| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
14 Dec 2010 : Column 662W—continued
Asylum: Deportation
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers identified for deportation were removed from their accommodation prior to deportation at an hour before 8 am since January 2010. [30351]
Damian Green: For the period January to November 2010, the UK Border Agency arrested a total of 585 failed asylum seekers on enforcement visits from their residential accommodation between midnight and 7.59 am. Most of these arrests took place between 6 am and 7 am following an individual case-by-case risk assessment which takes into account the likelihood of failed asylum seekers being at the premises at the time of arrest or the need to travel to the airport in time for the flight.
The figures provided are sourced from management information tools; they are not quality assured under National Statistics protocols and are subject to change. The figures provided do not constitute part of National Statistics and therefore should be treated as provisional.
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department takes to inform the schools of children of asylum seekers who have been deported with these children of the action that has been taken. [30484]
Damian Green: The procedures the UK Border Agency has in place for the removal and deportation of all categories of immigration offenders, including failed asylum seekers and their families, are set out in the Enforcement Instructions and Guidance (EIG) manual available to view on the UK Border Agency website at:
In chapter 45 of this guidance staff are instructed to notify local child welfare agencies, which include schools, of a family's detention and removal from the UK.
The UK Border Agency is currently piloting a new approach to managing family cases. A key element of this is better communication and partnership working with other agencies to manage families within the immigration system who are in their care.
Asylum: Finance
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to link the level of support payments to asylum seekers to changes to the level of benefit payments. [30149]
Damian Green [holding answer 13 December 2010]: The UK Border Agency reviews the level of support provided to destitute asylum seekers annually. In doing so, a number of factors are considered which may include changes to the level of benefit payments. There are currently no plans to make a direct link between the level of support provided to asylum seekers and the level of benefit payments.
Asylum: Northern Ireland
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people presented themselves for asylum to the immigration authorities in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what the outcome of each application was. [30174]
Damian Green: The information is not held centrally and can be obtained only through examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
Asylum: Work Permits
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has assessed the merits of allowing asylum seekers to apply for a work permit after six months; and if she will make a statement. [30377]
Damian Green [holding answer 13 December 2010]: The Government believe it is important to maintain a distinction between economic migration and asylum and that is why an asylum applicant's claim needs to have been outstanding for at least one year before they can apply for permission to work. This is in line with our obligations under the EU reception conditions directive.
We have considered the merits of reducing this threshold, but we believe such a reduction would encourage those who are not genuinely in need of protection to apply for asylum for economic reasons.
Criminal Records
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect on the proportion of disclosures processed within existing target times of the planned budget reduction for the Criminal Records Bureau; and if she will make a statement. [30137]
Lynne Featherstone: The Criminal Records Bureau and the Home Office Board will work closely together over the next four years to ensure that any planned staff reductions identified as part of the spending review will not have a detrimental effect on the agency's performance.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) expenditure and (b) income of the Criminal Records Bureau was in each year since 2005. [30220]
Lynne Featherstone: The following table shows the income and the expenditure of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) in each year since 2005.
| £ million | ||
| Income | Expenditure | |
Criminal Records: Reading West
Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those resident in Reading West constituency were subject to more than one Criminal Records Bureau check in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available. [29995]
Lynne Featherstone: The information is not available in the absence of the particular constituency post codes. However, nationally, the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) issued 4.3 million certificates during the period 1 December 2009 to 30November 2010. Of these, approximately 504,000 were repeat applications. The CRB can provide the information requested if you write to the chief executive with the constituency postcodes that apply.
There is a common myth that a CRB certificate cannot be used for more than one position: this is not true. Currently, there is scope for checks to be ported but, because some of the checks won't include convictions that could have occurred after the date of issue, some employers choose not to accept a previously issued check.
The Government have pledged to review the criminal records regime. Among other aims, the review will consider the fundamental principles behind vetting and barring and will determine how CRB checks may be less bureaucratic. The review will be completed early next year.
Deportation
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many removal directions for illegal migrants have been cancelled by the UK Border Agency in the latest period for which figures are available; what the reasons were in each case; how many of these removal directions involved non-refundable flights; and how much it cost the agency to cancel such flights. [30243]
Damian Green [holding answer 13 December 2010]: 3,584(1) removal directions were cancelled by the UK Border Agency for non-asylum cases for the period 1 April-4 December 2010. This figure is based on instances of failed removals not numbers of individuals, ie one person could fail to be removed on a number of occasions.
The reasons in each case, the number of cases involving non-refundable flights and the cost to the agency to cancel such flights could be obtained by a detailed examination of individual records only at disproportionate cost.
There are many reasons for the failure of removal directions. Among the most common are: further or additional representations received on a case (the most common of these are judicial review applications and initial asylum claims); disruption by the individual being removed; and cancellation of flights.
The vast majority of tickets booked for removals are either fully or part refundable.
(1 )These figures are provisional, based on management information, not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics and may be subject to change.
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many removal directions for foreign national prisoners have been cancelled by the UK Border Agency in the latest period for which figures are available; what the reasons were in each case; how many of these removal directions involved non-refundable flights; and how much it cost the Agency to cancel such flights. [30244]
Damian Green [holding answer 13 December 2010]: 1,143(1) removal directions were cancelled by UK Border Agency for foreign national prisoner (FNP) cases for the period 1 April-4 December 2010. This figure is based on instances of failed removals not numbers of individuals, i.e. one person could fail to be removed on a number of occasions. These FNP failed removals form part of the asylum and non asylum data supplied in separate answers, they are not additional failed removals.
The reasons in each case, the number of cases involving non-refundable flights and the cost to the Agency to cancel such flights could be obtained only by a detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
There are many reasons for the failure of removal directions. Amongst the most common are: further or additional representations received on a case (the most common of these are Judicial Review applications and initial asylum claims); disruption by the individual being removed; and cancellation of flights.
