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13 Sep 2010 : Column 878W—continued
Detainees: Children
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what pilot schemes the UK Border Agency has introduced as part of the review of alternatives to child detention. [13208]
Damian Green: Following the Home Secretary's commitment to end the detention of children for immigration purposes the UK Border Agency is working to establish more effective ways of managing family returns without the need for detention in immigration removal centres. Through a new approach to families, the UK Border Agency is seeking to encourage greater compliance and increase the number of families who choose to return voluntarily. The new process is designed to give families every opportunity to comply with return and empower them to make their own preparations for departure.
Two pilots are currently being conducted to develop and refine the new family returns process, one in the North West of England and one in London. Additionally, UK Border Agency enforcement teams across the country are changing the way they work in every family case to ensure that every effort is made to secure the departure of illegal migrant families without detention.
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many children with primary carers in immigration detention were (a) in the care of (i) a parent and (ii) local authority children's services and (b) in private fostering arrangements in the last 12 months; how many such parents or primary carers have been (A) released from detention and (B) removed from the UK; how many are still detained; in how many such cases of fostering or care by a parent have children's services departments (1) reported to the UK Border Agency and (2) acted upon child protection concerns over the care arrangements for the child; [13770]
(2) what steps (a) her Department and (b) the UK Border Agency takes to gather information on child protection issues from (i) children's services departments and (ii) the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in cases where children of persons in immigration detention are in the care of another parent or are in private fostering arrangements and child protection concerns are raised; what other monitoring is undertaken of the welfare of such children; what steps are taken to gather information on child protection issues (A) before
detention of that parent or primary carer and (B) at each detention review; and what mechanisms the UK Border Agency has to record and follow up on actions of relevant case owners in such cases. [13771]
Damian Green: The information requested in the question is not recorded centrally by the UK Border Agency and can be obtained only through examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.
Detention Centres: Restraint Techniques
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training on the control and restraint of adults over the age of 18 (a) each of the immigration detention centres and (b) each company contracted to provide UK Border Agency escorts has purchased in each of the last five years; and from what sources such training was purchased. [14329]
Damian Green: Detention custody officers employed in all immigration removal centres or as escorts are trained in the use of force by control and restraint instructors.
The control and restraint instructors are trained and annually accredited by instructors from the National Offenders Management Service (NOMS).
The UK Border Agency purchases the training from NOMS; individual contract values are commercially confidential and releasing these figures may prejudice the commercial interest of the agency and its suppliers.
The use of restraint is only ever used as a last resort to prevent a person from harming themselves, others or property or to ensure he or she complies with a reasonable requirement, including one to leave the UK. Its use must be justified and proportionate, and reported to the relevant UK Border Agency contract monitor.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether (a) staff in immigration detention centres and (b) UK Border Agency escort providers are authorised to use the holds and techniques set out in the Physical Control in Care Manual on children under the age of 18. [14330]
Damian Green: The welfare of children in the care of the UK Border Agency is taken very seriously and in accordance with section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, which requires all UK Border Agency staff and contractors to carry out their functions with regard to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Staff in immigration removal centres (IRCs) and UK Border Agency escort providers are authorised and trained to use the holds and techniques set out in the Physical Control in Care (PCC) manual on children under the age of 18.
Only those staff employed to work in IRCs where persons under 18 years of age may be detained and escort providers used to escort children under the age of 18 are trained and accredited to use PCC.
The use of restraint on children is very rare in the immigration detention estate and during escort, and is normally restricted to prevent self-harm, injury to others or damage to property.
The Government have made clear their commitment to end the detention of children and continues to work with their corporate partners to find an alternative that protects the welfare of children, without undermining UK immigration laws.
Entry Clearances
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) in-country and (b) out-of-country permits were granted in respect of (i) dependants and (ii) principal migrants under each (A) tier and (B) route under her Department's immigration rules in each relevant year between 2006 and 2009. [14451]
Damian Green: Statistics on entry clearance visas (out-of-country) issued by applicant type in 2007 to 2009 and extensions of stay (in-country) granted by category and applicant type for 2006 to 2009 were published in the Home Office bulletin 'Control of Immigration Statistics United Kingdom, 2009' on 26 August 2010 in tables 1.1 and 4.1 respectively.
Statistics on entry clearance visas (out-of-country) by summary category granted in 2006 to Q2 2010 are published in the 'Control of Immigration Quarterly Statistical Summary Q2 2010' in supplementary table 1b.
The publications also cover admissions to the United Kingdom, asylum grants and grants of settlement. Copies are available in the Library of the House and on the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many student visas for postgraduate study in England and Wales in the 2009-10 academic year were granted for citizens of Pakistan. [14651]
Damian Green: Information about student visas issued specifically for postgraduate study in the UK is not held centrally by the UK Border Agency and could be obtained only by inspecting individual records at a disproportionate cost. This applies to all student visa applicants regardless of their nationality.
