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6 July 2010 : Column 185W—continued
Welfare Tax Credits
Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households receive tax credits in Makerfield constituency. [6196]
Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households receive tax credits in Stretford and Urmston constituency. [5847]
Barbara Keeley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in Worsley and Eccles South constituency receive tax credits. [6079]
Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in (a) Glasgow North and (b) Ealing Central and Acton constituency receive tax credits. [6184]
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in (a) Slough, (b) Salisbury and (c) Scarborough and Whitby constituency are in receipt of tax credits. [6007]
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households receive tax credits in Houghton and Sunderland South constituency. [5895]
Diana R. Johnson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in Kingston upon Hull North constituency are in receipt of tax credits. [6523]
Mr Gauke: The latest information on the number of families with children benefiting from Child and Working Tax Credits, by each parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is available in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Geographical Analyses. April 2010". This can be found at:
Welfare Tax Credits: Motherwell
Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Motherwell and Wishaw constituency in the income band (a) £10,000 to £20,000, (b) £21,000 to £30,000, (c) £31,000 to £40,000, (d) £41,000 to £50,000, (e) £51,000 to £60,000 and (f) £60,000 or more are in receipt of tax credits. [6533]
Mr Gauke: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Motherwell and Wishaw constituency families in receipt of tax credits by income band | |
| Household income | Number |
The income bands over £50,000 have been combined because the numbers in the individual categories would be disclosive.
These estimates are based on provisional information on families receiving tax credits as at April 2010. Further details about these data can be found in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child and Working Tax Credits. Geographical Analysis, April 2010". This is available at:
Education
Academies: Coventry
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools in Coventry have submitted an application for academy status. [3851]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 23 June 2010]: No schools in Coventry have yet applied.
Academies: GCSE
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of year 11 academy school pupils was entered for (a) history GCSE, (b) geography GCSE, (c) a modern foreign language GCSE, (d) physics GCSE, (e) chemistry GCSE, (f) biology GCSE, (g) science GCSE, (h) GCSE English (1) language and (2) literature, (i) mathematics GCSE, (j) OCR National level 2 in ICT and (k) diploma in digital applications in 2008-09. [2787]
Mr Gibb: The information requested is shown in the following table.
| Academies | Number of pupils at the end of KS4 entering for at least one full GCSE | Percentage of pupils at the end of KS4 entering for at least one full GCSE | |
| Notes: 1. (a) to (i) include full academic GCSEs or double awards where applicable. All other equivalent qualifications are not included. 2. (j) Includes OCR National Awards and Certificates in ICT. 3. (k) Includes Edexcel Level 1 and Level 2 Diplomas in Digital Applications. | |||
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of key stage four examination entries in each academy school in 2008-09 was for a GCSE, excluding applied GCSEs. [2909]
Mr Gibb: The information requested is presented in the following table:
Children in Care
Mr Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his proposals for a pupil premium will include funding for looked-after children. [3478]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 21 June 2010]: The Government are committed to the introduction of a pupil premium for disadvantaged children, and we will bring forward our proposals in due course.
Children: Carers
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent research his Department has commissioned on the number of young carers. [2447]
Tim Loughton: The Department has not recently commissioned any new research on the number of young carers in England.
I attended the Young Carers Festival which took place between 25-27 June; an event attended by around 1,400 young carers. This gave me an opportunity to hear young carers views from around the country.
Education: Finance
Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding per pupil his Department has allocated to Kirklees local education authority in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [3327]
Mr Gibb: Since 2006-07, the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is the main source of school funding.
Per pupil unit of funding figures for 2005-06 to 2009-10 for Kirklees local authority are provided in the following table. The figures in the table are for all funded pupils aged three to 19 and are in real terms:
| Real terms funding per pupil, DSG plus grants, pupils aged three to 19, Kirklees local authority | |
| £ | |
| Notes: 1. This covers funding through the Dedicated Schools Grant, School Standards Grant, School Standards Grant (Personalisation) and Standards Fund as well as funding from the Learning and Skills Council; it excludes grants which are not allocated at LA level. 2. Price Base: Real terms at 2008-09 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 31 March 2010. 3. These figures are for all funded pupils aged three to 19. 4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10. | |
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the future of the (a) Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant and (b) Traveller Education Funding Scheme. [3465]
Mr Gibb: The Government are committed to ensuring a fair funding system which allows all pupils to fulfil their potential and invests in measures that most improve the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. The total Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG) allocated for 2010-11 is £204 million. Decisions on schools funding from 2011-12 onwards will be made at the spending review in the autumn.
There is no Traveller Education Funding scheme. Traveller Education Support Services are funded by local authorities. Future funding for those services will be based on each local authority's assessment of its local needs and priorities.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when his Department plans to publish a response to the recent consultation on the dedicated schools grant. [3466]
Mr Gibb: The consultation on the Dedicated Schools Grant was the result of the review of school funding started by the previous Government. It was launched in March and was still running at the time of the election. It ended on 7 June and we expect to publish a report on the responses shortly.
