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9 Nov 2010 : Column 280W—continued
Pupils: Languages
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many primary school children in each local authority area did not speak English as their first language in the latest period for which figures are available. [22683]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 8 November 2010]: The latest information on first language in primary schools can be found in table 13a of the Statistical First Release 'Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics: January 2010' which can be accessed at:
Runaway Children
Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what emergency accommodation is available in each local authority area for children who go missing from home. [21428]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 4 November 2010]: This information is not held centrally. There is a range of emergency accommodation currently on offer across the country which is provided by local authorities. It is for local authorities themselves to decide on the most appropriate and effective form of emergency accommodation provision in their area for all young people who find themselves without a safe place to stay.
School Leaving: Kent
Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of students educated in Maidstone and the Weald constituency who left education at the age of 16 in each of the last three years. [21486]
Mr Gibb: Estimates of participation in education and training for 16 and 17-year-olds in each local authority in England are published by the Department in a Statistical First Release (SFR) each June. The full SFR can be found on the Department's website:
and data by local authority are contained in the fifth set of tables listed on this page.
These latest estimates show that 2,100 young people of academic age 16 in Kent were not in education or work-based learning at the end of 2008. These data do not go below local authority level and so figures for Maidstone and the Weald are not available.
School Leaving: Watford
Richard Harrington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people in Watford constituency left full-time education at the age of (a) 16 and (b) 18 years in each year since 2000. [22436]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 8 November 2010]: Estimates of participation in education and training for 16 and 17-year-olds in each local authority in England are published by the Department in a Statistical First Release (SFR) each June. The full SFR can be found on the Department's website:
and data by local authority are contained in the fifth set of tables listed on this page.
The latest estimates show that 1,500 young people of academic age 16 in Hertfordshire were not in full-time education at the end of 2008, from a population of 14,500. The full time-series is provided in the following table.
| Table: Participation in full-time education of academic age 16 year olds in Hertfordshire | |||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| (1) Participation is assigned to the local authority in which the young person is resident from 2001 onwards; in 2000 participation in maintained schools, City Technology Colleges and academies was assigned according to the address of the school. Figures are not available disaggregated into parliamentary constituencies or for academic age 18 year olds. (2) Numbers not in full-time education are based on subtracting unrounded full-time participation from unrounded population; hence estimates for participation in full-time education plus not in full-time education might not add up to the published population figure due to rounding. (3) Population estimates are rounded to the nearest 100 from 2002 onwards; prior to 2002 population is rounded to the nearest 1,000 in accordance with Office for National Statistics (ONS) guidelines at the time. | |||||||||
Schools
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future of online schooling communities; and if he will make a statement. [19674]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 26 October 2010]: The Department currently has no specific plans on online schooling communities.
Schools: Food Supply
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to increase the proportion of domestically produced food supplied to schools. [20566]
Mr Gibb: Maintained schools and local authorities are free to choose the food products they buy and from where they purchase them, so long as the meals provided comply with the statutory school food standards for healthy food and they comply with procurement regulations. Schools and local authorities have been provided with advice about efficient, sustainable food procurement practices that use seasonal produce but such purchasing decisions will continue to be taken locally and should take account of sustainability issues, best quality and value for money.
The coalition Government are committed to developing Government Buying Standards (GBS) for the public procurement of food and food services, which will mean that Government Departments will have to buy food that meets minimum sustainability standards. The standards will reflect the Government's overarching commitment to procure food that meets British or equivalent standards subject to no overall increase in costs. Once developed, the GBS will be mandatory for central Government Departments and their agencies and will be promoted to the wider public sector, including schools. A stakeholder review of these standards will take place shortly.
Schools: Hearing Impairment
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many hearing impaired units there are in mainstream schools (a) nationally and (b) in the West Midlands; and to how many children such units provide services. [21146]
Sarah Teather: Information on the number of hearing impaired units within mainstream schools and the number of pupils who attend them is not collected centrally; however, work is underway to enhance Edubase (the Department's register of all educational establishments in England and Wales).
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his most recent estimate is of the number of British sign language-qualified teachers teaching deaf children in mainstream schools (a) nationally and (b) in the West Midlands; and what qualifications such teachers are required to have. [21147]
Sarah Teather:
We do not routinely collect data regarding the number of British sign language qualified teachers teaching deaf children in mainstream schools either nationally or by region. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that teachers of hearing impaired and deaf
children possess the appropriate mandatory qualification to undertake the role. It is a matter for local authorities to ensure that they have enough qualified teachers to meet their statutory commitments.
The school work force census should, from November 2011, collect data on additional qualifications held by teachers. This will allow us to ascertain the numbers of teachers who possess the mandatory qualification for teaching children with sensory impairments. This approach is subject to the outcome of a review of data collection activity.
At the end of the year the Government plan to publish a Green Paper on special educational needs and disabilities, which will explore how we can improve support for all children with special educational needs and disabilities, including those who are deaf or hearing impaired.
It is a priority to improve the educational outcomes for all children and we recognise the important role specialists, such as teachers of the deaf, play in meeting this goal.
Schools: Transport
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department and its predecessors have spent on (a) taxis to school and (b) other personalised forms of school transport in (i) St Albans and (ii) Hertfordshire in each of the last five years. [16779]
Tim Loughton: The Department and its predecessors have not centrally recorded expenditure to this level of detail and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The relevant local authority may be able to provide my hon. Friend with the information that she requires.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the administrative cost to (a) his Department, (b) local authorities and (c) schools of producing school travel plans in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement. [18845]
Mr Gibb: School travel plans are produced by schools to help them embed sustainable school travel. Since 2004, the Department for Education and the Department for Transport have provided funding to local authorities and schools under the Travelling to School Initiative, to support sustainable school travel, largely by encouraging schools to develop school travel plans.