Foreign Workers: Domestic Service
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanism is in place at UK entry control points to ensure that those entering the UK are not destined to work in domestic service which is (a) unpaid and (b) paid less than the national minimum wage; and if she will make a statement. [14686]
Damian Green:
All arriving passengers are subject to examination by a Border Force officer, and all categories of the Immigration Rules which permit employment (including domestic service and voluntary work) require a non-EEA national to obtain prior entry clearance before travelling to the United Kingdom. Even then,
admission is not simply a formality once such entry clearance has been obtained; a Border Force officer may cancel that entry clearance and refuse leave to enter if there is evidence that deception has been used to obtain the clearance or a change of circumstances has removed the basis of it. Individuals arriving for non-employment purposes may, similarly, be refused entry if it is discovered that employment is their true intention.
In the case of EEA nationals, the EEA regulations do not allow border officers to refuse admission solely on the basis of employment arrangements.
However all border officers are trained in identifying the signs of trafficking, of which domestic servitude is a part. If a border officer has concerns about the employment arrangements of any passenger, steps will be taken to intervene to safeguard the potential victim and prosecute anyone concerned with the exploitation; the case will also be referred to other responsible authorities and partner agencies such as the police and social services.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of foreign nationals working in domestic service who are (a) unpaid and (b) paid less than the national minimum wage; and if she will make a statement. [14687]
Damian Green: We do not hold data on the salary arrangements of non-EEA nationals who have been admitted to the UK as domestic workers. However, prior entry clearance is mandatory for domestic workers and, as part of the entry clearance process, employers are asked to confirm that they will comply with the UK's national minimum wage legislation once they are in the UK.
Non-EEA nationals may apply for leave to enter as a domestic worker in a private household or as a domestic worker in a diplomatic household. Since 27 November 2008, those seeking entry to work in diplomatic households must apply for entry as a temporary worker under tier 5 of the points based system (International Agreement category).
Domestic workers in diplomatic households entering under tier 5 may be given leave to enter for up to 24 months. Domestic workers in private households will be given leave to enter for 12 months, unless their employer is visiting the UK in which case leave to enter is restricted to six months in line with the employer. All domestic workers may apply to extend their stay.
The numbers of visas issued to domestic workers since 2004 are detailed in the following table. Reliable data for previous years are not held.
| Domestic worker visas issued 2004-10 | |||||||
| Visa category | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010( 1) |
| (1) January to August (2) Replaced the domestic worker in diplomatic household category from 27 November 2008 Note: The data are based on management information. It is provisional and subject to change. | |||||||
Fraud
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the timetable is for the establishment of a single economic crime agency. [13720]
Danny Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
In accordance with the coalition programme for government, the Government are examining options for the creation of an economic crime agency and will announce decisions in due course. As yet, no decisions have been taken on the agency's structure.
Human Trafficking: Convictions
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there have been for offences of human trafficking and forced labour under the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc.) Act 2004 in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010. [13434]
Damian Green: Statistics held by the UK Human Trafficking Centre show that at 31 July there have been two convictions for trafficking for forced labour in 2009 and three convictions for conspiracy to traffic for forced labour in 2010.
There are 41 cases still pending that arise from arrests of in 2009 and 2010.
Human Trafficking: Yorkshire and the Humber
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number of illegal immigrants trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation who are resident in (a) Yorkshire and (b) Leeds. [13640]
Damian Green [holding answer 8 September 2010]: The latest national estimate of the number of victims of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is provided by the Acumen Report, produced by the Association of Chief Police Officers. This is a wide ranging study which estimated there are 2,600 victims in the UK.
This report did not investigate victim's immigration status. Our best understanding is that victims will be a mixture of those who are in the UK legally, those who have entered legitimately and stayed on to work in prostitution and those who have entered the country through clandestine means.
Identity and Passport Service: Travel
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the amount spent on travel for employees at the Identity and Passport Service in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 2008-09. [13351]
Damian Green: The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) expanded considerably over the past 10 years: the Durham regional passport office opened in 2000; the Identity Card Programme joined (the then UK Passport Service) in 2006 to form IPS; a network of 67 passport interview offices was opened in 2007-08; the General Register Office joined IPS in 2008 and; significant programme development work for the former ID cards programme was undertaken from 2008.
As a result, the number of people employed by IPS over the period and the number of IPS locations increased considerably leading to an increase in travel expenditure.
A further breakdown of travel expenditure for specific years could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
Immigration Controls: EU Nationals
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many EU citizens of each nationality have been refused entry to the UK in each of the last five years. [14712]
Damian Green: The following table shows the number of non-asylum passengers initially refused entry to the UK for European Union nationals from 2005 to 2009.
The Home Office publishes statistics on the number non-asylum passengers initially refused entry at border control points on a quarterly and annual basis, which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
Members: Correspondence
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons she did not reply personally to the letter from the right hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton to her of 23 July 2010 on the ePassport contract award. [13654]
Damian Green [holding answer 8 September 2010]: On specific matters, in this case related to a sensitive commercial and procurement issue, it is appropriate and common practice that the most senior and qualified civil servant would respond on behalf of the Minister.