We are considering the responses to this exercise as a part of developing our own consultation on school funding which will be launched in the summer.
GCSE: Leicester
Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of pupils gained five GCSEs at grades A* to C in each school in Leicester West constituency in each of the last five years. [3563]
Mr Gibb: The information required is given in the following table:
| Percentage of pupils achieving five or more grades A*-C at GCSE including equivalents in selected years | |||||
| Secondary schools in Leicester West constituency | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| (1) Ellesmere College is a Specialist Sports College for students with general learning difficulties. (2) West Gate School is a Specialist School for Cognition and Learning. (3) "NE" indicates that the school did not enter any pupils for GCSE examinations. (4) "<" indicates that GCSE results have been suppressed as fewer than 10 pupils sat exams. Source: Achievement and Attainment Tables | |||||
Home Education
Diana R. Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he plans to take in response to Ofsted's recommendations in its recent report on local authorities and home education. [3807]
Mr Gibb: We have noted Ofsted's findings and recommendations. We will consider whether changes need to be made to the existing arrangements, given the strong views expressed by both home educators and local authorities.
Pupils: Disadvantaged
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to increase support for low income families in the education system. [3423]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 21 June 2010]: The Government are already committed to the introduction of a pupil premium for disadvantaged children, and we will bring forward our proposals in due course.
Schools: Bury
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will ensure that schools in Bury will receive a real terms increase in per pupil funding in each year of the next comprehensive spending review period. [5949]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 5 July 2010]: Decisions about levels of school funding from 2011 are subject to the spending review announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Schools: Crimes of Violence
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many incidents of violence towards staff in schools or colleges (a) were and (b) were not reported to the police in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many such cases resulted in prosecutions in that period. [3095]
Mr Gibb: The Department does not collect this information.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department provides to schools and colleges on reporting to police attacks on staff. [3096]
Mr Gibb: The Department has provided no guidance to schools on when to report such attacks to the police.
Schools: Finance
Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the process is for the funding of maintained preparatory schools in England; and what role local education authorities have in that process. [3092]
Mr Gibb: Local authorities are responsible for funding maintained schools in their area. They do this through a local formula which is developed in consultation with their Schools Forum. Local authority funding of schools is supported through central Government grants, in particular the Dedicated Schools Grant.
Schools: Standards
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which local authorities did not undertake school organisation plans for each year following the removal of the requirement to do so in 2004; and if he will make a statement. [3349]
Mr Gibb: The Department does not hold this information.
Secondary Education: Admissions
Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of pupils in the Kirklees local authority area were not offered a place at their (a) first, (b) second and (c) third choice of secondary school in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [2503]
Mr Gibb: We do not collect the data in the format that is requested and have only collected secondary preference data since 2008.
However, the information we have available is shown in the following table.
| Secondary schools applications and offers2008 to 2010-Kirklees local authority | ||
| Parents whose first preference was not offered | Parents whose top 3 preferences were not offered | |
The full statistical reports for secondary school applications and offers, 2008 to 2010 are available at:
Specialised Diplomas
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his plans are for the future of the vocational diploma; and if he will make a statement. [3433]
Mr Gibb: I will be considering Diplomas as part of our work to improve the quality of vocational education, as set out in the Coalition Agreement.
Teachers: Training
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals for a minimum-funded annual entitlement for teachers' professional development before assessing the merits of a teachers' licensing scheme. [1956]
Mr Gibb: There are provisions within the existing School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document which provide for teachers to be able to access professional development.
We are currently undertaking a review of all our policies and as soon as we are able to provide more information, we will, of course, make a formal announcement. However, we have no plans to introduce licensing for teachers.
Home Department
Andrei Lugovoi
Mr MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government has issued an arrest warrant through Interpol for Andrei Lugovoi. [6484]
The Attorney-General: I have been asked to reply.
There is still an arrest warrant outstanding for Andrey Lugovoi in the United Kingdom where he remains wanted for an allegation of murder. An initial extradition request made to the Russian authorities was refused on the basis that their constitution does not permit the extradition of their own nationals. In accordance with normal practice, we can neither confirm nor deny whether an arrest warrant for Andrey Lugovoi has been transmitted through Interpol.
Animals: Experiments
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to ensure compliance with the policy on replacement, reduction and refinement in relation to the use of animals in military research. [5505]
Lynne Featherstone: We do not grant licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for the development or testing of offensive weapons, but will consider applications to use animals to evaluate potential counter-measures.
We have a legal and administrative framework that ensures that animal experimentation is only permitted when there is no alternative research technique and the expected benefits outweigh any possible adverse effects to the animals. All of the animal studies undertaken by the Ministry of Defence are regulated by the 1986 Act and subject to inspection by the Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectorate.
