Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 3 June 2010
House of Commons Commission
Westminster Clock Tower
Mr Knight: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission who gave authority to the BBC to project an illumination of the results of the general election onto the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster on 6 and 7 May; and whether the proposal was considered before a Committee of the House. [211]
Sir Stuart Bell: Approval was given by the Speaker after consultation with the chair of the Administration Committee. The Administration Committee was not able to consider the request before Dissolution.
Cabinet Office
Admiralty Arch
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which Ministers have been allocated accommodation in Admiralty Arch. [22]
Mr Maude: No Ministers have been allocated accommodation in Admiralty Arch.
Departmental Internet
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has for the future of the (a) Number 10 and (b) Cabinet Office website; and if he will make a statement. [17]
Mr Maude: The Government believe that departmental websites should be hubs for debate as well as information-where people come together to discuss issues and address challenges-and that this should be achieved efficiently and, whenever possible using open source software. Any future development of websites run by the Cabinet Office will be assessed and reviewed against these criteria.
Departmental Security
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many (a) current and (b) former employees of (i) the Liberal Democrat Party and (ii) the Conservative Party have been issued with a (A) Cabinet Office and (B) 10 Downing Street security pass; [6]
(2) which Members of the House of Lords have been issued with (a) Cabinet Office passes and (b) Number 10 Downing Street security passes since 6 May 2010. [30]
Mr Maude: Passes for access to 10, 11 and 12 Downing street and the Cabinet Office are issued to staff who work in the building and to individuals who require access for business purposes.
Departmental Travel
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the (a) name and (b) version is of each computer software package used by his Department to calculate travel costs. [28]
Mr Maude: All travel management companies (TMCs) contracted to the Department are required to provide management information in Microsoft Office Excel format. The Cabinet Office utilises Microsoft Office Excel for calculations in relation to its travel costs.
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what budget has been set for international travel by staff of his Department in 2010-11. [29]
Mr Maude: Cabinet Office budgets for 2010-11 have not yet been disaggregated to a level which allows identification of the expected spend for international travel by staff in 2010-11. A budget profiling exercise is currently underway and will be completed shortly.
Electoral Register
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which five local authority wards had the lowest percentage electoral registration rate in each constituency in each region of the UK in the latest period for which figures are available. [172]
Mr Maude: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Government Departments: Data Protection
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he plans to take to maintain the security of Government-held personal data. [19]
Nick Herbert: I have been asked to reply.
The security of personal data is of paramount importance to this Government as is the protection of people's rights in relation to their personal data through the upholding of the Data Protection Act. Since taking office we have moved responsibility for information security and assurance for Government Departments to the National Security Secretariat, based within the Cabinet Office and reporting to the Security Minister. The Information Security and Assurance team and the Office of Cyber Security are in the process of merging to lead a joined-up approach to information assurance and cyber security strategy and policy.
Government Departments are responsible for the protection of personal data that they handle following the rules as set out by the Cabinet Office's Security Policy Framework and the cross-Government requirements on the handling of personal sensitive data.
Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the nationality is of each special adviser employed by the Government. [102]
Mr Maude: Information relating to the nationality of civil servants, including special advisers, is personal information and therefore not normally disclosed.
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many special advisers have been appointed by each Minister in the Government. [479]
Mr Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Helen Goodman).
Ministerial Responsibities
Mr Anderson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he plans to provide to hon. Members a list of Ministerial responsibilities including contact details. [521]
Mr Maude: The 'List of Ministerial Responsibilities' will be published as soon as possible.
Ministers: Codes of Practice
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Ministers (a) had and (b) had not signed the Ministerial Code on 21 May 2010. [14]
Mr Maude: There is no requirement for Ministers to sign the Ministerial Code.
Ministers: Pay
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the planned five per cent. reduction in ministerial salaries will entail a commensurate reduction in pension contributions. [104]
Mr Maude: Under the rules of the Parliamentary Pension Scheme, ministerial pension entitlements are based on the level of salary entitled to rather than taken. The Government will bring forward an Order in Council this year to reduce ministerial salaries, which will mean that there will be a commensurate reduction in pension entitlements.
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much is planned to be saved in 2010-11 as a result of the five per cent. reduction in ministerial salaries. [105]
Mr Maude: The exact amount of savings will depend on the precise composition of the Government over the year. We expect to make savings of over £500,000 per year.