The vast majority of tickets booked for removals are either fully or part refundable.
(1)These figures are provisional, based on management information, not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics and may be subject to change.
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many removal directions for failed asylum seekers have been cancelled by the UK Border Agency in the latest period for which figures are available; what the reasons were in each case; how many of these removal directions involved non-refundable flights; and how much it cost the Agency to cancel such flights. [30245]
Damian Green [holding answer 13 December 2010]: 4,700(1) removal directions were cancelled by the UK Border Agency for asylum cases for the period 1 April to 4 December 2010. This figure is based on instances of failed removals not numbers of individuals, i.e. one person could fail to be removed on a number of occasions.
The reasons in each case, the number of cases involving non-refundable flights and the cost to the Agency to cancel such flights could be obtained only by a detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
There are many reasons for the failure of removal directions. Among the most common are: further or additional representations received on a case (the most common of these are Judicial Review applications and initial asylum claims); disruption by the individual being removed; and cancellation of flights.
The vast majority of tickets booked for removals are either fully or part refundable.
(1) These figures are provisional, based on management information, not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics and may be subject to change.
Deportation: Offenders
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much was spent on the facilitated return scheme in each year since 2007-08; [24209]
(2) how many foreign national prisoners received financial assistance under the facilitated return scheme in the last 12 months; [24210]
(3) how many foreign national prisoners have received financial assistance under the facilitated return scheme since 1 October 2010; [24176]
(4) how much has been spent on the facilitated return scheme since 1 October 2010; [24178]
(5) how many foreign national prisoners who received financial assistance under the facilitated return scheme are known to have returned to the UK in each of the last five years; [24179]
(6) what mechanism she has put in place to prevent a beneficiary of the facilitated return scheme returning to the UK. [24181]
Damian Green: The Facilitated Return Scheme (FRS) accounted for approximately 30% of the 5,530 foreign national prisoner removals from the UK in 2009, and for around 50% of the 2,425 foreign national prisoner removals in quarters 1 and 2 of 2010. We are unable to advise at the current time the numbers who have received financial assistance and the amount spent on FRS since October 2010. Removal figures for quarter 3 of 2010 was published at the end of November, and for quarter four early in 2011. Once this information has been published the UK Border Agency will be able to confirm the number of foreign national prisoners removed under FRS and the average amount of assistance provided during those periods.
Expenditure on FRS from inception in October 2006 to March 2009 was approximately £4.3 million. The cost of running the scheme for 2009-10 was £7.1 million (including £2.3 million of EU funding) and for 2010-11 is expected to be £9.7 million (including £2.7 million of EU funding). This is a slightly higher figure than previously reported for 2009-10 as the scheme has been successful in removing a larger number of foreign national prisoners than estimated.
The Facilitated Return Scheme is a practical solution that not only saves the taxpayer money in the long run, but also means foreign criminals are removed as soon as possible, denying them the opportunity to re-offend or drag out the removals process. All foreign national prisoners are entered on our watch list when removed, so checks can be made to prevent those who are barred and those who have no right from re-entering the UK.
Only in the most exceptional circumstances would an individual who had taken the FRS package be approved for re-entry to the UK, or for their exclusion to be lifted by the Home Secretary. These cases are considered very carefully and in line with policy. We are aware of two individuals removed under FRS who have later successfully applied to have their exclusion orders lifted, to allow them to return to the UK. We are also aware of a small number of individuals who have re-entered illegally having taken up FRS. In such cases we take urgent action to remove them from the UK. They would not be eligible to re-apply for the scheme.
In order to make the scheme more affordable and bring it in line with other assisted voluntary, return programmes, it has been necessary to reduce the amount of assistance given to those who leave the country under FRS. As of 1 October 2010, those who apply for and are accepted onto the scheme will receive a reduced cash payment amount. We anticipate that high numbers of individuals will continue to take up the scheme and we will monitor the level of applications over the coming months.
Detention Centres: Christmas
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made for residential and operational staffing of immigration removal centres over Christmas 2010 and the new year period. [30144]
Damian Green [holding answer 13 December 2010]: Immigration removal centres operate throughout the year, including Christmas 2010 and the new year period. Staffing will be maintained at the standard level for each centre to provide continuity of service and to ensure a safe environment for all persons detained.
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether Ministers in her Department have signed any authorisations for the continued detention of children at immigration removal centres beyond 28 days which provide for the detention of children during Christmas 2010; [30145]
(2) whether the UK Border Agency has made arrangements in respect of children detained at immigration removal centres during Christmas 2010; [30146]
(3) how many families she expects to be detained at immigration removal centres during Christmas 2010. [30147]
Damian Green [holding answer 13 December 2010]: Current Ministers have not authorised any detentions of children in immigration removal centres beyond 28 days. The Government are committed to ending the detention of children for immigration purposes and a review is currently under way to consider how this can be done in a way which protects the welfare of children and ensures that families with no right to be in the UK leave. The Government will make an announcement before the House rises for Christmas on our plans for doing this.
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Mr Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take into account the conclusions of the British Council's report on Global
value training - the value of UK education and training exports: an update, when considering changes to the rules governing student visas. [30222]
Damian Green [holding answer 13 December 2010]: This report focused on the value to the UK economy of UK education and training, but does not relate directly to the value of international students entering through Tier 4 of the points-based system. For example, it includes income generated for UK institutions by campuses overseas, and off-campus expenditure of business visitors to the UK who happen to be staying in university accommodation.
Global Peace and Unity Conference
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department monitored the presence of banned (a) organisations and (b) materials at the Global Peace and Unity conference of 23-24 October 2010. [27546]
Nick Herbert: The Home Office did not monitor the presence of banned organisations and materials at the Global Peace and Unity conference of 23-24 October 2010.
