Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 25 November 2010
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Dietary Supplements: EC Law
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union is taking to ensure that the Government's objectives for the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals under the provisions of article 5 of the EU food supplements directive are met. [26048]
Anne Milton: I have been asked to reply.
I wrote to European Commissioner John Dalli in October to raise industry concerns and I met with him on 19 November to discuss this issue. The Commissioner recognises the concerns raised and has provided reassurance that the levels will be set based on risk assessment and potential harm and take account the concerns expressed by all interested parties. No further meetings are planned at this stage.
The Department works closely with the United Kingdom Permanent Representation to secure the UK's objectives in negotiations. However, the European Commission has yet to publish its proposal for maximum levels and discussions are not expected to resume until spring 2011.
Leader of the House
Departmental Written Questions
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Leader of the House (1) how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Leader of the House for written answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Office of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available; [25981]
(2) how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Leader of the House for ordinary written answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Office of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available. [25982]
Sir George Young: Of the parliamentary questions tabled to the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons between May 2010 and 12 November 2010, all 20 named day questions have been answered on the day named for answer and all 34 ordinary written questions within a working week.
The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 Session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions. As of 20 January 2010, the estimated cost of preparing an answer to each named day and ordinary written question is £154.
Attorney-General
Departmental Written Questions
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Attorney-General for written answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to the Law Officers' Departments of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available; [25963]
(2) how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Attorney-General for ordinary written answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to the Law Officers' Departments of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available. [25964]
The Solicitor-General: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 Session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
The information requested from May 2010 is contained within the following tables:
| Named day questions | |
| 2010-11 Session( 1) | |
| (1) Figures based on recorded data as at 22 November 2010. | |
| Ordinary written questions | |
| 2010-11 Session( 1) | |
| (1 )Figures based on recorded data as at 22 November 2010. (2 )Attorney General's Office data on the answering of questions are collected only on the basis of sitting days rather than calendar days, in accordance with the convention that questions should be answered within a parliamentary working week. | |
It is not possible to provide reliable estimates of the actual costs involved in answering both types of questions, as the amount of time spent on drafting each answer and the staff grades involved in each case are not recorded centrally.
The Treasury routinely carries out annual indexation exercises to estimate the costs of answering oral and written parliamentary questions. The latest revised cost estimate for written parliamentary questions of £154 was presented to the House in a written statement made by the former Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Sarah McCarthy-Fry) on 20 January 2010, Official Report, column 15WS.
Transport
Bus Services: Finance
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the effects of reductions to the bus subsidies and local government transport grant on the mobility of those seeking work. [24820]
Norman Baker: Officials at the Department for Transport are working with their counterparts at the Department for Work and Pensions to gain a better understanding of the role that transport plays in tackling unemployment. When appropriate, I regularly meet with my ministerial colleagues to address key cross-departmental concerns, but there are currently no formal plans to discuss this particular issue.
The outcome of the spending review for local transport funding gives greater flexibility to local authorities when it comes to investment in transport. In addition, local authorities will be able to bid for funding under the new Local Sustainable Transport Fund to address mobility to work in a carbon reduction context. Guidance on the bidding process for the new fund will be published shortly.
I expect local authorities to work in partnership with transport operators and the local community to find transport solutions tailored for the specific needs and circumstances of individual communities.
I spoke to the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK, who represent the bus industry, following the Chancellor's announcement on 20 October. They were hopeful that, in general, the 20% reduction in the Bus Service Operators Grant could be absorbed without fares having to rise.
Invalid Vehicles
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require users of all categories of mobility scooters to take out third party insurance; and if he will make a statement. [25155]
Norman Baker: This was a matter considered as part of the Department for Transport's consultation, launched in March 2010, on proposed changes to the laws governing mobility vehicles. We are currently considering responses to the consultation and will make a decision on whether changes are necessary in due course. The objective will be to balance carefully the mobility needs of disabled people with the safety of other road users.
Seafaring Careers
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills the promotion of commercial on-shore and commercial seafaring careers. [23451]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport has been in regular contact and has attended meetings held by the Business, Innovation and Skills Department on seafarer qualifications and training. These discussions, which include industry and trade union representatives, are ongoing. Maritime sector qualifications will shortly be included in the Qualifications and Credit Framework.
Severn River Crossing: Tolls
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the level of tolls on the Severn Crossing. [25601]
Mike Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport has met with the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Economy and Transport for Wales, where the Severn bridges were discussed in general.
