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2 Jun 2010 : Column 24W—continued
Work and Pensions
Children: Maintenance
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency applicants in Bassetlaw were waiting for arrears payments on the latest date for which figures are available. [62]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency applicants in Bassetlaw were waiting for arrears payments on the latest date for which figures are available. [62]
The table below shows the number of cases with arrears in Bassetlaw Local Authority has continued to fall in the last four years. It also shows the amount of arrears collected in each financial year from 2006/07 to 2009/10. As of March 2010, there were 800 cases with outstanding arrears. This is compared with 940 cases in March 2007. The Child Support Agency collected £225,100 in arrears in Bassetlaw Local Authority last year and £820,900 over the last four years.
| Number of cases with outstanding arrears in Bassetlaw Local Authority | ||
| Month | Cases | Arrears collected (£) |
| Notes: 1. Cases are the number of cases by parent with care geography which have outstanding arrears at the end of the month shown. This is rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Arrears Collected shows the amount of arrears collected by non resident parent geography during the year to the month shown. This is rounded to the nearest £100. | ||
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department plans to take to reduce its carbon emissions by 10 per cent. in 2010-11. [55]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions already has a range of measures planned to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency over the coming year, which will also provide ongoing financial savings. These include the installation of a combined heat and power unit in Quarry House, Leeds, saving £93,000 and 428 tonnes of CO2 per year, and the launch of a joint energy campaign (AWaRE-Avoid Waste and Reduce Energy) with estates partners Telereal Trillium.
A full range of activities is included within our Carbon Reduction Delivery Plan and already in work. These include:
Further audits of buildings to identify site specific energy saving 'spend-to-save' initiatives.
Challenging DWP businesses to seek out local opportunities to reduce energy consumption.
Introducing volunteer 'Energy Wardens' across DWP sites to help promote and encourage energy efficient behaviours from staff.
Working with the Carbon Trust to identify potential funding schemes for long payback low-carbon initiatives such as solar, wind, biomass etc; and also to undertake a detailed study on the use of LED lighting in Jobcentre Plus public areas and across all offices.
Looking at the potential to use feed-in tariffs to incentivise on-site generation.
Working with the Building Research Establishment to identify best in class 'end-of-life' plant and equipment replacements.
Building carbon efficiency into IT strategies and ongoing management.
Building the case for flexible working into the Estate Strategy and also making low-carbon location choices.
Jobcentre Plus: Translation Services
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on translation facilities for benefits claimants in the most recent year for which figures are available. [669]
Chris Grayling: The most recent figures available are for 2008-09 when under the previous Government £4,380,993 was spent on translation services.
The Department procures its translation services from providers. We are working with providers to streamline the services we receive, as well as collaborating in a cross-Government initiative to link up services across Departments. These steps will lead to greater efficiency and lower costs.
Culture, Media and Sport
Advertising: Abortion
Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will review the operation of the regulations governing the advertisement of abortion services on television; and if he will make a statement. [155]
Mr Vaizey: Broadcast advertising is strictly controlled by the Advertising Standards Authority working in a co-regulatory partnership with Ofcom. This regulatory regime is independent of Government and sets the standards for all television advertising. Under existing rules non-commercial providers of post-conception advice services are permitted to advertise on television in the UK. However, the body responsible for writing and maintaining the broadcast advertising code, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, recently consulted on possible changes to the rules in this area. We understand that the regulators will make a statement on this subject later this year.
If, in exceptional circumstances, the Secretary of State was persuaded that the rules in this area were not strong enough there are, ultimately, powers under the Communications Act to direct Ofcom on the descriptions of advertisements that should not be included in programme services.
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what representations he has received from (a) members of the public, (b) hon. Members and (c) Members of the House of Lords against television advertisements for abortion services since 15 May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [234]
Mr Vaizey: At 26 May, 603 pieces of electronic correspondence have been received from members of the public about television advertisements for post-conception advice services. Five pieces of correspondence on the same subject have been received from MPs, and none has been received from Members of the House of Lords. Of the total received, 607 representations oppose the advert.
Broadcast advertising is strictly controlled by the Advertising Standards Authority
working in a co-regulatory partnership with Ofcom. This regulatory regime is independent of Government and sets the standards for all television advertising. Under existing rules non-commercial providers of post-conception advice services are permitted to advertise on television in the UK.
If, in exceptional circumstances, the Secretary of State was persuaded that the rules in this area were not strong enough there are, ultimately, powers under the Communications Act to direct Ofcom on the descriptions of advertisements that should not be included in programme services.
BBC
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what meetings (a) he has had with the BBC since his appointment and (b) plans to have in the next two months; what the agenda was of each such meeting; who attended each such meeting; if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each such meeting; and if he will make a statement. [191]
Mr Vaizey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not yet met with the BBC Trust in his role as Secretary of State but will do so in the coming weeks as part of a number of introductory meetings with key partners across the Department's sectors.
No formal agenda has yet been set for such meetings.
Any such meetings will be private; a copy of any minutes will not be placed in the House Libraries.
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what account he plans to take of the BBC's undertakings to ensure the (a) making of efficiency savings and (b) prevention of inflation of staff and talent costs in determining the future level of the BBC licence fee; and if he will make a statement. [193]
Mr Vaizey: All relevant factors will be taken into account in setting the level of the television licence fee in future.
Mr Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he next plans to meet (a) the Chairman of the BBC Trust and (b) the
Director General of the BBC; and if he will make a statement. [238]
Mr Vaizey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is meeting a number of key stakeholders, including the BBC, in the coming weeks.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent staff at each Civil Service grade are employed in the private office of each Minister in his Department. [128]
Hugh Robertson: This Department currently employs 14 full-time equivalent staff to support the Ministers. The number of full-time equivalents, by grade, in the private office of each Minister is shown in the table:
| Office | Civil Service Grades | Total | ||||
| Executive Officer | Higher/Senior Executive Officer | Grade 7 | Grade 6 | Senior Civil Servant Pay Band 1 | ||
Departmental Official Cars
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many Government (a) cars and (b) drivers are allocated to Ministers in his Department. [289]
Hugh Robertson: This Department has no cars or drivers allocated to Ministers.
The new ministerial code, published on 21 May 2010, contains changes that affect ministerial entitlement to travel by Government car. It states that
"the number of Ministers with allocated cars and drivers will be kept to a minimum, taking into account security and other relevant considerations. Other Ministers will be entitled to use cars from the Government Car Service Pool as needed".
The Department for Transport and its Government Car and Despatch Agency are working with departments to effect the transition to the new arrangements.
The ministerial code, published on 21 May 2010, is available on the Cabinet Office website.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when and in what form he plans to publish a list of all items of expenditure by his Department over £25,000. [269]
Hugh Robertson: We are currently formulating the processes and timings for when the list of items of expenditure by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport over £25,000 will be published. Details will be published on our website in due course.
Listed Buildings
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he expects to announce the future listings and protected status of (a) buildings, (b) monuments, (c) harbours and (d) other structures. [690]
John Penrose: Decisions on a small number of listing applications have been delayed during the election period. We aim to make decisions on these as soon as possible. Over 30 cases have been decided in the last two weeks.
Treasury
Civil Servants: East Midlands
Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to relocate civil service employees or Government agencies to (a) Nottingham and (b) the East Midlands; and if he will make a statement. [59]
Danny Alexander: There are currently no plans held centrally by the Chancellor's departments to relocate civil service employees or Government agencies to (a) Nottingham and (b) the East Midlands. I will not be making a statement on this matter.
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