John Collington, in his capacity as Group Commercial Director for the Home Office and on my behalf responded direct to Mr George Buckley's letter to me of 14 July 2010. As you requested in your letter of 23 July 2010, a copy of the response to Mr George Buckley was copied to you.
Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects her Department to respond to the letter of 13 July 2010 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay on a constituent, Mrs Morrision. [14718]
Nick Herbert: A reply was sent on 9 September 2010.
Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 7 July 2010 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay on Councillor Frank Tomlin. [14756]
James Brokenshire: A reply was sent on 9 September 2010.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 29 July 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Saddia Hamid. [15182]
Damian Green: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 7 September 2010.
Police: Bureaucracy
Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the proportion of police officers' time spent on administrative tasks. [13634]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 8 September 2010]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Nadhim Zahawi) on 6 September 2010, Official Report, columns 6-7.
Police: Ports
Mr Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions her Department had with (a) Dumfries and Galloway constabulary and (b) local agencies in Dumfries and Galloway prior to the decision to reduce UK Border Agency funding for ports police in Stranraer. [14316]
Damian Green [holding answer 9 September 2010]: The UK Border Agency (UKBA) officials have had ongoing discussions with the Scottish Justice Minister, the Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, the Counter Terrorist Lead for Scotland and Scottish Government officials to inform them about UKBA support at West of Scotland ports.
Security: Expenditure
Mr Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much was spent on security for all individuals and groups entitled to protection paid from the public purse in the last five financial years; [10726]
(2) how much her Department has spent on security for Tony Blair in each year since June 2007. [10856]
Nick Herbert: The Dedicated Security Post (DSP) grant provided by the Home Office is a contribution to fund specialist police roles which relate exclusively to the protection of members of the Royal Family and their residences; and the protection of public figures, and their official and private residences. In 2009-10, £132 million was spent under the DSP grant. For 2010-11, the DSP grant is £128 million.
Before 2009-10, the DSP grant also included a contribution to Special Branch policing at ports, counter-terrorism security advisers and policing of critical national infrastructure sites which are now funded by the counter-terrorism specific grant. An audited, disaggregated breakdown for the DSP spends is not available.
We do not provide detailed information regarding the allocation of the DSP grant to individual police forces, or the amount of contribution for each individual, or otherwise provide a further cost breakdown, as disclosure
of such information could compromise the integrity of these arrangements and affect the security of the individuals concerned.
UK Border Agency: Correspondence
Mr Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will arrange for the UK Border Agency to respond to the letter of 26 August 2010 from the hon. Member for Walsall North, reference R1117671. [14400]
Damian Green [holding answer 9 September 2010]: The UK Border Agency wrote to the hon. Member on 27 August 2010.
UK Border Agency: Training
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether security staff at UK Border Agency offices receive training in diversity and equality awareness; and what plans she has for future such training. [14361]
Damian Green: Yes. All security staff employed at UK Border Agency offices receive training in diversity and equality awareness.
We are currently reviewing the training given to security personnel to ensure that customer care standards are being met.
Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been detained at Yarl's Wood Detention Centre since it was rebuilt following fire damage; and how many children were in the family unit at Yarl's Wood on the latest date for which figures are available. [14030]
Damian Green: Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) re-opened in September 2003 and has provided accommodation for children who are part of a family group since January 2005. Information on the number of children detained at that centre from 2005 can be provided only by examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
In August 2009 the Control of Immigration Quarterly Statistical publication was expanded to include management information on persons entering detention, total number of persons leaving detention and the number of families with children held in detention. This information is available by age (to separately identify children), and will be published quarterly in the future; however data for years earlier than 2009 will remain unavailable.
Between January 2009 and June 2010, 935 children entered Yarl's Wood IRC and were held solely under Immigration Act powers.
Published data, using rounding conventions to ensure that the identity of the individuals is safeguarded, show that as at 30 June 2010 there were less than three people detained solely under Immigration Act powers at Yarl's Wood removal centre who were recorded as being less than 18 years of age. This figure includes any cases where the age is disputed at the time.
Information on children detained solely under Immigration Act powers relating to the second quarter 2010 are available in the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom, April to June 2010 in the Library of the House and the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
The Government have made clear their commitment to end the detention of children and continue to work with their corporate partners to find an alternative that protects the welfare of children, without undermining UK immigration laws.
Northern Ireland
Departmental Billing
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many payments to suppliers were made by (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public body (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available. [13929]
Mr Paterson: Following the completion of devolution on 12 April 2010, the period from 12 April to31 July 2010 is the latest period for which figures are available.
The information requested is shown in the following table for my Department and its Executive NDPB, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
| Payments to suppliers | ||
| Number | ||
| NIO | NDPB | |
Business, Innovation and Skills
Business
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his timetable is for implementing the local enterprise partnerships strategy; and if he will make a statement. [14640]
Mr Prisk: We received 58 outline proposals for local enterprise partnerships in response to the joint letter from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, dated 29 June.
