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2 Feb 2011 : Column 813W—continued
Lord-Lieutenants
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost to the public purse was of each lord lieutenancy in England in 2009-10; and what the estimated such costs are for (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12. [37362]
Mr Harper: The Lord Lieutenancies of England are only partly funded by the public purse. The 11 Metropolitan Lieutenancies in England submit bids each year for a fixed amount of funding on the basis of an annual budget negotiated in advance between the Lieutenancy and the Cabinet Office. The 36 Shire Lieutenancies, however, are entitled to submit claims forms for certain costs to the Cabinet Office in order to be reimbursed for some of their duties.
Due to the voluntary nature of the role, the expenses system for Lord-Lieutenants is not a public payment; it only serves to reimburse a small amount of the costs associated with performing the functions of the Lord-Lieutenant. There are limits to the amounts which can be claimed for certain areas of expenditure, such as secretarial costs and car hire and driver costs.
The payments made in 2009-10 are shown in the table, with the Metropolitan Lieutenancies indicated. We do not have estimated costs for future claims. The specific role and functions performed by each Lord-Lieutenant vary widely depending on the Lieutenancy itself, the geography (i.e. physical size), population density, number of Royal visits, Lieutenancy engagements and other factors, and simple comparisons between the figures claimed by different Lieutenancies provide an inaccurate picture.
In addition to these figures attributable to each Lieutenancy, a cost of £660.22 was incurred for the repair of Lord-Lieutenants uniforms in 2009-10.
| County | Totals 2009-10 (£) |
| (1) Metropolitan Lieutenancies. | |
Cabinet Office
Cancer
Mr Crausby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in each of the last 10 years; [37250]
(2) how many women were diagnosed with (a) breast cancer and (b) ovarian cancer in each of the last 10 years. [37251]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions.
The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2008. Please note that these numbers may not be the same as the number of people diagnosed with cancer, because one person may be diagnosed with more than one cancer.
Table 1 provides the number of newly diagnosed cases of (a) female breast cancer, (b) ovarian cancer and (c) prostate cancer, in England, in each year from 1999 to 2008.
The latest national and regional statistics on cancer incidence published by ONS are available on the National Statistics website at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=8843&;Pos=3&ColRank=1&Rank=160
| Table 1: Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of female breast cancer,( 1) ovarian cancer and prostate cancer,( 2) England, 1999 to 2008( 3) | |||
| Registrations | |||
| Breast | Ovarian | Prostate | |
| (1) Around 99% of breast cancers cases are in women. (2) Cancer diagnoses were defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C50 (breast cancer), C56 (ovarian cancer) and C61 (prostate cancer). (3) Newly diagnosed cases registered in each calendar year. | |||
Economic Situation: Derby
Margaret Beckett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the gross value added was of the economy of the City of Derby was in each of the last 10 years. [37300]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the gross value added (GVA) of the City of Derby for each of the last ten years (37300).
The Office for National Statistics publishes regional GVA for Derby Unitary Authority up to 2008. Data for 2009 will be published in December 2011.
The most recent estimates of GVA for Derby are:
| Total gross value added (£ million) | |
| Source: Table 3.1, Regional GVA, ONS, available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/GVA_NUTS3.xls | |
Hospitals: Mortality Rates
Ian Lavery: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the (a) mortality rate in hospitals in the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and (b) the average mortality rate in hospitals in England was in each of the last three years. [36689]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the (a) mortality rate in hospitals in the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and (b) the average mortality rate in hospitals in England was in each of the last three years. (36689)
It is not possible to provide mortality rates for hospitals within an NHS Trust as the information collected at death registration does not distinguish between the organisations managerially responsible for the patient's care. Although the name and address of the hospital where the death occurred is recorded at registration the services provide at a single hospital site may be managed by several NHS Trusts or private contractors.
Further it is not possible for ONS to calculate mortality rates for patients within individual hospitals or groups of hospitals, as there are no readily available data for the denominator populations.
Politics and Government: Public Participation
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of trends in the public's involvement in the political process in the last 30 years. [35804]
Mr Harper: The Government, in partnership with the House of Commons, co-funds the Hansard Society's annual Audit of Political Engagement. The Seventh Audit found a mixed picture; for example, public participation in fundraising and voluntary work is on the rise. 27% of the public report helping with a fundraising drive, an increase of 7% since the previous year's Audit.
However, the Audit showed that the MPs' expenses scandal had affected the public's satisfaction with and perception of MPs and the Westminster Parliament. There had also been a big decline since the first Audit in 2004 in the perceived impact of the Westminster Parliament on people's lives, compared to other institutions.
Many of the issues raised in the Audit are the subject of the Government's programme of political and constitutional reform.
Solvents: Misuse
Mark Tami: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many fatalities resulting from the misuse of solvents there were among people aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 34, (c) 35 to 49 and (d) 50 or more years old in each of the last five years. [38073]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many fatalities resulting from the misuse of solvents there
were among people aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 34, (c) 35 to 49 and (d) 50 or more years old in each of the last five years. (38073)
The table attached provides the number of deaths where the underlying cause was drug poisoning and a volatile substance was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate for persons aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 34, (c) 35 to 49 and (d) 50 years or over, in England and Wales, from 2005 to 2009 (the latest year available).
ONS reports annually on deaths relating to drug poisoning in England and Wales. For each death, every substance noted on the death certificate or mentioned by the coroner is recorded. It is important to note that the figures presented are not the total number of deaths involving volatile substances as (i) the underlying cause must be within the ONS definition of drug poisoning and (ii) the volatile substance may not be recorded by the coroner on the death certificate.
