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14 Sep 2010 : Column 965W—continued
UN Security Council
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes the UK is seeking in the composition of the UN Security Council. [15007]
Mr Bellingham: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said on 1 July:
'this Government will be at the forefront of those arguing for the expansion of the United Nations Security Council'.
We are clear and unambiguous in our support for a reformed Council and consider that the number of permanent seats should be increased to include Japan, India, Germany, Brazil and African representation.
United Nations: Reform
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK's objectives are for the reform of the United Nations. [15008]
Mr Bellingham: We need a strong UN to resolve and manage international challenges such as conflict prevention and resolution, proliferation of nuclear weapons, international terrorism and climate change. We shall work with other member states to modernise UN practices, to make the UN more effective and to strengthen its capacity to deliver where most needed. It also remains vital that the UN balances member states' demands for activity with sustainable budget levels, and that the costs of UN activity are apportioned fairly among member states.
The UN Security Council is the only global body that has the legitimacy and moral authority to respond to global threats to peace and security. It needs to become more representative of the modern world, but at the same time no less effective in taking necessary decisions to maintain international peace and security. We support permanent seats on a reformed Council for Japan, India, Germany, Brazil and African representation.
Deputy Prime Minister
Alternative Vote: Referendums
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the lowest geographical level is at which data on the turnout and result of the proposed alternative vote referendum will be (a) recorded and (b) published. [13710]
Mr Harper: Under the provisions in the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill ("the Bill") the referendum on the voting system will be run on local authority boundaries in Great Britain. As a consequence of this the lowest geographical level at which data on the turnout and result of the poll will be recorded and published will be local authority boundaries in England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland is treated as a single area for the purpose of the referendum and so a single turnout figure and result will be available in Northern Ireland.
Constituencies
Mr Tom Harris: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost to the public purse was of the last review of parliamentary constituencies in (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland; and what the estimated cost of the next review of constituency boundaries is in England, Wales and Scotland. [13420]
Mr Harper: Information relating to the costs of the last general review of constituency boundaries in England and Wales and Scotland is set out in the following table:
| Cost of last general review | |
| £ | |
We estimate that a boundary review on the basis set out in the PVSC Bill would cost a total of between £11.2 and £11.6 million in England, Scotland and Wales.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate has been made of the costs of the boundary review proposed in the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill. [13801]
Mr Harper: We estimate that a boundary review on the basis set out in the PVSC Bill would cost between £12.4 and £13.2 million.
Treasury
Capital Allowances
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the Exchequer of maintaining company capital allowances at May 2010 levels. [15222]
Mr Gauke: The annual cost to the Exchequer of maintaining capital allowances at May 2010 levels is currently around £20 billion around 85% of which relates to companies.
The tax cost of capital allowances for companies is expected to reduce by around £2 billion a year once the changes announced in the June 2010 Budget come into effect fully.
Child Benefit: Sunderland
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are in receipt of child benefit in (a) Washington and Sunderland West constituency and (b) the City of Sunderland. [14301]
Mr Gauke: The constituency referred to in the question-Washington and Sunderland West-was formed after August 2009. The information for the new constituency would be available only at disproportionate cost.
The latest information on the number of families receiving child benefit, by each parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is available in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child Benefit Statistics Geographical Analysis. August 2009". This can be found at:
Child Trust Fund: Sunderland
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children in Washington and Sunderland West constituency have received payments from the Child Trust Fund in each year since its inception. [14300]
Mr Hoban: Each Child Trust Fund (CTF) account that is opened currently receives a payment from the Government with an additional payment being made in the case of children in lower income families. Statistics showing the numbers of CTF accounts opened in each parliamentary constituency can be viewed on HM Revenue and Customs' website at:
The latest statistics were published in November 2009 and show the number of CTF accounts for children born on or before 5 April 2008 for the parliamentary constituencies as they stood at 5 April 2009.
Debts: Interest Charges
Kate Hoey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2010, Official Report, column 238W, on debts: interest charges, if he will estimate the revenue which would be raised in 2010-11 if the tax deductibility of interest payments on debt were removed from financial corporations. [8241]
Mr Gauke: The estimate provided in the answer of 23 June was based on an assessment of the impact of removing the tax deductibility of interest payments net of taxable interest receipts for non-financial corporations. The majority of non-financial corporations are in a net interest payment position, paying more interest than they receive. Any restriction of the tax deductibility of this amount will raise revenue.
In contrast, financial corporations tend to be net recipients of interest, and this forms part of their profits. While particular corporations in the financial sector may find themselves in a net interest paying position in some years, it is expected that very little revenue would be raised by removing the tax deductibility of net interest payments from the financial sector as a whole. The detailed information required to make such an estimate is not available.
