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18 Oct 2010 : Column 505W—continued
Government Offices for the Regions
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons he decided to bring forward the consultation period on redundancies at the Government Office network after announcing its closure. [16659]
Greg Clark: The Secretary of State's announcement on 22 July made clear that final decisions regarding the future of the Government offices will be made at the end of the spending review following consideration of consequential issues. As a final decision has not yet been announced, formal consultation has not taken place and has not been brought forward. Officials have met, on an informal basis, with Government office trades union colleagues to jointly plan how best to prepare and respond if the in principle decision to close the network is confirmed. They will continue to work together to ensure that we are best placed to address the people issues that will arise from any final decision to close the GO Network. Any decisions on the redeployment or release of staff will be made once the spending review is complete and GO trades unions will at that point be formally consulted.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he had received in favour of (a) closing and (b) maintaining the Government Office Network prior to his announcement to close it. [16660]
Greg Clark: On 22 July the Secretary of State announced the Government's intention in principle to abolish the remaining Government offices. Prior to this announcement the Secretary of State received a number of representations in favour of maintaining Government offices. A number of representations supporting the case for closing Government offices were received in reply to a letter from my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Local Government (Grant Shapps) to local authority chief executives and leaders of 28 May asking for their ideas on reducing the burden on local government.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to reallocate responsibility for functions provided by the Government Office Network following its closure; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of that reallocation. [16661]
Greg Clark: On 22 July the Government announced their intention in principle to abolish the remaining Government Offices subject to consideration of consequential issues, including which Government Office functions need to continue. The Spending Review process is being used to test which activities should continue, and to decide the most cost-effective way of doing this. The final decisions on the future of the Government Office Network, including the transfer of on-going functions, will be announced at the end of the Spending Review.
Housing: Construction
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many houses he expects to be completed in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [17302]
Andrew Stunell: Communities and Local Government does not produce forecasts for house building.
The latest statistics on house building completions in England were published in the Communities and Local Government statistical release of 19 August 2010 and accompanying live tables. The web links are show as follows:
Link to House Building Statistics Release:
Link to House Building Live Tables:
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) public and (b) private sector dwellings have received planning permission for each of the next three years. [17304]
Robert Neill: The information requested is not held centrally.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to introduce incentives to build new homes. [17474]
Grant Shapps: We are committed to increasing housing supply and seeing more of the homes that people want, in the places that people want them, to meet Britain's housing need. The coalition agreement makes a clear commitment to replace centrally imposed targets with powerful incentives for local authorities so that people see the real benefits of growth.
We have acted quickly to scrap and replace the previous Government's ineffective failed top-down target system.
In a letter to council leaders on 9 August I set out my intention to introduce the cornerstone of this new system, the New Homes Bonus. This will shift power back into the hands of individuals, communities and councils and give local communities a direct and substantial share in growth rather than just absorbing the costs.
A copy of this letter was sent to all MPs and placed in the Library of the House.
We will introduce the scheme early in the spending review following a consultation on the specific scheme design.
Housing: Empty Property
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward proposals to amend the list of named public authorities in the schedules to the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980 to enable members of the public to request that publicly-owned abandoned property be brought back into use. [16856]
Greg Clark:
Under part 10 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 the Secretary of State has the power to make a direction that specific public bodies take steps to dispose of the interest held by them in land. The public bodies to which part 10 applies are set out in schedule 16 of the Act. The Secretary of State may add, amend or delete bodies from schedule 16,
following notification to the bodies and allowing time for representations to be made. The Government are looking at amending this list in the near future to include more bodies, as part of a wider initiative to get empty government property back into productive use.
Housing: Energy
Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to encourage the building of new housing stock using energy efficient construction standards. [17455]
Andrew Stunell: Communities and Local Government encourages the building of energy efficient housing through the requirements of part L (conservation of fuel and power) of the building regulations. The most recent changes to part L standards introduced on 1 October 2010 require a 25% improvement for every new home. Further changes to strengthen standards in part L and take the next step towards zero carbon buildings are planned for 2013. The Government have announced that a minimum fabric energy efficiency standard will form part of their approach to ensuring that all new homes post-2016 can be zero-carbon.
The Code for Sustainable Homes, which is a voluntary set of standards reaching beyond building regulations, also encourages high levels of energy efficiency. The 2010 revisions to the Code for Sustainable Homes are expected to be published shortly; thereafter the Government plan to review the future role of the code.
Land Use
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much Grade 1 agricultural land has been built on in the last 10 years. [16997]
Andrew Stunell: The most recent available estimates from Communities and Local Government's Land Use Change Statistics show that in the period 2003-08, around 1,500 hectares of grade 1 agricultural land changed to a developed use. In the same period, in total some 67,000 hectares of land changed to a developed use.
Local Development Frameworks
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on the use of population projections issued by the Office for National Statistics in amending their local development frameworks. [17698]
Robert Neill: The following documents refer to population projections issued by the Office for National Statistics when producing development plans:
Employment Land Reviews Guidance Note, published 2004;
Strategic Housing Market Assessments Practice Guidance, published 2007;
Planning Policy Statement 4 on Sustainable Economic Growth, published 2009; and
Planning for Town Centres: Practical Guidance on Need, Impact and the Sequential Approach, published 2009.
Planning Policy Statement 3 on Housing, reissued 2010, advises local authorities they should take account of, amongst other things, the Government's latest household projections. These are derived from the latest Office for National Statistics population projections.
Local Enterprise Partnerships
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to ensure that all parts of the country are represented by local enterprise partnerships. [17198]
Robert Neill: Local enterprise partnerships have an important role to play in delivering the right business environment in which private sector jobs and enterprise can flourish. As strategic partnerships of local business and councils, local enterprise partnerships are well placed to create the conditions for businesses to grow and prosper.
