Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 14 July 2010
Northern Ireland
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on televisions in each year since 1997. [7513]
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for Policing and Justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
Since 12 April the Department has spent £295 on televisions.
The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has incurred no cost since 12 April.
Departmental ICT
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on information and communication technology in each year since 1997. [7344]
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for policing and justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
Since 12 April the Department has not incurred any costs on information and communication technology.
The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has incurred a cost of £2,227 since 12 April.
Departmental Marketing
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his (a) Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on logo design in each year since 1997. [7489]
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for Policing and Justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
Since 12 April the Department and its non-departmental public body have incurred no expenditure in this area. The NIO has no agencies.
Departmental Security
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on security in each year since 1997. [7381]
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for policing and justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
Since 12 April the Department has spent £35,205 on security.
The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has incurred a cost of £221 since 12 April.
Departmental Stationery
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on stationery in each year since 1997. [7470]
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for Policing and Justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
Since 12 April the Department has spent £1,970 on stationery.
The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has incurred a cost of £903 since 12 April.
Departmental Training
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee awaydays in each year since 1997. [7325]
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for policing and justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
Since 12 April the Department has incurred no expenditure on employee awaydays.
The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has incurred no cost on awaydays since 12 April
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his (a) Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee training since 1997. [7655]
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office transferred responsibility for Policing and Justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
Since 12 April the Department has spent £1,173 on training.
The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has incurred a cost of £3,205 since 12 April.
Departmental Travel
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his (a) Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies has spent on travel for employees in each year since 1997. [7432]
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for policing and justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
Since 12 April the Department has spent £125,319 on travel.
The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has incurred a cost of £2,457 since 12 April.
Departmental Utilities
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on (i) electricity, (ii) water, (iii) heating and (iv) telephone services in each year since 1997. [7595]
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office transferred responsibility for Policing and Justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.
Since 12 April the Department has incurred the following costs in the requested areas:
(i) electricity £35,889;
(ii) water £1,768;
(iii) heating £18,299;
(iv) telephone services £115,066.
The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has incurred the following costs since 12 April:
(i) electricity £70;
(ii) water £830;
(iii) heating £352;
(iv) telephone services £2,311.
Treasury
Departmental Accountancy
Derek Twigg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in respect of which public expenditure projects his Department was notified that letters of Ministerial direction had been issued to departmental permanent secretaries in each of the last three years. [8050]
Justine Greening: The information sought is set out as follows.
Departmental NDPBs
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the address is of the head office of each non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible. [5718]
Justine Greening: Out of Treasury's arm's-length bodies, the Royal Mint Advisory Committee is a non-departmental public body. Its contact address Llantrisant, Pontyclun, CF72 8YT.
Finance Bill 2010-11
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the contribution of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 6 July 2010, Official Report, column 205, on the Finance Bill, what the statistical source was of the forecast in respect of further convergence. [7825]
Danny Alexander: Convergence is a mathematical property of the Barnett formula exhibited under certain conditions, particularly when departmental spending is growing. Table 2.3 in the Budget sets out falling implied departmental expenditure limit totals over the course of the spending review period.
Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands
Mr Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people not liable to pay tax at the 50 pence higher rate subject to marginal deduction rates of over (a) 60, (b) 70, (c) 80 and (d) 90 per cent. in (i) (A) 2011 and (B) 2012-13 under the proposals in the June 2010 budget and (ii) (1) 2011-12 and (2) 2012-13 under the proposals in the March 2010 budget. [7822]
Mr Gauke: Annex A of the June 2010 Budget provides estimates of the numbers of families subject to marginal deduction rates (MDR) of over 60, 70, 80, 90% in 2010-11 and 2011-12 under proposals in the March 2010 and June 2010 Budgets. The footnote to this table states that rates are estimated for families in receipt of income-related benefits or tax credits, and hence those facing a 50% income tax rate are not included. Consistent with previous Budgets, MDR estimates have been set out for the forthcoming tax year only.
Insurance: Construction
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints the (a) Financial Services Authority and (b) Financial Ombudsman Service has received on the Federation of Master Builders Masterbond warranty scheme in each of the last 10 years. [3865]
Mr Hoban [holding answer 22 June 2010]: Both the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) are operationally independent of Government.
The Financial Services Authority does not investigate complaints about firms from individual consumers, that is role of the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Every six months, the FOS publishes data on individual financial businesses where it has received at least 30 new cases and resolved at least 30 cases relating to the business during the period. The FOS does not comment separately on the overall performance of individual businesses.
Public Expenditure
Dr Pugh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the full-year effect is of reductions in the revenue expenditure of each department announced by his Department. [7676]
Danny Alexander: The reductions to Resource Departmental Expenditure Limits (RDEL) for 2010-11 from the £6.2 billion of cuts announced on 24 May are set out in table 3.7 of the recent Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2010:
| Department | RDEL Reduction (£ million) |
In addition the Devolved Administrations will have the option of making savings this year or deferring their share of the savings, which total £699 million (capital and resource), until the next financial year.