Departmental Contracts
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the monetary value of the contracts between his Department and private sector companies which will be cancelled under his Department's planned spending reductions. [10172]
Justine Greening: The Efficiency and Reform Group within the Cabinet Office is leading on the review and renegotiation of Government contracts across all Government Departments which will look at all aspects of contracts including a termination. The Treasury is focusing its resources on reviewing the contracts with its top suppliers, representing approximately 60% of total HMT procurement expenditure.
Departmental Furniture
Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what discussions he has had with (a) officials and (b) staff representatives on (i) his proposals for (A) smaller desks in his Department's offices and (B) the provision in his Department of office accommodation for civil servants of another central Government department and (ii) the implications of each for the working environment in his Department; [14693]
(2) how many larger desks he intends to be removed from his Department's offices; how many replacement smaller desks will be ordered; what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the replacement desks; and what plans he has for the desks which are to be removed; [14694]
(3) what size his desk is; and what the (a) cost is and (b) dimensions are of his proposed replacement smaller desk; [14689]
(4) what proportion of his Department's office accommodation he has offered to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as office accommodation for staff of that Department; and when he expects such office accommodation to become available. [14691]
Justine Greening: The Treasury is currently considering ways to improve the usage of workspace in 1 Horse Guards Road. The aim is to increase the occupancy of the building and provide a modern, efficient and effective workspace.
There are approximately 430 desks in use in 1 Horse Guards Road that were relocated from the Treasury's former accommodation following refurbishment of the building in 2002. There is an opportunity to replace these with a more efficient workspace solution that will free up space and enable the occupancy of the building to be increased. The intention is to advertise the availability of any suitable surplus desks to other departments.
The Treasury is working with all other departments across Government to investigate the benefits of co-location of staff.
Departmental Internet
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason access to his Department's Spending Challenge website was temporarily suspended. [13872]
Justine Greening: The Government received over 45,000 ideas on the spending challenge public website and the vast majority were constructive and helpful. As per the site's strict moderation policy, we have been clear that offensive ideas and comments are not welcome. A dedicated team kept a close eye on content posted in order to remove the minority of ideas that were inappropriate as soon as possible.
In response to a small number of malicious attacks we took action to disable certain interactive features on the website. These measures were designed to prevent malicious use but still allow the public to have their say on the spending challenge.
Departmental Public Consultation
Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [12264]
Justine Greening: We are determined that the spending review will be guided by our principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility. Our aim is to run an open spending review process that strengthens and unites our country by engaging and involving all parts of society, including young people, in the difficult decisions that have to be taken, whether by Ministers, officials or public bodies.
To achieve this, the Government have undertaken a broad programme of public engagement ranging from regional visits by Ministers to the Spending Challenge website, which young members of the public are able to become involved in. Ministers from all Departments have been conducting regional visits around the country to meet local communities and to see innovative and efficient ways of delivering public services first-hand. This is one strand of the SR engagement process.
Excise Duties: Fuels
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for future taxation of (a) petrol and (b) diesel. [13661]
Justine Greening: The Chancellor has asked the Office for Budget Responsibility to undertake an assessment over the summer of the effect of oil price fluctuations on the public finances. Informed by this assessment, the Government will examine options for the design of a fair fuel stabiliser. Any changes to the taxation of petrol and diesel would be announced in due course by the Chancellor.
I also refer the Member for East Lothian to the answer on 9 June 2010, Official Report, column 189W.
Families
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions about family structure the Government made in preparing the June 2010 Budget. [15235]
Mr Gauke: In producing the analysis in Annex A of the June 2010 Budget document the family structures used were those reported in the Expenditure and Food survey, grossed to national level estimates using factors supplied by the Office for National Statistics.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Baron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Financial Secretary to the Treasury plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 29 July on Equitable Life. [13884]
Mr Hoban [holding answer 8 September 2010]: I replied to the hon. Member on 4 August 2010.
Office for National Statistics
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the effect of the organisational structure of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on the (a) collection and (b) duplication of data provided to the ONS by the private sector. [14098]
Mr Gauke: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial Department, which reports directly to Parliament. As such the ONS has independence on the execution of its duties. As with other users of ONS outputs, the Treasury provides views on ONS performance and priorities through the ONS stakeholder consultation process.
Social Enterprises
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have taken place on introduction of a social enterprise legal definition and tax relief model. [13793]
Justine Greening: The Government are committed to creating an environment in the UK which enables social enterprise to thrive.
Like other businesses, there is no single legal form for social enterprise. No one legal form will ever be right for all social enterprises.
Social enterprises with charitable status get tax relief on all profits generated from trading for their primary purpose and some profits from non-primary purpose trading. They are also entitled to 100% business rate relief and can claim Gift Aid on donations made to them. But these reliefs come with a heavy regulatory burden which many social enterprises find restrictive.