Local enterprise partnerships are voluntary. And, as such, the Government have not mandated their establishment.
Following the 6 September deadline for local enterprise partnership proposals we received 62 submissions-56 for local enterprise partnerships proposals and six proposals for local partnership working. I am delighted that the proposals cover every part of the country (apart from London where the Mayor and London boroughs have been invited to come forward with local enterprise partnership proposals by 5 November).
The Government will make an announcement on local enterprise partnerships shortly.
Local Government Finance
Mr Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanisms will be in place after the closure of the Audit Commission to protect from dismissal by local authorities auditors who make declarations in the public interest as part of an audit report. [17550]
Robert Neill: Subject to Parliament's agreement, auditors of local authorities will operate after the disbandment of the Audit Commission within a new statutory framework, overseen by the profession and the National Audit Office. This will provide for auditors to make public interest reports and will include protections to ensure their independence. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government told the House, we are now working with the Audit Commission and other partners to complete the detailed design of these new arrangements.
Mr Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities were audited by (a) the district auditor and (b) private companies in each of the last three years; and if he will make an estimate of the monetary value of (i) the accounts audited by each type of auditor and (ii) the cost to the public purse of the work undertaken on such accounts by each type of auditor in each such year. [17552]
Robert Neill: The information requested, which has been provided by the Audit Commission, is set out in the following table:
| 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | ||||
| District Auditor | Private Company | District Auditor | Private Company | District Auditor | Private Company | |
| (1) For the estimated monetary value of the accounts audited, the information provided is the estimated gross revenue expenditure by authorities, as would be shown in the net cost of services section of an authority's Income and Expenditure account. (2) For the estimated monetary value of the cost to the public purse of the work undertaken on those accounts, the information provided is the audit fees charged by the Commission to local authorities, excluding value added tax. | ||||||
Local Government: North West
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the change in the number of jobs in the local government sector in the North West arising from reductions in central government expenditure. [17086]
Robert Neill: Savings in local government expenditure-and the implications of those savings-are being considered as part of the Spending Review. It is for individual councils to make local decisions about how their workforces are organised and managed to deliver efficient services for local taxpayers.
Local Government: Public Consultation
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to encourage the use of best practice in the transfer of local authority facilities to community control. [16593]
Greg Clark: The Government are funding the Asset Transfer Unit (ATU) to promote best practice in asset transfer to communities and to support 20 local authorities and their community sector partners to develop asset transfer strategies and projects through the final year of the Advancing Assets for Communities demonstration programme. As a result of the experience gained from these programmes, specialist advice is being produced to support asset transfer to communities, including 'Managing Risks in Asset Transfer' and technical guides on transfer of heritage assets, swimming pools, open spaces and building design. The ATU has also published a Partnership Routemap to make the most of partnership in the asset transfer process; and the ATU website:
includes a 'support map' which provides a visual guide through the asset transfer journey. A video website entitled 'Building Community' can also be accessed via the ATU website and features real-time practice from
partnerships comprising councils and communities that are in the process of transferring land or buildings into community asset ownership.
Natural Gas: Storage
Mr Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he or officials of his Department have met representatives of (a) Halite Energy Group and (b) Canatxx since his appointment. [17330]
Robert Neill: We have had no meetings with representatives from Canataxx/Halite Energy Group since our appointment.
Non-domestic Rates
Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward proposals to reduce the level of business rates; and if he will make a statement. [17938]
Robert Neill: The new Government have doubled the level of small business rate relief for one year from October, cancelled certain backdated business rates liabilities (the unfair ports tax), and are also considering the possibility of giving local authorities wide-ranging, discretionary powers to grant business rate discounts. Further support for business will need to be made in the context of our efforts to reduce the deficit.
Non-domestic Rates: Renewable Energy
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made on the proposal in the coalition agreement to allow communities that host renewable energy projects to keep the additional business rate revenue that they generate. [16853]
Robert Neill: We will publish a White Paper on sub-national growth soon after the spending review, which will set out the Government's position on business rate incentives, including enabling those local authorities that host renewable energy projects to keep the additional business rates that they generate.
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the average level of business rate payable in respect of onshore wind turbines. [16854]
Robert Neill: No estimate has been made of the average level of business rate payable in respect of onshore wind turbines. The rateable value of individual hereditaments can be found on the Valuation Office Agency's website:
Planning Permission
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had with Ministers on the use of technical language in planning applications. [17475]
Robert Neill: I have not held any recent discussions with Ministers on this subject. However, I wholeheartedly agree with my hon. Friend that planning applications need to be as clear as possible, so that they can be fully understood not only by the planning authority but also by statutory consultees, the local community, and any other parties who may be affected by the planning decision. It is in everyone's interests to keep technical jargon to a minimum.
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance he issues to planning authorities on the acceptability of technical language in planning applications; what recent representations he has received on the accessibility of planning applications containing such language to non-specialist elected councillors; and if he will make a statement. [17476]
Robert Neill: My Department does not issue guidance specifically advising against the use of technical jargon in planning applications. However, it does advise planning authorities to ensure that they fully understand each development proposal before they consider whether or not it should be granted planning permission. Developers are encouraged to provide only information that is relevant, necessary and material to their application, and to keep the volume of supporting documentation to a minimum, so that their proposals are clear. Local authorities have the right to request clarification from applicants during the determination period, and-if these requests are not met to their satisfaction-may refuse to grant planning permission. I have not received any recent representations on the accessibility of planning applications containing technical jargon.