Human Trafficking
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had on international collaboration to combat human trafficking; and if she will make a statement. [30263]
Damian Green: The Government recognise the importance of international collaboration in tackling human trafficking.
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I met the UNHCR High Commissioner, Antonio Guterres, to discuss human trafficking. I also recently met the Afghan Minister for Refugees and Repatriation, Dr Jamaher Anwary, to discuss the issue of trafficking.
The Government have focused their international effort through the European Union and other regional organisations such as the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe.
Immigration Controls: Higher Education
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visas to work in the UK have been granted to scientists wishing to take up employment at a UK university in each of the last three years. [30338]
Damian Green [holding answer 13 December 2010]: Information on visas that have been issued to applicants who intend to work (a) in a particular profession, or (b) for a particular employer or type of employer, is not available from the UK Border Agency's central records. The information requested could only be produced by checking individual records at disproportionate cost
Immigration: South East
Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 11 November 2010, Official Report, column 456W, on immigration: South East, how many records remain open on the database to be dealt with by the Case Resolution Directorate under legacy rules. [30183]
Damian Green: When the asylum legacy cohort was announced in July 2006 by the former Home Secretary (John Reid), he stated that there were an estimated 400-450,000 paper and electronic records that required review. The cohort is not static, due to issues such as errors, duplicates and paper and dependant records that have not yet been entered on to our databases. It is therefore not possible to provide an accurate figure for the number of records that remain open.
The chief executive of the UK Border Agency regularly updates the Home Affairs Select Committee on progress with this cohort on a regular basis. As reported in November 2010 the, Case Resolution Directorate had concluded 334,500 cases up to the end of September 2010.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when her Department plans to respond to the letters of 10 August and 30 September 2010 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay on her constituent Mr P. Ginn. [20004]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 28 October 2010]: I apologise for the delay in replying. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Security (Baroness Neville-Jones) replied on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mrs May) on 7 December 2010.
National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding her Department provided to the National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit in the last 12 months. [26928]
Nick Herbert: We do not disclose details of funding provided to the National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit (NETCU) on security grounds.
Offences against Children: International Cooperation
Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make representations to her international counterparts on international agreements on legislation against child pornography. [30273]
James Brokenshire: The UK strongly supports work to promote effective legislation against child pornography. We will work both bilaterally and multilaterally to promote international cooperation to tackle this crime, and will ensure that the excellent work, of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre and their international partners continues.
Police: Manpower
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers, (b) police community support officers and (c) other staff are primarily assigned to work on (i) the Police National Database, (ii) the Police National Computer and (iii) the IMPACT programme. [26077]
Mrs May [holding answer 23 November 2010]: The project to deliver the Police National Database (PND) forms part of the National Policing Improvement Agency's (NPIA) IMPACT Programme. Within the NPIA there are 62 staff working on the IMPACT of whom 21 are police officers.
There are no Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) assigned to this work within the NPIA. There are also 226 staff working in Police National Computer (PNC) Services within the NPIA. However none of these staff are police officers or PCSOs.
At a local level, police forces will also have staff assigned to work on the IMPACT Programme and the PNC. However, this information is not held centrally.
Reoffenders: Dartford
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those normally resident in Dartford constituency arrested had a previous conviction in each of the last five years. [30414]
Nick Herbert: Information is not collected centrally linking those arrested with previous convictions.
UK Border Agency: Trafficking
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects of reductions in UK Border Agency staff in Liverpool on the Agency's ability to tackle people trafficking; and if she will make a statement. [30000]
Damian Green: The spending review settlement for the UK Border Agency will mean that we need to reduce our staff by about 5,200 to around 18,000 by 2015. We are still working through the detailed planning implications and will let our staff, partners and the public know as soon as the plans are clear.
Deterring, disrupting and detecting people trafficking is a responsibility that we share with other law enforcement agencies, such as the police and Serious and Organised Crime Agency. The UK Border Agency continues to be committed to the strong regional and national partnerships that are central to our approach to combat this brutal form of organised crime.
Visas: Students
Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for the future of the student visa system. [30053]
Damian Green: On 7 December the Government launched a public consultation on reform of the student immigration system. A copy has been placed in the House Library.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many student visa applications from each country were (a) accepted and (b) rejected for study for (i) English language courses, (ii) foundation courses, (iii) undergraduate degrees, (iv) postgraduate taught degrees and (v) postgraduate research degrees in each of the last three years. [30084]
Damian Green: A table has been placed in the Library showing the number of student visas that were (a) issued and (b) refused for each nationality in each of the last three years. The UK Border Agency is unable to break the figures down into type of course or level of study from central records. This information could be produced only by checking individual records which would incur disproportionate cost.
Energy and Climate Change
Departmental Conferences
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's annual budget for conferences was at (a) 7 May 2010 and (b) 7 December 2010. [30034]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has not allocated any specific budget for conferences in 2010-11.
Departmental Publications
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on printing (a) Command Papers, (b) papers laid before Parliament by Act, (c) consultation documents and (d) other papers in each year since its inception. [28383]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change was created on 3 October 2008.
The cost of each of these items could be determined only at disproportionate cost as transaction records do not separately identify these specific types of expenditure.
Downstream Oil Industry Forum
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) when he expects the report commissioned from the Downstream Oil Industry Forum to be completed; and if he will publish that report; [30832]
(2) what terms of reference he has issued to the Downstream Oil Industry Task Force; what the name is of each member of that Task Force; and how frequently it meets. [30833]
Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what terms of reference are for his Department's Downstream Oil Industry Task Force; what the name is of each member of the task force; and how frequently it meets; [30861]
(2) when he expects to receive the report commissioned from the Downstream Oil Industry Forum; and if he will publish that report. [30868]
Gregory Barker:
The Downstream Oil Industry Forum is the main discussion forum for strategic engagement between the downstream oil sector and the Government. It seeks to meet on a six monthly basis and is chaired by DECC officials. Membership comprises representatives from: the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), the UK Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA), the Downstream Fuel Association (DFA), the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS), UKLPG (acting on behalf of Liquid Petroleum Gas distributors), the Tank Storage Association (TSA), RMI Petrol,
representatives of the devolved administrations and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). Representatives of other organisations can be invited as necessary. Individual representatives from the member organisations may change depending on availability.