Ministers: Training
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what training his Department has made available to Ministers for their continuing development; [23]
(2) what items are included in the programme for the Ministerial induction courses provided by his Department. [24]
Mr Maude: The National School of Government is a non-ministerial department for which I have responsibility for in Parliament. Consequently, I have asked the chief executive for the National School of Government to respond directly to the hon. Member's parliamentary questions about ministerial training.
Letter from Rod Clark, dated June 2010:
The National School of Government works with the Cabinet Office to provide the Ministerial programme, details of which are available on the National School's website at:
Working closely with the Cabinet Office, the National School of Government's induction workshops for Ministers new to office included: a briefing on the Ministerial Code; a chance to discuss the realities of working as a Minister and working with the Civil Service; and a briefing on the learning and development opportunities available to Ministers. (24)
Non-departmental Public Bodies
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the address is of the head office of each non-departmental public body. [84]
Mr Maude: This information is published by individual Departments. Links to the latest relevant departmental publications can be found on the civil service website at:
PR Week
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many copies of PR Week are regularly purchased for (a) Number 10 Downing Street and (b) the Cabinet Office. [224]
Mr Maude: No. 10 Downing street and the Cabinet Office do not purchase copies of PR Week. There are no subscriptions in place; however, one complementary copy is sent to the Cabinet Office and No. 10 respectively as part of individual staff membership to the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).
Trade Unions
Mr Anderson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to consult trade unions in (a) his Department and (b) its agency on cost reduction plans. [599]
Mr Maude: I already do and will continue to consult with the trade unions about a wide range of topics of mutual interest. This will include the Department's contribution to deficit reduction plans.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Bees
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with (a) the British Beekeepers' Association and (b) the National Bee Unit on bee health; and if she will make a statement. [333]
Richard Benyon:
The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) is an Executive Agency of DEFRA. FERA develops and delivers all aspects of bee health policy, and engages with relevant organisations on behalf of DEFRA, as well as providing supporting scientific
expertise. The National Bee Unit (NBU) is part of FERA, facilitating the Agency's policy unit's regular discussions with both the NBU and relevant organisations on all aspects of bee health.
FERA has regular discussions with the British Beekeepers' Association (BBKA) both through its involvement in the Healthy Bees Plan, in which the BBKA plays an active part, and directly through a range of other activities.
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) plasma and (b) LCD televisions there are in ministerial offices in her Department. [389]
Richard Benyon: Each Minister has an LCD TV in his or her private office. Each room occupied by a ministerial support team also has an LCD TV. There are ten such TVs in total.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many full-time equivalent staff at each Civil Service grade are employed in the private office of each Minister in her Department. [124]
Richard Benyon: The DEFRA ministerial team has four private offices staffed by a team of 26 full-time staff. The breakdown is set out in the following table. It excludes (a) staff on temporary contracts, (b) the special adviser and (c) staff employed in the Permanent Secretary's private office and parliamentary branch.
| Grade | Secretary of State | Minister of State | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Commons) | Parliamentary Under - Secretary of State (Lords) |
Game: Animal Welfare
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to bring the code of practice for the welfare of game birds reared for sporting purposes into force. [350]
Mr Paice:
I have decided to withdraw from Parliament the Code of Practice for the welfare of game birds
reared for sporting purposes because I do not consider that it is entirely based on scientific evidence, particularly in relation to the housing of breeding birds. I have also reconvened the working group which drafted the original code, with the intention of amending the code and re-laying it before Parliament for approval as soon as possible.
Water Charges
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether she has sought the views of Ofwat on the recommendations in Chapter 14 of the Walker Review of water service charges; [680]
(2) what assessment she has made of the merits of applying the recommendations of chapter 14 of the Walker Review of water service charges to South West Water; [681]
(3) if she will consider the introduction of a nationally-funded vulnerability tariff for water customers to protect those areas with exceptionally high household charges. [689]
Richard Benyon: Ministers will examine the conclusions of the Walker review and respond to them in due course.
Meanwhile, as recommended in the Walker review, Ofwat is looking at the specific recommendations outlined in chapter 14 concerning water charges in the south-west. We will consider Ofwat's findings once they are available.
