043 2010 1— Total 191,708
CITES species listed on Appendix III do not require CITES permits to be issued to enable their import to take place. They do however require import notifications to be made.
Table 1A following shows details of reptiles imports for which Import Notifications were issued (for imports into the UK from non-EU countries).
Quantity 2000 6,610 2001 660 2002 1,949 2003 231 2004 74 2005 1,273 2006 252 2007 130 2008 286 2009 235 2010 1— Total 11,700
Number 2004 100 2005 2,007 2006 1,470 2007 520 2008 1,822 2009 2,042 2010 (1 January 2010 to 15 March 2010) 107 Total 8,068
Number 2004 132,385 2005 228,884 2006 295,229 2007 469,669 2008 381,376 2009 295,607 2010 (1 January 2010 to 15 March 2010) 38,048 Total 1,841,198 1 Figures not yet available. Notes: 1. Some figures provided in table 3 will be for CITES-listed species, and may therefore be duplicated in table 1. 2. The TRACES system was not in operation prior to 2004. 3. The figures recorded on TRACES for EU reptile imports are not a complete record of imports. There are no animal health restrictions or conditions for such movements and therefore, not all imports would be logged onto TRACES.
Seas and Oceans: Environment Protection
The guidance for the selection and designation of Marine Conservation Zones under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, has been published in draft form on the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/biodiversity/marine/documents/guidance-note1.pdf
This guidance is currently one of four DEFRA guidance notes, all of which are being finalised at present. These will form part of a suite of documents to published in relation to the Act. The final guidance is expected to be published this spring.
The ministerial statement to fulfil section 123(6) of the Act was laid before Parliament on 11 March 2010, Official Report, columns 26-27WS, and will shortly be published on the DEFRA website. The Marine Protected Area Strategy was published in draft form last year, and the finalised version is planned to be issued before Easter.
Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee have published their draft of the ‘Ecological Network Guidance to regional stakeholder groups on identifying Marine Conservation Zones’ on their website, and invite comments on it by 9 April 2010.
Sheep: Tagging
Electronic identification (EID) of sheep is an EU requirement, but the administration and implementation of it is an issue for devolved Administrations.
In England, EID was implemented on 31 December 2009. It is too early for any implementation assessment to be made although our officials are in regular contact with the sheep industry and are reviewing issues with them as they arise.
Total Allowable Catches
Scientists from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute of Northern Ireland (AFBI), the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) and Marine Scotland Science (MSS) are meeting in Belfast to discuss the management of Area 7 nephrops this month. I will consider the next steps in relation to the future management of the stock once the conclusions of that meeting are known.
Justice
Arrest Warrants: War Crimes
(2) for what reasons the consultation on Arrest warrants - universal jurisdiction is not listed on his Department's website;
(3) what steps his Department has taken to include countries whose citizens are at risk of arrest for war crimes in his Department's consultation on Arrest warrants - universal jurisdiction.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor wrote on 6 March to the Chairman of the Justice Select Committee, inviting the Committee to consider proposals that were set out in a short paper, ‘Arrest warrants—universal jurisdiction’. The Chairman replied on 10 March with the suggestion that the Government should first seek views from appropriate sources directly, which the Committee would then consider.
Copies of the paper have now been sent to interested parties, including the Lord Chief Justice, the Senior Presiding Judge, the Senior District Judge (Chief Magistrate), the Justices' Clerks' Society, the Criminal Bar Association, the Law' Society, Liberty, JUSTICE, and Amnesty International. It has also been placed on the Ministry of Justice website. We have not sought the views of foreign Governments, but will take note of any that may be offered.
Departmental Theft
The Department applies a regime of protective security in accordance with the Government’s Security Policy Framework. Measures to protect assets and deter theft involve access controls, including perimeter security, guarding, alarms, CCTV and pass wearing; provision of secure storage to lock valuable assets away, and personnel checks to ensure trustworthiness of those given unsupervised access to sites and assets. These are supplemented in prisons by local searching strategies and daily checks on store areas. We have a security breach policy which is linked to our conduct and discipline policies. Our programme of action to improve the security of information assets, flowing from the Data Handling Review, includes training and awareness which covers the value of assets, awareness of risk and the need for protection.
Juries: Disabled People
Support is available from both the Jury Central Summoning Bureau (JCSB) and the courts to enable people with learning disabilities to serve on juries.
All potential jurors must complete their reply to their jury summons and return it to the JCSB with the help from a friend or family member, if necessary. Part 4 of the summons asks jurors ,to identify any disabilities and special needs. On receipt of the completed summons, the JCSB will contact the relevant court with details of the information received from the juror to highlight any special arrangements for the court to put in place.
Jurors are encouraged to contact the JCSB to arrange a pre-court visit to view facilities at court and discuss any special arrangements needed. For example, courts can assist the juror with reading and completing jury forms while at court and the juror is given the option of repeating the oath after the usher rather than having to read it themselves.
However, if the juror requires a note taker or interpretation assistance in the jury room this will exclude them from jury service. Under the common law, a jury must conduct its deliberations and reach its decision in the privacy of its own room and this usually necessitates that no one else is present.
A person should only be required to serve on a jury where he or she is mentally capable of doing so satisfactorily. To that end, the Juries Act 1974 (as amended) disqualifies a person from serving if he or she:
suffers or has suffered from mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983 and on account of that condition either is resident in a hospital or similar institution or regularly attends for treatment by a medical practitioner; or
is subject to guardianship or a community treatment order under the Mental Health Act 1983; or
lacks capacity within the meaning of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to perform jury service.
This provision encompasses some people with learning disabilities. For other people with learning disabilities our policy is that support should be made available where possible to enable them to serve satisfactorily.
Prison Service: Procurement
The National Audit Office (NAO) report on the procurement of goods and services by HM Prison Service confirmed that the Prison Service had estimated that savings of £37.5 million would be delivered in 2007-08. The figure was estimated because the review was undertaken part way through the financial year in question and the figure available at the time was a combination of realised and forecast savings. The NAO conducted a follow up review in December 2008 and confirmed that the revised value of savings was £36,793,305. This was fully delivered within financial year 2007-08.
Prisoner Escapes
Brixton has not held any Category A prisoners in the last five years. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Mr. Straw) said in his written ministerial statement on 11 March 2010, Official Report, columns 30-32WS, on prison transfers prior to HMCDP Inspections, three prisoners were transferred from Brixton to High Down and Wandsworth prior to the April 2008 investigation and returned after the inspection. A further prisoner was transferred to Wandsworth but did not return to Brixton. Another prisoner was discharged to court from Brixton prior to the inspection and was transferred to Chelmsford prison from court. Each of these five prisoners was individually assessed as a potential escape risk (E-list).
My right hon. Friend's statement also set out the outcome of the investigation into the three transfers where the prisoners returned to Brixton.
Prisons: Mobile Phones
Smuggling mobile phones, as with other contraband, is by its nature a covert activity and. the effectiveness of preventative measures is therefore difficult to quantify.
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is determined to address the risks that mobile phones present to security and to the safety of the public. It has implemented a strategy to minimise, find and disrupt mobile phones in prisons.
The strategy follows the review carried out by David Blakey CBE QPM DL, formerly Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and chief constable of West Mercia, to review the effectiveness of the Prison Service’s measures for disrupting the supply of illicit drugs in prisons. The review acknowledged the link between the availability of phones in prisons and the smuggling of illicit drugs.
NOMS has made good progress in implementing the recommendations which address illicit mobile phones, including:
publishing a guide to assist prisons in tackling mobile phones,
progressing work on mobile phone signal denial in prisons; and
providing all prisons with a Body Orifice Security Scanner and hand held metal detectors,. which can detect mobile phones, even those stored internally.
NOMS is undertaking an evaluation of the technology being used to detect mobile phones.
Royal Household
The Royal Collection has indicated that they will research what information is available in this area and write to my hon. Friend in due course. My hon. Friend may also wish to read “Royal Insignia: British and Foreign Orders of Chivalry from the Royal Collection” by Stephen Patterson.
The Royal Collection regularly receives requests from museums and galleries around the United Kingdom and abroad for long and short-term loans, many of which are granted. Over 3,000 objects are presently on long-term loan. There are, however, no current plans to exhibit or loan the artefacts in question.
Solicitor-General
BAE Systems
The Serious Fraud Office has provided assistance to overseas investigations while ensuring the UK national security interests are protected.
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
No member of HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, National Fraud Authority or the Attorney-General’s Office has been subject to formal discipline in the past five years.
In respect of the Serious Fraud Office and Treasury Solicitors there have been fewer than five dismissals in any single year during this period, and this information is therefore suppressed on the grounds of confidentiality.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Revenue and Customs Prosecution Service (RCPO) have not maintained records in relation to average time taken to complete each procedure. Records are only available from 2007.
Table 1 shows (a) the number of formal disciplinary actions (i) initiated and (ii) completed in each of the relevant years, the proportion of staff subject to the procedures, and the number of resulting dismissals on disciplinary grounds. Table 2 shows the number of (b) formal capability procedures (i) initiated and (ii) completed in each of the relevant years, the proportion of staff subject to the procedures, and the number of resulting dismissals on disciplinary grounds.
