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27 July 2010 : Column 1053W—continued
Armed Forces: Injuries
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that armed services personnel seriously injured on military operations are able to continue military careers. [10242]
Mr Robathan: Those who are injured deserve our greatest support. Our policies allow the services to retain those who have been seriously injured, if they wish to stay, for as long as there is a worthwhile role or it is judged to be in the interest of the individual and the service. When an individual can no longer undertake their current role, for medical reasons, they are able to look for other roles that they are medically capable of fulfilling. Where a job can be found, and they are either qualified or can be trained for the job, the individual may be transferred to that post.
Where a role cannot be found or it is in the interests of the individual and the armed forces, then an individual may be discharged on medical grounds. We will ensure that these men and women and their families have the care and support they require. Personnel may also be entitled to financial support from the Armed Forces Compensation scheme and an invaliding pension, where appropriate.
On 11 February, the Ministry of Defence launched the army recovery capability (ARC) along with its partners the Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes. The ARC meets the needs of injured, wounded and sick personnel and helps these personnel either return to
duty or make a smooth transition to civilian life, however long it takes. It focuses on the specific welfare, administrative and developmental needs of individuals during, in-between, or after their medical care, as well as providing support to their families where appropriate. This ensures there is an end-to-end system for enabling injured personnel to regain fitness for duty if possible, or to leave the services with the appropriate level of support, where this is more appropriate.
The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force also have their own bespoke recovery capabilities, tailored to their particular service's requirements.
Armed Forces: Mental Health Services
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2010, Official Report, column 602W, on armed forces: mental health services, whether the findings of the study to be carried out by the hon. Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) will be published; and when he expects that study to be concluded. [10427]
Mr Robathan: My hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) is conducting an independent study. His initial findings are currently under consideration and I expect them to be published shortly.
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2010, Official Report, column 602W, on armed forces: mental health services, (1) whether the medical discharge assessment for armed forces personnel undertaken 90 days prior to discharge is carried out on an individual basis; [10428]
(2) what assessment he has made of the merits of delivering F-Med-133 forms directly to GPs rather than to the individuals involved in order to reduce the risk of loss or misappropriation; [10429]
(3) what estimate he has made of the average length of time spent by doctors on a medical discharge assessment for armed forces personnel. [10431]
Mr Robathan: The aim of the discharge medical assessment is to assess and record the medical status and functional capacity at the time of discharge. It is conducted by a doctor during an individual, face to face consultation. The total time spent conducting these assessments can vary from case to case but typically lasts approximately 60 minutes. This currently includes a self-declaration, formal health check (including hearing and a comprehensive physical examination) and a review of all significant episodes of ill health during service.
The full assessment is recorded on an FMed 1 (signed by both the doctor and the patient) and summarised on an FMed 133. In most cases individuals still in service will not have re-registered with an NHS General Practitioner (GP) by the time of their Release Medical, and therefore the individual is provided with a copy of the FMed 133 to pass to their new NHS GP. The FMed 133 also provides the new NHS GP with a single service-specific address from where the individual's full medical records may be obtained, which includes the completed FMed 1 form. The individual must consent to the transfer of their FMed 133 form to their GP and to the GP having access to their service medical records.
The Defence Medical Services (DMS) is actively engaged with the Department of Health and the Royal College of General Practitioners to: assist individuals' re-registration with an NHS GP at discharge; to transfer the FMed 133 directly to the NHS GP incorporated into the registration process; to enhance the NHS' visibility of the ex-military population at the point of release; and to further smooth the transition of health care delivery from DMS to the NHS through direct correspondence between primary health care teams as required.
The Prime Minister has asked my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) to carry out a study into the health of both serving and ex-service personnel to see what more can be done to assess and meet these needs; a focus of this study will be mental health. Decisions on what further work needs to be undertaken will necessarily depend on the results of my hon. Friend's study.
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2010, Official Report, column 602W, on armed forces: mental health services, whether any medical assessment is made of armed services personnel after their discharge. [10430]
Mr Robathan: All armed forces personnel receive a discharge medical assessment 90 days prior to discharge. The NHS is responsible for the health care needs of armed forces personnel after their discharge.
The Government are committed to providing effective, through-life, health services for our service and ex-service personnel. The Prime Minister has asked my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr. Murrison) to conduct an independent study into veterans' mental health issues.
The Ministry of Defence has contributed £500,000 towards the setting up and evaluation of NHS Veterans Community Mental Health Pilot schemes in six NHS Trusts around the country. Additionally, the Medical Assessment Programme at St Thomas' hospital in London is available to serving and former armed forces personnel who have deployed on operations since 1982. This offers comprehensive physical and mental health assessments for veterans who believe their ill health may be linked to service.
The Government have also recently confirmed an additional £2 million to allow the Department of Health to work with strategic partners, including Combat Stress, to promote access to services and ensure the best treatment possible is available for veterans with mental health problems.
Armed Forces: Officers
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many retired officers are on the list of active personnel; and what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of such listings in the latest period for which figures are available. [11365]
Mr Robathan: There are 29 retired officers who are on the list of active personnel. They are eligible for various allowances such as access to Service transport for duty visits, access to Service medical and dental facilities and funeral/memorial services.
The costs incurred by these individuals at such events are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Uniforms
Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects the General Service Respirator to come into service; [11917]
(2) what his most recent estimate is of the costs his Department will incur under its General Service Respirator contract. [11919]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence approved £63.9 million for the delivery of 300,000 sets of the General Service Respirator (GSR) in 2004. The GSR is expected to enter service over the summer; the project remains within its cost approval.