Social enterprises which do not have charitable status pay taxes in the same way as other businesses. They can also benefit from the same tax reliefs available to other private businesses.
Tax Avoidance
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of tax avoidance by (a) large businesses, (b) small and medium-sized enterprises and (c) individuals in the next (i) 12 months and (ii) five years. [14208]
Mr Gauke: No such estimates have been made.
HMRC published the latest available estimates of the tax gap, for the year 2007-08, in December 2009 in Measuring Tax Gaps 2009
Tax Evasion
Mr Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to provide the same level of funding for advertising to highlight tax evasion as is spent on highlighting benefit fraud; and if he will make a statement. [14368]
Mr Gauke: The Government's spending plans, including those for HMRC, will be set out in the spending review to be published on 20 October 2010.
Mr Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to reduce tax evasion on the part of businesses; and if he will make a statement. [14473]
Mr Gauke: The Government are committed to combating tax evasion. HMRC set out its compliance strategy and its approach to reducing the tax gap in 'Protecting Tax Revenues 2009' available at:
Taxation: Alcoholic Drinks
Karl McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will take steps to recover sums lost to the Exchequer in (a) value added tax and (b) alcohol duty arising from the sale of alcohol below cost price by supermarket chains; [14922]
(2) what estimate he has made of the sums lost to the Exchequer in (a) value added tax and (b) alcohol duty arising from the sale of alcohol at below cost price by supermarket chains. [14923]
Mr Gauke: There is no legal basis on which HM Revenue and Customs could recover value added tax lost to the Exchequer on the sale of alcohol below cost price, and so no assessment has been made of what VAT revenue may have been lost by such marketing.
Alcohol duty is a specific tax; duty paid does not depend on its final sale price.
Taxation: Rebates
Mr Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people his Department expects to be exempted from payment of tax arrears under Extra-Statutory Concession A19 in 2010-11. [14617]
Mr Gauke: Extra Statutory Concession A19 allows HMRC to forgo the collection of tax arrears in certain circumstances. The concession is available in circumstances where all the information has been provided to HMRC and it has had the opportunity to address it. Individuals can find further guidance at:
HMRC does not have an estimate of how many people the A19 concession will apply to in 2010-11 as each case will be considered on its own merits. The concession, which is well established, does not apply that often in practice, and I do not want people to build up their hopes that it will offer some kind of panacea; that would be unfair on taxpayers.
VAT
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much net revenue he estimates will be raised by the planned increase in value added tax. [14397]
Mr Gauke: Costings for measures in the June 2010 Budget can be found in Table 2.1 of Budget 2010 (HC61). Further details can be found in Annex C of that document, and in the supplementary document "Budget 2010 Policy Costings".
VAT: Publications
Paul Maynard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department plans to introduce a zero rate of value added tax on e-books. [14277]
Mr Gauke: While there is a long-standing zero rate of VAT for printed matter, there are no plans to extend this to e-books. Agreements with our EU partners prevent us from extending the scope of existing zero rates, or introducing new ones.
VAT: Tax Rates and Bands
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects on pensioners of the proposed rise in the standard rate of value added tax. [11265]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 27 July 2010]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Clwyd South (Susan Elan Jones) on 19 July Official Report, column 170W.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Artist Resale Rights Regulations 2006
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department takes to monitor the level of compliance with the provisions of the Artist Resale Rights Regulations 2006 by auction houses in respect of their liabilities to make payments as agents of the seller. [14906]
Mr Davey: The collection of royalties under this legislation, such as payments by auction houses, is undertaken by the collecting societies concerned. Article 15 of the Artist Resale Rights Regulations 2006 gives the artist or his or her agent the right to obtain information about sales and applicable royalty payments. The Government undertake no such monitoring.
Banks: Loans
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his most recent assessment is of the availability of credit to small and medium-sized enterprises. [14104]
Mr Davey: Data provided to BIS from the four main lenders to SMEs show that demand for finance remains subdued, with the number of applications for loans and overdrafts down 8% for Q2 2010 compared to Q2 2009, and over a fifth down on the corresponding quarter in 2008.
However, approval rates have improved over the past year, to over 70% for loans and over 80% for overdrafts, for businesses with a turnover of sub-£1 million. Also, there remains significant headroom in overdraft facilities, with utilisation at around 55%.
Nevertheless, we are aware that problems still exist in the market and ensuring the flow of credit to SMEs and that customers are treated fairly is a core priority of the Government.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with banks on the provision of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises. [14105]
Mr Davey: Ministers from BIS, including myself, as well as officials, have regular discussions with the banks both at industry-wide level and bilaterally, and we continue to receive data from the banks on the demand for and supply of credit.
