Written Answers to Questions
Monday 25 October 2010
Wales
Departmental Interns
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many interns her Department has engaged in the last 12 months; and how many were (a) unpaid, (b) remunerated with expenses only and (c) paid at the rate of the national minimum wage or above. [17204]
Mr David Jones: No interns have been engaged in the last 12 months.
Departmental Visits Abroad
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much her Department spent on overseas visits for senior officials in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [18402]
Mr David Jones: In the past 12 months the Wales Office has spent £457 on overseas visits for senior staff.
Scotland
Departmental Visits Abroad
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on overseas visits for senior officials in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [18404]
David Mundell: In 2009-10, no Scotland Office officials undertook overseas trips on departmental business, other than to accompany Scotland Office Ministers. £725.65 was spent on overseas visits for senior officials in that capacity.
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code.
Higher Education: Finance
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the statement of 12 October 2010, Official Report, columns 155-57, on higher education and student finance, whether he (a) has had and (b) plans to have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the implications for the block grant to Scotland of the Government's policy on higher education in England. [18589]
Michael Moore: The block grant for Scotland was set out in the spending review on 20 October. It is for the Scottish Government to determine what funding they allocate to devolved areas such as higher education and student finance.
Transport
Boats: Licensing
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether boatmasters working on the River Thames who fail the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's compulsory re-test will be entitled to claim compensation for the loss of livelihood; and what recent discussions he has had with (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Department for Work and Pensions on the position of such boatmasters. [18612]
Mike Penning: The arrangements for the re-issue of Boatmaster Licences (BML) following revalidation do not provide for any compensation in relation to any losses that a boatmaster may incur as a result of his or her failure to fulfil statutory requirements. This includes boatmasters who now need to submit to an oral assessment of local knowledge to whom the Maritime and Coastguard Agency had previously issued a BML, under the 2006 regulations, based on "Grandfather Rights".
No meetings have taken place with either Ministers or officials in the Department for Work and Pensions on the position of such boatmasters.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether boatmasters working on the River Thames will be able to remain in service if they hold a licence valid until the end of 2011, irrespective of the outcome of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's compulsory re-test. [18613]
Mike Penning: A boatmaster working on the Thames will be able to remain in service until the expiry of his or her current licence, regardless of whether he or she passes or fails the oral assessment associated with the Port of London Local Knowledge Endorsement for the revalidation of a Boatmaster's Licence (BML).
Buckshaw Village Station: Repairs and Maintenance
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects works at Buckshaw Village Train Station will commence; when the station is scheduled to open; and how many trains are planned to stop there each day. [18662]
Mrs Villiers: Work is expected to begin on the new station in November 2010 and Network Rail estimates that it could be operational in autumn 2011. The station will see three train services an hour in each direction: two Northern services (Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria, and Preston to Hazel Grove) and one TransPennine Express service (Blackpool North to Manchester airport).
Bus Services: Bedfordshire
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2010, Official Report, column 417W, on rapid transport systems: Bedfordshire, what the name is of each private sector contributor to the Luton Dunstable Guided Busway; and how much each contributed. [19430]
Norman Baker: The private sector contributors to the Luton Dunstable Guided Busway are as follows:
Departmental Legislation
Eric Ollerenshaw:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many statutory duties were placed on local authorities by legislation introduced by his Department
and its predecessors in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [17019]
Norman Baker: 98 statutory duties relating to transport have been placed on local authorities since 1997 by primary legislation introduced by the Department for Transport (created in 2002) and its predecessors. A list of these duties has been placed in the Libraries of the House. An answer which also included secondary legislation could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Driving Tests: Birmingham
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving tests were conducted at (a) Wednesbury, (b) Wolverhampton and (c) Kingstanding test centre in (i) each of the last three years and (ii) the most recent period for which figures are available; and what proportion of candidates (A) passed and (B) failed tests taken at those centres. [19176]
Mike Penning: The number of driving tests conducted at (a) Wednesbury, (b) Wolverhampton and (c) Kingstanding test centre in (i) each of the last three full financial years and (ii) for April to September 2010; along with the number of tests (A) passed and (B) failed at those centres can be found in the following tables.
| Car | Motorcycle (sing l e test) | |||||
| Total | % pass | % fail | Total | % pass | % fail | |
| Car | Motorcycle (single test) | Motorcycle (module 1) | Motorcycle (module 2) | |||||||||
| Total | % pass | % fail | Total | % pass | % fail | Total | % pass | % fail | Total | % pass | % fail | |
| Car | Motorcycle (module 1) | Motorcycle (module 2) | |||||||
| Total | % pass | % fail | Total | % pass | % fail | Total | % pass | % fail | |
High Speed Trains
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications his Department has received to its Exceptional Hardship Scheme in respect of the proposed High Speed Two rail link; and if he will make a statement. [19279]
Mr Philip Hammond: As of 21 October 2010, the HS2 Exceptional Hardship Scheme had received 73 applications.