Armed Services: Discharges
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) early service leavers and (b) others have left each of the armed services in each year since 2005. [9183]
Mr Robathan: The numbers of early service leavers and others that have left each of the armed forces in each year since 2006 are listed in the following tables:
| Financial year | Royal Navy early service leavers | Army early service leavers | Royal Air Force early service leavers |
| Financial year | Royal Navy other leavers | Army other leavers | Royal Air Force other leavers |
Data for financial year 2005-06 are not held in the format requested but the totals across all armed forces are as follows:
| Financial year 2005-06 | |
Commonwealth Organisations
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which Commonwealth organisations his Department provides grant funding; and how much it has provided to each in each of the last 10 years. [10635]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 22 July 2010]: The Ministry of Defence only grants funding to one Commonwealth organisation, which is the Commonwealth War Graves commission since 2000-01:
| £ million | |
Industrial Capabilities: Defence
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what national industrial capabilities he has identified as requiring protection and retention for strategic military purposes. [11771]
Mr Gerald Howarth: The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) will form the baseline for determining the capabilities that we need, now and in the future. After the SDSR has been completed in the autumn, and before the end of the year, we intend to publish a Green Paper on our defence industry and technology policy. The Green Paper will build on the SDSR conclusions, and ongoing discussions with industry and others. There will then be a wider consultation process with Parliament, industry and academia before we bring forward a White Paper in spring 2011. This will formally set out our new approach to industry and technology, including setting out our sovereignty requirements and how we will seek to safeguard associated industrial technologies.
Defence Estates
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of Defence Estates; and if he will make a statement. [11422]
Mr Robathan: The Government are conducting a Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), covering all aspects of defence, including estates. The defence section of the SDSR will be finished in time to inform the comprehensive spending review on 20 October.
Defence Estates: Public Appointments
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the new head of Defence Estates will be appointed; and if he will make a statement. [10768]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 26 July 2010]: An announcement will be made in due course.
Defence: Procurement
Nicholas Soames:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many urgent operational requirements have been commissioned to date; how many are in
progress; what equipment is the subject of each such requirement; what estimate he has made of the cost of each such requirement; and when he expects each requirement in progress to be completed. [11770]
Mr Gerald Howarth: Between 2002-03 and June 2010, some 1,150 Urgent Operational Requirements (UORs) were approved, of which some 550 were for operations in Iraq and some 600 for operations in Afghanistan. Some UORs have been subject to re-approvals as requirements have evolved and some will have been provided in both theatres, so a single capability may be counted more than once in these numbers.
Some 290 UORs have been approved and are recorded as having a current financial liability. It would be inappropriate to list details of what equipment may be the subject of each of these UORs as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. The average cost of UORs approved last financial year (2009-10) was approximately £8 million. UOR timeframes reflect the operational urgency of the requirement-many deliver well within a year of the requirement being identified, and 18 months is the maximum planning horizon.
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what joint procurement exercises his Department has with partners in (a) France and (b) Germany. [11774]
Mr Gerald Howarth: The Ministry of Defence's Collaborative Equipment Programmes list shows that the UK is engaged in the following equipment programmes with France and Germany, on both a bilateral and multilateral basis.
| Equipment programme | |
Departmental Billing
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of payments made by his Department to (a) small and medium-sized enterprise suppliers and (b) all suppliers were made (i) within 10 days of receipt of invoice and (ii) on the agreed payment terms in the last three months for which information is available. [11380]
Peter Luff: Ten-day payment information currently available for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and its Trading Funds for all suppliers is provided in the following table.
| Invoices paid within 10 days of receipt | |
| Percentage | |
Since 1 May 2010, the Department began measuring performance against a target of payment within five working days. Data available against the new target are provided in the following table and are published on the MOD's website at:
| I nvoices paid within five days of receipt | |
| Percentage | |
Agreed terms of business would require the MOD to pay correctly presented invoices within 30 calendar days. MOD achievement against this target, excluding the Trading Funds, is provided in the following table.
| I nvoices paid within 30 days of receipt | |
| Percentage | |
We have made no separate assessment of the time taken to pay small and medium-sized enterprises.
Departmental Buildings
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on office refurbishment in each year since 1997; [7361]
(2) how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on televisions in each year since 1997; [7511]
(3) how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on light bulbs in each year since 1997. [7631]
Mr Robathan: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All expenditure must be necessary, appropriate, cost effective and an admissible charge to public funds.
Departmental Communication
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been issued by the private office of each Minister in his Department on the preparation of briefing, speeches and replies to official correspondence. [9656]
Mr Robathan: There is extant, generic departmental guidance on the topic. Private offices may provide, on occasion, pointers on style for briefing particular Ministers-they do not issue separate instructions.
Departmental Internet
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on website design in each year since 1997. [7612]
Mr Robathan: We operate four principal websites-one for the corporate Ministry of Defence (MOD) and one for each of the armed forces. Design costs are available for these websites from 2005-06.
| £000 | ||||
| Financial year | MOD corporate | Royal Navy | British Army | Royal Air Force |
| (1) Includes the costs of the internal Defence intranet which are not recorded separately. | ||||
Other MOD websites are not managed centrally, and their cost could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
From 2009-10, the costs of the MOD corporate website will be published centrally in an annual report on central Government websites. The annual report for 2009-10 is available at the following link:
Information on the cost of the websites of our agencies and non-departmental public bodies will be included in the report from 2010-11.
On current plans, we plan to close a number of our smaller websites by 31 March 2011, both to save money and to improve the coherence and effectiveness of our web presence.
Departmental Legal Costs
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on legal advice in each year since 1997. [7574]
Mr Robathan: We estimated, as part of a Treasury benchmarking exercise, that our expenditure on legal services was in the region of £40 million in 2009-10. This figure includes the cost of the in-house legal team, and services provided by the Treasury Solicitor, Counsel, Parliamentary Counsel, private law firms and other legal consultants. The figure excludes the cost of non-Government Legal Service lawyers, such as the legal advisers to the three service branches, and the costs of legal services incurred by our Trading Funds, which lie outside our departmental accounting boundary.