Transport: Finance
Mr Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he made of his Department's (a) combined capital and revenue funding for local transport, (b) capital funding for local transport, (c) revenue funding for local transport, (d) Integrated Transport Block funding and (e) major schemes funding for (i) 2010-11 (A) prior to and (B) after his Department's in-year spending reductions, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) each of the subsequent two years. [22268]
Norman Baker: The following table sets out the level of funding provided to local authorities from 2010-11 to 2014-15:
| Local transport funding 2010-11 to 2014-15 | ||||||
| £ million | ||||||
| 2010-11 | ||||||
| Pre-reduction | Post-reduction( 1) | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | |
| (1) Resource funding figures for each year reflect amounts paid or available to local authorities and include some changes in composition. (2) Maintenance figures within the overall capital and resource total funding figures exclude emergency funding following severe weather. (3) Resource figures include funding which will transfer to Department for Communities and Local Government budgets from 2011-12. Notes: 1. The Department's resource allocation for 2010-11 to local authorities for schemes being delivered through the private finance initiative (PFI) is £170 million. Following the spending review the Department announced that the resource allocation for local authority PFI projects 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 will be £195 million, £239 million, £311 million and £320 million. These figures are not included in the table as they are not directly comparable with previous arrangements. 2. All specific rail grants (excluding funding for the Nexus Metro) are excluded from the table. | ||||||
In addition to the capital funding shown in the table above, the Department for Transport is contributing around a third of the funding for the coalition Government's £1.4 billion regional growth fund. The fund aims to stimulate sustainable economic growth, led by the private sector.
Separate arrangements are in place for funding Transport for London. Prior to in-year savings, funding for TfL in 2010-11 consisted of:
Greater London Authority transport grant of £2,871,589,000
Two capital grants towards costs associated with the former Metronet PPP, totalling £392,500,000
London Overground grant of £24,932,347
A small number of other smaller payments
As a result of in-year savings, total funding for TfL in 2010-11 was reduced by £108 million.
The Secretary of State set out his intentions in relation to funding for Transport for London for the years 2011-12 to 2014-15 in a letter to the Mayor of London dated 20 October. This letter has been published on the Department's website at
International Development
Angola: Land Mines
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what reports he has received of the number of fatalities as a result of landmine explosions in the areas of Angola in respect of which his Department funded mine clearance in the last five years; [26050]
(2) how many mines were cleared in each area of Angola in respect of which his Department funded mine clearance in the last five years; [26051]
(3) which areas of Angola will be affected by the implementation of his decision to end his Department's funding for mine clearance in that country; [26052]
(4) for what reasons he decided to end his Department's funding for mine clearance in Angola; [26053]
(5) what impact assessment he has undertaken of his proposal to end his Department's funding for mine clearance in Angola. [26054]
Mr Duncan: Mine clearance programmes in Angola funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) cleared around 6,000 anti-tank and anti-personnel mines in 2005, 8,000 in 2006, 11,500 in 2007, 12,000 in 2008 and 7,000 in 2009. From 2009, work was concentrated in Kuando Kubango province, with smaller programmes in Bie, Huambo and Benguela. In addition DFID has funded clearance in Moxico province, clearing a further 3,059 items in 2009-10.
The demining work DFID has supported in Angola has made large areas of land accessible to local civilian populations. It is our assessment that the majority of mines remaining in Angola are in more remote areas where there is less impact on civilian populations. Angola's Inter-sectoral Commission on Demining and Humanitarian Assistance (CNIDAH) reported that annual casualties decreased from around 250 per year in 2002-05 to around 50 by 2008. Landmine Monitor 2010 identified 28 casualties in Angola, a relatively small percentage of the worldwide total of 3,956.
While there is still work to be done, Angola is a middle income country, with national authorities that are well placed to complete this work. Our work aims to support demining that contributes to development, help Governments assume increasing responsibility for resolving problems caused by mines and improve value for money through increased efficiency. Ceasing funding to Angola will allow us to allocate more resources to mine-affected countries where our funding will have greater development impact.
Departmental Written Questions
Sir Paul Beresford:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for ordinary written answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate
he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available. [25942]
Mr Duncan: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions (PQs) for the 2009-10 Session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
Between 18 May 2010 and 18 November 2010 the Department for International Development (DFID) received 426 ordinary written PQs, of which 406 were answered within five sitting days. All ordinary written PQs answered after the five sitting day deadline were answered within 14 days. 13 ordinary written PQs tabled between 12 May and 12 November remained unanswered on 18 November, of which 12 were answered within the five sitting day deadline and one was answered late after seven sitting days.
DFID has not made an estimate of the average cost to the Department of answering an ordinary written PQ on the day named for answer. Her Majesty's Treasury estimates the average cost of answering a written question to be £154.
During the current parliamentary Session, DFID has answered 96% of all ordinary written PQ on time, within five sitting days. Efforts are in place to achieve 100%.
Developing Countries: Education
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department plans to take to meet the commitment in the Coalition Agreement to focus on children with disabilities in the Government's work to expand access to education. [26066]
Mr Duncan: The Coalition Government are committed to helping achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for education, and as we stated in "The Coalition: Our Programme for Government" we will prioritise aid spending on programmes to ensure that everyone has access to education; including recognising the rights of children with disabilities.
The Department for International Development (DFID) is currently reviewing its entire aid programme to determine how we can achieve better value for money for the taxpayer. These reviews will inform our ongoing policy, including that on education for children with disabilities.
In the meantime DFID recently published a Guidance Note on inclusive education for children with disabilities in developing countries. This note, which is available on the DFID website, offers practical suggestions on how children with disabilities can be supported in their access to education.
Developing Countries: Health Services
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to help developing countries expand access to free healthcare; and if he will make a statement. [25900]
Mr Duncan: Promoting health and human well-being is at the heart of the UK Government's approach to international development. Nobody should die or suffer ill-health because they are too poor to afford treatment. That is why the British Government support international efforts to achieve universal coverage of basic health services.
