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3 Nov 2009 : Column 884W—continued
Cabinet Office
Census: Sanctions
James Duddridge: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what procedure governs the imposition of sanctions on respondents who fill in their census return incorrectly. [297472]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Jil Matheson, dated November 2009:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what procedure governs the imposition of sanctions on respondents who fill in their census return incorrectly. (297472)
During the 2011 Census blank or incomplete responses will be identified during the data capture operation and residents will be contacted by census staff while the field operation is still ongoing to obtain the required information.
In a case where a questionnaire is returned, but has been incorrectly completed there are a number of possible outcomes. Where responses are missing in an otherwise completed return, or where there are incorrect answers that are inconsistent with other responses, then edit and imputation processes will be applied at the data processing stage and generally residents will not be recontacted
If a questionnaire has inappropriate comments or obscene remarks written in place of answers or has been left intentionally blank, it would be treated under a non-compliance procedure. Under this procedure census staff revisit addresses and, where appropriate, offer help with completing the form so that a return can be made as prescribed in the Census (England and Wales) Order 2009, the Draft of which was laid before parliament on Wednesday 21 October 2009.
The penalty for failure to make a census return is specified in Section 8 (1) of the Census Act 1920 which prescribes a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. The standard scale is that set out in the Criminal Justice Act and the maximum fine is currently £1,000. Prosecutions for refusing to complete a census return are conducted in a Magistrates Court and the award of costs against the defendant is at the discretion of the Magistrate.
The Office for National Statistics would prosecute only those who persistently refuse to make a return, and not in cases where genuine mistakes have been made, or where people are incapable of completing a return for whatever reason.
Census: Postal Services.
James Duddridge: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what contingency plans there are to ensure delivery of census forms in the event of disruption of postal services. [297473]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Jil Matheson, dated November 2009:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what contingency plans there are to ensure delivery of census forms in the event of disruption of postal services. (297473)
The Office for National Statistics has contracted the delivery and post back of census questionnaires to Royal Mail. This requires Royal Mail to develop contingency plans to cope with potential disruption to postal services during the 2011 Census. These plans are part of ONS's contractual arrangements with Royal Mail and are confidential.
There has been the opportunity to test the Royal Mail contingency plans during the census rehearsal which is currently taking place in areas of Lancaster, Newham and Isle of Anglesey. Our experience to date has shown no impact from the recent industrial action on the delivery of questionnaires: there have been some minor delays in the return of completed questionnaires though Royal Mail has assuranced us that there is no current back log.
ONS will work with Royal Mail to develop further contingency plans for 2011, building on experience during the rehearsal.
Government Departments: Official Hospitality
David Taylor: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will amend the list of hospitality received by board members of Government Departments from 1 January to 31 December 2007 to include hospitality provided by the Chairman of the Audit Commission to the (a) Director General of the Department for Communities and Local Government on 18 August 2007, (b) Director General of the Financial and Commercial Group at the Home Department on 11 May 2007 and (c) Permanent Secretary to the Department Communities and Local Government on 8 October 2007. [297137]
Tessa Jowell: Guidance to Departments on the recording of hospitality is set out in the Government's response to the Public Administration Select Committee's Report "Lobbying: Access and Influence in Whitehall" which can be accessed at:
Jobseeker's Allowance
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many under 25 year olds in Teignbridge constituency claimed jobseeker's allowance in (a) 1997, (b) 2007, (c) 2008 and (d) 2009. [297658]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Jil Matheson, dated November 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many under 25 year olds in Teignbridge constituency claimed jobseeker's allowance in 1997, 2007, 2008 and 2009. (297658)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles the number of claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) from the Jobcentre Plus administrative system. Table 1 shows the number of persons under 25 years old, resident in the Teignbridge constituency, who were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in September 2009, the latest period available, and the same month in 2008 ,2007 and 1997.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at: http://www.nomisweb.co.uk.
Manpower: Cabinet Office
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 7 May 2009, Official Report, column 427W, on departmental manpower, whether the Central Office of Information's post of Head of Public Engagement is a new post; whether the post is part of the Government Communications Network; and what the (a) job specification and (b) salary range associated with the post is. [290124]
Tessa Jowell: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information to reply to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mark Lund, dated October 2009:
As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question (290124).
(a) This is a new post.
(b) The post does form part of the Government Communications Network.
(c) The job specification and salary range are contained in the attached document.
A copy of the Job Specification was posted on our website as part of the recruitment process, and has now been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Public Relations
Mr. Stewart Jackson:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which public relations companies were awarded the contracts arising from the Central Office
of Information Framework Agreement with contract reference 2007/S 156-194886; and what the total value was of the Framework Agreement. [294963]
Tessa Jowell: I have asked the chief executive of the Central Office of Information to reply to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mark Lund, dated October 2009:
As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question [294963] asking which public relations companies were awarded contracts arising from the COI Framework Agreement with the contract reference 2007/S 156-194886; and what the total value of the Framework Agreement.