Justice
Care Proceedings
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average time taken to complete court care proceedings was in each local authority area in each year since 2003-04. [225]
Mr Djanogly: The following table shows the average number of weeks from the date an application was lodged to the date an order was made for care and supervision cases in England and Wales. Statistics for 2009-10 are not yet available. Data are presented by HM Courts Service areas, as a local authority area breakdown is not collected centrally and could be obtained only through the inspection of individual case files at disproportionate cost. Data are provided for county courts from 2003-04 to 2008-09. For Family Proceedings Courts data are only available for 2008-09 based on the same geographical areas. Completed cases are counted by child for the Family Proceedings Courts and by orders made for the county courts.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many care proceedings cases in each local authority area are currently open in the family courts; how many were open in each of the last five years; and how many have reached a conclusion (a) in 2010 to date and (b) each of the last five years. [226] [Official Report, 21 March 2011, Vol. 525, c. 11MC.]
Mr Djanogly: Table 1 shows the number of care and supervision cases outstanding as at the end of December in each year from 2005 to 2009 in the Family Proceedings Courts and County Courts of England and Wales. Data are presented by HM Courts Service areas as a local authority area breakdown is not collected centrally and could be obtained only through the inspection of individual case files at disproportionate cost.
Table 2 shows the number of care and supervision orders made in each calendar year from 2004 to 2008 for County Courts and the High Court.
| Table 2 | |||||
| Care and supervision orders made in the County Courts and High Court, England and Wales | |||||
| HMCS area | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Notes: 1. The data are taken from the HMCS FamilyMan System. 2. Figures relate to the number of children subject to each application. 3. Disposals in each year may relate to applications made in earlier years. 4. Figures are provided for County Courts and the High Court. | |||||
Table 3 shows the number of care and supervision orders made from April 2007 to December 2008 in the Family Proceedings Courts; figures for earlier periods are not available for these areas.
More recent statistics than those shown are not yet available.
| Table 3 | ||
| Care and supervision orders made in the Family Proceedings Courts, England and Wales | ||
| HMCS area | April 2007 to December 2007 | January 2008 to December 2008 |
| Notes: 1. The data are taken from the HMCS FamilyMan System and One Performance Truth database. 2. Figures relate to the number of children subject to each application. 3. Disposals in 2007 and 2008 may relate to applications made in earlier years. 4. Figures are provided for Family Proceedings Court. 5. For Family Proceedings Courts the earliest available data that can be broken down by HMCS area is from April 2007. Therefore figures for 2007 relate to data from April 2007 to December 2007. | ||
Contact Orders
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many (a) mothers and (b) fathers breached contact orders in each of the last three years; and what proportion of those breaches resulted in (i) a fine and (ii) imprisonment in each such year; [8]
(2) how many contact orders relating to the movement of children abroad were granted in the last three years; [139]
(3) how many contact orders were breached in the last three years; [140]
(4) how many contact orders were made in (a) public and (b) private in each of the last three years. [141]
Mr Djanogly:
The following table shows the number of public and private law Section 8 contact orders made in the family courts in England and Wales between the years of 2006 and 2008. 2008 is the latest year for which data on orders made have been published. Statistics on contact orders made are published by the Ministry of Justice in the annual Command Paper "Judicial and
Court Statistics", copies of which are available in the Library of the House and on the Ministry's website at:
| Section 8 contact orders made in all tiers of court between 2006 and 2008, by whether public or private law | |||
| Public | Private | Total | |
| Notes: 1. Figures presented are for England and Wales only. 2. Figures relate to the number of children subject to each application. 3. Disposals in each year may relate to applications made in earlier years. 4. Data for 2006 have been revised. 5. All tiers of court are represented in the answer; specifically the family proceedings court, county court and High Court. Source: Judicial and Court Statistics | |||
Information about the number of contact orders made relating to the movement of children abroad is not held centrally, and could be obtained through the inspection of individual files only at disproportionate cost.
It is not possible to know whether a contact order was breached unless either a new contact order is applied for, or an enforcement order is applied for to enforce the original contact order. The enforcement order was introduced in December 2008. There were 1,081 applications for enforcement orders in respect of contact orders, in the county courts during calendar year 2009. Information on which parent breached a contact order is not held centrally.
Electoral Register
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of persons resident in each constituency eligible to vote and not on the electoral register. [33]
Mr Maude: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated May 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking what estimate has been made of the number of persons resident in each constituency eligible to vote and not on the electoral register (33).
ONS does not have the data required to answer your question. Data are collected on the number of UK citizens resident in Parliamentary Constituencies who are registered to vote, but no data are collected on the number of people who are eligible to vote but who choose not to register.