Work has been conducted to examine the resilience of the Downstream Oil Industry by a task group of the DOIF; a study carried out by Wood Mackenzie on behalf of DECC on this topic has been completed and is available on DECC's internet site. Supplementary work on aspects of the Wood Mackenzie report has been conducted within DECC and a further study has been carried out by UKPIA looking at the UK's refining sector; this study can be obtained directly from UKPIA. I am currently considering the work conducted to date and fully support the DOIF's activity in relation to this important sector of the economy.
Environment Protection: Employment
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the number of green jobs in the UK economy. [30309]
Gregory Barker: Government-commissioned research indicates that, in 2008-09, employment in the UK Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services sector was approximately 910,000 and is projected to increase to over a million by the middle of the decade. This research is available online at:
EU Emissions Trading Scheme
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what assessment he has made of the likely effect on the UK oil refining industry of the introduction of Phase Three of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme; [30430]
(2) whether the introduction of benchmarks for Phase Three of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme will be phased; and if he will make a statement; [30431]
(3) what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have held with officials of the European Commission since May 2010 on the likely effect on the UK oil industry of Phase Three of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. [30489]
Gregory Barker: My officials are in close contact with the European Commission and other member states about the implementation of Phase III of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). This includes discussing the rules to determine the amount of emission allowances to be freely allocated to installations (including off-shore oil and gas and the oil refining industry) which will be voted on later this week in the EU Climate Change Committee. The benchmarks will apply from 2013.
My officials have undertaken assessment of the effects on all sectors from the introduction of Phase III of the EU ETS. The analysis can be seen in the April 2009 impact assessment 'Impact Assessment on the EU Climate and Energy package and the revised EU ETS Directive':
Fuel Poverty: Walsall
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent estimate is of the number of households living in fuel poverty in Walsall South constituency. [30929]
Gregory Barker: In 2006, the most recent year for which sub-regional figures are available, there were around 5,000 fuel poor households in the Walsall South constituency.
Green Deal
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Green Deal financing mechanism interest rates are conducive to high levels of household take-up; and if he will make a statement. [30652]
Gregory Barker: It is essential that Green Deal finance interest rates are as low as possible. The Department is therefore acting in three key ways. Firstly, we are progressing discussions with the finance community regarding appropriate financing solutions; and in particular, low interest investment from the capital markets. Secondly, we are designing secondary legislation so that risks to investors from default and cash flow interruption are minimised.
Finally, we are taking steps to ensure that the Green Deal will operate at scale and thereby enable high-value, low cost financing solutions. Importantly, we will ensure that the energy company obligation supports the Green Deal. We are also taking foreshadowing powers through the new Energy Bill to ensure that by 2015, the Government are able-if necessary and appropriate-to require private landlords to improve the least energy efficient properties.
Communities and Local Government
Affordable Housing: Construction
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish the modelling undertaken by his Department to calculate the number of new affordable homes to be funded through his proposed increase for rents for new social housing tenants. [30216]
Grant Shapps: We will be publishing our impact assessment on the affordable rent model early next year.
Anti-Semitism
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department has taken to combat anti-Semitism since July 2010; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of these steps; and if he will make a statement. [29814]
Andrew Stunell: The Coalition Government will publish the three-year on response to the All Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-Semitism on Wednesday December 15 which will highlight the effectiveness and steps we have taken to combat Anti-Semitism.
Community Land Trusts
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the task force on Community Land Trusts produced by Professor Carl Dayson. [30106]
Grant Shapps: This report was not commissioned by, or for, the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Councillors
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of councillors who sit on both district and county councils. [29480]
Robert Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on this issue on 16 June 2010, Official Report, column 447W.
Councillors: Business Interests
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for a national register of councillors' interests. [29479]
Robert Neill: Our proposals for abolishing the Standards Board regime involve that in future, publicly available registers of members' interests are maintained locally by councils, reflecting that the accountability of councils and their members is to their local electorate. We are keen for this information to be published online in an open and standardised format.
Departmental Energy
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost was of (a) electricity and (b) gas supplied to his Department's offices at Eland House in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available. [29669]
Robert Neill: The energy spend at DCLG's headquarter building, Eland House is shown in the table. The table shows the monthly cost for electricity and gas for the last 12 months, the figures are inclusive of VAT.
| £ | ||
| Electricity | Gas | |
The Department is committed to reducing the carbon emissions of its estate by 10% from May 2010 to May 2011. This will help reduce the cost of utility bills to the taxpayer.
Departmental Lobbying
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press release of 5 August 2010, which arms' length bodies with his Department's area of responsibility have cancelled contracts for lobbying services. [29365]
Robert Neill: The Department has instructed its arm's length bodies to cease any contracts with public affairs consultancies.
The Audit Commission gave notice to terminate its contract with Connect Public Affairs on 2 February 2010 following public controversy over its lobbying activity. Connect confirmed their contractual 28 day notice period.
Both London and Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporations have confirmed that their contracts have been cancelled. London's contract with London Communications Agency is being allowed to expire on 31 January 2011 to avoid nugatory costs but no further activity is being undertaken under the terms of this contract.
West Northants Development Corporation appointed Chelgate Ltd in November 2008. This contract was terminated in May 2010.