As volatile substance abuse is known to be under-reported in official statistics based on death registration data, a project called the 'National Programme for Substance Abuse Deaths' (NPSAD) is funded by the Department of Health to measure trends in UK deaths associated with abuse of volatile substances, including solvents. The latest report from NPSAD on deaths associated with the abuse of volatile substances is available at:
| Table 1. Number of deaths attributed to drug poisoning where a volatile substance was mentioned on the death certificate, by age group, England and Wales, 2005 to 2009( 1,2,3) | ||||
| Deaths (persons) | ||||
| Year | Under 18 | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50 and over |
| (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in the following box) and where a volatile substance was mentioned on the death certificate. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. | ||||
Culture, Media and Sport
Copyright: Internet
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he expects Ofcom to publish its code of practice on reductions in online infringement of copyright. [37714]
Mr Jeremy Hunt [holding answer 1 February 2011]: Publication of the code of practice on reductions in online infringement of copyright is a matter for Ofcom. Under the Digital Economy Act the deadline for the code to come into force has been extended to 31 March 2011.
Departmental Libraries
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many (a) certified and (b) chartered librarians his Department has employed in each year since 2000. [37651]
John Penrose: At present the Department does not systematically store this information, although recent IT upgrades should enable us to do so in the future. Currently there is no requirement to hold information relating to staff qualifications or expertise on their personal files unless the member of staff has been recruited into a specialist position. Some staff files will contain this information, but to extract the information manually would incur disproportionate cost.
Departmental Marketing
Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the cost to the public purse was of the manufacture and distribution of Department-branded drinks coasters in the last financial year for which figures are available. [37246]
Digital Broadcasting
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the preparedness of households in the London borough of Bexley for digital switchover. [37465]
Mr Vaizey: The Government do not collect statistics based on local authority areas. According to Digital UK, by November 2010, 81% of households in the London ITV region had converted their primary sets to digital television, and 79% are aware of switchover.
Switchover will happen in London in 2012. Digital UK is responsible for informing viewers about this, including sending information leaflets to every home, advertising, roadshows and onscreen captions broadcast to analogue homes during the six months before a switchover.
The Digital Switchover Help Scheme offers those aged 75 or over, disabled, registered blind or partially sighted, and anyone who is normally resident in a care home practical help to make the switch to digital television.
Holiday Accommodation
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what discussions he has had with representatives of consumer organisations on proposed changes to quality assurance assessments of holiday accommodation under the Development of Tourism Act 1969; [37082]
(2) what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the future development and assessment of sustainable tourism initiatives following proposed changes to quality assessment schemes operated under the Development of Tourism Act 1969; [37083]
(3) what procedures he envisages to protect the interest of persons with disabilities in securing access to accurate information on the recording and assessment of amenities and adaptations to holiday accommodation designed to facilitate use by disabled people following the proposed changes to quality assessment conducted under the Development of Tourism Act 1969; and if he will make a statement. [37087]
John Penrose: The Development of Tourism Act 1969 established the British Tourism Authority and Tourist Boards for England, Scotland and Wales with the responsibility for promoting the development of tourism to and within Great Britain. The quality assessment schemes help VisitEngland meet these responsibilities but their provision or promotion is not a statutory duty.
In developing a tourism strategy, we are considering the need for a better balance between star-rating schemes and customer feedback websites, so customers can make a better and more informed choice. We are not considering abolishing the schemes, but rather passing them over to be run by the industry itself instead.
Whatever decision is taken on rating schemes, VisitEngland will continue to support, identify and share advice with English tourism firms and destinations on sustainability and accessibility. There is already a wealth of information on VisitEngland's website to help businesses develop a sustainability programme and to provide detailed information for disabled tourists.
Tourism is a devolved matter. The operation of quality assessment schemes in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Government.
Holidays
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will estimate how many UK citizens have taken a holiday within the UK in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [36915]
John Penrose: The following table shows the total number of domestic overnight trips made in the UK by UK residents between 2006 and 2009.
| Trips (million) | ||||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
VisitEngland have advised that the survey analyses data on trips rather than people. The latest full year data available are 2009, and due to a methodology change midway through 2005, VisitEngland can supply data only for the years provided in the table.
Horserace Betting Levy Board
Philip Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) if he will commission an independent assessment and external audit of the
methodology and assumptions of the submission of Government-appointed members of the Horserace Betting Levy Board; [37604]
(2) what evidence-based assessment the Government- appointed members of the Horserace Betting Levy Board have made of the financial needs of the horse racing industry. [37605]
Hugh Robertson: I have no such plans. In their report to me of 30 November 2010, the members of the Horserace Betting Levy Board set out the basis of their assessment of the financial needs of the horse racing industry.
Industrial Health and Safety
Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress his Department has made in reviewing the health and safety regulations for which it is responsible since his appointment. [36978]
John Penrose: The Department is currently considering how best to reform the regulation of entertainment under the Licensing Act 2003 while ensuring that adequate protection is in place in relation to public safety and the other licensing objectives. The Department also has responsibility for safety at sports grounds and, while we have no plans to change the regulatory regime, we have sought views from football authorities about the current policy for all seater stadia in the top two divisions in England and Wales. In addition, officials are working with the Health and Safety Executive on the Government's plans to reform the way in which adventure activity providers are regulated.
Libraries: Postgraduate Education
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the career prospects of students completing (a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate courses in librarianship in each of the next five years. [37638]
Mr Vaizey: The Department does not hold statistics about the number of students graduating or predicted to graduate from librarianship courses each year or whether they are recruited into public libraries, academic libraries, business or civil sector libraries, or other industries.
Music: Licensing
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many live music licences were issued to premises with a capacity of under (a) 100 persons and (b) 200 persons in (i) England, (ii) Yorkshire and (iii) Leeds in each year since 2005. [37572]
John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not collate data specifically on premises licence applications for the provision of live music, and does not collate data by premises size. This is because the Licensing Act 2003 defines activities, not premises type.
Tourism
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what proportion of the tourism marketing fund announced in August 2010 will be spent in East Anglia; [37118]
(2) whether people working in the tourism industry in East Anglia will have input into the use of the tourism marketing fund announced in August 2010. [37119]
John Penrose: The fund, referred to by the Prime Minister in August 2010, will be used to support an overseas tourism marketing and public relations campaign to promote Britain, taking advantage of the unique opportunities afforded by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games and other major events, such as Her Majesty's diamond jubilee. Expenditure will therefore primarily take place abroad. Tourism businesses in all parts of the United Kingdom, including East Anglia, will benefit from the one million additional overseas visitors per year that we expect the campaign to attract. The campaign will be co-ordinated by VisitBritain in co-operation with private sector partners who have contributed to the fund. Any of those partners operating in East Anglia will have input into its content and, of course, concerned local members of Parliament can also make representations about their constituencies to officials or to me in the usual way.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what recent assessment he has made of progress towards achieving revised common standards of quality assurance by the national tourist boards and the AA; [37637]
(2) what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of participation in the programme to achieve revised common standards of quality assurance by the national tourist boards and the AA to date. [37643]
John Penrose: The tourist boards and the Automobile Association are in regular dialogue regarding the revised common standards in the major accommodation sectors (serviced accommodation and self-catering). They plan to introduce the revised standards later this year, with the support of industry.
There will be no additional costs required to achieve revised common standards of quality assurance. Any changes to the standards are based on both consumer and industry research, and businesses are given up to two years lead-in time to make any changes which may result from the introduction of revised standards.
Tourism is a devolved matter. The operation of quality assessment schemes in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Government.
Tourism: Coastal Areas
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess whether there has been a change in the economic state of the tourism industry in (a) seaside towns and (b) cities since May 2010. [36917]
John Penrose: The Department, in conjunction with VisitEngland, regularly assess the economic impact of tourism.
Based on the most recent data available, and as shown in the table, domestic tourism expenditure in seaside towns from May 2010 to September 2010 saw an overall decrease compared with the corresponding months in 2009. Similarly, domestic tourism expenditure in large towns and cities saw a decrease for four of the corresponding months in 2009; however there were increases for August and September.
| Percentage | ||||||
| 2010 | ||||||
| May | June | July | August | September | October | |
2009 was of course a particularly strong year for domestic tourism, and both 2010 and 2009 represent significant improvements on performance in previous years.
Northern Ireland
Departmental Libraries
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) certified and (b) chartered librarians his Department has employed in each year since 2000. [37664]
Mr Paterson: We have not employed any certified or chartered librarians during this period.
Scotland
Departmental Regulations
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what regulations his Department has introduced since 6 May 2010. [37365]
David Mundell: Since 6 May 2010 the Secretary of State for Scotland has made or introduced the following regulations:
The Scottish Parliament (Constituencies & Regions) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2691)
The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2999)
The Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 (Disclosure of Information) Order 2010
The Scottish Parliament (Disqualification) Order 2010
The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2010
The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2010
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what regulations his Department has removed since 6 May 2010. [37371]
David Mundell: Since 6 May 2010 the Secretary of State for Scotland has by order revoked the following regulations:
The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) Order 2007;
The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) (Amendment) Order 2007;
The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) (Amendment) Order 2008;
The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) (Amendment) Order 2009;
Paragraphs 15 and 44 of Schedule 4 to the Health Care and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments and Practitioner Psychologists) Order 2009
The Scottish Parliament (Disqualification) Order 2007
Communities and Local Government
Audit Commission: Conferences
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) purpose and (b) date was of the Audit Commission's internal communications conference hosted at the Thistle Hotel Marble Arch, paid for in August 2010; and what the total cost of the conference was to the public purse. [37535]
Robert Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 2 February 2011:
Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
This was a non refundable deposit for a scheduled meeting of the Audit Commission's top 60 managers on 22 September 2010. An external venue was booked as the Commission does not have an internal meeting room that can hold this number of people.
In light of the coalition government's requirement for public bodies to make efficiencies the Commission decided to cancel this event, as additional costs would have been incurred.
The deposit of £1,194.89 was the only money spent on this event.
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the purpose was of the expenditure of £138,824 by the Audit Commission in July 2010 on a conference at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole. [37537]
Robert Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 2 February 2011:
Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
This was an initial non refundable payment for the Commission's annual two-day managers' conference, which was due to take place on 30 November and 1 December 2010. The event was for 400 managers.
Like many other organisations that have staff spread across the country, we have used an annual event to communicate with our managers and explain strategy for the year ahead.
In light of the coalition government's requirement for public bodies to make efficiencies the Commission decided to cancel this event, to avoid the balance of the costs being incurred.
Audit Commission: Official Hospitality
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Audit Commission spent on (a) functions and (b) hotel room hire at the City Inn, Westminster in the last 12 months. [37550]
Robert Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 2 February 2010:
Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
The Commission has spent £10,726.87 on Commission activities at the City Inn in the last 12 months. The Commission has not used the City Inn for any such activities since June 2010.
We have spent £63,540.38 on overnight accommodation in the last 12 months. This includes £18,055.36 on accommodation for the Chief Executive. The Chief Executive is required to be in London and he stays overnight in London on average 3 nights per week.
£4,142 was spent on Commissioner accommodation. Commissioners are required to attend Board meetings in London and overnight accommodation is provided for those Commissioners who live outside a commutable distance.
The remaining £41,342.52 was accommodation for Audit Commission staff from around the country who are required to stay in London overnight when attending our London office.
Accommodation at the City Inn was purchased at the government rate.
Departmental Internet
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East of 15 July 2009, Official Report, column 485W, on departmental internet, whether he plans to upgrade his Department's web browsers from Internet Explorer 6. [37256]
Robert Neill: We are presently engaged in upgrading from Internet Explorer 6 to Internet Explorer 8. The Department's use of web browsers remains under review, reflecting new technology and the business costs and benefits.
Departments: Credit Cards
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much Ministers in his Department and their private offices spent on their corporate credit card facility in 2009-10. [36891]
Robert Neill: Ministers in this Department are not issued with credit cards. The amount spent in 2009-10 on credit cards held by their private offices was £3,146.
Gardens: Property Development
Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what monitoring arrangements are in place concerning the construction of dwellings on garden land. [37479]
Greg Clark:
Further to the new Government's changes to planning guidance to give councils more powers to tackle unwanted garden grabbing, my Department is
working with Ordnance Survey (the data provider) to develop a new land use category 'residential gardens' to enable numbers of dwellings built in this category to be recorded.
Heathrow Airport
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether any planning application for a third runway at Heathrow would be determined by the Major Infrastructure Planning Unit of the Planning Inspectorate. [37555]
Robert Neill: No, subject to the passage of the Localism Bill and the abolition of the Infrastructure Planning Commission, any (theoretical) application for a third runway at Heathrow airport would be examined by the Major Infrastructure Planning Unit but would be decided by the Secretary of State for Transport.
Home Information Packs
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment his Department has made of the effects on the housing market of the ending of home information packs; and if he will make a statement. [32123]
Andrew Stunell: No such assessment has been made.
Housing: Halifax
Mrs Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funds his Department has provided for the purpose of supporting private sector spending on housing in Halifax in the last five years. [37351]
Grant Shapps: The Kickstart programme (2009-10 to 2010-11), managed by the Homes and Communities Agency, was targeted at private sector developers with the aim of unlocking the construction of high quality mixed tenure housing developments. £0.7 million was allocated from this programme to support the unlocking of 60 homes in Calderdale. The Homes and Communities Agency does not hold information on a constituency basis and so my Department is unable to provide a breakdown of how this allocation would have supported house building in the Halifax area.
The New Homes Bonus, moving forward, will support all types of housing increases across Calderdale.
Localism Bill
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish the impact assessment for part 2 of the Localism Bill; and if he will make a statement. [36537]
Greg Clark: The impact assessment for part 2 of the Localism Bill is available on the DCLG website at:
Solar Power: Brownfield Sites
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to confine the construction of solar parks to brownfield sites. [37468]
Robert Neill: Current planning policy assumes that renewable energy developments should be capable of being accommodated throughout England in locations where the technology is viable and environmental, economic, and social impacts can be addressed satisfactorily. We have invited organisations and individuals to offer their suggestions on what priorities and policies we might adopt in the new National Planning Policy Framework.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Adult Learning Grant
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which organisation will be responsible for administration of the Adult Learning Grant in future; whether the grant will continue to be paid after September 2011; and if he will make a statement. [37177]
Mr Hayes: Paragraph 44 of 'Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth' sets out the Government's plans for adult learner support funds. The administration of those funds will be considered as the plans are developed.
Banks: Loans
Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will ask the Office of Fair Trading to initiate an inquiry into the practice of banks charging interest on loans during the period in which payments on such loans are being processed by the bank and where the account from which the payment has been made is with the same bank. [37473]
Mr Davey: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is not aware of having received complaints in respect of this particular practice. However, it considers that no further interest should be charged on loans once it is apparent to the lender that due repayment has been made. While it is accepted that banks need time to process payments, the OFT would expect the processing time to be appropriately short in particular where the payment is being made from an account held with the same lender. The OFT would expect lenders to be transparent with borrowers about the processing time for repayments of loans in order that borrowers can take steps to submit repayment in sufficient time to avoid the imposition of further interest or charges.
Fair Trading Act 1973
Natascha Engel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what legislative amendments by (a) Act or (b) statutory instrument have amended the definition or meaning in law of the term 'participant' contained in section 118(1)(b) of the Fair Trading Act 1973; what definition of the term his Department uses in relation to that Act; what changes
he has identified to that definition between the date of enactment of the 1973 Act and the present definition; and if he will make a statement. [37496]
Mr Davey: Section 118(1)(b) of the Fair Trading Act does not contain the term "participant". The following therefore assumes the reference in the question to be a reference to the term "participants" in section 118(1)(a) of the Act as defined in section 118(8).
There have been no legislative amendments to the definition of the term "participant" in section 118(8) of the Fair Trading Act 1973 which is the definition this Department uses in relation to the relevant sections of the Act. There have been no other changes to that definition.
Furs: Labelling
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will assess the merits of requiring clothing made from or trimmed with real fur to be labelled as such; and if he will make a statement. [37644]
Mr Davey: No. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs) already require traders to disclose whether clothing is made from or trimmed with real fur where this is material information which the average consumer needs to make an informed purchasing decision.
A national requirement for fur products to be labelled would be at significant risk of breaching full harmonisation in the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive 2005 (UCPD) which the CPRs implement. This is because it would impose more prescriptive requirements than those in the directive which requires a case-by-case assessment of whether this proposed labelling is material information which the average consumer needs, according to the context, to make an informed choice.
Where it is material information it would need to be given to consumers in good time before they make their purchasing decision.
Insolvency: Regulation
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has plans to align regulation of debt management providers with that of other professionals working in the insolvency sector. [37549]
Mr Davey: While there are no current plans to align regulation in the way you suggest, The Office of Fair Trading continues to work within the current licensing regime and you will be aware that as a result a number of debt management providers are facing licensing action.
Our recent call for evidence, which looked at the whole personal insolvency regime, including debt management, closed recently and the Government response and proposals will be published shortly.
Local Enterprise Partnerships: Midlands
Margaret Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made in establishing a local enterprise partnership for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. [37299]
Mr Davey: The local enterprise partnership proposal covering Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire was given the go-ahead by the Government on 28 October 2010 and invited to put their governance arrangements in place. The Government are awaiting notification that this work has been done, at which point they will formally recognise the partnership. Government officials continue to work with the partnership as they take this work forward.
Manufacturing Industries: EC Countries
Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an assessment of the effect on the competitiveness of British manufacturing companies of short-time working arrangements in other EU countries. [37187]
Mr Davey: Short-time working arrangements are a matter for individual companies. Some EU Governments, but not the UK, support such arrangements through their labour market and social security policies and these have not been considered damaging to UK competitiveness. Also, some exceptional measures were introduced during the recession. It is important that these exceptional policies do not become permanent.
