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25 Nov 2008 : Column 1394W—continued
Fuel Poverty
Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of fuel poor households in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [223652]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 15 September 2008]: I have been asked to reply.
Most recent figures show that there were approximately 2.5 million households in fuel poverty in the UK in 2005. This is around 4 million fewer than in 1996, but represents an increase of 0.5 million households since 2004, reflecting the impact of rising energy prices on fuel poverty. The following table shows estimated numbers of households in fuel poverty in each of the recently available years for both England and the UK:
| Level of fuel poverty | ||
| Total in millions of households | ||
| UK | England | |
Home Computing Initiative
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which companies participated in the home computing initiative; when each company (a) joined and (b) left the initiative; what the remit of each company was; and on what commercial terms they became part of the initiative. [235149]
Mr. McFadden: The Department did not require this level of detail. However,
(a) The Office of Fair Trading have a paper record of 2,375 companies that applied to be members of the HCI Group Licence. A copy of the list of companies will be placed in the Library of each House. HCI Alliance records show that 1,265 employers actually implemented HCI schemes (These records are confidential).
(b) No companies left the initiative. They simply could not transact “new” schemes with Income Tax and Class 1 NIC benefits after April 2006. Schemes running prior to April 2006 were not affected by the removal of s320 benefits. All schemes in the market providing income tax benefit, will cease in 2009.
The remit of each company was to provide a worthwhile benefit to staff and their families, to promote IT skills and thus to retain staff.
The commercial terms were a matter for companies providing HCI schemes and their clients.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many (a) laptops and (b) items of software were leased to families as part of the home computing initiative; and on what terms they were leased. [235150]
Mr. McFadden: The Department did not require this level of detail on how many (a) people or (b) families were leased laptops and software as part of the HCI. However, figures supplied by The Digital Inclusion Technology Group (DITG) estimate that 400,000 PCs were loaned through the scheme, with a split of (i) 60 per cent. were laptop/40 per cent. desktop, (ii) software was preloaded and is therefore included in this figure.
The terms they were leased on, where a matter for employers providing they conformed within the necessary guidance provided by HMRC and OFT.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many (a) people and (b) families were leased (i) laptops and (ii) software as part of the home computing initiative. [235152]
Mr. McFadden:
The Department did not require this level of detail on how many (a) people or (b) families were leased laptops and software as part of the HCI. However, figures supplied by The Digital Inclusion Technology Group (DITG) estimate that 400,000 PCs were loaned through the scheme, with a split of (i) 60
per cent. were laptop/40 per cent. desktop, (ii) Software was preloaded and is therefore included in this figure.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment was made of the effectiveness of the home computing initiative in each year between 1999 and 2006. [235153]
Mr. McFadden: The Office of e-Envoy had policy responsibility for The Home Computing Initiative (HCI) between 1999 and 2004. Responsibility for HCI Policy was transferred to this Department in January 2004.
From 2004 and up to the removal of the 1999 tax break in 2006, the Department met regularly with HMT, OFT and the HCI Alliance (BT, Intel and Microsoft) to monitor progress. A core part of this Department’s contribution to the project was the production of an information pack which made the guidance material easier to understand for employers and employees wishing to take part in the scheme.
Our assessment indicated that the Home Computer Initiative had been successful in reaching those in employment. However, it was not reaching those who were not working and Government wanted to refocus its resources to support groups with the poorest access to technology such as the unemployed, elderly, disabled and low-income groups. Consequently the tax exemption was removed.
Since the demise of 1999 Tax exemption, Government have launched the Home Access Programme—The programme aims to ensure that every learner in England (five to 19 years old and in maintained education) has access to increased educational opportunities via ICT resources at home. The programme is led by the Home Access Taskforce and chaired by the Minister for Schools and Learners, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Dorset (Jim Knight).
The Secretary of State for Wales and Minister with responsibility for digital inclusion, my right hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy) recently launched the cross Government consultation paper “Delivering Digital Inclusion—An Action Plan for Consultation”. The action plan seeks to provide a framework for achieving greater digital equality within the UK, through both immediate actions and a number of proposals put forward for wider consultation.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the estimated (a) total, (b) start up, (c) monthly running and (d) wind up costs to the public purse were of the home computing initiative. [235157]
Mr. McFadden: The Home Computing Initiative was started up with a mixture of Government and Industry contributions. The Office of the e-Envoy led the project in conjunction with industry partners from the HCI Alliance (BT, Intel and Microsoft). The only costs to Government were our initial start up contribution of £370,000 + staff resources.
Memoranda of understanding between the Office of the e-Envoy and each key partner and Department was drawn up and agreed in November 2003, formalising each organisation’s commitment.
It was agreed that Government’s objective was to produce and distribute information packs, promoting the availability of the 1999 tax break, help industry create a website, and arrange a joint industry—Government launch event on 26 January 2004 supported by PR activity as well as promote the benefits of use of ICT.