Information on expenditure on legal advice is not held centrally and such information for previous years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Location
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to relocate (a) civil servants and (b) Government bodies for which his Department is responsible (i) out of London and (ii) to the West Midlands; and if he will make a statement. [8295]
Mr Robathan: The location of Ministry of Defence activity and plans for the Defence estate will be considered in the strategic defence and security review.
Departmental Official Cars
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse of provision of official cars for (a) Ministers in his Department, (b) civil servants in his Department and (c) service chiefs was in the last 12 months. [1059]
Mr Robathan: The Government Car and Despatch Agency is responsible for providing the official car for use by the Secretary of State. Its 2009-10 cost, funded by the Ministry of Defence, is intended for publication by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport in due course. The estimated cost of providing official cars for use by other Defence Ministers in the same financial year was £218,000.
We report the cost of the use of official cars by senior officials under the Government's disclosure of senior staff business expenses regime for directors general and above. The 2009-10 estimated cost of their use was £301,000.
The figures represent how much we spent on running the vehicles, including the cost of the lease, driver, maintenance, servicing, consumables, fuel and the employer's contribution to benefits-in-kind taxation, where applicable.
Comparable figures are not available for the use of official cars by the service chiefs in 2009-10, but will be
from 2010-11. Information is otherwise not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
MOD Ministers and staff may use an official car where this makes good business sense. We increasingly share cars for senior staff through pooling and other similar arrangements to increase flexibility and reduce cost. Official cars are an extension of the office and give Ministers and our most senior staff private space to work in so they can make more efficient use of time spent travelling.
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department are entitled to the use of (i) a car with a dedicated driver, (ii) a car from the Government car pool and (iii) a taxi ordered through a departmental account. [3208]
Mr Robathan: As was the case under previous Governments, all service personnel, civil servants and special advisers may use an official car or taxi in properly defined circumstances. Senior civil servants employed in our headquarters have given up their cars with a dedicated driver and share pool cars instead.
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on the Government Car Service since the Government took office. [7979]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) incurred £698 for use of the Government Car Service between 12 May and 12 July 2010. The MOD generally uses its own car pool for providing a car service to our Ministers, senior officials and service officers.
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have been driven by the Government Car Service since the Government took office; and how much each of these persons has received in expenses for use of taxis, buses and underground trains in that period. [7980]
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have been driven by the Government Car Service since January 2005; and how much each of those individuals has received in expenses for use of taxis, buses and underground trains in that period. [8255]
Mr Robathan: Information on Ministry of Defence (MOD) users of the Government Car Service is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. MOD Ministers and staff will normally use MOD pool cars where such a form of transport is necessary.
The Government publish, on a quarterly basis, the expenses incurred by our most senior officials. These include any use of the Government Car Service and other travel expenses. The MOD's disclosure of senior staff business expenses is available at:
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions Ministers in his Department have been driven to the House of Commons by the Government Car Service in each year since 2005. [8352]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 13 July 2010]: Records are not held centrally therefore the answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, coalition Government Ministers are encouraged to walk, bicycle or take public transport where appropriate. The practice of driving Ministers from Portcullis House to MOD main building has been discontinued since the general election.
Departmental Pay
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was paid in remuneration in total to civil servants in his Department in 2009-10. [9894]
Mr Robathan: The remuneration paid to the Ministry of Defence's (MOD's) civil servants in 2009-10 was some £1.9 billion. This figure represents the costs of gross salary, overtime, performance related pay and taxable allowances for UK-based industrial and non-industrial civilian staff (including casuals), members of the MOD police and officers and ratings of the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries.
Not included is remuneration to employees of our trading funds, which lie outside the MOD's departmental accounting boundary, or to contractors, agency staff and locally engaged civilians, who are not civil servants.
Information on remuneration, staff numbers and their cost of employment is published in our annual report and accounts each year. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House and are available on the internet, at the following address:
Departmental Private Education
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on continuity of education allowance at (a) Charterhouse School, (b) Dulwich College, (c) Eton College, (d) Harrow School, (e) Marlborough College, (f) Rugby School, (g) Westminster School, (h) Winchester College, (i) Cheltenham Ladies College, (j) Roedean School, (k) St Paul's School, (l) Fettes College and (m) Gordonstoun School in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [11452]
Mr Robathan: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Stationery
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on stationery in each year since 1997. [7468]
Mr Robathan: We hold information on expenditure on stationery and office supplies as follows, but have no breakdown below departmental level:
| Financial year | Expenditure (£ million) |
The figures represent expenditure on stationery (excluding branded stationery) and office supplies (such as printer consumables and magnetic media) by the Department, the on-vote defence agencies and those advisory non-departmental bodies we sponsor. The figures do not include expenditure by our trading funds who do not call off the central contract and lie outside the departmental accounting boundary.
We use recycled paper and paper products as much as possible.
Departmental Travel
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of its expenditure on travel undertaken in an official capacity by each Minister in his Department in (a) May 2010 and (b) June 2010. [8238]
Mr Robathan: As set out in the Ministerial Code, Departments will publish, at least quarterly, details of all travel overseas by Ministers. Information for the first quarter will be published as soon as it is ready.
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
Departmental Utilities
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [7593]
Mr Robathan: Our expenditure on electricity, water, heating and telephone services has been as follows:
These figures represent expenditure by the Department, the on-vote defence agencies and those advisory non-departmental public bodies we sponsor. The figures do not include expenditure by our trading funds as they lie outside the departmental accounting boundary. We publish a figure for total expenditure for utilities in our annual report and accounts.
EU Law
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost to his Department of compliance with regulations arising from EU obligations in the last 12 months. [6875]
Mr Gerald Howarth: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We comply with all relevant EU legislation where we have not been granted specific exemption from it, but we seek at all times to ensure that compliance does not exceed the minimum cost or constraint.
