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5 Feb 2008 : Column 961W—continued
Vocational Training
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what percentage of people who have started training under Train to Gain successfully completed a course in the last period for which figures are available. [184036]
Mr. Lammy: Train to Gain is a service specifically designed to give employers access to the advice and support they need to help them identify and then meet the skills their businesses need to succeed. It was launched in April 2006. Up until November 2007, the latest period for which figures are available, the Train to Gain service reports that 317,010 people have started a programme of learning and 153,300 have thus far successfully completed their learning activity, including over 131,00 full level 2s. However it would be misleading to simply use these output measures to calculate a percentage or success rate because many learners are still working to complete their course and new people are starting learning programmes through Train to Gain every day. DIUS and LSC officials are working to establish a sound methodology to enable a true success rate to be derived once sufficient data have been collected. This will be published as soon as it becomes available.
Vocational Training: Private Sector
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will take steps to ensure skills accreditation gained from training programmes run by private sector businesses in England are recognised in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales. [184495]
Mr. Lammy: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is currently piloting approaches to accrediting the training of employers in England. QCA will advise Ministers of the best way forward in spring 2008 and this will inform discussion with Ministers of the Devolved Administrations on implementing the proposals more widely.
House of Commons Commission
Building Contracts
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how the Commission defines building projects which are (a) small works, (b) minor works, (c) standard contracts and (d) other categories. [183941]
Nick Harvey:
Building projects are defined as follows: less than £25,000—small works; £25,000 to £250,000—minor projects; greater than £250,000—major projects. All work is carried out under contracts. These are grouped as: lump sum contracts; consultants' commission contracts; term contracts; and jobbing contracts. Lump sum contracts are let with the main contractor for a specific project. Consultants' commissions may be let for a specific project, though it
is more likely that a consultant from a framework agreement would be used. Framework agreements can be let for any of the types of contract mentioned and have been let so far mainly for consultancies such as project management, architecture, engineering and quantity surveying. Special term contracts are let for planned maintenance such as lifts or grounds maintenance. Measured term contracts are let for carrying out small electrical, mechanical or building works. Jobbing contracts are used for one-off small works.
Visitor Reception Building
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Southend West (Mr. Amess) of 18 December 2007, Official Report, column 1246W on the Parliament Visitors' Centre, how much of the additional cost is due to (a) variations to the brief and (b) contractors' additional preliminaries; when the contract was finally handed over to the House; and how many of the additional weeks required have been due to (i) contractors' delays, (ii) exceptional inclement weather and (iii) client requirements or delays. [183940]
Nick Harvey: The building was handed over to both Houses on 20 December 2007. A review is being undertaken on behalf of the House of Commons Commission on the management of the project. The review will include the issues raised by the hon. Member. Once the review has been considered by the Commission I will be able to comment further.
Defence
Armed Forces: Family Support
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support the Government provide for families of service personnel who are on operational duty. [180996]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 4 February 2008]: The single services each maintain extensive welfare support networks for families which include welfare staff at unit level, service welfare agencies and specialist support organisations such as Families Federations. There are also online information portals, discussion forums and HIVE information centres. These are available at all times but retain a strong focus on providing support when the service person is deployed.
The communication element of the Deployment Welfare Package and various allowances paid to deployed personnel also benefit families and allow them to keep in regular touch with the deployed family members. In addition, the immediate family of accompanied regular service personnel deployed on operations receive assisted travel to benefit from the support of other family members. The services publish handbooks, such as the army “Guide for Families of Regular Personnel Deployed on Operations”, and make welfare funds available for commanders to
deliver local solutions over and above what is routinely available. These include internet access, briefings and hardship grants.
