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30 Nov 2009 : Column 385W—continued
Flood warning information is organised into operational areas based on water management catchments. The information above has therefore been organised by Environment Agency region.
Before the Floodline Warnings Direct system became operational in January 2006, flood warnings were sent out locally by Environment Agency offices. Information prior to 2006 is therefore not held centrally and cannot be collated without incurring disproportionate cost.
The numbers of flood warnings are dependent on the weather and the number of sites where warnings are issued. The Environment Agency is constantly adding new areas where flood warning services are provided.
Hunting: Employment
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of new jobs in rural areas that have been (a) created and (b) lost in each year since 2004 in circumstances directly attributable to the provisions of the Hunting Act 2004. [301640]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government have made no detailed assessment of the effect of the Hunting Act on the number of jobs lost or created, beyond its normal analysis of the employment situation in rural areas.
This analysis shows that rural employment was not adversely affected by the implementation of the Act, and there is no evidence that the adverse economic consequences, predicted by opponents of the Hunting Act during its passage, have materialised.
Marine Conservation Zones: Dee Estuary
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to establish a marine conservation zone for the Dee estuary. [301618]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Part of the Dee estuary has been accepted by the European Commission as a Site of Community Interest in accordance with the provisions of the Habitats Directive. We now have an obligation to designate the site as a Special Area of Conservation under the Directive. The Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies in England and Wales have also undertaken a consultation on revisions to the existing Special Protection Area (SPA) within the estuary, classified under the Birds Directive. The net effect of these revisions will be to extend the area of the SPA. We expect to make an announcement on these issues shortly.
Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) together with Special Areas of Conservation under the EU Directive 92/43/EEC (the Habitats Directive), and Special Protection Areas under EU Directive 79/409/EEC (the Birds Directive) will contribute to an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas. MCZs will complement the existing site designation and protection measures for European marine sites and in some circumstances may fully or partially overlap with such sites to protect different features.
We want sea users and other stakeholders to participate in identifying MCZs. We have therefore asked statutory nature conservation bodies to set up regional MCZ projects around the coast of England.
The Irish Sea Conservation Zone project area includes part of the Dee estuary. All interested parties are being encouraged to participate in the Irish Sea Conservation Zone project to feed in their knowledge and views which will ultimate lead to MCZ recommendations for the project area to Ministers. The project has not yet begun to identify possible MCZs, so I cannot yet say whether an MCZ is being considered as necessary in addition to protection measures provided by the European marine sites in the Dee estuary.
An MCZ project is also being set up in Wales which will liaise closely with the Irish Sea Conservation Zone project as they cover shared project areas including the Dee estuary.
National Parks Authorities: Local Government
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Local Government Association and (b) the Association of National Park Authorities on the potential for closer co-operation between local authorities and national parks. [301756]
Huw Irranca-Davies: We encourage the national park authorities to explore all avenues to improve their efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of national park purposes.
The authorities already work closely with their constituent local authorities and their membership structure provides for the majority being councillors from these local authorities. This close relationship has been further enhanced by the provisions in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
Work and Pensions
Children: Poverty
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were living in poverty in a household formed by a couple in each year since 1997. [300389]
Helen Goodman: The information requested is provided in the following table.