Ex-servicemen: Mental Illness
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) veterans and (b) veterans diagnosed with mental illness linked to their service are (i) imprisoned and (ii) on probation. [9237]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 20 July 2010]: The number of veterans in prison in England and Wales was announced in a written ministerial statement on 6 January 2010, Official Report, column 7WS. The results of the follow-on work referred to in that statement will be announced shortly. Work to determine the number of ex-Service personnel on probation is currently ongoing, jointly with the Ministry of Justice. Information on the numbers of veterans in prison/probation diagnosed with mental illness linked to their service is not available.
The Government are committed to providing effective, through-life, health services for our Service and ex-Service personnel. The Prime Minister has asked my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr. Murrison) to conduct an independent study into the provision of Ministry of Defence and NHS support and services to the armed forces and ex-Service personnel and to make recommendations for improvement particularly in the area of mental health.
NHS Veterans Community Mental Health Pilot schemes have also been established in six NHS Trusts around the country. They are currently being evaluated with a report expected in the autumn. The findings of the evaluation report will inform broader rollout of veterans' mental health services across the NHS in 2011-12. Additionally, the Medical Assessment programme at
St Thomas' Hospital in London is available to serving and former armed forces personnel who have deployed on operations since 1982.
The Government have also recently confirmed an additional £2 million to allow the Department of Health to work with strategic partners, including combat stress, to ensure the best treatment possible is available for veterans with mental health problems.
Gurkhas: Pensions
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether his Department's estimate that the cost to the public purse of paying equal pensions to Gurkha veterans who retired before 1 July 1997 would be £75 million per annum includes the pension settlements already distributed through the Gurkha pension scheme and the Gurkha Offer to Transfer project; [11589]
(2) whether expenditure on the Gurkha pension scheme will be included in the comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement. [11590]
Mr Robathan: The cost of equalising pensions for Gurkhas at the same level as the Armed Forces Pension Scheme has been estimated by the Government Actuary's Department at approximately £1.5 billion, at 2007 prices, comprising a one-off payment of £500 million and £50 million each year for 20 years. However, this estimate does not include pension settlements already distributed through the Gurkha pension scheme and the Gurkha Offer to Transfer project
The spending review will look comprehensively across the whole of Government expenditure. All defence expenditure, including that on armed forces pensions, is considered in the review, and the annual amounts paid out under the Gurkha Pension Scheme are not separated out from overall Armed Forces Pension Scheme expenditure.
Low Flying
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying sorties pilots of the (a) German, (b) US, (c) Turkish, (d) Swedish, (e) Saudi Arabian, (f) Portuguese, (g) Polish, (h) Norwegian, (i) Dutch, (j) Italian, (k) Greek, (l) Danish, (m) Belgian, (n) Australian and (o) French air force carried out in UK air space in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007, (iv) 2008 and (v) 2009. [10799]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 26 July 2010]: The figures are produced per training year and are based on usage by foreign based aircraft, not by the nationality of the pilot.
Military aircraft from other NATO and Allied Nations are permitted to make small-scale use of the UK Low Flying System, and the majority of foreign use is during NATO exercises that enable interoperability training to take place. Foreign aircraft are authorised to use the UK Low Flying System on a strictly reciprocal basis, and may only fly at heights that UK military aircraft could fly in their country. A prerequisite for using the UK Low Flying System is that all foreign crews are briefed by UK aircrew, and training sorties are planned on UK military mapping that shows all low flying avoidance areas. United States air force aircraft permanently based in the UK are not regarded as foreign visitors, but
are subject to the same regulations as UK military aircraft. The figures are as follows:
| Foreign use(hours) | Total (hours) | Percentage foreign use | |
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying sorties Royal Air Force pilots carried out in (a) Turkish, (b) Swedish, (c) Spanish, (d) Saudi Arabian, (e) Portuguese, (f) Polish, (g) Norwegian, (h) Dutch, (i) Italian, (j) Danish. (k) Greek, (l) French, (m) Australian, (n) US, (o) German and (p) Belgian air space in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007, (iv) 2008 and (v) 2009. [10847]
Mr Robathan: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Low Flying: Wales
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many compensation payments his Department made to individuals living in North and Mid Wales relating to the effects of low-flying sorties in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008 and (e) 2009. [10797]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 26 July 2010]: Data relating to compensation claims arising from military aircraft low-flying activity are not held specifically for mid and north Wales. The recorded figures for Wales are as follows:
| Number of claims settled | |
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints his Department received from individuals living in North and Mid Wales about low-flying sorties in (a) 2004, (b) 2005, (c) 2006, (d) 2007, (e) 2008 and (f) 2009. [10798]
Mr Robathan: Complaints concerning low-flying military aircraft training are recorded by Low Flying Area (LFA). All of Wales, except the north east of Powys, lies within LFA 7. The following figures are the total amount of complaints received for the LFA, not individual complainants. The figures also include the Tactical Training Area 7T.
| Total amount of complaints received | |
Nepal: Armed Forces
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of local overseas living allowance is paid to (a) members of the armed forces serving in Nepal and (b) staff of the Gurkha Welfare Trust. [11588]
Mr Robathan: Local overseas allowance (LOA) is designed to contribute towards the necessary additional local cost of day-to-day living, when service personnel are required to serve overseas. LOA recognises the amount by which average essential expenditure on day-to-day living in a particular overseas location differs from that in the UK, taking into account the differences in the local lifestyle. The amount of LOA paid to members of the armed forces serving in Nepal is up to £20.48 (per day) depending on personal circumstances.
The Gurkha Welfare Trust is a registered charity, independent of the Ministry of Defence, which was established in 1969 to provide financial, medical and community aid to alleviate hardship and distress among Gurkhas when they leave the British Army. The Ministry of Defence has two full-time military personnel attached to the field arm of the trust in Nepal to run the Gurkha Welfare Scheme. However, the Ministry of Defence is not responsible for the pay of the trust's staff.