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has a long running programme to embed the principles of the 3R's into its research programme and, wherever possible, investigate the opportunities to develop and evaluate alternatives to the use of animals.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animals were used in the safety testing of shellfish in (a) 2008 and (b) 2009. [5534]
Lynne Featherstone: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to the hon. Member for Portsmouth South (Mr Hancock) on 27 January 2010, Official Report, column 912W.
EU Directive 91/492/EEC, and Commission Decision 2002/225/EC, specify the shellfish types, toxin classes, and test methods used.
However, with respect to the animal numbers used, the information requested is not available, in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (implementing the Statistics and Registration Act 2007) and the National Statistician's guidance 'Confidentiality of Official Statistics'. Providing the information requested would breach statistical confidentiality relating to individual establishments and individual licensees.
Additionally, release of data relating to 2009 ahead of the annual statistical publication is not allowed under the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
The annual publication "Statistics of Scientific procedures on Living Animals 2009" will be published on 28 July 2010, and will be available on the Department's website at:
Anti-Semitism
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-Semitic incidents (a) were recorded in England and Wales in (i) 2008 and (ii) 2009 and (b) have been recorded in 2010 to date; and if she will make a statement. [5684]
Nick Herbert: The information requested is not collected centrally in the recorded crime statistics.
The recorded crime statistics only hold data for racially or religiously aggravated offences as defined by law. Specific details relating to the victim or alleged offender are not collected.
Asylum: Domestic Violence
Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to make a decision on whether the exemption of the exclusion of women asylum seekers who have experienced domestic violence from the no recourse to public funds rule will be extended beyond August 2010. [5356]
Damian Green: A Home Office pilot project for victims of domestic violence with no recourse to public funds commenced on 30 November 2009 and is due to run until the end of August 2010. It is being monitored on a monthly basis with a full evaluation taking place following completion of the pilot. This will assist in informing our next steps.
British Nationality: War Crimes
Mary Creagh:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Preseli, Pembrokeshire of 24 March
2010, Official Report, columns 351-52W, on the UK Border Agency's War Crimes Unit, how many people refused asylum, leave to remain or citizenship on suspicion of war crimes have been removed from the UK in each year since 2004. [4824]
Damian Green: UKBA does not hold information on the number of people removed because of suspected involvement in war crimes. Removal for suspicion of involvement in war crimes is not recorded separately.
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Agency
Mr Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to bring forward legislation to make the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Agency a non-departmental public body. [5496]
James Brokenshire: We are aware of the previous Government's decision to turn CEOP into a non-departmental public body. We are currently considering what action may be appropriate.
Departmental Human Resources
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on human resources in each year since 1997. [5108]
Nick Herbert: Spend for the Home Office Headquarters by its human resources directorate each financial year since 2004-05 is shown in the attached table. This includes pay, pensions and other services which we provide to the Home Office and its agencies.
The Department does not hold the requested information for the financial years 1997-98 to 2003-04 as general and subsidiary ledgers produced for the purpose of preparing certified financial statements are not retained after a period of six years, in line with NAO requirements.
| HR costs for the Home Department | |
| £ thousand | |
| Note: Figures to 2007-08 include provision of services to National Offender Management Service and Office of Criminal Justice Reform which transferred to the Ministry of Justice in 2007-08. | |
Departmental Manpower
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) front line and (b) other staff were employed by (i) her Department and (ii) each of its agencies in the latest year for which figures are available; and what her most recent estimate is of the annual cost to the public purse of employing staff of each type at each of those bodies. [539]
Nick Herbert:
There is no standard, commonly agreed definition of front line staff. For the purposes of this question we have taken it to mean staff working in operational business areas including ports, airports and passport offices. This is consistent with the definition applying in the context of the current recruitment freeze. This definition of front line excludes staff carrying out other vital public services, for example, supporting national security. The Home Office front line and non
front line employee full-time equivalent for 2008/09 in table one is calculated on that basis.
The average staff pay cost per full-time equivalent in 2009/10 was £33,130 covering national pay, earnings related national insurance contribution, superannuation and London weighting (excluding specific grade allowances and overtime). It is not possible to provide separate costs for front line and other staff without incurring disproportionate cost.
| Table 1: Home Office employee FTE, by front line and non front line categorisation, 2009/10 | ||
| Front line( 3) | Other( 4) | |
| (1) CRB excludes temporary staff. (2 )Excludes Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. (3 )Front line equals those based in cost centres identified as activity public facing/effecting decisions directly supporting such actions, or serving a mixed function where roles cannot be separated. (4) Other refers to central or local corporate support. Notes: 1. Figures rounded to nearest whole number. 2. Includes permanent and temporary staff unless stated. 3. Agency workers, consultants and contingent labour are excluded unless stated. Source: Local Home Office HR data: there are discrepancies with other published statistics where definitions differ. | ||
Departmental Mobile Phones
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2010, Official Report, column 146W, on departmental mobile phones, which Ministers in her Department have been issued with a (a) BlackBerry and (b) mobile telephone; and what the (i) purchase cost of the handset, (ii) network provider, (iii) type of tariff and (iv) name of the supplier was in each such case. [4546]
Nick Herbert: The following table shows which Ministers in the Home Office have been issued with a (a) Blackberry and (b) mobile telephone; and what the (i) purchase cost of the handset, (ii) network provider, (iii) type of tariff and (iv) name of the supplier was in each case.