Manufacturing Industries: Immigration Rules
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to ( a) monitor and (b) review the effect on manufacturing industry of the changes to immigration rules to take effect in April 2011. [37092]
Mr Prisk: The Government consulted widely with all sectors of industry during the development of the policy to limit non-EU economic migration. We will continue to monitor and review the effect of changes to the migration system on businesses, including in the manufacturing sector.
Money Lenders: Crime
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what regulations his Department has put in place to combat unscrupulous money lenders in the last 13 years; and what plans he has for further such measures in the next five years. [37510]
Mr Davey: The Consumer Credit Act 1974 requires providers of consumer credit to apply to The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) for a license. The legislation was reformed by the Consumer Credit Act 2006. This included requirements for the OFT to adopt a more targeted, risk based, approach to consumer credit licensing, focusing on the areas of highest risk to consumers.
The Government are now considering further reforms to the Consumer Credit regime as part of the wider changes proposed to the institutional framework for financial regulation. A consultation document published on 21 December 2010 is considering the merits of transferring responsibility for consumer credit from the OFT to the new Consumer Protection and Markets Authority, thereby bringing consumer credit into the
same regulatory regime as other retail financial services and with a view to delivering stronger protections for consumers.
Since 2004, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has provided funding of more than £21 million to fund specialist regional teams across the country to tackle the problem of those lenders who operate without a license. To date, the teams have helped more than 16,000 victims, written off £37 million of illegal debt and secured over 180 convictions with prison sentences totalling 70 years.
Office of Fair Trading
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Office of Fair Trading in regulating businesses providing debt management plans. [37548]
Mr Davey: Since being given new powers in 2008, The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has focused attention on the debt management industry. It has set up a dedicated team to investigate the debt management market, carried out a comprehensive review of compliance in the industry and taken significant enforcement actions targeting the worst companies and behaviours.
The key findings to emerge from the debt management compliance review, which included onsite compliance visits by Trading Standards Officers, a website sweep and a mystery shopping exercise, were that:
misleading advertising is the most significant area of non-compliance, in particular failing to disclose a fee is retained by the business and misrepresenting debt management services as being free when they are not
frontline advisers working for debt management companies are lacking in competence and are providing poor advice based on inadequate information
there is low industry awareness of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) rules for resolving consumer complaints.
The OFT's compliance report set out a detailed action plan to improve standards across the industry, focusing on robust enforcement action against licensees that fail, or refuse, to change advertising and/or behaviour.
The OFT published its compliance report in September 2010 and at the same time announced that it had warned 129 firms that they needed to submit evidence demonstrating compliance or face licensing action. As a follow up to this announcement, on 28 January 2011 the OFT confirmed that 35 debt firms had surrendered their licences, eight faced action to revoke their licences, seven were under further investigation and 79 had submitted evidence, which is now being reviewed.
If action is taken against the additional seven companies and/or some of the 79 firms who submitted evidence are found to be non-compliant, the OFT will publicise the details of this enforcement action at the appropriate time.
As well as taking action as a result of the compliance review, the OFT has also taken a number of other licensing actions in the debt management sector and has cracked down on look-a-like debt management websites posing as charity or official sites, misleading trading names, inappropriate cold calling (working with the Information Commissioners Office) and has refused to licence companies that cannot demonstrate sufficient competence or experience. Since April 2008, the OFT has
taken 37 licensing actions, issued notices to 69 companies/ traders, sent 185 warning letters and 951 advisory letters.
The OFT is also in the process of updating its Debt Management Guidance to take explicit account of new and emerging unfair business practices, and will work with the two main trade bodies, the Debt Managers Standards Association (DEMSA) and the Debt Resolution Forum (DRF) to support their initiatives to introduce higher standards in the industry.
Office of Fair Trading: Inspections
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many on-site compliance visits have been carried out by the Office of Fair Trading in relation to compliance with its Debt Management Guidance since September 2010. [37541]
Mr Davey: Since September 2010 The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has completed or is in the process of arranging for Local Authority Trading Standards Services (LATSS) officers to visit and check the competence and compliance of a further 30 new applicants. This rolling programme of compliance visits is a key element of the OFT's action plan for addressing problems identified in its compliance review findings report, published in September 2010, and forms part of the OFT's wider strategy for pro-actively monitoring compliance with its debt management guidance.
Work and Pensions
Departmental Manpower
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the likely effects on his Department's staffing levels in Livingston constituency (a) in each local office and (b) by the service provided of the implementation of the outcomes of the comprehensive spending review. [36878]
Chris Grayling: As the Department for Work and Pensions has two Jobcentre Plus Offices in the Livingston constituency and the administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question; the likely effects on (a) his Department's staffing levels in Livingston constituency for each local office and (b) service provided of the implementation of the outcomes of the Comprehensive Spending Review. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
We are currently finalising national budgets for the year ahead and we have not yet worked through the staffing levels to individual Jobcentres. I will write to notify you of our staffing position in the two Jobcentres in your constituency before the end of the financial year.
Under the terms of the Spending Review, our funding includes supporting the Government's welfare reform agenda, such as Universal Credit. However, the Department also needs to continue making significant efficiencies in its work to meet a 26 per cent reduction in real terms from its core budget.
For Jobcentre Plus this will mean a significant transformation of our business, exploiting technology and using the experience of our own people to drive out inefficiencies in our processes.
Under the Government's proposals for "Get Britain Working", Jobcentres and community partners will offer personalised advice and a menu of flexible support options, for example, through local community Work Clubs, offering Work Experience in local businesses, and "Work Together" volunteering options. From summer 2011 we will introduce the Work Programme through contracted providers.