The Framework Agreement relates to the Marketing Aimed at Culturally Diverse Audiences Framework which commenced in 2007.
The estimated value of the Framework is between £7 million and £12 million, however the total value of the framework will not be known until its expiry in 2012.
The following agencies have subsequently been awarded contracts from it;
Mediareach
Media Moguls
Livity
Linstock Communications
Here & Now
Renewables Advisory Board
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bath of 26 March 2009, Official Report, column 710W, on the Renewables Advisory Board, what the (a) title and (b) subject matter is of each public information film by the Central Office of Information since 2005; and which production company produced each such film. [290131]
Tessa Jowell: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information to reply to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mark Lund, dated October 2009:
As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on Public Information Films (290131).
A list of all public Information films, together with subject matter and Production Company since 2005 has been placed in the Library.
International Development
Guyana: Rain Forests
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has provided to Guyana for rainforest preservation in each of the last three years; what estimate he has made of the acreage of rainforest protected as a result of such funding; and what agreements he has reached with the Government of Guyana on such funding in the next five years. [297640]
Mr. Michael Foster:
The Department for International Development (DFID) has committed to spend approximately £130,000 in the current financial year
ending 31 March 2010 to support the implementation of a low carbon growth and rainforest protection strategy in Guyana. In 2008-09, we provided £313,000 towards the development of the prospectus and implementation plan for this strategy. The strategy aims to protect Guyana's 15 million hectares of rainforest. No funds were provided to Guyana for rainforest protection in either of the two previous years. No agreements have yet been reached on funding for rainforest protection in the next five years.
Guyana is also a participant in the World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Fund (to which the UK has contributed £15 million) and recently submitted its Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation Readiness Plan. DFID officials regularly discuss forest protection with their Guyanese counterparts.
Sri Lanka: International Assistance
Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the role of the International Organisation for Migration in the distribution of humanitarian aid in Sri Lanka. [297464]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is kept regularly informed of the Department for International Development's (DFID) funding allocations and the work of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Sri Lanka.
Leader of the House
I Will Write Replies
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Leader of the House with reference to the written ministerial statement of 21 July 2004, Official Report, column 35WS, on I Will Write replies, whether the arrangements for publication in Hansard of I Will Write letters remain in force; and whether they apply to letters written by chief executives of Government agencies and non-departmental public bodies providing information in response to parliamentary questions. [297667]
Barbara Keeley: On those occasions where an I Will Write answer is necessary, a copy of the subsequent substantive response will be sent to Hansard, to be printed with the written answers in the next edition.
The guidance on letters written by chief executives of Government agencies and non-departmental public bodies, in response to parliamentary questions, is outlined in the recently published 'Guide to Parliamentary Work:'
'Letters written by chief executives of Government agencies and non-departmental public bodies, in response to parliamentary questions, should be sent to the Official Report for printing, unless it contains personal or confidential information. If the letter is longer than the Official Report would normally publish notification will be printed that the response is available in the Library of the House.'
The hon. Gentleman can view the full 'Guide to Parliamentary Work' through the Cabinet Office website at:
Energy and Climate Change
Biofuels
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many biomass plants there are in the UK. [296355]
Joan Ruddock: Records of biomass power plants accredited under the Renewables Obligation are kept by Ofgem on their searchable Renewables and CHP Register at:
https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk/Public/ReportManager.aspx?ReportVisibility=1&;ReportCategory=0
The total number of power plants in all biomass categories recorded as of 30 October 2009 is 623, of which 400 record their biomass feedstock as landfill gas. The remaining 223 include anaerobic digestion, energy from waste, sewage gas, co-firing and CHP as well as plant using virgin biomass. Records are not kept centrally of the number of biomass heat only plants. However, with the planned introduction of the RHI in 2011, such information may become available, as part of the administration of the scheme.
Biofuels: Treaties
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what biofuel partnership agreements there are between the Government and the Government of (a) Brazil, (b) Mozambique and (c) South Africa; how much funding the Government have committed under each such agreement; what assessment he has made of the likely benefits to the UK of such agreements; and if he will make a statement. [297665]
Mr. Kidney: The Brazil-UK-Southern Africa Biofuels Taskforce is a partnership agreed between the Governments of Brazil and the UK and the Southern African Development Community. The aim of the partnership is to support sustainable biofuel production in Southern Africa and the taskforce is part of the UK's agenda for promoting low carbon growth internationally. To date, the UK Government have committed approximately £10,000 to pay for scoping work.
Fossil Fuel Levy: Scotland
Mr. Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the balance of the Scottish Fossil Fuel Levy account was at 1 October 2009; and what representations he has received from the Scottish Executive on the drawdown and utilisation of the fund for the promotion of energy use from renewable resources. [295332]
Mr. Kidney [holding answer 26 October 2009]: The Scottish Executive have made representations to DECC regarding the Scottish Fossil Fuel Levy account. The balance of the account was £170 million on 1 October.
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