Piracy
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Government's policy is on intervening in the hijacking of UK-flagged merchant ships with British nationals on board; and if he will make a statement. [10441]
Nick Harvey: The Royal Navy can and will take robust action to come to the aid of any victim vessel under attack by pirates in international waters, regardless of flag, but cognisant of the potential threat to the lives of innocents on board.
International counter piracy operations are operating in close coordination with the shipping community to ensure merchant vessels are following best management practice on how to avoid, repel or stall pirate attacks, which gives warships the time to respond appropriately to any distress signals.
Portsmouth Dockyard: Security
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to reduce his Department's expenditure on security provisions at the Naval Dockyard at Portsmouth. [11233]
Mr Gerald Howarth:
The cross-Government Strategic Defence and Security Review intends to bring defence policy, plans, commitments and resources into balance, and to produce, over time, a transformative change to British defence. This is a wide-ranging review which will
examine all aspects of defence, including support services such as security at military establishments. The Review will be published in the autumn.
RAF Menwith Hill
Mr Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the cost of Operation Phoenix at RAF Menwith Hill; and who bears the cost of that operation. [11870]
Nick Harvey: The works associated with Project Phoenix at RAF Menwith Hill are funded by the US authorities. The most recent estimate of the cost is some £52 million, which includes £39.5 million of enabling works.
Somalia: Piracy
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure his Department has incurred on tackling piracy around the Horn of Africa in the last 12 months. [8836]
Nick Harvey: Combating piracy is one of a number of concurrent tasks carried out by Royal Navy units around the Horn of Africa. Therefore, the cost of the British Naval deployments, the associated costs and contributions to multinational task forces and the UK command and control elements could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Submarines
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has assessed the merits of delivering the first boat in the Vanguard-successor class submarines before the completion of the final boats of the Astute-class order. [9781]
Peter Luff [holding answer 21 July 2010]: The Astute and successor programmes are subject to the Strategic Defence and Security Review and value for money studies respectively.
Decisions regarding delivery schedules will be made on completion of both these studies, and will ensure a sustainable industrial programme to allow the retention and transfer of key industrial capabilities.
War Graves
Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which maritime war grave sites in UK waters were designated in the last five years. [11551]
Mr Robathan: The following 28 wrecked vessels were in military service when lost and, lying in UK waters, have been designated under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 since 1 January 2005.
| Military Remains Act 1986 since 1 January 2005: | |
| Sites | |
Deputy Prime Minister
Constituency Sizes
5. Karen Lumley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects his proposals for fewer and more equal-sized constituencies to be implemented. [11078]
Mr Harper: The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill would require the Boundary Commissions to submit a report before 1 October 2013. Parliament would then be asked to agree an Order bringing new boundaries into force at the next General Election, which is planned for 7 May 2015.
Urban Constituency Sizes: Scotland
6. Ann McKechin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria will apply to redrawing of the boundaries of urban parliamentary constituencies in Scotland under his proposals for fewer and more equal-sized constituencies. [11079]
Mr Harper: The rules set out in the parliamentary voting system and Constituencies Bill introduced on 22 July will apply to the boundaries of urban parliamentary constituencies in Scotland as they will across the rest of the UK.
Referendum: Timing
7. Chris Leslie: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the merits of holding the proposed referendum on the voting system for election to the House of Commons on a date other than 5 May 2011. [11080]
The Deputy Prime Minister: The date of 5 May 2011 is the best date for the referendum on AV. Combining with other polls on the same day saves money, increases turnout and minimises inconvenience to voters.
Constituencies: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the oral statement of 5 July 2010, Official Report, columns 23-5W, on political and constitutional reform, whether the implementation of his proposals for boundary changes to Parliamentary constituencies in Wales will be dependent on the outcome of the proposed referendum on the transfer of legislative powers under Part 4 of the Government of Wales Act 2006. [10210]
Mr Harper: The Government's proposals for more equal constituency sizes for the House of Commons will ensure that votes have more equal weight. The implementation of these proposals will not be dependent on the outcome of the proposed referendum under the Government of Wales Act 2006. The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill does take account of the link between parliamentary constituencies and Welsh Assembly Government constituencies; the link between the two will be broken so that fewer parliamentary constituencies in future would not lead to a concomitant reduction in the size of the Assembly.
Constituency Size
Mr Reid: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reason he has proposed exceptions to a general proposal that each future parliamentary constituency must have a population of registered electors within five per cent. of a target quota. [11845]
Mr Harper: The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill was introduced on 22nd July and sets out revised rules for the distribution of seats. Rule 2 provides that the electorate of any constituency must be within 95% to 105% of the United Kingdom electoral quota. There are only three possible exceptions:
Rule 6 preserves the existing constituencies of Orkney and Shetland and Na h-Eileanan an Iar. These constituencies have small populations and are not easily reached from the mainland. They have already been recognised either in legislation or in practice in previous boundary reviews as justifying particular treatment. We have concluded therefore that exceptions for these areas are justified by their particular geography.
Rule 4 requires that no constituency will be larger than 13,000 square kilometres and that a constituency larger than 12,000 square kilometres would not have to be within 95% of the UK electoral quota, if a Boundary Commission is satisfied that it is not reasonably possible for the constituency to comply with Rule 2. This rule would not, however result in additional representation for a part of the UK where it was applied and all other constituencies in that part of the UK must be within 95-105% of the UK electoral quota. Rule 4 simply aims to prevent extremely geographically large constituencies from having to be created in sparsely populated areas in order to meet the parity requirements.
Rule 7 applies only to Northern Ireland. Because a whole number of constituencies must be allocated to each part of the UK, the average number of electors in each constituency in each part of the UK will be different from the UK electoral quota. This difference might have a particular impact in Northern Ireland due to the small size of the electorate, and might unfairly constrain the ability of the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland (BCNI) to take account of other factors set out in the Bill, such as
geography and local ties. The size of the other parts of the UK make this problem manageable elsewhere. The Bill therefore provides that if the rounding effect is of a particular magnitude, and the BCNI considers that either their ability to take other factors into account or to complete the review within the deadline set out in the Bill would be unreasonably impaired, then the BCNI may propose constituencies that vary from the UK electoral quota by a fixed amount (the difference between the UK electoral quota and the electorate of Northern Ireland divided by the number of seats allocated to Northern Ireland).