We have not collected information about the administrative costs to the Department, local authorities and schools, although we estimate that the cost to the Department is in the region of £3,500 per year. The Department has made funding available to local authorities to pay for school travel advisers to support schools in producing school travel plans. The amounts paid jointly by both the Department for Education and the Department for Transport since 2005 are set out as follows:
| Grant paid to local authorities to fund school travel advisers | |
| £ | |
Students: Disadvantaged
Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will introduce a pupil premium for young people (a) attending college, (b) in sixth forms and (c) in apprenticeships. [20144]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 28 October 2010]: The 16-18 funding formula already has an element that ensures young people from disadvantaged backgrounds attending schools and colleges, or who are funded as an apprentice, receive a funding premium. The formula has two elements which provide students with a funding supplement. These are the funding linked to the disadvantage uplift within the formula and that for additional learning support. Details of the 16-18 funding formula for schools and colleges can be found on the website of the Young People's Learning Agency at:
and that for apprenticeships on the Skills Funding Agency website at:
Teachers Pensions
Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to ensure that the changes to the Teachers' Pension Scheme proposed in the report by Lord Hutton on the future of public sector pensions are not implemented. [19079]
Mr Gibb: The coalition Government accept the conclusions in Lord Hutton's interim report on public service pensions, in particular:
the importance of providing good quality pensions to public servants;
the rejection of a race to the bottom in pension provision;
the case for further reforms of public service pension schemes; and
that members of public service schemes should pay more towards their pension benefits, in particular through the implementation of progressive changes to the level of employee contribution that will be phased in from April 2012.
The coalition Government will await Lord Hutton's final recommendation, due in advance of Budget 2011, before considering the form and content of defined benefits going forward and the precise level of progressive contribution required. The nature and implementation of changes to the Teachers' Pension Scheme will be the subject of detailed discussions in the coming months with teacher union and employer representatives.
Teachers: Training
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future of masters' programmes for continuing professional development of teachers. [21615]
Mr Gibb: The quality of teachers and their professional development are of the utmost importance and this is why we want to encourage more school-led professional development. We want to support teachers to progress further academically and to deepen their subject knowledge, and we are committed to developing a strong culture of professional development where more teachers acquire postgraduate qualifications. We are still considering what place the Masters in Teaching and Learning (MTL) might have in supporting teachers to achieve this.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to answer question 14256, on the Children, Schools and Families Bill, tabled by the hon. Member for Southend West on 8 September 2010; and if he will make a statement. [20257]
Mr Gibb: A response was issued to my hon. Friend on 4 November 2010, Official Report, columns 920-21W.
Treasury
AgustaWestland: Government Assistance
Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what mechanisms he plans to disburse the proposed £32 million support for AgustaWestland announced in the spending review. [23021]
Danny Alexander: The final form of the assistance is subject to detailed ongoing negotiations with the company.
Anglo Irish Bank
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government are taking to support small investors in the UK who have lost money due to the collapse of the Anglo Irish Bank. [22867]
Mr Hoban: Retail depositors in Anglo Irish Bank have not lost any money. The bank continues to operate, and depositors continue to be protected by the Irish Depositor Guarantee scheme and an unlimited guarantee from the Irish Government.
The Irish Government have announced that an assessor will be appointed by the Minister for Finance to assess whether compensation should be paid to former shareholders of Anglo Irish Bank.
Cheques
Mr Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with British banks on allowing their customers to retain the right to continue to use cheques; and if he will make a statement. [22731]
Mr Hoban: The banking industry has given a clear public assurance, through the Payments Council, that cheque facilities will not be withdrawn unless and until suitable alternatives are in place.
Child Benefit: Disability
Kate Hoey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) by what means his Department plans to determine the categories of children to be classified as disabled when considering whether claimants of child benefit who pay income tax at the higher rate will be exempt from the proposed withdrawal of that benefit; [22468]
(2) when he plans to announce the categories of children to be classified as disabled when considering whether claimants of child benefit who pay income tax at the higher rate will be exempt from the proposed withdrawal of that benefit; [22469]
(3) whether claimants who pay income tax at the higher rate whose children become disabled will be able to reapply for child benefit. [22471]
Mr Gauke: From January 2013, child benefit will be withdrawn from all families containing a higher rate taxpayer. Disabled children may be eligible for disability living allowance, which provides additional universal financial support to those with disabilities. Disabled children and their families will continue to receive support through the provision of short breaks. The Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disability Green Paper, due to be published in the autumn, will set out proposals intended to further improve the support system.
Crown Currency Exchange
Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions the Financial Services Authority (FSA) was contacted with concerns about the operations of Crown Currency Exchange Ltd before its collapse; and which (a) organisations and (b) individuals contacted the FSA. [23072]
Mr Hoban: The Financial Services Authority's (FSA's) day-to-day operations are independent from Government control and influence. I have asked the FSA to write to the hon. Member on the issue she raises.
Departmental Redundancy
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much funding to meet staff redundancy costs was identified in his Department's settlement letter in respect of the comprehensive spending review; [21553]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of redundancies arising from the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review in respect of (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies; [21554]
(3) what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of staff redundancy in each of the next four years. [21555]
Justine Greening: All pressures on HM Treasury's budget were taken into account as part of the spending review and the settlement was allocated accordingly.
Detailed decisions regarding any redundancies and consequent cost that may be required in HM Treasury or its non-departmental public bodies will be taken over the coming months.
Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of bringing forward proposals to make payments to Equitable Life members who purchased their policies prior to September 1992. [22270]
Mr Hoban: With profits annuitants (WPAs) who took out policies before 1 September 1992 did so before any maladministration could have affected their decisions, so therefore have not been included in the Government's proposed payment scheme.