| Network provider | Type of tariff | Name of the supplier | Purchase cost of the handset (£) | ||
Departmental NDPBs
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the address is of the head office of each non-departmental public body for which her Department is responsible. [5715]
Nick Herbert: I refer the hon. Member to the following table which details each of the Non-Departmental Public Bodies sponsored by the Home Office, and their respective Head Office Addresses.
In some instances it has not been appropriate to provide a Head Office address. In the case of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, this is for security reasons, as the Agency does not make its address public. In other instances, it is because the body in question is an Advisory Non-Departmental Public Body which does not require such a venue. In these instances, the postal address is provided, and Secretariat functions will be performed by the Home Office.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on (a) advertising, (b) public relations, (c) consultants, (d) ministerial transport and (e) entertainment in (i) 1997 and (ii) the last 12 months for which figures are available. [4507]
Nick Herbert: The figures requested are as follows. They do not include expenditure incurred by the Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies.
(a) In the last financial year, 2009-10, the Department spent £8,578,052 on advertising. The advertising figures quoted are for net costs for advertising space on TV, radio, press, cinema, outdoor and online channels, and do not include costs for making the adverts or associated fees.
(b) In the last financial year, 2009-10, the Department spent £382,054 on public relations.
(c) In the last financial year, 2009-10, the Department spent £73 million on consultancy.
The accounts for 2009-10 have not yet been closed and figures may be subject to amendment and to audit by the National Audit Office (NAO).
Consultancy services cover the provision to the Home Office of objective advice and assistance relating to strategy, structure, management, or operations in pursuit of its purposes and objectives. The use of external consultants provides the Department with specialist knowledge, skill, capacity and technical expertise that would not otherwise be available.
For the financial year 2010-11 the Home Office has introduced stringent new constraints on engaging consultants. We expect these constraints, in conjunction with new procedures and policies now being introduced, to produce a very substantial reduction in expenditure by the end of this financial year by comparison with the previous financial year.
(d) In the last 12 months (June 2009-May 2010), the Department spent £437,761 on ministerial transport.
(e) Figures for hospitality are not held centrally and attempting to collate them would incur disproportionate cost.
Figures for 1997 are not held centrally and attempting to collate them would incur disproportionate cost. General and subsidiary ledgers produced for the purpose of preparing certified financial statements are not retained after a period of seven years, in line with National Audit Office (NAO) requirements. The Department does not hold the requested information for 1997.
Deportation: Somalia
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the deportation of individuals from the UK to Somalia. [5426]
Damian Green: All cases are considered on their individual merits and refugee status or some other form of leave is granted if appropriate. Unless they have been granted some form of leave, unsuccessful asylum seekers no longer have a right to remain in the UK and we would expect them to return to their country of origin voluntarily.
We may enforce the return of those found not to be in need of international protection by the UK Border Agency and the independent courts. We only enforce the return of those we are satisfied are not in need of protection, and we do not seek to enforce returns unless we are satisfied that it is safe to do so. There is no policy to preclude enforced return to Somalia.
Statistical details on returns and the latest operational guidance relating to the treatment of asylum claims from Somalia can be found in the Library of the House and on the Home Office websites.
Domestic Violence: Immigrants
Mike Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women with no recourse to public funds have taken shelter from domestic abuse in refugee accommodation since the Home Office pilot project started in December 2009. [4433]
James Brokenshire: A Home Office pilot project for women with no recourse to public funds commenced in November 2009.
In the period to 31 May 2010, 251 women were accepted onto the pilot, with 194 going on to receive accommodation and support under the scheme. This is monitored on a monthly basis, with a full evaluation taking place following completion of the pilot.
Entry Clearances
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fines were issued to people who arrived in the UK without proper documentation in each year from 1997 to 2009; and how much was levied in such fines in that period. [5600]
Damian Green: Between 1997 and 2009, carrier liability fines served on carriers totalled 53,163 individual charges, resulting in a total of £106,326,000 levied in charges.
Between 2002 and 2009 there were 12, 511 civil penalty notices served with the value of £8,101, 291 in penalties received.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed cap on immigration will apply to visa applications made prior to 28 June 2010. [5829]
Damian Green: On 28 June we announced that interim limits would be implemented before an annual limit on economic migrants from outside the EU is introduced next April.