Over the coming weeks Ministers will consider the proposals in detail, looking at how they will support economic growth, before providing feedback to partnerships ahead of the publication of the White Paper on sub-national economic growth and the introduction of the Localism Bill.
Business: East of England
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has received representations from the East of England Space for Ideas Business Group on its Blueprint for Growth Action Plan. [14682]
Mr Davey: The Department has received two representations from the Chair of the East of England Space for Ideas Business Forum on its Blueprint for Growth Action Plan.
Business: Tyne and Wear
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses operating in Washington and Sunderland West constituency contacted Business Link during 2009-10. [14568]
Mr Prisk: The following table shows the total number of unique customers within the Washington and Sunderland West area that had meaningful interaction with the Business Link service during 2009/2010. This is then broken down into pre-starts, start-up and established businesses.
| Customer Type | Number of unique customers within Washington and Sunderland West |
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses operating in Washington and Sunderland West constituency received funding from one of his Department's schemes in 2009-10. [14569]
Mr Prisk: The following table shows the number of businesses supported in 2009/10 through the Government schemes Grant for Business Investment (GBI), and Grants for Research and Development (GRD) in Washington and Sunderland West constituencies.
| GBI | GRD | Total | |
The following table shows the number of contracts issued to entrepreneurs and businesses by the North East Business Link service's North East England Investment Centre (NEEIC) and defrayed within the Washington and Sunderland West area during 2009/2010. This is then broken down into pre-start, start-ups and established businesses.
| Customer Type | Number investment contracts issued and defrayed within Washington and Sunderland West during 2009/ 10 | Value of defrayed contracts within Washington and Sunderland West during 2009/ 10 ( £ ) |
These schemes are delivered locally by the Regional Development Agency, One North East and Business and Enterprise North East.
Departmental Allowances
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department and its predecessors spent on (a) reimbursement of staff expenses and (b) the 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims in each year since 1997. [13043]
Mr Davey: Since 2003, the Department and its predecessors spent the following amounts on reimbursement of staff expenses:
| Calendar year | Amount (£) |
| (1 )To end August. | |
Since 2003, the ten largest claims in year are as follows:
| £ | ||||||||
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
Figures prior to 2003 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Industrial Disputes
Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what sums were deducted from employee wages in (a) his Department and its predecessors, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies within its area of responsibility as a result of strike action in each year since 1990; and how many such employees were dismissed as a result of such action in each such year. [13915]
Mr Davey: You may wish to note that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was created on Friday 5 June 2009 from the merger of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) which ceased to exist from that date. Therefore, we have responded to your request as from that date.
The information is as follows:
(a) The BIS payroll system and those of its predecessors, does not record deductions for strike action as a separate code from other deductions. Therefore it is not possible to produce a report to distinguish deductions in relation to strike action, from other deductions.
(b) No one has been dismissed in BIS or any predecessor Departments for taking strike action.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 7 September 2010:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 3 September 2010, UIN 13915 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. For each year for which we have figures, the sums deducted from employee's wages as a result of strike action were as follows:
| £ | |
| (1 )Not applicable. | |
Companies House has never dismissed any employees as a result of strike action.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 7 September 2010:
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question what sums were deducted from employee wages in (a) his Department and its predecessors, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies within its
area of responsibility as a result of strike action in each year since 1990; and how many such employees were dismissed as a result of such action in each such year.
With regard to the question relating to what sums were deducted from employees' wages in The Insolvency Service as a result of strike action in each year since 1990, this information is not held centrally by the Insolvency Service and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The Insolvency Service has not dismissed any employees as a result of strike action in each such year.
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 7 September 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (formerly National Weights and Measures Laboratory) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 03/09/2010 [reference 2010/1237] to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, asking what sums were deducted from employee wages in as a result of strike action in each year since 1990; and how many employees were dismissed as a result of such action in each such year.
Our finance records show that there have been no stoppages for the last 7 financial years. Any records prior to April 2003 would have been destroyed in accordance with records management policy. However it is our understanding, based on the recollections of the Senior Management team here, that no employee of the NMO or its predecessor has been involved in strike action since at least 1992.
Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 9 September 2010:
I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary question tabled on 3 September 2010 (UIN 13915). To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, what sums were deducted from employee wages in (a) his Department and its predecessors, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies within its area of responsibility as a result of strike action in each year since 1990; and how many such employees were dismissed as a result of such action in each such year.
The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010 and has not in the last 5 months had any strike action.
Letter from John Alty, dated 10 September 2010:
House of Commons Parliamentary Question: 2010/1237
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 03/09/2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The IPO has only been able to retrieve data from 2004. The breakdown shown below is based on days lost.
| £ deducted | |
No employees have been dismissed as a result of taking part in strike action.
Departmental Public Consultation
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to increase the involvement of young members of the public in the making of decisions that affect them taken by (a) Ministers in his Department, (b) officials in his Department and (c) public bodies which fall within his Department's area of responsibility. [12270]
Mr Davey: Young people are involved in policy development in a variety of ways across BIS, both through formal and regular meetings, and via more informal and ad hoc channels. Examples include the following:
In July we launched the Young Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network-a group of current and former apprentices, aged between 16-28-who feed their views and knowledge of Apprenticeships into the National Apprenticeship Service.
