Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 13 January 2011
Cabinet Office
Government Departments: Weather
Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what account his Department took of the October 2010 Met Office forecast of a mild winter in preparations across Government for the winter of 2010. [33063]
Mr Maude: The Met Office provide the Government with regular updates throughout the year to inform short, medium and longer term planning. In late October, the Met Office advised that temperatures during November and December were likely to be average or colder. This information was shared with Departments as part of a wider review of winter preparedness.
Public Sector: Sick Leave
Mr Amess: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance his Department has provided to Government Departments on the use of absence management programmes to reduce the rates of sickness absence among staff. [33093]
Mr Maude: The Civil Service Management Code gives Departments and agencies the delegated authority to ensure that sickness absence is managed effectively.
The Cabinet Office has published a cross-civil service health and well-being framework that covers these issues. This is available to all Departments via the civil service website:
Culture, Media and Sport
British Sky Broadcasting
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will publish the report by Ofcom on BSkyB and media plurality; and if he will make a statement. [33373]
Mr Jeremy Hunt:
In making my decision about News Corporation's proposed acquisition of BSkyB, I will take as much time as necessary to carefully consider all the relevant information so that I am able to come to a fully considered decision. Our internal Government guidance suggests 10 working days, but this is guidance rather than a requirement. In view of the commercial sensitivity of the process and the need to preserve legitimate confidentiality, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on every stage of the process. I will publish Ofcom's report with commercially sensitive
information redacted. I have not taken a final decision about when to publish, but I have a duty to publish the report before or at the time of the announcement of my decision.
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) whether he plans to announce his decision on whether to refer News Corporation's proposed acquisition of BSkyB to the Competition Commission within the timescale outlined in Government guidance for such referrals; [33537]
(2) whether (a) he and (b) officials in his Department plan to meet senior executives from News Corporation prior to his decision on whether to refer News Corporation's proposed acquisition of BSkyB to the Competition Commission; [33538]
(3) whether (a) he and (b) officials in his Department plan to meet representatives of media organisations opposed to News Corporation's proposed acquisition of BSkyB prior to his decision on whether to refer the proposed acquisition to the Competition Commission; [33539]
(4) whether he plans to publish in full Ofcom's report to him on the public interest considerations raised by News Corporation's proposed acquisition of BSkyB (a) at the same time as, (b) in advance of or (c) after the announcement of his decision on referral of the proposed acquisition to the Competition Commission. [33540]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: In making my decision about News Corporation's proposed acquisition of BSkyB, I will take as much time as necessary to carefully consider all the relevant information so that I am able to come to a fully considered decision. Our internal Government guidance suggests 10 working days, but this is guidance rather than a requirement. In view of the commercial sensitivity of the process and the need to preserve legitimate confidentiality, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on every stage of the process. I will publish Ofcom's report with commercially sensitive information redacted. I have not taken a final decision about when to publish, but I have a duty to publish the report before or at the time of the announcement of my decision.
Departmental Marketing
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department has spent on advertising, marketing and publicity since May 2010; and under what budget headings these costs were incurred. [32272]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: The Department spent £114,007.10 on advertising, marketing and publicity in the period May 2010 to the end of November 2010. The costs were incurred against its Publicity, Government Olympic Executive and News and Digital budget headings.
Publicity expenditure on these areas since May 2010 is £33,691.10 and was primarily spent on statutory publications including the Change Management Plan, DCMS Resource Accounts and the DCMS Annual Report. This also includes events such as the DCMS all staff meeting.
Government Olympic Executive expenditure on these areas is £42,689 and was spent mainly on publications and a digital strategy.
News and Digital expenditure on these areas is £37,637 with the majority of that being spent on updating the DCMS website.
HMS Victory 1744
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he plans to respond to his Department's consultation on HMS Victory 1744: Options for the Management of the Wreck Site. [33377]
John Penrose: The public consultation on the future management of the wreck site of HMS Victory was a joint consultation by this Department with the Ministry of Defence, published by the previous Government. A joint response is intended to be published in the spring.
Tourism: North East
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that the tourist industry in the North East is not adversely affected by reductions in government funding for the industry. [33718]
John Penrose: The Government are creating a new international marketing fund for tourism. We are looking to create a fund of more than £100 million, with major companies already pledging support to help match the £50 million of public money the Government have committed through VisitBritain over the next four years.