| Number of children living in couple families below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income, 1997-98 to 2007-08, before housing costs | ||
| Number of c hildren ( m illion ) | ||
| Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI), sourced from the Family Resources Survey. The Family Resources Survey is available in the Library. 2. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures are single financial years. 4. Figures are for the United Kingdom from 2002-03 onwards. Earlier years are for Great Britain only. 5. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication HBAI series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 6. For the HBAI series, incomes have been equivalised using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) equivalisation factors. 7. A family is defined as a man or woman living together as husband and wife, including cohabiters. From January 2006, same-sex civil partners are also included in the same benefit unit. A household will consist of one or more families. 8. Number of children in low income have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand. | ||
Departmental Food
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the proportion of (a) lamb, (b) beef, (c) chicken, (d) pork, (e) turkey, (f) other meats, (g) vegetables and (h) fruit procured by her Department that was produced in the UK in the latest period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [300176]
Jim Knight: Latest available figures show that the proportions of food procured by the Department and produced in the UK are:
| Proportion of food (percentage) | |
| (1 )Separate figures for chicken and turkey are not available. (2 )No figures available for other meats. (3)100 per cent. when seasonally available. | |
Departmental Meetings
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which (a) individuals other than ministerial colleagues and officials of her Department and (b) organisations she met in an official capacity in the week commencing 9 November 2009. [301169]
Jim Knight: In its response to a Report by the Public Administration Select Committee Lobbying: Access and influence in Whitehall, the Government agreed to publish online, on a quarterly basis, information about ministerial meetings with outside interest groups. Information for the period 1 October to 31 December 2009 will be published by Departments as soon as the information is ready.
Departmental Official Cars
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of providing official cars for the use of (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the last 12 months. [301189]
Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, the hon. Member for Gillingham (Paul Clark) on 16 July 2009, Official Report, column 80WS.
Departmental Pay
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) average and (b) highest non-consolidated performance-related payment was in cash terms for senior civil servants in her Department in each of the last five years. [300377]
Jim Knight: The figures are set out in the following table.
| £ | ||
| Average SCS non-consolidated performance related payment | Highest SCS non-consolidated performance related payment | |
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) bonuses and (b) incentives have been paid to (i) consultants and (ii) contractors engaged by her Department in each of the last three years. [300633]
Jim Knight: It is not DWP practice to pay contractors bonuses or incentives. DWP follows National Audit Office advice which recommends that a variety of payment mechanisms should be used in contract pricing. This approach is also endorsed by the Office for Government Commerce in their Guide to Consultancy Pricing.
Departmental Rail Travel
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what date she last travelled by train in the course of her official duties. [301209]
Jonathan Shaw: The Secretary of State last travelled by train on 20 November 2009 in the course of her official duties.
Departmental Training
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training sessions were attended by (a) Ministers and (b) special advisers in her Department at public expense in each of the last three years. [301375]
Jim Knight: Training is provided to Ministers and special advisers as part of their induction and continuing development in order to carry out their respective duties effectively under the Ministerial Code and the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers. Details of training provided to Government Ministers by the National School of Government are publicly available and can be found at:
http://www.nationalschool.gov.uk/policy/Ministerial Programme/Table.asp
Employment and Support Allowance
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment she has made of the paths followed by individuals who have failed the work capability assessment of the employment and support allowance (ESA); and what proportion of those found ineligible for ESA claimed (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) income support in the latest period for which figures are available. [300392]
Jonathan Shaw: Information on movement from employment and support allowance to other benefits is not available. The Department has commissioned research which will examine the path of individuals who were found fit for work at the work capability assessment. Publication of this is planned for 2010.
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research her Department has undertaken into the typical reasons why claims for employment and support allowance are withdrawn before a decision on the claim has been reached. [300688]
Jonathan Shaw: The Department has commissioned a survey of people who have made a claim for employment and support allowance, which will examine the reasons why claims are ceased before a decision on the claim has been reached. This research will be published in 2010.
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what sub-categories are used to classify the medical grounds under which claims for employment and support allowance are made; how many claimants in each (a) support group and (b) work-related activity group have claimed under each category in each of the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [300689]
Jonathan Shaw: The information requested is not available. The detailed classification under which employment and support allowance data will be collected is being developed.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals who commenced a claim for (a) incapacity benefit, (b) work-related employment and support allowance and (c) support group employment and support allowance in each of the last (i) five years and (ii) four quarters had been in receipt of income support immediately prior to their claim commencing. [301785]
Jonathan Shaw: The information is not available.
Miss Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who have applied for employment and support allowance (ESA) with myalgic encephalopathy alone as their diagnosis have been refused ESA. [301109]
Jonathan Shaw: The information requested is not available.
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