The Government are committed to implementing the parliamentary ombudsman's recommendation to introduce a fair and transparent payments scheme to Equitable Life policyholders for their relative loss as a result of regulatory failure.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the financial loss to Equitable Life policyholders who purchased their policies prior to September 1992. [22271]
Mr Hoban: Policyholders who purchased their policies prior to September 1992 did so before any maladministration could have affected their decisions. As such they do not have a relative financial loss for that period.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of Equitable Life policyholders who purchased their policy prior to September 1992 who were affected by the maladministration of Equitable Life. [22382]
Mr Hoban: With profits annuitants (WPAs) who took out policies before 1 September 1992 fall outside the Government's proposed payment scheme. Therefore we do not hold data on this group of policyholders.
EU Budget
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the process for agreeing the EU Financial Perspective for 2014 to 2020; and if he will make a statement. [22540]
Justine Greening: The European Commission will put forward its proposals for the next EU budget financial perspective in 2011. However, the Government are greatly concerned about growing UK contributions to the EU budget. As such, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have been working closely with other member states to ensure the EU budget contributes to the difficult fiscal consolidation being undertaken across the EU. In particular, at the October European Council:
First, the UK won backing from 12 other member states-including Germany and France-to put a stop to the 6% increase in the 2011 EU Budget that was being proposed by the European Parliament. A UK-led joint letter underlined that "we are clear that we cannot accept any more than" the 2.9% increase being proposed by the Council.
Second, the UK has secured an important new principle for the EU budget in future years. From now on the EU budget will reflect the spending cuts being made by national governments. To quote the conclusions text:
"Heads of State or Government stressed that, at the same time as fiscal discipline is reinforced in the European Union, it is essential that the European Union budget and the forthcoming multi-annual Financial Framework reflect the consolidation efforts being made by Member States to bring deficit and debt onto a more sustainable path."
As such, because of UK action on the EU budget, we have now agreed that the EU budget must reflect the difficult choices we are making in our own countries.
Financial Services: Regulation
Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment the Financial Services Authority has made of the foreign exchange industry; and what progress he has made on his examination of the case of Crown Currency Exchange. [22289]
Mr Hoban: The administrators are reviewing the trading operations of Crown Currency Exchange, its financial position and the conduct of its directors. Once the administrators have reported, the Government will look closely at this case to see what lessons need to be learned from the failure of the company.
The Financial Services Authority's (FSA's) day-to-day operations are independent from Government control and influence. However, I understand that the FSA has met the administrators of Crown Currency Exchange and awaits the administrators' report.
Research and Development Tax Credit
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2010, Official Report, column 668W, on the Research and Development Tax Credit, (1) what proportion of research tax credits he expects to be paid to (a) manufacturing and (b) financial services in each year to 2014-15; [23106]
(2) what proportion of receipts from corporation tax is derived from (a) manufacturing and (b) financial services. [23107]
Mr Gauke: Information on the amount of research and development tax credit paid is not broken down by industrial sector.
Historical figures for corporation tax receipts paid by several broadly-defined business sectors are regularly updated and published in Table 11.1, on Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs National Statistics website. These include manufacturing and financial services excluding life receipts. The latest update is available here:
Revenue and Customs: Christchurch
Mr Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what facilities are available to taxpayers in Christchurch constituency to talk to a member of HM Revenue and Customs staff about their tax affairs in person. [22904]
Mr Gauke: HMRC does not have an office in the Christchurch constituency. However HMRC does have an inquiry centre approximately four miles away in Bournemouth where customers who need advice on their tax affairs can make an appointment. To do this customers can either telephone one of HMRC's helplines, depending on the nature of their query, or go to the inquiry centre in person. It is open from 8.30 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday and the address is:
Holland House
Oxford Road
Bournemouth
BH8 8DZ
The helpline numbers are available on HMRC's website at:
Revenue and Customs: Databases
Mr Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to the (a) merits and (b) cost of introducing a real-time information system to the National Insurance and PAYE Service computer system. [22377]
Mr Gauke: In July this year, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) published a discussion paper on improving the operation of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE). The paper sought views on changes to PAYE, including a move to collect information about tax and other calculations in real time. This was the first stage of a consultation process to seek views and opinions from all interested parties regarding the benefit that real time information would bring to PAYE.
Responses to the discussion paper indicate that there is strong support for the collection of real-time earnings information. A consultation paper will be issued in due course.
Real time information will enable better data to be transmitted to the National Insurance and PAYE Service (NPS). It will also deregulate employers and improve the accuracy of PAYE and tax credits for individuals and HMRC.
£100 million was allocated in the spending review to further improve the operation of PAYE, and build on the investments already made in NPS, using real time information.
Social Security Benefits
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much and what proportion of the estimate in the Social Security Forecast for Annual Managed Expenditure he expects to spend on (a) the basic state pension, (b) jobseeker's allowance, (c) employment and support allowance, (d) housing benefit, (e) council tax benefit and (f) pension credit in each year to 2015. [19905]
Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply.
Forecasts presented are in nominal terms, and therefore the main factor driving trends in the forecasts over the period shown is the uprating of benefits. Forecasts also reflect demographic changes, June Budget and spending review policy measures, and the ongoing effects of employment and support allowance replacing incapacity
benefit. The jobseeker's allowance forecast includes additional claimants due to this, and also to the lone parent obligation.
The information requested is shown in the following tables.
| Annually managed expenditure, Great Britain | |||||||
| £ million, nominal | |||||||
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | |
| As proportion of total (percentage) | |||||||
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | |
| Note: Figures cover Great Britain only. Source: June Budget forecasts with spending review measures | |||||||
Tax Evasion
Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he made of the cost to the economy of tax evasion in the latest period for which figures are available. [20648]
Mr Gauke: Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs published the latest available estimates of the tax gap in September 2010 in "Measuring Tax Gaps 2010"
This included an illustrative split of the 2007-08 tax gap by taxpayer behaviour, based on management assumptions and judgment. This indicated that the amount of tax (income tax and national insurance contributions, corporation tax and VAT) lost to evasion is around 17.5% of the total, with the hidden economy accounting for a further 7.5%.