Fines: Surcharges
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make it his policy to abolish the practice whereby courts add a victim surcharge to penalties imposed for offences in cases where there is no victim. [266]
Mr Blunt:
The Government are committed to ensuring that offenders pay financial reparation to victims of crime. We firmly believe that offenders should take
responsibility, regardless of the offence committed, for compensating victims and contributing toward the cost of supporting them to overcome the effects of crime. A victim surcharge of £15, used to fund victims' services, is currently applied to all sentences which include a fine.
In line with our commitments in the coalition agreement to a sentencing review, we are exploring ways in which offenders might contribute to services and support for their victims and victims generally.
Pleural Plaques: Compensation
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals for compensation of people with pleural plaques; and if he will make a statement. [247]
Mr Djanogly: In the light of the medical evidence available on pleural plaques, the Government do not consider it appropriate to overturn the House of Lords 2007 judgment that the condition is not compensatable under the civil law of tort. The Government will proceed with the implementation of the previously announced limited extra-statutory scheme to provide one-off payments to individuals who had begun, but not resolved, a legal claim for compensation for pleural plaques at the time of the House of Lords judgment. We hope that the scheme will be in a position to start accepting claims from the end of June.
Prisoners
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the likely size of the prison population in May 2011; and if he will make a statement. [339]
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice produces annual projections of the prison population in England and Wales, most recently in August 2009. These project the prison population under three different scenarios (high, medium and low), based on different assumptions about future sentencing trends. In May 2011, the projected total populations are: 89,200 under the high scenario, 87,500 under the medium scenario and 85,600 under the low scenario. These figures incorporate the impact of the ending of End of Custody Licence (ECL).
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the prison population was in (a) May 1997, (b) in May 2001, (c) in May 2002 and (d) on the latest date for which figures are available. [403]
Mr Blunt: The prison population in England and Wales on the last day of May for 1997 was 60,335, last day of May 2001 was 66,012, for the last day of May 2005 was 76,141 and for 21 May 2010 (latest available) was 85,201.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Prisons: Construction
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has for the future of the prison building programme. [134]
Mr Blunt: As part of the rehabilitation revolution, we will work towards providing a fit for purpose prison estate through building new prisons and closing inefficient and worn out places.
The National Offender Management Service will deliver over 14,000 prison places under the prison capacity programme by 2012. A planning application for a new 1500 place prison at Runwell in Essex has been submitted to Chelmsford borough council. At the same time we are undertaking a review of sentencing and will continue to keep our prison population and capacity projections under review in the light of this.
Residence Orders
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) mothers and (b) fathers have applied for residency orders; and what proportion of these were successful in each of the last three years. [9]
Mr Djanogly: The information requested is as follows.
Tables 1 and 2, show for each of the last three calendar years, the number of applications made for residence orders where the applicant relationship to child was recorded as father or mother.
| Table 1: Applications for section 8 Residence Orders under the Children Act 1989 by mothers or fathers in private law cases in the High Court or County Court in England and Wales, 2007 to 2009 | ||||
| Private Law | ||||
| Mother | Father | Other relationship, or no information recorded | Total residence orders applied for | |
| Table 2: Applications for section 8 Residence Orders under the Children Act 1989 by mothers or fathers in public law cases in the High Court or County Court in England and Wales, 2007 to 2009 | ||||
| Public Law | ||||
| Mother | Father | Other relationship, or no information recorded | Total residence orders applied for | |
The figures reflect the number of applications made, counted by child. This means that an application was made in respect of two children will be counted twice. The figures may not exactly match previously published figures as they were produced using a more recent extract from the family court administrative data system and reflect any updates to information held in the meantime.
The figures exclude applications made in Family Proceedings Courts as information on applicant relationship to child is not held centrally for all Family Proceedings Courts.
It is not possible to determine the proportion of the applications which were successful as no information is held centrally on which person in the relevant case receives a residence order. However, the numbers of
section 8 residence orders made in the County Court or High Court in England and Wales during 2007 and 2008, as published in the annual "Judicial and Court Statistics" report, are given in Table 3. Statistics on residence orders made in 2009 are not yet available and will be published in the next edition of the Ministry of Justice's "Judicial and Court Statistics" report in September 2010. Copies of these reports are available in the Library of the House and on the Ministry of Justice website at
| Table 3: Section 8 Residence Orders made under the Children Act 1989 in the High Court or County Court in England and Wales, 2007 to 2008 | ||
| Private Law | Public Law | |
Attorney-General
Burglary: Self-defence
Mr Buckland: To ask the Attorney-General if he will make it his policy to revise the Code for Crown Prosecutors, with particular reference to the rights of householders to protect their (a) persons and (b) property. [837]
The Solicitor-General: I have been asked to reply.