Iraq Conflict: Legal Opinion
Gemma Doyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he took advice from the Attorney-General on making reference to the legal status of the invasion of Iraq before doing so during Prime Minister's Questions on 21 July 2010; and if he will make a statement. [11576]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I am happy to confirm that my comments in the House on 21 July 2010 represented my long-held personal view on the legality of the war in Iraq. It is a view I have expressed in public many times before.
Legislation: Public Consultation
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he has taken to ensure that people without internet access can participate in his Your Freedom consultation exercise. [10417]
The Deputy Prime Minister: The Government welcome interest in the Your Freedom consultation from all groups in society. Some of these may not have access to the internet, but there are a number of options available from the Government to help them get online. The publicity materials for Your Freedom, stated:
"If you don't know how to use the internet but would like to be involved in the engagement, call 0800 77 1234 to find your nearest UK online centre. UK online centres are a network of free computer centres across England that offer people help and support to access and use computers and the internet."
To support the partnership with UK online, fliers, posters and guidance notes were produced which the 3,500 UK online centres can use to promote the Your Freedom dialogue and to encourage participation. Although the Your Freedom consultation is specifically an on-line consultation this does not preclude those wishing to contribute ideas to Government from doing so through written correspondence.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agricultural Wages Board
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board on the UK's compliance with the provisions of International Labour Organisation Convention No. 129. [11591]
Mr Paice:
The UK has not ratified the International Labour Organisation Convention 129 and is therefore not bound by its terms. However, even if the Convention were binding on the UK, the Government consider that its proposal to bring agricultural workers within the
scope of the national minimum wage framework would provide an adequate replacement for the agricultural wage regime in terms of the requirements of the Convention.
Any decision to ratify the Convention would be for Ministers in the Department of Work and Pensions.
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of workers whose pay and terms and conditions were set by the Agricultural Wages Board in each (a) region and (b) constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. [11592]
Mr Paice: The numbers of agricultural workers whose minimum terms and conditions are set by the Agricultural Wages Board are 139,640(1) in England and 12,840(2) in Wales.
Regional and constituency figures are not available for workers in Wales. Figures for England will be placed in the Library of the House.
(1) Source:
DEFRA June Survey of Agriculture 2009
(2) Source:
June Survey of Agriculture, Wales
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the terms and conditions currently set by the Agricultural Wages Board will not be set by the provisions of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 after the abolition of the Board. [11593]
Mr Paice: The majority of the terms and conditions currently set by the Agricultural Wages Board, such as a minimum rate of pay, holiday entitlement, sick pay and rest breaks will in future be covered by the minimum entitlements for such matters specified under the National Minimum Wage Act or specified by other relevant employment legislation such as the Working Time Regulations or the Statutory Sick Pay Rules.
The National Minimum Wage Act and the Working Time Regulations do not make provision for the following entitlements which are currently covered by the Agricultural Wages Order:
Specific rates of pay for overtime
Standby duty and night allowance
Entitlement to bereavement leave
Birth or adoption grant (currently of £60 per child)
Dog allowance
The Agricultural Wages Order makes specific provision for:
Apprentice under the age of 19, or in the first year of their apprenticeship
Workers of compulsory school age
Students on a work placement of less than one year
Specific provision for these categories of workers is not made under the National Minimum Wage legislation. However, such persons are entitled to employment rights and protections under the Working Time Regulations and the legislation dealing specifically with the employment of children and young people.
It is also important to note that the terms of a worker's employment contract which exist at the time the Agricultural Wages Board is abolished will continue to apply until such time as the contract is varied by agreement between the employer and the worker, or until the contract comes to an end. This is the case whether the terms are written, verbally agreed or implied by custom and practice. If an employer makes changes to the terms of employment without the worker's agreement, this constitutes a breach of contract. The worker may have a claim for breach of contract, unfair dismissal or unlawful deduction of wages if the change relates to pay.
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions Ministers in her Department had with representatives of agricultural workers prior to her announcement that the Agricultural Wages Board is to be abolished. [11594]
Mr Paice: There have been no specific discussions, but views of the representatives of the two sides of the Agricultural Wages Board have been well known for many years. I have spoken to Ian Waddell, the leader of the workers' side to explain the reasons for the Government's decision, which are that the agricultural wages legislation is outdated, inflexible and imposes regulatory burdens on farmers which are often small businesses. I firmly believe that by lifting the cumbersome requirements of the agricultural wage framework, the industry will be better able to attract new and young entrants to the industry and to meet the challenges of 21st century farming and increasing domestic food production. The abolition of the Board will require amendments to primary legislation and therefore will be subject to proper parliamentary scrutiny and debate.
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the consent of the Welsh Assembly Government is required to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board in England. [11653]
Mr Paice: The Government fully intend to act in agreement with Welsh Assembly Government colleagues on agricultural wages policy issues in Wales and will bring forward proposals for Wales together with the proposals to give effect to the policy in England to bring agricultural wages in England within the national minimum wages regime. A legislative consent motion before the National Assembly for Wales is not required in these circumstances.
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with representatives of trade unions representing workers who are covered by the Agricultural Wages Board on her plans for the future of that Board. [12009]
Mr Paice:
There have been no specific discussions, but views of the representatives of the two sides of the Agricultural Wages Board have been well known for many years. I have spoken to Ian Waddell, the leader of the workers' side to explain the reasons for the Government's decision, which is that the agricultural wages legislation is outdated, inflexible and imposes
regulatory burdens on farmers which are often small businesses. I firmly believe that by lifting the cumbersome requirements of the agricultural wage framework, the industry will be better able to attract new and young entrants to the industry and to meet the challenges of 21st century farming and increasing domestic food production. The abolition of the Board will require amendments to primary legislation and therefore will be subject to proper parliamentary scrutiny and debate.