Taxation: Environment Protection
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of the budget deficit to be reduced by revenue from green taxes in each of the next three years. [22882]
Justine Greening: The coalition Government are committed to increasing the share of revenue drawn from green taxes. All taxes are kept under review and announcements on tax policy are made at the Budget. Forecasts for receipts from taxes are set out in table C11 of Budget 2010.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Banks: Loans
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 16 September 2010, Official Report, column 1255W, on banks: loans, what steps he plans to take to increase the availability of credit finance to small and medium-sized enterprises. [22132]
Mr Prisk: The coalition Government have articulated their ambition to ensure the flow of credit to viable SMEs. The Government have published their response to the consultation on business finance issues, "Financing a private sector recovery". It is available at:
There are various measures in place to support access to finance for SMEs. I aim to continue to support and improve the diversity of sources and access to finance for SMEs that meet their needs. Such sources of finance were announced by the Chancellor in the budget and later enhanced by the Government's response to the consultation "Financing a private sector recovery":
A four year extension to the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) making around £2 billion available to viable small companies without a credit history or lacking sufficient collateral.
An increased commitment of the Enterprise Capital Fund by £200 million to support small businesses with the highest growth potential, providing more than £300 million of investment into the equity gap after both Government and private sector funding are combined.
Welcoming a joint bid from business angels and the Government's SME investment arm, Capital for Enterprise Ltd., for a co-investment fund as part of the Regional Growth Fund. If successful, this
would support angel investments into high growth potential early stage SMEs, particularly in areas worst affected by public spending cuts.
Welcoming the banks' announcement of a new £1.5 billion Business Growth Fund, to provide equity funding of between £2 million and £10 million for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) with strong growth potential. The Government will also work with the British Bankers' Association's Business Finance Taskforce and banks on a range of commitments set out in their response to the Green Paper and which will assist small businesses with access to finance issues. These include mentoring and a new lending code.
Broadband: Redditch
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the funding allocated to broadband programmes in the Comprehensive Spending Review will be spent on programmes located in Redditch constituency. [22234]
Mr Vaizey: The information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
To date no allocation of funds has been made for projects in the Redditch constituency, or any other constituency.
Business: Loans
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that small businesses have access to finance in the Comprehensive Spending Review period. [22989]
Mr Prisk: The Government's response to the Green Paper 'Financing a Private Sector Recovery' was published on 1 November 2010. Among other measures, we have confirmed our intention to continue the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme until 2014-15, providing up to £600 million of additional lending to around 6,000 small and medium enterprises next year alone and over £2 billion in total over the next four years, subject to demand. We have also undertaken to continue the programme of Enterprise Capital Funds by increasing our commitment by £200 million over the next four years, providing more than £300 million of investment for early stage innovative SMEs.
Business: Newton Abbot
Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to increase access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises in Newton Abbot constituency. [21430]
Mr Prisk: The coalition Government have articulated its ambition to ensure the flow of credit to viable SMEs. The Government's has published its response to the consultation on business finance issues, "Financing a private sector recovery".
There are various measures in place to support access to finance for SMEs. I aim to continue to support and improve the diversity of sources and access to finance for SMEs that meet their needs. Such sources of finance
available to SMEs including those in my hon. Friend's constituency of Newton Abbot were announced by the Chancellor in the budget and later enhanced by the Government's response to the consultation "Financing a private sector recovery":
A four year extension to the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) making around £2 billion available to viable small companies without a credit history or insufficient collateral. As at 28 October, 11 businesses in the constituency of Newton Abbot have been offered EFG backed loans with a value of £69,000 all of which have been drawn.
An increased commitment of the Enterprise Capital Fund by £200 million to support small businesses with the highest growth potential, providing more than £300 million of investment into the equity gap after both Government and private sector funding are combined.
Welcoming a joint bid from business angels and the Government's SME investment arm, Capital for Enterprise Ltd., for a co-investment fund as part of the Regional Growth Fund. If successful, this would support angel investments into high growth potential early stage SMEs, particularly in areas worst affected by public spending cuts.
Welcoming the banks' announcement of a new £1.5 billion Business Growth Fund, to provide equity funding of between £2 million and £10 million for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) with strong growth potential. The Government will also work with the British Bankers' Association's Business Finance Taskforce and banks on a range of commitments set out in their response to the green paper and which will assist small businesses with access to finance issues. These include mentoring and a new lending code.
Business: North East
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of jobs (a) created and (b) safeguarded as result of securing grants from the Grant for Business Investment scheme in 2009-10; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to the public purse of each such job in the North East. [22964]
Mr Prisk: In 2009/10 332 offers were made and accepted under the Grant for Business Investment scheme. These were expected to create a total of 6,542 new jobs and safeguard 4,111 jobs. In the north-east the average cost to the public sector of each such job is £5,412.
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what factors he took into account when taking the decision to withdraw the Grant for Business Investment scheme; how many applications were made to the Grant for Business Investment scheme in the North East in 2009-10; how many offers of funding were made; and what the total monetary value of such offers was. [22965]
Mr Prisk: As is made clear in the Local Growth White Paper (Cm 7961), while the Grant for Business Investment scheme provided by the regional development agencies will cease with their closure, large scale cases will be considered, on an exceptional basis, by this Department.
This decision took into account a wide range of relevant factors, including particularly the planned closure of the regional development agencies, the need to reduce the budget deficit and the likely future availability of other types of support for business.