M4: Bus Lanes
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what modelling studies his Department undertook when developing its proposals to suspend the M4 bus lane; and what assessment he has made of (a) the average reduction in journey time for private motor vehicles and (b) the effect on journey time for bus lane users consequent on the suspension of the lane. [16735]
Mike Penning: The performance of the M4 London bound carriageway under current traffic flows has been modelled by the Highways Agency using specialist (Paramics) computer software.
(a) an average reduction in journey times for cars of 7% during the morning peak, with slightly greater savings during the evening peak;
(b) no significant effect on journey time for current bus lane users.
Traffic flows will be monitored during the experimental order period to validate these predictions.
Merchant Shipping
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to conclude his review of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010; and if he will make a statement. [19278]
Mike Penning: The closing date for the receipt of responses to the review was 30 September. I am now considering the representations which have been made to me.
I shall announce the outcome of the review to the House at the earliest opportunity.
Railway Stations: North East
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Network Rail plans to open new train stations in the North East region. [18664]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport is not aware of any plans for Network Rail to open new train stations in the North East region. We understand that Tees Valley Regeneration proposes to build new stations at Durham Tees Valley airport, Wilton, and James Cook hospital, subject to a suitable funding source being identified.
Railways
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the benefits of new high speed rail lines for communities beyond the reach of each proposed route. [18925]
Mr Philip Hammond: The benefits arising from, firstly, through-services running off a London to West Midlands line on to the West Coast Main Line, and, secondly, of released capacity for destinations around and beyond the line are included in the detailed business case work undertaken by HS2 Ltd in its report published in March 2010. This work is available at:
A wider high speed rail network would have the potential to offer still more significant benefits of this nature.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate his Department has made of the (a) carbon dioxide emissions consequent on the construction of the London to Birmingham High Speed 2 rail line and (b) contribution of the proposed High Speed 2 rail line to the Government's carbon reduction targets. [16900]
Mr Philip Hammond: High speed rail has an important role to play in the creation of a low carbon economy and in contributing to the meeting of our carbon reduction targets.
Estimates of the carbon dioxide emissions arising from the construction (i.e. embedded carbon) of HS2 are set out in HS2 Ltd's December 2009 report and supporting documents. Total embedded carbon emissions are estimated at 1.2MtCO2, within a range of +0.29MtCO2 to +2.12MtCO2. This currently amounts to less than 1% of a single year's emissions from transport.
HS2 Ltd has estimated that the overall carbon impact of a new London-West Midlands high speed line would be broadly neutral. These impacts should be considered alongside the new line's economic benefits and, in particular, its capacity to cater for additional demand for inter-urban transport caused by long-term economic growth and to improve journey times between key economic centres. Looked at in the round, I do not believe that any other option can offer the same balance of environmental and economic benefits as high speed rail.
Railways: Fares
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the potential effects of raising the existing cap on annual increases for train fares on the number of people commuting by train between Brighton and Hove and London. [18901]
Mrs Villiers: We have announced that the fares policy from 2 January 2011 will be RPI+1%, then RPI+3% applied for the following three years. Although passenger growth slowed during the economic downturn, the resumption of economic growth has seen passenger numbers increasing and we expect this trend to continue.
Railways: Finance
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the costs of High Speed 2 he expects to be met from European Union funds. [18587]
Mr Philip Hammond: In considering their approach to the funding of a new high speed network, one of the Government's objectives will be to ensure that third party funding contributions are maximised. This may include contributions from European Union funding streams, in particular the Trans-European Networks programme, under which the Government expect funding for high speed rail projects to be a priority. However, it is unlikely that the level of European Union funding available will be sufficient to cover more than a small proportion of the overall costs of any new high speed line.
Thameslink
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the number of (a) additional peak-time passengers to be transported and (b) passenger hours to be saved as a result of the completion of the Thameslink programme. [17931]
Mrs Villiers: The appraisal of the Thameslink programme forecasts that by 2026 there will be an additional 30,000 passengers carried on Thameslink services in each three-hour peak period. This equates to an overall saving of 18,500 passenger hours over each three-hour peak period.
West Coast Main Line
Mr Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds on projected passenger numbers on the West Coast Main Line until 2020. [16825]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport does not hold projected passenger numbers for the West Coast Main Line to 2020.