Number and percentage of formal disciplinary actions initiated within the CPS and RCPO Number and percentage of formal disciplinary actions completed within the CPS and RCPO How many and what proportions of procedure resulted in dismissal within the CPS and RCPO Number Percentage staff Number Percentage staff Number Percentage 2007 56 0.6 56 0.6 5 8.92 2008 56 0.63 56 0.63 4 7.14 2009 38 0.41 36 0.39 5 13.16
Number and percentage of formal capability (performance) actions initiated within the CPS and RCPO Number and percentage of formal capability (performance) actions completed within the CPS and RCPO How many and what proportions of procedure resulted in dismissal within the CPS and RCPO Number Percentage staff Number Percentage staff Number Percentage 2008 12 0.13 10 0.11 2 18.2 2009 11 0.12 11 0.12 2 18.18 1 In 2007 there were fewer than five cases so information has not been provided so as to protect staff confidentiality.
Departmental Theft
All of the Law Officers' Departments have extensive security measures in place to prevent theft and security within their organisations. Specific security policies are as outlined:
Attorney General's Office
Physical security measures are in place to protect against unauthorised access to the building, and all visitors are escorted by a permanent member of staff while on the premises. The building is guarded 24 hours a day and we have provided lockable cabinets to all staff to secure valuables and papers.
The Serious Fraud Office
Security procedures are in place to deter and protect against theft. These measures include lockable pedestals, a clear desk policy, locked safes, secure access controlled rooms, 24 hour guarding and CCTV to assist with prevention, detection and response.
The National Fraud Authority (NFA)
NFA internal control of its finances, people and organisation, includes the vetting of potential staff as part of its recruitment process. NFA also ensures all relevant policies are fully publicised so that staff are kept aware of their responsibilities and duties in respect of security issues.
The agency's arrangements to deter and detect internal theft are overseen by its head of finance and internal and external auditors, and a disciplinary framework exists to deal with any malpractice or criminal offence.
Security procedures are in place to deter and protect against theft. These measures include, secure access, twenty four hour guarding and CCTV.
The Crown Prosecution Service
Deters theft by maintaining strong internal controls, which include a policy on fraud, a code of conduct for staff and training on all aspects of security including physical security and theft prevention. In addition all office buildings are secure and visitors and contractors are supervised on site. Contracted staff must all pass the appropriate security vetting regime.
Treasury Solicitors (TSol)
TSol has perimeter security at the entrance points to the building. All doors to the floors occupied by TSol are fitted with a card access system to prevent unauthorised access. All visitors are required to sign in at the main reception and wear visitor passes. Visitors are escorted to and from reception.
Induction briefings covering security issues are also mandatory for all new starters, including staff contractors, consultants and temporary staff. In addition TSol operates a clear desk policy, which ensures all cabinets are securely locked at the end of the working day.
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI)
Both office sites are secure buildings with appropriate precautions to minimise the risk of theft by contractors or other visitors. These include perimeter security at the entrance points to the building, card access systems, a clear desk policy and staff awareness training.
Home Department
Committees
[holding answer 16 March 2010]: As I have said the Government regret the delay in laying the order designating Libya as an extradition partner under the Extradition Act 2003 and that Parliament was not afforded the opportunity to discuss the matter at an earlier date. More than one Government Department is involved in the treaty process and unfortunately, on this occasion, the usual contact between the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office did not take place leading to a delay in notification that the ratification procedures were complete. The oversight was discovered in January 2010 and arrangements were made immediately for the order to be drafted and considered by Parliament at the earliest opportunity.
Fraud
The information requested is not available in that form from the police recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. It is not possible to separately identify credit card and mortgage fraud from other offences within the Fraud and Forgery offence group.
The measurement of fraud is challenging as it is known to be very substantially under-reported to the police. Financial institutions will encourage customers (both personal and business) to report cheque, plastic card or online bank account fraud directly to them and not the police in the first instance. Fraud reported to financial institutions will then only be reported to the police if they are satisfied that there is a reasonable chance of a suspect being brought to justice through police investigation.
In addition to the fraud and forgery offences which are recorded by the police, the Home Office publishes information on plastic card offences identified by the UK Card Association along with findings from the British Crime Survey (BCS). The BCS provides a measure of plastic card fraud among adult residents in households which is important because it captures data on incidents which are not reported to the police. However, neither of these sources have data at borough level.
Further information is contained in Chapter 4 of 'Crime in England and Wales 2008/09', a copy of which is available in the Library.
Immigrants: Detainees
The information is not held centrally and could be provided only by checking individual records over the period requested at a disproportionate cost.
National Statistics on children detained solely under Immigration Act powers on a snapshot basis are published quarterly. The information is published in Tables 9-11 of the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom bulletins which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
Motor Vehicles: Seized Articles
This information is not held centrally. The police can seize and remove vehicles in certain circumstances. Any vehicle so seized can be reclaimed on payment of charges and on satisfaction of any other prescribed requirements. If a vehicle is not reclaimed, the police may dispose of it as they consider appropriate.
Police: Equality
Equality and diversity is embedded throughout all police training courses. Information is not held centrally on classroom based training attended by police officers, as it is the responsibility of individual police forces.
Treasury
Carbon Emissions: EU Action
There is currently no EU Commission proposal for an EU-wide minimum tax on carbon.
Corporation Tax
(2) what estimate he has made of the amount of corporation tax owed to HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years.
The annual amount of corporation tax debt is shown in HMRC’s annual accounts, available at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/reports.htm
The breakdowns of corporation tax debt by the number of companies, by size of debt, and by region would be available only at disproportionate cost.
Debt Collection
(2) how many debt recovery agencies have been subject to financial penalties in (a) Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency, (b) the Highlands, (c) Scotland and (d) England and Wales in each month since the introduction of the specific requirements clause of the Consumer Credit Act 2006.
I have been asked to reply.
Complaints made to the financial service ombudsman by residents regarding debt recovery agencies is a matter for the financial ombudsman service and they will write to the hon. Member directly with the details.
The OFT has told us that since the introduction of its wider powers in April 2008, it has imposed requirements on six debt collection agencies whose conduct has caused it dissatisfaction. Requirements were imposed on one business in Scotland in April 2009. Four businesses based in England are subject to conduct requirements: these were imposed respectively in February 2009, May 2009 and, on two of the businesses, in June 2009. Requirements were imposed on the remaining business, which is based in the Philippines but collects debts from UK consumers, in November 2008.
The OFT does not have the power to impose an immediate financial penalty on licensed businesses where it is dissatisfied with the conduct of the business. However, if a trader fails to comply with a requirement, it could be subject to a penalty of up to £50,000 and/or revocation of its licence. As yet no financial penalties have been imposed, but OFT is monitoring compliance with the requirements imposed.
Departmental Legal Costs
The information requested could not be obtained within the disproportionate costs threshold.
Departmental Lost Property
The following items of HM Treasury property were reported lost or stolen during the 12 months ending December 2009:
Number Lost BlackBerry mobile devices 3 Laptop USB tokens 4 Stolen BlackBerry mobile devices 2 Remote Access Unit 1 Laptop case 1 PC mouse 1 Filing cabinet key 1
The total cost of replacement is estimated at £2,100.
Departmental Theft
Guidance on taking precautions against theft is provided to staff on the Treasury intranet. Staff are reminded of the importance of locking away their valuables or departmental assets when they leave the office at the end of the day or while they are away from their desks for long periods of time. Reminders are issued periodically.
Furthermore the importance of all aspects of security is emphasised to new staff as part of the standard Treasury induction training.
EU External Trade: Israel
To date, HM Revenue and Customs has considered imports of tahini and sweet peppers.
It has added sweet peppers to the series of targeted physical examinations which the United Kingdom Border Agency is undertaking in respect of imports of fresh produce from Israel.
It has not added tahini as the product attracts a nil rate of customs duty outside of the provisions of the EU-lsrael Association Agreement and, consequently, there is no scope for abuse of the preferential trade arrangements.
HMRC has started to investigate exports made under the EU-lsrael Agreement by the Settlements companies listed in the 2009 research paper prepared by the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies, which have economic links with the UK.
While for reasons of commercial confidentiality HMRC cannot disclose information in respect of enquiries into exports made by specific companies, it has undertaken further checks in respect of a range of cosmetic products imported under the EU-lsrael Agreement over the last three years.
National Insurance Contributions
(2) what steps his Department has taken to match the 116 million items from employers unmatched in 2007 to individual national insurance contributions accounts; what steps HM Revenue and Customs has taken to inform employees paying national insurance of the need to ensure accuracy of their account; what assessment he has made of the effects on employees of the volume of unmatched items; and what estimate he has made of the number of people who have paid national insurance contributions which have not been credited to their account by 2008-09.
Employers must provide HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) with information regarding the national insurance contributions of their employees during the year using the P35 and P45 forms when individuals enter and leave employment respectively, and for all employees at the end of the year using the P14 and P11D forms.
Through these processes HMRC may receive information on national insurance (NI) contributions that cannot be matched to the relevant employee record. This occurs when employers provide inaccurate or insufficient personal details about the relevant employee to enable the information to be matched with the appropriate national insurance account.
