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14 Jun 2010 : Column 269W—continued
NHS: Working Hours
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to introduce proposals to mitigate the effect on the NHS of the European working time directive; and if he will make a statement. [1683]
Mr Simon Burns: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State supports the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in taking a robust approach to future negotiations on the revision of the directive including maintenance of the opt-out.
We will not go back to the past with tired doctors working excessive hours, but the way the directive is now applied is clearly unsatisfactory and is causing great problems for health services across Europe. We therefore support efforts to resolve these issues and stand ready to work with the European Commission and other member states on radical and creative approaches to gain additional flexibilities.
Respite Care
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that carers have access to respite care. [1681]
Mr Burstow: We need to examine how effectively existing arrangements are being implemented. We are currently analysing information from strategic health authorities about the priority accorded to supporting carers by primary care trusts. In addition, we will consider how local authority direct payments and personal budgets can be used in ways that enable both carers and the people that they care for access to community support, including respite.
Wigan
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for which public expenditure projects in (a) Wigan constituency and (b) the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan his Department secured Treasury approval between 1 January 2010 and the date of his appointment as Secretary of State. [1742]
Mr Simon Burns: No national health service capital build, information technology or arm's length body schemes above local strategic health authority delegated limits were approved by the Department for the area covered by the local NHS organisations for the period indicated.
Details of schemes that may have been approved by the local NHS according to their delegated limits can be obtained from the NHS organisations concerned.
Leader of the House
Petitions
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Leader of the House when he plans to announce mechanisms by which the public may submit petitions to this House for debate. [1637]
Sir George Young: The Government will bring forward new proposals for the public to engage with the House by submitting petitions which will be eligible for debate if they obtain 100,000 signatures, with the petition which attracts the most signatures triggering an opportunity for a Bill to be presented. We will also bring forward proposals for a new public reading stage of Government Bills.
There is clear scope for these proposals to be taken forward together, and in co-operation with the House's wider work on public engagement, in order to ensure that they are implemented in a way that is consistent, coherent and cost-effective.
The final decision about the appropriate mechanism will rest with the House itself and I hope to be able to bring forward proposals soon.
Northern Ireland
Departmental Public Appointments
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) political appointments and (b) other personal appointments he has made since his appointment; and at what estimated annual cost to the public purse. [365]
Mr Paterson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 3 June 2010, Official Report, column 99W, to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Helen Goodman).
Prime Minister
Andy Coulson and Jonny Oates
Mr Watson: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 2 June 2010, Official Report, column 37W, on Andy Coulson and Jonny Oates (1) whether his (a) Director of Communications and (b) Deputy Director of Communications are subject to the provisions of the Official Secrets Act; whether each has subscribed to its provisions; and whether each is entitled to view Government documents classified as (i) secret and (ii) top secret; [1453]
(2) what the roles and responsibilities of his (a) Director of Communications and (b) Deputy Director of Communications are; if he will publish details of the salaries of each position in the same format as those published for senior civil servants; for how many people each has management responsibility; on what date each subscribed to the code of conduct for special advisers; and on what date he expects each to declare their external interests relevant to their posts. [1454]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010, Official Report, column 32WS.
Corruption: Public Service
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Prime Minister whether he plans to appoint an International Anti-Corruption Champion. [1025]
The Prime Minister: The Government and relevant Departments place anti-corruption in all international dealings at the centre of their strategies. I have appointed the Lord Chancellor my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke) as the Government's International Anti-Corruption Champion to take forward the Government's efforts in this area.
Departmental Manpower
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers are employed by his Office; and at what civil service pay grade in each such case. [1247]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010, Official Report, column 32WS. My Office employs 10 civil service press officers, one of whom is in the senior civil service. This figure does not include the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman, a role filled by a senior civil servant.
North East
Mr Anderson: To ask the Prime Minister when he next plans to visit the north-east; and if he will make a statement. [2355]
The Prime Minister: I hope to make visits across the United Kingdom over the coming months.
Regional Planning and Development: West Midlands
Richard Burden: To ask the Prime Minister which Secretary of State is responsible for responding to the second and third reports of the West Midlands Regional Committee of Session 2009-10, HC 421 and HC 528; and when he expects those responses to be made. [2424]
The Prime Minister: The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is responsible for responding to these reports.
Scotland
Departmental Manpower
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff his Department employed on the most recent date for which figures are available; and what the annual staff cost was. [1571]
Michael Moore: Information on Scotland Office staff numbers and costs are published routinely in the Office's annual report, copies of which are in the House Library.