In the north-east 142 applications for support under the Grant for Business Investment scheme were received in 2009/10. Over the same period 73 offers of support were made and accepted. The total value of these offers was £17,524,000.
Business: Northumberland
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in (a) Wansbeck constituency and (b) Northumberland county. [22925]
Mr Prisk: A number of measures which are being undertaken with the purpose of stimulating growth which are particularly targeting support for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
As the regional development agencies are decommissioned I will introduce a new and flexible delivery system which will include a national website, a national contact centre and access to mentors which should help SMEs to grow. I also intend to establish a network of Growth Hubs in England to support businesses with high growth potential.
The Government will provide highly focused support to SMEs through a renewed and streamlined portfolio of business improvement products through Solutions for Business to be launched by this Department by April 2011.
We are establishing Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) as set out in the White Paper on Local Growth. This will involve local business and civic leaders working together to drive economic growth and create new jobs in their communities. Discussions are under way on the formation of a LEP that will include Northumberland.
Business: West Midlands
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to assist the development of small and medium-sized businesses in (a) the West Midlands and (b) Coventry. [22786]
Mr Prisk: A number of measures which are being undertaken with the purpose of stimulating growth which are particularly targeting support for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
As the regional development agencies are decommissioned I will introduce a new and flexible delivery system which will include a national website, a national contact centre and access to mentors which should help SMEs to grow. I also intend to establish a network of Growth Hubs in England to support businesses with high growth potential.
The Government will provide highly focused support to SMEs through a renewed and streamlined portfolio of business improvement products through Solutions for Business to be launched by this Department by April 2011.
We are establishing Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) as set out in the White Paper on Local Growth. Coventry will be covered by a new LEP for Coventry and Warwickshire. This will involve local business and civic leaders working together to drive economic growth and create new jobs in their communities.
Copyright Tribunal
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many staff are employed by the Copyright Tribunal; and how much was spent on salary costs in the last year for which figures are available. [21845]
Mr Davey [holding answer 4 November 2010]: The Copyright Tribunal is not an employer in its own right. The members of the tribunal, both legally qualified and lay members, are either offering their services as part of their existing judicial duties and hence remunerated through their existing judicial salaries, or are paid on a per diem basis for attendance. The tribunal's administrative and secretarial needs are met by one part-time employee of the Intellectual Property Office.
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many redundancies he expects there to be at the Copyright Tribunal as a result of the implementation of the Government's proposals for public bodies reform; and what he expects the (a) severance and (b) pension arrangements to be for employees. [21847]
Mr Davey: The Copyright Tribunal is not an employer in its own right and hence there are no redundancies envisaged. It will retain the expertise of its legally qualified and lay members after its transfer to the Tribunal Service. The Copyright Tribunal's secretariat resource will transfer along with the Tribunal.
Copyright Tribunal: Buildings
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the address is of each property (a) leased and (b) owned by the Copyright Tribunal; and what the annual rental costs of those buildings were in each of the last three years. [21829]
Mr Davey: The Copyright Tribunal does not own or lease any buildings. Its secretariat is co-located within the Intellectual Property Office's leased space at 21 Bloomsbury Street, London, WC1B 3HF. The IPO also supplies hearing and meeting rooms as required by the tribunal and this forms part of the cost recharged to the tribunal.
Debts: Complaints
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps have been taken since publication by the Office of Fair Trading of its Debt Management Guidance Compliance Review to increase awareness in the debt management sector of the Financial Ombudsman Service's rules on resolving consumer complaints. [22632]
Mr Davey:
The compliance review has highlighted problems within this industry. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) set out the immediate steps it has taken in the report, including warning 129 non-compliant audited debt management firm, that they face losing their consumer credit licences unless they take immediate action to address identified areas of non-compliance, including
bringing their consumer complaints handling procedures into line with the Financial Ombudsman Service's (FOS) rules. The OFT also disseminated its report to approximately 1,200 licensed providers of debt advice. On 2 November 2010, a senior director from the OFT gave a speech to over 200 representatives from the debt management industry at the main trade body's (Debt Resolution Forum) annual conference which sent a strong and clear message to the industry about the improvements it must make in the coming year, including addressing the OFT's concerns about poor levels of compliance with the FOS regime. In addition, the OFT plans to update its guidance and will continue to work with the two main trade bodies, the Debt Managers Standards Association (DEMSA) and the Debt Resolution Forum (DRF) to support their initiatives to introduce higher standards into the industry.
Debts: Licensing
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) on the process by which those debt management firms which do not provide independently audited evidence that they have brought their operations into compliance with OFT debt management guidance by the end of 2010 would have their licences revoked. [22633]
Mr Davey: The primary focus in 2010 for the team that investigates traders engaged in debt management activities at the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has been its review of compliance with its Debt Management Guidance (published on 28 September 2010) and taking subsequent enforcement action to warn 129 debt management firms about non-compliant business practices identified during the OFT's review. The firms were instructed to produce independently audited evidence confirming action that they have taken to address the identified areas of non compliance by the middle of December, and of the 129 firms, 30 have indicated that they will surrender their licences, 85 firms have agreed to comply and the OFT has initiated revocation action against 15 traders, but these figures may well change.
Dentistry: Higher Education
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what financial support his Department provides for dental students. [22328]
Mr Willetts:
For the first four years of their course, undergraduate dentistry students receive financial support from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. This is administered by Student Finance England.
Those with household incomes of up to £50,020 are entitled to a non-repayable maintenance grant, of which those with household incomes of £25,000 or less are entitled to the maximum grant amount of £2,906. Further means-tested grant support is available to those with caring responsibilities. All students are eligible for loans to cover their tuition fees and provide help towards their living costs. Those facing financial hardship can also apply for help from the discretionary Access to Learning Fund through their university.