The Immigration Rules for interim limits were laid on 28 June which come into effect 21 days later on 19 July.
The interim limit will affect Tier one (General) migrants applying from outside the UK from 19 July. The Immigration Rules implementing the interim limit will not apply to Tier one (General) applications submitted before 19 July, even if the application is decided after that date.
The interim limit for Tier two (General) restricts the number of Certificates of Sponsorship UK based employers can issue from 19 July. Tier two (General) visa applications made prior to 19 July will not be included in the interim limit.
Entry Clearances: Married People
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed cap on immigration will include those applying for spouse visas. [5828]
Damian Green: The proposed limit announced by the Home Secretary on 28 June applies to economic migration routes only-Tier one and Tier two of the Points-Based System. We are consulting on whether the dependant spouses of Tier one and Tier two migrants should be included in the limit. The limit will not include those applying for other spouse visas, although we intend to review all other immigration routes in due course.
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received from (a) hon. Members, (b) owners of educational establishments that provide courses for overseas students and (c) others on the points-based system used for determining the admission of overseas students to the UK. [5142]
Damian Green: The Secretary of State for the Home Department has received recent representations on the points-based system used for determining the admission of overseas students to the UK from 18 hon. Members and one representative body. These raise concerns with the operation of the student visa system and implementation of changes following a recent review commissioned by the previous Prime Minister.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the review of the points-based immigration system applied to those seeking a visa for study in the UK to conclude; and if she will make a statement. [5144]
Damian Green: The Coalition's Programme for Government included a commitment to prevent abuse of the student route and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has said that she will be reviewing non-economic immigration routes and will be bringing forward further proposals for parliamentary consideration. This will include detailed consideration of the student routes; the Government intend to bring forward proposals on these routes before the end of 2010.
Leicestershire Constabulary: Finance
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent estimate is of the likely change to the level of funding allocated by her Department to Leicestershire constabulary in the next 12 months. [4636]
Nick Herbert: As a result of the in-year reduction to core police funding in 2010-11, Leicestershire will see a total reduction of £1.8 million. Specific reductions to the core Home Office settlement are subject to parliamentary approval. However, even after this reduction has been made Leicestershire will still receive an increase of 1.4% in core Government funding over 2009-10.
Future funding will be determined by the Spending Review.
Passports: Lost Property
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions she has had with Interpol about sharing information on lost or stolen UK passports with private businesses; [5601]
(2) what estimate has been made of the number of passports lost or stolen in each year from 1997 to 2009; and what information her Department provided to businesses seeking to check whether a passport had been lost or stolen during that period. [5602]
Damian Green: The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) provides lost and stolen passport data to Interpol via the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) on a daily basis, to assist with the international policing of borders. This arrangement has been in place and meeting the requirements of the organisations concerned since 2004. There have been no discussions with Interpol regarding the sharing of information on lost and stolen passports with private businesses. However, since 2006 IPS has provided a Passport Validation Service (PVS) to a number of United Kingdom based accredited financial and legal services. The service allows these accredited financial and legal services to check the validity of UK passports presented to them by customers directly against IPS records. The accredited private sector organisations using the PVS service do so via a call centre, providing the PVS with details of the passport in their possession and PVS will confirm the validity of the passport or otherwise. If the passport presented is shown on IPS records as lost or stolen the organisation is informed that the passport is invalid. Personal details or the reason for not being able to validate the details are not provided by PVS.
With regard to number of passports that have been reported to IPS as lost or stolen between 1997 and 2009, it is not possible to provide figures between 1997 and
2003, as the current system to record details of lost, stolen and recovered passports was only introduced in December 2003. Information relating to lost, stolen and recovered UK passports is therefore only available for the last six years (from 2004).
The following table sets out the number of UK passports that have been recorded by IPS as lost, stolen or recovered since 2004. The category "Other" is used by the IPS predominantly when a passport is declared damaged or destroyed.
| Totals | Number of lost passports | Number of stolen passports | Other | |
Police Community Support Officer: Redundancy
Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the redundancy costs of a police community support officer with (a) seven, (b) six, (c) five, (d) four, (e) three, (f) two and (g) up to one years of service whose services are no longer required. [6370]
Nick Herbert: No such estimates have been made. It is an issue for each force to determine police staff redundancy costs. The redundancy terms are set out under the Local Government Pension Scheme (and Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme for the Metropolitan Police) and the associated compensation schemes.
Police: Bureaucracy
Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the (a) cost and (b) length of time spent by police officers on administrative tasks in each year since 1997. [4383]
Nick Herbert: According to the Front Line Policing Measure commissioned by the last Government, police officers spent 21.7% of their time on paperwork in 2007-08, the last year for which figures were available. The new Government are clear that the police should focus on police work not paperwork, and the Home Office is now engaged in a programme of action to deliver this commitment.