We are also investing nearly £33 million in VisitEngland over four years which will focus on promoting the domestic tourism industry and supporting destination management organisations, local authorities and emerging local enterprise partnerships. Tourism in the North East will benefit from both funding initiatives and further details will be included in the new strategy for tourism which will be published shortly
In addition, the £1.4 billion regional growth fund (RGF) presents an important opportunity for tourism. We have worked to ensure that the RGF is available for tourism-related bids, and Ministers have encouraged the tourism sector to apply.
Energy and Climate Change
Energy: Housing
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate has been made of the energy saving likely to arise from retrofitting existing housing stock with energy efficiency measures. [33154]
Gregory Barker: The most recent illustration of the likely energy savings generated as a result of retrofitting existing housing stock with energy efficiency measures can be found in the Green Deal impact assessment (IA), published alongside the Energy Bill on 8 December 2010
This development stage IA presents two illustrative scenarios for the installation of energy efficiency measures into the existing housing stock between 2013 and 2020 resulting from possible future secondary legislation. Detailed assumptions related to the energy saving per measure are presented in the annexes to the IA. These assumptions are applied to the illustrative scenarios to calculate the total energy savings generated over the life-time of the measures installed. The two scenarios assume different levels of consumer take up of a variety of cost-effective insulation measures.
The range of total energy savings estimated in the two illustrative scenarios in the Green Deal IA is 64,000 to 87,000 TWH a year from 2020, over the lifetime of all the installed measures. The results do not represent the total amount of energy saving that would result from the retrofitting of the entire housing stock.
Energy: Prices
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what timetable he has set for the amendment of the Feed-in Tariffs (Specified Maximum Capacity and Functions) Order 2010 to provide support for large-scale, ground-mounted solar photovoltaic panels. [33120]
Charles Hendry: Following the spending review announcement last October, and our concerns about proposed large industrial-scale green field solar farms distorting the available funding for roof top and other innovative solar technologies, my officials have been monitoring and evaluating the situation. We stand ready to take measures to limit access of schemes to FITs if necessary.
Fuel: Poverty
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has made an estimate of the potential effect on the number of people in fuel poverty of an increase in the level of energy generated from renewable sources. [33157]
Gregory Barker: There have been no recent estimates made about the effect that the increase in the level of energy generated from renewable sources will have on the number of people in fuel poverty.
Government are mindful of the need to strike a balance between increasing costs on customer bills and enabling progress in tackling fuel poverty.
Green Deal
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment has been made of the likely effects on the rental property market of property loans made under the proposed Green Deal. [33160]
Gregory Barker:
From late 2012, the Green Deal will offer a range of innovative finance packages allowing landlords to install insulation and energy efficiency measures in their rental properties at no upfront cost to
themselves. This should be an attractive option for the rental property market and encourage investment in the sector.
The key test will be uptake in the first year of implementation. We therefore intend to assess the effects on the rental property market in the real world setting after implementation.
Offshore Industry: Renewable Energy
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding mechanisms are in place to encourage investment in the offshore renewable energy sector on the East Anglian coast. [33153]
Charles Hendry: The renewables obligation is currently the Government's main financial incentive for renewable electricity. It places a requirement on energy suppliers to source a specified and annually increasing proportion of their sales from renewable sources or pay a penalty. Offshore wind and marine technology generators in England and Wales currently receive two renewable obligation certificates for every megawatt hour of electricity that they generate. The renewables obligation has been successful in more than tripling the level of renewable electricity in the UK from 1.8% in 2002 to 6.6% in 2009.
DECC has also provided technology support through the low carbon energy demonstration capital grants scheme, which is not currently open to new proposals. The scheme aims to bring forward the demonstration of new components or technology to support the deployment of large-scale offshore wind turbines around the UK within 2020 time scales. In the course of three calls for proposals under the scheme, support was offered to 16 projects, worth a total of over £25 million.
Future innovation support programmes for low carbon technologies, including off-shore wind, are being considered with decisions expect in the spring.
Wind Power: Offshore Industry
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has made an estimate of the net effect on the number of jobs consequent on the planned expansion to offshore wind farms on the East Anglian coast (a) in the next 10 years and (b) in total. [33155]
Charles Hendry: No estimate has been made of employment impact specifically caused by offshore wind farm expansion on the East Anglian coast.
The Carbon Trust have estimated, in their report "Focus for success-A new approach to commercialising low carbon technologies", that there will be up to 70,000 UK jobs in the offshore wind sector by 2020, made up of 50,000 direct jobs, and 20,000 secondary jobs (in areas such as legal services and finance).