Furthermore, the recent Green Paper 'Financing a private sector recovery' announced the British Bankers Association-led taskforce which will identify, analyse and review ways the banking system can, over the next three years, help viable UK businesses of all size access appropriate finance and other support. Both BIS and HMT are working closely with the taskforce, which is due to report before the spending review.
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on bank lending to small and medium-sized businesses since 22 June 2010. [14138]
Mr Davey: Ministers from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills meet regularly with their HMT counterparts, including as part of the Cabinet Committee on banking reform, which considers issues relating to banking.
Business: Bury
Mr Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what (a) financial and (b) other support the Northwest regional development agency has provided to businesses in Bury North constituency in the last three years. [13775]
Mr Davey: The Northwest regional development agency's primary business support channel, Business Link Northwest, provided support to businesses in the area on some 4,400 occasions. This included 359 businesses receiving intensive support through an adviser.
The agency has also funded the intensive start-up support service which has resulted in 280 business starts since September 2007, and has supported 19 companies through a range of business finance products.
The NWDA and UKTI-funded north-west international trade programme has supported 99 companies. There have also been three Foreign Direct Investment projects in Bury since April 2007 which have created or safeguarded at least 20 jobs.
Other support available includes business leadership programmes (LEAD), a programme to support high growth businesses, and mentoring for female entrepreneurs. Investment has also been undertaken to support key sectors and large companies.
Mr Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what steps he is taking to encourage the start up of new business in Bury North; [13787]
(2) how many small businesses ceased to operate in Bury North in the last three years; and what steps he is taking to prevent failures of small businesses. [13788]
Mr Davey: The Government are addressing the challenges that small businesses face to encourage start-ups and prevent failures: providing a predictable tax system that rewards endeavour; reducing red tape; ensuring access to finance; a skilled work-force; and providing support for exports to markets around the globe.
June's Budget announced a series of measures aimed at helping small businesses including:
A £200 million extension to the Enterprise Finance Guarantee. In total, the EFG will now support up to £700 million in bank lending to viable small businesses.
A new Enterprise Capital Fund to support small businesses with high growth potential-combining both Government and private sector funding.
Confirmation of a Growth Capital Fund, to provide funding of between £2 million and £10 million for SMEs with strong growth potential.
We are committed to introducing a "one-in one-out" rule for new regulations, sunset clauses, and an immediate review of all inherited regulation in the pipeline. We will also make it easier for small businesses to bid for public sector contracts, with an aspiration that 25% of all Government procurement should be from SMEs.
The following table shows the number of registered business deaths in Bury North parliamentary constituency in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The Office for National Statistics will publish data for 2009 on 29 November 2010.
| Count of enterprise deaths in Bury North constituency. 2006-08. | |
| Number of enterprise deaths | |
| Note: This does not capture businesses operating below the VAT threshold (£67,000 in 2008-09) or those that don't have a PAYE scheme. Source: Office for National Statistics, Business Demography 2008. | |
Export Credit Guarantees
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that no economic activity utilising forced or child labour benefits is undertaken by the companies in receipt of export credit guarantees. [14449]
Mr Davey: It is ECGD's policy to comply with international agreements that apply to the operations of export credit agencies. These include the OECD recommendation on common approaches on the environment and officially supported export credits which states that projects being supported by export credit agencies should comply with the relevant international standards, principally those of the World Bank Group, regarding their environmental impacts including social and human rights. There are no plans to change this.
Exports: Defence
Mr Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what proportion of UK defence export earnings was attributable to (a) manufactured goods and equipment, (b) services contracts, (c) maintenance contracts and (d) other sources in each of the last five years; [15177]
(2) what estimate he has made of the monetary value of UK defence export earnings in each of the last five years. [15178]
Mr Davey: The value of new defence export orders won by UK companies and reported to UK Trade & Investment Defence and Security Organisation in each of the last five years is as follows:
| £ billion | |
The information on new defence export orders supplied to UKTI DSO is not detailed enough to allow a confident breakdown into proportions relating to goods and services.
The value of new business in the security sector for financial year 2008/09 was estimated at £1.4 billion.
Higher Education: Finance
Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his most recent estimate is of the average cost to the public purse of providing (a) a place at university and (b) an apprenticeship. [12005]
Mr Willetts: The information is as follows:
(a) There is no published estimate of the overall average cost to the public purse of an undergraduate university course due to differences in the definitions of which students are eligible for teaching grant and student support. Estimates are however available of expenditure per receiving student per year for each of these components separately:
In academic year 2008/09, the average teaching grant expenditure per FTE funded student (both undergraduate and postgraduate) was around £4,200 per year. This grant is distributed to institutions by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
In 2008/09, around 870,000 students were awarded student support in the form of grants and/or loans. In total £1.136 billion was received in grants at an average of £1,300 per student awarded student support. Maintenance and fee loans for these students totalled £4.698 billion, which would have an average budgetary cost(1) per student awarded student support of around £1,500.