To help improve the quality of the information provided through these processes and to reduce the admin burden they place on employers, HMRC has introduced online filing for PAYE returns. All employers with 50 or more employees now file their in-year and end of year returns online; from April 2011 all employers will need to do so. Recent increases in online filing and the introduction of the new national insurance and PAYE Service has increased HMRC's ability to match the information it receives, and to identify where corrective action needs to be taken when this is not possible.
The National Insurance Contributions Office applies makes all reasonable efforts to match these items to contributor records, including writing to the employer and/or the employee for further information. Where items cannot be matched they are kept on non-matched suspense files until which time they can be matched to the correct national insurance account. HMRC estimate that around 85 per cent. of non-matching items are below the relevant earnings threshold, meaning that individually they cannot affect contributor benefits.
If a specific tax year is not qualifying for basic state retirement pension or bereavement benefit purposes HMRC will automatically write to the individual concerned to provide them with the opportunity to either query the details held on their NI account or pay voluntary contributions where appropriate. It is not possible to ascertain the number of individuals affected because several unmatched items may relate to one individual.
The number of items added to the suspense file has decreased year on year over he last four years. For 2007-08, the most recent tax year for which detailed information is held, some 1.9 million new items were added to the suspense file; this represents 3.3 per cent. of the year's returns.
HMRC expect that the number of items that cannot be initially matched to a national insurance account will continue to decrease as a result of the introduction of the national insurance and PAYE Service, which provides a single customer record for individual across HMRC.
HMRC is working with employers, pension providers and their representative bodies to identify the issues that cause incomplete or incorrect data and to understand better the implications of unaligned data. The Department is also working with large employer representatives on new employee education to be provided through the employer induction process. This is designed to improve the accuracy of the information coming through to HMRC when individuals start or leave employment, and will also help to reduce costs for employers and pension providers.
Places of Worship: Grants
Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such discussions.
Smuggling: Alcoholic Drinks
Data relating to the estimated value of smuggled alcohol seized by HMRC, and latterly the UK Border Agency (UKBA), are only available going back to 2003.
Estimates of the total value of beer, wine and spirits seizures i.e. the value of the goods and associated tax, in each year since 2003 are:
Estimated value (£) 2003-04 14,068,459 2004-05 5,718,224 2005-06 3,160,457 2006-07 4,864,020 2007-08 5,108,224 2008-09 8,750,397 2009-101 13,257,063 1 For the period from 1 April 2009 to 28 February 2010
The increasing value of border seizures is explained largely by the establishment of the UKBA. This has significantly improved detection rates of smuggled alcohol - particularly of high-value spirits.
Taxation
(2) what steps HM Revenue and Customs takes to inform people of errors in their tax coding notices;
(3) how many people have notified HM Revenue and Customs of errors in tax coding notices in 2010;
(4) what estimate he has made of the number of incorrect tax coding notices issued by HM Revenue and Customs in 2010.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) takes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the annual coding notices it issues as part of the operation of the PAYE system.
But where an individual's circumstances differ from the information held by the Department, changes may be needed to bring an individual's tax code up to date. HMRC therefore issues coding notices in advance of the new tax year to allow individuals time to check they are correct and to contact the Department if their tax code does need updating before the start of the year to reflect any changes in their circumstances.
Customers are encouraged to use the information provided on HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/tax-codes.htm
to help them understand their PAYE tax code and if necessary contact their tax office to update their code. Information on how to find your tax office is available at:
http://search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kbroker/hmrc/locator/locator.jsp
This year, following the introduction of a new National Insurance and PAYE Service, HMRC has identified several situations where, due to a mismatch between data held on HMRC's systems and data supplied by employers and pension providers, individuals could receive an incorrect coding notice. The Department is reviewing all affected individuals, publicising the issue on its website and providing regular updates on the types of situations that could lead to incorrect coding notices.
No estimates have been made on the number of incorrect coding notices issued as it is normal for a proportion to need updating to reflect changes in an individual's circumstances. This year around 700,000 customers have contacted HMRC to request an updated notice of coding.
Culture, Media and Sport
Departmental Marketing
[holding answer 11 March 2010]: The Department's expenditure on branded stationery and other products was as follows:
(a) £11,760 on departmental branded stationery (letterheads, business cards and other stationery).
(b) Other products: £11,690 on various items such as agendas, backdrops, signage, brochures and on merchandise for DCMS launches and events.
Departmental Surveys
The Department will publish the October 2009 staff survey results on the DCMS website in April 2010. Following publication, a copy of both the DCMS and The Royal Parks Agency results will be placed in the Library.
Diamond Jubilee 2012
Planning for the Diamond Jubilee is still at an early stage and officials keep all Ministers fully informed. I expect my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to have discussions with my noble Friend, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the Queens Diamond Jubilee.
Flags
Since 2007-08 the Department has spent the following on new flags and flag maintenance for its Headquarters building. Costs relating to years prior to 2007-08 are not available.
New flags (£) Flag maintenance (£) 2007-08 225.01 491.63 2008-09 0 1,109.16 2009-10 0 1,318.14
The Department has responsibility for providing facilities for a number of state occasions, which includes flag flying.
Since 2005 -06 the Department has spent the following on the purchase of new flags and flag maintenance for ceremonial events.
New flags (£) Flag maintenance (£) 2005-06 71,570.99 35,419.97 2006-07 17,892.08 132,641.97 2007-08 26,157.67 139,745.57 2008-09 23,124.50 140,430.64 2009-10 (April 09 to January 2010) 31,245.00 119,751.43 1 From 2006 the flag maintenance costs included expenditure for ad hoc events for which the Department was reimbursed: 2006/07 = £2,260.50; 2007/8 =£3,353.44; 2008/9 =£5,839.50 and 2009/10 = £3,472.00
Flags: Correspondence
Between 15 March 2009 and 15 March 2010, the Department received 83 items of correspondence in which the subject of flags was the primary issue.
Seven letters were from Members of Parliament and the remainder from members of the public. The Department holds no records of further representations on this subject during this time period.
It is possible that further correspondence could relate to flags as a secondary issue, however, this information could only be identified at disproportionate cost.
Olympic Games 2012: Flags
I am replying as Minister for the Olympics. As part of the public sector funding package for hosting the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, there is a budget of £32 million for the Look of London 2012. This budget will be used for street dressing, including flags, across the UK.
The creative design of this project is under development.
St. George's Day
On 23 April, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will fly the St. George's Flag alongside the Union Flag to celebrate St. George's Day. At present Ministers of the Department have no plans to attend St. George's Day events in an official capacity.
(2) what steps his Department plans to take to commemorate St. George's Day in 2010; and how much it plans to spend on such activities.
On 23 April the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will fly the St. George's Flag alongside the Union Flag to celebrate St. George's Day. This will be at minimal cost.
English Heritage plans to mark the day with events at several properties around the country, the biggest of which will be a two day St. George's Day Festival at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire. English Heritage's total planned spend for production and marketing of their St. George's Day events in 2010 is £43,000, which they expect to recoup from income earned through admissions, retail and membership.
World Heritage Sites: National Lottery
Between November 1994 and 31 March 2009, 20 World Heritage Sites in the UK benefited from Heritage Lottery Fund grants to 413 projects totalling £288 million.
Heritage Lottery Fund has supplied the figures of the funding allocated to projects in the table.
Region World Heritage Site Number of projects Value of awards (£) England Bath 40 8,513,987 Wales Blaenavon 12 9,120,345 England Canterbury 5 3,213,342 England Cornwall and West Devon 56 13,976,968 England Derwent Valley 28 4,149,965 England Durham Castle and Cathedral 4 591,955 Scotland Edinburgh 73 61,976,427 Northern Ireland Giant's Causeway 1 37,500 England Greenwich 21 62,219,082 Wales Gwynedd, Castles of Edward I 3 1,127,500 England Hadrian's Wall 53 19,006,012 England Ironbridge 27 9,916,584 England Jurassic Coast 41 5,250,334 England Kew Gardens 4 4,955,500 England Liverpool 32 69,357,571 Scotland New Lanark 6 4,903,819 Scotland Orkney 1 50,000 England Saltaire 2 3,358,800 England Tower of London 3 5,845,100 England Westminster Abbey 1 259,900 Total 413 287,830,691
Energy and Climate Change
Energy: National Policy Statements
The Government intend to finalise and formally designate the energy National Policy Statements later in 2010.
Natural Gas: Imports
[holding answer 12 March 2010]: It is not possible to calculate these volumes. This is because, once imported, gas enters the National Transmission System, where it is comingled with gas from other sources; this makes it impossible to say whether or when gas that is exported had previously been imported.
Cabinet Office
Business: Closures
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what estimate has been made of the number of small businesses which have closed in a) Essex, b) Southend West constituency and c) England and Wales in each year since 1997. (321898)
Annual statistics on business births, deaths and survival are available for 2002 onwards from the ONS release on Business Demography at:
www.statistics.gov.uk
Information on the number of enterprise deaths by parliamentary constituency is only available from 2005 onwards. The table below contains the latest statistics available on active enterprises with less than 50 employment for England and Wales, Essex county and Southend West.