The announcements on 17 June on project reapprovals, and on 5 July on unfunded spending commitments, will not reduce 2010-11 RDEL.
Public Finance
Dr Pugh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the full-year effect on departmental revenue budgets is of changes to departments' capital programmes proposed by his Department. [7678]
Danny Alexander: The reductions to Capital Departmental Expenditure Limits (CDEL) for 2010-11 from the £6.2 billion of cuts announced on 24 May are set out in table 3.8 of the recent Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2010:
| Department | CDEL Reduction (£ million) |
In addition the Devolved Administrations will have the option of making savings this year or deferring their share of the savings, which total £699 million (capital and resource), until the next financial year.
The announcements on 17 June on project reapprovals, and on 5 July on unfunded spending commitments, will not reduce 2010-11 CDEL.
Taxation: Aviation
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will take steps to ensure that air tax exemptions for the Highlands and Islands are maintained in implementing his proposals to replace air passenger duty with a per-plane tax; [6295]
(2) what consultation his Department plans to undertake in the Highlands and Islands on his proposals to replace air passenger duty with a per-plane tax; [6296]
(3) whether he plans to review the military exemptions from air passenger duty; [6297]
(4) whether his proposals for a per-plane tax will apply to cargo flights operating within the Highlands and Islands region. [6298]
Justine Greening: The Budget announced that the Government will explore changes to the aviation tax system, including switching from a per-passenger to a per-plane duty, which could encourage fuller planes. Major changes will be subject to consultation.
Taxation: PFI
Richard Fuller: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the merits of bringing forward proposals to change the rules on private finance initiatives (PFI) to require all PFI contractors to pay full tax in the UK. [8136]
Danny Alexander: All PFI companies are contractually committed to deliver their service subject to the UK tax regime.
Government's policy in this area is set out in annex 4.4 of Managing Public Money which may be found in the public spending and reporting section of the Treasury website.
VAT
Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will (a) commission research on and (b) make an estimate of the (i) effect on the economy and (ii) likely level of Exchequer receipts consequent on the setting of a higher rate of value added tax for luxury goods. [7060]
Mr Gauke: Since the late 1970s European VAT law setting out the principles according to which VAT is to be applied does not provide for a higher rate of VAT.
In 1977 the 6th VAT directive on VAT was signed. Its purpose was to harmonise the principles on which the tax was to be applied throughout the then EEC. The directive limited the number of rates to a single standard rate with up to two reduced rates on a specified list of supplies. This prohibits the UK having a higher rate of VAT on specific items. There were derogations, including our zero rates.
Transport
Bus Services: Concessions
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of expenditure on the national concessionary bus fares scheme in each of the next five years. [6896]
Norman Baker: The following forecast is for expenditure by travel concession authorities on concessionary travel for older and disabled people. This includes spend on discretionary concessions offered by local authorities, as well as spend on the statutory national scheme. The forecast assumes eligible age for the scheme rises in line with the rising female pension age, as has already been committed.
As part of a package of reforms, it was announced in the pre-Budget report that savings in how the scheme operates could be explored-in particular whether savings could be made through a more efficient method by which travel concession authorities reimburse bus operators. This work is now being taken forward as part of the spending review. These potential savings have therefore not been included in the forecast.
| £ million | |
Crossrail
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the expected date is for completion of the Crossrail spur to (a) Maidenhead and (b) Abbey Wood; and when the current proposed Crossrail network will be completed. [6577]
Mrs Villiers: The planned date for commencement of Crossrail operations remains 2017 with current plans for all Crossrail works on the committed scheme due for completion by 2017.
Crossrail Line: Kent
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the planned timetable is for the completion of work on the Crossrail Abbey Wood spur. [4050]
Mrs Villiers: The precise construction phasing for aspects of the Crossrail project, including the Abbey Wood spur, is yet to be finalised. The planned date for commencement of Crossrail operations is 2017.
Cycling: Safety
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the budget was of Cycle England in each of the last five years; and how much of that budget was spent on encouraging cyclists to wear cycle helmets. [7771]
Norman Baker [holding answer 12 July 2010]: Cycling England was created in March 2005 with an annual budget of £5 million (2005-06). That was subsequently increased to £10 million for 2006-07 and in 2007-08 the budget was further increased to £20 million, rising to £60 million in 2009-10. For 2010-11 the budget was reduced from £60 million to £58 million by the last Administration.
There is no specific Cycling England programme to encourage cycle helmet wearing. However a number of programmes funded by Cycling England give advice on cycle helmet wearing, such as Bikeability training.
Cycling: Schools
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to increase provision of cycling training in schools. [4983]
Norman Baker: The delivery of cycle training in schools rests with local highway authorities. To assist increased provision of cycle training in England, the Department for Transport has awarded grants to local authorities in 2010-11 for "Bikeability" training of just over £6 million. We are also providing £5 million to schools through School Sports Partnerships in England to provide further Bikeability training opportunities. £500,000 is also available in 2010-11 to provide bursary grants for training new instructors (£300 bursary per trainer) and assistant instructors (£150 bursary per trainer) to help meet the increased demand for Bikeability training.