The independent Housing Ombudsman Limited previously engaged APCO. The most recent contract completed in January 2010.
The Tenant Services Authority also had a contract with APCO. The original contract expired in February 2009. A three-month extension with reduced services was then agreed for April to June 2009. No further contracts were entered into.
Ordnance Survey had a contract with Mandate Communications. This contract with Mandate was terminated in May 2010.
The Fire Service College used Four Communications in respect of a residential planning application. The contract ended when the college obtained planning consent on 2 June 2010.
Departmental Marketing
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on promotional materials since 6 May 2010. [30776]
Robert Neill: The Department has spent nothing on promotional materials since 6 May 2010.
Departmental Public Consultation
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the citing of party political publications as evidence in consultation documents issued by his Department. [27198]
Robert Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government draws evidence from the widest possible range of sources in the preparation of consultation documents.
I would note that the Conservative party's open source planning green paper is explicitly referenced in the coalition agreement as providing the guiding principles for the Government's planning reforms.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on plans for the level of its budget in 2010-11 made prior to May 2010. [29382]
Robert Neill: At pre-Budget report 2008, DCLG's planned budgets were reported as £6.0 billion capital and £4.6 billion resource.
In the March Budget 2009, £144 million additional capital was allocated for the Housing Pledge and shortly afterwards a further £200 million capital was allocated to support the fiscal stimulus. The 2009 Budget also reported Public Value Programme resource savings of £100 million from DCLG. These changes were incorporated in budget plans set out in Annex C of the Department's Annual Report 2009, published in June 2009.
At the pre-Budget report in December 2009, further resource savings were announced, to be made by 2012-13 (that is, in 2010-11 and 2011-12), as follows:
Public Value Programme cross-Government savings of £5 billion, of which DCLG's contribution was announced as £500 million broken down as:
£340 million largely for regeneration programmes, and;
£160 million for smaller DCLG programmes.
Operational Efficiency Programme cross-Government savings of £11 billion, but DCLG's contributions was not specified.
At Budget in March 2010, further details on DCLG's contributions to the resource savings were announced, to be made by 2012-13, as follows:
The Public Value Programme savings of £500 million were broken down further as:
£300 million from rationalising Regional Development Agency regeneration spending and programmes;
£40 million by concluding New Deal for Communities;
£160 million further savings on smaller DCLG programmes, including £35 million from housing benefit costs and £25 million from ending smaller CLG-funded time-limited communities programmes.
DCLG's contribution to the £11 billion Operational Efficiency Programme savings were announced as £200 million and broken down as follows:
£130 million savings from back office, procurement and consultancy and marketing;
£70 million savings from arm's length body rationalisation.
Before May 2010, only £100 million of the total DCLG savings above had been announced as relating specifically to 2010-11 and these were incorporated into the budgets in the Annual Report 2009.
The remainder of the savings, were not allocated to discrete financial years (as indicated above) but were to be made before 2012-13.
Links to referenced documents:
Budget 2009-Table 6.1. pg. 130
Departmental Annual Report 2009
Pre-Budget report 2009-pgs. 108-110
DCLG Budget announcement of £200 million OEP savings
EU Law
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many EU directives are pending transposition into domestic legislation by his Department; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such transposition. [27500]
Robert Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government currently has one EU directive pending transposition. That EU directive is:
Directive 2010/31 /EU on the energy performance of buildings.
It is estimated that it will cost £2.5 million to transpose this directive into domestic legislation.
Fire Services
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of non-firefighter fire service posts to 2015; [30642]
(2) whether he has issued recent guidance on the number of fire stations to be operational in each fire authority area; [30637]
(3) whether he has issued recent guidance on the number of fire appliances necessary to be available in each fire authority area; [30638]
(4) whether he has made a recent estimate of the number of fire fighters necessary to provide adequate emergency fire and rescue cover. [30639]
Robert Neill: Decisions on operational issues such as fire station, fire appliance and firefighter numbers, and associated issues such as non-firefighter posts, are taken by individual fire and rescue authorities as part of the integrated risk management planning process.
The Government are committed to enabling local authorities and local communities to make appropriate decisions at the local level. Fire and rescue authorities are required by the fire and rescue service national framework to have in place and maintain an integrated risk management plan (IRMP) which reflects local need and sets out plans to tackle effectively both existing and
potential risks to communities. Each fire and rescue authority's IRMP enables that individual authority to decide how best to provide fire and rescue-related services, including prevention and protection as well as response, with resources being allocated on the basis of the evaluation of risk and where the risks are greatest.
Local requirements are thus determined by local people according to local circumstances.
For those reasons, no formal estimate of firefighter and non-firefighter staffing levels required by fire and rescue services has been made by central Government, and no recent guidance has been issued by central Government on the numbers of fire appliances and firefighters required in each fire and rescue authority area.
I also refer the hon. Member to my letter to him of 6 December 2010 about the comprehensive spending review, a copy of which I placed in the Library of the House.
Government Offices for the Regions: Gallup
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Government Offices in each region have paid to Gallup in the last 36 months; and what the purpose was of each item of expenditure. [29381]
Greg Clark: There have been no payments to Gallup from Government office network resources in the last 36 months. There has however, been one payment to Gallup of £834.24 through the Government office for the south-east. This was made from programme funds on behalf of my Department. This expenditure covered the travel costs of Dalia Mogahed, the executive director of the Gallup Centre for Muslim Studies, who provided a key note speech at a Preventing Violent Extremism conference hosted in the south-east.
Homelessness: Rural Areas
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many registered homeless people there are in rural areas in each region of England; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce homelessness in rural areas. [30383]
Grant Shapps: I have placed in the Library of the House a table setting out, for local authorities by rural classification in each statistical region, the number of households accepted as owed a main homelessness duty, the number of households in temporary accommodation, and levels of rough sleeping.