The Department for International Development is helping many developing countries to make health care free at the point of use by introducing fair health financing systems. For example, in Sierra Leone the UK has supported the launch of free health care for children under the age of five, and for pregnant and breastfeeding women. We will also support the World Health Organisation to help countries implement the recommendations on equitable health financing strategies of this year's World Health Report.
Developing Countries: Water
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on ensuring that those delivering his Department's water and sewerage projects in developing countries use (a) appropriate, (b) affordable and (c) sustainable technologies. [26026]
Mr Duncan: The technology used in the water and sanitation programmes funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) is based on what works in each specific situation, taking into account technical, economic, social and institutional factors. The choice of technology is primarily determined by our developing country partner.
Technology is selected according to its appropriateness. It must meet national guidelines and local users' requirements; demonstrate affordability in terms of both the capital and recurrent costs; and sustainability. This means that the technology can be easily managed by users with limited external support, does not require significant energy inputs, is registered in the public domain, can be manufactured or constructed by local private providers, and is available in the local market.
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government plan to take to ensure efficiency and transparency in the distribution of their budgets for clean water and sanitation provision in developing countries; and what steps they plan to take in such distribution to (a) minimise opportunities for corruption and (b) maximise the effect of such funding on vulnerable people. [26027]
Mr Duncan: Under the new UK Aid Transparency Guarantee, we will publish full and detailed information on all new projects and programmes, including those on water and sanitation. The Independent Commission for Aid Impact will also independently evaluate the effectiveness of our programmes.
Our water and sanitation programmes are implemented in accordance with the Department for International Development's (DFID's) policies that seek to protect our funds by: assessing the national, sectoral and project specific risks carefully, this assessment then being checked by external experts; ensuring that partner Governments have a credible reform programme to improve their systems and providing technical support to help them; and using safeguards to prevent the misuse of funds, including regular audit procedures.
In programming our work in the water and sanitation sector we especially target the delivery of services to the poorest and most vulnerable people in the poorest countries.
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he plans to take steps to ensure that information on (a) expenditure and (b) outcomes of expenditure by the water sector in delivering clean water and sanitation in developing countries is made publicly available. [26095]
Mr Duncan: Under the new UK Aid Transparency Guarantee, we will publish full and detailed information on all new projects and programmes, including those on water and sanitation. In addition, the Department for International Development's (DFID) Business Plan 2011-15 commits to publish data on a regular basis against a sanitation impact indicator. The Business Plan is available on the DFID website and in the Library of the House.
Defence
Armed Forces: Mental Health Services
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects his Department to complete its plans to implement the in-service elements of the recommendations of the Murrison Report; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the plans. [25616]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence's business plan commits the Department to develop its plans to implement the in-service recommendations made by my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) in his report "Fighting Fit" by December 2010. Copies were placed in the Library earlier this month and it is also available on the MOD's website:
A summary of progress with the main recommendations is as follows.
The King's Centre for Military Health Research has secured funding for research aimed at identifying a possible screening tool for post-traumatic stress disorder. We aim to carry out a three-month trial of the processes for introducing enhanced mental health surveillance during routine medicals, starting in April 2011. Within the same time scale, we will be enabling access to military departments of community mental health for personnel leaving the armed forces for up to six months following discharge. Finally, the development of an online early intervention portal for both serving personnel and ex-service personnel is being led by the Department of Health, with full assistance from the MOD.
We are examining the best way to take forward the other measures contained within the report alongside the Department of Health.
Armed Forces: Pensions
Ms Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on veterans' pensions for veterans (a) based in the UK and (b) living abroad in the last five years for which figures are available. [26061]
Mr Robathan: The Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) is the occupational pension scheme for the services including the reserves. The War Pension Scheme (WPS) provides no fault compensation to former service personnel and their dependants for injuries and death as result of service before 6 April 2005. From this date, the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) was introduced.
The amount paid under the War Pension Scheme is in the following table:
| £ million | ||
| Financial year | UK | Overseas |
Information on AFPS and AFCS spend split UK or overseas is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Astute Class Submarines
Mr Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the in-service date is of the seventh Astute-class submarine. [19316]
Peter Luff: On 19 October 2010, the strategic defence and security review (SDSR) (Cm7948) committed the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to purchase a total of seven Astute class submarines. It also stated that the MOD will work with British industry to improve efficiency and optimise to expected demand its capacity to build and support submarines.
The outcome of this work will inform the procurement costs and in-service dates for the Astute class submarines, including Boat 7. It will not be possible to confirm this information until it has been approved through the MOD's and HM Treasury's formal investment approvals processes at Main Gate.
Christmas
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on (i) the purchase of Christmas trees, (ii) the purchase of Christmas decorations and (iii) Christmas parties in 2010. [24542]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 16 November 2010]: This response covers the Department and its agencies, but excludes trading funds which are outside the Ministry of Defence's departmental boundary for financial reporting purposes.
Most areas of MOD have reported no spend or planned spend on Christmas-related activities in 2010. The Land Forces Top Level Budget has identified expenditure of nearly £7,000 on Christmas-related lunches for junior ranks and other similar events and just over £300 on decorations. This expenditure relates to Christmas 2009 and Christmas 2010.