(b) This Department and the Department for Education allocate funds to the Skills Funding Agency for Apprenticeships in England. Spending on 16-18 and adult apprenticeships for the 2008-09 financial year is given in the following table.
| Apprenticeship expenditure, England, 2008-09 | |
| £ million | |
| Source: LSC Annual Report and Accounts for 2008-09. | |
It is not possible to provide a meaningful average cost to the public purse of an apprenticeship. The public cost of delivering an apprenticeship varies significantly
depending on the industry; length of the programme; whether the framework is at level 2 or 3; and the apprentice's age. For example, the Skills Funding Agency estimates that it costs around £2,700 to deliver a level 2 adult apprenticeship in business and administration and about £16,000 for an advanced apprenticeship (level 3) in engineering for a 16 to 18-year-old.
(1) The budgetary cost represents the future cost to Government of subsidising and writing off the loans issued.
Imports: China
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects on the market price of aluminium extrusions produced in the UK of the import of aluminium extrusions from China. [14109]
Mr Davey: There has been no such assessment. Extruded aluminium is traded openly all over the world and therefore its price is subject to normal global market forces. Complaints about unfair trade in this product are a matter for the European Commission.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when the Minister plans to respond to the letter of 14 July 2010 from the hon. Member for Torbay on the P52 oil drilling platform off the coast of Brazil. [14371]
Mr Prisk: The Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs responded to this letter on 8 September 2010.
National Composites Centre
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the funding arrangements are for the National Composites Centre. [15292]
Mr Davey: The Government fully support the building of the National Composites Centre (NCC). The NCC is being supported by £12 million from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and £4 million from the south west regional development agency (SWRDA). When this is combined with £9 million of funding from the European Regional Development Fund, the total investment will be £25 million.
Northwest Regional Development Agency
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received in support of the retention of the Northwest regional development agency. [14958]
Mr Davey: The Department has received representations from a range of organisations from different sectors advocating retention of the Northwest regional development agency.
Overseas Trade: Algeria
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to increase trade with Algeria. [14214]
Mr Davey: UK Trade & Investment organises annual trade talks between the UK Trade Minister and his Algerian counterpart. Last talks were held in April 2010 between the then Minister of State for Trade and Investment, and Minister Temmar, Algerian Minister for Industry and Promotion of Investment. These talks form part of the UK-Algeria Ministerial Dialogue Forum which started in 2006. The talks present an opportunity to demonstrate high level commitment to our commercial relationship with Algeria on key sectors of mutual interest. In addition, the full range of UKTI services is available to companies interested in exporting to Algeria.
A number of stakeholders including the Middle East Association (MEA), Arab British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), Construction Equipment Association (CEA) and British Expertise (BE), run events involving UK companies which include overseas trade missions, seminars, and meetings to promote opportunities in Algeria and to provide up-to-date market information. These are all run in partnership with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).
UKTI and HMA Algiers have encouraged and supported UK business in the setting up of the UK-side Algerian British Business Council (ABBC) which is taking shape and which it is hoped will be launched in the autumn in Algeria. The purpose of the council is to enhance ties between the two countries' business communities, which will in turn increase trade and investment between the UK and Algeria.
Public Sector: Procurement
Mr Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to bring forward proposals to simplify the pre-qualification processes for public sector procurement and projects. [13991]
Mr Maude: I have been asked to reply.
The Cabinet Office Efficiency and Reform Group is undertaking work to further streamline the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) process, significantly reducing the number of core questions that suppliers are required to answer and ensuring that the remaining questions do not discriminate against smaller providers. This will be complemented by sector specific work, for example in the construction sector.
This work forms a part of wider measures to streamline the entire procurement process.
Regeneration: Blackpool
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will provide funding to regeneration projects in Blackpool allocated funding from the Northwest Development Agency which have been adversely affected by the decision to freeze regional development agency spending allocated from funding from the European Regional Development Fund programme. [15155]
Regional Development Agencies: Assets
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future ownership of properties owned by regional development agencies; and if he will make a statement. [14311]
Mr Davey: Regional development agencies (RDAs) own a range of assets which were acquired for regeneration purposes. We will be discussing with RDAs, their partners and other Departments the future ownership of these assets. We will also be agreeing with RDAs and other Departments a set of guiding principles for the disposal or transfer of assets. No final decisions have been made.
Regional Development Agencies: Local Enterprise Partnerships
Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the aims and objectives are of (a) regional development agencies and (b) local economic partnerships. [15250]
Mr Davey: Under the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998, each agency has five statutory purposes, which are:
To further economic development and regeneration;
To promote business efficiency, investment and competitiveness;
To promote employment;
To enhance development and application of skill relevant to employment;
To contribute to sustainable development.
As announced in the Budget on 22 June the RDAs are being abolished and they are currently focused on closure and achieving an orderly transition to the new delivery landscape.
The Government are committed to reforming our system of sub-national economic development. Local groups of councils and business leaders have been invited to put forward proposals for local enterprise partnerships which should include a clear vision for creating the right environment for business and growth in their areas.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the land holdings of regional development agencies will be transferred to the new local enterprise partnerships. [15274]
Mr Davey: We will be discussing with RDAs, their partners and other Departments the future ownership of RDA assets. We will also be agreeing with RDAs and other Departments a set of guiding principles for the disposal or transfer or assets. No final decisions have been made.
Self-employment: Ex-servicemen
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) current and (b) former military personnel have (i) sought information on and (ii) received grants under his Department's Be the Boss scheme; and if he will make a statement. [14418]
Mr Davey: The Be the Boss scheme is being delivered by the Royal British Legion. The scheme is open to former members of HM Armed Forces (including members of the Reserve Forces who are not currently on active service) discharged on or after 7 October 2001.
Since the scheme started accepting applications on 14 June 2010, there have been 255 applicants referred for information, advice and guidance, of which 11 have made applications for funding support. 2 have been successful and the remaining 9 are still awaiting a decision.
The Be the Boss website has been viewed by over 2350 people since the start of the scheme.
Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings he held with his Department's officials before taking the decision not to proceed with the loan facility to Sheffield Forgemasters; what advice he received on the withdrawal of the loan facility; what assessment his Department made of the affordability of the loan facility compared with that of other projects which were under review; and whether his Department consulted investing partners prior to the decision to withdraw the loan facility. [15251]
Mr Davey: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement on this subject made by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on 27 July, Official Report, column 79WS and to the memorandum submitted by the Secretary of State to the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee on 10 August, which was published by the Committee on 7 September.
Skills Funding Agency
Mr Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the Skills Funding Agency awards monies in respect of contracts with a monetary value of £250,000 or less. [14500]
Mr Hayes: This information is held by the Skills Funding Agency. I have asked the chief executive of Skills Funding, Geoff Russell, to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.
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 14500). To ask the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Skills Funding Agency awards monies in respect of contracts with a monetary value of £250,000 or less.
The Skills Funding Agency does currently have contracts for less than £250,000. However, the Skills Funding Agency has previously set out (in Guidance Notes 2,3,4 and 5) its intention to introduction a minimum contract level to achieve efficiencies through rationalising the number of direct contracts it manages.
The Agency's initial plans were to introduce a minimum contract level of £250,000 by the end of the 2010/11 academic year to those organisations that only deliver Train to Gain. However, following the decision to introduce a single budget, it is no longer appropriate to implement the minimum level in this way.
The threshold and application of the minimum contract level is therefore being considered as part of the funding consultation launched on 22nd July "A Simplified Further Education and Skills Funding System and Methodology". The level will be
announced in the autumn following the consultation and is likely to be higher than the £250,000 originally planned for those only delivering Train to Gain.
It is expected that the Agency will cease to issue direct contracts to organisations for less than the minimum contract level for 2011/12 (subject to any exceptions agreed following the consultation).
Small Businesses: Derbyshire
Andrew Bingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to reduce the burden of regulation for small and medium-sized businesses in High Peak constituency. [15305]
Mr Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) recognises the importance of SMEs to the UK economy and I can assure my hon. Friend that their considerations are at the forefront of much of the work going on in this Department at present.
The Your Freedom website closed on 10 September-having received nearly 2,500 ideas from the public and businesses regarding burdens and red tape they would like removed. These ideas are now being examined by officials across the Government.
Additionally, following on from the Your Freedom suggestions, BIS and the Better Regulation Executive are running a programme of regional dialogue meetings, to gather more detail from SMEs about potential solutions to particular regulations that impact on them, which we hope will improve the business environment in the UK, including my hon. Friend's constituency.
Trade Unions
Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many paid officials in (a) his Department and its agencies and (b) non-departmental public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility are full-time trade union officials; what the total annual remuneration is for each such official; and if he will make a statement. [13914]
Mr Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills currently employs 3.0 full-time departmental trade union side officers at an approximate total cost of £90,000 per annum.
The Department's agencies Companies House, Insolvency Service, Skills Funding Agency, IPO and NMO will be responding separately to this question.
We do not centrally hold records on trade union officials employed by the non-departmental public bodies. The compilation of this information would be at a disproportionate cost.
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 13914 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House employs one paid official who is a full-time trade union official. The total annual remuneration for this official is £23,767.
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
2010/1236] to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, asking how many paid officials in (a) his Department and its agencies and (b) non-departmental public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility are full-time trade union officials; what the total annual remuneration is for each such official.
