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22 Feb 2010 : Column 295W—continued
Higher Education: Student Numbers
Stephen Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students enrolled on their first full-time degree course in the latest year for which figures are available. [317338]
Mr. Lammy: Of the 423,455 full-time degree entrants to UK higher education institutions, 6,815 listed a degree as their highest qualification on entry to their 2008-09 degree. This leaves 416,640 entrants who had other qualifications listed. However, some entrants may have previously completed a degree, followed by a postgraduate course. These entrants would not be picked up as their highest qualification on entry would be listed as a postgraduate course, although they had previously studied a degree.
Holiday Leave: Feltham
Alan Keen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many residents of Feltham and Heston constituency qualify for paid leave entitlements. [316690]
Mr. McFadden: All workers resident in Feltham and Heston qualify for paid annual leave entitlements. The statutory minimum as set out in the working time regulations is at least 5.6 weeks.
Numbers of workers resident in Feltham and Heston are not available, however, there were a total of 53,400 employees who worked in Feltham and Heston (but did not necessarily live there) in 2008, who would qualify for paid annual leave entitlement.
Maternity Leave: Hemsworth
Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what percentage of women resident in Hemsworth have taken 26 weeks maternity leave since 1997. [316609]
Mr. McFadden: The most recent estimates of take-up of maternity leave are based on the DWP "Maternity Rights and Mothers' employment decisions in Britain; Survey of Mothers" (2007). In 2006, when mothers included in the study went on maternity leave, the statutory entitlement to ordinary maternity leave (OML) was 26 weeks, while mothers who had worked for their employer for a qualifying period of 26 weeks were also entitled to additional maternity leave (AML) of 26 weeks.
For mothers taking maternity leave in 2006:
84 per cent. took 26 weeks or more maternity leave;
35 per cent. took exactly 26 weeks maternity leave;
46 per cent. of mothers took between 27 and 52 weeks and only 3 per cent. were off for more than 52 weeks; and
16 per cent. of mothers took less than the statutory minimum entitlement (i.e. 26 weeks in 2006).
The Department does not collect data on take-up of maternity and paternity leave at constituency level.
Minimum Wage
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of people who have been paid at the national minimum wage rate in the last two years. [316363]
Mr. McFadden: Due to rounding in the conversion of payroll data into hourly wage rates in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) it is likely that a sizeable number of employees earning the NMW are reported in the survey to have a wage rate just above or below this level. This may mean that the estimated number of employees earning exactly at the NMW rate differs from the actual number. In addition, small sample sizes in ASHE for 16 to 17 and 18 to 21-year-olds means the number of job-holders earning a specific wage rate cannot be inferred with sufficient certainty. For these reasons BIS has provided estimates for the number of employees earning a wage at or below the NMW in the UK rather than those paid exactly at the NMW.
This analysis of the 2009 ASHE indicates that 788,000 employees earned a wage at or below the national minimum wage (NMW) rate in April 2009. The corresponding figure from analysis of the 2008 ASHE is 834,000 employees.
The estimates include the number of jobs paid below the NMW. These cannot be taken as estimates of underpayment as there are legitimate exemptions in the legislation including some apprentices and those receiving accommodation from their employer.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people aged between 16 and 24 years in (a) Hemsworth and (b) Wakefield have been paid at the rate of the minimum wage or above since its introduction. [316711]
Mr. McFadden: Data for earnings is not available at the constituency level because of small sample sizes at this level in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).
BIS analysis of the most recent ASHE indicates that a total of 291,000 employees in the Yorkshire and Humber region aged between 16 and 24 years earned a wage rate at or above the level of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in April 2009.
Minimum Wage: Feltham
Alan Keen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many of those resident in Feltham and Heston constituency have been paid at the national minimum wage rate since its introduction. [316701]
Mr. McFadden: Data for earnings are not available at the constituency level because of small sample sizes at this level in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).
At the regional level it is not possible to infer the number of employees earning exactly at the National Minimum Wage (NMW) with sufficient certainty. However it is possible to estimate the number who were paid at or below the NMW.
At the Government office region level the most recent figure from BIS analysis of the 2009 ASHE indicates the number of jobholders who were paid at or below the NMW in April 2009 in the London region was 62,000.
Music: Copyright
Dan Rogerson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment has been made of the likely effects of proposed changes to music licensing legislation on (a) churches and other religious establishments and (b) small voluntary organisations in North Cornwall. [316982]
Mr. Lammy: The Government did not undertake any region by region assessment and therefore North Cornwall was not considered on an individual basis. However, as part of the consultation process a final impact assessment was commissioned from independent consultants, Europe Economics. This assessment estimated the impact on groups across the UK which would be affected. A shortened and updated form was published on 12 November 2009 with the Government response which was placed in the Library of the House. This contains a weblink to the full Europe Economics impact assessment.