Defence: Expenditure
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who the senior responsible owner (SRO) is for each of the major defence projects reported on by the National Audit Office in its 2010 report; on what date each SRO was appointed in respect of each project; and whether any such project has not had an SRO during any period since its inception. [25169]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 19 November 2010]: The role of the senior responsible owner (SRO) is to ensure that a programme or project meets its objectives and delivers the projected benefits. The normal assumption is that the role will be undertaken as part of an existing post.
In regards to the UK Military Flying Training System, the Permanent Secretary appointed Air Marshal Andrew
Pulford as SRO on 3 November 2010, in succession to Air Marshal Simon Bryant, in recognition of the project's continuing status as a significant Ministry of Defence Business Change programme. This appointment is in addition to Air Marshal Pulford's duties as Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel for the Air Force.
The other projects reported on in the major projects report 2010 form part of wider Capability Change Programmes, to which the Heads of Capability, under the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Capability) fulfil the equivalent SRO role, in addition to their other duties. A summary of relevant dates is contained in the table.
Given that the inception of the projects within MPRI0 was a significant time ago, the cost of establishing whether there has ever been a gap in succession of SRO role between named individuals could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Defence: Procurement
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanism he has put in place to ensure that future export potential is considered at the outset of a major project in his Department. [26553]
Mr Gerald Howarth: In July 2010, the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Peter Luff), set out the five criteria against which future equipment programmes will be assessed. One of the criteria is exportability: making sure we consider the export potential and viability when considering new project requirements. This is now embedded in the Project Start Up/Foundation process, as part of the Ministry of Defence's acquisition cycle. Where appropriate, we will then consider how adjustments can be made to our own procurement programme to support export prospects. This may include more modular design or acquisition options which provide greater flexibility to meet export requirements at minimal cost, for example, while ensuring the UK still obtains the capability it needs.
The Defence and Security Industrial and Technology Paper will consider how the Government can further support responsible defence exports. Interested parties will have an opportunity to comment on this paper during the public consultation period which will begin after the Christmas recess for a 12 week period up to the end of March 2011.
Departmental Legal Opinion
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) remit, (b) staffing levels and (c) number and types of cases administered by each legal team in his Department were in the latest period for which figures are available. [25614]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is serviced by seven civilian legal teams, under the overall supervision of the legal director.
The operational and humanitarian law team (six civilian lawyers) provides advice to the department on international humanitarian law, international law and domestic law in relation to military operations (including Iraq legacy litigation), advises on international negotiations, and supervises the provision of advice to the Permanent Joint Headquarters.
The general law team (six civilian lawyers) provides advice on public inquiries (including Al Sweady, Baha Mousa and the MOD's input to the Iraq inquiry), inquests, Northern Ireland matters, judicial reviews such as the Smith case, freedom of information, EU law and a wide range of other topics.
The personnel and pensions team (13 civilian lawyers, one military lawyer) provides advice on employment questions, terms and conditions of service, redundancy and discrimination law (for both civilian and military personnel), War Pensions, Armed Forces Compensation and service and civilian pensions issues.
The legislation team (five civilian lawyers, two military lawyers) deals with departmental legislation (including the quinquennial Armed Forces Acts), departmental input into other Government Departments' legislation, constitutional matters relating to the armed forces, and the service justice system.
The commercial team (29 civilian lawyers) provides advice on commercial and procurement issues; assists Defence Estates with some transactional work, and liaises with the Ministry of Defence's external commercial legal advisers.
Legal teams in Germany and Cyprus (seven civilian lawyers plus some locally engaged legally qualified staff) deal, in the former case, with advice to UK forces and the civilian component relating to all aspects of living in and operating in and from Germany. In the latter case, the team deal with advice to the Sovereign Base Administrator (the head of the team also acts as Attorney-General to the Sovereign Base Areas and in that context has independent control of prosecutions before the SBA courts).
In all seven teams, legally qualified staff are supplemented by a small number of support staff and legal executives.
The single services are served by their own legal branches, and by the Service Prosecuting Authority.
The number and types of cases administered are not held in the format requested.
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to reduce his Department's budget for legal services. [25742]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence is now in the process of completing its annual planning round which will allocate programme budgets. This is expected to conclude in early 2011.
Departmental Procurement
Mr Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many procurement contracts his Department is in the process of awarding; to what equipment each contract relates; what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of each contract; what the delivery dates are; and from which companies the equipment is being provided. [25673]
Mr Robathan: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Such information would in any case not normally be released prior to contracts being placed as to do so might prejudice the Department's commercial position and could undermine the tendering process.
Following contract award the Department routinely publishes the contractor's name; nature of the goods or services to be supplied; award criteria; rationale for contract award; price of the winning tender; and the identities of the unsuccessful tenderers in the Official Journal of the European Union, the European Defence Agency's Electronic Bulletin Board and the MOD Contracts Bulletin.