From the fifth year of their course, undergraduate dentistry students receive financial support from the Department of Health (DH). This includes an NHS Bursary and a reduced maintenance loan. DH will also pay the tuition fees of these students for these years.
On top of this, the Government provide funding to universities via the Higher Education Funding Council for England. For the 2009/10 academic year, undergraduate dentistry degrees attracted £5,327 per student for the first year of the course; and attracted £14,242 per student for the remaining years of the course.
Departmental Reviews
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what departmental policy reviews his Department has undertaken since 6 May 2010; on what date each such review (a) was announced and (b) is expected to publish its findings; what estimate he has made of the cost of each such review; who has been appointed to lead each such review; to what remuneration each review leader is entitled; how many (i) full-time equivalent civil servants and (ii) seconded staff are working on each such review; from which organisations such staff have been seconded; and how much on average such seconded staff will be paid for their work on the review. [21891]
Mr Davey: The Department has undertaken six departmental policy reviews since 6 May 2006. Information on the estimated cost of each review is not held by the Department. Individuals recruited externally to chair reviews have been appointed in an advisory capacity and are not salaried staff. None of the external chairs have received remuneration, with the exception of Richard Hooper who received £19,183. Where BIS staff led reviews, they were recruited from within the Department and were not entitled to further payments for their work in addition to their normal salary. No staff have been seconded to the Department for Business to work on the reviews specifically.
The following table sets out the information the hon. Member has asked for which the Department holds on these reviews.
Education: Finance
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the likely effect of the implementation of the proposal to maintain the level of spending on science on the level of spending on (a) further and (b) higher education in the comprehensive spending review period; and if he will make a statement. [22848]
Mr Willetts: The different areas of Government spending were assessed on their own merits. The Government recognise the fundamental role of science and research in rebalancing the economy and restoring economic growth. This is why, despite enormous pressure on public spending, the overall level of funding for science and research programmes has been protected in cash terms.
Around two-thirds of science and research public funding is spent in universities, so the comprehensive spending review settlement for science and research has a substantial positive impact on higher education.
Green Investment Bank
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects the proposed Green Investment Bank to be operational. [22104]
Mr Prisk: The Government aim to complete the design of the Green Investment Bank (GIB) and conduct further market testing by spring 2011. Although a precise timeline for the GIB becoming operational cannot be provided at this stage, the GIB will begin making investments as it receives funding from asset sales and departmental budgets.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the oral answer of 20 October 2010, Official Report, column 985, on the Green Investment Bank, which Government assets he plans to sell to provide funding for the proposed Green Investment Bank; how much funding he expects to be raised from each asset sale; and what proportion of the funding accruing from each asset sale will be allocated to the Green Investment Bank. [23114]
Mr Prisk: To give information on expected proceeds from individual asset sales would prejudice the Government's commercial position in ongoing and future sale processes. However, at an aggregate level, the Government are confident that the asset sales they are considering will be sufficient to provide significant additional funding above the £1 billion allocated to the Green Investment Bank from departmental budgets. It will make further announcements on this funding stream in due course.
Hallowe'en Lanterns
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions his Department has had with manufacturers of Hallowe'en lanterns to ensure lanterns are constructed from materials which are biodegradeable. [22883]
Mr Davey: I believe the hon. Gentleman is referring to sky (Chinese) lanterns rather then lanterns specifically for Halloween. My Department has had no discussions with the manufacturers who are numerous and located in Asia. However, in August, officials did write to all UK local authority trading standards offices asking them to contact importers and retailers of lanterns to ensure that only sky lanterns which are biodegradable be placed on the market.
Immigration Controls: Science
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received from representatives of the academic and research community on the likely effects of the proposed immigration cap on the science sector. [22916]
Mr Willetts: I have had many discussions, both formal and informal, with a wide range of stakeholders on this subject. Last week I convened a meeting with representatives of the higher education, further education and research sectors. Additionally, I have received correspondence on the subject from many interested parties.
Manufacturing Industries: Public Expenditure
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills from what budgets the £200 million a year to be allocated to manufacturing and business development as referred to in paragraph 2.51 of the Spending Review 2010, will be drawn. [20553]
Mr Davey: This funding is a new line of expenditure negotiated with HM Treasury as part of the spending review.
Manufacturing Insight
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future of Manufacturing Insight. [22905]
Mr Prisk: The Government are fully committed to raising the profile of manufacturing and we are considering the best way of achieving this. Later this year, we will be publishing a Manufacturing Framework which will outline ways of working with industry to promote UK manufacturing; to ensure the vital role of manufacturing in the UK economy is recognised.
Mass Media
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to encourage the growth of diverse business types in the media sector. [22995]
Mr Prisk: The media industry has an important part to play in our plans for a more balanced and sustainable British economy, and will benefit from the Government's policies to create macro-economic stability; to help markets work more effectively; to focus on enabling private sector growth and investment; and to ensure that everyone in the UK has access to opportunities.
National Vocational Qualifications
Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the Skills Funding Agency plans to provide funding for the Business Improvement Techniques NVQ in each of the next three years. [21726]
Mr Hayes: Since 2008 sector skills councils and awarding organisations have been preparing qualifications for the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). The QCF is being developed as part of the wider reform of vocational qualifications and allows vocational qualifications to be designed using the latest and most up-to-date employment standards, with active input from employers through their skills councils.
SEMTA, the Skills Council for Engineering, has redeveloped the previous NVQ in Business Improvement Techniques for the QCF, and following the review against Skills Funding Agency public funding guidelines, the new QCF NVQ Business Improvement Techniques has been confirmed for funding by the Skills Funding Agency for this academic year.
However the agency has raised concerns at the size of the QCF qualifications and their assessment strategy and what this would mean for learners and providers. Colleagues in Scotland have also raised similar concerns.