The new Government are supportive of the Local Government Association campaign against jargon and its 250 banned words from 'Goldfish Bowl facilitated conversations' to the 'wellderly'. And, as outlined in his speech of 6 July 2010, the Secretary of State has pledged to abolish the TLA (Three Letter Abbreviation), such as the IPC, CAA and RSSs.
Planning Permission: Public Consultation
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many applications for judicial review relating to local authority planning consultation activities were made in the latest period for which figures are available. [17967]
Robert Neill: The Department does not keep records of such challenges.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance he issues to local authorities on the consultation required as part of the process to determine a planning application which a local authority has sponsored. [17970]
Robert Neill:
The consultation required for applications by the local authority is no different from any other consultation that would need to be undertaken by the applicant (except that the council needs not formally consult itself). The relevant procedures are set out by
articles 16-18 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010.
Planning Policy Statement 12 (2008) sets out a requirement for local authorities to prepare a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). In the statement, each local authority should explain the process and methods it uses to achieve effective community involvement in the determination of planning applications.
Public Sector: Maps
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department's public sector mapping agreement will cover definitive footpath maps. [16830]
Robert Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 October 2010, Official Report, column 44W. Local authorities are responsible for maintaining definitive maps, which depict public rights of way including footpaths. Where these maps are based on Ordnance Survey mapping, the production, maintenance and provision of arrangements for inspection of these maps by members of the public will be covered by the terms of the Public Sector Mapping Agreement.
Religious Buildings: Construction
Mr Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what planning guidance his Department issues on the construction of places of worship in residential areas. [16706]
Robert Neill: We have issued no planning guidance specific to the construction of places of worship in residential areas. Planning Policy Statement 1 'Delivering Sustainable Development' does state, however, that planning authorities should build a clear understanding of the make-up, interests and needs of the community and any interest groups in their areas, some of which may relate to particular values or religion. All these groups should be encouraged to participate in the plan-making process. If a proposal for a new place of worship is made, the application should be decided in the light of policies in the local development framework and any other material consideration.
Repossession Orders
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of domestic dwellings repossessed in 2009-10. [17303]
Andrew Stunell: There are two independent sources of data on actual numbers of mortgage possessions: The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
The Council of Mortgage Lenders latest press release on repossessions is on their website at:
The Financial Services Authority data is available on their website at:
Second Homes
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of second homes as a proportion of national housing stock in the next five years; [17004]
(2) what recent estimate he has made of the monetary value of second homes; [17005]
(3) what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of housing stock comprised by second homes (a) nationally, (b) in each region and (c) in each local authority. [17006]
Robert Neill: I have today placed in the Library of the House, a table giving details of the number of dwellings, the number of dwellings registered as second homes for council tax purposes, and the proportion this figure is of the total number of dwellings for each local authority area in England as at October 2009. The data are also shown by region and for all England.
The data are as reported to Communities and Local Government by all 326 billing authorities in England on the annual Council Tax Base (CTB) form.
No estimates have been made of the likely change in the number of second homes as a proportion of national housing stock in the next five years or of the monetary value of second homes.
Urban Areas: Regeneration
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on encouraging town centre regeneration. [17530]
Robert Neill: Planning Policy Statement 4 (PPS4): "Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth" sets out national planning policy for economic development, including in town centres.
PPS4 asks local planning authorities to consider the scope for consolidating and strengthening town centres that are in decline by focusing a wider range of services there, promoting the diversification of uses and improving the environment.
Cabinet Office
Cancer: Females
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the five-year mortality rate for females diagnosed with (a) lung cancer and (b) breast cancer was in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [17903]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, October 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the five-year mortality rate for females diagnosed with (a) lung cancer and (b) breast cancer was in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [017903]
The latest five-year survival figures available for (a) lung cancer and (b) breast cancer are for persons diagnosed in 2003 - 2007 and followed up to 2008. The figures for females are presented in Table 1 below, with comparable figures for 2000 - 2004 with follow up to 2005, and 2002 - 2006 with follow up to 2007.
Survival figures for England published by ONS, for 21 common cancers, are available on the National Statistics website at:
| Table 1: Five-year relative survival (%) for females (aged 15 to 99) diagnosed with cancer in England, by period of diagnosis( 1,2,3) | ||
| Cancer | ||
| Time period | Lung | Breast |
| (1) Relative survival is the probability of survival (shown here as a percentage) after correction for other causes of death. (2) Because cancer survival varies with age at diagnosis, the summary survival estimates for all ages combined (15 to 99 years) have been age-standardised to control for changes in the age profile of cancer patients over time. (3) Breast cancer is defined by the International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10) code C50 and lung cancer by the ICD-10 codes C33 and C34. (4) It is not possible to give an age-standardised figure if there are too few patients in a given age group to provide a reliable survival estimate or if very few patients actually died in one of the intervals of time since diagnosis in which survival was estimated. That may happen because survival is very high (there are very few deaths) or because it is very low (most of the patients died). These figures refer to the unstandardised survival. | ||
Chief Scientific Adviser
Dr Huppert: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions each Minister in the Cabinet Office has met the Chief Scientific Adviser since 6 May 2010. [15351]
Mr Maude: The Minister for Government Policy has met with the chief scientific adviser on one occasion since 6 May 2010. No other Cabinet Office Ministers have met with the adviser.
Civil Servants: Redundancy Pay
Pat Glass: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants employed on the latest date for which figures are available would be entitled to redundancy payments of the value of six and two-thirds years of annual salary on termination of their contracts. [15584]
Mr Maude: The number of individuals who are entitled to redundancy payments of the value of six and two-thirds years of annual salary on termination of their employment could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
However, the number of staff who would be entitled to an enhancement of their reckonable service of six and two-thirds years (i.e. would receive a pension based on a greater length of employment than actually served) when departing on the current compulsory early retirement terms was at least 36,000 as on 31 March 2009, the latest date for which we have figures.
Departmental Secondment
Ian Austin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded. [16259]
Mr Maude: Since 7 May to 8 October 2010, the Cabinet Office has made 12 inward secondment appointments.
The following organisations have seconded their staff to Cabinet Office:
Barclays
Hampshire County Council
Hillingdon Council
House of Lords
IBM
Institute of Government
NHS Direct
Partnership UK
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency
Raceonline 2012
Ministers
Mr Chope: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will estimate the annual cost to the public purse of the change in the number of Ministers and Whips drawn from the House of Commons since the dissolution of the previous Parliament. [17781]
Mr Maude: The number of salaried Ministers is governed by the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975. The House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 limits the number of Ministers that may sit in the House of Commons. There has been no change to the legislation.
On appointment after the general election, Ministers decided to take a 5% pay reduction on the salaries paid to their predecessors and a pay freeze has been imposed for the lifetime of this Parliament.
National Security Council
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many meetings of the National Security Council (NSC) have been held since its inception; when each such NSC meeting was held; how many further such meetings are planned to be held in 2010; and what the cost is of holding each NSC meeting. [16777]
Mr Letwin: There have been 20 meetings of the National Security Council (NSC) since its inception.
The Council has met on the following dates: 12 May, 18 May, 26 May, 1 June, 8 June, 15 June, 21 June, 30 June, 6 July, 13 July, 22 July, 26 July, 12 August, 25 August, 1 September, 9 September, 23 September, 28 September, 7 October and 12 October. There are currently nine further meetings planned in 2010.
The National Security Secretariat, which is responsible for organising NSC meetings, does not attach a specific cost to each session. The principal costs associated with the meetings are made up of ministerial and official's time, and secretarial support. Ministers attending the Council are supported by existing resources within their
Departments. Other costs are met in the routine discharge of Secretariat's responsibilities in support of the National Security Adviser.
Home Department
Borders: Personal Records
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will estimate the total passenger volumes which would have been achieved under the e-Borders programme to date without carrier exemptions. [17724]
Damian Green: There are no carriers who have been exempted from supplying data. Prior to the termination of the contract with the supplier, the e-Borders programme had forecast to be processing 95% of all passengers into and out of the UK by December 2010.
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings Ministers in her Department have held with representatives of Raythen to discuss the e-Borders programme since the inception of that programme. [17778]
Damian Green: There have been no meetings held between this Government's Home Department Ministers and representatives of Raytheon to discuss the e-Borders programme.
Community Policing: Greater London
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department allocated to the Metropolitan Police Service for neighbourhood policing in each financial year since 2004-05. [17769]
Nick Herbert: The amounts allocated to the Metropolitan Police Service specifically for neighbourhood policing through the Neighbourhood Policing Fund, including police community support officers funding, are as shown in the table. However, it is for the Metropolitan Police Service to decide how much of its total funding from Government it wishes to spend on neighbourhood policing.
| £ million | |
Constitution and Home Affairs
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to her contribution of 7 June 2010, Official Report, column 179, on constitution and home affairs, what the evidential basis was for her statement that the incidence of violent crime had increased. [15786]
Nick Herbert: The statement my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made to the House was based on a range of evidence on violent crime trends.
Among these were the two main sources of official statistics on trends in crime are the British Crime Survey and Police recorded crime. However, both these sets of statistics are known to have different strengths and weaknesses and provide an incomplete picture.
It is important that crime statistics are robust and trustworthy so that the public can have faith and confidence in them and this is why we are reviewing how crime statistics should be collected and published in the future.
Crime
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of trends in the levels of (a) overall crime, (b) domestic burglary, (c) vehicle related crime and (d) violent crime between 1997 and 2010. [12220]
Nick Herbert: There are two main sources of officials statistics on trends in crime; the British Crime Survey and Police recorded crime. Both sets of statistics have different strengths and weaknesses and provide an incomplete picture.
Statistics on the number of incidents from the two sources are published annually in the Home Office statistical bulletin, Crime in England and Wales, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
It is important that crime statistics are robust and trustworthy so that the public can have faith and confidence in them and this is why we are reviewing how crime statistics should be collected and published in the future.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has made an estimate of the change in the level of carbon dioxide emissions from her Department since May 2010; and what steps she plans to take to meet her Department's target of reducing such emissions by 10% by May 2011. [16812]
Nick Herbert: The main steps my Department is taking to meet the 10% target include:
Improve heating controls
Improve lighting control and fittings
Replace boilers
Estate consolidation
Staff awareness
Replace/remove inefficient equipment
Good housekeeping
Draught proofing and insulation
Greening ICT.
The Department produces and sets out publicly progress made and measures taken to deliver the target. This can be found at:
Departmental Manpower
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials her Department has appointed on fixed-term contracts since 7 May 2010. [16794]
Nick Herbert: Since 7 May 2010, the Home Office (excluding its agencies) has appointed 46 members of staff on fixed-term contracts.
Of these, 27 (including 18 sandwich course students on a one-year placement as part of a degree course) were appointed on fixed-term contracts that were offered and accepted by the applicants prior to the Chancellor's announcement of a recruitment freeze across the civil service in May 2010.
In addition, 17 undergraduates were appointed under the Fast Stream Summer Development Programme (SDP) and Summer Placement Scheme (SPS), and a further two undergraduates were appointed under the Windsor Fellowship. The SDP and SPS are offered to undergraduates from ethnic minority backgrounds and with disabilities respectively, and the Windsor Fellowship is a Leadership Programme for ethnic minority undergraduates who have been identified as having leadership potential. All 19 appointments relate to the Graduate Fast Stream Programme and were therefore exempt from the recruitment freeze announced by the Chancellor in May 2010.
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) officials of her Department and (b) external advisers are working on her Department's consultation on the limit to be set on the number of non-EU migrants to the UK. [17054]
Damian Green: Four officials within the UK Border Agency are dedicated directly to the limits on non-EU economic migration consultation but they are supported by a number of others, with wider duties in areas such as statistical and economic analysis, legal advice and related policy matters. No external advisers have been working on the consultation.
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) officials of her Department and (b) external advisers are working on her Department's consultation into the establishment of elected police commissioners. [17055]
Nick Herbert: Officials from within the Policing Directorate in the Home Office are leading on the development of the policy to introduce elected Police and Crime Commissioners. This includes a policy team of seven people in the Police Reform Unit, with help and support from others on specific aspects as needed.
Responses to the Policing in the 21st Century consultation document have been submitted by a range of external bodies. The Home Office has not contracted any external advisers to work on the Commissioners policy.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if her Department will take steps to assess the effects on (a) equality of incomes, (b) equality of assets and (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review. [16378]
Nick Herbert: The Home Office will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken into account in the context of expenditure under consideration in the spending review, in compliance with our obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Departmental Recruitment
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to recruit staff to senior civil service posts in the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [17350]
Nick Herbert: On 24 May 2010 the Government announced a freeze on external recruitment to the civil service. The freeze took effect immediately. The Home Office currently has no plans to recruit staff into senior civil service roles.
Departmental Redundancy Pay
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what severance payment was made to each (a) Minister and (b) special adviser in her Department who left office after the last general election. [14659]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 16 September 2010]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) on 5 July 2010, Official Report, column 55W, which lists the total severance payments made to Ministers from each Department who left office following the general election.
Severance payments for paid Government Ministers and other office holders are governed by legislation, specifically section 5 of the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991. Those individuals who leave office under the age of 65 and who do not take up another relevant office within three weeks (six weeks for Opposition office holders at the time of the election) are entitled to receive one-quarter of their annual claimed salary as a severance payment. The total severance payments to all eligible former Ministers and other office holders in the former Government in the Home Office was £73,421.
This is separate from resettlement grants available to members of Parliament upon leaving the House of Commons.
The Government publish annually the total cost of special advisers in the form of a written ministerial statement by the Prime Minister. The total cost of severance paid out to special advisers who left office after the last general election will be published in due course.
Departmental Secondment
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff her Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded. [16262]
Nick Herbert: The Home Office headquarters has appointed no staff on secondment since 7 May 2010.
Entry Clearances
Jesse Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which organisations her Department authorises to issue visas to non-EU citizens. [17531]
Damian Green: No commercial organisation is authorised to issue UK visas. The UK Border Agency has contracts with two suppliers, VFS Global and CSC Worldbridge, to provide visa application support services overseas. The two commercial partners operate 101 visa applications centres in 48 countries. Their staff have no involvement in the decision-making process, which remains exclusively the responsibility of UK Border Agency entry clearance officers.
Entry Clearances: Skilled Workers
Joseph Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the likely effects on the competitiveness of the economy in London of a cap on work visas for highly-skilled migrants from outside the EU. [17348]
Damian Green: The Secretary of State for the Home Department has regular discussions with all her colleagues, covering a range of issues, including the forthcoming limit on economic migration.
Officials from the Home Office and UK Border Agency have worked closely with their colleagues from Business, Innovation and Skills, on all aspects of the policy.
Extradition: USA
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the operation of the UK-US Extradition Treaty. [14754]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 13 September 2010]: The extradition treaty will be carefully examined to ensure it is even-handed as part of the review of extradition which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 8 September 2010.
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary is not a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and if she will make a statement. [17449]
Nick Herbert: We set out in the Policing in the 21st Century consultation document that we intend to reform Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary to ensure it becomes a stronger advocate of the public interest and we will be publishing our response shortly.
Human Trafficking
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many victims of trafficking have been identified through the national referral mechanism since April 2009; [17624]
(2) how many victims of human trafficking have been identified (a) nationally and (b) in Leicestershire in each of the last five years. [17625]
Damian Green:
Between 1 April 2009 and 30 September 2010 1,048 cases were referred into the national referral mechanism. Of the 857 reasonable grounds decisions
made by 30 September 2010, competent authority decision makers found reasonable grounds to believe trafficking had occurred in 534 cases. Prior to 1 April 2009 the UK did not have a national system to track and confirm victim status.
The Government do not record victims identified by county.
Human Trafficking: Prostitution
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been charged with offences relating to trafficking of female prostitution in London since 1 January 2010. [16074]
Damian Green: Figures from the Metropolitan Police Service show that 20 people have been charged with trafficking for sexual exploitation in London since 1 January 2010.
Identity Theft
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has had recent discussions with ministerial colleagues on measures to prevent identity fraud; and if she will make a statement. [16922]
Nick Herbert: The National Fraud Authority and National Fraud Intelligence Bureau have recently undertaken a review of the threats to the UK presented by identity crime. Building on this review, a multi-agency strategic group, led by the Home Office, has been established to agree and implement a plan to tackle identity crime and will be reporting to Ministers in due course. This group includes representation from across Government.
Immobilisation of Vehicles
Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received from private property owners on the effects on them of her proposals to prohibit wheel clamping on private land. [17477]
Lynne Featherstone: Since I announced on 17 August the Government's intention to ban clamping and towing on private land, we have received a number of letters and e-mails from hon. Members and members of the public. Issues raised in these letters include concerns about how landowners will be able to control unwanted parking once the ban takes effect and whether other methods of parking control such as ticketing and barriers will be effective in practice.
Together with the Department for Transport we are considering how best to address these concerns.
Investigatory Powers Tribunal
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions her Department has used its powers under section 67(9) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to enable an appeal against the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in each of the last three years. [16577]
Nick Herbert: Sections 67(9) and 65(2)(c) and (d) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 are not in force. It follows that no order is in force under section 67(8) of that Act.
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. [16578]
Nick Herbert: The Government consider that the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) fulfils its functions, which are set out in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, effectively.
This is an important means by which individuals can complain where they think their human rights have been infringed as a result of actions carried out by or on behalf of any of the intelligence services, and in certain circumstances, by certain public authorities. In 2009, the IPT completed the investigation of 125 complaints and claims under the Human Rights Act.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to respond to the letter from the right hon. Member for Warley of 16 August 2010 regarding Mr Unis. [17517]
Damian Green: The chief executive of the UK Border Agency wrote to the right hon. Member for Warley (Mr Spellar) in response to the letter regarding Mr Unis, on 21 September 2010.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 31 August 2010, on Ms P. A. Bello. [17680]
Damian Green: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 12 October 2010.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 23 August 2010, on Mr H. A. Suleman. [17681]
Damian Green: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 12 October 2010.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 16 July 2010, on Ms S. Sundry. [17682]
Damian Green: I replied to the right hon. Member on behalf of the Home Secretary on 3 August 2010.
Missing Persons
Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proposals she has for the provision of future missing person services in the National Crime Agency; and if she will make a statement; [15892]
(2) what assessment she has made of the merits of establishing a single inclusive missing persons service; and if she will make a statement. [15893]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 11 October 2010]: The recent consultation document "Policing in the 21st Century" announced the Government's intention to create a powerful new body of operational crime fighters, the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The consultation document invited views, by 20 September, on the functions that a new National Crime Agency might deliver, in addition to tackling organised crime. A decision on the exact nature of the NCA's future role, in addition to its organised crime and border policing functions, has yet to be made, but one of the Government's aims are to declutter the policing landscape. We are in the process of considering all the responses, including the possibility of including missing persons investigations within the NCA, and my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary has committed to publishing figures on cost and the business case for the NCA in due course.
Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what response she plans to make to the recommendations of the final report of the Missing Persons Taskforce on providing support to families of missing people; [16344]
(2) what policies will be put in place in the Crime Prevention Agency to ensure that best practice is observed in responding to reports of missing children. [16345]
Nick Herbert: Work is currently under way to consider the delivery of missing persons services within the context of the policing framework outlined in the Government consultation document, 'Policing in the 21st Century'. The consultation closed on 20 September and the Government are considering the responses.
Police National Computer
Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions errors in records of criminal convictions held on the Police National Computer have been identified in each of the last three years. [17171]
Nick Herbert: This information is not held centrally.
Police: Accountability
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which (a) chief constables, (b) police authority chairs and (c) local authority leaders have indicated support for her proposals to replace police authorities by an elected police commissioner. [14054]
Nick Herbert: The Home Office is engaging constructively with key policing stakeholders on the development of our proposals to introduce police and crime commissioners in England and Wales.
These proposals were set out in the Policing in the 21st Century consultation document, published on 26 July 2010. Formal consultation on the proposals to introduce
directly elected commissioners ended on 20 September. Responses have been submitted by a range of policing partners and these will now be considered before the publication of the Government response in the autumn.
Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the likely cost to the West Midlands Police of the implementation of her proposals for directly-elected police commissioners. [17011]
Nick Herbert: We will provide a full assessment of the costs of police and crime commissioners in due course.
Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate her Department has made of the cost of (a) the election of police commissioners and (b) establishing police and crime panels. [18009]
Nick Herbert: The Government's Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill will be accompanied with a legislative impact assessment which will set out the estimates of the cost for Police and Crime Commissioners.
Police: Crime Prevention
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her speech to the Superintendents' Association in Cheshire on 15 September 2010, which police forces in the UK have achieved significant reductions in crime alongside reduced police numbers; and what the reduction in the level of crime was in each such area. [16336]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 11 October 2010]: In the 12 months to 31 March 2010, when the right hon. Gentleman was Home Secretary, 26 of the 43 police forces of England and Wales had a reduction in numbers of police officers. These police forces and the corresponding changes in recorded crime figures are given in the table.
| Forces which had a decrease in police numbers between 31 March 2009 and 31 March 2010 and their corresponding changes in recorded crime | ||||||||
| Strength as at: | Change in 12 months | Offences recorded | Change in 12 months | |||||
| March 2009 | March 2010 | March 2009 | March 2010 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |||
| Police force | FTE | FTE | Number | Percentage | Number | Number | Number | Percentage |
Police: Essex
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department holds information on the number of (a) male and (b) female officers of each rank in Essex Police who left their posts voluntarily for reasons other than redundancy since December 2009. [17419]
Nick Herbert: The information is collected on a financial year basis and the following table sets out the number of leavers from the Essex Police, excluding those that have been dismissed, for 2009-10.
Police: Finance
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her speech to the Superintendents' Association in Cheshire on 15 September 2010, what her Department's estimate is of the level of reduction that can be made to the police budget without affecting police numbers. [16337]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 11 October 2010]: The effectiveness and efficiency of a force can not be judged on the number of police officers it has, rather it is the way those officers are used that matters. It is not for Ministers to decide on how resources are used, but chief constables need to ensure that the police work force is more productive than currently.
The spending review which reports on 20 October will provide further clarity on future funding for the police service.