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Common Fisheries Policy
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the effects of the operation of the common fisheries policy on the conservation of fish stocks in British waters. [32957]
Richard Benyon: The common fisheries policy (CFP) is not sufficiently conserving fish stocks. Though showing some improvement, in 2009 48% of fish stocks of most interest to the UK with a known stocks status were outside safe biological limits. CFP reform is a crucial opportunity to address this failing and move towards sustainable fisheries. It will take radical reform and we are pressing for the CFP to simplify and decentralise fisheries management, giving fishermen greater incentives to fish sustainably.
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to invite stakeholders to contribute to the review of the common fisheries policy in 2012. [32958]
Richard Benyon: As the Minister for fisheries, I have had discussions with a range of organisations and people, including EU institutions and MEPs, about common fisheries policy (CFP) reform, and will continue to seek contributions in advance of publication of the EU Commission's proposals for reform in early summer. This will include contributions from representatives of the fishing industry, both large-scale and under-10 metre fleets, non-governmental organisations and major processors and retailers, to help make the strongest possible case for radical reform of the CFP.
Fisheries
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her most recent estimate is of the financial effects of the practice of discard on fishermen in each region in each year since 1997-98. [32956]
Richard Benyon: The total discard estimate in 2009 (the latest period for which figures are available for those fisheries sampled in UK) is 51,179 tonnes. There are many reasons explaining these discards; however, the current system for recording catch and discard data does not allow us to differentiate (year on year) why each fish is discarded. Despite this, Cefas analysis, conducted in 2010 on the 2008 English and Welsh discard data, estimated that:
54% (13,230 tonnes) of total discards were discarded for reasons relating to weak/absent markets (i.e. non-quota species);
quota constraints were estimated to account for 22% (5,390 tonnes) of discards (i.e. quota species above the legal minimum landing size);
24% (5,880 tonnes) of total discards were quota species below the legal minimum landing size (MLS) and were too small to land.
High grading is another type of discarding where fishermen try to optimise the value of their catches by keeping the good value fish and discarding the poorer value ones. This creates a financial profit for fishermen but is still a waste of legally landable fish. A European high grading ban is in place in waters around the UK to prevent this behaviour. The extent of high grading has not been successfully separated from estimates for other types of discarding. Other types of discarding, such as unmarketable species, over quota and under MLS may represent a loss of value to the fishermen and from the fishery.
Because discard estimates 1997-2010 have not undergone the same analysis as 2008 data, estimates of the financial impacts of discards for the British fleet as a whole are unreliable. To simply use the average market value of all
fish species as a multiplier would give an inaccurate estimate of the financial impact of discards. We do, however, have a more robust study under way looking at the economic impact of discarding fish.
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment her Department has made of the likely effects of distributing under-10 metre fishing quota more evenly between long-liners and trawlers operating off the East Anglian coast; [32959]
(2) what assessment her Department has made of the effects on skippers of the under-10 metre fishing fleet of the ownership of quotas by non-fishermen; [32960]
(3) for what reasons non-fishermen are permitted to own quota for the under-10 metre fishing fleet on the East Coast; [32961]
(4) what recent estimate has been made of the level of sustainability of the under-10 metre fishing fleet of long-liners and trawlers. [33150]
Richard Benyon: No specific assessment has been made of the effects of redistribution of quota, or the holding of quota, by non-fishermen on the long-liners of the East Anglian coast.
Currently, fishermen and non-fishermen can hold fixed quota allocation units (FQAs), but do not have property rights over FQAs. Nonetheless, they are afforded a substantial degree of protection and certainty through the development and operation of the UK's quota management rules, and the Minister's assurance that significant changes will not be made to existing arrangements without full, and proper, consultation. Under current arrangements, there are no restrictions on who may hold FQA units, which reflects historic practice.
The Sustainable Access to Inshore Fisheries (SAIF) project has been developing proposals for reform of fisheries management in England in order to put the fishing fleet on a more sustainable footing. As part of this work, a wide range of research projects were completed to better understand the social, environmental and economic benefits of the under-10m fleet in particular. The work is also looking at the issue of quota distribution. We are aiming to launch a full public consultation on proposals in spring 2011, and the associated impact assessment will set out the potential impacts of different policy options on the English fleet.
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on total allowable catches and quotas for deep-sea species. [32965]
Richard Benyon: The Government recognise the need to ensure the long-term sustainability of these species, by continuing to reduce fishing pressure on them in accordance with scientific advice. Their typical biological characteristics mean most relevant species are thought to be more vulnerable to over-exploitation, and therefore a precautionary approach should be taken. Ministers reached political agreement on appropriate fishing opportunities for certain stocks for 2011 and 2012 (at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting on 29 November 2010) reflecting this.