Agriculture and Fisheries Council: Devolution
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive on the attendance of representatives of the devolved administrations at meetings of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. [11289]
Mr Paice: The Secretary of State and I met recently with Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment at the Scottish Executive. One of the issues discussed was devolved Administration Ministers' attendance at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council.
Agriculture: Subsidies
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 20 July 2010, Official Report, columns 9-10WS, on the Rural Payments Agency, whether the Rural Payments Agency met its performance targets on payments to farmers for 2009-10; and what the monetary value of such payments was in each month between December 2009 and March 2010. [10835]
Mr Paice: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) met both components of its ministerial target To have paid 75% by value of valid Single Payment Scheme 2009 scheme claims by 31 January 2010 and 90% by value of valid 2009 claims by 31 March 2010-five and six weeks ahead of the target dates.
RPA also met the EU requirement to pay 95.238% of the SPS 2009 fund value by end of June 2010 during the week commencing 19 April 2010-ten weeks ahead of the target date.
The monetary values-of payments made to farmers under the Single Payment Scheme (England only) between December 2009 and 31 March 2010 are as follows:
| Month | Paid in month £ million |
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many Single Payment Scheme claims made in (a) 2008 and (b) 2009 remain outstanding; [11022]
(2) by what date she expects all outstanding Single Payment Scheme claims from previous years to have been resolved. [11023]
Mr Paice: The following table sets out the number of outstanding payments for the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) in years 2008 and 2009 in England.
| SPS year | Number of claims outstanding as at 14 July 2010 | Percentage of the claimant population outstanding as at 14 July 2010 |
| (1) Based on an estimated total claimant population of 106,500. (2) Based on an estimated total claimant population of 107,500. | ||
Included within this total of outstanding claims are 180 (53 in 2008 and 127 in 2009) cases involving probate, business partnership changes and domestic issues. Some of these may result in no payment being due but the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) keeps those farmers who have a legitimate outstanding payment aware of the progress in processing their claims.
The remaining 111 claims are mainly awaiting customer information or are being processed through over payment and entitlement correction actions.
Thirty-five Single Payment Scheme claims from 2005-07 remain to be paid. Most of these cases involve probate or legal issues for which we rely on information from external parties. We cannot therefore predict when deceased claimants' estates will be settled and legal confirmation will be given of the correct recipient of the funds.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on prosecutions for non-payment of fines relating to the Single Payment Scheme brought by the Crown Prosecution Service. [11104]
Mr Paice: None. There are no legislative provisions for issuing fines under the Single Payment Scheme. However, the EU rules governing the administration of the scheme do provide for a series of reductions and exclusions to be applied to payments where over claims are made. Where it is not possible to recover any overpayments made through deductions from subsequent payments to the relevant claimants, civil law remedies may be applied.
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Rural Payments Agency has paid out under the Single Payment Scheme in each year since 2005. [11795]
Mr Paice: Payments made by the Rural Payments Agency in relation to the Single Payment Scheme are presented by scheme year in the following table.
| Scheme year | Payments made (£ million) |
The table details payments made up to 30 June 2010. The figures exclude Single Payment Scheme payments made by other paying agencies.
Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2010, Official Report, column 560W, on bovine tuberculosis: disease control (1) whether the (a) culling and (b) vaccination options under consideration include any to be (i) funded by an industry levy and (ii) implemented by farmers; [11034]
(2) when she expects to announce her proposals on bovine tuberculosis. [11035]
Mr Paice: The coalition has committed, as part of a package of measures, to develop affordable options for a carefully-managed and science-led policy of badger control in areas with high and persistent levels of bovine TB.
We are currently developing proposals which we plan to publish for public consultation in the autumn.
Bovine Tuberculosis: Wales
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2010, Official Report, column 560W, on bovine tuberculosis disease control, whether she has made an assessment of the effect of the recent court ruling in Wales in respect of the Welsh Assembly Government's plan for the use of badger control measures as part of its bovine tuberculosis strategy. [11064]
Mr Paice: We are studying the Court of Appeal's ruling on the Badger Trust's appeal against the Judicial Review of the Welsh Assembly Government's badger control policy.
Coastal Erosion: Listed Buildings
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to protect listed buildings under threat from coastal erosion. [9528]
Mr Vaizey: I have been asked to reply.
Government policy on managing coastal change, including the impact of coastal erosion on heritage assets, is set out in 'Adapting to Coastal Change: Developing a Policy Framework', which was published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in March 2010.
This was developed in partnership with DCMS and with advice from English Heritage, the Government's statutory advisers on the historic environment, and can be found online here:
Departmental Communication
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what instructions have been issued by the private office of each Minister in her Department on the preparation of briefing, speeches and replies to official correspondence. [9664]
Richard Benyon: Guidance to officials is placed on the DEFRA intranet and updated from time to time. I am arranging for copies of the current guidance to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) her Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on televisions in each year since 1997. [7503]
Richard Benyon: This information is not held centrally and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
All public expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on regularity and propriety. Subject to those principles business areas have discretion over purchasing having regard to the evaluation of alternative options and value for money considerations.
Departmental Internet
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) her Department and (b) its agencies spent on search engine biasing with (i) Google and (ii) other search engines in each of the last five years. [10013]
Richard Benyon: The Department spent £319,792 and £149,710 on paid search in financial years 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively. We are unable to break these figures down by search engine as the Central Office of Information does not hold that level of detail.
Figures for financial years 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
There was no spend by DEFRA's Executive agencies on paid search in the same time period.