The exact impact will be determined by the outcome of consultations between Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) and organisations concerned on licence fee levels. However, PPL has agreed to voluntarily exempt music as part of divine worship and domestic/family occasions such as weddings. As part of this process it is essential that PPL work with the third sector to agree reasonable and appropriate tariffs. We value the contribution musical performers make to the economic and cultural success of our country. We have got to make sure that they are rewarded for their efforts so they can continue creating. The Government want to ensure that discussions between PPL and the third sector are facilitated so that the outcome is satisfactory for all concerned. A mutually agreed solution is vital if the needs of both PPL members and the third sector are to be met. I remain confident that this will be possible.
One North East and North East Economic Forum: Public Relations
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what payments the (a) North East Development Agency and (b) North East Economic Forum has made to Sovereign Strategy in each of the last three years; for what purposes; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract under which such payments have been made. [302304]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is as follows:
(a) One North East, the Regional Development Agency for the North East of England has made one payment to Sovereign Strategy in March 2007 for £23,500.
This payment was for sponsorship of a conference event dated 17 November 2006 relating to the North East Economic Forum.
As the payment was in the form of sponsorship, a contract is not applicable.
(b) The North East Economic Forum is a separate legal entity independent of Government and therefore I am unable to provide the information.
Overseas Students: Admissions
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many foreign students have been refused entry to the UK since 2001; and what the reason for refusal was in each case. [311501]
Mr. Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
The requested information is only available from 2004 onwards.
Since 2004, our records show that 577,993 student applications were refused leave to enter the UK at our visa issuing posts worldwide. A further 8,629 foreign students were refused entry to the UK at the border during the same period.
The reason for refusal in each case could be obtained by a detailed examination of individual records only at a disproportionate cost so will not be provided.
These figures have been extracted from locally collated management information, using a live database, which means that it is provisional and may be subject to change.
Post Offices
Peter Luff: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether all Post Office branches hold information for customers on his Department's consultation on financial and banking products available through the Post Office; and if he will make a statement. [314580]
Mr. McFadden: Post Office Limited have informed us that leaflets with details of the consultation on post office banking have been sent to all post offices.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of sub-post offices operate as (a) a stand-alone business and (b) one of (i) two, (ii) three and (iii) four or more businesses. [315885]
Mr. McFadden: I have asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many post offices have closed in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland in each year since 1987. [316898]
Mr. McFadden: I have asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Post Offices: Bank Services
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the Consumer Focus report entitled Opportunity Knocks published on 1 January 2010. [316540]
Mr. McFadden: The Government welcome the Consumer Focus report entitled Opportunity Knocks. Together with responses to the consultation on post office banking which is currently under way, it will help to inform the further development of banking and financial services available at post offices.
Regional Development Agencies: Offices
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait) of 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 288W, on regional development agencies: offices, what the address is of each overseas office of each regional development agency; how many staff are employed in each such office; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such office in each of the last three years. [314949]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I will place a copy of the details requested in the Libraries of the House.
Strategic Investment Fund
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding from the £200 million allocated to the Strategic Investment Fund in the 2009 Pre-Budget Report has been (a) allocated and (b) disbursed to each project in each (i) constituency, (ii) local authority area and (iii) Government Office region. [315806]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 9 February 2010]: In allocating the additional £200 million in the 2009 Pre-Budget Report, the Chancellor specified that £50 million would be spent on offshore wind investment, £30 million on low carbon vehicles, £30 million on decarbonisation of the chemicals industry on Teesside, £40 million on other low carbon projects, £5 million for new TSB prize funds in innovative technology and £5 million on enterprise support for service personnel. The money is available to spend only in the financial year 2010-11. This money has not yet been legally committed or disbursed.
In most cases, the location will be the subject of further competitions, for example through the TSB or the Office of Low Emission Vehicles, where funding is allocated on the basis of open and competitive bids throughout the UK which will be assessed strictly and solely on the basis of merit.
Students: Finance
Mr. Laws: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the cost of (a) fee loans, (b) maintenance loans and (c) maintenance grants for full-time higher education students and (i) fee grants and (ii) maintenance grants for part-time higher education students is expected to be in (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11. [317088]
Mr. Lammy: The current estimated provisions for 2009-10 and 2010-11 for England only are:
| £million | ||
| Programme | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
As fee grants and maintenance grants are not treated separately for part-time higher education students accounts it is not possible to provide a breakdown of this figure.
The Resource Accounting and Budgeting (RAB) cost figures represent the cost to the Government, not the cash made available to students for their support, tuition fee or payments made to universities on behalf of students. RAB costs are made up of interest rate subsidy together with the costs of loans that are not repaid as a matter of policy, for example loans that are written off after 25 years, or death.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the resource cost of (a) fee loans and (b) maintenance loans for full-time higher education students in England was in the latest period for which figures are available. [317089]
Mr. Lammy: In financial year 2008-09, the resource cost to Government of tuition fee loans was £546 million, and maintenance loans was £574 million for full-time higher education students in England. These costs are made up of interest rate subsidy together with the costs of loans that are not repaid as a matter of policy, for example loans that are written off after 25 years, or death.
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