This Government are committed to tackling and preventing homelessness. We have protected Homelessness Grant funding, with £400 million over the spending review period. This will be made available to local authorities and the voluntary sector to support their work to tackle homelessness. We have made an additional £190 million available for discretionary housing payments and other forms of practical support alongside the Government's package of welfare reform measures. We have minimised reductions to the Supporting People programme with £6.5 billion investment secured over
the next four years. I have also established a cross-Government working group on homelessness bringing together Ministers from eight Government Departments to address the complex causes of homelessness and rough sleeping.
Housing Market
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to encourage house price growth in the next five years. [30459]
Grant Shapps: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 13 December 2010, Official Report, column 483W.
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects annual house price growth to return to positive figures. [30460]
Grant Shapps: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not publish housing market forecasts.
According to the recent house price forecasts produced by the new independent Office of Budget Responsibility for the 'Economic and fiscal outlook' report this autumn, and the latest average of the HM Treasury's independent forecasts, house prices are expected to rise from 2012 onwards.
Housing: Regeneration
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce his plans for the future of the Housing Market Renewal Grant. [30770]
Grant Shapps: Following the spending review announcement, the Housing Market Renewal Fund will cease to be run as currently structured in 2010-11. Post March 2011 it will be for local authorities to decide whether to continue Housing Market Renewal partnerships and bid for funding to allow them to take forward market renewal projects, and to consider how new incentive schemes such as the New Homes Bonus could benefit their areas.
I also refer the right hon. Member to my letter on the spending review's settlement for housing of 20 October 2010, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
Local Government Finance
Mr Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who will conduct his Department's review of the local government grants system. [30482]
Robert Neill:
The local government resource review will consider proposals to introduce greater incentives for local authorities to promote economic growth by
allowing them to retain locally raised business rates, and introduce new powers to enable local authorities to carry out tax increment financing. The review will be carried out by my Department.
Local Government: Bank Services
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what provision he has made for the capitalisation of local authority debt arising from lost deposits in Icelandic banks over the next 20 years. [30422]
Robert Neill: Local authorities have been able to apply this year to capitalise impairment charges (excluding interest) in respect of potential losses of investments in Icelandic banks, for assessment against the exceptional financial difficulties criteria in the published guidance. The Department intends to notify applicant authorities of its decisions shortly.
Multiple Occupation: Licensing
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2010, Official Report, column 693W, on multiple occupation: licensing, if he will take steps to collect centrally figures for licensed houses in multiple occupation in each local authority area for the purpose of assisting the monitoring of the effectiveness of legislation in addressing sub-standard accommodation. [29288]
Andrew Stunell: The collection of data centrally by DCLG on the register of licensed houses of multiple occupation has been suspended and its continued collection is subject to an internal review of all DCLG statistical data collections as part of the new Government's goal of reducing the burdens of data reporting requirements on local government. The Department's statistics plan will be subject to a public consultation in early 2011. Individual local authorities are required to maintain a register of houses of multiple occupation licensable in their area.
Supporting People Programme: Nottinghamshire
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has had discussions with Nottinghamshire county council on the proposed reduction in Supporting People programme funding in the spending review period. [29608]
Andrew Stunell: The Government are committed to protecting the most vulnerable in our society and, in taking difficult decisions to reduce the deficit, has limited reductions in Supporting People funding. We have secured investment of £6.5 billion for the Supporting People programme over the next four years. Local areas will continue to take decisions informed by local need in commissioning housing-related support services and will have increased flexibility in meeting that need, as the Supporting People funding is included in the general formula grant from April 2011.
Officials within my Department have spoken with Nottinghamshire county council to clarify the proposed reductions to the Supporting People programme and the timeframe within which these administrative savings will take place.
Travellers: Children
Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of Travelling families with children who have no fixed abode. [29858]
Andrew Stunell: The July 2010 caravan count showed there were 3,636 caravans which have no authorised place to stop. The caravan count does not capture the detail of family type and so specific figures for Traveller families with children are not available.
Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many Travelling families with children were recorded as having a fixed residence in each year since 2001. [29859]
Andrew Stunell: The twice yearly caravan count does not capture the detail of family type and so specific figures for Traveller families with children are not available. The caravan count shows the following figures of authorised Traveller caravans in England since 2001:
| Period of count | Caravans on socially rented sites | Caravans on authorised private sites |
UN Food and Agricultural Organisation
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what information his Department holds on the level of compliance of local authorities with the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation's criteria for sourcing sustainable timber; [27833]
(2) what assessment he has made of the compliance of (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's criteria for sourcing sustainable timber. [27856]
Robert Neill: The Department does not hold such information.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Apprentices
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to promote apprenticeship schemes; and if he will make a statement. [30305]
Mr Hayes: This Government are committed to increasing the number of apprenticeships. In the comprehensive spending review, we announced that we will increase investment in adult apprenticeships by up to £250 million during this Parliament. By 2014-15 financial year we will have in place sufficient funding for 75,000 more adult apprenticeships places than under the previous Government's plans.
In this current public expenditure climate we must realise that expanding and improving the apprenticeship programme depends in no small measure on our ability to persuade a larger and more diverse range of businesses to employ apprentices. We are therefore reducing bureaucracy making the system simpler for employers and are considering how we might better support employers through improved funding arrangements. In November, we joined farces with business leaders and the National Apprenticeships Service (NAS) to launch a new campaign to urge more employers to take on apprenticeships.
In February 2011 the National Apprenticeship Service will be co-ordinating National Apprenticeship Week which will see apprentices, employers, and providers showcase the benefits of apprenticeship programmes and the value apprentices bring to organisations.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on their role in promoting apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement. [30306]
Mr Hayes: The most recent discussions with local authority representatives were through our Skills for Sustainable Growth Strategy consultation events. We are fully aware of local authorities' important role in promoting apprenticeships.