Mr Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which items were procured by his Department using funds from the contingency reserve in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010 to date. [25674]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence charges the Reserve only for the net additional costs of military operations. Costs that would have been incurred regardless of the operation taking place, such as wages and salaries of core staff are not included. Savings on activities that have not occurred because of the operation, for example training exercises, are taken into account when arriving at the net figures. Currently, only the net additional costs of operations in Afghanistan (Operation HERRICK) and Iraq (Operation TELIC) can be claimed from the Reserve.
Expenditure from the Reserve in the years in question has been wide ranging, covering items such as infrastructure, personnel costs, equipment support, capital expenditure and stock, fuel and ammunition consumption. A full list of all items procured is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Net Additional Cost Military Operations (NACMO) expenditure, claimed from the Reserve between 2008 and 2010, is shown in the following table:
| £ million | ||||||
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11( 1) | ||||
| Cost type | Iraq | Afghanistan | Iraq | Afghanistan | Iraq | Afghanistan |
| (1 )2010-11 are Main Estimate figures. | ||||||
Departmental Written Questions
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for written answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available; [25955]
(2) how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for ordinary written answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available. [25956]
Mr Robathan: From May 2010 to 12 November 2010, 388 questions were tabled to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for answer on a named day. 210 (54%) were answered substantively on the day named for answer. No questions were answered before the day named for answer, as Parliament does not accept answers before the named day. 13 questions (3%) did not receive a substantive answer by 18 November 2010.
The MOD calculates timescales for answering written parliamentary questions using parliamentary sitting days, rather than calendar days, which is in line with Cabinet Office guidance. Seven days is therefore, interpreted as five sitting days and 14 days as 10 sitting days.
From May 2010 to 12 November 2010, 1,143 questions were tabled to the MOD for ordinary written answer. 634 (55%) were answered within five sitting days, and 877 (76%) were answered within 10 sitting days. 30 questions (3%) remained unanswered by 18 November 2010.
The average cost of answering a written question estimated by the Treasury is £154, as from 20 January 2010. The Treasury, in making its assessment of the cost of answering questions, does not differentiate between the types of written questions.
The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 Session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly, to which the MOD will provide its input in due course.
Ex-servicemen
Ms Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to publish the outcome of the review of his Department's veterans strategy. [26060]
Mr Robathan: The Strategy for Veterans outlines the Ministry of Defence's plans for working across Government and with veterans' organisations to provide preparation for the transition of service personnel back to civilian life, provide advice and support to veterans and to ensure that veterans' contribution to society is understood and recognised. The current intention is that the review will be completed and the strategy revised if required early in the new year.
Ms Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the performance of the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency in bringing together services for veterans. [26062]
Mr Robathan: The formation of the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency in 2007 brought together the Armed Forces Pay and Administration Agency and the Veterans Agency, into a single, cohesive, organisation responsible for delivering services to armed forces personnel from recruitment to retirement and beyond, including war pensioners and the injured. The Owners Advisory Board, Customer Advisory Group and veterans' organisations meet regularly to provide feedback on the agency's work and the performance is constantly reviewed and developed in the light of this advice.
This Government have also introduced 13 Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees that give a regional focus to, and raise awareness of, the support available to the former service community.
A new Welfare Strategy, that will closely involve the third sector, will be developed following the completion of initiatives like the Service Personnel Command Paper, the Armed Forces Military Taskforce and rewriting the Military Covenant.
Ms Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will update the information on the veterans strategy presented on the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency website. [26108]
Mr Robathan: The Strategy for Veterans available on the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency website reflects the current position. However the Government are working on a replacement strategy that will demonstrate our commitment to providing the best possible services to the former service community.
Ms Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the likely number of armed forces veterans in (a) 2020 (b) 2030 (c) 2040 and (d) 2050. [26059]
Mr Robathan: The information requested is not held.
Falklands Island
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect on the Falklands Islands of Decree 256/2010 issued by the Government of Argentina. [26408]
Nick Harvey: We take our responsibility to defend the Falkland Islands and the other UK overseas territories in the South Atlantic very seriously indeed and reiterated our commitment to their defence in the strategic defence and security review. The imposition of Argentinean Presidential Decree 256 has no effect on our ability to defend the Islands.
MOD St Athan
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has considered the merits of using the superhangar at MOD St Athan for the purpose of servicing RAF aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [26358]
Mr Robathan: There are currently no plans to use the superhangar at MOD St Athan to maintain and repair RAF aircraft beyond 2010.
Strategic Defence and Security Review
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings he had with representatives of BAE Systems on the Strategic Defence and Security Review prior to its publication. [24454]
Dr Fox: I had a meeting with Ian King, chief executive of BAE Systems, on 21 June 2010, prior to a meeting of the National Defence Industries Council, which he and I co-chair. I also met BAE Systems representatives at other defence-related events, e.g. the Farnborough air show.
Submarines
Mr Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether the incorporation of the Core H reactor into the Vanguard-class submarines during their period of long overhaul and refuelling will be sufficient to cover the additional nine years of expected service life of the platform. [20399]
Dr Fox: The Trident Value for Money Review considered the feasibility of extending the life of the Vanguard class submarines beyond 25 years and analysis continues in support of the planned life extension. This work has confirmed that there is sufficient fuel capacity to cover the extension required for each submarine.
Submarines: Decommissioning
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to announce his decision on the shortlist of bidders to undertake submarine dismantling work; and which (a) individuals and (b) organisations he plans to inform of that decision. [26044]
Mr Robathan: The contracting strategy for the submarine dismantling project is being developed as part of the project's assessment phase, ahead of the main gate decision point.
There are no plans to invite bids for submarine dismantling work, should such a contracting strategy be adopted, until the assessment phase is completed. The assessment phase will include a public consultation which is currently planned for 2011.
We recognise that there is a great deal of interest in submarine dismantling work and an announcement will be made on the way forward for the submarine dismantling project on completion of the assessment phase. Information on the progress of the assessment phase is publicly available on the project's web site:
Interested parties, including other Government bodies and regulatory authorities, are routinely advised on project progress.
Communities and Local Government
Affordable Rents
20. Mr Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the likely effects on the number of new homes of the implementation of the proposed affordable rent model. [26219]
Grant Shapps: In the spending review we announced almost £4.5 billion of investment in new affordable housing to deliver up to 150,000 affordable homes. We are giving housing associations much more flexibility on rents and use of assets, which will increase their financial capacity, so our aspiration is to deliver as many homes as possible through our investment and reforms.
Empty Homes
21. Stephen Metcalfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to return empty homes to productive use. [26221]
Andrew Stunell: Empty homes are a blight on communities and a waste of housing which we cannot afford. We are proposing to give local authorities bigger incentives to take action on empty homes by including them in the New Homes Bonus, and we intend to provide £100 million over the spending review period to bring over 3,000 empty homes back into use as affordable rented housing.
Affordable Housing: Construction
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate his Department has made of the likely number of new affordable homes starts in each of the next three years. [26222]
Grant Shapps:
In the spending review we announced almost £4.5 billion of investment in new affordable housing to deliver up to 150,000 affordable homes. We are giving housing associations much more flexibility
on rents and use of assets thus increasing their financial capacity, so our aspiration is to deliver as many homes as possible through our investment and reforms. The number of homes delivered in each year will be dependent on agreements between housing associations and the Homes and Communities Agency, in consultation with local authorities.
Council Housing: Finance
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the effects on local authority housing budgets of the outcomes of the comprehensive spending review. [26199]
Grant Shapps: Despite the fiscal constraints, the Government are still investing nearly £6.5 billion in affordable housing, of which at least £1.6 billion will go to local authorities to make council homes decent. We have protected funding for homelessness and allocated almost £1 billion in addition for the New Homes Bonus which will reward local authorities which promote housing growth, and we will deliver increased freedoms and flexibilities to local authorities to make best use of their share of this funding. We will provide more information to authorities about overall Government grant, including support for housing budgets, when we announce shortly the provisional local government finance settlement.
Council Tax
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the percentage increase in council tax in England has been since 1997. [26220]
Robert Neill: The increase in the average band D council tax in England between 1997-98 and 2010-11 is 109%.
Councillors
Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the effects on the effectiveness of local representation of the implementation of proposals to reduce the number of local councillors. [26361]
Robert Neill: These matters are the responsibility of the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England, which is directly responsible to Parliament and for its recommendations on local government electoral matters, including recommendations on council size. Such recommendations are implemented by order made by the Commission, unless either House of Parliament has resolved that such an order be not made.
Multiple Occupation: Licensing
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress he has made in implementing his policy on houses in multiple occupation in deprived areas; and what assessment he has made of the likely effects of implementation of this policy on the number of such houses in such areas. [26172]
Grant Shapps: Local authorities are under a statutory duty to license larger, higher risk houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in their areas. They also have the general consent to introduce additional HMO licensing schemes in their areas without having to first seek approval from the Department. We believe that it is right for these local decisions to be made by those who are directly accountable to local communities.
We are also giving councils the flexibility to use planning rules to control the spread of HMOs where they cause problems, without tying every landlord in red tape where shared housing causes no problems. This localist approach will allow action to be taken in deprived areas where the saturation of HMOs adversely affects local amenity.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Broadband: Wales
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with the Conservative Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Mid and West Wales on the proposed pilot in Wales for high speed broadband services. [26147]
Mr Vaizey: Department for Business Innovation and Skills Ministers have not had any meetings with the Conservative Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Mid and West Wales about the proposed pilot for high speed broadband services, but BIS officials have had regular dialogue with all the devolved Administrations and regional development agencies prior to the selection of the superfast broadband pilots.
Cumbria University: Finance
Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support his Department plans to provide to the University of Cumbria to maximise the uptake of higher education by persons resident in harder-to-reach areas of Cumbria. [24804]
Mr Willetts: Our student finance proposals provide a new approach to access for the poorest in society who have the ambition and aptitude to go to university. We are putting in place student support arrangements that offer fair access for all, regardless of background-including extending the exemption from upfront charges to part-time students. We have also pledged £150 million to establish a new National Scholarship Programme to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It will raise their aspirations and their confidence in applying to university by guaranteeing them benefits such as a free first year or foundation year. Additionally, we will improve the advice and guidance available to young people so that they are aware, for example, of the qualifications required for different courses and careers.