Police: Conditions of Employment
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to review the remuneration and conditions of service for police officers; and if she will make a statement. [5750]
Nick Herbert: The Government have announced a full review of the remuneration and conditions of service of police officers and staff. We will provide information about the review, including timing, shortly.
Police: Finance
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria will be used to determine reductions to police force budgets in England and Wales. [4637]
Nick Herbert: The reduction in police funding of £135 million in 2010-11 will be made by reducing core Government funding by £125 million and counter terrorism specific grants by £10 million. The £125 million in-year 2010-11 reduction to core funding has been allocated fairly between forces, each of which will see a reduction equivalent to 1.46% of its core Government funding.
Future spending will be determined by the Spending Review.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what mechanism the planned reduction of £135 million funding for police forces will be allocated between police forces in England and Wales. [4638]
Nick Herbert: The reduction in police funding of £135 million in 2010-11 will be made by reducing core Government funding by £125 million and counter terrorism specific grants by £10 million.
The £125 million reduction to core funding has been allocated fairly between forces, each of which will see a reduction equivalent to 1.46% of its core Government funding.
I am confident that savings of less than 1% of expected spending in 2010-11 by police authorities can be made whilst keeping the frontline of policing strong and secure.
Police: Retirement
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on raising the retirement age for police officers. [5641]
Nick Herbert: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced an Independent Public Service Pensions Commission to include police pensions, and as part of the Coalition Programme there will also be a full review of the remuneration and conditions of service for police officers and staff.
Pre-charge Detention
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been held for 28 days in pre-charge detention since 2005. [4861]
Nick Herbert: The Home Office collates statistics on the number of people who have been held for 28 days in pre-charge detention since 2005. These details are included in a Bulletin published for the first time on 13 May 2009 (Statistics on Terrorism Arrests and Outcomes Great Britain 11 September 2001 to 31 March 2008).
The details for 2010 are not yet available. The first edition of the Bulletin is available at:
The second issue of the Bulletin was published on 26 November 2009 and is available via the following link:
The third issue of the Bulletin was issued on 26 February 2010 and is available via the following link:
The fourth issue of the Bulletin was issued on 10 June 2010 and is available via the following link:
Rape: Convictions
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases involving rape the defendant was convicted following the introduction of DNA evidence by the prosecution in each of the last three years. [5035]
James Brokenshire: Data on the number of convictions obtained in which DNA match evidence from the National DNA Database (NDNAD) was a contributory factor are not collected centrally.
However, data are available on the number of detections in which a DNA match was available. The following table shows the number of rapes detected in which a match on the NDNAD was available for each of the last three years for which data are available, for police forces in England and Wales.
Additional detections where an offender admits further offences following a detection for which a DNA match was available; or
Crimes detected as a result of one-off speculative searches of the NDNAD or from comparing DNA profiles in a forensic laboratory.
These procedures are used mainly in the investigation of serious crimes such as murder and rape. Therefore the figures provided in the table under-represent the overall contribution of DNA matches to the detection of rape crimes.
It is also important to note that detections and any subsequent convictions are obtained through integrated criminal investigation, based on a range of evidence types and not through DNA evidence alone.
The source of the figures provided is the forensic performance data, which are collected by the Home Office from police forces. The figures for 2009-10 are not yet available.
The data provided are management information and have not been formally assessed for compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
| Number of rapes detected in which a DNA match was available, England and Wales, 2006-09 | |
| Number | |
Surveillance: Finance
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse has been of surveillance of Linda and John Catt, identifying separately the cost of (a) logging and (b) analysing the surveillance data; and if she will make a statement. [5353]
Nick Herbert: The Home Office does not hold this information
It is not possible to estimate costs in relation to specific individuals arising from logging and analysing data that is recorded by the police when attending public events.
Terrorism: Convictions
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the conviction rate in criminal cases involving any charges on terrorist offences was in each year from 2006 to 2010. [5006]
Nick Herbert: The data requested for (a) 2006, (b) 2007, (c) 2008, and (d) 2009 is available in the statistical bulletin series bulletin Statistics on Terrorism
Arrests and Outcomes Great Britain the links to which are as follows:
Data from 2010 is not yet available.
International Development
Afghanistan: Females
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of aid allocated by his Department to groups in Afghanistan seeking to improve the quality of life, education, health and safety of women is paid into bank accounts in the name of Afghan males. [5077]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) requests and receives regular monitoring reports on all our programmes from our implementing partners. However the information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.
I have recently initiated a review of the Department for International Development (DFID) aid programmes to ensure they are as effective as possible and bring real benefit to the world's poor. Our work in Afghanistan will be reviewed as part of this process.