On this basis, the agency has agreed to fund the Business Improvement Techniques to 31 July 2011 only and, during this period, will seek further feedback from providers and awarding organisations on both qualification size and assessment strategy.
By January 2011 the agency will be able to assess the feedback received, and also take account of the work which the UK Commission for Employment and Skills has been doing with SEMTA with regard to robustness of their process for vocational qualification reform. At this point the agency will then confirm future funding arrangements for this qualification.
One NorthEast: Assets
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the residual (a) assets and (b) liabilities are of One NorthEast. [22963]
Mr Prisk: We are in the early stages of regional development agency closure and transition. Until this process is complete we will not know what the residual assets and liabilities of each RDA will be.
Particle Accelerators
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the potential creation of strangelets in the operation of (i) apparatus in the UK producing high-energy ion collision and (ii) the CERN Large Hadron Collider. [22661]
Mr Willetts: The Secretary of State has not commissioned any research into this matter, as the UK has no equipment capable of producing strangelets, even if they exist.
CERN has conducted its own safety assessments. The Large Hadron Collider Safety Assessment Group (LSAG), a group of independent scientists, concluded in 2002-03 that there was no conceivable risk from the collisions at the LHC. Their assessment was re-examined by CERN's Scientific Policy Committee (SPC), a group of external scientists that advises CERN's governing council, and they confirmed these conclusions, which include the assessment that the LHC is not capable of producing strangelets.
In 2008 and in the light of new experimental data and theoretical understanding, the LHC Safety Assessment Group (LSAG) updated the 2003 analysis. The LSAG reaffirmed and extended the conclusions of the 2003 report that LHC collisions present no danger and that there are no reasons for concern. The LSAG noted that the LHC will produce, under controlled conditions, events that have already taken place many times over during the lifetime of the Earth and other astronomical bodies.
Patents: EC Law
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will discuss with his EU counterparts the enforcement of cost orders emanating from patent judgments by the EU Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market. [20974]
Mr Davey: The Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHIM), situated in Alicante in Spain, registers trade marks and designs registrations, but not patents. Adversarial proceedings before this office do attract cost awards against losing parties according to a scale set out in Rule 94 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2868/95 of 13 December 1995 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 40/94 on the Community trade mark. There is no duty on the OHIM to enforce such costs, which is a matter for the parties concerned under civil law provisions. I am aware that such orders, which involve relatively low sums of money, are not routinely honoured or vigorously pursued. Though I have no plans to discuss this with my EU counterparts I will be asking my officials to determine whether non-payment is a source of particular disquiet to legal professionals and to successful litigants.
Public Expenditure
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his Department's capital expenditure per head was in (a) London and (b) the North West in each of the last five years. [21454]
Mr Davey: The data requested are shown in the following table, based on the HM Treasury country and regional analysis used for the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses Command Paper (PESA 2010, Cm. 7890).
| £ | ||
| London | North-west | |
Regional Development Agencies
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the liabilities of regional development agencies on his Department's budgets for local regeneration projects. [22087]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 4 November 2010]: The Department does not directly fund local regeneration projects but has overall responsibility for the regional development agencies' single pot which includes funding from other Departments for this activity. The majority of RDA liabilities are represented by existing legal commitments in respect of local economic development and regeneration projects.
Regional Development Agencies: Assets
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the receipts to accrue to his Department from the disposal of the assets of regional development agencies. [22873]
Mr Prisk: It is not possible at present to estimate the extent of receipts arising from the disposal of the assets of the regional development agencies as decisions have yet to be made on the scope and timing of any sale.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the assets of regional development agencies he plans to transfer or dispose of before the notification of Royal Assent to the Public Bodies Bill. [22874]
Mr Prisk: We will be working closely with the regional development agencies in respect of the transferring or disposal of their assets and liabilities. This work will be in line with the principles outlined in paragraphs 2.45 to 2.47 of the Local Growth White Paper and will take account of the existing statutory framework of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 and, with the exception of the London Development Agency, the provisions of the Public Bodies Bill.
As introduced, the draft clauses of the Public Bodies Bill confer a power to make a transfer scheme for property, rights and liabilities in connection with an order abolishing a regional development agency.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to paragraph 2.44 of the Local Growth White Paper, Cm 7961, what the governance framework is for the disposal of regional development agency assets and liabilities. [22875]
Mr Prisk: Until new legislation comes into force, RDA assets and liabilities will be disposed of by the relevant RDA within the existing statutory framework (The Regional Development Agencies Act 1998) which in practice means that disposal decisions will continue to reflect the RDAs' statutory purposes, particularly the need to further the economic development and regeneration within the relevant area while ensuring maximum public value in line with HM Treasury guidance on managing public money. Disposals will be overseen by the relevant RDA Board and within that RDA's assurance framework and will take place within a strong governance framework for RDA closure led by BIS with Department for Communities and Local Government and HM Treasury membership of the Transition Board.
Regional Development Agencies: Our Life
Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what payments were made by the regional development agencies to Our Life in the financial year 2010-11; and for what purpose in each such case. [22445]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 8 November 2010]: None of the Regional Development Agencies have made payments to Our Life so far in the financial year 2010-11.
Regional Growth Fund
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the Regional Growth Fund he plans to allocate to (a) housing and (b) transport projects. [22461]
Mr Prisk: The objectives and criteria for the Regional Growth Fund are set out in the Local Growth White Paper, 'Local growth: realising every place's potential', which was published on 28 October and introduced to Parliament by an oral statement given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills made on that day, Official Report, column 408.
The Regional Growth Fund is a challenge fund and not ring-fenced or pre-allocated in any way to keep it flexible and responsive to the economic development needs of the country. The support offered for particular sectors or types of economic activity will depend on the strength of bids to the fund to deliver its core objectives of creating private sector jobs and growth. Decisions on successful proposals will be based on recommendations by the independent Advisory Panel, chaired by my noble Friend Lord Heseltine.