The executive chair and chief operating officer of the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) have also visited a number of local authorities to discuss apprenticeships issues; including exploring opportunities for representatives from local authorities to be involved in apprenticeship week from 7-11 February 2011.
Many local authorities are already active in encouraging employers in their areas to employ apprentices, in offering apprenticeships to their own new and existing staff, and in using procurement as a means of encouraging their suppliers to recruit apprentices.
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many higher apprenticeship (a) starts and (b) completions there were in the last 12 months. [30429]
Mr Hayes: The following table shows the number of higher level apprenticeship programme/framework starts and achievements in England for 2009/10, based on information for the year to date.
| Apprenticeship programme/framework starts and achievements, 2009/10 | ||
| 2009/10 (provisional) | ||
| Starts | Achievements | |
| Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Source: Individualised Learner Record | ||
This Government are committed to increasing the number of apprenticeships, in particular, advanced and higher apprenticeships. British employers currently face a workforce with insufficient skills at intermediate technician and associate professional level, critical to many industries of the future. Expanding level 3 and level 4 apprenticeships will make a significant contribution to remedying the shortage of people with this level of qualification.
Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 16 November 2010
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprentices he expects there to be in (a) 2010 and (b) each year to 2015. [30476]
Mr Hayes: There were 273,900 Apprenticeship programme starts in 2009/10 for all ages, based on information for the year to date.
In support of the coalition Government's principle of greater freedom, "Skills for Sustainable Growth and Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth" set out the abolition of central targets and increased freedom and flexibility for further education colleges and training organisations to respond effectively to the needs of employers, learners and their communities. It will be for individual colleges and training organisations, working directly with their local partners, to determine the offer that best meets the needs of their communities.
From the 2011/12 academic year, there will be a single Adult Skills Budget, with earmarked delivery for apprenticeships. As part of its allocations process later this year, the Skills Funding Agency will set out a minimum expectation of apprenticeships delivery. Further education colleges and training organisations will be able to use their single Adult Skills Budget allocation to expand apprenticeships. However, any diversion of funding away from apprenticeships is to be agreed with the Agency.
By the end of the spending review period we will be spending up to £250 million more than was provided under the previous Government. It means we can carry forward the additional 50,000 adult apprenticeship places announced for 2010-11 into future years and add an extra 25,000 by 2014-15. That will take us to 75,000 more places than under the last Government.
The figures above are for adult apprenticeships, that is people aged 19 and above. Funding for 16 to 18-year-old apprenticeships is provided by the Department for Education. They will publish information on funding and learner numbers for 16 to 18-year-old apprenticeships in their annual funding statement shortly.
Business: Regulation
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has assessed for benchmarking purposes the burden of regulation on each sector of the economy; and if he will make a statement. [30304]
Mr Prisk: The Government recently announced the Growth Review "The path to strong, sustainable and balanced growth". Although there has not been a specific benchmarking exercise to assess the burden of regulation on each sector of the economy, in the first stages of the Growth Review, departments will be looking at how they can remove the barriers to growth, including regulatory barriers, in six priority sectors: construction, retail, health and life sciences, professional and business services, manufacturing and digital and creative industries. The Government have also introduced a 'one-in, one-out' rule to cut red tape and ensure that no new regulation with a net cost to business is brought in without other regulation being cut by an equal amount.
Departmental Lobbying
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent from the public purse on influencing public policy through (a) employing external (i) public affairs companies, (ii) strategic consultancies and (iii) corporate communications firms, (b) external marketing and (c) other activities in each year since its inception; [23769]
(2) which of his Department's non-departmental public bodies have undertaken activities to influence public policy for which they engaged (a) public affairs and (b) public relations consultants in each year since its inception; and at what monetary cost in each such year. [23791]
Mr Davey: Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
All expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 10 December 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO) to your Parliamentary Question tabled 9 November 2010, asking the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent from the public purse on influencing public policy through a) employing external (i) public affairs companies, (ii) strategic consultancies and (iii) corporate communications firms, (b) external marketing and (c) other activities in each year since its inception.
As an Executive Agency operating within a Government Department, NMO does not spend, and has not spent, any money influencing public policy. In our capacity as advisors to Ministers on various policy areas, including for instance policy on the National Measurement System and on Weights and Measures
legislation, we contribute to internal policy making within Government, but we do not use external public affairs companies, strategic consultancies or corporate communications, nor external marketing, for these purposes.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 7 December 2010:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 9 November 2010, UIN 23769 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying to you.
Companies House has not spent any money from the public purse on influencing public policy.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 11 November 2010:
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent from the public purse on influencing public policy through (a) employing external (i) public affairs companies, (ii) strategic consultancies and (iii) corporate communications firms, (b) external marketing and (c) other activities in each year since its inception.
The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has not engaged in any of the activities listed and therefore, the amount spent under each category is nil.
Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 11 November 2010:
I refer to your parliamentary question tabled on 9 November to the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills requesting to know how much his departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent from the public purse on influencing public policy through a number of channels.
The Skills Funding Agency (the Agency) is an agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and I confirm that the Agency has not spent any monies from the public purse on influencing public policy since its inception.
Letter from John Alty, dated 13 December 2010:
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 09/11/2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO), an operating name of the Patent Office, has spent no money on influencing public policy since its inception.
Exports
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many export orders were won by British businesses as a result of trade missions undertaken since May 2010; what the monetary value was of each such order; and if he will make a statement. [30315]
Mr Prisk: Through its Performance and Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS), UKTI tracks the value of benefits attributed by British businesses to their participation in UKTI supported trade missions. The benefits are calculated by using independently administered surveys of some 4,000 customers across the full range of UKTI trade services each year. Results are published quarterly on the UKTI website at:
For trade missions undertaken between 1 April 2010 and 30 June 2010 results will be available in January 2011. Over the past two years, PIMS results show mean benefit per business participating in supported outward missions ranging between £101,000 and £285,000, measured as additional profit attributed to business gained as a result of their participation in UKTI supported trade missions(1).