The National Union of Students (NUS) is involved in policy thinking on skills and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has recently appointed the NUS President as a formal Observer to their Board.
We are co-funding the Young People's Learning Agency Online Learner Panel during 2010-11. This is a new platform for learner engagement which allows policymakers quickly and effectively to access regionally and nationally representative views on policies and services. Ministers have endorsed official use of the panel and are currently considering its use for their own engagement with learners. The panel is available to all Government Departments and public bodies who wish to engage with learners.
We continue to look for opportunities to involve young people more in relevant areas of policy making-particularly those of higher education, further education and skills.
Employment
Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to ensure that the UK retains a flexible labour market; and if he will make a statement. [14720]
Mr Davey: The Government are committed to building on the UK's flexible labour market model. We will ensure that employment law plays its part in the Government's strategy for sustainable growth.
EU Law
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many officials in his Department work (a) full-time and (b) for most of their time on the negotiation, implementation or administration of EU legislation and consequent policies. [13781]
Mr Davey: The EU is relevant to a wide range of policy areas and to the work of many Government officials across HM Government Departments.
Within BIS, officials working specifically on EU business total around 135. In addition, there are also BIS seconded national experts working on priority policy areas in the European institutions in Brussels and on occasion other EU member states, currently around half a dozen.
Export Credit Guarantees
Mr Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the monetary value was of export credits and other guarantees extended to businesses in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what proportion supported trade in (a) defence manufactured goods and services and (b) other goods and services. [15176]
Mr Davey: A list of the UK exporters supported by ECGD in 2009-10 is set out in the Department's annual review, copies of which have been deposited in the Libraries of the House. The review is also available on ECGD's website.
In 2009-10 ECGD supported £2.21 billion of new business. Around 1% of this related to defence business.
Foreign Investment in UK: Yorkshire and the Humber
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the amount of inward investment in Yorkshire and the Humber attributable to the work of (a) UK Trade and Investment and its predecessor bodies and (b) Yorkshire Forward since 1999. [13767]
Mr Prisk: From the financial year 1999/2000 to the financial year 2009/2010 inclusive a total of 717 foreign direct investment projects was recorded by UKTI (or its predecessor bodies) in the Yorkshire and Humber region. A total of 436 were assisted by some combination of Yorkshire Forward and UKTI (or predecessor), which breaks down as follows: (i) UKTI and Yorkshire Forward jointly: 91; (ii) UKTI alone: 58; (iii) Yorkshire Forward alone: 287.
HM Government funds the work of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) through the RDAs' Single Budget, which is administered by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. UKTI is one of the Government Departments which contributes to the RDAs' Single Budget. UKTI's contribution is specifically intended to fund the foreign direct investment work of the RDAs, including Yorkshire Forward, as part of the UKTI-led national effort. UKTI's estimated contribution to Yorkshire Forward in the financial years 1999/2000 to 2009/10 inclusive was £22.8 million, 14.7% of the total of £155.1 million paid by UKTI into the RDA's Single Budget during this period.
Free School Meals: Students
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many pupils eligible for free school meals took up a place at each university in each year from 1995-96 to 2004-05. [14945]
Mr Willetts: The information requested is not available for the academic years specified.
Higher Education Funding Council for England: Operating Costs
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the (a) administration and (b) running costs of the Higher Education Funding Council for England were in the most recent financial year for which figures are available. [14107]
Mr Willetts: As published in the Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE) Annual Report and Accounts for 2009-10, its total budget for administration was £18,560,000, of which £11,992,000 was for staffing costs. HEFCE spends 0.2% of its total budget on administration.
HEFCE's admin budget is stated each year in its published accounts. As a proportion of its overall budget its admin spend is much lower than other comparable bodies. As part of the Chancellor's statement on 24 March, HEFCE along with other BIS NDPBs has been asked to reduce its admin budget for 2010-11 by at least 11%.
Higher Education: Admissions
Mr Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which 20 universities admitted the highest (a) absolute number and (b) proportion of students from socio-economic classes four to seven in the latest period for which figures are available. [12130]
Mr Willetts: The 20 English higher education institutions which admitted the highest number and proportion of UK-domiciled full-time first degree entrants from socio-economic classes four to seven are shown in the tables. Figures are provided for the 2008/09 academic year and are taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency's performance indicators in higher education. Further information is available at the following link:
Performance indicators for the 2009/10 academic year should become available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in April 2011.
| Table 1: English higher education institutions with the highest number of young( 1 ) UK-domiciled full-time first degree entrants from age-adjusted NS-SEC classes four to seven, academic year 2008/09 | |
| Institution | Number |
| (1) Refers to entrants aged under 21. Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest five. 2. NS-SEC: National Statistics Socio-economic Classification. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) performance indicators in higher education in the UK, 2008/09. | |
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what account he plans to take of the Aim Higher document entitled Research with Young People into Attitudes Towards the Possibility of Increases in HE Tuition Fees; and if he will make a statement. [13749]
Mr Willetts: Aimhigher Partnerships will, from time to time, research the views of young people on a range of issues to help inform the delivery of support and advice to young people. This report is a helpful contribution to the wider body of research in highlighting the importance of access to high quality information, which young people need to make well informed decisions about their futures.