Future Government funding for cycle training will be considered as part of the current spending review.
Driving: Safety
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the number of people who drive (a) while using a mobile telephone, (b) without wearing a seat belt, (c) while disqualified and (d) without insurance; and if he will make a statement. [5440]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport monitors the number of drivers who are convicted each year of these offences and works with the police and other Government Departments on the most effective enforcement of road traffic law. If the evidence suggests it is necessary, the Department will consider taking additional measures to achieve compliant driver behaviour.
First Capital Connect
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the performance of First Capital Connect in meeting its (a) rail franchise obligations and (b) targets; and if he will make a statement. [7094]
Mrs Villiers: Under its franchise agreement, First Capital Connect is required to report its delivery against its operational franchise obligations and performance targets at the end of each rail industry period, the latest period being 30 May to 26 June 2010. This performance is then assessed by officials in the Department for Transport and action taken as required.
First Capital Connect are currently meeting their operational performance target in the franchise agreement. Their public performance measure in the latest period was 90.4%.
Government Car and Despatch Agency
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cars the Government Car and Despatch Agency has sold since 6 May 2010. [8270]
Mike Penning: The Government Car and Despatch Agency has sold 14 cars since 6 May 2010.
Railways
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evaluation of proposed improvements to the rail strategic network he plans to undertake prior to the Comprehensive Spending Review. [7832]
Mrs Villiers: The Government are currently looking at a wide range of options as part of the spending review process.
Work and Pensions
Departmental Public Expenditure
Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether equality impact assessments will be used in determining the areas of his Department's budget in respect of which spending will be reduced. [8340]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions is considering the equality impacts of all its spending review proposals as plans develop.
Departmental Regulation
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of his Department's regulations are under review; and if he will make a statement. [7148]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for a wide range of regulations; by necessity the Department is constantly reviewing regulations in relation to delivering its business. Details of those specific regulations currently under review could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Disability Living Allowance
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in (a) Wansbeck constituency and (b) the UK are in receipt of (i) the mobility component, (ii) the care component and (iii) both the care and mobility components of disability living allowance. [6072]
Maria Miller: The information requested is in the following table:
| DLA cases in payment: Wansbeck parliamentary constituency, November 2009 | ||||
| All | Care component only | Mobility component only | Both Care and mobility component | |
| Notes: 1. Caseload: Totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 2. Parliamentary Constituency: Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 3. A small number of DLA cases are not resident in Britain. The total of both invalid and non-British addresses amounts to 3,240 cases. Geographical area for aggregated statistical analysis is determined by matching customers' postcodes to an ONS supplied postcode directory which gives a number of standard geographies. If a customer's record does not have a valid postcode then no area code is allocated. Customers with addresses abroad do not have British postcodes and therefore are not matched to a British area code. For statistical purposes these two groups of cases have no British area code allocated and cannot be separated on National Statistics data sets for analysis. The total of both British cases without valid postcodes and addresses abroad amounts to 3,240 cases out of the total caseload of 3.12 million. 4. Figures are given for Great Britain rather then the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland Benefits are administered by Northern Ireland Social Security Agency. Definitions and Conventions: Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10; Some additional disclosure control has also been applied; Totals may not sum due to rounding. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study | ||||
Ethnic Minority Employment Task Force
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Ethnic Minority Employment Taskforce is next due to meet; what its role is; and if he will make a statement. [7534]
Chris Grayling: The coalition Government are committed to improving opportunities for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. The Ethnic Minority Employment Task Force was set up in 2003 to drive forward strategies designed to ensure ethnic minorities no longer face disproportionate barriers to achievement in the labour market. Task Force membership includes Ministers from all key departments as this multi-dimensional issue requires a cross-governmental approach.
It has not been possible for the Task Force to meet since the general election, however, updates on the work agenda together with minutes of every meeting can be found on the Task Force's website:
Health and Safety Executive: Expenditure
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Health and Safety Executive's budget was in each year from 1997 to 2009. [8016]
Chris Grayling: The answer is provided in the table.
| HSE net resource outturns 1997-98 to 2008-09 | |
| Financial year | HSE (£000) |
| (1) The 2005-06 outturn has been restated to reflect the transfer of responsibility for rail regulation from HSE to the Office of Rail Regulation on 1 April 2006 but the figures from 1997-98 to 2004-05 have not been restated. (2) The 2006-07 outturn has been restated to reflect: the transfer of the Office for Civil Nuclear Security and the UK Safeguards Office to HSE on 1 April 2007; and the change in treatment of non-retainable income in accordance with HM Treasury's guidance. Figures from previous years have not been restated. (3) The 2007-08 outturn figures have been restated to reflect: the transfer of Pesticides Safety Directorate to HSE on 1 April 2008 and the capitalisation of software licenses. The merger of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) with HSE on 1 April 2008, is also reflected in the restated outturn figures for 2007-08. Figures from 1997-98 to 2008-09 include the aggregated cost of HSC and HSE. | |
Health and Safety Executive: Manpower
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many inspectors were employed by the Health and Safety Executive in each year from 1997 to 2009. [7813]
Chris Grayling: The answer is provided in the table.