England and Wales Essex county Southend West 2002 195,575 5,275 n/a 2003 214,135 5,830 n/a 2004 224,340 5,790 n/a 2005 210,210 5,555 345 2006 190,140 5,095 340 2007 206,655 5,655 300 2008 201,185 5,635 355 n/a = Not available
Cabinet: Exeter
(2) which Ministers travelled by Government Car Service car to the meeting of the Cabinet in Exeter on 5 February 2010;
(3) from what budgets the costs of transport to and from the meeting of the Cabinet in Exeter on 5 February 2010 were met;
(4) from what budgets the costs of the meeting of the Cabinet in Exeter on 5 February 2010 were met.
The visit of the Cabinet to Exeter on 5 February 2010 was one of several ministerial visits across the region that day. There was a public engagement event and a formal Cabinet meeting. The purpose of the meeting was for the Cabinet as a whole to hear the views of people in the south-west. Feedback from local people who have attended the Exeter event and other previous meetings has been very positive; people welcomed the opportunity to raise important local, regional or national issues directly with the Cabinet.
The cost of the public engagement event and the Cabinet meeting was approximately £51,964, excluding VAT. This figure includes the cost of hiring the venue, catering, associated security and delegate management. The budget for these events is held by the Cabinet Office. The cost of any security provided by the police is a matter for the relevant police force. The transport to and from these visits is a matter for the Secretary of State in each Department but wherever possible Ministers are encouraged to travel by public transport and keep costs to a minimum.
Civil Servants: Milton Keynes
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statustics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2910:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many full-time equivalent civil servants have been employed in Milton Keynes in each year since 1997. (321873).
A consistent time series for the number of full-time equivalent civil servants employed in Milton Keynes is only available back to 2005.
The requested data are attached at Annex A.
Full time equivalent 20052 1,830 20062 1,830 20073 1,930 20083 1,970 20093 2,000 1 Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2 2005-2006 Mandate only - incomplete coverage of Civil Service departments. 3 2007-2009 Annual Civil Service Employment Survey - 100 per cent. coverage of Government departments and agencies. Source: Mandate collection (2005-06) Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (2007-09)
Electorate: British Nationals Abroad
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking how many British nationals resident in each country outside the UK were registered to vote in UK elections on the most recent date for which figures arc available. (322822)
The total number of overseas electors registered to vote in UK parliamentary elections was 14,901 on 1 December 2009, the most recent date for which figures are available. ONS does not have information on which country overseas electors are resident in.
Office for National Statistics
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking pursuant to the Answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 25 January 2010, Official Report, column 655W, on civil servants: surveys, by what means an hon. Member may commission specific analyses from the Office for National Statistics. (322912)
As I explained in my letter to the Rt. Hon. Francis Maude, MPs may commission ONS to carry out specific analyses from ONS surveys. Requests for such analyses should be directed to me in the first instance.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what (a) desks and (b) offices the Office for National Statistics has at UK (i) airports and (ii) ports. (322915)
The Office for National Statistics has desks and Offices at the following Airports, Ports and International Rail Stations in order to conduct the International Passenger Survey.
Airport Desks
Gatwick Airport
Heathrow Airport
Manchester Airport
Stansted Airport
Airport Offices
Birmingham International Airport
Bristol Airport
Cardiff Airport (to be vacated)
Gatwick Airport
Glasgow Airport
Heathrow Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Luton Airport
Manchester Airport
Newcastle Airport
Stansted Airport
Port Offices
Harwich
Holyhead
Station Offices
Ashford International Rail Terminal
Cheriton Channel Tunnel Terminal
St Pancras International.
Public Expenditure
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the proportion of national output was contributed by Government spending in each year since 1996. (322891)
General Government Final Consumption Expenditure (GGFCE) as a proportion of GDP is shown at market prices from 1996 to 2009 in the table below:
General Government final consumption expenditure (market prices) (£ million) GDP (market prices) (£ million) GGFCE as a proportion of GDP (market prices), (percentage) 1996 148,767 781,726 19.0 1997 150,652 830,094 18.1 1998 156,490 879,102 17.8 1999 169,652 928,730 18.3 2000 181,972 976,533 18.6 2001 194,584 1,021,828 19.0 2002 212,577 1,075,564 19.8 2003 232,819 1,139,746 20.4 2004 251,114 1,202,956 20.9 2005 268,088 1,254,058 214 2006 285,187 1,325,795 21.5 2007 294,713 1,398,882 21.1 2008 313,562 1,448,391 21.6 2009 329,289 1,396,474 23.6
The series for GGFCE and GDP as shown in the table above are the most up-to-date figures published by the Office for National Statistics on 26th February 2010. They can be accessed on our website via the following link:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/tsdtables1.asp?vlnk=pn2
Table C1 in the link contains the series for GGFCE (identifier: NMRP) and GDP (identifier: YBHA).
Communities and Local Government
Affordable Housing
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, North (Mr. Austin) to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 9 March 2010, Official Report, columns 208-10W.
Council Housing Finance Review
[holding answer 4 March 2010]: The research is available on the Communities and Local Government website and the document has been placed in the Library of the House.
Departmental Research
A copy of the research report for the following contracts have been placed in the Library:
ANS020336: Assessment of the evidence on the integration of new migrants
RAE31623: International Migration and Rural Economies
RAE312162: Scenario Building for Local and Sectoral Economic Performance under Changing Net Migration
RAE312161: Projections of Migration Inflows under Alternative Scenarios for the UK and World Economies.
A research report for ANS020338—Drivers of International Migration to the UK and the Regions—has not been published yet as the project is not due to be completed until March 2010.
Eco-towns
We have provided funding to external bodies to gain expert advice to support the development of the eco-towns programme on a range of issues, including sustainability, financial viability, local impact assessment and the analysis of consultation responses. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps), on 23 February 2009, Official Report, column 106W.
As I set out in a written ministerial statement on 1 December 2009, Official Report, column 119WS, we are also making £5 million available for studies to test the feasibility of the potential second wave bids for exemplar green developments, as well as £5 million for demonstrator projects.
Energy Performance Certificates
[holding answer 4 March 2010]: A total of 1,639,834 domestic and 80,641 non domestic Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) were lodged on the EPC Registers between 18 September 2008 and 31 May 2009.
Green Belt: Property Development
Land Use Change Statistics Live Table 241 gives an annual regional breakdown of the percentage of new dwellings built within the 2008 designated green belt since 1989. The table can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planningbuilding/planningstatistics/livetables/landusechange/
Homelessness: Sefton
A table of figures on the number of households accepted by local housing authorities as owed a main homelessness duty between 1999-2000 and 2008-09 has been deposited in the Library of the House in response to the question I answered from the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 23 June 2009, Official Report, column 843W.
Information is also collected and reported on the number of people who sleep rough—i.e. those who are literally roofless on a single night. Local authority data and count guidance can be found on the CLG website:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/roughsleeping2009
Housing: Construction
The following numbers are only those delivered via the National Affordable Housing Programme. The Lifetime Home Standard was also introduced in the Property and Regeneration Programme in 2005 and as such an increasing number of homes being delivered through this programme will attain the Lifetime Homes Standard. We do not hold this information centrally and the figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
2006-07: 3,120
2007-08: 4,964
2008-09: 5,199
We do not retain information centrally as to the number of private sector homes built to the Lifetime Homes Standard and figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
There are no targets established for private sector homes to be built to the Lifetime Homes Standard. In the 2008 strategy ‘Lifetime Homes Lifetime Neighbourhoods—a National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society’ we stated: “Our aspiration is that by 2013 all new homes will be being built to Lifetime homes Standards” (paragraph 5 page 90).
In the same strategy we committed to ‘Make adherence to Lifetime Homes Standard mandatory for all public sector housing by 2011’ (Actions, p95).
Land Use Change Statistics Live Table 231 gives an annual regional breakdown of the density of new dwellings from 1989.
Land Use Change Statistics Live Table 232 gives a local authority level breakdown of the density of all new dwellings that were built. Estimates at a local authority level are provided as multi-year averages due to the volatile nature of the data at spatial levels lower than Government Office Region.
Both tables can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planningbuilding/planningstatistics/livetables/landusechange/
Land Use
Land Use Change Statistics Live Tables 251 and 252 are available on the Department’s website, they were last updated in January 2010.
Both tables can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planningbuilding/planningstatistics/livetables/landusechange/
The next update will be in May 2010.
Local Government: National Parks Authorities
We encourage the national park authorities to explore all avenues to improve their efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of national park purposes.
The authorities already work closely with their constituent local authorities and their membership structure provides for the majority being councillors from these local authorities. This close relationship has been further enhanced by the provisions in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
We are currently consulting on guidance on the establishment of local authority leaders' boards under Part 5 of the Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Act. Representations have been received from national parks and we will publish the guidance shortly.
Ordnance Survey: Finance
Government are committed to ensuring a sustainable operating model for Ordnance Survey so that it can continue to maintain the supply of high quality geographic information to Government and other users. Details on the model selected will be set out in the Government's response to the public consultation on policy options for geographic information from Ordnance Survey.
Northern Ireland
Children: Abuse
I have replied directly to the Northern Ireland Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and my officials have written to the solicitor concerned. We have given assurances that we are happy to assist in any way to progress the issue when there is an agreed way forward.
Offences Against Children
I have placed a copy of this correspondence in the Library of the House, along with a copy of a further letter to the same firm of solicitors which was issued on 16 February 2010.
This matter cuts across the responsibilities of a number of Departments in both the devolved and reserved areas. I understand that, following the resolution passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Northern Ireland Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety is preparing a paper for the Northern Ireland Executive, setting out options for the way ahead. I have already indicated our commitment to participate fully in any agreed actions. Until then, it would be premature for us to act unilaterally or to initiate discussions with any of the individuals or organisations.
We have not as yet received any further approach from the Northern Ireland Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. It is my understanding that he has also written to a number of his fellow Ministers in the NI Executive on the matter and is currently considering their responses.
No such representation has been received from the Irish Government.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Business: Government Assistance
Under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, as of 3 March 2010, over £1.2 billion of eligible applications from almost 11,000 firms has been granted, being processed or assessed. Of which, over 8,500 businesses have been offered loans totalling over £860 million. The average value of offered loans is around £101,000.
The Department plays no role in the application or decision making process. Businesses may apply for a loan from any one of the accredited participating lenders who will assess which form of lending, including an Enterprise Finance Guarantee backed loan, is most appropriate. We do not hold figures for those businesses which are instead offered a normal commercial loan, or are rejected for failing to meet the lender's commercial criteria.
There are three main criteria for a business being offered an EFG loan application:
The business meeting the lender's normal commercial criteria in relation to the viability of the business and serviceability of the loan. This judgment will vary according to the lender concerned.
The lender determining that use of EFG, rather than a normal commercial loan, is necessary because of no or insufficient security available on the part of the business.
The business meeting the basic EFG eligibility criteria with respect to the size of loan, purpose of loan, turnover size, business sector etc.
Each lender has access to the EFG web portal through which they administer the EFG eligibility criteria. The main EFG eligibility criteria and a full list of accredited lenders is detailed on the BIS website:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/enterprise/finance/efg/page37607.html
The level of interest rates and any other fees or charges made by lenders in connection with any lending are a matter for the lender concerned. This information is not held by the Department. However, we would expect such charges made in connection with lending backed by EFG to be line with their normal commercial lending.
As announced in the pre-Budget report in December 2009, EFG will facilitate lending of up to £500 million between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2011.
The Small Firms Loan Guarantee, which was replaced by the Enterprise Finance Guarantee in January 2009, was used to facilitate additional bank lending to individual businesses rather than to projects. As such, it would be inappropriate to detail individual loans on the basis of commercial confidentiality.
The number and value of SFLG loans made to businesses within each UK region in each financial year are detailed in the Industrial Development Act Annual report for that respective year. Copies of each report are deposited in the Library of the House on publication—usually in June of each year.
The House of Commons (HC) numbers for each edition from 2005-06 are as follows:
For the year ended 31 March 2006 - HC 1292, for the year ended 31 March 2007 - HC 652, for the year ended 31 March 2008 - HC 722, and for the year ended 31 March 2009 - HC 668.
Business: Snow and Ice
The Department has not undertaken an assessment of the effect of the recent severe weather conditions on small businesses specifically. It is likely that any negative impact on the economy as a whole resulting from the recent adverse weather will be largely short-term, with some delayed activity shifted to later months, for example. The Government continue to monitor all relevant factors from a range of sources to inform its assessment of the UK economy.
Business: South East
The Small Firms Loan Guarantee (SFLG) data in the form requested are only available from December 2005. The Enterprise Finance Guarantee replaced the Small Firms Loan Guarantee in January 2009.
The breakdown of the number of loans to small businesses based in the Southend, West constituency, the Southend Unitary Authority area, the county of Essex and the London region in the amounts specified in each full year from 2006 are as follows:
2006 2007 2008 2009 Total Up to £20,000 1 0 1 0 2 £20,001 to £50,000 1 0 1 0 2 £50,001 to £100,000 1 0 1 0 2 £100,001 to £150,000 2 0 0 1 3 £150,001 to £200,000 0 0 0 0 0 £200,000 to £250,000 0 0 0 0 0 Total 5 0 3 1 9
2006 2007 2008 2009 Total Up to £20,000 1 1 2 0 4 £20,001 to £50,000 2 0 3 0 5 £50,001 to £100,000 3 2 1 1 7 £100,001 to £150,000 2 0 1 1 4 £150,001 to £200,000 0 0 0 0 0 £200,000 to £250,000 0 0 0 0 0 Total 8 3 7 2 20
2006 2007 2008 2009 Total Up to £20,000 6 2 13 3 24 £20,001 to £50,000 20 15 22 2 59 £50,001 to £100,000 25 19 30 3 77 £100,001 to £150,000 7 6 6 3 22 £150,001 to £200,000 3 1 1 0 5 £200,000 to £250,000 1 1 3 0 5 Total 62 44 75 11 192
2006 2007 2008 2009 Total Up to £20,000 38 26 21 1 86 £20,001 to £50,000 178 126 124 16 444 £50,001 to £100,000 180 155 118 19 472 £100,001 to £150,000 84 66 51 7 208 £150,001 to £200,000 16 19 17 2 54 £200,000 to £250,000 27 21 12 2 62 Total 523 413 343 47 1,326
SFLG data by police authority area are not available.
The number of SFLG loans made to small firms based in Southend West, Southend on Sea, Essex and London in each year from 2006 are as follows:
2006 2007 2008 2009 Total Southend, West constituency 5 0 3 1 9 Southend on Sea 8 3 7 2 20 Essex 62 44 75 11 192 London 523 413 343 47 1,326
The Enterprise Finance Guarantee replaced the Small Firms Loan Guarantee in January 2009. Please note the figures for London are for the region as figures are not available by police authority area.
Businesses would apply for a loan from any one of the participating accredited lenders who would assess which form of lending, including a SFLG backed loan, was most appropriate. We do not hold figures for those businesses which were instead offered a normal commercial loan, or were rejected for failing to meet the lender's commercial criteria.
Employment Agencies: EU Law
The Agency Workers Regulations 2010 were laid before Parliament on 21 January 2010. Accompanying guidance will be drawn up in consultation with stakeholders and published in advance of the regulations coming into force on 1 October 2011. The important role this guidance will play has been one of the subjects discussed with not only representatives of the agency work industry but also other stakeholders during recent consultations preceding the laying of the regulations.
We are planning to seek views on the guidance from interested parties later this year including the recruitment sector, employer associations, trade union bodies, SMEs and organisations that are large users of temporary workers and agency workers themselves.
Insurance
I have been asked to reply.
The Government do not prescribe the terms, conditions or price that insurance companies may set when offering insurance.
The matter raised in this question is the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority, whose day-to-day operations are independent from Government. I have asked the FSA to write to my hon. Friend.
Learning Disability
The Department allocates funding to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for the provision of further education (FE) and training for adult learners aged 19 and over. Planned investment in adult participation is £3.4 billion in the 2009/10 financial year increasing to £3.5 billion in the 2010-11 financial year.
In 2009/10 academic year the cost of provision for learners aged 19 or over with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD) undertaking provision in mainstream FE colleges and training organisations will be supported through the same adult budgets as those learners without LDD.
Learners with LDD in mainstream provision can have their additional support needs met through Additional Learning Support Funding (ALS). For the 2009/10 academic year around £150 million was allocated to FE colleges and training organisations for this purpose. However it should be noted that ALS funding is not solely for learners with LDD and can also be used to meet the needs of other vulnerable groups.
Funding allocations for 2010/11 academic year are currently under way. It is therefore not possible to provide a funding amount at this stage.
(2) what estimate has been made of the proportion of the cost of meeting the requirements of people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities which will be met from the provision under the Adult Learner Responsive sub-total for the Developmental Learning category in his Department's document, Skills Investment Strategy 2010-11, published in November 2009; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what estimate he has made of the number of learners of each type classified as learners under the provision of the Adult Learner Responsive sub-total for the Development Learning category in his Department's document, Skills Investment Strategy 2010-11, published in November 2009 in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.
The Department routes funding through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for the provision of further education (FE) and skills training for adult learners aged 19 and over.
It is for learners to declare whether or not they consider themselves to have a learning difficulty and/or disability. As a result the actual number of learners in this category accessing FE and skills provision will vary from year to year, but we estimate there have been around 200,000 each year from 2006/07 academic year to 2008/09 academic year (the most recent year for which complete data are available).
Within this overall total, learners with LDD follow various courses, depending on their personal preferences or the severity of their disability. It is therefore not possible to predict how many learners of the total with LDD will pursue courses that would be categorised as Developmental Learning. The Skills Investment Strategy 2010-11 does, however, set out the commitment that the total adult FE and skills budget will provide sufficient funding to maintain volumes at the level of previous years.
[holding answer 17 March 2010]: The Department has received a range of correspondence and has met with stakeholders in recent weeks in respect of learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. These representations have covered a number of areas, including funding, curriculum, accessibility and the employment of people with learning disabilities.
Investing in further education (FE) and skills training for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities remains a priority and we have set out our continuing commitment to maintaining the opportunities for this group of learners in the Skills Investment Strategy 2010-11.