Employment and Support Allowance
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of those in the work-related activity group of employment and support allowance he expects to be successful in finding work within one year. [37192]
Chris Grayling: The Department does not forecast the number of people who we expect to find work. The new Work Programme, in conjunction with support from Jobcentre Plus, will provide tailored, personalised employment support to help maximise the number of customers, including those in the Work-Related Activity Group, who find a job.
Employment and Support Allowance: Cancer
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason a person receiving oral chemotherapy who applies for employment and support allowance is placed in the work-related activity group whereas a person receiving non-oral chemotherapy is placed in the support group; and if he will make a statement. [37107]
Chris Grayling: The WCA is a functional assessment, which looks at what someone can do rather than basing entitlement on their diagnosis. However, in recognition of the potentially severe functional limitation caused by types of chemotherapy, these customers can be 'treated' as having limited capability for Work-Related Activity even if they do not meet the functional criteria. Chemotherapy can be associated with a range of side effects varying from mild to severe. The purpose of this policy is that those experiencing the most severe functional limitations as a result of cancer treatment are automatically entitled to enter the Support Group of ESA. We have asked Professor Harrington, as part of his second annual review of the WCA, to explore whether the current policy best reflects this intent.
Employment: Young People
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the removal of the default retirement age on levels of youth employment in Scotland. [36805]
Mr Davey: I have been asked to reply.
In removing the default retirement age (DRA) we are removing a regulation which restricts people's ability to remain in the labour market. Based on the evidence, including that which is set out in our impact assessment-available at
we do not believe that this will have a damaging effect on the employment of young people in Scotland or elsewhere. It will boost labour supply, which in turn leads to increased economic output, tax revenue and profits. Increasing the size of the labour force increases the productive potential of the economy as a whole and therefore provides a general economic benefit.
Housing Benefit: Scotland
Mr Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average amount of housing benefit paid was for each tenure type in (a) the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area and (b) Dumfries and Galloway constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. [31528]
Steve Webb: The information is as follows:
(a) The average amount of housing benefit paid in the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area for each tenure type is as follows:
| £ | |
| Notes: 1. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month. 2. Average awards are shown as pounds per week and rounded to the nearest penny. 3. Tenure type does not include recipients with unknown tenure type. 4. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. 5. The data are available monthly from November 2008 and September 2010 is the latest. Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract 100% individual level data (SHBE), September 2010. | |
(b) The information is not available.
At present geographic breakdowns are only available for local authorities and regions. However, an exercise is being undertaken to add other geographical areas to the data which will include parliamentary constituencies.
Industrial Health and Safety
Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress his Department has made on reviewing the (a) employment law and (b) health and safety regulations for which it is responsible since his appointment. [36971]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions is fully engaged in the Whitehall wide review of employment and workplace law announced earlier this year. While DWP does not have responsibility for employment laws we are considering areas of regulation that affect employers and their employees, area by area, over the long term.
Lord Young's review of health and safety laws and the compensation culture, 'Common Sense, Common Safety', carried out for the Prime Minister, was published on 15 October 2010. Actions to implement Lord Young's
recommendations are being taken forward across Government in line with the timetable set out in his report.
Insolvency
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the likely number of applications for insolvency in (a) Sunderland, (b) the North East and (c) nationally in the next 12 months. [37697]
Mr Davey: I have been asked to reply.
The Insolvency Service only holds statistics for actual insolvency cases.
Regional statistics for individual insolvencies are published on the Insolvency Service website:
The figures for the North East, Sunderland and England are reproduced in the following table.
| Total individual insolvencies | |||
| North East | Sunderland | England | |
Figures for corporate insolvencies are only available for England and Wales as a whole, and are published on the Insolvency Service website:
Forecasts of likely insolvencies are not produced by Government.
However, petitions for the winding up of a company or partnership or the bankruptcy of an individual are made via the courts and petition statistics are the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice.
The Ministry of Justice publishes petition statistics for bankruptcies and compulsory liquidations by region. The latest statistics are available here:
Jobseeker's Allowance
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) the UK, (b) each region of England, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance; and how many of these people claim housing benefit. [32472]
Chris Grayling: The following table provides the number of people in (a) the UK, (b) each region of England, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales who are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance.
The information on jobseeker allowance claimants also in receipt of housing benefit is not available. Information is collected on the number of housing benefit claimants in receipt of a passporting benefit, which includes income-based jobseeker's allowance. However the total number of jobseeker's allowance claimants receiving housing benefit is not available.
| Government office region | Caseload |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. United Kingdom figures include Northern Ireland. 3. These figures are published at: http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp Source: NOMIS Claimant Count (Seasonally Adjusted), November 2010 | |
Older Workers: Scotland
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of workers aged 65 years in (a) Scotland and (b) Livingston constituency who are likely to remain in the workforce for an additional year in 2011 following the end of the default retirement age. [37701]
Mr Davey: I have been asked to reply.
Our impact assessment estimates that around 6,000 additional workers are likely to remain in the workforce across the UK in the first year. No separate estimate was made for Scotland. We do not have data from which to produce robust estimates on the proportion likely to remain in the work force at the sub-regional level. The full impact assessment was published on 13 January and is available at:
Social Security Benefits: Prisoners
Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people claiming (a) jobseeker's allowance, (b) incapacity benefit and (c) income support have a partner in prison. [34908]
Chris Grayling: The requested information is not available.
Universal Credit
Glenda Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to provide additional support to (a) parents of disabled children, (b) children
with a disability, (c) carers and (d) pensioners with children when determining the entitlement criteria for universal credit. [36653]
Chris Grayling: Universal credit will consist of a basic personal allowance with additional amounts for disability, caring responsibilities, housing costs and children.
We are looking at what extra support may be needed for disabled people in universal credit. At the same time we will consider the structure of support for disabled children.
We are reviewing whether changes to carer's allowance will be necessary to take account of the introduction of universal credit.
Finally we are considering how best to support pensioners with the cost of rent and dependent children and plan to make some changes to pension credit. These changes will consolidate support for rent with the help available for other housing costs within pension credit, and add a further element to provide income-related help for pensioners with dependent children.