The 'High Speed Two Baseline Forecasting Report' projects an increase in passenger demand on the West Coast franchise from 7.7 million passenger miles in 2008 to 12.6 million passenger miles in 2021, an increase of 64%.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Air Pollution: Heathrow Airport
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to meet EU air quality targets at Heathrow and in the surrounding area. [18333]
Richard Benyon:
EU air quality limits for all air pollutants except nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are met at Heathrow and the surrounding area. Road transport is a major source of this pollutant and meeting the EU
limits for NO2 in the required timescales around the airport will be challenging, though concentrations of this pollutant are higher in Central London.
The Government are committed to working towards EU air quality limits and like most other member states plans to use the provisions in the Air Quality Directive which permit until 2015 to meet the limits. DEFRA is working closely with the Department for Transport, the airport operator (BAA), the Mayor of London, and local authorities to develop and implement measures to help meet NO2 limits as soon as possible.
Animal Housing: Animal Welfare
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment her Department has made of the effect on small sanctuaries of the definition of a zoo set out in the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. [18666]
Richard Benyon: The Act defines a zoo as an establishment where wild animals are kept for exhibition to the public and which is open for seven or more days in a year. It covers a wide range of animal collections, from large traditional zoos to butterfly gardens, and the Department's assessment is that sanctuaries may fall within the definition. The Act provides that where small numbers of animals are kept, or where the collection has only a small number of different species, dispensations can be made which reduce the inspection requirements for those establishments. In some cases, collections can be exempted from the provisions of the Act entirely.
Local authorities have responsibility for implementing the Act, including for assessing collections and the application of the Act to them.
Departmental Pay
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what allowances and payments in addition to salary were available to officials in her Department and its non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997; and what the monetary value was of payments and allowances of each type in each such year. [18756]
Richard Benyon: The information requested is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Sick Leave
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for how many days on average her Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10. [18571]
Richard Benyon: The following table shows the average number of working days lost through sickness by grade equivalent in DEFRA and its Agencies in 2009-10
| Grade | AWDL |
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials in her Department have had (a) fewer than five days, (b) five to 10 days, (c) 10 to 15 days , (d) 15 to 20 days, (e) 20 to 25 days, (f) 25 to 50 days, (g) 50 to 75 days, (h) 75 to 100 days, (i) 100 to 150 days, (j) 150 to 200 days, (k) more than 200 days, (l) more than three months, (m) more than six months and (n) one year on paid sick leave (i) consecutively and (ii) in total in each year since 1997. [18759]
Richard Benyon: The information requested could be provided only by incurring disproportionate costs.
Diversified Farm Businesses
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the number of its staff who have operated diversified farm businesses. [18939]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA does not hold a central register of this information and it is not certain whether this information exists at local level. Gathering local management information could be done only at a disproportionate cost to the Department.
Equality
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to publish equality impact assessments undertaken by her Department as part of the comprehensive spending review; and if she will make a statement. [18195]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA is taking equality into account in its work in response to the spending review. Equality impact assessments will be published in the normal course of business alongside any decisions on specific policies taken subsequently. This is in line with the Government's intention that fairness will be a key feature of our approach to meeting the fiscal challenges that we face as a nation.
Farmers: Bankruptcy
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of farmers who applied for bankruptcy in each of the last five years. [18393]
Mr Paice: Information on bankruptcies of individuals and company liquidations in England and Wales is reported for agriculture, hunting and forestry as a whole.