The Government are committed to addressing gender issues in developing countries and will place women at the centre of our work on international development. We are also fully committed to ensuring full transparency of UK aid and have launched the Aid Transparency Guarantee, which will provide opportunities for those directly affected by our projects to provide feedback on the performance of projects. I have also announced a new independent aid watchdog to gather evidence about the effectiveness of DFID's programmes.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to ensure that aid committed by his Department to improve the quality of life, education, health and safety of women reaches the women's groups to which it has been allocated. [5078]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: I have recently initiated a review of the Department for International Development (DFID) aid programmes to ensure they are as effective as possible and bring real benefit to the world's poor.
The Government are committed to addressing gender issues in developing countries and will place women at the centre of our work on international development. We are also fully committed to ensuring full transparency of UK aid and have launched the Aid Transparency Guarantee, which will provide opportunities for those directly affected by our projects to provide feedback on the performance of projects. I have also announced a new independent aid watchdog to gather evidence about the effectiveness of DFID's programmes.
Developing Countries: Forests
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Government plans to contribute to the international fund for maintaining levels of forestation; and whether expenditure will be in addition to already planned expenditure. [5069]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: There are a number of international funds that seek to assist developing countries in their efforts to reduce deforestation. The UK is contributing £15 million to the Forest Carbon Partnership Forum (FCPF), £100 million to the Forest Investment programme (FIP), and £50 million to the Congo Basin Forest Fund.
We are reviewing all our aid, including aid channelled through multilateral agencies to ensure it is as effective as possible and brings real benefit to the world's poor. We will consider further contributions to international brings real benefit to the world's poor. We will consider further contributions to international funds that seek to assist developing countries in their efforts to reduce deforestation as part of this review.
I have recently reaffirmed the UK's commitment to Fast Start finance, including £300 million for forestry between 2010 and 2012.
Developing Countries: Health Services
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support the Centre for Progressive Health Financing (a) has provided to date and (b) plans to provide in the next six months to the six developing countries that pledged to remove health user fees at the Healthy Women, Healthy Children event held in the meeting of the UN General Assembly in September 2009. [5046]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development has provided specific technical support on pro-poor health financing to two of the countries that made announcements in September 2009 (Liberia and Sierra Leone). In Nepal, Malawi, Ghana and Burundi, we have continued our support to the health sector, including support to removing financial barriers for the poorest.
I have recently initiated a review of DFID's aid programmes to determine how we can achieve better value for money for the taxpayer and accelerate progress towards the millennium development goals. The way in which we will take forward our support for health financing will be determined as part of this review.
Developing Countries: Maternity Services
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what steps he plans to take at the forthcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly towards reducing maternal mortality in developing countries; [5044]
(2) what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of maternal mortality in developing countries. [5045]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: Maternal health is a major priority for the UK Government and an area which the Prime Minister has personally championed. We want to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights, including access to modern family planning methods and promoting women's choice in the developing world. The recent G8 summit has delivered a significant step change in efforts to improve maternal, newborn and child health. The Muskoka Initiative will prevent 1.3 million under five child deaths, 64,000 maternal deaths and enable an additional 12 million women to have access to modern family planning over the period 2010-15.
The UN millennium development goal (MDG) summit in September, with the aim of delivering the UN Secretary-General's joint action plan to improve the health of women and children, will be the next significant milestone. The UK Government remains determined to use such events to continue to drive progress and ensure that the UN delivers improved health outcomes for women and children.
Developing Countries: Overseas Aid
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's policy is on provision of aid to countries where torture is used. [6291]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: As stated in "The Coalition: our programme for government", the Government will never condone the use of torture. In taking decisions on the provision of aid the Department for International Development (DFID) takes into consideration the country governments commitment to human rights, as well as their commitment to poverty reduction, accountability and combating corruption, and the level of development and humanitarian needs in the country.
I have recently initiated a review of the DFID bilateral aid programme to ensure that we target UK aid where it is needed most and will most and will make the most significant impact on poverty reduction. The review will consider which countries should receive British aid, how much they should receive and which countries should stop receiving British aid.
International Assistance: Poverty and Hunger
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of aid delivery models used by the United Nations to make progress towards the millennium development goals to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. [5102]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development is currently undertaking a review of our funding to multilateral organisations. The review will include an assessment of the effectiveness of the United Nations agencies we support and their potential to make progress towards the millennium development goals.
Overseas Aid
Mr Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department provided to each country (a) in total and (b) per head of population of the recipient country in the latest year for which information is available; and what the percentage change in the amount of aid provided to each such country was between 1999 and that year. [5029]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: Figures for UK Official Development Assistance to each recipient country and the relevant population in each year from 1999 to 2008 are published on the website of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development:
Work and Pensions
Departmental Consultants
Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what budget his Department has allocated for consultancy in 2010-11. [5929]
Chris Grayling: The requested information is not available as the Department for Work and Pensions is still considering the impacts of the emergency Budget on its spending plans. The Department expects to make savings of around £20 million on consultancy in 2010-11 to contribute to its overall £535 million efficiency challenge. The latest outturn data on consultancy spending were for 2008-09, when the Department spent £95.2 million on IT and management consultancy.