The Code for Crown Prosecutors is issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions under Section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 and provides guidance to prosecutors on the general principles to be applied in all prosecutorial decisions. It is kept under regular review to ensure that it remains in line with legislative and policy changes. It has recently been revised, following public consultation, and was published on 22 February 2010.
The DPP has additional legal guidance on the application of these broader principles in specific circumstances, including cases involving householders using force on intruders. In the light of the publication of the Coalition commitment to ensuring that people have the protection that they need when they defend themselves against intruders, consideration will be given to reviewing this guidance to prosecutors in due course.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Attorney-General what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the (a) implementation of penalty clauses and payments in its contracts and (b) potential legal action arising from the deferral and cancellation of contracts and projects under his Department's plans to achieve cost savings; and whether those estimates are included in the total cost savings to be achieved by his Department. [570]
The Attorney-General: The Attorney-General's office has not incurred any additional costs due to the cancellation of contracts or projects.
All current contracts are continuously reviewed to ensure that they represent the best value for money and meet business requirements.
Euthanasia
Mr Knight: To ask the Attorney-General if he will review the appropriateness of the assisted suicide policy published by the Director of Public Prosecutions in February. [525]
The Attorney-General: I do not have any plans to invite the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to review his policy, issued on 25 February 2010, on prosecuting cases of encouraging or assisting suicide.
The DPP published his policy following the judgment of the House of Lords in R (on the application of Purdy) v . DPP on 30 July 2009 which required him to outline the public interest factors, both for and against prosecution, that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will take into account in considering such cases. As was outlined at the time of publication, the policy does not change the law, nor does it sanction the taking of life by another person. The policy should be read in conjunction with the Code for Crown Prosecutors which continues to apply in all cases.
The policy replaced the DPP Interim Policy, published in September 2009, and followed a period of extensive public consultation.
Mr Knight: To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of suspected assisted suicide have been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many of these cases proceeded to court. [526]
The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) keeps central records of the numbers of charged offences reaching a first hearing in magistrates courts under section 2(1) Suicide Act 1961, that is, cases of assisted suicide. Table 1 outlines the numbers recorded over the last three years:
| Table 1: Charged offences reaching a first hearing in the magistrates courts | |
| Number of cases | |
Cases of assisted suicide have been required to be referred to CPS headquarters only since December 2008 and more detailed records are only available since then. Based both on that information and other records covering the years 2008-09 and 2009-10, the numbers of cases referred to the CPS in which a decision not to prosecute has been made over the last three years are outlined in Table 2:
| Table 2: Cases of suspected assisted suicide sent to the CPS | |
| Number of cases | |
These cases may include those in which it was decided that the two-stage Full Code Test in the Code for Crown Prosecutors was not met, and those which resulted in a different charged offence, for example, murder or manslaughter. These data may not be exhaustive, and do not include those charged offences that reached a first hearing in the magistrates' courts outlined in Table 1.
In addition, there are currently a number of other cases of suspected assisted suicide in which the investigation and/or charging process is yet to be completed.
Work and Pensions
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) plasma and (b) LCD televisions there are in Ministerial offices in his Department. [400]
Chris Grayling: The previous Government purchased a total of 9 LCD TVs and no plasma TVs in ministerial offices in the Department.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when and in what form he plans to publish a list of all items of expenditure by his Department over £25,000. [285]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions will follow the Government policy and processes for publishing expenditure over £25,000 which are currently being developed by the Office of Government Commerce.
Future Jobs Fund: Leeds
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in (a) Leeds Central constituency and (b) the city of Leeds are participating in the Future Jobs Fund. [131]
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Leeds West constituency have received assistance from the Future Jobs Fund. [767]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
Future Jobs Fund: North East
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Hartlepool constituency and (b) the North East region have been placed into employment as a result of funding from the Future Jobs Fund. [249]
Chris Grayling: The information is not available by parliamentary constituency.
Official statistics released by the Department for Work and Pensions shows that 420 people began a Future Jobs Fund placement in the North East region between October 2009 and January 2010.