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration will be given to childcare costs in determining entitlement to universal credit. [36655]
Chris Grayling: The Government are continuing to work with stakeholders to establish the best approach to supporting parents with the costs of childcare in universal credit. We will announce our conclusion in the coming months.
Work Capability Assessment
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what importance will be placed on the views of claimants' GPs in work capability assessments for the purposes of the payment of employment and support allowance under his proposals for welfare reform. [33972]
Chris Grayling: The Department's decision maker must consider all the available evidence before making a decision on benefit entitlement. Any information provided by a claimant's GP is therefore fully considered.
Treasury
Departmental Marketing
Conor Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the public purse was of the manufacture and distribution of Department-branded drinks coasters in the last financial year for which figures are available. [37241]
Justine Greening: No spending was incurred in 2009-10 by the Treasury on Department-branded drinks coasters.
Departmental Public Appointments
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many (a) women and (b) men have been appointed to public duties by his Department since May 2010; [35406]
(2) what public appointments he has made since his appointment; and to what payments each person so appointed is entitled; [35428]
Justine Greening: Information on key public appointments made since May 2010 is published in individual press releases. Where details of remuneration are not included in the release, they should be published separately by the relevant body. HM Treasury press releases are available at:
In December 2010 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the appointment of a lead non-executive director to the Treasury Board. The relevant press release, which is on the Cabinet Office website, can be found at the following link.
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/uk-leaders-appointed-support-whitehall%E2%80%99s-transformation
Information on the gender of those serving on the boards of public bodies is published annually. Information for the 2010-11 period will be published in due course.
Double Taxation: Scotland
Katy Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had on the potential for double taxation to occur as a result of granting greater fiscal powers to the Scottish Parliament. [37783]
Danny Alexander: The increased fiscal powers for the Scottish Government introduced in the Scotland Bill will not increase the potential for double taxation. The Scottish rate of income tax will be payable by those individuals who meet the definition of a Scottish taxpayer. This definition has been designed to leave in place the existing rules and procedures which currently apply to individuals who are tax resident in the UK.
This means that a Scottish taxpayer will continue to have access to double taxation relief under the UK's international taxation agreements in the same way as anyone else who is resident in the UK.
Excise Duties: Fuels
Mr Carswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much revenue was raised through duties payable on fuel in each of the last five years; [37339]
(2) what information his Department holds on the (a) amount and (b) proportion of revenue from duties on fuel arising from each (i) county council and (ii) metropolitan area. [37340]
Justine Greening: HM Revenue and Customs routinely publishes data on fuel duty revenues accruing to the Exchequer through fuel duty from 1999 to date at:
The method by which revenue is collected directly from fuel producers does not distinguish between different fuel consumers or geographic areas.
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effects on small businesses of increases in the rate of fuel duty. [37619]
Justine Greening: Small businesses are affected by a range of measures to tackle the deficit and support growth including fuel duty and other policy measures. The June 2010 Budget set out changes to corporation tax to reduce the small profits rate to 20% from April 2011 and the main rate will reduce from 28% to 24% over the course of four financial years. Businesses may reclaim VAT and deduct other business costs including fuel costs under existing business tax arrangements.
Inflation
Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the difference in effects of levels of inflation on (a) the elderly and (b) other age groups. [35564]
Justine Greening: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces inflation figures by different household types. The UK's monetary policy framework gives operational responsibility for maintaining price stability to the independent Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England. However, the Government recognise the pressures that those on fixed incomes, including pensioners, face when prices increase.
To help pensioners the Government have restored the earnings link and given a triple guarantee that the basic state pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings, prices or 2.5%, and is also preserving key benefits and pensions for older people.
Petrol: Prices
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential relationship between the price of petrol in (a) the UK and (b) other European countries and economic activity and growth in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [37105]
Justine Greening: The sterling oil price has risen 28% over the past year, and the euro area oil price by 35%. The Government consider a range of factors when making their assessment of economic activity and growth in the UK and the world economy.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing independent economic and fiscal forecasts. The OBR published its latest economic forecast on 29 November 2010, which can be found online at:
The OBR's forecast for growth in the UK is broadly consistent with the Bank of England and HM Treasury's latest average of independent forecasts.
Education
Academies
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library a copy of the legal advice which informed Lord Hill's letter of 15 December 2010 to head teachers of schools that have applied to convert to academy status. [35460]
Mr Gibb:
[holding answer 21 January 2011]: It is a long established principle of law that legal advice to any person, including to Ministers, attracts legal professional
privilege and is, accordingly, not required to be disclosed. That principle is also recognised in the Freedom of Information Act 2000, where there is a specific exemption against disclosure in relation to information that would be covered by legal professional privilege. I do not intend, in the circumstances, to place in the Library any legal advice that may have informed Lord Hill's letter.
Building Schools for the Future Programme
Dr Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what resources his Department has allocated to responding to legal challenges from the local authorities who have had their Building Schools for the Future funding withdrawn. [35049]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 24 January 2011]: The Secretary of State is defending this action and has engaged Treasury Solicitors and leading counsel in the normal way.
College of Social Work
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which trade unions are involved in discussions on the establishment of the College of Social Work. [35707]
Tim Loughton: In 2009 the Social Work Task Force recommended the establishment of an independent College of Social Work to articulate and promote the interests of good social work. It will give the profession itself strong, independent leadership; a clear voice in public debate, policy development and policy delivery; and strong ownership of professional social work standards.
The establishment process for the College was guided from January to September 2010 by a development group with representation from across the social work sector, including frontline practitioners, employer representatives, regulators, educators, work force organisations and the British Association of Social Workers, Unison and Aspect. Since September interim co-chairs and an interim board have been appointed who are taking forward this work and have maintained links with all parties.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce its carbon emissions to meet the target of reducing central Government carbon emissions by 10 per cent. by June 2011. [36602]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education has recently completed a number of projects in its HQ buildings to meet the target of reducing central Government carbon emissions by 10% by June 2011. These include building software modifications and installing energy saving variable speed drives on pumps, motors and fans.
Estate rationalisation in Sheffield has also yielded significant emission reductions when the Department relocated to smaller, more efficient accommodation in June 2010.
Departmental Official Cars
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many Ministerial cars have been used by his Department since May 2010; [35202]
(2) what the (a) make and (b) model was of each car provided by the Government Car Service for use by his Department since May 2010; and which Minister of his Department has used each such vehicle. [35203]
Tim Loughton: Five allocated cars were inherited from the previous Administration. Details of (a) make and (b) model are as follows:
| Number | Vehicle make/model |
|
Jaguar XJ TDVi Sovereign (changed to Toyota Avensis T4 in July 2010) | |
However, since 6 September 2010 only the Secretary of State retains an allocated vehicle.
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on services provided by the Government Car Service since May 2010. [35215]
Tim Loughton: The total invoiced expenditure on the Government Car Service for the Department for Education is £180,050 since May 2010. This compares with a cost of £447,915 for the same period in 2009-2010. Both figures relate to cost incurred from 12 May to 19 January for all car services.
Departmental Pay
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on the number of sub-contracted staff servicing his Department who were not paid at a rate equivalent to or above the London living wage in the latest period for which figures are available. [34821]
Tim Loughton: All contracted staff working for the Department for Education in London are paid at the 2010 level of the London living wage or above of £7.60 per hour. This does not apply to contracted staff working at our regional headquarter offices who are paid at the level of the national minimum wage or above.
A decision on paying the 2011 level of £7.85 to London contracted staff is still to be determined.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pieces of artwork his Department has moved since May 2010. [36043]
Tim Loughton: Since May 2010 three items which were on loan to the Department for Education from the Government Art Collection have been returned to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on redecorating ministerial offices since May 2010. [36045]
Tim Loughton: There has been no expenditure on redecoration of ministerial offices since May 2010.
Departmental Working Conditions
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his Department's policy is on (a) the space provided per employee, (b) home working and (c) hot desking; how many employees it has on average per desk; and how much space on average there is per employee. [34588]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education seeks to comply wherever possible with the guidance issued for central Government Departments on the efficient use of space which provides for a best practice target density of 10 square metres per person or better.
The Department has a policy of encouraging flexible working practices and has invested in technology to allow staff to work remotely, including from home, and has plans to improve the quality of this service to allow for more effective remote working.
The Department is in the process of introducing flexible working practices across its estate. Two of its four office buildings (St Paul's Place, Sheffield and Sanctuary Buildings, London) are already configured and operating in a flexible working environment and plans are in place to introduce this policy across the other two sites when it becomes cost effective and appropriate to do so.
The Department has on average one employee per desk and is currently achieving on average 14 square metres per employee. In sites where we have introduced flexible working environments our space utilisation are far better than those sites still operating in traditional working environments. The Department's ratio of employee per desk and square metre per person has recently been adversely affected by headcount reductions, although the Department has plans in place to improve its efficiency by property rationalisation and bringing tenants into space recently freed up by these staff reductions.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the costs to his Department arising from the reduction in value of Capita's contract for education maintenance allowance; and whether his Department is liable for penalty payments under that contract as a result of the reduction. [33775]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 25 January 2011]: We are working with the Young People's Learning Agency, which administers the education maintenance allowance scheme on behalf of the Department for Education, to assess any costs that may arise from the reduction in value of Capita's contract. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has responded separately to the hon. Member for Scunthorpe on the question regarding liability for penalty payments, and a copy has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Peter L auener, dated 13 January 2011:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ 33775.
The Department of Education has responded to you regarding the first part of your question. I have been asked to provide a reply to the latter part of your question regarding our liability to penalty payments as a result of the reduction to the value of the Capita contract.
I can confirm that we are not liable to penalty payments under this contract as a result of the reduction.
Education Maintenance Allowance: Halifax
Mrs Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the number of people in Halifax constituency who received education maintenance allowance in 2010. [35955]
Mr Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member for Halifax with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 25 January 2011:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ 35955 that asked:
"How many people in Halifax constituency are estimated to have received education maintenance allowance in 2010."
Information on the number of young people who have received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at local authority level, but not at constituency level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.
As at 31 December 2010, the take-up figure for young people in Calderdale who have received EMA during the 2010/11 academic year was 2,819.
EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 2008/09 and 2009/10 is available on the YPLA website, at the following address:
Education Maintenance Allowance: North Yorkshire
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people receive education maintenance allowances in each (a) unitary authority and (b) district council area in York and North Yorkshire. [36566]
Mr Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 27 January 2011:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ 36566.
Information on the number of young people who have received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available for upper tier local authorities but not at district council level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.
| Local authority | Take-up (as at 31 December 2010) |
EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10 is available on the YPLA website, at the following address:
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the total monetary value of education maintenance allowance paid in each (a) unitary authority and (b) district council area in York and North Yorkshire was in each year since its inception. [36567]
Mr Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 27 January 2011:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ 36567.
Information on the number of young people who have received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available for upper tier local authorities but not at district council level. Local authority expenditure figures are available from the start of the 2009/10 academic year.
EMA expenditure for the two years for which figures are available is:
| York | |
| Academic year | Expenditure (£) |
| North Yorkshire | |
| Academic year | Expenditure (£) |
Education Maintenance Allowance: Sussex
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students in (a) Mid Sussex and (b) West Sussex were in receipt of education maintenance allowance in each of the last five years. [36968]
Mr Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 28 January 2011:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ 36968.
Information on the number of young people who have received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at local authority level, but not at constituency level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.
EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10 is available on the YPLA website, at the following address:
The table below shows take-up figures for all three Local Authorities within Sussex.
| Academic year | West Sussex local authority | East Sussex local authority | Brighton and Hove local authority |
| (1) As at 31 December. | |||
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