Departmental Official Cars
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which Ministers in his Department have used an allocated Ministerial car to travel between the Department and the House of Commons on each day since 21 May 2010. [5558]
Chris Grayling: No records of such journeys are kept. DWP Ministers use allocated ministerial cars, particularly when carrying restricted, confidential and private papers which relate to Government and parliamentary business. DWP Ministers also routinely walk to the House of Commons from the Department.
Departmental Pay
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff his Department employs outside London at a wage of less than £7.14 per hour. [5244]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions has 576 staff who are employed outside London who earn less than £7.14 per hour.
£7.14 equates to a full time equivalent salary of £13,737 and is therefore below the threshold of the pay freeze.
Disability Living Allowance: Children
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to include disability living allowance payments to children in his proposed review of disability living allowance payments. [6418]
Maria Miller: The Chancellor announced in his Emergency Budget that the Government will reform disability living allowance to ensure support is targeted on those with the highest needs and will consider carefully how reforms will impact on children.
Employment and Support Allowance
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the level of financial support needed to ensure that those living on employment and support allowance do not live in poverty. [5251]
Chris Grayling: Work is the best and most sustainable route out of poverty. The aim of the new work programme is to support individuals to maximise employment opportunities. For those unable to work, the benefit system currently targets extra resources on those who are in greatest disadvantage. The system will continue to provide additional support for those in need, but in future the Government will work to ensure the benefit system also helps to tackle the root causes of poverty, reducing welfare dependency and promoting social justice.
The main elements of the employment and support allowance (ESA) are the personal allowances, the work-related activity or support components and flat rate premiums for groups recognised as having other special needs e.g. carers, severely disabled people and people aged over 60. This structure enables the Government to focus help most effectively on those groups who have the greatest needs. In particular, people who are placed in the support group qualify for the enhanced disability premium automatically.
The benefit rates do not directly reflect, nor are they made up of, specific items of household and other expenditure. Instead the rates are intended to cover overall household expenditure and normal day to day living expenses taken as a whole. Benefit rates are reviewed annually and a number of factors are taken into account during the review, the most important of which is the level of inflation. We have decided that in future ESA will be increased using the Consumer Price Index which we believe is the most suitable measure of inflation.
In many cases the basic rate of ESA is just one element of the total package of support that a person or household receives. Additional support may be available through (e.g.) housing benefit, council tax benefit, child benefit, child tax credit and disability living allowance.
Floors: Safety
Mr Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the (a) methodology used by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for measuring the slip potential of floors and (b) the HSE's microsurface roughness meter; what research has been (i) commissioned and (ii) evaluated on the effectiveness of the HSE's microsurface roughness meter; if he will publish such research; and if he will make a statement on the HSE's policy on the slip potential of floors. [5173]
Chris Grayling: The Department of Work and Pensions has made no assessment of the effectiveness of the methodology used by HSE for measuring the slip potential of floors and its micro surface roughness meter. HSE's approach to this topic has been developed by the UK Health and Safety Laboratory and is supported by the independent UK Slip Resistance Group consisting of manufacturers, suppliers and consultants. Independent peer reviewed research material also supports the approach taken by HSE and HSL.
HSE does not manufacture a micro surface roughness meter. It does use a commercially available micro surface roughness meter to assess the slipperiness of flooring in water contaminated conditions as part of its regulatory functions.
HSL have undertaken a variety of research into the causes of slips at work and how they can be managed and this research is published on the HSE website:
HSE has also published a technical guidance note on assessing the slip resistance of flooring which draws on the outputs from published HSL research:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/web/slips01.pdf
Mr Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received on the Health and Safety Executive's (a) policy on slipping and (b) methodology for measuring the risk of different surfaces giving rise to slipping. [5175]
Chris Grayling: HSE has received correspondence from one commercial supplier of slip assessment equipment about its policy on slipping and its methodology for measuring the risk of different surfaces giving rise to slipping.
Future Jobs Fund
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs created (a) in Great Yarmouth constituency, (b) in the East of England and (c) nationally have been attributable to the Future Jobs Fund since its inception. [5935]
Chris Grayling: The information requested on the Great Yarmouth constituency area is not available.
In the East of England area the latest official statistics, covering the period from October 2009 to January 2010, show that 390 people were recorded as starting jobs funded by the Future Jobs Fund.
In Great Britain the latest official statistics, covering the period from October 2009 to January 2010, show that 8,660 people were recorded as starting jobs funded by the Future Jobs Fund.
At up to £6,500 per person the FJF is five times more expensive than some other elements of the Young Persons Guarantee. Moreover the Future Jobs Fund creates temporary, short term posts and the grants do not include any incentives to move people into permanent jobs.
The Government are committed to supporting young people. The 50,000 new apprenticeships and the forthcoming Work Programme will help move young people into sustainable employment.
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