State Retirement Pensions: Payments
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what his Department's policy is on provision of pensions to pensioners by cheques; and what arrangements his Department is making for pensioners who wish to continue receiving their payments by cheque; [406]
(2) how many pensioners receive their state pension payments by cheque. [404]
Steve Webb: Making payments direct into an account, including a post office card account, is the way the Department pays pensions and benefits because it is safe, efficient and fast. Cheque payment is available for those customers who, exceptionally, cannot be paid into an account of any kind.
The Department has begun the process to replace the current system of cheques. Cheques are more vulnerable to fraud than payments into an account and the replacement product will better provide the security that is needed to protect the taxpayer against fraud and abuse. We have worked with stakeholders to ensure that the new service meets the needs of all customers who are unable to operate an account of any kind, including the more vulnerable.
The Department's statistical information is broken down by benefit or pension account rather than by individual. As at February 2010, the latest date for which information is available, the number of state retirement pension accounts paid by cheque was around 44,000, or 0.4 percent. However, some state pensioners also receive additional benefits or allowances. Overall, this means that some 90,000 pensioner accounts, around 0.7 percent, are paid by cheque in respect of state pension, pension credit or other allowance. Some of these allowances will be combined together and paid as one cheque.
Transport
A15
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on funding for (a) safety improvements and (b) carriageway widening on the A15 in the last 24 months; and if he will make a statement. [160]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has received no such representations in the past 24 months on either (a) safety improvements or (b) carriageway widening on the A15.
Airports: Parking
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider the merits of taking steps to reduce excessive charges for car parking at UK airports; and if he will make a statement. [523]
Mrs Villiers: The setting of charges for car parking at UK airports is a commercial matter for the car park operators concerned. Airport car parks operate in a competitive environment, which offers a wide range of parking options and tariffs.
Aviation: Disabled People
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to require British aeroplane operators (a) not to charge passengers with medical conditions who require oxygen and (b) to allow the use of portable oxygen concentrators during flights. [338]
Mrs Villiers: This issue falls under European Regulation 1107/2006 on the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air. The regulation does not impose specific obligations to carry or provide medical oxygen in the cabin. The matter is therefore one for airlines themselves to determine.
UK airlines have a good record in this respect. Many, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, EasyJet, Flybe and Thomson/First Choice, allow passengers to use their own medical oxygen and their own portable oxygen concentrator free of charge. This compares favourably with other European airlines.
Blackpool-Manchester Railway Line: Electrification
Mr Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when an announcement will be made on whether the planned electrification of the Blackpool to Manchester rail line will take place; and if he will make a statement. [150]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 2 June 2010]: We are in the early stages of the new Government and Ministers are considering the full range of transport policy. The Government support rail electrification as it helps to reduce carbon emissions and cut running costs.
Bus Services: Regulation
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals for the regulation of the bus network throughout England. [508]
Norman Baker: The Coalition Agreement makes clear that we will encourage joint working between bus operators and local authorities. The Local Transport Act 2008 introduced a number of new bus regulations in relation to Quality Contract Schemes and Quality Partnerships Schemes in England and the related guidance has been published in full. I intend to wait for the outcome of the Competition Commission inquiry into the local bus market in England outside London before deciding on the need for any further regulatory reform of bus provision.
Crossrail Line: Finance
Dr Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much capital funding his Department has allocated to the Crossrail project for (a) 2010-11 and (b) each of the two subsequent financial years. [460]
Mrs Villiers: Under the Crossrail Project Development Agreement between the Secretary of State for Transport, Transport for London and Crossrail Limited, the Department for Transport has undertaken to make the following funding available:
| Amount (£ million) | |
Departmental Manpower
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many full-time equivalent staff at each Civil Service grade are employed in the private office of each Minister in his Department. [120]
Mr Philip Hammond: The breakdown of staff showing full-time equivalents at each grade is in the following table.
| Minister | Staff grades | Full-time equivalents |
Levenshulme Station: Disability
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the level of use by passengers of Levenshulme Station in Manchester makes it eligible for funding for disabled access from the Government's Access for All scheme. [466]
Mrs Villiers: The Access for All programme was launched in 2006 and currently includes 148 stations, which are targeted to receive an accessible, step-free route to and between platforms.
Stations were selected based on footfall, weighted by the incidence of disability in the local area so as to prioritise investment where it could deliver the maximum benefit to disabled people. In addition, approximately a third of the funding was allocated to achieve an equitable
regional spread, with train operators and others consulted on their priorities. There was not a minimum usage threshold for eligibility.