UKTI does not collect data on the value of individual orders won by businesses using its services, as these are a private commercial matter for the companies concerned.
(1) UK Trade and Investment Performance and Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS) PIMS 16-19 Report (Part 2) Table C.2.2.
Further Education: Standards
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many further education colleges Ofsted rated as (a) outstanding, (b) good, (c) satisfactory and (d) failing in the last 12 months. [30425]
Mr Hayes: This is a matter for Ofsted. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of her response will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Further Education: Teachers
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what qualifications are required to teach in a further education college; and if he will make a statement. [30428]
Mr Hayes: All new further education teachers appointed from 1 September 2007 are required to hold or acquire within a specified period of time the following qualifications:
(a) a 'Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector' (PTLLS) award (or its equivalent), which is a minimum threshold licence to teach for all who have an element of teaching in their role, irrespective of job title; and
(b) a Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector at minimum level 5 (or its equivalent) leading to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status for those in a full teaching role; or
(c) a Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector at level 3 or 4 (or its equivalent), leading to Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS) status for those in an associate teaching role, (ie a role that carries significantly less than the full range of teaching responsibilities carried out in a full teaching role).
Higher Education: Finance
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy in the Brighton and Hove area of the planned reduction in teaching funding to the university sector; and if he will make a statement. [30112]
Mr Willetts: Our reforms to higher education will shift the balance of public funds for teaching from direct grant to institutions to funding that follows the choices made by individual students. This will provide strong incentives for institutions to focus on providing high quality teaching as efficiently as possible. Over time, popular and successful institutions will be able to grow and we expect new providers to enter the sector providing they can offer teaching to the high standards students will expect. We do not expect the overall income of the sector to reduce and we expect improved teaching quality and better informed students to have a positive impact on the economy. We do not have the data in order to make an assessment at the local level of the effect of the reforms in any particular area, as that will depend on the decisions taken by each individual institution in response to the new funding regime.
Higher Education: Student Numbers
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many young people from each London borough entered (a) university and (b) a Russell Group university in the last four years. [30214]
Mr Willetts: The latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is shown in the table. Figures for London boroughs are not available, therefore local authority data has been provided as an alternative. Figures for the 2009/10 academic year will be available in January 2011. Entrants to Higher Education courses at Further Education Colleges are not included.
| Young( 1) Undergraduate e ntrants from London local authorities UK higher education institutions: Academic years 2005/06 to 2008/09 | ||||||||
| Entrants to UK higher education institutions | of which: entrants to Russell Group institutions | |||||||
| Local Authority | 2005/06 | 2006/07 | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 | 2007/08 | 2008/09 |
| (1) Covers entrants aged under 21 (2) Covers entrants whose local authority was not established due to missing or invalid postcode information Note: Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and have been rounded to the nearest five. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). | ||||||||
Insolvency
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage greater transparency in the insolvency sector. [30158]
Mr Davey: The Office of Fair Trading recently undertook a review into the corporate insolvency market, which was published on 24 June 2010. This included a number of recommendations, in particular related to complaints processes and the structure of regulation of Insolvency practitioners. The Government are also considering the responses to a consultation on improving transparency in pre-packaged administrations.
We expect to publish the Government's responses to both the OFT report and the pre-pack consultation shortly.
We have also recently issued a call for evidence in relation to the regime for personal insolvency.
As I stated in a previous answer, changes were recently made to the procedural insolvency rules in England and Wales in April to require insolvency practitioners to provide more information to creditors on the progress of insolvency cases, in particular in relation to remuneration and other expenses incurred. Additionally, creditors
have been given new rights to request further information from the office-holder on the remuneration and expenses shown in the progress reports that they are sent.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how long on average it took for an insolvency case to be settled in the latest period for which figures are available. [30179]
Mr Davey: The Insolvency Service does not record this information and I can add nothing further to the reply I gave on 8 September, Official Report, column 525W.
Insolvency: Fees and Charges
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department plans to set a cap on the fees charged by insolvency practitioners. [30156]
Mr Davey: We currently have no plans to introduce legislation to cap the level of fees charged by insolvency practitioners. Power to set such fees rests with the creditors or the court.
The Office of Fair Trading recently undertook a review into the corporate insolvency market, which was published on 24 June 2010. It recommended that the complaints process should be extended to include complaints over fees charged by insolvency practitioners. We expect to publish the Government's response to this report shortly.
Local Enterprise Agencies
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding from each source he expects to be available to each proposed local enterprise partnership in each year of the spending review period. [30632]
Mr Prisk: No central Government spending has been allocated specifically to fund the activities of local enterprise partnerships. As set out in the White Paper on local growth, local enterprise partnerships will be expected to fund their own day-to-day running costs and will also want to consider how they can obtain the best value for public money by leveraging in private sector investment. Local enterprise partnerships and proposed partnerships may also wish to submit bids to the Regional Growth Fund or European Funding. It is for local authorities to decide how much of their discretionary spending they allocate to local enterprise partnerships.
Nuclear Power Stations: Construction
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what responsibilities he has in respect of the supply chain for new nuclear facilities in the UK. [30236]
Mr Prisk: This Department, working alongside the Department of Energy and Climate Change, focuses on assisting business in being able to maximise their opportunities in the global and domestic civil nuclear market. Specifically this is supported by:
Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre ( N-AMRC);
Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS)
SC@ nuclear/Nuclear Industry Association (NIA)
Export support through UK Trade and Investment
Engagement with the utility and reactor design companies on industrial opportunities.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |