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10 Dec 2007 : Column 206W—continued
Departmental Labour Turnover
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the percentage turnover of staff was in (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s agencies in (i) the last 12-month period and (ii) the last 24-month period for which figures are available. [169029]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 27 November 2007]: The annual turnover rate for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory (BERR) from August 2007 to September 2007 was 18 per cent. The annual turnover rate for the same period for BERR plus UK Trade and Investment and the Office of Manpower Economics was 19 per cent.
The annual turnover rate for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) from August 2005 to September 2006 was 19 per cent. The annual turnover rate for the same period for the DTI plus UKTI and The Office of Manpower Economics was 18 per cent.
The turnover rate for the Department’s agencies is not held centrally. Therefore the cost of preparing an answer for the agencies would be disproportionate to the benefit to be derived.
Departmental Publicity
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department, its predecessors and its agencies spent on managing their corporate identities in the last 12 month period for which figures are available. [167355]
Mr. Thomas: In the last full financial year (2006 to 2007), the former Department of Trade and Industry spent £7,910 on a revision of its brand guidelines through its central marketing team.
Identification of other spending on the management of its identity (i.e. through staff time) could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Costs for the former DTI’s agencies for this period are not held centrally.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much has been spent by his Department and its predecessor on advertising in the last 12 months. [167965]
Mr. Thomas: In the last full financial year (2006-07) the then DTI and its agencies spent £821,830 on advertising via the Central Office of Information.
| Activity in 2006-07 | Amount (£) |
Departmental Sick Leave
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff in his Department have (a) been disciplined and (b) had their employment terminated as a result of a poor sickness record in each of the last five years. [163678]
Mr. Thomas: The Department's Human Resources Directorate holds central data for only 2006 and 2007 on staff who were formally warned (disciplined) as a result of a poor sick record:
2007: Eight (includes six who returned to effective working; two who were dismissed)
2006: 19 (includes 13 who returned to effective working; two who were successful in their applications for medical retirement; and four who were dismissed).
Departmental Visits Abroad
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department spent on overnight accommodation for Ministers overseas in the last year. [171342]
Mr. Thomas: Details of the cost of overseas travel, including the cost of travel and accommodation, are contained in the Overseas Travel by Cabinet Ministers list. The latest list for the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 was published on 25 July 2007. Details for the 2007-08 financial year will be published as soon as possible after the end of the financial year. All travel is made in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
Energy: EU Action
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effect on UK energy policy of the European Commission Communication on a European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), COM (2007) 723, of 22 November. [171863]
Malcolm Wicks: The European Strategic Energy Technology Plan discusses the technology development needed to meet the EU's 2020 targets and 2050 vision, and proposes a number of actions to increase international collaboration and guide the EU's energy technology work going forward. These include:
The establishment of a Steering Group for Energy Research and Innovation, composed of representatives of member states, and designed to foster increased coordination of technology policies and programmes in member states.
A European energy technology summit, to bring together stakeholders in the entire innovation system, from industry to customers, as well as representatives of European institutions, the financial community and international partners.
The launching of European Industrial Initiatives in several energy technology areas. The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Technology Initiative is an example of a new form of collaboration, with Community Research Framework Programme funding being used to co-finance a programme of research and demonstration with industry in a European public-private partnership.
Creating a virtual European Energy Research Alliance, whereby the European Commission intends to begin dialogue with heads of research institutes and higher education establishments with significant programmes, aiming to encourage enhanced collaboration in delivering coordinated research programmes.
The UK believes that collaboration in developing energy technology is an important part of the development of new energy technologies, and UK Government and industry currently engage with a wide range of EU programmes, including the Framework
Programme for Research and Technological Development, which provides funding for collaborative research. We are also closely involved in developing the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Technology Initiative.
A number of new initiatives may emerge from the ongoing development of the SET-plan, in particular with regard to the proposed European industrial Initiatives, and we intend to engage closely with the EU in developing these initiatives.
Energy: Meters
Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer of 17 October 2007, Official Report, column 1150W, on energy: meters, when he intends to bring forward the necessary statutory instrument to enable consumers of energy to request real-time consumption display devices from their suppliers. [170563]
Malcolm Wicks: In August 2007, the Government consulted on a range of matters in respect of gas and electricity metering and billing. That consultation ended on 31 October, and the Government are considering responses, including those on the provision of display devices by electricity suppliers. The Government expect to respond to the consultation early in 2008.
Engineering: Manpower
Mr. Olner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the age profile of the UK engineering work force. [166295]
Mr. Timms: My Department has made no such assessment. Official statistics for the age profile of the manufacturing work force are as follows:
| Age | Percentage |
| Source: ONS Annual Population Survey workplace analysis (Nomis 2007) | |
Engineering: Young People
Mr. Olner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department is taking to encourage young people to undertake engineering courses. [166296]
Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
The Government are committed to increasing the number of young people studying science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) as set out in the Science and Innovation Investment Framework and 2006 Next Steps. These commitments are focused on encouraging young people to study STEM subjects throughout the education system from the early stages and beyond. The Government are providing support for activities that help enthuse young people about engineering and science. For example, the Department for Children, Schools and
Families sponsors the science and engineering after- school clubs run by STEMNET and the engineering education scheme which engages engineering companies with schools.
The DCSF is also in the process of commissioning a programme of careers support and guidance and a communications campaign, both with the aim of informing young people more about the varied and exciting opportunities that exist in STEM in pre and post-16 education and beyond.
From September 2008 young people will have the option of taking the Diploma in Engineering which will be available at all three levels 1, 2 and 3. The nature of the 14-19 Diploma programme means that young people acquire the education they need to progress to further learning and employment within the sectors that relate to their diploma of choice, and outside too.
The Department for Innovation, Universites and Skills funds the Science and Engineering Ambassadors scheme, run by STEMNET, for scientists and engineers to act as role models for schoolchildren. The DIUS also sponsors the Royal Academy of Engineering. One element of their work includes developing programmes to enthuse and engage young people in engineering subjects, for example, the Technology and Engineering in Schools Strategy (TESS), through which the professional community of engineering institutions and other stakeholders are taking a co-ordinated approach to work within schools to promote engineering and technology.
At HE level the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is funding the National Engineering Programme (NEP), of which the London Engineering project is the first part to get off the ground. After creating a successful working model with the London pilot project, the programme will extend to six other cities in England. Managed by the Royal Academy of Engineering, aims the programme to change the face of UK higher education in engineering, widening participation and strengthening engineering as a strategic subject.
Fuel Poverty
Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many households in (a) the Uxbridge constituency, (b) each London borough and (c) England (i) are classified as living in fuel poverty and (ii) were classified as living in fuel poverty in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [171485]
Malcolm Wicks: Regional estimates of fuel poverty are available only for 2003 and are taken from the Fuel Poverty Indicator dataset—available online at
For Uxbridge constituency the dataset shows that there were an estimated 2,300 fuel poor households.
The following table shows fuel poverty levels for all the London boroughs.
| London borough | Estimate of number of fuel poor households |
An estimate of the number of households in fuel poverty in England can be found in Chapter 2 of the “The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy; Fourth Annual Progress Report 2006”, available online at
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