In addition, the Access for All small schemes programme has made match funding available for smaller enhancements at stations, meeting local needs. Applications to this fund have been assessed based on indicative value-for-money criteria of £1 per annual passenger. To date, around £23,500 has been offered to Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive for enhancements at Levenshulme including hearing induction loops and passenger information systems.
Manchester Metrolink
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Manchester Metrolink extensions phases 3a and 3b will be treated as a single contract. [902]
Norman Baker: Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, the promoters of the Manchester Metrolink system, incorporated an option in the procurement contract for Metrolink Phase 3a works to extend the contracted works to cover Metrolink Phase 3b extensions. The Deed of Variation to include Phase 3b extensions was signed on 25 March 2010.
Network Rail: Finance
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information Network Rail has provided to his Department on its plans for cost reductions; and over what period of time he expects such reductions to be achieved. [514]
Mrs Villiers: Network Rail is required by the Periodic Review settlement to deliver efficiency savings of 24 % against its 2008 baseline by the end of March 2014.
In addition, Network Rail has now indicated that, subject to the consent of the Office of Rail Regulation, it will reduce its spending by a further £100 million in 2010-11, reducing the company's requirement for Government funding by £100 million in the current year.
Official Cars
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the planned reduction is in the number of (a) cars and (b) employees in the Government Car Service (GCS); and what the expected reduction in expenditure on the GCS is. [108]
Mike Penning: The plan is to save at least one third from the cost of the Government Car Service. The exact amount will be determined once decisions on the number of cars and drivers required to provide an efficient service, in line with the new Ministerial code, have been taken.
Park and Ride Schemes
Mr Knight:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake an investigation into (a) the cost effectiveness of all park and ride schemes and (b) the
relative cost effectiveness of park and ride schemes and increased town centre parking provision; and if he will make a statement. [527]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has no plans to undertake such an investigation. The cost effectiveness of park and ride schemes will vary considerably according to local circumstances and their interaction with other local transport measures. Local authorities are best placed to determine the relative costs and benefits of park and ride schemes against alternative measures in their own areas.
Railways: Kent
Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the potential effects on the level of (a) congestion on the main approach roads into London and (b) carbon dioxide emissions of reducing fares on the North Kent railway line. [850]
Mrs Villiers: There are no specific plans in place to assess the potential effects of reducing fares on this corridor although the Government take fare levels into account in formulating its overall approach on rail.
Railways: Manpower
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has received from Network Rail on the likely effects on the number of jobs in the rail industry of his Department's requirement to make £100 million in savings. [519]
Mrs Villiers: Network Rail has indicated that, subject to the consent of the Office of Rail Regulation, it will reduce its planned spending by £100 million in 2010-11, reducing the company's requirement for Government funding by £100 million in the current year. Network Rail has not indicated that this will have an impact upon employment levels.
Roads: Accidents
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate his Department has made of the annual cost to the UK economy of road accidents. [208]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport's latest estimates of the annual cost to the UK economy of road accidents are published in Reported Road Casualties Great Britain (RRCGB): 2008 Annual Report, on page 28, table 2c. Copies of the report have been deposited in the House Library and are also available at:
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport from which highway improvement plans in the North East he expects funding reductions to be made to contribute to his Department's £112 million cost reductions. [228]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has not produced any regional breakdown for our £683 million contribution to the £6.2 billion savings announced by the Chancellor. None of the three schemes delivered by the Highways Agency that will be deferred is in the north-east. The Government will shortly announce in more detail the implications for individual grants, including transport grants, that form the £1.65 billion savings contribution from local authorities.
Rolling Stock: Procurement
Mr Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what original estimate was made of the number of (a) direct and (b) indirect jobs which would be created as a result of train carriage orders which have been recently cancelled. [149]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 2 June 2010]: The orders which have been signed for new rolling stock are at various stages of completion. None of these orders have been cancelled. No assessment has been made of jobs created as management of resources to build the trains is the responsibility of the train manufacturer.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which orders for train carriages have been cancelled consequent on the recently-announced planned spending reductions. [518]
Mrs Villiers: The orders that have already been signed for new rolling stock are at various stages of completion. None of these orders have been cancelled. In terms of further new orders that were being discussed with operators as part of the HLOS programme, there will be a pause (for financial year 2010-11) to assist the Department in making its contribution to the Government's in-year savings programme.
Stockport Station
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what timetable has been set for the refurbishment of Stockport station. [903]
Mrs Villiers: This is primarily a matter for Network Rail as owner of the station.
