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1 Feb 2010 : Column 76W—continued
WG1 Solar Thermal;
WG2 Solar Photovoltaic;
WG3 Wind;
WG4 Micro Hydro;
WG5 Biomass;
WG6 Heat Pumps;
WG7 Micro CHP;
WG8 Renewable CHP;
WG9 Fuel Cells;
WG10 Roofing Issues.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what process was used to elect the Chair of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme; and what the role of the Chair of the Scheme is. [312473]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 21 January 2010]: The Chair of the MCS Steering Group is elected by members of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) Steering Group. Members of the MCS Steering Group represent stakeholders that have a relevant interest in the microgeneration industry.
The election process requires members of the MCS Steering Group to put forward nominations for the post of Chair. Nominees do not have to be members of the MCS Steering Group but must meet criteria appropriate for the post. The Steering Group members are sent ballot papers by post and asked to vote for one nominee. The process is managed by Gemserv, the MCS Administrator.
The current Chair, Gideon Richards, was appointed by this process on 22 June 2009. The role of the MCS Steering Group Chairman is to chair all MCS Steering
Group meetings. He undertakes to put key MCS decisions to a vote of the Steering Group and ensures that new MCS standards, and revisions to MCS standards, are approved by MCS Steering Group members.
The wider remit of the Chair of the MCS Steering Panel is to ensure that the needs of consumers, industry, certification bodies, manufacturers and other stakeholders are carefully balanced and that the MCS standards are maintained and developed in line with European and international requirements.
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many Microgeneration Certification Scheme certificates have been issued to installers. [314337]
Joan Ruddock: As of 22 January 2010, Gemserv (MCS Administrator) has issued 519 MCS certificates to installer companies.
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the average cost to an installer of microgeneration products of the steps necessary to attain certification under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. [314393]
Joan Ruddock: The cost for installer companies to become MCS certificated includes a range of variables, such as the type of technology being installed, the certification body's costs, quality assurance systems already in place, as well as other factors. An installer company can contact a MCS certification body-see list of CBs at:
to seek an estimate of likely costs for their specific requirements.
Product certification includes the following elements:
(a) Manufacturer to ensure that it meets the scheme requirements (MCS standards).
(b) Factory production control assessment.
(c) Verification of test protocols.
Further information is available on the scheme's website:
Wind Power
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's estimate is of the number of off-shore wind farms to be licensed over the next 10 years. [313955]
Mr. Kidney: It is not possible to estimate the number of licence applications that might be made over the next 10 years for offshore wind farms, because this will depend on the number of projects brought forward by developers. It is also not possible to know how many applications will then receive the necessary development consent orders, as the success of an application depends on a whole range of factors.
Home Department
Airguns
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many air weapons have been seized by police in each year since 1997. [312758]
Mr. Alan Campbell: These data are not collected centrally.
Alcoholic Drinks: Prosecutions
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many under 18-year-olds have been (a) arrested, (b) cautioned and (c) prosecuted for alcohol-related offences in each year since 1997. [313621]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 27 January 2010]: Information showing the number of offenders aged 10 to 17 years cautioned and proceeded against in England and Wales for alcohol-related offences from 1997 to 2007 (latest available) can be viewed in the following table.
The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally. The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery.
Data for 2008 will be available very soon.
| N umber of persons aged 10 to 17 years cautioned and the number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for alcohol related offences( 1) , England and Wales, 1997 to 2007 | ||
| Cautioned( 2,3) | Proceeded against( 4) | |
| (1) Includes offences of: Drunkenness, simple; Drunkenness, with aggravation; Offence by licensed person, etc.; Driving after consuming alcohol or taking drugs. Other offences against Intoxicating Liquor Laws. (2) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (3) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (4) The prosecutions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice. | ||
Asylum: Rape
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) national guidelines and (b) international agreements apply to women seeking asylum who have been rape victims; what account is taken of the provisions of such guidelines and agreements in assessing such applications; in what circumstances such women may be deported if their asylum applications fail; and what (i) support and (ii) advice is provided for such women who are held in immigration removal centres. [311434]
Mr. Woolas: All asylum and human rights claims, including those from women who assert they have been, or fear becoming, victims of rape are carefully considered in accordance with the UK's obligations under the 1951 refugee convention and the European convention on human rights (ECHR) and the UK's immigration rules. Every case is considered on its individual merits in the light of country of origin information based upon published and respected sources which are regularly reviewed and updated.
Although gender is not listed as a basis on which asylum can be sought under the 1951 convention, in some cases gender may be a factor in recognising membership of a "particular social group" or an identifying characteristic of such a group and there are forms of harm that are more frequently or only used against women and which may amount to persecution.
The UK Border Agency's case owner foundation training programme covers gender issues in the asylum claim and in addition case owners receive instruction on dealing sensitively with asylum applicants who claim to have been tortured or raped. There is specific written guidance for asylum decision makers on gender issues and victims of trafficking.
Where a decision has been made that a person does not require international protection, and there are no remaining rights of appeal or obstacles to their return, we expect unsuccessful asylum seekers to return voluntarily to their country of origin. If they do not return voluntarily we may seek to enforce their return.
All detainees arriving at an immigration removal centre are advised of their right to legal representation and how such representation can be obtained within 24 hours of arrival, and they are able to apply for bail as often as they wish.
Advice and support available to detainees held at Yarl's Wood, the main removal centre for women and families, include:
twice-weekly legal advice surgeries funded by the Legal Services Commission;
two full-time welfare officers;
pastoral care provided by the on-site religious team;
an on-site counsellor; and
weekly focus groups where detainees can raise any concerns/issues/topics.
Borders: Personal Records
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated number of passenger movements (a) into and (b) from the UK was in each of the last five years; and what percentage of them were subject to (i) an entry and (ii) an exit check. [306313]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 14 December 2009]: This capability is currently being rolled out through the e-Borders programme. We estimate that e-Borders is currently tracking, in advance of travel, 100 million passengers annually, which is equivalent to 45 to 50 per cent. of all passenger movements into and out of the UK. This figure is pending formal verification by statisticians.
The estimated numbers of passenger movements into and out of the UK by air, sea and Channel Tunnel are compiled by the Department for Transport and are available in their publication Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2009 Edition, which can be found at the following weblink:
A copy is available in the House Library.
Over the last five years the total estimated numbers of passenger arrivals and departures by air, sea and Channel Tunnel are as follows:
| Total number of passenger movements | ||||
| Million | ||||
| Air | Sea | Channel Tunnel | Total | |
| Source: Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2009 Edition-Table 2.2b (air), Table 5.11 (sea) and Table 6.8 (Channel Tunnel) | ||||
All passengers who seek entry or admission to the UK are subject to entry checks at the Border before being allowed into the UK.
Embarkation checks at the Border are carried out on an intelligence led basis. UKBA does not routinely record the numbers of passengers processed during these operations.
Closed Circuit Television: Local Government
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department and its agencies has given to local authorities on the use of CCTV cameras fitted with microphones. [311794]
Mr. Alan Campbell: No guidance has been issued by the Home Office. However, the Information Commissioner has included guidance on the use of CCTV cameras with microphones in his CCTV code of practice.
The code of practice offers guidance to all operators of CCTV cameras to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. In addition, the Information Commissioner's Office provides guidance to any Data Controller in response to specific queries, which could include queries relating to the operation of CCTV cameras.
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