The need to attract more students from disadvantaged backgrounds into higher education is written into the coalition programme for government. Lord Browne, who will present proposals to Government this autumn following his independent review of higher education funding and student finance, has already stated that a guiding principle is to ensure that talent, rather than the ability to pay, determines participation in higher education. We will await Lord Browne's report and judge its proposals against the criteria set out in the coalition agreement.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of young people from the most deprived communities entering higher education in (a) Liverpool Wavertree constituency and (b) England in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2010. [13751]
Mr Willetts: The numbers and proportions of young first degree entrants from low participation neighbourhoods to higher education institutions in England are provided in the table. Figures are provided for the 1997/98, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09 academic years. The methodology used for calculating the numbers of entrants from low participation neighbourhoods changed in 2006/07 and, therefore, figures from 2006/07 onwards are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
| Young full-time first degree entrants( 1) from low participation neighbourhoods . English higher education institutions. Academic years 1997/98, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09 | ||
| Academic year | Number | Percentage |
| (1) Covers UK-domiciled entrants under the age of 21. (2 )Low participation neighbourhood (LPN) classified as an area which had a young higher education (HE) participation level which was less than two thirds of the national average young participation rate. (3) LPN classification based on the bottom fifth of census area statistics wards when ranked by young HE participation rate. Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest five and percentages are provided to one decimal place. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) performance indicators in higher education | ||
This is the latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) performance indicators in higher education. Figures for the 2009/10 academic year should become available from HESA in April 2011. More information about the HESA performance indicators can be found at the following link:
Constituency-level information on the numbers of young people from the most deprived communities who enter higher education is not available in existing HESA publications.
Higher Education: Anti-Semitism
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made by his Department on the continuance of the higher education sub-group of the cross-Government working group on anti-Semitism; what discussions he has had since July with members of the Jewish community about this group; and if he will make a statement. [R] [14350]
Mr Willetts: I have had no discussions since July on this issue but I am due to meet with representatives of the Jewish community and the HE sector to discuss the work of the BIS Anti-Semitism and HE Group.
There is no place for racism of any form, including anti-Semitism, in higher education, whether on campus or in student unions. Universities have access to a strong legislative framework and guidance to help them deal effectively with instances of intolerance, racism and harassment in their institutions. Government would expect them to vigorously tackle these issues when they arise and has supported institutions with key guidance on promoting good campus relations in the sector.
Higher Education: Finance
Mr Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2010, Official Report, column 320W, on higher education: finance, which budgetary headings will be affected by the £118 million reduction in the University Modernisation Fund in 2010-11. [12070]
Mr Willetts: The details of changes to the Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE) budget for 2010-11 were set out in our letter of 26 June 2010. It is available on the HEFCE website at:
It represents an increase in HEFCE teaching grant compared with the budget for 2010-11 set out in the previous HEFCE grant letter of December 2009.
Higher Education: Student Numbers
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many young people were registered for study at a university (a) in 1997 and (b) in May 2010. [13961]
Mr Willetts: The latest information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) shows in the 1997/98 academic year, there were 583,540 young (under 21) undergraduate students enrolled in UK higher education institutions. This compares to 788,745 in the 2008/09 academic year. Data for the 2010/11 academic year will be available in January 2012.
Higher Education: West Midlands
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students from (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands commenced study at a Russell Group University in each year since 1997. [14153]
Mr Willetts: The latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is shown in the table. Figures for the 2009/10 academic year will be available in January 2011.
| Entrants( 1) to Russell Group Institutions from Coventry local authority( 2) and West Midlands Government Office Region UK Higher Education Institutions: Academic Years 1997/98 to 2008/09 | ||
| Academic Year | Coventry | West Midlands |
| (1) Covers entrants to all levels and modes of study. (2) Local authority data is derived from postcode and therefore excludes students whose postcode information is either missing or invalid. Notes: Figures are based on 1 December snapshot and have been rounded to the nearest five. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). | ||
Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many claims that were rejected under the re-opened Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme were not successful because they did not meet revised qualification criteria. [14077]
Mr Davey: To date 631 claims have been successful under the new Icelandic water trawlermen compensation scheme and 2,650 have been unsuccessful, of which 1,510 were rejected because they did not meet the qualification criteria under the new scheme-in 568 cases the trawlerman did not have any service on Icelandic vessels on or after 1 January 1974 and in 942 cases the trawlerman did not have two years aggregate service on Icelandic vessels during the four years of the Cod Wars (1 January 1973 to 31 December 1976). We are still processing claims where probate is an issue and claims where limited or no evidence has been provided.