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of education provision for learners with a learning (a) difficulty and (b) disability who have received a learning difficulty assessment in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 15 March 2010]: Learners aged 19 to 25 entitled to a learning difficulty assessment are covered by a statutory duty placed on the Learning Skills Council under s139 A of the Learning and Skills Act 2000. From 1 April 2010, responsibility will transfer to local authorities (LAs) following changes announced in the Learning Skills Act 2008 and the Apprenticeship, Schools, Children and Learning Act 2009. Such learners will continue to be funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families through the arrangements with the Young People's Learning Agency and LAs. This will support the policy that there should be a single body with responsibility for all young adults with learning difficulties and/or disabilities up to the age of 25 who require significant levels of support.
It is not possible to separately identify learners in receipt of S139A assessments. However we are able to estimate that there have been around 200,000 learners aged 19 and over in mainstream provision with a self-declared disability each year from 2006/07 to 2008/09 academic year (the latest whole year for which data are available).
National Measurement System
The Department's financial records show that the National Measurement System received the following funding for the financial years 2002-03 to 2008-09 and the budget for 2009-10 was as follows:
Outturn Budget 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Near cash 1,255 1,256 47 64 63 58 74 63 60 58 Non cash 1— 1— 1 1 4 6 -1 1 10 12 Capita1 1— 1— 13 24 16 4 18 11 12 12 1 Indicates a brace. 2 Represents both resource and capital expenditure—the split of funding (near-cash, non-cash and capital) prior to the financial year 2002-03 is not available.
The figures represent both expenditure on NMS programmes and payments related to the construction of new accommodation for the National Physical Laboratory, initially under a PFI contract, and consequential demolition and remediation works. In addition, prior to 2003/04, the budgets for the Materials Measurement and Government Chemist programmes were not classified as part of the National Measurement System.
Post Offices
I have asked the managing director of Post Office Ltd. to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Regeneration: West Midlands
In the normal course of business I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues on economic regeneration, including but not limited to Birmingham and the West Midlands. These conversations have included meetings with the Regional Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, North (Mr. Austin). The Government remain committed to economic regeneration in the West Midlands, as evidenced by the Early Advantage Fund, a new £8 million early stage venture capital fund set up in December 2009 by Advantage West Midlands which will make investments of up to £250,000 in young businesses alongside private sector investors, and the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, funding for which was agreed by Government on 29 October 2009 and contracts were signed earlier this week.
Regional European Offices
The information is as follows:
Regional European office auditor Public authority status Advantage West Midlands (AWM) West Midlands in Europe (WMiE) is managed primarily through the West Midlands Leaders Board (WMLB). Clement Keys is the appointed auditors for West Midlands Leaders Board (WMLB). WMiE is deemed a public authority for the purposes of equality, FOI and human rights provisions. East of England Development Agency (EEDA) The East of England Brussels office is managed by the East of England regional assembly (EERA). Whiting and Partners is the appointed auditor for EERA. The European office is not deemed a public authority for the purposes of equality, FOI and human rights provisions. East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) The East Midlands’ European office is managed by EMDA. EMDA as a public body is subject to equality, freedom of information and human rights provisions. EMEO is not a legal entity in its own right but as it is line-managed by EMDA it is similarly subject to those provisions. The budget for the office is managed through EMDA’s financial systems and not reported separately. The NAO audit EMDA’s accounts. London Development Agency (LDA) The Audit Commission. London’s European office is deemed a public authority for the purposes of equality, FOI and human rights provisions. North West Development Agency (NWDA) NWDA occupies one room within the North West England Brussels office. The lease is held by Wigan MBC on behalf of regional partners, including NWDA. The Brussels office is not a public authority in its own right and it is not a separate legal entity. Each occupier of the Brussels office is audited under their own separate arrangements. The budget for NWDA’s occupation is a separate cost centre within NWDA accounts, which is subject to audit by the NAO. One North East (ONE) ONE manages the European office on behalf of a regional partnership and subject to a legally binding regional partnership agreement and associated management structures. The office is audited by ONE. ONE accounts are audited by the NAO. ONE as a public body is subject to equality, freedom of information and human rights provisions. The regional European office is not a legal entity in its own right but as it is line-managed by ONE it is similarly subject to those provisions. South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA) SEEDA’s Brussels office forms part of a facility that is managed by Kent county council. The accounts are audited by the Audit Commission. The European office is not deemed a public authority for the purposes of equality, FOI and human rights provisions. South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) The accounts for the South West Brussels Office (SWUKBO) partnership are currently managed by Somerset county council. The SWUKBO Management Board endorses the accounts on a six monthly basis. The European office is not deemed a public authority for the purposes of equality, FOI and human rights provisions. The South West RDA’s contribution to SWUKBO is subject to audit by the NAO. Yorkshire Forward (YF) Yorkshire Forward’s Brussels office is not a separate legal entity. YF’s accounts include the expenditure of the Brussels office, and it is therefore audited through the NAO. Yorkshire Forward as a public body is subject to equality, freedom of information and human rights provisions. Yorkshire Forward’s Brussels office is not a legal entity in its own right but as it is line-managed by Yorkshire Forward it is similarly subject to those provisions.
The information requested is as follows.
Advantage West Midlands (AWM)
The latest accounts West Midlands in Europe are publicly available on the West Midlands in Europe website:
http://www.westmidlandsineurope.org/public_docs/WMiE_Audit_report_2008-09.pdf
East of England Development Agency (EEDA)
The East of England Development Agency does not manage the East of England European Office and therefore does not hold this information.
The East of England European Office is managed by the East of England Regional Assembly on behalf of the East of England European Partnership. This is a region-wide partnership of mainly local authorities, EEDA, and the Government Office for the East of England. All members subscribe to the running costs of the office.
East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA)
The East Midlands European Office is a partnership organisation, with 21 contributing partners, line-managed by the East Midlands Development Agency. As such it is not a legally recognised entity and does not have independent accounts. The budget for the office is managed through the EMDA financial systems and not reported separately. EMDA’s accounts are held in the Library and can be found on the EMDA website:
www.emda.org.uk/about/annualreport.asp
London Development Agency (LPA)
The LDA does not manage the London European Office and as such does not hold accounts for the office. In financial year 2008-09 the LDA contributed £50,000 to the London European Office which is part of the Greater London Authority (GLA) and represents the Mayor of London and the GLA’s functional bodies—Transport for London, the London Development Agency, the Metropolitan Police and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority—to the EU institutions.
This contribution is included within the ‘Reduce Disparities in Labour Market’ expenditure line of the segmental analysis on page 26 of the annual statement of accounts for 2008-09:
http://www.lda.gov.uk/upload/pdf/LDA_Statement_ of_Accounts_2008_2009.pdf
North West Development Agency (NWDA)
NWDA does not manage the North West England Brussels Office and as such does not hold accounts for the office. Information on NWDA’s contribution to the office is contained in NWDA’s accounts and is available online:
http://www.nwda.co.uk/media-library/publications/corporate/nwda-accounts-and-financial-st.aspx
One North East (ONE)
ONE does not hold the separate accounts for the Brussels office as the figures are incorporated into ONE’s annual accounts. Management Accounts have a completed Income and Expenditure account for 2008-09 which are available online:
http://www.onenortheast.co.uk/lib/liReport/15127/One%20North%20East%20Annual%20Report%20 and%20Accounts%202008-9%20with%20annex%2010.7.09% 20small.pdf
South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA)
SEEDA’s Brussels office forms part of a facility that is managed by Kent county council. SEEDA does not manage the Brussels office and therefore does not hold its accounts. SEEDA is one of a range of partners that contribute to the running costs of the premises. SEEDA does not show expenditure for the Brussels office separately in the annual accounts—this expenditure is included in the figure for ‘Other administrative costs’ on page 48 of the annual accounts and ‘Office and rent costs’ under note 5 on page 57.
SEEDA’s 2008-09 annual accounts can be accessed online:
http://www.seeda.co.uk/_documentbank/annualReport Accounts20082009.pdf
South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA)
The South West UK Brussels Office (SWUKBO) is a partnership organisation, with 17 contributing partners. The South West RDA does not hold the accounts for SWUKBO as Somerset county council currently manages them on behalf of the partnership.
The South West RDA’s contribution to the South West Brussels Office is funded by a project that falls under the “Vision and Leadership” accounts budget line. Programme expenditure for Vision and Leadership is published in our Annual Report and Financial Statements 2008-09, p63. This can be accessed online:
http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/resources/publications.aspx
Yorkshire Forward (YF)
This information cannot be distinguished from Yorkshire Forward’s main accounts. Yorkshire Forward’s annual accounts are available online:
http://www.yorkshire-forward.com//sites/default/files/documents/Annual%20report%202008_09.pdf
Venture Capital: Wales
[holding answer 12 March 2010]: As at 31 December 2009 four SMEs located in Wales had received investment support totalling £2.1 million as follows:
Investment Fund Year Amount invested (£) Comment Investment 1 UK High Technology Fund 2003 400,000 Investment 2 Early Growth Fund 2004-08 400,000 SME relocated to Wales post initial investment of £100,000 in 2003, follow on investments of £100,000 in 2005, 2006, 2007 Investment 3 Enterprise Capital Fund 2007 800,000 2008 300,000 Follow on investment in 2009 Investment 4 Enterprise Capital Fund 2009 200,000
Children, Schools and Families
Building Schools for the Future Programme: Buckinghamshire
The indicative funding allocation for Buckinghamshire's top priority project is set out in the following table:
School Capital value ICT Chesham Park Community College 11,716,354 1,190,450 Burnham Upper 10,601,747 1,039,650 Mandeville School (Aylesbury) 13,405,270 1,421,000 The Grange Aylesbury 16,906,257 1,899,500 Buckingham Upper School 14,738,203 1,605,150 Furze Down (SEN) (Winslow) 6,112,666 139,200 Total 73,480,497 7,294,950
The funding is indicative and has been calculated following the established Building Schools for the Future funding methodology of 50 per cent. new build, 35 per cent. major refurbishment and 15 per cent. minor refurbishment as outlined in the funding guidance available on the Partnerships for Schools website.
Specific funding per school will be approved as part of the Outline Business Case.
Funding will begin to be paid when Buckinghamshire reach financial close on these schools. Current timescales suggest that this will be 2012-13.
Children: Social Services
The Department does not collect this information.
Choice Advisers: Expenditure
Choice Advice is an independent service commissioned by local authorities to support the parents who find it hardest to engage with and navigate the admissions system to make informed decisions about which secondary schools will best meet their child's needs.
£6 million has been provided for each of the five financial years 2006-2007 to 2010-2011. This is made up of £5.6 million for local authorities directly and £400,000 for quality assurance, support and evaluation. Each local authority has been allocated £15,000 each year with an additional sum weighted on deprivation.
Departmental Advertising
The requested information is outlined in the following tables. The figures include media spend but do not include production and fees.
Table 1 contains the advertising campaigns run by the Department in 2008-09 that continued in 2009-10, along with expenditure.
Table 2 contains advertising campaigns that commenced in 2008-09, but not continued into 2009-10, and those that commenced in 2009-10, along with expenditure. Advertising spend for 2009-10 is up to and including 16 January 2010.
£ Advertising spend Campaign 2008/09 2009/10 Diplomas 2,432,819 340,483 DCSF—STEM 1,753,550 1,249,854 Frank 977,559 1,180,000 Alcohol and Young People Campaign 1,160,103 1,122,954 Teenage Pregnancy 1,527,527 468,110 DCSF—Modern Foreign Languages 1,719,247 1,079,987 Parent Know How 0 13,037 DCSF Summer Holidays Affordable Childcare 202,543 229,490 DCSF Diploma Employer Engagement 602,300 3,413 Total 10,375,648 5,687,328
£ Advertising spend Campaign 2008/09 2009/10 DCSF—Guardian Education Advertorial 11,040 — DCSF—Early Years Foundation 23,542 — 14-19 Reform Campaign 941,597 — Diplomas March Campaign 1,885,861 — ParentLine March Campaign 41,535 — Who Do We Think We Are 2,433 — National Year of Reading 259,682 — 14-19 Reform Campaign — 8,766 DCSF—Contact Points Advertorials — 35,175 Help Give Them a Voice—Social Work Recruitment — 636,541 Diplomas TV 2009/10 — 1,326,126 Surestart — 1,275,740 Total 3,165,690 3,282,348
Departmental Buildings
Spend by the Department since its inception date of 28 June 2007 is shown in the table.
Expenditure on refurbishments was higher during 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10, owing to an estate rationalisation programme which included the refurbishment of Sanctuary Buildings. The cost of the work was paid for in just over one year by the savings from vacating Caxton House, which has saved about £13 million per annum in running costs.
Total spend by DCSF on office refurbishments (£) 2007/08 6,827,036 2008/09 4,099,898 2009/10 3,585,353
Departmental Disabled Staff
Data from the last Annual Civil Service Employment Service undertaken in March 2009 shows that 8 per cent. of DCSF staff have declared themselves as having a disability.
Information on the average salaries of disabled and part time staff is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Information on pay in respect of part time staff in the DCSF and pay in respect of disabled staff in the civil service as a whole is available from Civil Service Statistics tables at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/Civil-service-tables-2009-final.xls
Departmental Energy
The Department will take part in the Earth Hour event on the 27 of March by ensuring essential lighting only is operating in our buildings. We will also be publicising this event on our intranet to give our staff an opportunity to take part as individuals.
Departmental ICT
No records can be found of any information technology projects initiated by the Department that were cancelled prior to completion for the period 1 April 2009 to 9 March 2010.
Departmental Legal Costs
The Department was established in June 2007 and there have been no cases concerning employee remuneration. We do not have access to records for employees who have moved to other Government Departments as part of the Machinery of Government changes.
Departmental Location
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was formed in June 2007. The Department is not located in Essex and therefore there have been no relocations.
Departmental Lost Property
The following table gives a breakdown of reported lost or stolen property from the Department of Children, Schools and Families in the last 12 month period April 2009 to March 2010.
(a) Lost (b) Stolen Total Total estimated cost of replacement (£) Laptops — 4 5 3,824.00 Blackberry 9 8 16 944.00 PDAs (not replaced) 1 — 1 0.00 Memory stick 2 — 2 294.00 Staff passes 95 17 112 579.04 Total 16 11 27 5,641.00
Departmental Manpower
There are currently 31 individuals in the Department that have been declared surplus from their previous post; seven of these have been without a permanent post for more than six months.
All of our surplus staff are actively engaged in delivering a range of departmental projects or business priorities, while seeking a new permanent post with the help of our Brokerage Service. These individuals are known as 'Priority Movers' and receive tailored support to find suitable permanent posts either in the Department or elsewhere (including other Government Departments). The average time that individuals spend as a Priority Mover is two months. None of our Priority Movers have left the Department through compulsory redundancy.
Information on Priority Mover numbers and salary costs for the past five years is either not available or is disproportionate cost.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
The special advisers' support office consists of 1.5 full-time equivalent staff, as follows:
0.5 Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
0.5 Executive Officer (EO)
0.5 Executive Assistant (EA).
Departmental Plants
Spend by the Department for Children, Schools and Families on pot plants in the last two financial years and the current financial year to date is shown in the table. The Department does not have any agencies.
Expenditure on pot plants was higher during these financial years due to a refurbishment programme at Sanctuary Buildings.
£ 2007-08 42,820.00 2008-09 32,965.00 2009-10 5,845.00
Departmental Travel
The following table details the amount spent by the Department for Children, Schools and Families on international travel for the last two financial years for which figures are currently available. The amount expended for each year includes the cost of overseas rail, air, car and other travel in addition to the cost of overnight accommodation and travel allowances paid to individual members of staff.
£ 2007-08 (April 2007 to March 2008) 169,771 2008-09 (April 2008 to March 2009) 192,016 Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest £.
Figures for 2009-10 will not be available until the end of the current financial year.
Free School Meals
The information requested is shown in the table.
2008 2009 Number on roll2 Number of pupils known to be eligible for free meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free meals Number on roll2 Number of pupils known to be eligible for free meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free meals Maintained primary schools3 4,090,400 638,310 15.6 4,077,350 653,600 16.0 of which: Denominational primary schools3 1,201,600 136,220 11.3 1,201,590 142,260 11.8 LA maintained secondary schools3, 4, 5 3,214,030 410,810 12.8 3,152,800 406,450 12.9 of which: Denominational secondary schools3, 4, 5 523,3705 7,420 11.0 522,910 58,220 11.1 Grammar schools 157,450 3,030 1.9 158,650 3,210 2.0 All academies 74,530 21,630 29.0 121,950 32,110 26.3 Academies open in both 2008 and 2009 74,530 21,630 29.0 79,220 23,220 29.3 1 Those eligible may choose not to take up their offer of a free school meal for various reasons e.g. through preference or through non-attendance on the day. Pupils are counted as eligible only if they meet the eligibility criteria and make a claim. 2 Includes all full-time and part-time pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. Includes boarders. 3 Includes middle schools as deemed. 4 Excludes academies. 5 Includes grammar schools. Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: School Census.
The information requested can be found in tables 11a, 11b and 11c in the ‘Schools, Pupils and Their Characteristics: January 2009’, Statistical First Release at:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000843/index.shtml
GCSE
Of the pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 in comprehensive1 schools that achieved seven or more GCSEs at grade A*-G or the equivalent:
470,044 achieved English GCSE;
390,621 achieved English literature GCSE;
469,500 achieved mathematics GCSE;
151,155 achieved history GCSE;
53,353 achieved physics GCSE;
55,035 achieved biology GCSE;
53,501 achieved chemistry GCSE.
1 Including academies and city technology colleges.
[holding answer 13 January 2010]: The answer to this question can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The information requested for pupils attending maintained schools (including city technology colleges and academies) has been placed in the House Libraries.
GCSE: Leeds
The requested information is provided in the following table for the 2003/04 and the 2008/09 academic years. Information about whether a pupil achieved five or more GCSEs or equivalent including English and maths GCSEs has only been available on the Department’s National Pupil Database since the 2003/04 academic year.
2003/04 2008/09 Percentage of pupils in Leeds, North-West constituency achieving five or more GCSEs or equivalent including English and mathematics GCSEs 89.7 91.3 1 All maintained schools (including city technology colleges and academies). 2 Parliamentary constituency figures do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas. 3 Figures for 2003/04 include GNVQ equivalences and in 2008/09 other equivalences approved for use pre-16. 4 Figures for 2003/04 are based on pupils aged 15 years old at the start of the academic year. Figures for 2008/09 are based on pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. Source: National Pupil Database and Achievement and Attainment Tables (2003/04 final data, 2008/09 amended data)
Grammar Schools: Free School Meals
The information requested has been placed in the House Libraries.