(c) Monthly running costs were met by the HCI Alliance and this Department does not hold this information.
(d) There were no winds up costs for Government as HCI schemes were run by Industry (HCI Alliance), not Government. Home Computing Initiative Schemes (HCD were not Government schemes.
Intellectual Property: Internet
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with Ofcom on negotiations over the codes of practice relating to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between rights owners and internet service providers. [238353]
Mr. McFadden: None. The memorandum work is progressing along the lines laid down in the actual memorandum of understanding. The codes of practice will be addressed in the new year once the current work on the notification trial and the report on possible technical measures have been completed. We recognise that the memorandum of understanding raises challenging questions for all parties, but we expect there to be broad engagement across relevant sectors on the codes of practice to be developed in the course of this process.
Low Pay: Bolton
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many (a) male and (b) female workers in Bolton North East constituency receive wages at the national minimum rate. [222832]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 6 October 2008]: Information on earnings is taken from the ONS’ Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) dataset for 2007. Information for individual parliamentary constituencies is not readily available in the ASHE dataset, however, information is available on a government office region basis.
The following table shows the number of males and females paid at or below the national minimum wage as set on 1 October 2006 for the north west government region in 2007. Also shown are the number of males and females paid at or below 10 pence over the NMW threshold.
| Male | Female | Total | |
| Note: National Minimum Wage levels 1 October 2006: 16 to 17-year-old = £3.30 Development rate (18 to 21-year-olds) = £4.45 Adult rate (aged 22+) = £5.35 Source: ASHE 2007 | |||
Office of Gas and Electricity Markets: Gyms
James Duddridge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the annual running costs have been of the gymnasium used by staff at the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets in each year between 2003 and 2007. [225049]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
The gymnasium at 9 Millbank is funded by licence revenues and membership subscriptions, and not from the public purse.
James Duddridge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many Office of Gas and Electricity Markets staff have membership of the gymnasium at 9 Millbank, London, paid for from the public purse. [225201]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
None. The gymnasium at 9 Millbank is funded through licence fee income and member subscriptions, and not through the public purse.
Total membership, which is principally made up of staff from Ofgem, DEFRA and contractors, is currently 284.
Parental Leave: Crosby
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many (a) mothers claimed statutory paid maternity leave and (b) men claimed statutory paid paternity leave in Crosby constituency in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008. [236682]
Mr. McFadden: Information on the take-up of paid maternity and paternity leave is not centrally available by constituency.
A new mother must take a minimum of two weeks’ leave after the birth of her child. The most recent estimates of take-up of paid maternity leave are based on the Maternity Rights and mothers’ employment decisions in Britain: Survey of Mothers, conducted in 2007. The survey found 88 per cent. of new mothers took at least some paid statutory maternity leave.
The most recent estimates of take-up of paternity leave are based on the Maternity and Paternity Rights and Benefits in Britain: Survey of Parents, conducted in 2005. The survey found 93 per cent. of fathers surveyed took some time off around the time of the birth. Of the fathers who took time off, 79 per cent. took at least some paid statutory paternity leave. The Government estimate that around 400,000 fathers are eligible for the entitlement.
Regional Planning and Development: Finance
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department spent in each regional development agency area on (a) rural, (b) urban and (c) coastal communities in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [238657]
Mr. McFadden: The Department does not record expenditure as requested in the question. Furthermore, to separate out these data would incur disproportionate cost.
Renewable Energy
Lynne Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the written statement of 10 July 2008, Official Report, column 79WS, on the EU Energy Council, whether the UK is classified as a country with potentially expensive domestic renewables resources; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the UK/Germany/Poland proposal. [224890]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
The UK could be considered as a country with potentially expensive renewable resources—some of our sources of renewable energy (e.g. wind power) are relatively expensive compared with some of those (e.g. biomass, hydro) which are more readily available in many other member states.
I will place a copy of the UK/Germany/Poland proposal in the Library as requested.
Rescue Services: Telecommunications
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) if he will hold discussions with Ofcom about (a) the pricing of radio licences and (b) the effect on the operations of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of changes in licence costs; [236552]
(2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that the Royal National Lifeboat Institution pay a reduced rate for radio licences; and if he will make a statement. [236553]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 17 November 2008]: The pricing of radio licences is a matter for the independent regulator, Ofcom.
Ofcom has recently consulted on the application of Administered Incentive Pricing (AIP) to maritime and aeronautical uses of the radio spectrum. This is in line with agreed policy that users should pay a market rate for the use of spectrum, with the intention of incentivising more efficient use of an increasingly scarce resource.
Charities such as the RNLI already benefit from a discount under existing arrangements and Ofcom have announced that under the new proposals they estimate that RNLI would pay under £20,000 for radio use, that is lower than they currently pay now.
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