The National Measurement Office does not have any full-time trade union Officials
Letter from John Alty, dated 7 September 2010:
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 Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The IPO does not employ any full-time trade union officials.
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 13914). To ask the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many paid officials in (a) his Department and its agencies and (b) non-departmental public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility are full-time trade union officials; what the total annual remuneration is for each such official; and if he will make a statement.
The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010 and since that date has not employed any full-time trade union officials.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 7 September 2010:
The Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how many paid officials in (a) his Department and its agencies and (b) non-departmental public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility are full-time trade union officials; what the total annual remuneration is for each such official; and if he will make a statement.
The Insolvency Service employs two full time trade union officials and their combined salaries total £64,660.
Justice
Cookham Wood Secure Training Centre
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times restraint techniques have been used on girls held at Medway secure training centre in each month since 1998. [14230]
Mr Blunt: All secure establishments submit monthly data on the number of restrictive physical interventions (RPIs) to the YJB. An RPI is defined as:
"Any occasion when force is used with the intention of overpowering or to overpower a young person. Overpower is defined as 'restricting movement or mobility'".
Restraint is only ever to be used by staff as a last resort, when all other approaches have either not succeeded or would not be appropriate.
The YJB has only collected data against this definition since April 2007. There were 349 uses of RPI on girls at Medway during the period April 2007 to March 2009.
The latest data available are for 2008-09. The data from 2009-10 will be available following the publication of the 2009-10 annual YJB workload statistics.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.
| Month | Number of restraints on girls | Number of girls involved in restraints |
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what (a) injuries and (b) injuries requiring external medical treatment were sustained during restraint incidents on girls held in Medway secure training centre in each month since 1998. [14231] [Official Report, 26 October 2010, Vol. 517, c. 1MC.]
Mr Blunt: The YJB has collected data since April 2007 showing the number of injuries in each category, but this data is not broken down by gender.
The definitions for these categories are:
Minor injury requiring medical treatment
This includes cuts, scratches, grazes, blood noses, concussion, serious bruising and sprains where medical treatment is given by a member of staff or a nurse. Treatment could include cleaning and dressing wounds, providing pain relief, and monitoring symptoms by a health professional (e.g. in relation to concussion). This includes first aid administered by a staff member.
Serious injury requiring hospital treatment
This includes serious cuts, fractures, loss of consciousness and damage to internal organs. Where 24-hour health care is available the young person may remain onsite. At other establishments, the young person will be taken to a local hospital. Treatment will reflect the more serious nature of the injuries sustained and may include stitches, re-setting bones, operations and providing overnight observation.
It is currently a contractual requirement for any young person within an STC who has been restrained to be visited by a registered nurse within thirty minutes following the use of restraint.
The latest data available are for 2008-09 and are provided in the table as follows. The data from 2009-10 will be available following the publication of the 2009-10 annual YJB workload statistics.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.
| Number of injuries sustained during restraint incidents by severity of injury | ||
| Minor injury-requiring medical treatment | Serious injury-requiring hospital treatment | |
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions (a) boys and (b) girls have been held in solitary confinement at Medway secure training centre in each month since 1998. [14232]
Mr Blunt: The practice of "solitary confinement" is not one that takes place in STCs. There is provision in the STC rules for removal from association which can be used in the following circumstances and is limited to a maximum of three continuous hours or an aggregate of three hours within any 24 hour period:
Prevention of harm to themselves or others;
Prevention of significant damage to property.
The YJB has collected data on the use of single separation since April 2007. The number of incidents of single separation since April 2007 is outlined in the table.
The latest data available are for 2008-09. The data from 2009-10 will be available following the publication of the 2009-10 annual YJB Workload statistics.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.
| Incidents of single separation | ||
| Boys | Girls | |
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many complaints were made by children held at Medway secure training centre in each year since 1998; and what the outcome of the complaint was in each case. [14233]
Mr Blunt: The YJB does not collect this data centrally. Medway STC has collected data since 2001 on the total number of complaints, and at what level complaints were resolved. This data are shown in the following table:
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many incidents of self-harm by children of each (a) sex and (b) age group were recorded at Medway secure training centre in each month since April 1998; and how many such incidents required external medical assistance. [14234]
Mr Blunt: The Youth Justice Board (YJB) requires every establishment to report all incidents of self-harm on a monthly basis. Self-harm is defined as
"any act by which a young person deliberately harms themselves irrespective of the method, intent, or severity of the injury."
The YJB has collected data against this definition since April 2007. The number of self-harm incidents since April 2007 by (a) gender and (b) age is outlined in the tables 1 and 2 as follows. The third table shows the number of incidents requiring external medical assistance.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.
| Incidents of self harm by gender | ||
| Male | Female | |
| Incidents of self harm by age | |||||||
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | |
| Number of self harm incidents requiring hospital treatment | |
| Number | |
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many suicide attempts of children of each (a) sex and (b) age group were recorded at Medway secure training centre in each month since April 1998. [14235]
Mr Blunt: The YJB collects data on self-harm incidents centrally, but does not specifically collect data on suicide attempts. Medway STC defines serious incidents of self-harm and suicide attempts as
"any incident of self harm or suicide attempt that has resulted in the requirement of external medical treatment (out-patient or emergency)".
Using this definition, there have been two incidents, the first involving a 16-year-old female in December 2006 and the second involving a 16-year-old female in August 2007.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children held at Medway secure training centre were referred to hospital for psychiatric treatment in each year since 1998. [14236]
Mr Blunt: The Youth Justice Board does not collect this data centrally. Records from Medway STC indicate that one young person was referred to hospital for psychiatric treatment in 2006.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children held at Medway secure training centre were transferred to a psychiatric hospital in each year since 1998; and what the average time taken from referral to transfer was in each year. [14237]
Mr Blunt: The Youth Justice Board does not collect this data centrally. Records from Medway STC indicate that two young people have been transferred to a psychiatric hospital. These involved a young male in July 2006 and a young female in July 2009. The time frame for referrals is subject to variables relating to the establishment's psychiatric assessment process and liaison with external agencies.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (1) boys entering Medway secure training centre were assessed as vulnerable on entrance in each month since April 1998; [14238]
(2) girls received into Medway secure training centre were assessed as vulnerable on placement in each month of each year since 1998. [14284]
Mr Blunt: The electronic records that the YJB holds centrally are unable to provide this information. This is due to the fact that the data are sourced from live management information which is frequently updated as new information is provided to the YJB from youth offending teams. Vulnerability is an imprecise term as it can cover a broad range of characteristics and behaviours. As part of the placement process information on the risk a young person may pose to themselves or others in a secure setting is taken into account when determining the placement.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times restraint has been used on boys held at Medway secure training centre in each month of each year since 1998. [14278]
Mr Blunt: All secure establishments submit monthly data on the number of Restrictive Physical Interventions (RPIs) to the YJB. An RPI is defined as:
Any occasion when force is used with the intention of overpowering or to overpower a young person. Overpower is defined as "restricting movement or mobility".
Restraint is only ever to be used by staff as a last resort, when all other approaches have either not succeeded or would not be appropriate.
The YJB has only collected data against this definition since April 2007. There were 936 uses of RPI on boys at Medway during the period April 2007 to March 2009.
The latest data available are for 2008-09 and are shown in the table as follows. The data from 2009-10 will be available following the publication of the 2009-10 annual YJB workload statistics.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.
| Number of restraints on boys | Number of boys involved in restraint | |
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children received into Medway secure training centre had previously been assessed as a child in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 in each year since April 1998. [14285]
Mr Blunt: The Youth Justice Board does not hold this data centrally. Medway STC holds this information on individuals on their files, but this could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
Custodial Treatment: Burglary
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of those convicted of offences related to burglary have received custodial sentences in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [14608]
Mr Blunt: The requested information is shown in the table as follows.
The table shows the percentage of persons sentenced for an offence of burglary who received an immediate custodial sentence from 2004 to 2008. The figures have been shown as a percentage of those sentenced rather than convicted as due to lags in time between conviction and sentencing the number convicted and sentenced in a year may not match.
This information is published annually in table 2.12 of Sentencing Statistics, available from the Ministry of Justice website. Figures for 2009 are due to be published on 21 October 2010.
| Number of persons sentenced, sentenced to immediate custody and percentage given immediate custody for burglary, 2004 - 08 | |||||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |||
| Notes: 1. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. 2. These data have been taken from the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings database. These data are presented on the principal offence basis. Where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence the principal offence is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed. Where the same sentence has been imposed for two or more offences the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe. 3. Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July, and August 2008. | |||||||
Custodial Treatment: Rape
Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average length of a custodial sentence imposed in respect of rape offences was in each year since 2005. [14727]
Mr Blunt: The average custodial sentence lengths (ACSL) for rape offences in England and Wales in each year since 2005 are shown in the following table. ACSL 'excludes' life/indeterminate sentences, the number of indeterminate and determinate sentences in each year is also shown.
Data for 2009 is due to be published on 21 October 2010.
| Average custodial sentence length (ACSL)( 1) , (months) for rape offences( 2) , 2005-08 | ||||
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| (1) ACSL excludes life/indeterminate sentences. (2) Includes attempted rape. (3) Life sentences and indeterminate sentences for public protection. Notes: 1. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. 2. This data has been taken from the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings database. This data is presented on the principal offence basis. Where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence, the principal offence is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed. Where the same sentence has been imposed for two or more offences, the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe. Source: Justice Statistics: Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice. | ||||
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