Devolution
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the (a) Prime Minister, (b) Deputy Prime Minister and (c) First Minister of Scotland on the implementation of the proposals of the Commission on Scottish Devolution; and if he will make a statement. [2167]
Michael Moore: I am pleased to report to the House that I have had the opportunity to discuss the Government's commitment to implement the recommendations in the Calman Report with the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the First Minister. I have also spoken with other Cabinet colleagues who have policy interests in the recommendations.
The coalition agreement clearly set out the Government's commitment to implement recommendations from the report. Both I and my ministerial colleagues have made clear that we welcome the involvement and views of the Scottish Government, and I am pleased with the engagement that we have had to date. The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, First Minister and I all attended the Joint Ministerial Committee meeting on 8 June; there was a positive and constructive dialogue between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will announce a timetable for implementation of the proposals of the Commission on Scottish Devolution. [2168]
Michael Moore: The coalition Government's commitment to the implementation the recommendations in the Calman Report was clearly signalled by its inclusion within the coalition agreement. This was further underlined by the inclusion in the Queen's Speech of a commitment for legislation in the first Session.
I am clear that we need to make early progress to meet this commitment and I have asked my officials to work for autumn introduction of a Bill to take forward those recommendations that require legislation. Work will continue on the non-legislative recommendations to a similar timetable.
Future Jobs Fund
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people resident in (a) Glasgow North East, (b) the City of Glasgow and (c) Scotland have found employment through the Future Jobs Fund since 2008; and how many young people aged between 18 and 24 years resident in (i) Glasgow North East, (ii) the City of Glasgow and (iii) Scotland will lose entitlement to a job offer or training under the Jobs Guarantee in the first 12 months after the ending of the Future Jobs Fund. [1972]
Michael Moore: Nearly 11,000 jobs in Scotland have been approved for funding through the Future Jobs Fund from October 2008 to March 2011, at least 1,166 of which are in the Glasgow local authority area.
Information for (a) and (b) is not available. The latest Official Statistics published on 26 May 2010 show that 830 people started Future Jobs Fund jobs in Scotland from October 2009 to January 2010.
In relation to (i), (ii) and (iii), the Young Person's Guarantee will continue to provide a guaranteed offer of a job, training or work experience. The Government will ensure that people continue to have access to employment support prior to the implementation of the new Work Programme outlined in the Programme for Government.
General Elections
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive and Scottish returning officers on plans to hold the next general election on 7 May 2015. [2050]
Michael Moore: The issue was raised when the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and I-together with other Cabinet colleagues-met the First Minister and his counterparts from the other devolved Administrations at the Joint Ministerial Committee on 8 June.
Public Expenditure
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his most recent estimate is of the level of per capita public expenditure in Scotland in 2010-11. [1957]
Michael Moore: HM Treasury's Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses provide the most recent estimate for public expenditure per capita in Scotland for 2010-11, but this does not include local authority spending. The most recent estimate for 2010-11 stands at £7,127 per capita.
Treasury
Child Trust Fund: Wigan
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have opened child trust fund accounts in Wigan constituency at (a) the standard rate and (b) the higher rate; and how much the Government have contributed to such accounts to date. [1744]
Mr Hoban: Statistical information about child trust funds is published on HM Revenue and Customs' website at:
This shows that 5,277 children born on or before 6 April 2008 in the then Wigan constituency have a child trust fund account.
Debts: Developing Countries
Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when he expects to publish his Department's review of vulture funds; and if he will make a statement; [1708]
(2) when he expects his Department to complete its review of vulture funds; and what form of consultation he intends to undertake on this matter. [1745]
Mr Hoban [holding answer 10 June 2010]: The coalition programme for Government stated:
"We will review what action can be taken against 'vulture funds'."
The Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010 passed through Parliament in April and will mean that UK courts of law will no longer be used to pursue excessive claims against some of the poorest countries on their historic debts, ensuring that resources are available to tackle poverty. The sunset clause attached to this legislation requires that the Government review within a year whether or not to extend the Act.
Union Flag
Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on flying the Union flag each day from each official building for which his Department is responsible. [1814]
Justine Greening: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport issues guidance for the flying of the Union flag on UK Government buildings. The guidance encourages the Union flag to be flown 365 days a year, and as a minimum all Departments must fly the Union flag on the 19 special designated days (e.g. Queen's birthday, Remembrance Day, etc), and other special occasions as required (e.g. State Opening of Parliament).
More information on the guidance is available online at:
HM Treasury has three buildings throughout England in which this guidance is followed.
Legislative Reform (Industrial and Provident Societies and Credit Unions) Order 2010
Chris Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to lay the Legislative Reform (Industrial and Provident Societies and Credit Unions) Order 2010 before Parliament. [1680]
Mr Hoban: The draft Legislative Reform (Industrial and Provident Societies and Credit Unions) Order 2010 was laid before Parliament on 8 March 2010 using the super affirmative procedure.
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