Departmental Written Questions
Sir Paul Beresford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for written answer on a named day were answered
substantively before or on the day named for answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available. [25961]
Mr Davey: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
Figures for named day parliamentary questions answered by the Department from May to October 2010 are as follows:
| Figures for the period May to October 2010 | |
| Number (Percentage) | |
| (1) Includes those parliamentary questions answered on the substantive day | |
There were 10 named day parliamentary questions which remained unanswered on 18 November. Of these, eight have since received a substantive answer.
The Department's management parliamentary questions accounting systems is unable to provide the average cost of answering a parliamentary question.
HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions and the estimated costs that have applied from 20 January 2010 for answering a written question are £154.
The Treasury, in making its assessment of the cost of answering questions, does not differentiate between the types of written questions.
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for ordinary written answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available. [25962]
Mr Davey: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
Figures for parliamentary questions answered by the Department after seven and 14 days from tabling are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost but information from May to October 2010 is as follows:
| Figures for the period May to October 2010( 1) | |
| Number (Percentage) | |
| (1) For parliamentary questions due for answer within these calendar months (2) Includes those parliamentary questions answered within five sitting days | |
There were 27 ordinary parliamentary questions which remained unanswered on 18 November. Of these, 12 have since received a substantive answer.
The Department's management parliamentary questions accounting system is unable to provide the average cost of answering a parliamentary question.
HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions and the estimated costs that have applied from 20 January 2010 for answering a written question is £154.
The Treasury, in making its assessment of the cost of answering questions, does not differentiate between the types of written questions.
Higher Education: Admissions
Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received on future funding for the Aimhigher scheme; and if he will make a statement. [25517]
Mr Willetts: I have received a number of letters from schools, other education providers and individuals recently and I am aware of the effect of many of the outreach activities it supports.
In 2004, Aimhigher's funding for the year was £136 million. By the time Labour left office, its annual funding had been reduced by 43% to £78 million. We have been very clear about the importance of widening participation and improving fair access in higher education-all those with the ability should have access to higher education irrespective of family income.
This is why the Coalition is taking a new and different approach that builds on existing best practice, while developing it further. We are establishing a new framework, with increased responsibility on universities to widen participation; and greater Government investment in improving attainment and access for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Within this context, the Aimhigher programme will cease at the end of this academic year (July 2011).
In the future institutions will be accountable for the steps they take to widen participation. Those wanting to charge more than a £6,000 annual graduate contribution will have to demonstrate what more they will do to attract more students from disadvantaged backgrounds through outreach activities, targeted scholarships and other financial support. This will include a requirement to participate in the new £150 million National Scholarships Programme. This work will be further supported by the £2.5 billion pupil premium to turn their school-based achievement into success at university. Universities and schools have learned a lot from the Aimhigher programme about "what works" in raising the aspirations of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Much of this knowledge is now embedded in the sector. It is right
that universities have the freedom and flexibility to decide how to spend their resources on promoting access in the ways that will have the most impact for that institution, including through partnerships. This freedom will be accompanied by a regime of sanctions. Access will remain a focus for all institutions, who will continue to submit a Widening Participation Strategic Assessment to the Higher Education Funding Council for England. We are putting student choice at the heart of the system and will support this by ensuring institutions provide prospective students with clear and comparable information about course content, teaching methods and the employment outcomes of previous students.
Higher Education: Finance
Dr Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding each university received from (a) the public purse and (b) tuition fees in the latest period for which figures are available. [23311]
Mr Willetts: Information on the income of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). The table shows (a) the total public income and (b) the tuition fees income of publicly-funded English higher education institutions, and the University of Buckingham whose data is recorded by HESA.
Total public funding has been defined as; tuition fee categories which are predominantly publicly funded; all Funding Council grants-including grants from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Training and Development Agency (TDA) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA); and other grants from central Government and public bodies such as local authorities and health authorities, and the EU commission.
The income in the tuition fee column is largely paid by the Student Loans Company out of public funds, or other public bodies such as the NHS and devolved administration but it also includes income paid by private sources, such as fees paid directly by home and EU students and by international students.
Higher education institutions have many other sources of income, such as research funding and donations so the total income of universities cannot be assumed from this table.
More detailed breakdowns of income sources is published by HESA in volumes such as "HE Finance Plus and Resources of Higher Education Institutions".
| English HEIs: Total public funding and tuition fees 2008/09 | ||
| £000 | ||
| Total public funding | Tuition fees | |
| Source: HESA | ||
Higher Education: North Tyneside
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people resident in North Tyneside constituency (a) applied to attend university in the current academic year and (b) were successful in their applications; and what proportion in each case was from disadvantaged backgrounds. [24796]
Mr Willetts: The information is in the following table and is provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and therefore mostly covers full-time undergraduate study.
