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11 Jan 2010 : Column 706W—continued
Employment Tribunals Service
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many industrial tribunals his Department has been party to in each of the last five years; and what the cost to his Department of such tribunals was in each year. [310207]
Mr. Hain: As my Department has been party to less than five employment tribunals during the period specified I am unable to release the additional information that the hon. Gentleman seeks for reasons of confidentiality.
Legislation
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the (a) title and (b) purpose is of each proposed legislative consent order scheduled for introduction in the present Parliament which his Department has discussed with the Welsh Assembly Government. [310276]
Mr. Hain: The following table lists the proposed legislative competence orders that my Department has discussed with the Welsh Assembly Government and which are yet to be presented to Parliament or the National Assembly for Wales for approval. I have presented all the proposed orders to Parliament for pre-legislative scrutiny.
New Businesses
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with (a) Ministerial colleagues and (b) Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on policy to promote small business start-up schemes among young people in Wales. [308155]
Mr. Hain: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues and Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on all issues affecting the Welsh economy including small businesses.
The Welsh Assembly Government are actively engaged in promoting small business and self-employment options to young people, including graduates.
In addition, under the Jobcentre Plus Six Month Offer, there are two elements of help on offer to people who want to move into self-employment or start a business. The first provides financial support during the early weeks of trading through the self-employment credit paid of £50 a week for up to 16 weeks and the Building Britain's Recovery White Paper brings forward entitlement to this credit to three months.
The second is a provision of additional funds to Flexible Support for Business in Wales so that it can provide intensive self-employment and business start-up support for those who need it both before they leave benefits and into the first weeks of trading.
Second Homes: Council Tax
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales with reference to the National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Housing and Local Government) Order 2010, and paragraph 43 of the Explanatory Memorandum, whether an impact assessment has been prepared on the proposals to allow higher council tax on second homes and holiday homes in Wales. [309379]
Mr. David: A Regulatory Impact Assessment has not been prepared for this instrument as it confers legislative competence on the National Assembly for Wales and so has no impact on business, charities or voluntary bodies. The Welsh Assembly Government would prepare a Regulatory Impact Assessment when bringing forward any proposed Assembly Measures as a result of the legislative competence this instrument confers.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations his Department has received on the effects of the National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Housing and Local Government) Order 2010 on council tax on second homes and holiday homes in Wales. [309394]
Communities and Local Government
Employment Tribunals Service
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many industrial tribunals his Department has been party to in each of the last five years; and what the cost to his Department of such tribunals was in each such year. [310205]
Barbara Follett: It would not be possible to provide this information without incurring a disproportionate cost.
Housing
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has made a recent estimate of the mean age of a first-time buyer of a domestic property. [308597]
Mortgages
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his Department's policy is on the implementation of the proposals of the European Commission on harmonising rules governing access to mortgages; and what assessment has been made of the implications for his Department's policies of the Commission's proposed further changes to the European Capital Requirements Directive. [308598]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I have been asked to reply.
The European Commission published a White Paper on European mortgage markets at the end of 2007. This document is available on the Commission's website, at:
The Commission has since undertaken work to improve the evidence base on EU mortgage markets, which HM Treasury has supported and encouraged, including work to renew this evidence base following the financial crisis. HM Treasury will continue to engage with the European Commission to help ensure that any response at the EU level is effective and proportionate.
The European Commission published a consultation under 'Further possible changes to the Capital requirements Directive' with a closing date of 4 September 2009. Due to developments internationally, including a G20 consensus agreement on bank capital reform, it is now expected that the European Commission will reissue its consultation in late summer or the autumn of 2010. This will have a broader scope to match the Bank for International Settlements' consultation 'Strengthening the resilience of the banking sector', while retaining the measures on moving towards a single rulebook for bank capital in the EU. In the interim period, HM Treasury will continue to pursue the objectives outlined in its paper 'Reforming Financial Markets', both within the EU and internationally.
Multiple Occupation: Licensing
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 29 October 2009, Official Report, column 472W, on licensing: multiple occupation, on what date the report by the Building Research Establishment on the effectiveness of the new licensing regime for houses in multiple occupation will be published; and what the reasons are for the time taken to publish the report. [310210]
Mr. Ian Austin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 6 January 2010, Official Report, column 381W.
National Policy Statements: Transport
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to publish the National Policy Statement on transport infrastructure. [309796]
Mr. Khan: I have been asked to reply.
We expect to publish for consultation a draft National Policy Statement for national networks (strategic roads and railways, including strategic rail freight interchanges) early this year, and a draft National Policy Statement for airports in 2011.
Regeneration: Radlett
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce his decision on the development site at Radlett. [309797]
Mr. Malik: The Secretary of State's decision on this planning appeal is expected by 23 June 2010.
Social Rented Housing: Equality
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department provides to registered social landlords on equalities audits. [308773]
Cabinet Office
Central Office of Information: Expenditure
Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much has been spent by the Central Office of Information on advertising in 2009-10. [309868]
Angela E. Smith: I have asked the chief executive of the Central Office of Information to reply to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mark Lund, dated 7 January 2010
As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on COI advertising spend in 2009/10 (309868).
COI advertising spend for 2009/10 will be published in our annual report and accounts when the figures have been fully audited and approved.
Charity Commission: Internet
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what redesigns of websites operated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales have been carried out since 27 June 2007; and what the (a) cost to the public purse and (b) date of completion of each such redesign was. [306193]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission to reply.
Letter from Andrew Hind, dated 9 December 2009:
As the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your written Parliamentary Question on redesigns of websites operated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales since 27 June 2007; and what the (a) cost to the public purse and (b) date of completion of each such redesign was (306193).
We have not redesigned our website in the period in question. However, in the interests of transparency, the last redesign of our website took place in 2006/07 at a cost of just over £49,000 and was launched formally in July 2007.
In addition, a major redesign of our website is currently underway, due for completion and launch in February 2010. We have budgeted £75,000 for this project.
I hope this information is helpful.
Civil Service: Internet
Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance is provided to civil servants on their involvement in online social media. [309848]
Angela E. Smith: The Civil Service Code applies to participation online as a civil servant or when discussing government business. Specific guidance for online participation is available to all civil servants at:
Copies of the Civil Service Code and the guidance are also available in the Library of the House.
Departmental Conferences
Mr. Baron: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) which conferences held overseas have been attended by civil servants based in her Department in the last three years; and what the cost to the public purse was of such attendance at each conference; [305871]
(2) how many overseas training courses were attended by her Department's civil servants in the latest period for which figures are available; how many civil servants attended each course; and what the total cost to the public purse was of each course. [305900]
Angela E. Smith:
The Cabinet Office has not organised any overseas training centrally for staff. All Cabinet
Office Management Units have delegated responsibility for spend against their learning and development budgets. The individual management units decide on appropriate learning opportunities to enable their staff to acquire the skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to deliver departmental objectives. This might involve attendance on an internal or external training course as well as a one or more of the following:
job shadowing
one to one coaching
mentoring
E-Learning
personal study.
Information on attendance and cost at courses or conferences is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Employment
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were employed (a) in total and (b) in local government in the UK at the latest date for which information is available. [309395]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning, how many people were employed (a) in total and (b) in local government in the UK. at the latest date for which information is available. (309395)
Estimates of total employment for the UK are derived from the Labour Force Survey. Data for the survey is collected on a monthly basis; the latest date for which information is available is September 2009. It is important to acknowledge, as with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
Estimates of employment for local government in the UK are collected as part of the Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (QPSES). Data for the survey is collected on a quarterly basis; the latest date for which information is available is September 2009.
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