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the merits of setting a maximum number of hours at sea as a means of maintaining fish stocks and controlling fishing. [33151]
Richard Benyon: Some fishing vessels and gear types are currently subject to limitations on fishing effort. These effort limitations are a component of management plans intended to contribute to the recovery of some vulnerable stocks. Effort limits are used to help control fishing as if there is less fishing effort there is also less fishing mortality.
There has not yet been any formal assessment of the effectiveness of the existing effort management schemes in achieving the objectives of the management plans. However, at the recent December Fisheries Council the Government secured a commitment from the European Commission to a full and detailed review of the long-term management plan for cod in 2011, in particular the restrictions that apply to fishing effort. The European Commission also recently requested its Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries to look at the relationship between fishing effort and fishing mortality for stocks subject to effort management. The results from this analysis have not yet been published but should become available in due course.
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the current quota system on young fish stocks. [33152]
Richard Benyon: EU technical conservation measures set a minimum landing size (MLS) for many commercial fish stocks to protect juvenile fish from being targeted, ensuring they cannot be landed and sold. However, small fish of quota species can still be caught while fishermen are targeting other species; such fish are discarded.
We estimate that around 24% of discards (England and Wales-2008) are quota species below the legal MLS. To reduce the number of discarded fish scientists work with UK fishermen to improve the selectivity of fishing gears so that less juvenile fish are caught. The Government's fully documented catch quota trials are also a promising way of reducing discards in UK fisheries.
Mercury
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will bring forward proposals for a review of mercury abatement legislation; [33464]
(2) what recent estimate she has made of the cost to industry of compliance with the provisions of mercury abatement legislation; [33465]
(3) if she will bring forward proposals to introduce a moratorium on the requirement for any further crematoria to comply with the provisions of mercury abatement legislation; [33466]
(4) if she will estimate the total amount of mercury abated since the provisions of mercury abatement legislation came into force. [33467]
Richard Benyon: Policy on reducing mercury emissions from crematoria is kept under regular review. Mercury abatement for 50% of cremations is a proportionate response to tackling a pollutant that has significant health effects-as a neurotoxicant, with the biggest effect on the foetus, newborns and children-as well as damaging ecosystems including fish-eating birds and mammals, Arctic ecosystems, and wetlands.
The improvements are being delivered by the industry through an innovative burden-sharing scheme. The sector currently advises an increase in the fee per cremation of £45 to cover costs. This compares with 2010 data from AXA that the average cost of a funeral by burial is £2,857, and around £800 less expensive by cremation.
209,000 cremations will need to be subject to abatement. As at November 2010, 75,000 cremations were abated, with expenditure committed or works under way for a further 109,000.
Salmon: Fish Farming
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on farmed salmon. [33385]
Richard Benyon: The UK Government recognise that aquaculture has an important part to play in meeting the needs of European consumers for a sustainable supply of fish and seafood. The Government's policy is to encourage the development of efficient, competitive and sustainable aquaculture industries, while protecting the health status and conservation of UK farmed and wild migratory and freshwater fish, and shellfish.
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the benefit to the economy from the farmed salmon industry; and what estimate she has made of the number of jobs associated with that industry in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK. [33452]
Richard Benyon: Salmon farming in Scotland supported 1,212 direct jobs in production, and an additional 3,733 full-time, part-time and seasonal jobs in processing in 2008. The Scottish salmon farming industry had a farm gate value of £335.7 million in 2008.
There is no farming of adult salmon (post smolt) in England and Wales, but a small number of freshwater farms rear smolts for on-growing in Scottish farms and for wild salmon population enhancement. In 2008, Atlantic salmon production in England and Wales comprised some 4 million smolts, with a value of around £1 million.
In Northern Ireland, the total aquaculture production in 2008 had first sale value of £9.618 million, with £0.469 million of this being for salmon. The aquaculture sector employed 91 full-time and 56 part-time employees, of which 60 were employed in the fin fish sector.
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with (a) stakeholders and (b) the Scottish Government on her policy on farmed salmon. [33453]
Richard Benyon:
DEFRA officials meet regularly with representatives from the Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh Government, and stakeholder organisations, to discuss key issues facing the aquaculture sector. Most recently, the UK Aquaculture Forum, which brings
together a range of interested bodies including government representatives, industry and non-governmental organisations, met on 7 October 2010 and discussed a range of issues relating to aquaculture practices, including salmon farming.
In addition, DEFRA officials and those from the devolved Governments, as well as stakeholders and industry representatives, participated in the open session on aquaculture at the 27th Annual Meeting of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization on 1 to 4 June 2010.
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on the environment in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK of practices involved in the farming of salmon. [33454]
Richard Benyon: In 2010, the UK Government, including the devolved Administrations, submitted reports to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation on their management of aquaculture, introductions and transfers, and transgenics for international peer review. The principal environmental concerns that have been identified with salmon farming are transmission of diseases and parasites, particularly sea lice, from reared to wild fish; interbreeding of escaped reared salmon with wild fish in local rivers; and the effects of nutrients and other contaminants on the environment around the farm sites. While these factors remain a concern in Scotland and the UK, there have been considerable developments by the industry to mitigate the effects of their activities.
Seas and Oceans: Environment Protection
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects on the marine environment of the practice of discard in each region in each year since 1997-98. [32955]
Richard Benyon: The ecological impacts of discarding on the ecosystem include the direct effects of discard mortality on fish stocks and the effects of population growth in species that utilise these discards.
The direct ecological effects of discard mortality are inextricably linked to overall fishing mortality. In the North Sea, excessive fishing mortality has been shown to:
reduce potential yield from the stocks;
reduce species diversity;
change predator-prey interactions;
change the relative abundance of species.
Several seabed dwelling species utilise discards. However, evidence for expansion of these populations, as a response to discards, is weak. In general, the full impacts of discarding on marine communities are not well understood, and neither are the consequences of reducing the amount of discarded material. However, it is recognised that removing non-marketable marine organisms from the ecosystem will reduce its health, and is therefore not consistent with good ecosystem management.
A wide range of scavengers, including seabirds and fishes, are also known to feed on discards. In the North Sea, discarding is estimated to account for up to 10% of the overall annual food consumption of scavengers.
This level of contribution is probably sufficient to allow larger populations of these scavenging species to exist than would otherwise be possible. For instance, seabirds are estimated to consume 50% of discarded material; enough to potentially support over 6 million birds.
Tuna: Conservation
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the use of skipjack tuna in the food supply and retail industry. [33347]
Richard Benyon: The UK, through the EU, is a member of a number of UN regional fisheries management bodies, including the International Commission on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. These bodies set specific conservation and management measures, based on scientific advice, aimed at ensuring the sustainable management of tuna stocks. The UK Government continues to use its influence in such fora to press for the use of sustainable fishing methods in order to ensure the long-term future of these stocks.
Current scientific advice on the status of skipjack tuna stocks means that it has not been necessary to impose any specific management measures on these fisheries.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan: Females
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the issue of rights of women and girls in Afghanistan was discussed at the NATO summit in Lisbon in November 2010. [33331]
Alistair Burt: The declaration of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit in Lisbon, in November 2010 stressed,
"the importance of Afghanistan standing by its Constitutional and international obligations on human rights, particularly regarding the rights of women, and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security."
The UK will continue to work to improve the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
On my recent visit to Afghanistan I had a meeting with women's rights organisations in Kabul, to express our support for their ongoing engagement with the Afghan Government.
Diplomatic Service: Domestic Service
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what rights diplomatic representatives accredited to the UK have to employ in the UK domestic workers entitled to work in their home countries. [33319]
Mr Bellingham:
In accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, foreign diplomats accredited in the UK are entitled to employ
domestic workers (foreign or British). Under Article 41 (1) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations it is the duty of all diplomats:
'to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State'.
This applies to the terms and conditions of employment for all domestic staff.
North Korea: Politics and Government
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the succession of the leadership of North Korea by Kim Jong-un. [33406]
Mr Jeremy Browne: It appears that the succession process has begun. We hope that North Korea's leadership will recognise that engagement with the international community is better than isolation and we urge them to make verifiable progress on denuclearisation so that talks between the relevant parties can resume.
Sudan: Referendums
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports on the arrangements made for the conduct of the referendum on the independence of southern Sudan. [33358]
Mr Bellingham: Arrangements for the referendum on self determination for Southern Sudan have been robust and well led by the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission. Voter registration went smoothly and voting, which started on 9 January, has so far been peaceful. The UK contributed over £11 million to support the referendum process.
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he made to his Sudanese counterpart on the registration of voters prior to the referendum on independence in that country on 9 January 2011; [33410]
(2) what recent representations he has made to his Sudanese counterpart on the payment of oil revenues to southern Sudan; [33411]
(3) what representations he made to his Sudanese counterpart to ensure that the referendum on independence for southern Sudan took place as planned on 9 January 2011. [33412]
Mr Bellingham: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with Sudan partners. He spoke to the President of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir, on 9 January 2011, and Sudanese Vice President, Ali Osman Taha, on 13 December 2010. He welcomed the progress with the Southern Sudan Referendum with registration complete and polling currently under way. He has also emphasised the importance of the Sudanese parties resolving outstanding issues as quickly as possible, including oil revenues.
UN Agencies: Finance
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding his Department provided to the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs in each of the last five years. [33310]
Mr Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office pays the UK share (6.604%) of the UN regular budget which is agreed biennially. The elements paid by the UK from the UN regular budget to the Office for Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs are as follows:
| US$ | |
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding his Department provided to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in each of the last five years. [33315]
Mr Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) pays the UK share (currently 6.604%) of the UN Regular Budget which is negotiated biennially. The elements paid by the UK from the UN Regular Budget to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) biennially are as follows:
| US$ | |
The FCO made other payments to UNHCR for project work as follows:
| £ | |
UN Women
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department made representations at UN level on the proposed composition of the executive board of UN Women. [33329]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The UK was actively involved in General Assembly negotiations which established the size and composition of UN Women's Executive Board.
Elections to the board took place in the UN's Economic and Social Council in November last year. 35 member states drawn from five regional groups were elected to serve on the board, with six others appointed on the basis of their voluntary contributions and their role as emerging donors. The UK will sit on the board for the next five years.
As board members were elected by member states within their regional groups, no representations were made at UN level on the membership of the executive board. The UK encouraged regional groups to put forward a wide range of candidates for election.
Home Department
Asylum: Housing
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which local authorities provide homes to people seeking asylum in the UK under contracts with the UK Border Agency; how many homes each such local authority has provided under such contracts in each of the last five years; [33483]
(2) how many homes were provided to people seeking asylum in the UK in each local authority area, for each type of tenancy in each of the last five years. [33484]
Damian Green: Provision of accommodation for eligible asylum seekers is procured through contracts placed with a mixture of private and public sector providers. The UK Border Agency has in some cases contracts with individual local authorities but most of the provision is with consortiums made up of a number of local authorities operating within a specific region of the UK. The following local authorities and consortiums were all contracted to provide accommodation in each of the last five years:
Glasgow city council
Liverpool city council
Cardiff city council
Swansea city council
Yorkshire and Humberside consortium
North East consortium
North West consortium
West Midlands consortium.
The UK Border Agency does not hold the information requested in respect of the number of homes each local authority has provided in each of the last five years. Each contract stipulates a minimum and maximum number of asylum seekers each local authority/consortium is required to accommodate. The UK Border Agency refers individuals to the contractor whose responsibility it is to provide accommodation and related services whilst the service users remain eligible for asylum support. Accommodation providers are not required to make a specific number of homes available but to ensure they can provide suitable accommodation for asylum seekers up to the maximum figure contained within their contract. Payment is made on a per person per night basis and no tenancy agreement is formed.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to provide housing to people seeking asylum in the UK who are at risk of losing their current homes following the decision by some city councils not to renew their contracts with the UK Border Agency from June 2011 to house people seeking asylum; and if she will make a statement. [33485]
Damian Green:
The UK Border Agency is obliged under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act to provide accommodation for eligible asylum seekers. The current suite of accommodation contracts expire in 2011 and a recent exercise to reduce the number of contractors in line with the reduction of asylum applications
in recent years has meant a number of private sector and local authority/consortium contracts will naturally expire during 2011.
The agency is working with both existing and remaining providers to ensure that all asylum seekers continue to have their accommodation needs met. The UK Border Agency is committed to working with providers to identify solutions that will minimise any disruption to asylum seekers who may be affected. We have sought commitments from providers that they will look to minimise the number of relocations, particularly for families where there are children at school.
This may result in a contractual novation of properties allowing asylum seekers to remain in their current accommodation but this can not be guaranteed in all cases. When it is necessary for asylum seekers to move to alternative accommodation provided by a new provider we aim to provide suitable notice and will take into account special requirements to ensure minimum disruption.
Human Trafficking: Arrests
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested for offences related to human trafficking in each year since 2007. [33215]
Damian Green: The following figures are based on data taken from the Police National Computer and represent arrests for the period 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2010; they relate to arrests under Sections 57, 58 and 59 of the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) 2003, and under Section 4 of the Asylum and Immigration Act (AIA) 2004.
| SOA | AIA | Total | |
Sexual Offences: Advisory Services
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many independent sexual violence advisers there were in each region in each year since 2005. [33147]
Lynne Featherstone: Independent sexual violence advisers (ISVAs) work with victims of recent and historic serious sexual crimes to enable them to access the services they need in the aftermath of the abuse they have experienced. They provide independent support and advocacy throughout and beyond the criminal justice process.
The information requested is not collected centrally as funding for ISVA posts can come from a range of local and national sources.
A sub-set of ISVA posts has been partially funded by the Home Office since 2006-07. Details of these posts are as follows:
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | |
Further funding for ISVAs for the period 2011-12 to 2014-15 was announced in November 2010.
House of Commons Commission
Heating
Mr Winnick: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, (1) how many offices in Norman Shaw North were heated for all or part of the Christmas adjournment in 2010-11; what the cost was of such heating; and if he will make a statement; [33428]
(2) what steps were taken to ensure the level of heating was reduced in offices on the Commons estate during the Christmas adjournment of 2010-11; and if he will make a statement. [33429]
John Thurso: The heating controls in each unoccupied individual office in Norman Shaw North were turned to the minimum setting when attendants completed their duties on 24 December 2010. It is not possible to determine the cost of heating during the adjournment. Similar arrangements were in place across the Commons estate.
Mr Winnick: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how much was spent on heating for the House of Commons estate in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010. [33459]
John Thurso: The cost of heating the House of Commons estate cannot be identified separately as charges for gas and electricity also include such items as lighting, hot water and catering.
Scotland
Prison Service
Mr Bain:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Prison Service on the Government's plans to extend the franchise to prisoners serving sentences of up to four years. [33360]
David Mundell: The Government set out their position on the voting rights of prisoners in a statement to Parliament on 20 December 2010, Official Report, columns 150-51WS. The Government will be working closely with the Scottish Government and others before legislation is introduced on the practical implications of the approach.
Sexual Offences: Victims
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from groups representing the victims of sexual offences or violent crime in Scotland on the Government's plans to extend the franchise in Parliamentary elections to those serving prison sentences of up to four years. [33359]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office has received no such representations. The Government have brought these proposals forward as a result of a court ruling which they are obliged to implement. This is not a choice, it is a legal obligation, and we are ensuring that the most serious offenders will continue to be barred from voting.
Justice
Assisted Prison Visitors Unit
Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost to his Department was of the Assisted Prison Visitors Unit in the latest period for which figures are available; how much of this expenditure was incurred on visits including subsistence to each prison; and how many such visits there were. [33090]
Mr Blunt: The total cost of the Assisted Prison Visits Service in the financial year 2009-10 was £3,016,556. Of this, £2,343,132 (78%) was spent on visits including subsistence. 80,001 applications were made for assistance for visits to prisons in England and Wales in 2009-10 with 73,091 being paid. Visitors' applications are recorded against which prison a visitor wished to visit, but costs are not allocated against individual prisons, and are shown in the following table.
The Assisted Prison Visits Unit comprises the Assisted Prison Visits Scheme (APVS), the NOMS Prisoner Location Service (PLS) and the NOMS Victim Helpline (VH).
| Application for Assisted Prison Visits 2009-10 to English and Welsh prisons-total 79,835 by prison | |
| Prison | Applications |
Prisons: Sentencing
Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners serving a sentence of under four years had previously served a prison sentence. [33002]
Mr Blunt: 20,037 of the 30,786 offenders serving an immediate custodial sentence of less than four years in prison establishments at 30 June 2009 had previously served a custodial sentence. These figures are a further breakdown of table 7.32 in 'Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2009' which was published on 22 July 2010.
These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners currently serving a sentence of under four years are serving concurrent sentences which, if served consecutively, would result in a prison term of four years or longer. [33003]
Mr Blunt: From the most recent available data, September 2010, the number of prisoners serving sentences of less than four years is 28,770.
The Ministry of Justice Inmate Information System (IIS) holds information on the prison population under sentence for criminal offences in England and Wales. However, the IIS does not identify concurrent sentences for each prisoner. This detailed information may be held by the courts on individual case files and could be provided only through manual checking of all records at disproportionate cost.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Appeals
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answers of 21 December 2010, Official Report, columns 1149-1152W, on Appeals, and of 13 December 2010, Official Report, columns 500-501W, on legal costs, how many appeal cases were heard (a) with and (b) without legal representation in each category in each of the last three years; and in what proportion of cases (i) with and (ii) without legal representation the original ruling was upheld. [33076]
Mr Djanogly: The following tables provide the information requested.