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department allocated for the re-opened Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme; how much of this allocation has been spent; and whether the surplus is still available pending (a) the outcome of appeals against determinations and (b) further investigation by the Parliamentary Ombudsman. [14078]
Mr Davey: The Department will continue to provide for and make whatever payments are necessary to meet claims under the 2009 compensation scheme. Payments made to end-August 2010 total £3.8 million.
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the applicants for compensation under the Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme listed in Annex C of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Second Report, Session 2006-07, HC 313, have been awarded additional compensation under the revised scheme. [14113]
Mr Davey: Yes. All five of the claimants covered by the ombudsman's 2007 report have been awarded additional payments under the new scheme.
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he had with former trawlermen prior to introducing the revised qualification criteria for the re-opened Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme. [14114]
Mr Davey: The Department consulted widely on the scheme last year. The consultation exercise ran for 12 weeks and nearly 500 responses were received. The Government published a statement on the consultation exercise in June 2010 and a copy of this can be found at:
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on the number of rejected applications of the revisions to the qualifying criteria under the re-opened Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [14115]
Mr Davey: The Government believe that the new scheme delivers the Government's objective of compensating former trawlermen for the loss of their livelihoods following the Cod War Treaties of the 1970s, and that we have met in full the recommendations made by the parliamentary ombudsman in the 2007 report.
Details of the new scheme were set out clearly in our consultation paper last spring.
Industrial Disputes
Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what categories of worker are prohibited from participating in industrial action; and if he will make a statement. [13916]
Mr Davey: Police officers, prison officers, members of the armed forces and merchant seamen (while at sea) are prohibited by statute or disciplinary regulations from participating in industrial action. Other workers' ability to strike may be limited by their contracts of employment and/or the terms of any collective agreement that is in place with respect to their employment.
The Government have no plans to change industrial action law.
Insolvency
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average time taken to settle a liquidation case was in the latest period for which figures are available; and whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals for a time limit on the settlement of such cases. [13601]
Mr Davey: Notifications of the conclusion of a liquidation are sent by liquidators to Companies House, and are publicly available. Companies House does not however collate statistics on the length of proceedings. Research conducted by the Insolvency Service and published in 2008 suggests that the average length of a liquidation is around 2 to 2.5 years.
I have no plans to bring forward legislative proposals for a time limit on the settlement of liquidation cases.
Languages: Higher Education
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students enrolled in foreign language courses at universities in (a) England, (b) Sussex and (c) Brighton and Hove in each year from 2002 to 2009. [13719]
Mr Willetts: The number of students enrolled on modern foreign language courses at higher education institutions in England, the university of Sussex and the university of Brighton are shown in the table. The figures in the answer are taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record and are provided for the academic year 2002/03 to 2008/09. Figures for the 2009/10 academic year will become available from HESA in January 2011.
| Enrolments( 1) in modern foreign languages( 2) at higher education institutions in England( 3) , the university of Sussex and the university of Brighton, academic year 2002/03 to 2008/09 | |||
| Academic year | England | University of Sussex( 4) | University of Brighton( 4) |
| (1) Covers postgraduate and undergraduate students of all domiciles enrolled on full-time and part-time courses. (2) Covers: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and European, and European studies. Chinese, Japanese, South Asian, Other Asian, African, Modern Middle Eastern, American and Australasian studies. (3) Excludes the Open university due to inconsistencies in their coding of subjects across the time series. (4) Includes foreign language enrolments in French, German, Italian and Spanish studies. Note: Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and are rounded to the nearest five. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record. | |||
Local Enterprise Partnerships: Further Education
Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which of the proposals for local enterprise partnerships received by his Department to date include further education colleges; and if he will make a statement. [15166]
Mr Davey: We received 58 outline proposals for local enterprise partnerships in response to the joint letter from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, dated 29 June.
The proposals received identify the variety of challenges facing individual local economies and put forward innovative ways of tackling them-reflecting the importance of allowing local areas to determine their own economic development and drive private sector job growth. Proposed partnerships include a range of bodies, including colleges and universities as well as other organisations.
Partnerships are being encouraged to publish their proposals on their respective websites.
Public Sector: Collective Bargaining
Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what collective bargaining agreements are in operation in the public sector; and if he will make a statement. [12954]
Mr Maude: I have been asked to reply.
In central Government, for grades below the senior civil service, each Department determines the pay arrangements that suit their business needs (within Treasury and Cabinet Office guidance on public sector pay policy) and separately negotiates the details of these proposals with unions representing their employees.
In local government, the National Joint Council for Local Government Services, made up of employer and trade union representatives, determines the pay and terms of conditions of employment for most local government services' workers. Negotiations are based on an agreed national framework with potential for local modification to suit local service requirements. A number of councils have opted out of the national framework and pursue their own local collective bargaining agreements.
Regional Development Agencies: Redundancy
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in what monetary range he expects severance payments made to staff in regional development agencies to fall. [15038]
Mr Prisk: Any severance payments will be made in accordance with the Civil Service Compensation Scheme that is in place at the time staff are made redundant through the transition phase across the regional development agencies until closure.