Departmental Lighting
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) her Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on light bulbs in each year since 1997. [7623]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA (including its Executive agencies), and its non-departmental public bodies Natural England and Commission for Rural Communities spent £36,448.76 on light bulbs since 1 April 2009. Information for previous years and other NDPBs not listed, including the Environment Agency, is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in her Department in (a) May and (b) June 2010. [10111]
Richard Benyon: In May, Ministers hosted a stakeholder event at which hospitality (at a cost of £816) was provided. In the months of May and June, Ministers have hosted no other events at which they provided hospitality at departmental expense.
Departmental Operating Costs
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to reduce the running costs of her Department since her appointment. [9605]
Richard Benyon: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough (Mr Blunkett) 12 July 2010, Official Report, column 456W, which sets out how DEFRA is making £162 million in savings in 2010-11 as part of the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 May of wider public expenditure reductions in 2010-11.
Further information about these savings is available on the DEFRA website at the
Departmental Security
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) her Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on security in each year since 1997. [7371]
Richard Benyon: Expenditure on security covers a wide array of issues, including guarding contracts, physical barriers, CCTV, specialist lighting, staff training, information security, personnel vetting and IT encryption, as well as the cost of security teams. Funding for security is not recorded separately.
Budgets are devolved to agencies and non-departmental public bodies who then apply them as required. To extract security costs separately from other costs would incur a disproportionate cost.
Departmental Training
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee training in each year since 1997. [7642]
Richard Benyon: The information requested is not held centrally, as training budgets are delegated to divisions and individual managers within the Department. As a consequence the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Travel
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of its expenditure on travel undertaken in an official capacity by (a) her and (b) each other Minister in her Department in (i) May 2010 and (ii) June 2010. [8230]
Richard Benyon: As set out in the ministerial code Departments will publish, at least quarterly, details of all travel overseas by Ministers. Information for the first quarter will be published as soon as it is ready.
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the ministerial code.
Further travel related costs can be found in the replies to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson) of 7 June 2010, Official Report, column 15W, and the hon. Member for York Central (Hugh Bayley) of 26 July 2010, Official Report, column 704W.
Environment Agency
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals for a formal review of the Environment Agency's policy priorities. [11339]
Mr Paice [holding answer 26 July 2010]: DEFRA is currently carrying out a review of its arm's length bodies as part of the Government's commitment to reforming public bodies. We are also currently examining all the Department's expenditure and priorities, including that of the Environment Agency and other bodies, as part of the spending review which is due to conclude on 20 October.
EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions in each year since July 1999 Ministers in the Scottish Executive have (a) attended, (b) spoken on behalf of the UK and (c) taken the lead in meetings of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council to discuss (i) agriculture items and (ii) fisheries items. [11347]
Mr Paice: Ministers from the Scottish Executive regularly attend meetings of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. In line with the concordat/memorandum of understanding with devolved Administrations, the UK Minister speaks on behalf of the UK on agriculture and fisheries issues at council.
Flood Control: Finance
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2010, Official Report, column 456W, on departmental public expenditure, from (a) what areas and (b) which projects the expected saving in flood management will be made. [11761]
Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency has agreed the changes in the regional programmes (resulting from the in-year savings) with Regional Flood Defence Committees. These will not impact on the delivery of construction projects due to finish this year.
The Environment Agency is significantly ahead of its target to protect households. It is on course to deliver better protection to at least 160,000 households by March 2011, against a target of 145,000.
The areas where expenditure has been reduced, resulting in £30 million in-year savings in flood management are: project costs (£26.2 million), strategic assessments (£2 million) and operational activity (£1.8 million).
The following table shows the schemes which contribute to the £30 million in-year spending cuts for 2010/11 and the Regional Flood Defence Committee areas in which they are located.
| RFDC | Projects |
Floods: Gloucestershire
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to take a decision on authorising the land purchase in connection with the Horsbere Brook Flood Prevention Scheme at Longlevens and Elmbridge in Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement. [11548]
Richard Benyon: Terms and conditions are being agreed between the Environment Agency and the landowner. The Environment Agency expects to be in a position to secure the land in August 2010.
Food Standards Agency
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 20 July 2010, Official Report, column 12WS, on machinery of government changes, what criteria were used in reaching the decision on the future role of the Food Standards Agency. [11624]
Mr Paice: The criteria were that food safety should remain independent of Government, but that wider food policy issues should not. It follows that wider food policy for England, where not concerning food safety, has been transferred from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department of Health. These changes will allow the FSA to focus on its core remit: ensuring all aspects of food safety, underpinned by scientific expertise.
Food: Labelling
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister's written ministerial statement of 20 July 2010, Official Report, column 12WS, on Machinery of Government changes, what assessment she has made of the effects on the (a) budget and (b) staffing level of her Department of the change to her Department's responsibilities in respect of food labelling. [10837]
Mr Paice: We are finalising staff numbers and associated budget but approximately 25 labelling and food composition policy posts will be moving to DEFRA.
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister's written ministerial statement of 20 July 2010, Official Report, column 12WS, on Machinery of Government changes, when she expects to publish details of her Department's new responsibilities in respect of food labelling. [10838]
Mr Paice: As set out in the press release published on the DEFRA website on 20 July, DEFRA is now responsible for:
policy on food labelling, where this does not relate to food safety or nutrition. This includes country of origin labelling;
policy on food composition standards and labelling, where unrelated to food safety;
leading within Government on the EU Food Information Regulation and other EU negotiations on food labelling except for safety or nutrition aspects.
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister's written ministerial statement of 20 July 2010, Official Report, column 12WS, on Machinery of Government changes, what criteria will be used to determine those aspects of food labelling and food composition policy which are the responsibility of her Department. [10839]
Mr Paice:
For England, policy on food labelling and food composition, other than that relating to nutrition or to food safety, has been transferred to DEFRA, and policy relating to nutrition labelling will transfer to the
Department of Health. These changes will allow the FSA to focus on its core remit: ensuring all aspects of food safety, underpinned by scientific expertise.
The changes will strengthen food policy in DEFRA and support the Government's commitment to give consumers better information on where their food comes from.
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