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17 Nov 2008 : Column 234W—continued
Innovation, Universities and Skills
Electricity: Research
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what research the Government are sponsoring into static inverters for the conversion of (a) alternating to direct current and (b) direct to alternating current. [236063]
Mr. Simon:
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Technology Strategy Board, funded through the Science and Research, and
Innovation Budgets respectively, support a portfolio of research grants focused on low carbon energy technologies.
EPSRC has not identified any projects that it funds which contain the words 'static inverter' in the title or abstract, but within the broad area of 'Power Electronics' and 'Electrical Motor and Drive Systems' it has a current research portfolio of £13.5 million.
The Technology Strategy Board has not funded any research projects focused solely on static inverters. However, static inverters are a part of the systems issues considered in funded projects relevant to, for example, the storage and integration of wind energy.
Higher Education Funding Council for England: North West
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment has been made by his Department of the effectiveness of the Higher Education Funding Council for England's work with (a) regional higher education associations in the North West and (b) the North West Universities Association. [235917]
Mr. Lammy: We welcome the close and effective collaboration between the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the regional higher education associations in the North West and the North West Universities Association. We are confident that they will continue to succeed in their efforts to increase and widen participation in higher education and to equip learners with the skills that will enable them to flourish during new economic circumstances.
Higher Education: Admissions
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much the Higher Education Funding Council for England spent (a) in England and (b) in the North West in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08 on initiatives to widen participation in higher education. [235916]
Mr. Lammy: The Higher Education Funding Council for England spent the following on widening participation activities:
| £ | ||
| England | North West | |
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent representations he has received on the financial accessibility of universities; what response he has made in each case; and if he will make a statement. [236468]
Mr. Lammy: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has not received any recent representations on this issue.
This Government are firmly committed to widening participation in higher education (HE) for those from poorer and other under-represented backgrounds. The availability of finance should not present a barrier to
students who have the ability and wish to study in higher education, as there is a generous package of support available in the form of grants and loans. For full-time students, the package includes a means-tested grant and loan for living costs plus a non means-tested fee loan. In addition, targeted financial support is provided for particular groups, for example, the disabled and students with childcare responsibilities.
Vocational Education: North West
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with educational institutions in the north west on improving opportunities for vocational learners to enter higher education institutions. [235919]
Mr. Lammy: Ministers and officials speak to many institutions and organisations about issues that affect individuals' progression to higher education. Progression to higher education for vocational learners is an important element in our drive to capture, enrich and exploit the talents and potential of all learners; and the Lifelong Learning Network programme has been established precisely to focus on progression and widening opportunity for vocational learners, putting them on the same footing as those following more traditional academic pathways.
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has invested over £100 million across 2005-11 in 30 Lifelong Learning Networks (LLNs). These networks make an important contribution to a number of the Government's strategic objectives including lifelong learning, credit transfer, articulation arrangements between higher education programmes and the Qualifications and Credit Framework, employer engagement and workplace learning, and progression from the 14-19 diplomas. HEFCE officers, including those from widening participation teams, meet with senior staff from institutions in the north west in the normal course of HEFCE business and progression for vocational learners and widening participation forms part of that dialogue. HEFCE officers were involved in discussions with the Greater Merseyside and West Lancashire LLNs about additional student numbers for 2009-10 and how they should be distributed and targeted in priority areas.
Since Blackpool college's proposal to develop a Higher Education Centre, HEFCE have maintained close strategic engagement with the college, undertaking regular visits and meetings with the senior management team. That activity is also ongoing with the Blackburn and Burnley Higher Education Centre developments.
Duchy of Lancaster
Census
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what assessment has been made of the accuracy of the last national census; [234991]
(2) what questions will be included in the next census which were not in the last census; [234992]
(3) what the estimated cost of production of a single national address register for use in the 2011 census will be; what sources will be used to compile the register; and whether the register will be single-use. [235103]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking (a) what assessment has been made of the accuracy of the last national census, (b) what questions will be included in the next census which were not in the last census, and (c) what the estimated cost of production of a single national address register for use in the 2011 Census will be; what sources will be used to compile the register; and whether the register will be single-use. (234991, 234992, 235103)
ONS has reported fully on the accuracy and quality of the 2001 Census in the 2001 Census Quality Report, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons library and on the National Statistics website at:
In conjunction with the 2001 Census General Report it provides a comprehensive evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the Census operation. The General Report is also available in the House of Commons library and on the website at:
In addition, further information about local and national response rates is available on the website at:
Separate reviews of the accuracy of the 2001 Census were conducted by the Treasury Select Committee, the Local Government Association and the Statistics Commission.