Chi Onwurah:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will direct the Regional Growth Fund to commit an annual sum to
research and development funding no less than the annual sum committed to regional development agencies for such purposes. [22504]
Mr Prisk: The objectives and criteria for the Regional Growth Fund are set out in the Local Growth White Paper, 'Local growth: realising every place's potential', which was published on 28 October and introduced to Parliament by an oral statement given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills made on that day, Official Report, column 408.
The Regional Growth Fund is a challenge fund and not ring-fenced or pre-allocated in any way to keep it flexible and responsive to the economic development needs of the country. The support offered for particular sectors or types of economic activity will depend on the strength of bids to the fund to deliver its core objectives of creating private sector jobs and growth. Decisions on successful proposals will be based on recommendations by the independent Advisory Panel, chaired by my noble Friend Lord Heseltine.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether any of the funds allocated by his Department as part of the comprehensive spending review will be drawn from the budget of the regional growth fund. [23020]
Mr Prisk: Decisions on bids made to the regional growth fund will be decided by a ministerial group chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and will be informed by recommendations on the effective deployment of the fund made by an independent advisory panel chaired by Lord Heseltine. The funding for the regional growth fund is separate from the spending review settlement given to this Department and from the Department's allocations to its partners.
Research Councils: Finance
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to announce the budget allocation for each research council for the comprehensive spending review period; and if he will make a statement. [22840]
Mr Willetts: In the recent spending review the Chancellor announced that the Government will spend £4.6 billion on science and research programmes in each of the next four years within a ring-fenced budget. Capital and administration spending on science and research have not yet been decided.
In the coming weeks, Ministers will make decisions on the balance of funding between research councils, the Higher Education Funding Council for England's research and knowledge transfer activities, the national academies and other programmes. We expect this will be completed by Christmas. Detailed decisions on specific projects will be taken by funding bodies, in line with the Haldane principle.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2010, Official Report, column 754W, on research councils: finance, how much funding the (a) Confederation of British Industry and (b) Council for Science and Technology provided to the research councils in each of the last five years. [23058]
Mr Willetts: The Confederation of British Industry represent the views of the private sector, they do not provide direct funding for research councils. The Council for Science and Technology is a governmental advisory group and does not provide any funding for research councils.
Royal Mail and Post Office: Redundancy
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of jobs he expects to be lost in (a) Royal Mail and (b) the Post Office as a result of his proposals for future ownership of Royal Mail. [22772]
Mr Davey: To secure its future, whether in the public or private sector, Royal Mail has to improve its efficiency and this will regrettably mean a further loss of jobs in the company. The Business transformation agreement between the company and the Communication Workers Union recognises this. The number of job losses will be an operational matter for the company.
Under proposals set out in the Postal Service Bill, we have made it clear that Post Office Ltd (POL) is not for sale. The employment of staff in post offices is a matter for Post Office Ltd for Crown post offices, and for individual sub-postmasters in their own sub-post offices. As with Royal Mail, POL has to ensure that it operates efficiently, but the Government have committed that there will be no further programmes of post office closures.
Royal Mail: Stoke on Trent
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an assessment of the likely effects on Stoke-on-Trent Royal Mail centre of the proposed consolidation of service provision within Royal Mail. [22771]
Mr Davey: The provision of postal services in the Stoke-on-Trent area is an operational matter for Royal Mail. The company is taking forward a business transformation plan, agreed with the Communication Workers Union, which will see a restructuring of its mail centres and other operational changes. Royal Mail has to improve its efficiency so that it can secure its future in a market where letters volumes continue to decline. Its half year results, which reported a £66 million loss in the letters business, emphasised the need for change.
I have asked the chief executive at Royal Mail to write to the hon. Gentleman and provide an update on any operational changes in the Stoke-on-Trent area and a copy will be placed in the House Libraries.
Science: Finance
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much of his Department's capital budget for science for 2011-12 has been allocated to the funding of (a) long-term and (b) international partnerships and projects. [23061]
Mr Willetts: The allocations of capital budgets for science and research following the recent spending review have not yet been decided.
In the coming months, Ministers will make decisions on the balance of funding between the individual research councils, HEFCE's research and knowledge transfer activities, the national academies and other programmes. Detailed decisions on funding for long-term and international partnerships and projects will be taken by funding bodies in line with the Haldane principle.
Students: Radicalism
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the number of students in further and higher education institutions who have been radicalised. [19403]
Mr Hayes: BIS does not make estimates on the numbers of students radicalised. We have evidence that radicalisation or recruitment takes place in some of our campuses. The problem is not widespread but is obviously very serious where it occurs. We work closely with the police and institutions to help them manage the risk of this occurring.
The issue of radicalisation in higher and further education, and the extent to which the Government can offer more support to the most vulnerable institutions,
will be looked at in detail in the review of 'Prevent', the preventative strand of the Government's counter-terrorism strategy, 'Contest'.
No estimates are made by the police or agencies about the numbers of students radicalised.
Women and Equalities
Females: Offenders
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how much the Government Equalities Office spent under each budget heading on holding events on women offenders in 2009-10; and how many staff were involved in organising these events. [22067]
Lynne Featherstone: In 2009-10 the Government Equalities Office (GEO) held a series of one-day stakeholder events with local service providers in England and Wales as part of the Department's contribution to the Government's strategy to divert women from crime following Baroness Corston's report on women in the criminal justice system.
The events brought together key agencies from across the third and statutory sector, in order to consider how best to utilise the gender equality duty to meet the distinct needs of women offenders.
The total cost of hosting these 10 events was £184,510.70 and the total number of GEO full-time equivalent staff involved in their organisation was 1.5.
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