Police: Greater London
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely effects on police (a) staffing levels and (b) detection rates in Greater London of Metropolitan Police Service spending reductions of (i) 10, (ii) 20 and (iii) 30 per cent. [16603]
Nick Herbert: The future funding settlement for policing as a whole will be determined by the Spending Review which will be announced on 20 October. Allocations for individual forces, including the Metropolitan Police Service, will be placed before Parliament in early December. It would be wrong to speculate on the outcome for specific forces at this time.
My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, has been clear that the police service must play its part in reducing the deficit. Decisions about the number of police officers, police community support officers and other police staff engaged by the Metropolitan Police Service and how they are deployed within the force are a matter for the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and the Police Authority.
Police: Helicopters
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will discuss with (a) chief constables and (b) the Association of Chief Police Officers measures to improve efficiency in the use of police helicopters through (i) reducing the number of such helicopters and (ii) sharing the use of such helicopters over police authority borders. [17106]
Nick Herbert: Hampshire Constabulary Chief Constable Alex Marshall, Aviation Portfolio holder for the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), is leading a review into the way police air support is currently provided across England and Wales. The review, supported by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), is looking at a number of options that will improve efficiency in the use of police helicopters, including a reduction in their numbers and sharing them across police authority boundaries.
The results of the review are being presented to ACPO later this month.
Police: Northumbria
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the potential effects on police (a) staffing headcount and (b) detection rates in Northumbria of police service expenditure reductions of (i) 10, (ii) 20 and (iii) 30 per cent. [17594]
Nick Herbert: The future funding settlement for policing as a whole will be determined by the spending review which will be announced on 20 October. Allocations for individual forces, including Northumbria police, will be placed before Parliament in early December. It would be wrong to speculate on the outcome for specific forces at this time.
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has been clear that the police service must play its part in reducing the deficit. Decisions about the number of police officers, police community support officers and other police staff engaged by Northumbria police and how they are deployed within the force are a matter for the chief constable and the police authority.
Police: Procurement
Richard Harrington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to the merits of facilitating centralised procurement for supplies and information technology for police forces. [17458]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 14 October 2010]: Police authorities have overall responsibility for the procurement procedures that each police force in England and Wales uses. However, the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) is currently working with key stakeholders in this area as part of the Collaborative Police Procurement Programme (CPPP).
Key elements of this programme include moving towards a more standardised requirement, and leveraging the buying power of the wider Police Service through central contracts.
Three examples of centralised national procurement within the area of non information technology (IT) are the delivery of the National Forensic Framework, the recently let National Fleet Framework and the mobile phone contract, which is soon to be awarded. Central procurement activity is ongoing in both IT and non IT areas and includes categories such as uniforms, aviation, body armour, firearms, utilities, language services and IT hardware.
Within IT a considerable number of services are already provided through centralised procurement. These include contract provision of the police 'Airwave' radio service, Ident1 fingerprint capture and matching, Police National Network (PNN3) and applications such as Holmes2 which is utilised by police forces in major enquiries. In addition, proposals for mandating certain goods and services for policing have been the subject of a recent consultation in the interests of efficiency.
Surveillance
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals further to limit the circumstances in which surveillance powers may be used. [16579]
Nick Herbert: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) provides the relevant regulatory mechanism. RIPA provides statutory limitations and safeguards on public authority use of covert surveillance likely to obtain private information. We are working closely with the Communities and Local Government Department and the Ministry of Justice to implement the Government's commitment to further limit local authority use of covert surveillance under RIPA and will announce the detail shortly.
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to reduce the number of public bodies entitled to exercise surveillance powers. [16580]
Nick Herbert: The Government are committed to limiting local authority access to covert surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and will be announcing how best to implement the changes shortly.
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that all interception of communications and intrusive surveillance are authorised by judicial warrant. [16620]
Nick Herbert: We have no plans to do so. Interception of communications refers to the interception of a communication during the course of its transmission so as to make it available to a third party. The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 ('RIPA') requires that, with some exceptions such as interception by consent, this is authorised by Secretary of State warrant.
Intrusive surveillance is covert surveillance in someone's private home or vehicle. RIPA requires that intrusive surveillance is authorised by Secretary of State warrant (for intelligence agency investigations) or an independent surveillance commissioner (for law enforcement agencies). All surveillance commissioners are required under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to hold or to have held high judicial office.
Telephone Tapping
Mr Jim Murphy:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on the number of (a) people in Scotland and (b) hon. Members
representing Scottish constituencies identified by the recent Metropolitan Police Service investigation as having been affected by recent telephone hacking incidents. [17230]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 13 October 2010]: We have had no such discussions. Information about the numbers and identities of individuals who may have been affected by the telephone hacking allegations which were the subject of recent parliamentary debates is a matter for the Metropolitan Police.
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish each item of correspondence (a) sent and (b) received by Ministers in her Department in respect of the Metropolitan Police Service's investigation into telephone hacking and blagging since her appointment. [17466]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 14 October 2010]: We have received a small number of letters from members of the public on the subject of telephone hacking. Letters from members of the public are treated in confidence and it would be inappropriate to publish such correspondence. In addition, the hon. Gentleman wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister on 2 September and I replied to that correspondence on 8 September. I would of course be happy for the hon. Gentleman to publish that correspondence.
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Ministers and officials in her Department have had discussions with the Metropolitan Police Service on its investigation into telephone hacking and blagging since her appointment. [17467]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 14 October 2010]: Ministers and officials in the Home Office have regular discussions with the Metropolitan police on a wide range of issues. These have included discussions on the status of recent Metropolitan police enquiries about phone hacking allegations made in the media in September 2010.