The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to his question:
Iain Coucher
Chief Executive
Network Rail
King's Place
90 York Way
London N1 9AG.
Vans: Speed Limits
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to oppose proposals at EU level to introduce a mandatory requirement for speed limiters on vans; and if he will make a statement. [210]
Mike Penning: Speed limiters are already required on all goods vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes maximum gross weight in the interests of road safety and environmental protection. If there were to be any proposal for limiters to be required on lighter goods vehicles we would want to review the supporting evidence from the EU on costs and benefits carefully before determining what the UK response would be.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Pakistan: British Nationals Abroad
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent estimate is of the number of UK citizens resident in Pakistan; and what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in that country. [701]
Alistair Burt: The number of British Nationals in Pakistan at any one time is estimated to be approximately 80,000. This figure is made up of about 40,000 visitors and 40,000 residents. The highest concentration of British Nationals is in Pakistan Administered Kashmir, in particular in Mirpur District. This figure includes those holding dual British/Pakistani nationality.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office constantly assess the security situation in Pakistan. These assessments inform our Travel Advice for Pakistan. We currently advise against all travel to several areas, including Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and much of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. We advise against all but essential travel to North and Western Balochistan, and to parts of interior Sind.
Scotland
Departmental Official Cars
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Government (a) cars and (b) drivers are allocated to Ministers in his Department. [302]
David Mundell: The current interim arrangement for the SO are (i) one car and (ii) one driver for the Secretary of State primarily but which may be used by the Advocate-General and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State if not required by the Secretary of State. This arrangement is supplemented by pool cars if needed.
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.
Defence
Aircraft Carriers
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much expenditure his Department has incurred to date on the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier programme; and what his most recent estimate is of the total cost of the programme. [659]
Peter Luff: To the end of April 2010, around £1.2 billion has been spent on the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers. Our current estimate of total programme cost is £5.25 billion.
Armed Forces: Deployment
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Army soldiers and (b) families of Army soldiers are stationed at each base in (i) Germany and (ii) Cyprus; and what the cost to the public purse was in the last 12 months. [51]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 2 June 2010]: The number of Army personnel stationed in each base in Germany and Cyprus is shown in the following table. It has not been possible to determine the number of Army dependants in Cyprus within the time available and so the total number of Service dependants (which includes Royal Air Force dependants) has been provided for these locations.
| Location | Number of Army Personnel | Number of Dependants |
The cost to the public purse associated with maintaining and operating bases over the last financial year was £94.958 million for Cyprus and £528.982 million for Germany. These figures do not include any manpower costs as we would incur the vast majority of these costs wherever personnel were based.
Some of these costs would still be incurred if those personnel currently based in Germany and Cyprus were relocated within the UK.
Armed Forces: Discharges
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were discharged from each of the armed services for disciplinary offences in 2009. [411]
Mr Robathan: The following table shows the number of service personnel who were discharged in 2009 as a result of being found guilty of an offence at a court martial:
| Number | |
Armed Forces: Housing
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recent assessment has been made of the level of security for families living on Ministry of Defence housing estates at the Colchester Garrison; and if he will make a statement; [353]
(2) whether additional security measures will be implemented at Ministry of Defence housing estates at the Colchester Garrison during the period for which 16 Air Assault Brigade is deployed to Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement; [355]
(3) what measures have been taken to (a) maintain and (b) increase the level of security of families living on Ministry of Defence housing estates at the Colchester Garrison since the occupation of some of the houses by civilians; and if he will make a statement. [356]
Mr Robathan: The policing presence at Colchester Garrison is provided by Ministry of Defence Police, with the support of police community support officers and Essex police. Current arrangements are judged to be in line with the current threat assessment. Additional policing will be provided, with the support of the Royal Military Police, when 16 Air Assault Brigade is deployed.
For the last 10 years the Colchester Garrison housing estate has consisted of a combination of military and civilian owned homes. This arrangement has so far worked well.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the designated strength was of the Ministry of Defence Police at the Colchester Garrison (a) in 1997, (b) in 2007 and (c) on the latest date for which figures are available. [354]
Mr Robathan: The numbers of Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) officers employed at Colchester Garrison in 1997, 2007, and on the latest date as of the end of May 2010 are as follows:
| Date | Total |
The current complement of MDP provides a community policing role at Colchester Garrison. Security is provided by the Ministry of Defence Guard Service, the Military Provost Guard Service and members of the Army unit stationed at the Garrison.
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