Written Answers to Questions
The following answers were received between Thursday 17 September and Monday 5 October 2009
International Development
G20: USA
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Prime Minister and (b) Chancellor of the Exchequer on the agenda for the forthcoming G20 conference in Pittsburgh; which international development issues he expects to be discussed at the conference; whether (i) he and (ii) his senior Departmental staff will form part of the UK delegation to the conference; and if he will make a statement [291401]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: I have regular discussions with the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other members of the Cabinet as part of our ongoing preparations for the G20 summit in Pittsburgh on 24 to 25 September. These discussions include a range of international development issues.
The United States has said that they will make sure that the summit gives attention to the poorest countries. An important UK objective is to ensure the summit demonstrates concrete action to mitigate the impact of the crisis on the poorest and shows significant progress with implementation of development commitments secured at the London summit in April 2009.
The Pittsburgh summit will be held at heads of state or government level and as such there are no plans for Department for International Development (DFID) Ministers or staff to attend.
Communities and Local Government
Fire Engines: Armed Forces
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to which organisations operating at what locations have green goddess fire engines previously used to provide emergency fire cover been (a) sold and (b) donated in each of the last five years. [291209]
Mr. Malik [holding answer 16 September 2009]: Donations of green goddesses have been made to the following organisations:
Operation Florian, based in Lincoln, for humanitarian purposes in Zambia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bosnia, Peru, Bolivia, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Argentina and Pakistan; (2006 and 2007)
Liverpool city council for onwards transmission by the Hands Across the Sea Appeal Fund for humanitarian purposes in Sri Lanka; (2006)
Freetown Special Projects Trust, based at Hull city council, for humanitarian purposes in Sierra Leone; (2006)
Rapid UK, based in Devon for humanitarian purposes in Peru; (2005) and Gambia and Avon Fire Services Partnership, based in Bristol, for humanitarian purposes in Gambia (2007).
Donations of Green Goddesses for heritage purposes have been made to:
The Military Vehicle Trust (Kettering) (2006)
The RAF Museum (Hendon) (2006)
The Dambusters Museum (RAF Scampton) (2006)
Manston Fire Museum (Manston) (2006)
The Civil Defence and Emergency Service Preservation Trust (Airdrie) (2006)
The British Fire Services Association (Sleaford) (2007)
South East Midlands Military Vehicle Trust (Burton Latimer) (2007)
Mid and West Wales Fire Engine Preservation Group (Neath) (2006)
The AFS Vehicle Restoration Group (Midlands) (Corby) (2006)
The Fire Police Museum (Sheffield) (2006)
The National Historic Vehicle Society (Basingstoke) (2006)
The Welsh Area Fire Engine Restoration Society (Neath) (2006)
The Whitewebbs Museum of Fire (Enfield) (2006)
Devon Military Vehicle Trust (Princetown) (2006)
The Coalhouse Fort Project (East Tilbury) (2006).
With regard to sales, I will place a list of the organisations which have purchased green goddesses over the past five years in the Library of the House. This list does not contain the names of individuals who have purchased green goddesses as this information is covered by data protection legislation. In addition we are unable to provide locations for the purchasers as the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Work and Pensions
Armed Forces: Pensions
Mr. Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans she has to review the operation of the War Pensions Scheme. [291118]
Bill Rammell [holding answer 14 September 2009]: I have been asked to reply.
Responsibility for the War Pensions Scheme was passed from the Department of Work and Pensions to the Ministry of Defence in 2000.
The scheme is kept under constant review and in June 2007, a Stewardship review, which includes the management and administration of the scheme, was announced to the Central Advisory Committee on Pensions and Compensation (CAC), the statutory body for matters relating to war pensions, made up of representatives of ex-service organisations. A package of amendments was made to the scheme in April 2009, mainly to ease administration or correct anomalies in certain areas.
The CAC will be fully consulted if any further changes to the scheme are proposed.
Women and Equality
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Resignations
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality which (a) senior officials, (b) commissioners and (c) members of the Audit Committee of the Equality and Human Rights Commission have resigned in the last 12 months; and on what date each resigned. [291307]
Michael Jabez Foster: EHRC resignation information provided in the following table:
| Name | Date of resignation |
| (1) Both co-optees have indicated a willingness to continue to serve on the committee until its November 2009 meeting. | |
Equality: Applications
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality whether the new public duty in the Equality Bill to address socio-economic disadvantage will be a material consideration in the assessment of (a) planning applications and (b) licensing applications by local authorities. [291242]
Michael Jabez Foster: The new socio-economic duty will be a consideration for local authorities when they are making decisions of a strategic nature, such as when preparing their sustainable community strategies, and setting key objectives and spending priorities. The sustainable community strategy is in turn reflected in the local development framework, which is one of the documents that shapes how those objectives are delivered. The duty will therefore influence the overall strategic plans and policies in the light of which individual planning and licensing applications are considered. It may also, in particular cases, be material to individual decisions, where the local authority considers these to be of a strategic nature.
Travelling People: Equality
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what assessment has been made of the likely effects of the introduction of the new public duty in the Equality Bill to address socio-economic disadvantage on the provision of services to Travellers. [291241]
Michael Jabez Foster: The new duty will reduce the effects of socio-economic disadvantage. When local authorities and other key public bodies are making decisions of a strategic nature, such as deciding priorities and setting objectives, they will need to consider how their decisions could help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.
The most recent report on the Government's strategy for race equality and community cohesion "Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society-A third progress
report-February 2009", highlighted the many socio-economic disadvantages suffered by Gypsies and Travellers, so they are likely to benefit from the new duty. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.
Home Department
Family Intervention Projects
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many family intervention projects at each level of intervention have been set up in (a) England, (b) Essex and (c) Castle Point; and if he will make a statement. [291061]
Mr. Coaker [holding answer 14 September 2009]: I have been asked to reply.
There are currently 164 Family Intervention Projects (FIPs). The majority of these provide support on an outreach basis, supporting families in their own home. There are currently six projects that run core, residential units. Essex has two FIPs based in Harlow and Tendering, both of which provide an outreach service.
FIPs are a key part of Government policy to support families at risk. The projects use a twin-track approach of support alongside sanctions to provide families with the incentives to change. An assertive key worker plays a pivotal, challenging and coordinating role in the projects 'gripping' the whole family, and the agencies involved with them. Early evaluation of Family Intervention Projects has shown that they are helping to reduce anti-social behaviour, prevent homelessness and improve the health and education of families.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Millennium Compliance
Mr. Lilley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much was spent from the public purse on steps to (a) encourage UK businesses to prepare for the millennium date change and (b) prevent problems attributable to the millennium bug in the public sector. [290686]
Tessa Jowell: I have been asked to reply.
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 7 January 2003, Official Report, column 71W. The detailed information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Children, Schools and Families
Class Sizes: North East
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were taught in classes of more than 30 pupils in (a) the North East, (b) Tees Valley and (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last 10 years. [285330]
Mr. Coaker: The requested information is shown in the table:
| Maintained primary( 1) and state-funded secondary( 1,2 ) schools: number of pupils in classes( 3) of more than 30 pupils-As at January each year in North East Government Office Region, Tees Valley and Middlesbrough South and East Parliamentary Constituency | |||||||||
| North East | Tees Valley( 4) | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | |||||||
| Number of pupils in classes of over 30 | Number of pupils in all classes | % of pupils in classes of over 30 | Number of pupils in classes of over 30 | Number of pupils in all classes | % of pupils in classes of over 30 | Number of pupils in classes of over 30 | Number of pupils in all classes | % of pupils in classes of over 30 | |
| (1)( )Includes middle schools as deemed. (2)( )Includes CTCs and academies. (3)( )One teacher classes as taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the census in January. (4)( )Tees Valley is Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees and Darlington local authorities. Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: School Census | |||||||||
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