| At 1 April | Number of inspectors( 1) |
| (1) All figures are for full-time equivalents, rounded to the nearest whole number. (2 )The number and that for the subsequent years excludes 95 inspectors (full-time equivalents) that moved from HSE to the Office of Rail Regulation when responsibility for rail regulation health and safety matters transferred on 1 April 2006. | |
Industrial Health and Safety
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what methodology his Department uses to monitor public attitudes towards health and safety legislation. [8019]
Chris Grayling: Since 2004 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has commissioned an annual suite of complementary surveys to measure attitudes towards (and awareness of) health and safety at work. In 2009, these surveys targeted three distinct groups: employees, workplace health and safety managers and chief executive officers or senior directors of medium and large businesses and public sector bodies. The latter two surveys include questions that measure attitudes towards health and safety requirements.
I have arranged for a copy of the 2009 survey report to be placed in the Library.
In addition to the annual monitoring of attitudes towards health and safety through this survey programme, ad-hoc evaluation studies may also capture attitudes towards specific health and safety legislation of particular groups at a fixed point in time.
Industrial Injuries
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many workplace injuries there were in each year from 1997 to 2009. [8020]
Chris Grayling:
The best estimate of the overall number of injuries to workers comes from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Data are also available from notifications of workplace injuries that are made under RIDDOR-the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. This latter dataset only includes accidents that result in hospital admission or an absence from work of over three days and is subject to the drawback that there is considerable underreporting. However, it has a wider coverage than the LFS, as it covers not only workers but also members of the public that are injured
in accidents connected to work activities. The following table provides estimates from the LFS for workers and the total number of RIDDOR injury notifications for the period 1996-97 to 2008-09.
| Estimated incidence of self-reported workplace injuries from the LFS | Total count of RIDDOR injuries to workers and members of the public | |
| (1) Comparable data is not available from the LFS for the 1996-97 to 1998-99. Note: The annual basis of RIDDOR recording is the planning year from 1 April to 31 March. Data for 2008-09 is provisional, denoted by '*'. Source: Labour Force Survey and RIDDOR | ||
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many workers incurred a workplace injury in each year from 1997 to 2009. [8022]
Chris Grayling: The best estimate of the overall number of injuries to workers comes from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Data are also available from notifications of workplace injuries that are made under RIDDOR-the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. This latter dataset only includes accidents that result in hospital admission or an absence from work of over three days and is subject to the drawback that there is considerable underreporting. The following table provides the figures from the LFS and RIDDOR regarding injuries to workers for the period 1996-97 to 2008-09.
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many non-workers were injured by workplace activities in each year from 1997 to 2009. [8023]
Chris Grayling: Notifications of injuries to members of the public arising from a work activity (i.e. the injured person was not at work themselves) are made under RIDDOR-the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. This dataset includes accidents to members of the public that are either fatal or that result in the injured person being taken directly to hospital. The following table provides the figures from RIDDOR regarding injuries to members of the public for the period 1996-97-2008-09.
| Total count of RIDDOR injury notifications to members of the public | |
| (1) Provisional. (2) For 2008-09, a change in the legal interpretation of the reportability of accidents occurring in schools has resulted in the addition of approximately 3,400 additional records. In addition, a reduced level of quality checks on reportability was undertaken on incidents involving members of the public in local authority (LA) enforced premises. An estimate shows that there are approximately 740 LA records included in the 2008-09 total that in previous years would have been excluded. | |
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent assessment is of the probability of a person being injured at work. [8024]
Chris Grayling: Based on the latest rate of self-reported workplace injury, we estimate that approximately one in 40 workers currently suffer from a workplace injury in a 12-month period. This estimate is based on the percentage of workers who sustained a workplace injury in 2008-09. The following table gives the percentages for 1999-2000 to 2008-09.
| Estimated percentage of workers suffering workplace injury in previous 12-months | |
| Source: Labour Force Survey | |
Jobcentre Plus
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the work of Jobcentre Plus with clients with mental health and substance abuse issues; and if he will make a statement. [6604]
Chris Grayling: There has been no recent formal assessment of the work of Jobcentre Plus with customers who have substance misuse issues. However, following discussions with officials from the Department of Health, Jobcentre Plus has strengthened its support to this customer group.
An assessment of support for people with mental health issues was made in 2009. Jobcentre Plus introduced a Mental Health Coordinator in each district. This strengthens the framework of support available to people with health conditions. We are currently considering how best to support customers with mental health and substance abuse issues and are committed to ensuring that they are able to participate fully in the society.