Armed Forces: Pay
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel received specialist pay for (a) flying, (b) diving, (c) submarine, (d) nuclear propulsion, (e) submarine escape tank training, (f) hydrographics, (g) mountain leadership, (h) parachutes and (i) high altitude parachutes in each year since 1997. [181206]
Derek Twigg: The information required from 1997 to 2000 is not held centrally and the detailed breakdown requested for 2001 to 2007 can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the following table shows the total number of personnel in each service in receipt of specialist pay since 2001.
| Army | Navy | RAF | Total | |
Armed Forces: Schools
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government take to ensure the education of army personnel's children is taken into account when deciding to move personnel (a) within the UK and (b) overseas. [180995]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 4 February 2008]: The MOD offers a number of ways to help parents ensure that their children's education does not suffer as a result of family moves. Although operational requirements come first, the Service Assigning Authorities make every effort to take into account individual preferences for location and timing, especially in relation to the school calendar. Where assignments fall during a key educational stage, service personnel may retain family accommodation at the current location in order to provide continuity of schooling.
Our well regarded Children's Education Advisory Service offers advice on all educational matters and direct assistance on admissions appeals and special educational needs matters. For families moving to or within England, the schools Admissions Code makes consideration of the needs of service children a statutory requirement. For those moving overseas, educational arrangements are made through the Service Children's Education (SCE) Agency.
Continuity of education allowance is available to Service families that decide that the continuity offered by boarding schools is the best option for their children.
Army: Recruitment
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the target is for recruitment of infantry soldiers over the next 12 months. [183134]
Derek Twigg: The target for the recruitment of infantry soldiers for the financial year 2008-09 is 5,336.
Baha Mousa
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 6 December 2007, Official Report, column 1403W, on Baha Mousa, if he will now (a) make a public apology for the death of Baha Mousa in British custody and (b) make a statement about the circumstances of Baha Mousa’s death. [184550]
Des Browne: In my answer of 6 December 2007, Official Report, column 1403W, I said that the death of Mr. Mousa was a matter of deep regret to the Ministry of Defence. As I explained in my written ministerial statement of 25 January 2008, Official Report, column 66WS, the next step is to consider what form any future inquiry should take. I have agreed to receive representations from the legal representatives of Mr. Mousa’s family and I will make a further statement when a decision has been made.
Berlin Airlift
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. [184299]
Derek Twigg: We are in contact with the Berlin Airlift Association and are beginning discussions with them on how we can contribute to events to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Berlin Airlift in 2009. I expect to be able to provide further details to the House towards the end of this year.
Departmental Advertising
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of his Department's expenditure was on advertising in each of the last 10 years. [182993]
Derek Twigg: Details of all departmental expenditure on advertising cannot be provided for all the years sought or in the format requested because the information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The combined departmental costs on armed forces recruitment advertising and veterans awareness advertising since financial year 2003-04 were as follows:
| Financial year | £ million | Percentage of defence expenditure |
Civilian staff are recruited locally; the information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
It should be noted that the above figures take no account of departmental marketing costs.
Departmental Freedom of Information
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of freedom of information requests received by his Department since the entry into force of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 originated from (a) parliamentarians, (b) businesses, (c) academies and (d) media sources. [180192]
Derek Twigg: The total number of freedom of information requests received by the Department since the Act came into force in 2005, until the end of September 2007, is 10,104. Of these requests, and where the occupation of the applicant was stated:
1.6 per cent. were received from parliamentarians;
9 per cent. from business;
4.4 per cent. from academics and
17.8 per cent. from media sources.
Nurseries
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many crèches there were on Ministry of Defence estates (a) in the UK and (b) overseas at the most recent date for which figures are available. [182322]
Derek Twigg: Although the exact information requested is not held centrally and it would incur disproportionate cost to collate, there are at least 60 crèches in the UK, and more than 50 overseas.
Some of these are financed by the Department, while privately financed facilities exist elsewhere.
Olympic Games 2012: Aldershot
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the rescheduling of work at Aldershot military barracks for the British Olympic shooting team will affect the timescale for work to be carried out on other units and barracks. [183161]
Derek Twigg: The capital works being undertaken at Aldershot Garrison are not for the benefit of the British Olympic Association but for service personnel. The rescheduling of the programme for new single living accommodation means that the new accommodation will be available for use by soldiers some three months early. This work is already planned to be completed by 2012 and advancing it slightly will have no adverse effect on works at Aldershot, or elsewhere.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
1 Carlton Gardens
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date the official ministerial residence of 1 Carlton Gardens became unoccupied following the departure from it of the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett). [178888]
Meg Munn: 1 Carlton Gardens became unoccupied on 16 October 2007.
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