Terrorism
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will undertake research on the level of understanding of the terrorism threat level by (a) the general public and (b) staff of central Government departments. [14097]
Nick Herbert: The Government Research, Intelligence and Communications Unit (RICU) has undertaken research into the public' understanding of communications about a range of counter-terrorism policies and issues. The data from this research is currently being compiled.
Previously Home Office commissioned public polling 'Omnibus Questions for Crime Tracker November 2009' includes a section on the public's perception of the level of the terrorist threat. It is available at:
The Government do not intend to undertake research on the level of understanding of the terrorism threat level by staff in central Government Departments.
Yarl's Wood Detention Centre: Children
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the safety and well-being of children being held at Yarl's Wood detention centre; and what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the detention of children. [17437]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency takes very seriously the health and well-being of those in its care. This is particularly true in respect of the small number of children who are detained with their parents for a short period of time immediately prior to their removal after they refuse to leave the UK voluntarily or while checks are being made at the border to ascertain whether they and the adults accompanying them should be admitted to the country.
Safeguarding procedures in respect of children are kept under constant review across the immigration removal estate to ensure that they are consistent with section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 which requires the agency to carry out its functions having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the UK. Prior to detaining an individual family, the agency considers medical and welfare needs to assess the appropriateness of detention and any particular support which may need to be put in place for the child. On arrival in Yarl's Wood, on-site social workers from Bedford borough council make their own assessment and monitor the child during the period of detention.
The Government have made clear their commitment to ending the detention of children for immigration purposes. We are currently conducting a review to consider how this can be done in a way which protects the welfare of children while ensuring the return of families who have no right to be in the UK. The Department for Education, as the lead Department for children, families and safeguarding is closely involved with the review.
We have already announced that the family unit at Yarl's Wood will be closed as soon as we have identified a credible alternative way of ensuring the departure of families who do not wish to go voluntarily, despite being given every opportunity to do so.
Justice
Corruption: Legislation
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 26 July 2010, Official Report, column 686W, on corruption: legislation, if he will place in the Library a copy of each of the written representations on the implementation of the Bribery Act 2010 referred to in the answer. [17637]
Mr Blunt: I have placed copies in the Library together with copies of our replies.
Corruption: Public Service
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 22 July 2010, Official Report, column 460W, on corruption: public service, when he plans to place in the Library the agendas and minutes of the meetings of the Foreign Bribery Strategy Board. [17636]
Mr Blunt: The agendas and minutes of each of the five meetings of the Foreign Bribery Strategy Board have now been placed in the Library, where they do not meet the exemptions set out in the Freedom of Information Act under section 31 (law enforcement) or section 35 (formulation of government policy). The information has been provided by BIS in their former role as Secretariat support to the International Anti-Corruption Champion.
County Courts : Public Transport
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 27 July 2010, Official Report, column 208WH, what estimate he has made of the maximum reasonable travel time required to travel by public transport to a county court. [17731]
Mr Djanogly: People should not have to make excessively long or difficult journeys to attend court. However, we must recognise the infrequency with which most people need to visit a court, compared to other public services which they use and travel to more regularly such as banks, schools, supermarkets or hospitals. We must also consider that the majority of people have their own transportation so may not need to use public transport.
I believe it is reasonable that our court estate enables the majority of people to be within an hour's journey of their nearest court using public transport. I do however acknowledge that for some smaller communities there may be very little or no public transport, which may mean journeys are longer than an hour. For those court users who have particular transport difficulties, courts will try to list those cases at a time to accommodate this. This practice is well established in courts and relies only on the person notifying the court office of their specific circumstances.
Courts: Expenditure
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the likely (a) additional expenditure incurred by or (b) savings to HM Courts Service in implementing the results of its review of court services in providing for (i) paid and (ii) unpaid personnel (A) to travel to a new place of work and (B) to stay at their present place of work. [17949]
Mr Djanogly: On 23 June 2010 the Justice Secretary announced, via written ministerial statement, a consultation on the future provision of court services across England and Wales. The consultation closed on 15 September and the Government aim to publish its response by the end of the year.
The impacts, costs and benefits of court closures will be outlined within the full impact assessment that will be published alongside the consultation responses.
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the likely (a) costs of and (b) savings in expenditure on maintenance arising from the retention in the HM Courts Service estate of magistrates' courts not proposed for closure as part of his Department's review. [17950]
Mr Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts Service is committed to ensuring that there is an efficient and effective estate portfolio to administer the justice system. The impact of potential changes in costs and expenditure on the maintenance of the HMCS estate cannot be confirmed until the announcement of the outcome of the spending review and the outcomes of the court estate consultation process.
The existing maintenance backlog associated with the magistrates court buildings included in the consultation proposals is around £22 million. If the decision were taken to close all of these courts, then these costs would be avoided. The Government aim to issue the response to the consultation by the end of the year.
Courts: Fines
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much on average was collected in fines by HM Courts Service Fixed Penalty Office in Denbigh (a) weekly, (b) monthly and (c) annually in each of the last five years. [17000]
Mr Blunt: The separate identification of fines collected by Fixed Penalty Offices, and specific information on fixed penalties registered as fines, is not collected centrally by HM Courts Service.
Furthermore, information is not available on the number of individual of fines paid. Therefore we are unable to calculate how much on average was collected in fines in the last five years.
However, information is available for the total amount collected in financial penalties which includes total fines, costs, victim surcharge and compensation collected, as well as fixed penalties registered as fines at magistrates' courts. This data is not available on a weekly basis.
Figures for actual total fines paid for the North Wales HM Court Service area are provided; (b) monthly and (c) annually as shown in the following table.
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