Changes to the Compensation Scheme, which will determine the terms of any severance package to staff, are currently being debated in the House and will be introduced if it obtains Royal Assent.
The monetary value is difficult to determine at this point in time; severance payments are dependent on individual lengths of service and the terms appropriate to exits when they take place.
Regulation: Public Opinion
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the public will be able to challenge the worst regulations applicable to organisations other than businesses. [14966]
Mr Davey: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister launched the Your Freedom website in July this year. This website provided the public with the opportunity to challenge regulations on civil liberties, unnecessary laws and those impacting business and civil society organisations.
The Your Freedom website received over 14,000 suggestions concerning a wide range of organisations. These ideas are now being considered by officials across the Government and relate to a wide range of issues, organisations and sectors.
This Department's particular focus is to encourage growth, innovation and entrepreneurship in business. We are running a programme of regional dialogue meetings to directly engage SMEs about potential solutions to particular regulations that impact on them.
Royal Mail: Privatisation
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether it is his policy to pursue a stock market flotation for Royal Mail. [14970]
Mr Davey:
The coalition agreement committed the Government to seek to inject private capital into Royal Mail, including opportunities for employee ownership.
The Postal Services Bill, to enable the introduction of private capital, was subsequently included in the Queen's Speech. No decisions have yet been taken on the method of selling shares in Royal Mail.
Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he made of the cost to the Exchequer of insuring a loan of £80 million to Sheffield Forgemasters. [15219]
Mr Davey: A robust estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of insuring a loan of £80 million to Sheffield Forgemasters would have been part of the commercial and financial due-diligence that would have been carried out had the Government been in a position to progress the loan.
Small Businesses: Government Assistance
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Government assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises in the form of (a) grants, (b) tax reliefs, (c) investment allowances and (d) other financial assistance. [14888]
Mr Davey: The Department makes regular assessments of the effectiveness of non-tax related programmes which provide financial assistance to small and medium-sized businesses.
Recent evaluations have included:
Economic evaluation of the Small Firms Loan Guarantee (SFLG) scheme (2010)
Early stage assessment of the impact of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) on Recipient Firms (2010)
Early assessment of the impact of BIS equity fund initiatives (2010)
Solutions for Business: cross-product monitoring survey (2010)
Grant for business investment (in England, tables 1 and 2): 1 October to 31 December 2009
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/regional/docss/g/09-p76d-grant-business-investment-oct-dec-2009
Early assessment of Business Link Health Checks (2009)
RVCF and EGF interim evaluation: recipient business and stakeholder surveys (2009)
and
Qualitative Research Paper
UK Strategic Investment Fund: interim report (2009)
Further details of these and other relevant studies are available on the Publications page of the BIS website at:
HMRC has responsibility for evaluating tax related reliefs which benefit small businesses.
Study of the Impact of Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Venture Capital Trusts (VCT) on company performance (2008)
Further details of these and other relevant studies are available on the Research Page of the HMRC website at:
Finally, as tax is a matter for HM Treasury, the Chancellor has also asked the Office of Tax Simplification to carry out two initial reviews, which cover tax reliefs and small business tax simplification. This Department has offered assistance to the Office to help them carry out this important work.
Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme
Andrew Bingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the small firms loan guarantee scheme. [15304]
Mr Davey: In January, the Department published the Economic Evaluation of the Small Firms Loan Guarantee undertaken by the Institute of Employment Studies.
This study rigorously tested the effectiveness and value for money of SFLG and concludes that the basic rationale for SFLG is supported and that it appears to be a cost-effective way of supporting additional economic activity in the small business sector.
The majority (81%) of SFLG recipients receive SFLG on their first loan application.
For a majority (76%) of SFLG recipients, there were no alternative sources of finance available to them.
This is confirmed by 79% of SFLG recipients reporting the bank would probably, or definitely not, have given them a loan without SFLG.
Just under half (49%) of businesses would definitely, or probably not, have proceeded with their project without SFLG.
A growth in sales, jobs and exports is attributable to SFLG supported lending within the first two years of the loan. The 3,100 SFLG supported businesses in 2006 have created between
3,550 to 6,340 additional jobs in the two years following receipt of the loan, created between £75 million and £150 million additional sales over two years; and were responsible for £33 million exports per annum.
Just within two years of receiving the loan the benefits of the scheme are outweighing the costs.
SFLG appears to be a particularly cost effective way of creating additional employment.
The full report is available via the BIS website:
The Small Firms Loan Guarantee was replaced by the Enterprise Finance Guarantee in January 2009.
South East England Development Agency: Advertising
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding the South East England Development Agency provided for the Mapping British Business South East advertorial supplement published in The Times newspaper on 25 August 2010. [15045]
Taxis
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department and its predecessors spent on taxi fares in each year since 1997. [12986]
Mr Davey: Since 2003 the Department and its predecessors have spent the following amounts on taxis:
| Calendar year | Amount (£) |
| (1 )To end August. | |
Figures prior to 2003 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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