(b) It will not be possible to confirm what questions and response categories are to be included in the 2011 Census until formal approval is given by Parliament in 2010. Current proposals for questions will be published in a White Paper shortly. The proposals include a number of new questions and these are:
civil partnership status
citizenship (passports held)
month and year of entry into UK
intended length of stay for migrants who have arrived in the last 12 months
national identity
language
second residence
a number of bedrooms
a type of central heating.
In addition we are planning to ask basic demographic questions from visitors in households on census night.
(c) The cost of developing an Address Register for the 2011 Census is estimated to be about £10 million over the years 2008-11. The primary sources of address lists, namely the Royal Mail Postcode Address File (PAF), the Ordnance Survey MasterMap Address Layer 2 (AL2), and the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG), which is administered by the local authority community through the Local Government Information House (LGIH), will be matched to find the common elements and to identify differences for more research and verification. Although the Address Register strategy takes account of other national addressing initiatives it is only being developed for the 2011 Census. Subject to having appropriate data sharing agreements in place, it should provide a one-off quality improvement to each of the main address sources. It is also hoped that the development of processes and delivery partnership models could be used to support the wider agenda for a single National Address Register in the future.
Charities
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many registered charities there were in each of the last five years; [236362]
(2) what the gross income was of registered charities in each of the last five years. [236363]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission to reply.
Letter from Rosie Chapman, dated 14 November 2008:
Parliamentary Questions 236362 and 236363 (numbers of registered charities)
As Executive Director of Policy and Effectiveness at the Charity Commission I have been asked to respond to your written Parliamentary Questions, both tabled for answer on 17 November.
Below is a table which details the number of charities registered with the Charity Commission, and their gross income, for each of the last five years. Please be aware that the Charity Commission only registers charities based in England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulators. In addition, as of April 2007, only charities with an income of £5,000 a year or more have been required to register with us.
| Number of registered charities | Gross income (£s billion) | |
I hope this is helpful. If you have any further questions then please do contact me directly.
Children
Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many children there are in each age group, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) constituency. [234689]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question about how many children there are in each age group, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) constituency. (234689)
Table 1 shows the estimated resident population for the United Kingdom by local authority for children aged 0-15 by single year of age.
Table 2 shows the estimated resident population for the United Kingdom by parliamentary constituency for children aged 0-15 by single year of age (total numbers only for Scottish parliamentary constituencies).
Copies of the tables have been placed in the Library of the House.
Death: Weather
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many excess winter deaths of people with (a) terminal illnesses and (b) disabilities there were in each of the last five years. [235926]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated November 2008:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many excess winter deaths of people
with (a) terminal illnesses and (b) disabilities there were in each of the last five years. I am replying in her absence. (235926)
The information requested is not available. The particulars recorded at death registration include the underlying cause of death and any contributory causes, but not whether the deceased had (a) a terminal illness or (b) a disability at the time of death. Whether an illness is considered terminal is a matter of clinical judgement in each individual case, and cannot be inferred from the mention of a condition at death registration alone.
Departmental Buildings
Robert Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 7 October 2008, Official Report, column 557W, on departmental buildings, which contractors provided goods and services for the expenditure on (a) 10-12 Downing Street, (b) 70 Whitehall, (c) Admiralty Arch and (d) minor furniture and fittings. [232960]
Kevin Brennan: The names of the contractors that provided goods and services recorded as departmental building fixed assets on page 106 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2007-08 can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Ecovert FM
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2008, Official Report, column 155W, on Ecovert FM, what his definition is of minor works; and what the level of the threshold is. [235048]
Kevin Brennan: Minor works are any reactive maintenance works that fall below the contractual financial threshold. The threshold level is commercial in confidence.
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