Greater Manchester
Since 1997 the Government have transformed education and child care with improved outcomes for children and young people. Figures showing the performance at key stage 2 and at GCSE and equivalents in Manchester, Gorton are given in the following tables:
Percentage of pupils gaining level 4 and above 1997 20092 Percentage point improvement 1997 to 2009 Manchester, Gorton English 53 74 21 Maths 49 79 30 Science 54 86 32 England English 63 80 17 Maths 62 79 17 Science 68 88 20 1 Includes pupils attending all maintained schools (including Academies and City Technology Colleges). 2 Revised data. Source: School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables
Percentage of pupils gaining 1997 20095 Percentage point improvement 1997 to 2009 Manchester Gorton 5+ A*-C 19.4 63:7 44.3 5+ A*-G 73.7 84.3 10.6 England 5+ A*-C4 45.1 70.0 24.9 5+ A*-G4 86.4 92.3 5.9 1 From 2004 results incorporate GCSEs, GNVQs and a range of other qualifications approved pre-16. Prior to 2004 results are based on GCSEs and GNVQs only. 2 From 2006 figures are for pupils at the end of key stage 4. Prior to 2006 results are based on pupils aged 15. 3 Includes pupils attending all maintained schools (including academies and city technology colleges) and from 2000 does not include pupils recently arrived from overseas. 4 England figures also include independent schools as well as hospital schools and PRUs. 5 Revised data. Source: School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables
Further information by constituency is provided within the Department's ‘In Your Area’ website available at:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea
Information available at constituency level includes the number of specialist schools, number of operational academies, number of teaching assistants and other support staff, number of teachers and pupil:teacher ratios. Where information is not available at constituency level it has been provided at local authority level.
Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Home Education: Inspections
[holding answer 16 March 2010]: The Children, Schools and Families Bill places local authorities under a duty to make arrangements to hold at least one meeting with the child and the parents in the registration period. We envisage that regulations and guidance supporting monitoring will be in place by April 2011, which will enable monitoring to start. We have not consulted on the arrangements for rolling out the new provisions but we envisage that all home educated children known to the local authority will have had a visit arranged by April 2012 if they were on the register in April 2011.
Languages: Education
Je Suis Un Rock Star was developed in partnership with Channel 4 as part of the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) campaign. Its aim was to address the social and cultural barriers which prevent young people learning languages and focus on raising the value of languages. The message of Je Suis Un Rock Star to young people was "if you learn a language it will open up experiences and opportunities which you might otherwise be denied".
Literacy: Primary Education
We do not collect information on "Letters and Sounds". Schools are free to choose whichever phonics product best suits their needs. We do not ask schools to supply us with information on the products they use.
[holding answer 24 February 2010]: 'Letters and Sounds' is the Primary National Strategy's phonics teaching programme. It is owned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Primary Education: Drama
Drama forms a major part of both the Understanding the Arts and Understanding English, communication and languages areas of learning within the new primary curriculum. In both areas children should experience working with artists and performing to others. In addition, in both the Children's Plan and the Pupil Guarantee we have made clear our aspiration that all children and young people should experience five hours of quality cultural activity in and out of school each week. This includes both taking part in, and being part of the audience for, drama.
Public Holidays
The Department does not anticipate any additional salary costs resulting from the extra public holiday in 2012.
Schools
The information requested is not available. The pupil level data required to carry out such analysis have only been collected since 2005/06 for secondary schools and since 2006/07 for primary and special schools.
Schools: Fires
(2) how many fires in schools have been classed as arson in each year since 2005;
(3) how many fatalities and injuries have there been in fires in schools in each year since 2005;
(4) what estimate his Department has made of the average cost to the public purse of a school fire in the latest period for which figures are available.
[holding answer 17 March 2010]: The latest confirmed figures we have from the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) for England and Wales cover the period 2005-07, and are shown in the following tables.
Number of fires (%) arson Number 2005 1,102 44 485 2006 1,075 41 441 2007 825 42 347
Total Accidental Deliberate 2005 1,102 615 487 2006 1,075 639 436 2007 825 480 345
All fatalities Injuries aged 18 yrs or over Injuries aged 0-17 years Unspecified 2005 0 33 12 1 2006 0 19 7 — 2007 0 26 6 —
The last year for which CLG has cost figures is 2004, when 1,229 fires were estimated to cost around £52 million1, an average of £42,311.
1 The costs are rounded to the nearest £1 million and are derived from the CLG's cost of Fire Estimates. They cover property damage and the costs of the fire and rescue services attending the fires. They do not include costs of any fires not attended by the Fire and Rescue Services.
See also:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/researchand statistics/statistics/
(2) how many schools in Coventry are fitted with fire sprinklers.
On 1 March 2007 my right hon. Friend the Member for South Dorset (Jim Knight), the then Minister of State for Schools launched the policy to install fire sprinkler systems to protect the fabric of new schools. This was included in Building Bulletin 100 later that year. It is best practice to provide sprinkler systems in new school buildings and major refurbishments and DCSF encourages and expects client bodies to install them. Only those buildings which are unsuitable or of very low risk should not now include sprinklers.
Partnerships for Schools monitors which schools in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme include sprinkler systems and encourages local authorities and other client bodies to include sprinklers in all new schools through BSF procurement documents. This approach has resulted in over 70 per cent. of current new secondary schools in BSF including sprinkler systems. Before the introduction of the policy less than 10 per cent. of new schools had sprinkler systems fitted.
We do not have figures for how many schools procured outside the Building Schools for the Future Secondary School programme include sprinkler systems.
The legal requirements for fire safety measures in schools are set by Building Regulations, which prioritise the life safety of pupils, teachers and other users—not the protection of property. Sprinklers are not required for life safety as they are primarily a property protection measure. Therefore a school building designed to the Building Regulations should be safe whether or not it includes sprinklers.
Information is not collected centrally about which schools in Coventry have sprinklers fitted. However, Coventry city council has a policy to fit fire sprinkler systems in all its new and refurbished schools.
This information is not collected centrally.
Schools: Libraries
The provision of a school library is not a statutory requirement. It is for schools themselves to determine the nature and extent of their school library provision. It is also for schools themselves to determine which books they stock in their libraries, while ensuring they are in line with their particular ethos and comply with their legal and regulatory obligations.
The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council published in February 2009 guidance on the management of controversial material in public libraries, which schools can use to help them.
It is a criminal offence under section 19 of the Public Order Act 1986 to publish or distribute written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting and is likely to stir up racial hatred. It is an offence under section 23 of that Act to possess such material. Therefore a school library containing such material may be committing a criminal offence, and could be subject to prosecution.
Also, schools have a duty under section 71 of the Race Relations Act 1976 to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups. Holding books which breach laws against incitement could lead to intervention by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Finally, schools are under a duty to promote community cohesion, which is also inspected by Ofsted to ensure compliance. Any controversial books or material in schools which could lead to incitement could be a breach of this duty.
Schools: Special Educational Needs
[holding answer 10 March 2010]: We have data on the overall number of maintained special schools. In 1997, there were 1,171 maintained special schools. By 2009, there were 985 such schools—a net reduction of 186. The rate of reduction of maintained special schools has slowed down; between the years 1986 and 1997 there was a reduction of 234.
Since 1997-98, local authorities have:
built or rebuilt more than 100 new special schools;
significantly refurbished by more than 50 per cent. of the total floor space of a further 125 special schools;
delivered more than 430 new SEN units at mainstream schools;
funded SEN improvements at more than 500 mainstream schools.
Specialised Diplomas: Finance
Estimated forecast expenditure on diplomas for 2010-11 is £198.3 million. Diploma spending plans beyond the 2010-11 financial year will be considered as part of the next spending review and funding levels will be determined at that stage.
Teachers: Pay
The information requested is not available for Leeds North West constituency because it is not possible to verify the reliability of the data source at the constituency level.
The average salary of a teacher in service in local authority maintained schools in Leeds local authority is £34,900 and £35,900 in England, in March 2008, the latest information available.
Teachers: Wolverhampton
The information requested is published in table 19 of the Statistical First Release (SFR) 'School Workforce In England (including local authority level figures) January 2009 (Revised)' published on 29 September 2009. The SFR is available at the following web link:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000874/Tables19to27v2.xls
Teaching Methods
The Government have committed to the national roll-out of the Every Child a Reader and Every Child Counts programmes, which provide one-to-one interventions for the lowest attaining children. We also expect schools to provide personalised learning for all their pupils including high attaining gifted and talented pupils. The Pupil and Parent Guarantees, which will come into force in September 2010, will entitle pupils not making good progress in mathematics or English at Key Stage 1 to catch-up support. They will also ensure that parents or carers are informed when their child is identified as gifted and talented and of the support and challenge the school will provide.
Trade Unions
At the end of the last calendar year, there were four full-time members of staff engaged in national full-time trade union activity and their annual wage bill is £118,000. Other staff in the Department are occasionally engaged in trade union-related work but the information is held locally, not centrally, and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The Department is moving to three full-time posts in the coming year at an estimated cost of £85,000.