Applicants who were not accepted for entry can include: individuals who did not receive any offer; individuals who received an offer (conditional or unconditional) but decided not to go to university; individuals who received a conditional offer and fail to meet the specific conditions (eg they do not achieve certain grades); and individuals who decided to withdraw from the UCAS system.
| Applicants and accepted applicants from North Tyneside to full-time undergraduate courses in UK institutions via UCAS by area background, 2010/11 | ||||
| Area background | Applicants | Percentage of total | Accepted applicants | Percentage of total |
| (1) For the purposes of their funding allocations the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) treat entrants from the most disadvantaged 40% of neighbourhoods as 'disadvantaged' http://www.hefce.ac.uk/widen/fund/ HEFCE uses two different groupings of areas to define disadvantage: one based on the participation rates of young (19 and under) people in HE (which is used by HEFCE when looking at young full-time entrants); and one based on the proportion of adults who hold HE qualifications (which is used by HEFCE when looking at part-time and mature full-time entrants). Because this table includes applicants and accepted applicants of all ages disadvantage is defined by the HE qualified adults measure. Source: UCAS provisional end of year data (represents applicants and accepted applicants at 13 October 2010; end of year data will be available from 20 January 2011). | ||||
Innovation: Greater London
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department plans to allocate to support the proposed East End of London High Tech Hub in each of the next four years. [23599]
Mr Willetts: UK Trade & Investment has announced that it will create a technology taskforce this month, with associated expenditure of £15 million. The allocation of this expenditure over the next four years has yet to be decided. The taskforce will work to attract technology investment into the UK, including a focus on east London, and will provide support through its London International Trade Team, and others, to technology companies wishing to export. The technology-related resources of BIS will be available to strengthen and support this effort.
Internet
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy to ensure that internet service providers do not discriminate against competitors and new entrants in the speed at which websites and services reach their customers. [26592]
Mr Vaizey: The Government expect all internet service providers (ISPs) providing an internet access service-both fixed and mobile-to offer all legal content. Consumers should always be able to access any legal content or service they want to and content providers and applications should be able to access consumers. ISPs should not be able to discriminate unfairly against services or users. That means no blocking or discriminatory degradation of services or applications for commercial reasons.
There is not yet any evidence that discriminatory practices are emerging, or that there is a problem with regards to how ISPs or networks manage the traffic that flows over them (something they all engage in for technical reasons to deliver the best possible service to consumers). That is enforced by the initial responses to Ofcom's recent consultation on the issue.
A contributing factor to the success of the internet has been the lack of legislative restraints that have been placed on it. It is important that we give the market the opportunity to self regulate. Ofcom will closely monitor how the market develops and if it develops in an anti-competitive way they will intervene.
Students: Finance
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on differentials between remuneration of graduates and non-graduates. [23410]
Mr Willetts: The Department holds information on pay differentials between graduates and non-graduates from a wide range of sources-published statistics, internal analysis, and external research. Much of it draws on data from the Labour Force Survey.
It all shows that, on average, graduates earn more than non-graduates. The key points are summarised here, in terms of actual earnings and the lifetime earnings premium.
The following table shows recent estimates from the Labour Force Survey of the average earnings for employees of working age in the UK, split by those in full-time and part-time employment, according to whether they hold qualifications at Level 4 or above, or Level 3 and below.
Qualifications at Level 4 and above (L4+) correspond to 'higher education level qualifications', ranging from HE certificates and higher national diplomas, through first degrees, up to and including doctorates; they also include vocational equivalents (e.g. higher level national vocational qualifications). The estimates are for Quarter 2 (April to June) 2010.
| £ | ||||
| L4+ | L3 and below | |||
| Average earnings | Full-time | Part-time | Full-time | Part-time |
| Source: LFS Q2 2010; employees in UK; working age (aged: 16 to 59 females, 16 to 64 males). | ||||
There are also estimates of the lifetime earnings benefits of having a degree over and above two or more A-levels (the 'graduate premium'), which control for other factors that influence earnings. The Department draws on various estimates of the lifetime earnings benefits for degree holders, arising from both external and internal analysis. Generally they all estimate the lifetime earnings benefits of having a first degree over and above two or more A-levels.
These estimates indicate that first degree graduates can expect to earn, on average, over £100,000 more over their working life, in today's values and net of taxes, than similar individuals who stop their education with two or more A-levels.
This is for the average graduate, and the actual position for any individual will vary around this average.
There have been several calculations of the graduate premium in recent years, using data from different time periods and/or slightly different methods, though they have all used data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS-a sample survey) and the broad approach is consistent. These have all come to similar conclusions, albeit with slightly different estimates, which is why it is generally not expressed as a single figure but rather as a range or being above a certain value.
A couple of relevant external studies are:
'The Return to a University Education in Great Britain, O'Leary, N.C. and P.J. Sloane (2005), National Institute Economic Review, no. 193; pp 75-89' (they found the lifetime earnings premium, net of taxes, was £141,539 for males and £157,928 for females).
'The Economic Benefits of a degree, UUK/PWC, Feb 2007' (this gave the graduate premium as being around £160,000 gross)
Students: Loans
Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to reduce the time taken to process applications for student loans. [23647]
Mr Willetts:
The Student Loans Company (SLC) administers Student Finance England. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has invested in improving the company's systems (for example, creating an electronic link to the Identity and Passport Service so applicants
no longer have to send in their passports to verify their eligibility) and has supported streamlining processes and providing more staff to process applications at peak times.
The Department has also revised the SLC's targets for the time taken to process applications from submission by a student to readiness for payment, and continues to challenge and support the company to improve further.
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