| PQs | Tribunal Service Immigration and Asylum (TSIA) appeals not recorded as " publicly funded " | Percentage of those cases w here original decision upheld, i .e. case did not succeed | TSIA appeals recorded as " publicly funded " | Percentage of those cases where original decision upheld, i .e. case did not succeed | |||||||||
| 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | ||
| (1) Includes assessments, referrals, departures and reform cases. (2) The figures are based on the published figures factored according to the percentages provided by COIT in December 2010. (3 )Unrepresented is taken to mean non-legally represented and includes the categories: Blank (no rep), Other, Private individual, CAB and FRU. (4) includes child, disabled person, working family and working tax credit cases. (5) Housing benefit only-excludes housing/council tax combined. (6) Information on whether the appeal is publicly funded is provided by the appellant at the time they submit their appeal. These data may therefore be incomplete, either because the appellant has not advised that the appeal is publicly funded, the information has not been recorded on the database, or legal aid was granted after the appeal is submitted. It is also possible that some cases could be incorrectly identified as publicly funded, for example, where entitlement to legal aid changes after the appeal is submitted. TSIA ceased recording Publicly Funded data for ECO and FVV in February 2010 and for Asylum and MM in May 2010. Notes: 1. Following numbering of original PQs 214, 236-238, 246-261, we are able to provide details of whether or not appellants had representation and if they were successful (or not) in their appeal. However, information on whether or not there was legal representation, or legal representation funded by legal aid is not available. 2. Following numbering of original PQs 239-241, information is available for legal representation only and there are no details of the number of appeal cases heard that had legal representation funded by legal aid. 3. Following numbering of original PQs 242-245, we are able to provide details of appeal cases heard but not on whether or not the appellant has representation (legal otherwise). Details of the number of publicly funded appeals (legal aid cases) and their success, although available may not be complete nor accurate. We do not hold any data on which cases that were not "publicly funded" were represented. | |||||||||||||
Information on whether the appeal is publicly funded is provided by the appellant at the time they submit their appeal. These data may therefore be incomplete, either because the appellant has not advised that the appeal is publicly funded, the information has not been recorded on the database, or legal aid was granted after the appeal is submitted. It is also possible that some cases could be incorrectly identified as publicly funded, for example, where entitlement to legal aid changes after the appeal is submitted. TSIA ceased recording Publicly Funded data for ECO and FVV in February 2010 and for Asylum and MM in May 2010.
Court: Closures
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the closure of Lowestoft county court on people in the area. [32962]
Mr Djanogly: The Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) that accompanies the consultation response paper for the HMCS area of Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk identifies the potential impacts of the court estate proposals on different communities and groups of people.
While the court is to close and the administrative work transferred to Norwich county court, hearings will remain at the courthouse. Retaining the building as a hearing centre also enables a part-time counter service as well as information, drop box and copying facilities to remain available for local court users.
The consultation response papers and impact assessments can be found on the Ministry of Justice website:
Departmental Manpower
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the likely change in the level of National Offender Management Service staff at prison establishment level consequent on the outcome of the comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement. [33098]
Mr Blunt: All the Ministry of Justice's front-line services are currently exploring ways in which they can operate more effectively in order to deliver the savings required in the Government's spending review. Our current estimate is that over the next four years we will need around 10,000 fewer staff in NOMS. This includes around 500-800 posts in NOMS HQ as a result of the organisational restructure designed to reduce back office costs by a third, with the remaining reductions being at prison establishment level. These reductions will be achieved through a combination of front-line efficiencies and reducing prison capacity due to the plans for rebalancing of sentencing set out in our recent Green Paper.
Drugs: Convictions
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of those convicted of drug-related offences in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009 had previous convictions for drug-related offences. [32988]
Mr Blunt: Table 1 gives the figures for the percentage of offenders convicted of drug offences in 2007 to 2009 who had previously been convicted for drug offences.
| Table 1: Percentage of offenders convicted for drug offences who had previous convictions for drug offences in 2007-09 | |
| Year of sentence | Percentage |
The figures presented in Table 1 have been taken from the dataset used for Table 6.1 of Sentence Statistics 2009 published by the Ministry of Justice on 24 October 2010. The figures are based on offences of drug possession, supply, production or import/export of drugs. The Ministry of Justice is unable to identify offences which may be drug related but are not specifically drug offences.
These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
Employment Appeal Tribunal: Costs
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the running cost of the Employment Tribunal Service was in the last year for which figures are available. [33534]
Mr Djanogly: The running costs of the employment tribunal, part of the Tribunals Service, for 2009-10 were £85 million.
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