Jobseeker's Allowance: Durham
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of (a) individuals and (b) lone parents who will have been on jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months in City of Durham constituency in 2013. [8465]
Chris Grayling: The information is not available.
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of lone parents in receipt of jobseeker's allowance in City of Durham constituency. [8468]
Chris Grayling: In April 2010 there were 60 lone parents claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in City of Durham.
The figure has been rounded to the nearest five.
Social Security Benefits: Disability
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the level of funding allocated to the Independent Living Fund for the financial year (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12. [7840]
Maria Miller: The Independent Living Fund budget for 2010-11 is £348 million. This is an increase of 3% above its previous year's allocation.
No decisions have been made beyond the current financial year. Departmental budgets for future years are all subject to the forthcoming spending review across Government.
Scotland
Independent Living Fund: Scotland
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has had discussions with (a) the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and (b) the Scottish Executive on the closure of applications to the Independent Living Fund for the 2010-11 financial year. [7838]
Michael Moore: Although the budget of the Independent Living Fund has risen this year, pressure on it has meant that the Fund has been closed to new applicants for the rest of the financial year. This will ensure that existing claimants are protected and continue to get the help they need. I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues.
Lanarkshire: Official Visits
Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times he has visited Lanarkshire on official business since 7 May 2010; and when he next intends to do so. [7785]
Michael Moore: I have not visited Lanarkshire on official business since 7 May 2010. I have plans to visit many areas of Scotland in the course of my duties as Secretary of State for Scotland.
Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to visit Lanarkshire to discuss Government spending priorities in that area. [7744]
Michael Moore: I will be visiting many areas of Scotland and undertaking discussions on a wide range of issues whilst representing the Scotland Office.
Merchant Shipping
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date he last discussed the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010 with the Secretary of State for Transport. [8338]
Michael Moore: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mike Penning) made a written ministerial statement on 8 July 2010, Official Report, column 14WS, confirming that the Government are in no doubt that ship-to-ship transfers require some form of regulation because of their potential damage to the UK's seas and coasts. However, given the concerns expressed by industry about some aspects of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010, the Government have decided to defer their entry into force while a review is conducted.
Transport: Scotland
Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on cross-border rail services serving Motherwell. [7551]
Michael Moore: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues.
Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions he has used cross-border rail services via Motherwell since 7 May 2010; and when he next plans to do so. [7784]
Michael Moore: I have not used cross-border rail services via Motherwell in my role as Secretary of State for Scotland since 7 May 2010.
Voting Systems: Scotland
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what (a) meetings and (b) correspondence he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on the date of the proposed referendum on the alternative vote system. [7983]
Michael Moore: I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend and other colleagues on this and other matters.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Departmental Official Cars
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the mileage travelled by each Minister in his Department in a Government car in (a) May and (b) June 2010. [8321]
Alistair Burt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport (Mike Penning) on 13 July 2010, Official Report, column 624W.
Departmental Speeches
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which (a) (i) civil servants and (ii) special advisers in his Department and (b) other individuals are employed to write speeches for each Minister in his Department. [7401]
Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) speechwriting team, which serves my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the five other FCO Ministers, consists of four civil servants.
European Union
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the cost to his Department of compliance with regulations arising from EU obligations in the last 12 months. [6879]
Mr Lidington: This information is not held centrally, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Zimbabwe: Diamonds
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Zimbabwean counterpart on the export of diamonds and compliance with the Kimberley Process requirements. [8014]
Mr Bellingham: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is disappointed the Kimberley Process did not reach agreement on Zimbabwean diamonds when it met on 21-24 June 2010, and calls on its participants to work hard to reach agreement when they meet again on 14-16 July.
Our embassy in Harare will continue to urge the Government of Zimbabwe to maintain a firm commitment to the Kimberley Process and urgently to take action to bring all mining operations in the Marange fields into compliance with Kimberley Process requirements.
Defence
Armed Forces: Deployment
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in how many military (a) conventional state on state and (b) counter insurgency conflicts British forces have been involved in the last 30 years. [5276]
Dr Fox: There is no standard definition of conflict, state conflict, or counter insurgency. Taking a reasonable interpretation of these terms, since 1980 UK forces have been involved in the following conflicts involving force against another state, some of them undertaken in distinct operational phases over time: Falkland Islands; Bosnia; Kosovo; Iraq (twice). Operations of a counter insurgency nature have been undertaken in Afghanistan, Kosovo, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Sierra Leone, Vanuatu, and the follow on phases of the second Iraq conflict.
Operations that fall outside these definitions including peace keeping and peace support, UN observer missions, evacuation and humanitarian operations and military aid to the civil authorities.
Details of individual defence operations and their purposes over the period in question can be found in the Defence Annual Report and Accounts, and its predecessor publications, which are all published documents and are placed in the Library of the House.
Armed Forces: Private Education
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2010, Official Report, columns 4-5W, on armed forces: private education, what the (a) highest, (b) lowest and (c) average parental contribution paid in respect of each rank in receipt of continuity of education allowance was in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09. [7222]
Mr Robathan: Details of the average parental contribution paid by each rank in receipt of continuity of education allowance are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2010, Official Report, columns 4-5W, on armed forces: private education, if he will review the amount of parental contribution to the continuity of education allowance paid by service personnel in receipt of the allowance. [7801]
Mr Robathan: All allowances remain under regular review to ensure that service personnel are adequately recompensed for conditions of service not covered by the x-factor and for the necessary additional costs incurred by virtue of service. Continuity of education allowance allows a stability of education when a service family is required to be mobile for service reasons. Under current arrangements the service person claiming the allowance pays a minimum contribution of 10% of the school fees. The level of this contribution has been scrutinised every year and is currently assessed as appropriate.
Defence
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has set a timetable for receiving contributions to the Strategic Defence and Security Review from (a) members of the public and (b) representative organisations. [6743]
Mr Letwin: I have been asked to reply.
Government have already begun engaging with key partners and representative organisations on the Strategic Defence and Security Review, and will be providing individual members of the armed forces and their families with the opportunity to contribute. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the noble Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 7 July 2010, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA 48. The Government expect to publish a National Security Strategy and the outcomes of the Strategic Defence and Security Review in the autumn, in coordination with the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). Contributions and ideas from members of the public and representative organisations and others are welcome at any time during this process.
Departmental Equality
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent (a) in total and (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose. [5911]
Mr Robathan: The information requested is not held centrally. To determine a cost for this activity would require extensive collation from all areas of the MOD and this could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Human Resources
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on human resources in each year since 1997. [5104]
Mr Robathan: Financial information for both civilian and military human resources is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental ICT
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the original estimated cost was of the Defence Information Infrastructure project; and what his most recent estimate is of the cost of that project. [6998]
Peter Luff: The current estimate of the whole Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) Programme is around £7.1 billion; this figure was reported by the NAO in their Value for Money Report published 4 July 2008. This figure includes two future-and not on contract-increments for DII Deployed Restricted and the second tranche of DII Top Secret and also includes other separately funded programmes, which are outside of DII but on which DII depends.
An earlier estimate of £5.854 billion was calculated at contract let as the cost to deploy DII to permanent land sites only. This estimate did not include monies for DII Deployed and Top Secret as their capability and scope were not fully mature at that time.
Due to the changing shape of the defence landscape, which will be informed by the Strategic Defence and Security Review, the current £7.1 billion estimate may need to be revisited once the review is completed.
Departmental Training
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training has been provided for Ministers in his Department since the formation of the present administration; and at what cost. [6446]
Mr Robathan: Defence Ministers have been provided with a wide-ranging induction package including briefs on security, finance, IT, and the running of Government. In-house media training is also given so that Ministers are able to effectively communicate the objectives of the Ministry of Defence and the work of the armed forces to the media and the wider public.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude) to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson) on 3 June 2010, Official Report, columns 51-52W. The National School of Government is funded through its Core Learning Programme to deliver induction and other training to Ministers, and there is no separate charge to Departments.
European Fighter Aircraft
Diana R. Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the number of employees in the UK defence and aerospace sector working on the Typhoon Fighter programme (a) in East Yorkshire and (b) in the UK. [7015]
Peter Luff: Analysis by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is that a minimum of 8,600 jobs should be directly sustained in the UK by the Typhoon programme. The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on how many of these jobs are in East Yorkshire.
Gibraltar: Spain
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received on the incident between Royal Navy vessels and the Spanish Civil Guard patrol boats which took place in British waters around Gibraltar on 17 June 2010. [8083]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 13 July 2010]: There are no reports of an incident in British Gibraltarian Territorial Waters involving the Royal Navy on 17 June 2010.
Red Arrows
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the military application is of the Red Arrows; and what military usage has been made of the Red Arrows in each of the last five years. [6475]
Nick Harvey: The Red Arrows do not have a direct operational role. However, they contribute to a number of military tasks, including public duties and security co-operation, where they support defence diplomacy by demonstrating British excellence, strengthening international relations and promoting wider British influence and interests.
Readily available information on Red Arrows participation in events of this nature over the last five years is provided in the following table. This excludes the significant number of fly-pasts (undertaken en-route) to and from more formal engagements as this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| UK display | UK formal flypast | Overseas display | Overseas formal fly-past | |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Research
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research projects on (a) soil science, (b) traditional plant breeding, (c) marker-assisted plant breeding, (d) crop agronomy, (e) plant physiology, (f) plant pathology, (g) agricultural botany, (h) environmental microbiology, (i) weed science, (j) entomology, (k) crop irrigation, (l) nitrogen fixation, (m) soil phosphorous, (n) soil erosion, (o) pollinating insects and (p) integrated pest management her Department has funded since 1997; what the (i) research topic, (ii) start date, (iii) cost and (iv) project code was of each such project; who the main contractor was in each case; and which such projects have been completed to date. [8032]
Richard Benyon: Data taken from the Science Information System, used to store data on all of DEFRA's research and development projects, have been placed in the House Library.
Each project is assigned keywords, which is how the list was generated.
The results using these keywords is as closely matched as possible but due to the design of the system it is not possible to extract the data precisely as requested.
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research projects designed to assist the development of organic agriculture her Department has funded since 1997; what the (a) research topic, (b) start date, (c) cost and (d) project code was of each such project; who the main contractor was in each case; and which such projects have been completed to date. [8033]
Richard Benyon: Data taken from the Science Information System, used to store data on all of DEFRA's research and development projects, have been placed in the House Library.
Each project is assigned certain appropriate keywords, which is how the list was generated.
The results are as closely matched as possible but due to the design of the system it is not possible to necessarily extract the data precisely as requested.
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research projects designed to assist farmers to (a) mitigate the effects of and (b) adapt to climate change her Department has funded since 1997; what the (i) research topic, (ii) start date, (iii) cost and (iv) project code was of each such project; who the main contractor was in each case; and which such projects have been completed to date. [8034]
Richard Benyon: Data taken from the Science Information System, used to store data on all of DEFRA's research and development projects, have been placed in the House Library.
Each project is assigned certain appropriate keywords, which is how the list was generated.
The results are as closely matched as possible but due to the design of the system it is not possible to extract the data precisely as requested.
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research projects on (a) the sources and quantity of greenhouse gases, (b) water pollution and (c) air pollution arising from agricultural activity her Department has funded since 1997; what the (i) research topic, (ii) start date, (iii) cost and (iv) project code was of each such project; who the main contractor was in each case; and which such projects have been completed to date. [8035]
Richard Benyon: Data taken from the science information system, used to store data on all of DEFRA's research and development projects, have been placed in the House Library.
Each project is assigned certain appropriate keywords, which is how the list was generated.
The results are as closely matched as possible but due to the design of the system it is not possible to extract the data precisely as requested.
Air Pollution
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assistance her Department offers to local authorities for the purpose of managing air quality management areas. [7093]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA supports local authorities in a number of ways, most specifically through the provision of guidance.
Guidance is intended to ensure consistency of approach in meeting Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) duties and to provide practice guidance on preparing action plans, consulting stakeholders and developing measures, including cost benefit appraisals. We provide technical, policy and practice guidance on local air quality management and in measures to improve air quality.
All our guidance on air quality can be found at:
A support package, including a helpdesk, emissions tools and case studies, is also available at:
An air quality grant is also available, currently £2.3 million per year, to support statutory duties on LAQM, and help support (running costs) for monitoring, emissions inventories, dispersion modelling and action planning.
Since introduction, DEFRA has distributed grant funding of £41 million to English local authorities.
Air Pollution: East of England
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when each air quality management area in each local authority in the East of England was designated. [7091]
Richard Benyon: To date, 28 local authorities have designated air quality management areas in the East of England. These are listed in the following table alongside the dates the air quality management areas (AQMA) came into effect.
Further information is available on the UK National Air Quality Archive
which is operated on behalf of the Department.
| Authority | Date of effect of AQMA |
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many areas in the East of England formerly designated as air quality management areas have had that designation removed in each year since 1997. [7092]
Richard Benyon: Since 1997 10 local authorities in the East of England have revoked air quality management areas. These are:
| Authority | Date of AQMA revocation |
| (1) Part of AQMA was revoked still leaving in place some AQMAs (2) Further AQMA was declared following the revocation | |
Dairy Farming: Cooperatives
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the creation of and support for dairy farming co-operatives; and what recent steps her Department has taken in support of this policy. [7056]
Mr Paice: It is the coalition's policy to enhance the role of farming co-operatives-which have an important role to play in improving the productivity and competitiveness of farming.
Earlier this year, the EFRA Select Committee issued a report following the collapse of Dairy Farmers of Britain in the summer of 2009. Its recommendations were wide-reaching and covered complex and specialist issues which go beyond DEFRA's responsibilities for dairy and agricultural cooperatives. DEFRA is leading across Government to bring together a response to this report and the Secretary of State will be formally responding to the Committee shortly.
Departmental Lost Property
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what property has been recorded as (a) lost and (b) stolen from the Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property. [5973]
Richard Benyon: Property items lost or stolen are all recorded as 'losses'. The following table shows losses with an estimated value (at the time of loss) of over £50. Figures are from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010.
| Description | Number | Estimated value (£) |
Measures to deter, prevent and detect theft are an important feature of the Department's protective security controls. These controls reflect the standards set out in the HMG Security Policy Framework (SPF) issued by the Cabinet Office.
DEFRA takes the loss of equipment very seriously so regular security guidance is provided to staff. Security breach patrols are undertaken and staff are notified of instances where equipment has been left out or inadequately secured.