| Bankruptcies and liquidations in agriculture, hunting and forestry, UK | ||
| 2008 | 2009 | |
|
Company liquidations (both compulsory and creditors' voluntary) | ||
| Note: Data are not available on a consistent basis before 2008 because of changes to the classification system. Information for England and Wales is not published separately. Equivalent data for Scotland are only available for company liquidations (there were three in each of 2008 and 2009). Equivalent data for Northern Ireland are not available. More information can be found at: http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/insolv.htm Source: Insolvency Service | ||
Farmers: Income
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate her Department has made of the level and proportion of income for farmers that is expected to come from (a) single farm payments, (b) agri-environment schemes and (c) diversified activity in each of the next five years. [18395]
Mr Paice: The Department does not make forecasts for future years of the contributions to Farm Business Income arising from single farm payments, agri-environment schemes and diversified activity. 2008-09 is the most recent year for which data on farm business income by 'cost centre', including from single farm payment, agri-environment schemes and diversified activity, are available. This is shown in the following table for all farm types. More detailed figures by farm type can be found in Farm Accounts in England (Table 5) available at:
| Table 1: Average farm business income by 'cost centre' (£ per farm), England 2008-09, all farm types | |
| Farm business income (£/farm) | |
| (1) Income from the 'cost centres' may not sum to the total due to rounding. Source: Farm Business Survey | |
Figures of total farm business income by farm type for 2009-10 will be published on 28 October 2010. This will be further broken down by 'cost centre' to provide the breakdown by single farm payment, agri-environment schemes and diversified activity when published in Farm Accounts in England on 16 December 2010. Both publications will be available at:
Food: Labelling
Justin Tomlinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will take steps to promote the introduction of a country of
origin labelling regime for meat and fish products to provide that a single country of origin may be cited only if the animal was born, reared and slaughtered in one country; [18852]
(2) what steps she is taking to introduce mandatory country of origin labelling for (a) all fresh meat products and (b) the meat ingredient in processed meat and fish products; and if she will make a statement. [18853]
Mr Paice: Discussions are continuing on an EU food information regulation that includes new rules on origin labelling. There are calls to extend mandatory origin labelling and the UK is playing an active role in the debate so as to ensure consumers are provided with accurate and meaningful information. We are also discussing with the food industry ways in which they can voluntarily provide more and clearer origin information to assist consumers.
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with supermarkets and food companies on food labelling policy. [18938]
Mr Paice: The Secretary of State and I regularly meet major food retailers and trade associations representing all sectors of the food industry supply chain to discuss a range of issues including food labelling. In line with DEFRA's Structural Reform Plan, we are in discussions with key bodies in the food chain about ways in which food businesses can provide more and clearer information on food origin, particularly for meat and dairy products.
Human Rights
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she made of the cost to her Department and its non-departmental public bodies of compliance with (a) domestic, (b) European and (c) other international human rights requirements in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement. [18754]
Richard Benyon: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs does not collate information on the costs of compliance with human rights requirements. The Department takes account of the domestic and international human rights framework in developing all its policies and practices, as it does other relevant legal obligations. An accurate estimate of the total cost of compliance with human rights obligations could not be made without incurring disproportionate cost.
Natural England: Manpower
Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed by Natural England in 2009-10; and at what cost to the public purse. [19188]
Richard Benyon: The following information on staff numbers and costs in 2009-10 has been extracted from Natural England's 2009-10 Annual Report and Accounts, which are available at:
| Staff numbers 2009-10 | |
| Average number of whole-time equivalent persons employed during the year | |
| Staff costs 2009-10 | |
| £ | |
Public Bodies: Reform
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the reconstitution of the Darwin Advisory Committee as a committee of experts in each of the next five years; [18353]
(2) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Commons Commissioners in each of the next five years; [18354]
(3) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Committee on Agricultural Valuation in each of the next five years; [18355]
(4) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Commission for Rural Communities in each of the next five years; [18356]
(5) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the reconstitution of the Air Quality Expert Group as a committee of experts in each of the next five years; [18357]
(6) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy England Implementation Group in each of the next five years; [18358]
(7) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Committee in each of the next five years; [18359]
(8) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales in each of the next five years; [18360]
(9) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committees in each of the next five years; [18361]
(10) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the reconstruction of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides as a committee of experts; [18362]
(11) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the reconstitution of the Advisory Committee on Packaging as a committee of experts in each of the next five years; [18363]
(12) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Advisory Committee on Organic Standards in each of the next five years; [18364]
(13) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the reconstitution of the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances as a committee of experts in each of the next five years; [18365]
(14) what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the abolition of Food from Britain in the next five financial years; [18374]
(15) what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the abolition of the Inland Waterways Advisory Council in the next five financial years; [18375]
(16) what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the reconstitution of the National Standing Committee on Farm Animal Genetic Resources as a committee of experts in the next five financial years; [18376]
(17) what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the reconstitution of the Pesticide Residues Committee as a committee of experts in the next five financial years; [18377]
(18) what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the abolition of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in the next five financial years; [18378]
(19) what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the abolition of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee in the next five financial years; [18379]
(20) what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the reconstitution of the Veterinary Residues Committee as a committee of experts in the next five financial years; [18380]
(21) what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the reconstitution of the Zoos Forum as a committee of experts in the next five financial years; [18381]
(22) what estimate she has made of the potential savings to the public purse of the reconstitution of the Farm Animal Welfare Council as a committee of experts in the next five financial years; [18389]
(23) what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse of the abolition of the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards in the next five financial years. [18390]
Richard Benyon: Estimates we have made of savings to the public purse from changes to DEFRA's arm's length bodies over each of the next five years are given in the following table.
The timescale for implementing the decisions on arm's length bodies announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on 14 October 2010, Official Report, columns 505-06, will vary for each body and depend on legislative or administrative processes.
The proposed changes to DEFRA's arm's length bodies will contribute modest savings. The main benefits of the arm's length bodies reform proposals are to increase their transparency and accountability. Where
bodies are to be reconstituted as expert committees we do not envisage significant financial savings to be generated.
The 2011-12 budgets for the new committees have not been agreed and will be fixed in the light of the Government's spending review.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the statement of 14 October 2010, Official Report, columns 505-06, on public bodies reform, what estimate she has made of the number of employees to be (a) redeployed or relocated and (b) released from their contracts as a result of the abolition or reconstitution of each public body within her Department's area of responsibility so designated in the statement. [18341]
Richard Benyon: No estimate has yet been made of the number of employees (a) to be redeployed or relocated, or (b) to be released from their contracts as a result of the abolition or reconstitution of each affected public body within DEFRA's area of responsibility.
DEFRA will work closely with those delivery bodies affected by the announcement on 14 October 2010, with other Departments, devolved Authorities and other bodies to determine which aspects of work will need to continue, and to identify those employees in scope to be either redeployed and/or relocated, or to be released from their contracts.
Rural Communities: Comprehensive Spending Review
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the nature of rural communities is reflected in the outcome of the comprehensive spending review. [18937]
Richard Benyon: It is the responsibility of every Government Department to ensure that the needs and interests of rural people, businesses and communities are addressed fairly in the Spending Review. DEFRA has supported this by providing each Department with guidance to assist them in carrying out analysis of whether rural and urban communities will be affected in different ways by spending decisions, and by providing Her Majesty's Treasury with advice to help it identify potential adverse rural impacts of these decisions. DEFRA officials will continue to assist Departments in understanding the likely rural impacts as the Spending Review is implemented.
Water Charges
Mr Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will assess the feasibility of a national social tariff for water charges; [18508]
(2) what discussions she has had with Ofwat on a national social tariff for water charges. [18510]
Richard Benyon: In the final report of her independent Review of charging for household water and sewerage services, Anna Walker made a range of recommendations on water affordability generally, and more specifically in relation to affordability issues in the South West.
As recommended by Anna Walker, Ofwat is looking into the specific South West recommendations. I have met with Ofwat to discuss its initial findings, and we are awaiting its final advice ahead of public consultation on this and other key issues raised in the Walker Review.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effectiveness of the Government's strategy in Helmand province to December 2014. [18598]
Alistair Burt: Our objectives in Helmand province are closely co-ordinated with coalition partners and the Government of Afghanistan and are set out in the jointly-agreed Helmand Plan. Progress will continue to be monitored on a quarterly basis. We are currently working with our Afghan partners to develop a joint Helmand Inteqal (Transition) Plan for the period 2011-14. This plan will be an agreed strategy for taking Helmand to the point at which full responsibility for security will transfer to the Afghans. The plan will include milestones and mechanisms for measuring its effectiveness. There is clear evidence of progress already made in Helmand over recent months, particularly in central Helmand, for example in Lashkar Gah, Nawa and Garmsir.
Azerbaijan: Foreign Relations
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the state of relations between the UK and Azerbaijan. [18507]
Mr Lidington: Relations between the UK and Azerbaijan are excellent. During my visit to Azerbaijan on 20-21 October I had an opportunity to discuss the expanding links between our two countries with President Aliyev and members of his government. British companies are the largest investors in Azerbaijan, and my visit supported further investment. The UK and Azerbaijan work together on a range of issues of mutual interest, including cultural exchanges.
As part of our strong relationship, we continue to remind Azerbaijan that the modern, prosperous future that it seeks would be supported by further economic and democratic reforms and peace with its neighbours. I raised this, and the importance of fair elections in November, during my visit.
Bahrain: Politics and government
Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he (a) plans to make and (b) has made representations to the Kingdom of Bahrain on the forthcoming elections to the Nuwab Council. [19024]
Alistair Burt: We welcome the holding of elections in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We will be closely following the elections and look forward to working with new members of the Nuwab Council. We maintain a regular high-level dialogue with the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain on a wide variety of issues including their political reform programme and elections.
British Nationals Abroad: Prisoners
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent estimate is of the number of British citizens being held as (a) prisoners and (b) political prisoners in each country. [18433]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The following table gives the latest detainee figures which show a snap shot of British nationals in detention whom we have assisted, as of 31 March 2010. We do not hold a separate figure for political prisoners.
| Half-yearly detainee figures as at 31 March 2010 | ||||
| Country | FCO post | Males | Female | Total |
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