Departmental Official Cars
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the mileage travelled by each Minister in her Department in a Government car in (a) May and (b) June 2010. [8320]
Richard Benyon: The Department does not hold this information.
Departmental Regulation
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of her Department's regulations are under review; and if she will make a statement. [7154]
Mr Paice: The Government are taking steps to reduce the burden of regulation, including a fundamental review of regulations in the pipeline. DEFRA is playing a full part in this process.
As part of this commitment, Richard Macdonald will head an industry-led Task Force on Farming Regulation to identify ways to reduce the regulatory burden and advise on how best to achieve a risk-based system of regulation.
Departmental Speeches
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which (a) (i) civil servants and (ii) special advisers in her Department and (b) other individuals are employed to write speeches for each Minister in her Department. [7296]
Richard Benyon: Two and a half civil servants are employed to write speeches for the ministerial team.
EU Law
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the cost to her Department of compliance with regulations arising from EU obligations in the last 12 months. [6878]
Mr Paice: The last estimate of the cost of EU regulation to British businesses made by DEFRA was contained in the second Forward Regulatory Programme published in April 2010. This publication includes new regulatory costs stemming from the EU between April 2010 and April 2011. DEFRA has not to date estimated the overall cost of either all individual EU regulation or domestic regulation, however we are currently reviewing our regulatory landscape (both stock and pipeline measures) in line with commitments made in the coalition agreement to significantly strengthen the approach to reducing the burden of regulation.
We also recently announced two specific reviews which will capture and scrutinise regulation originating from the EU. The Task Force on Farming Regulation, announced on 9 June, has been set up to identify ways to reduce the regulatory burden placed on the farming sector. A similar review on 'Waste' policy in England was announced on 15 June.
Horses: Databases
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the percentage of accessible National Equine Database records of pedigrees which are accurate; and what assessment he has made of the effect on that level of accuracy of the (a) absence and (b) lack of public availability of data on semen imports and artificial insemination. [7880]
Mr Paice: As of 8 July 2010, National Equine Database Ltd has reported that there are 1,389,192 active horse records in the National Equine Database. Of these, some 56% (774,575 records) have had sire or dam data supplied by independent breed societies.
Pedigree records are held on the commercial section of the National Equine Database, which is owned and managed by National Equine Database Ltd on behalf
of the equine sector. The Government do not mandate the collection of pedigree data, which is provided on a voluntarily basis by breed societies.
No assessment has been made of the impact of semen imports and artificial insemination on the number of accurate pedigree records in the National Equine Database. Such data are not held on the Database. The Government do not maintain statistics on the artificial insemination of horses.
Litter
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to reduce the level of litter. [6765]
Richard Benyon: This Government have made reducing litter a priority. There is no excuse for littering and we are working with interested partners in business, councils and civil society to collaborate in tackling this problem.
Addressing the litter problem begins at a local level and local authorities have a duty to keep their land clear of litter and refuse and have been given powers of enforcement, first through the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and more recently the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 to deal with offenders though either the courts or in issuing on the spot fines.
Littering is a problem best managed locally. Local authorities and magistrates have the necessary legislation to enforce anti-litter policies. Councils can encourage local initiatives, such as the Campaign to Protect Rural England's 'Stop the Drop' campaign.
Pets: Animal Welfare
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish the results of her Department's research project on electric pet training devices. [6768]
Mr Paice: The research project on electronic training devices is due to be completed and the report submitted to DEFRA by the end of November 2010. The results of the project will not be published until they have been peer-reviewed.
Poultry: Animal Welfare
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to ensure that UK standards on the welfare of chickens reared for meat production are maintained following the implementation of Council Directive 2007/43/EC; and if she will make a statement. [8170]
Mr Paice [holding answer 13 July 2010]: Member states, including the UK, were required to bring in laws, regulations and administrative provisions to comply with Council Directive 2007/43/EC by 30 June 2010. Animal Health conduct random, targeted and risk based inspections of farmed premises to check the welfare of livestock and to ensure compliance with the regulations. Appropriate action will also be taken by Animal Health should welfare concerns be identified by the Food Standards Agency Operations Group (formally the Meat Hygiene Service).
The European Commission has a system in place to ensure that Community legislation on animal welfare is properly implemented and enforced. This includes a planned programme of visits by the Food and Veterinary Office to member states under the meat chicken directive.
Home Department
Corruption
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been provided to fund the City of London Police Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit in each year since 2006; and what her plans are for the future of the unit and its funding. [5607]
Nick Herbert: The City of London Police Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit is funded by the Department for International Development and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The total funding is set out in the following table:
| £ | |||
| Financial year | Total | DfID contribution | BIS contribution |
No decisions have been taken on the future of the unit and its funding.
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place a copy of the Overseas Corruption Assessment drawn up by the City of London Police Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit in the Library. [5611]
Nick Herbert: The report in question is a police authored document and we do not therefore propose to lay a copy in the Library. The City of London police would however be happy to supply a copy to the right hon. Member or to brief him privately on the content.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |