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8 Feb 2011 : Column 154W—continued
The table shows data on employment and support allowances claims up to the end of November 2009 (the earliest month where we have sufficient volumes of heard appeals) where the person claiming has been found Fit for Work, they subsequently appeal the Department's decision and the appeal has been heard by Tribunals Service by the end of September 2010. This is the latest data available from Tribunals Service.
Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard, particularly for the most recent cohorts of ESA claims, as can be observed from the declining percentage of people found fit for work who appeal in Table 3. These figures should continue to be treated as emerging findings and not final at this stage.
This information is published by the Department on its website, and is updated quarterly. It is available at:
Housing Benefit
Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to pay local housing allowance directly to landlords if directed to do so by tenants. [33821]
Steve Webb: We continue to support the principle that tenants in the private rented sector should be responsible for managing their rental payments rather than having the choice of having it paid to their landlord. There are safeguards in place so that housing benefit can be paid to the landlord if the tenant is unable or unlikely to pay their rent. Benefit is also paid direct to the landlord if the tenant is in arrears by eight weeks' rent.
From April 2011 we are widening local authority discretion to pay housing benefit direct to the landlord only if it would help the customer secure a new tenancy or remain in their current home at a reduced rent. We will work closely with local authorities to ensure this provision is used in very specific circumstances where landlords are reducing rents to a level that is affordable for customers.
Housing Benefit: Medical Examinations
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider the merits of extending the time between medical assessment for people with severe illnesses and disabilities and claiming discretionary housing benefit. [34022]
Maria Miller: Local authorities can make discretionary housing payments to people who are entitled to housing benefit or council tax benefit where the local authority considers that the person concerned is in need of further help with their housing costs. There are no other prescribed conditions of entitlement or resources tests.
Poverty
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) women and (b) men (i) aged between 50 and 59 years and (ii) above the state pension age who are living in poverty. [39203]
Steve Webb: Estimates of poverty are published in the households below average incomes series, which uses Family Resources Survey data and the latest year for which figures are available is 2008-09.
Poverty estimates are published for those below 60% contemporary median income, on both before and after housing measures. Both measures are included in response to the question but it should be noted that working age poverty estimates are typically quoted on a before housing cost basis whereas the most commonly used measure of pensioner poverty uses incomes after housing costs. Measuring income on an after housing costs basis is appropriate, as two thirds of pensioners own their property outright and so face lower housing costs to meet from their current income. Considering pensioners' incomes compared to others after deducting housing costs allows for more meaningful comparisons of income between working age people and pensioners, and between pensioners over time.
| Table 1: Males and females aged between 50 and 59 years inclusive in households below 60% of median income in 2008-09 | ||||
| Number below 60% of median income (million) | Percentage below 60% of median income | |||
| Before housing costs | After housing costs | Before housing costs | After housing costs | |
| Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP | ||||
| Table 3: Males aged 60-64 inclusive in households below 60% of median income in 2008-09 | ||||
| Number below 60% of median income (million) | Percentage below 60% of median income | |||
| Before housing costs | After housing costs | Before housing costs | After housing costs | |
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect on levels of in-work poverty of reductions in the levels of local authority budgets. [39205]
Steve Webb: The Government believe that work is the best route out of poverty for most people. We are introducing reforms over the next two Parliaments, replacing current complex system of means-tested working-age benefits and tax credits with the universal credit, an integrated payment that will ensure work always pays.
Local authorities are independently elected and autonomous bodies. They are largely independent of central Government and are directly accountable to their electorates. It is for local authorities to decide how to set and spend their budgets, taking account of their responsibilities and duties, and to assess, where appropriate, the impact of budgetary changes.
Poverty: Disability
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the merits of undertaking a multi-dimensional assessment of the level of costs incurred by people with disabilities and its effects on levels of poverty. [37749]
Maria Miller: The Government are absolutely committed to supporting disabled people, to improving the quality of life of those facing disadvantage, and to tackling poverty by addressing the causes driving it.
We know that disabled people face additional costs to leading full and active lives and that these costs are based on a wide range of factors. Personal independence payment, like DLA, will continue to provide a contribution towards these costs. At the heart of the new benefit will be a new, fairer, more objective assessment of individual need, and we are consulting on what information we should take into account before determining eligibility for the benefit.
The assessment will consider an individual's ability to carry out everyday activities and participate in society. We consider it reasonable to assume that those people who are least able to participate in society because of a disability are likely, as a rule, to incur greater costs. The new assessment should therefore allow us to prioritise spend to those who face the greatest challenge and expense. As we implement the assessment we will consider the extent to which it accurately meets these aims.
Social Security Benefits: Electoral Register
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will discuss with the Deputy Prime Minister the potential effects on the completeness of the electoral register of requiring benefits claimants to be registered on the electoral register before being eligible for welfare benefits. [37786]
Maria Miller: Such a measure is not under consideration as it is likely that would be successfully challenged under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European convention on human rights (ECHR).
Social security Benefits: Glasgow
Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have successfully claimed industrial injuries disability benefit for osteoarthritis in Glasgow Central constituency in each of the last three years. [39137]
Maria Miller: Osteoarthritis of the knee in coal miners, and osteoarthritis of the hip in farmers are both included within the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit scheme.
We do not have information on the numbers of successful claims for either disease at constituency level, but can provide the numbers of successful claims for osteoarthritis of the knee in coal miners at the national level. The number of farmers paid benefit for osteoarthritis of the hip is not currently available.
Since the addition of osteoarthritis of the knee to the list of prescribed industrial diseases on 13 July 2009, 18,605 customers received an award of, or an increase in, industrial injuries disablement benefit.
This information is based on an informal count by the Jobcentre Plus offices dealing with Industrial injuries disablement benefit. This information will be published in due course.
Voluntary Organisations: Finance
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2011, Official Report, column 798W, on voluntary organisations: finance, what guidance he has made available to individuals or organisations wishing to provide services on a voluntary basis. [39207]
Chris Grayling: To date the Department has been offering guidance to groups and individuals wishing to provide a service on a voluntary basis in the following ways:
Through the delivery of Work Together, Jobcentre Plus is encouraging unemployed people to consider volunteering as a way of improving their employment prospects while they are looking for work.
Unemployed people who are interested in volunteering will be given further information and will be signposted to:
local organisations that have agreed to support unemployed people;
online support; and
to specific opportunities in their communities.
Jobcentre Plus is working with the voluntary and community sector locally to ensure that more opportunities are available to the unemployed and particularly opportunities which will help people develop new skills.
Work Clubs will build on the foundations of the existing network of community-based support to provide unemployed people:
giving practical advice and guidance for those voluntary and community organisations interested in setting up or supporting a local Work Club;
external relations teams are promoting Work Clubs and partnership working at a local level;
Jobcentre Plus are referring customers to appropriate Work Club opportunities where available; and
some Work Clubs may also be able to get some limited financial help to meet some of the associated start-up costs.
Volunteering and benefit rules
Jobseeker's allowance customers (and others on employment and support allowance and income support) are advised that they can do unlimited volunteering as long as they continue to meet the requirements for receipt of benefit.
The 'Merlin Standard' has been introduced. It seeks to embed the DWP code of practice, ensuring that sub-contractors, including those from the voluntary and community sector are treated fairly by the prime contractors of our welfare to work programmes.
Engagement events have been held across the country to bring together voluntary sector organisations with potential prime contractors for the work programme.
Health
Abortion: Finance
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the contribution of the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire of 2 November 2010, Official Report, column 896, on termination of pregnancy (information provided), whether funding for counselling women on abortion is given to abortion providers only if the abortion subsequently goes ahead. [38704]
Anne Milton: The information requested is not collected by the Department.
All clinics and hospitals providing abortion should offer women impartial advice, including written information, medical assessment and decision making support including counselling. Services should identify those that may need additional support in decision-making and women who choose to continue with the pregnancy should be referred for antenatal care.
Ambulance Services: Emergency Calls
Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate NHS expenditure on responses to hoax calls to the emergency services in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available. [38797]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on the expenditure of responses to hoax calls made to the ambulance service is not collected centrally. An estimation of the expenditure can therefore not be made.
Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many non-emergency calls were made to ambulance services in each of the last three years. [38798]
Mr Simon Burns: The number of non-emergency calls made to ambulance services is not collected centrally. However, all emergency calls made through the 999 system are prioritised as being a category 'A' (immediately life-threatening), 'B' (serious but not immediately life threatening) or a 'C' (neither immediately life threatening nor serious), and these are collected and reported centrally.
Information on emergency calls can be found within the NHS Information Centre's annual statistical bulletin for ambulance services, which is available on their website at:
Cataracts: Medical Treatments
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects on the use of new eye lens technologies in the treatment of cataract patients using NHS services of implementation of the proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill. [38183]
Mr Simon Burns:
We have made no such assessment. The proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill aim to create a stronger framework for improving the quality
of services, ensuring that national health service patients have access to evidence-based care through clinically led commissioning arrangements.
Continuing Care
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients are on long-term life support. [38585]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not held centrally.
Exercise
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of long-term trends in levels of physical activity in (a) children and (b) adults. [38506]
Anne Milton: Trend data for participation in physical activity are reported in the Health Survey for England (HSE). The results for 2008 survey showed that more boys (32%) than girls (24%) aged two to 15 years met the chief medical officer's recommendation for physical activity. New questions on children's physical activity were used in the HSE in 2008, so these data cannot be directly compared with earlier years.
The percentage of adults achieving recommended levels of physical activity increased steadily between 1997 and 2008, from 26% to 36% for all adults.
Eyesight: Screening
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to encourage early diagnosis of eye conditions in the NHS. [38859]
Mr Simon Burns: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy.
Following advice from the UK NSC the Department of Health has set up the English National Screening Programme for Diabetic Retinopathy (ENSPDR) and the NHS Newborn Infant Physical Examination Screening Programme (NIPE). The ENSPDR offers all people aged 12 and over with diabetes the opportunity to be screened for diabetic retinopathy. The NIPE screening programmes offers parents the opportunity to have their babies' eyes checked shortly after birth to check for conditions such as cataracts and retinoblastoma.
'The Healthy Child Programme from 4-19 years old' (published by the Department and the Department for Children, Schools and Families in October 2009) and the UK NSC recommend that all children between four and five years of age are screened for visual impairments.
Free sight tests are available under the NHS to many people, including people aged 60 and over, children under 16, those aged 16 to 18 in full-time education, people on benefits, those people at particular risk of developing eye disease, and people who are registered blind or partially sighted or who have a complex spectacle prescription. Sight tests allow the opportunity to review all aspects of eye health, including investigations for
signs of disease and to decide whether a referral for further investigation should be made. Departmental officials worked with the organisers of National Eye Health Week to develop a new patient information leaflet, which raises awareness of eye health. The leaflet was launched to coincide with National Eye Health Week, which ran from 14-20 June 2010.
The uptake of NHS sight tests is increasing. In 2009-10, there were 11.8 million NHS sight tests, an increase of 4.7% on 2008-09.
Food: Labelling
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his oral evidence to the Health Committee on 20 July 2010, Q39, what further discussions he has had on (a) a legal framework for guideline daily amounts and (b) a voluntary national traffic light system for foods; what his policy is on a national food traffic light system; and if he will make a statement. [38276]
Anne Milton: The legal framework for guideline daily amounts (GDAs) is being discussed by member states as part of negotiations on a new EU food information regulation. The United Kingdom supports the proposal for voluntary front of pack labelling with percentage GDA information on energy, fat, saturates, sugars and salt, with scope for companies to use additional forms of expression.
Negotiations on this proposal are under way and are not expected to be completed before 2012.
General Practitioners
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the ability of patients to receive healthcare from a provider outside the designated catchment area of their GP consortia. [38451]
Mr Simon Burns: The ability of patients to receive services outside of the 'catchment' area of the responsible general practitioner consortium will depend on local commissioning decisions for specific services and on existing contractual arrangements, and on the proposed introduction of patient choice of any willing provider (as such providers could be outside the 'catchment'). This is one of the key issues the Department has consulted on as part of the recent choice consultation. Details of how the choice offer will develop will be made in the response to choice consultation in the spring.
Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) criteria and (b) measures he proposes to use to evaluate the effectiveness of the Health and Wellbeing Boards in scrutinising the GP consortia. [38723]
Paul Burstow:
In response to consultation comments following the publication of "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", we have decided that local authorities' overview and scrutiny functions will remain separate from the proposed health and wellbeing boards. We also intend to significantly extend the scrutiny powers available to councils, so that they will have the powers to scrutinise any national health service funded services,
whoever provides them. Health and wellbeing boards will be responsible for agreeing joint strategies for improving health and well-being in a local area, which all partners will have a duty to regard.
General Practitioners: Waiting Lists
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the length of waiting lists to register with a GP in each (a) region and (b) constituency. [38663]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally.
Primary care trusts have a duty to meet all reasonable requirements to provide primary medical services within their areas, including where necessary allocating patients to practices where the patient is unable to register with a practice themselves.
Health Services
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements will be in place for patients to access information about their care providers following the implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill. [38741]
Mr Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Bill does not contain any specific provisions on this matter, and we do not believe that legislation is necessary to achieve a significant improvement in the availability of information about care providers.
We have recently consulted on a raft of proposals for an information revolution for health and adult social care in England, which include the benefits of making available a greater range of information on all aspects of care, and from a more diverse range of sources, to help people make informed choices. We will use the responses to the consultation to develop specific plans to put our proposals into effect.
Health Services: EU Action
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to support the EU Cross-Border Health Service Directive; and if he will make a statement. [38444]
Anne Milton: The United Kingdom has been at the forefront of efforts to achieve a workable directive so that citizens, health organisations and Governments have clarity about how the rules for accessing cross border health care work in practice, and also to ensure that a framework is put in place which allows member states to manage their health systems appropriately.
The UK Government believe that the current directive text, as approved by the European Parliament, meets our negotiating aims and will therefore support adoption.
HIV Infection: Sandwell
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Sandwell borough were diagnosed with HIV in each of the last three years. [38584]
Anne Milton: The latest available information for Sandwell primary care trust (PCT), which covers Sandwell metropolitan borough council is shown in the following table:
| Number of new HIV diagnoses in Sandwell PCT 2007-09 | |||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
| Notes: 1. Data are new HIV diagnoses reported to the end of June 2010. 2. New diagnosis data do not necessarily reflect recently acquired infections, as patients may live for many years without diagnosis. 3. Data represent place of diagnosis, not place of residence. There is evidence that a substantial proportion of individuals are diagnosed outside of their PCT of residence. 4. Complete data for 2010 will be available from August 2011. Source: Health Protection Agency, HIV and AIDS New Diagnoses and Death Database | |||
Influenza: Vaccination
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that the NHS is capable of providing egg-allergic patients with influenza vaccinations. [39250]
Anne Milton: The composition and method of production of seasonal influenza vaccines is primarily a matter for the vaccine manufacturers.
All the seasonal influenza vaccines supplied to the United Kingdom for the current season were grown in eggs. Egg-allergic patients recommended to receive seasonal influenza vaccination should seek medical advice from their general practitioner (GP). The risk to the individual of not being immunised and the severity of the individual's egg allergy should be taken into account by GPs when considering whether to vaccinate. There are very few individuals who cannot receive influenza vaccine due to a history of confirmed anaphylactic reaction to any egg-containing product. In these rare cases, specialist advice should be sought with a view to immunisation under controlled conditions. In light of the reduced levels of egg protein in current seasonal influenza vaccines, the Department is aiming to review advice on the vaccination of patients with egg allergies.
Influenza: Young People
Mr Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of differentials in (a) the incidence of hospital admissions for flu-like symptoms and (b) mortality between (i) children aged under 16 of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin and (ii) all such children; and whether he has commissioned research on this subject since October 2010. [38919]
Anne Milton: Routine data on the incidence of hospital admissions for flu-like symptoms are not collected by the Department or the Health Protection Agency (HPA). The HPA is unable to provide data on the ethnicity of children who have died from/with confirmed flu.
Mental Health Services: Finance
Alan Johnson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department's document, No health without mental health: a cross-Government
mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages of February 2011, whether the £400 million allocated to increasing patient access to mental health therapists is in addition to the £173 million for increasing patient access to mental health therapists allocated as part of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme announced in February 2008. [39202]
Mental Illness
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) children and (b) adults have been sectioned for mental health disorders in each of the last 10 years. [38477]
Paul Burstow: Information on the number of children and adults detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 is not available broken down by age nor for the period requested. The following tables show the number of times the Act has been used to detain persons, but not the number of individuals (i.e. one person may have been detained more than once) for the latest five years for which data is available.
| Formal admissions to NHS facilities and independent hospitals by legal status, 2005-06 to 2009-10 , England | |
| Total number of formal admissions | |
| Source: In-patients formally detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983 and patients subject to supervised community treatment, Annual Figures, England, 2009-10 The NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre, October 2010 | |
All formal admissions to NHS facilities (including high security psychiatric hospitals) and independent hospitals registered to detain patients under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation, by legal status, 2000-01 to 2004-05 (England)
| Total formal admissions | |
| Source: In-patients formally detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation, England: 1994-95 to 2004-05, The NHS Information Centre, May 2006 | |
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of long-term trends in the mental health of (a) children and (b) adults; and if he will make a statement. [38492]
Paul Burstow: The cross-Government mental health outcomes strategy 'No health without mental health', published on 2 February was informed by an assessment of both the personal and economic costs of mental health problems. The costs of treatment alone are expected to double in the next 20 years, if we do nothing.
The strategy represents a major step forward in mainstreaming mental health and supporting the Government's important aim of achieving parity of esteem between physical and mental health. By promoting good health and intervening early we can help to prevent mental illness from developing and mitigate its effects when it does.
The Office for National Statistics survey 'Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, 2004' found that 9.6% of children aged five to 16 years had a clinically recognisable mental disorder.
An estimate of future prevalence of mental health disorders was made in the King's Fund report 'Paying the Price: The cost of mental health care in 2026' published in 2008. It projected that by 2026 the number of children with conduct disorder, emotional disorder,
hyperkinetic disorder and co-morbid disorders would increase by 13.3% to 687,969, up from an estimated 607,402 in 2007. The full report can be found at:
The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey is a survey among adults living in private households. In 2007 16.2% of the adult population reported prevalence of any common mental health disorder (CMD) similar to 2000 (16.4%) 9.7% of the population had a prevalence of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder compared to 9.4% the previous year. The following table gives information on the most common CMD for the year 2000 and 2007 by age and sex.
Common mental health disorders
| Prevalence of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder and depressive episodes in past week in 2000 and 2007 by age (16 to 74) and gender, England | ||||||||||||
| Percentage | ||||||||||||
| 16 to 34 | 35 to 44 | 45 to 54 | 55 to 64 | 65 to 74 | All adults | |||||||
| 2007 | 2000 | 200 | 2000 | 2007 | 2000 | 2007 | 2000 | 2007 | 2000 | 2007 | 2000 | |
| Source: Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (AMPS) 2000 and 2007 by the NHS Information Centre. | ||||||||||||
The King's Fund report, 'Paying the Price: The cost of mental health care in 2026', estimated that the number of people with depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia disorders, bipolar disorder/related conditions, eating disorders, personality disorders, and dementia would increase from 8.04 million in 2007 to 9.19 million in 2026.
I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement to announce the publication of the mental health strategy given on 2 February 2011, Official Report, columns 45-46WS.
'No health without mental health: a cross-Government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages' and supporting documents are available at:
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of (a) children and (b) young people in each region were diagnosed with mental health disorders in the latest period for which figures are available. [38493]
Paul Burstow: Information is not collected on the numbers of children and young people diagnosed with a mental health disorder. However, an Office for National Statistics survey for the Department of Health and the Scottish Executive in 2004 (Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, ONS, 2004) found that 9.6% of five to 16-year-olds (11.4% of boys, 7.8% of girls) had a clinically diagnosed mental disorder.
Midwives: Manpower
Mrs Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bereavement midwives are employed in each primary care trust area. [38822]
Anne Milton: Bereavement midwives provide support to parents who lose a child before, during or shortly after birth. These roles are established locally and the title is not registered by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
It is for employers to decide the number and skill mix of their workforce including the provision of professionals providing bereavement services.
Monitor
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the likely net expenditure of Monitor in each of the next 10 years. [38826]
Mr Simon Burns: We have published estimated costs in the impact assessment for the Health and Social Care Bill(1). The costs of the new economic regulator are expected to be around £50-£70 million per year.
This is based on benchmarking against the costs of other regulators in other sectors. Subject to legislation, Monitor's actual budget would be agreed with the Secretary of State. Monitor would also need to report annually on expenditure and demonstrate value for public money.
(1) Note:
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's role in the provision of advice about treatments and drugs to health care providers. [38747]
Mr Simon Burns: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will continue to have a vital role in providing advice and guidance to health care providers and commissioners about treatments and drugs. The Health and Social Care Bill includes provision for NICE to be re-established in primary legislation.
NHS: Procurement
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all contracts to provide health will be tendered following the implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill. [38742]
Mr Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Bill would not require that all contracts for national health service services in future be subject to competitive tender.
Wherever possible, we expect competition would be driven by patient choice based on the principle that 'any willing provider' should be able to offer services to patients where they met NHS standards and accept the NHS tariffs. In other cases, we would expect competitive tender for new contracts such as where commissioners are seeking to deliver new services or on contracts expiration.
NHS: Reorganisation
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely effect on the health care market of an NHS foundation trust being awarded a majority of commissioning contracts in one geographical area. [38445]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not centrally held. It would be for commissioners to initiate analysis of their markets and model their decisions based on these assessments.
The 'health special administrator' would secure this outcome by rescuing the provider as a going concern and/or a transfer of undertaking(s) to another provider that holds a valid licence (see clause 115). However, the form of solution would vary in individual cases and could potentially involve one or both of these means.
In addition, the Health and Social Care Bill would require that the Secretary of State make regulations on health special administration, which may include further provisions about the transfer of property of an NHS foundation trust (see clauses 116 and 117). These regulations would be subject to affirmative resolution by each House of Parliament.
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether a service that has been designated as a vital service such as a hospital accident and emergency department could be closed and services transferred to a private provider if it fails financially; [38446]
(2) whether there are any safeguards in place to prevent the transfer or sale of (a) buildings and (b) assets of an NHS foundation trust which enters into administration; and if he will make a statement. [38447]
Mr Simon Burns: The proposals set out in the Health and Social Care Bill would protect patients' interests by ensuring continued access to essential national health service services where there are no alternative providers. For a particular provider, services would be designated by Monitor as subject to additional regulation ('designated services') upon application by the relevant commissioner(s) and where Monitor was satisfied that the statutory criteria had been met (see clause 69).
In the event that the provider became insolvent, Monitor would be able to apply to the courts for an order appointing a 'health special administrator' to direct the affairs, business and property of the provider so as to secure the ongoing provision of 'designated services'.
NHS: Standards
Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect implementation of the proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill will have on the future of central targets relating to waiting times for referral from GPs to the point of treatment. [38869]
Mr Simon Burns: Implementation of the proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill will enable the national health service to focus on quality and the results that matter to patients-such as how successful their treatment was. Targets that benefit patients such as the cancer waiting time standards have been retained.
The rights for patients to start treatment within maximum waiting times remain in the NHS constitution. This combined with information on the quality of patients' experiences and outcomes will inform patients' choices of where they want to be treated and drive further improvement in quality and waiting times.
Ophthalmic Services
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of NHS spending on commissioning ophthalmic services was in each primary care trust area in each of the last 10 years. [38185]
Mr Simon Burns:
Financial returns and end year accounts collected centrally from primary care trusts (PCTs) do not separately identify expenditure on ophthalmic services, with the exception of the General Ophthalmic
Service which funds the provision of national health service sight tests and NHS optical vouchers to eligible patient groups. However, since 2003-04 PCTs have participated in the national Programme Budget Project where they produce estimates of their total expenditure categorised into each of 23 health care programmes. This includes a category for expenditure on problems of vision to cover all services relating to the eye and vision. Information on programme budget estimates for expenditure on problems of vision in each PCT in the period 2003-04 to 2009-10 has been placed in the Library.
Primary Care Trusts: Buildings
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which buildings used by primary care trusts have been constructed under his Department's Local Improvement Finance Trust scheme. [39111]
Mr Simon Burns: Primary care trusts use 243 of the 244 buildings constructed under the Department's Local Improvement Finance Trust initiative. A list of buildings currently open to patients has been placed in the Library.
Prostate Cancer
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the awareness among general practitioners of the information contained in the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme. [38614]
Paul Burstow: When the prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP) was relaunched in July 2009, all general practitioners (GPs) in England were sent a copy of the revised information pack along with a covering letter from the chief medical officer. The relaunch was also highlighted in the Department of Health's GP Bulletin. At the same time NHS Cancer Screening Programmes ran a GP communications campaign which included a medical press launch; a web cast; a slide set; a British Medical Journal e-learning module; and linking the PCRMP materials to GP information technology systems.
Despite this, we know that some GPs are still not aware of the programme or a man's right to a free prostate specific antigen test, providing he has made an informed choice following a GP consultation and consideration of the PCRMP leaflet.
That is why "Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer" published in January 2011 sets out how the UK National Screening Committee has recommended further education of GPs through the PCRMP. This work is being taken forward by the PCRMP Scientific Reference Group, which next meets in March 2011.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many emergency admissions there were for men with a primary diagnosis of prostate cancer in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority area, (c) each primary care trust area and (d) each parliamentary constituency in the most recent year for which figures are available. [38739]
Paul Burstow: The information is not collected in the format requested.
Information regarding counts of all emergency finished admission episodes for men where the primary diagnosis was prostate cancer has been placed in the Library.
The information has been provided for England, and by strategic health authority, primary care trust and parliamentary constituency of residence in England for 2009-10, the most recent year for which information is available. There were 6,269 emergency finished admission episodes in England, where the primary diagnosis was prostate cancer.
This is not a count of the number of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion.
Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men had a prostate-specific antigen test administered to them in (a) England, (b) each primary care trust area and (c) each constituency in each year since 1997-98. [38795]
Paul Burstow: The Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme (PCRMP) is in place to ensure that men without symptoms of prostate cancer considering a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test are given information concerning the benefits, limitations and risks associated with having a test. If a man still wants a PSA test after a general practitioner consultation and consideration of an informed choice leaflet, he should be offered one free on the national health service.
The UK National Screening Committee has asked the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group to explore options for making the PCRMP information more accessible to men to ensure that men are informed about the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer and empowered to request a PSA test if they want one.
The requested information is not centrally collected.
Public Health: Finance
Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what date he expects funding for public health activities determined on the basis of figures included in the provisional formula grant settlement announcement for 2011-12 to be distributed to local authorities. [38812]
Anne Milton: As set out in the White Paper "Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our Strategy for Public Health in England", from April 2013 Public Health England will allocate ring-fenced budgets, weighted for inequalities, to upper-tier and unitary authorities in local government for improving the health and wellbeing of local populations. Local authorities will not be receiving a grant for public health activities in 2011-12.
There will be shadow allocations to local authorities for this budget in 2012-13, providing an opportunity for planning before allocations go live in 2013-14 and an opportunity to evaluate the allocations process.
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on tackling health inequalities through the allocation of funding for public health. [38830]
Mr Simon Burns:
From April 2013, upper tier and unitary local authorities will receive a new ring-fenced public health grant, in order to improve the health of
their local population. The size of the ring-fenced grant will be based on relative population health need and weighted for inequalities. Apart from mandatory services, it will be for local authorities to determine how best to invest this funding to meet local priorities. We are consulting on the approach to developing the allocations.
The new health premium will be designed to incentivise action to reduce health inequalities and reward progress in improving the health of the local population, based on elements of the Public Health Outcomes Framework. We will develop the formula for the health premium in an open and transparent way and are consulting on both the Public Health Outcomes Framework and the approach we should take to the premium itself in order to get the detail right, ensuring that it is fair, rewards areas for their achievements, and incentivises reductions in health inequalities.
Public Health: Regulation
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish his proposals for regulations under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill in respect of the public health functions of the Secretary of State which he will require local authorities to exercise. [38802]
Anne Milton: The timing of regulations arising from the Health and Social Care Bill will depend on the passage of the Bill and the timing of Royal Assent, as well as on the nature of the regulations in question. Under current plans, regulations concerning the exercise of public health functions by local authorities would not take effect before April 2013.
Wales
Electoral Systems
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what costs her Department has incurred in respect of provision of information to the electorate on the (a) operation of and (b) voting system for the National Assembly for Wales since the creation of the Assembly; and if she will make a statement. [38157]
Mr David Jones: The Wales Office has no record of incurring costs since the creation of the National Assembly for Wales in respect of providing information to the public on the operation of, and voting system for, the Assembly.
Communities and Local Government
Society of Local Authority Chief Executives
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies provided to the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and its associated companies in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. [36889]
Robert Neill: The amount paid to the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) and its associated companies by the Department for Communities and Local Government, its agencies, non-departmental public bodies, and other arm's length bodies is shown in the following table:
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
Audit Commission: Motor Vehicles
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Audit Commission spent on payments made for early termination of car lease arrangements for its staff in the 24 months to May 2010. [38588]
Robert Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 8 February 2011:
Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
Between 1 June 2008 and 31 May 2010, £12863.96 was paid in early termination fees in respect of 22 cars.
We have a clear policy for dealing with cars if a member of staff leaves the Audit Commission before the end of their car lease. The car is normally reallocated to a new driver. We only terminate leases on vehicles where it is cheaper than incurring additional maintenance, storage and other costs pending reallocation.
Unallocated lease cars stay in our pool for about two months. We estimate net savings of approximately £7,000 on surrender of the leases.
Carbon Monoxide: Alarms
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward proposals to require all landlords to fit carbon monoxide alarms to rented accommodation. [38738]
Andrew Stunell: There are no plans to require landlords to install carbon monoxide monitors in privately rented properties. Our priority is to prevent exposure to carbon monoxide in the first place. Carbon monoxide detectors and alarms will never be a substitute for proper installation and maintenance of combustion appliances.
Landlords are responsible for maintaining their properties, including the safety of gas and electrical appliances and must arrange for an annual maintenance check of gas pipe work, appliances and flues. This should be carried out by an engineer registered with the Gas Safe Register.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward proposals to require landlords to install carbon monoxide monitors in their properties. [38762]
Andrew Stunell: There are no plans to require landlords to install carbon monoxide monitors in privately rented properties. Our priority is to prevent exposure to carbon monoxide in the first place. Carbon monoxide detectors and alarms will never be a substitute for proper installation and maintenance of combustion appliances.
Landlords are responsible for maintaining their properties, including the safety of gas and electrical appliances and must arrange for an annual maintenance check of gas pipe work, appliances and flues. This should be carried out by an engineer registered with the Gas Safe Register.
Community Centres
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many community centres were in operation in each of the last 10 years. [38371]
Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not held by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Community Development
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on social cohesion in communities in traditional steel working and coal mining areas. [38455]
Robert Neill: The Department has not commissioned specific research on social cohesion in traditional steel working areas nor in relation to coal mining areas. In 2007 the Department published an interim evaluation of coalfields regeneration programmes in England. This study assessed progress made in regenerating the former coal mining areas and included some consideration of community-related outcomes such as community empowerment, development and cohesion.
Council Tax
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties in England are registered for council tax. [39142]
Robert Neill: As at 13 September 2010 there were 22.1 million properties in England that were liable for council tax.
This information is available in table 1 of the statistical release local authority council taxbase 2010 that was published on 18 November 2010 and is available on the DCLG website
Council Tax: Valuation
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of revaluing each dwelling in (a) England and (b) Wales for council tax purposes. [39166]
Robert Neill: In a written ministerial statement on 11 October 2010, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State informed the House that, on 23 September, along with the Exchequer Secretary, he had confirmed that the Government will not carry out a council tax revaluation in England during the lifetime of this Parliament. My Department has therefore not estimated the cost of revaluing each dwelling in England for council tax purposes. Council tax in Wales is a matter devolved to the Welsh Assembly Government.
Notwithstanding, I note that the cost of the 2005 council tax revaluation in Wales was publicly estimated to be £5.2 million by the last administration(1).
The (postponed, and now cancelled) council tax revaluation in England was publicly estimated by the last administration to cost between £177 million to £200 million(2). These figures are not expressed in current terms.
Sources:
(1) 7 July 2009, Official Report, column 775W
(2) 5 July 2005, Official Report, column 298W
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many special advisers there were in his Department in each year since it was created. [36893]
Robert Neill: The number of special advisers within the Department varies within each year (as appointments sometimes overlap). The following numbers represent the number there were for the majority of each year.
2006: three
2007: three
2008: three
2009: three
2010: three (pre-election)
2010-11: two (post-election).
Departmental Public Appointments
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what public appointments he has made since his appointment; and to what payments each person so appointed is entitled. [35418]
Robert Neill: Since his appointment, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has made 15 new appointments, including reappointments, to the Department's arm's length bodies, and granted, with the approval of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, nine extensions to appointees of our arm's length bodies. The details are as follows:
Brian Landers, Janet Baker and Tony Harris were appointed as Commissioners to the Board of the Audit Commission. The appointments will cover the period from 1 November up until 31 December 2012. The Commissioners will be paid £14,358 per annum based on a time commitment of three days per month. A press release is available at:
Lord Adebowale of Thornes and Bharat Shah agreed to serve a second term as Commissioners on the Board until the end of 2012. Further details of these reappointments are included in a press release available at:
Jennifer Dixon agreed to continue to serve as a Commissioner on the Board until the end of 2012, further details of this extension are included in the press release covering the new appointments above.
Lord Adebowale and Ms Dixon will be paid £14,358 per annum based on a time commitment of three days per month. As Deputy Chair of the Commission's board, Mr Shah will be paid £23,931 per annum based on a time commitment of five days per month.
Beatrice Fraenkel has agreed to serve a further term until 31 December 2013 and Myra Kinghorn has agreed to serve a further term until 31 March 2014. Their remuneration is £250 per day.
Building Regulations Advisory Committee
Tracy Aarons, Keith Bright, Nicholas Cullen, Trevor Haynes, Adrian Levett and Andrew Shipley have all agreed to serve a further term until 30 September 2013. Lynne Sullivan has agreed to serve a further term until 31 January 2012.
These appointments are not remunerated.
As already announced, the two Thames Gateway Development Corporations are to be reformed by way of devolution to local government. As part of this, their boards will be streamlined with a remit to focus on their remaining activity and oversee the local projects.
The Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation's board will comprise the Chair, Deputy Chair and seven members. The Commissioner for Public Appointments has agreed to the extension of the appointments of the chair, Will McKee, deputy chair Bill Samuel, and members Sunny Crouch and Chris Paveley, to 31 July 2012, and member Martin Leigh-Pollitt to 31 March 2012. Remuneration and time commitment:
Will McKee: £48,897 per annum (two days per week)
Bill Samuel: £36,732 per annum (two days per week)
Sunny Crouch: £12,364 per annum (three days per month)
Chris Paveley: £12,364 per annum (three days per month
Martin Leigh-Pollitt: £12,364 per annum (three days per month).
The London Thames Gateway Development Corporation's board will comprise the chair and 10 members. The Commissioner for Public Appointments has agreed to the extension of the appointments of members Councillors Conor McAuley, Guy Nicholson and Michael White to 31 March 2012. The Minister for the Thames Gateway has agreed to the reappointment of Stan Hornagold to 31 March 2012. Remuneration and time commitment:
Cllr Conor McAuley: £12,121 per annum (three days per month)
Cllr Guy Nicholson: £12,121 per annum (three days per month)
Cllr Michael White: £ 12,121 per annum (three days per month)
Stan Hornagold: £12,121 per annum (three days per month).
Departmental Public Expenditure
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on consultancy since May 2010. [34490]
Robert Neill: Records show that the Department has spent £12,736,627 on consultancy from 1 May 2010 to 31 December 2010. A significant proportion of this expenditure relates to contractual arrangements put in place by the last administration, including FiReControl.
Furthermore, and to put this in context, in the last financial year, April 2009 to March 2010, records showed a spend of £36,558,000.
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on redecorating Ministerial offices since May 2010. [34527]
Robert Neill: There has been no expenditure on redecorating ministerial offices since May 2010.
To put this in context, the costs of redecorating Ministers' Offices for previous years are as follows:
£324.00-Repainting M. Beckett's Office November 2008.
£287.36-Repainting Secretary of State's Office June 2009.
£928.85-In the intervening period between the announcement of the general election and before the formation of the coalition Government, the opportunity was taken to refresh paintwork in a number of ministerial Offices. This expenditure, by definition, was not authorised by Ministers in the new administration.
Devolution
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments his Department has made to consultants in respect of work on devolution since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [36450]
Robert Neill: This information is not held centrally and could be answered only at disproportionate cost.
Housing: Brighton
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes were built in Brighton, Kemptown constituency in the last five years for which figures are available. [39243]
Andrew Stunell: Data on house building are not collected by parliamentary constituency. However, the following table shows the number of new build housing completions in Brighton and Hove unitary authority each year from 2005-06 to 2009-10.
| Brighton and Hove city council UA | |
| Number of new- build dwellings completed | |
| Source: P2 returns from local authorities and data from NHBC | |
Housing: Carbon Emissions
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps he has taken to require new housing developments to be low-carbon. [39028]
Grant Shapps: The coalition agreement committed this Government to making continuous improvements in the energy efficiency of new buildings. Last year, we introduced revisions to the building regulations which require higher levels of energy efficiency, and we have announced plans to make a further revision in 2013. I updated the House in December on progress with our plans to enable all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that measures to reduce carbon emissions in new properties are financially worthwhile for builders of new homes. [39031]
Grant Shapps: As technology and building methods improve, the costs of measures to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency in new homes will increasingly fall to the benefit of both builders and buyers of new homes. Energy efficiency measures which reduce carbon will also lead to lower fuel bills which will improve the attractiveness of new homes. By setting a long-term goal to enable new homes to be zero carbon from 2016, the Government are creating the conditions for industry to innovate and develop cost saving solutions.
Housing: Construction
Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on planning conditions which permit the construction of residential annexes to domestic properties. [38813]
Robert Neill: The construction of residential annexes to domestic properties may be undertaken without the need for planning permission where the development meets the limits and conditions set out in the legislation governing permitted development. Under Schedule 2, Part 1, Class E of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended by Statutory Instrument 2008 No. 2362), development of such an annex is permitted within the curtilage of a dwelling house as long as its use is incidental to the enjoyment of the house. Where such a development does not meet the limits and conditions set out in the legislation, an application for planning permission will need to be made to the local planning authority.
Local Government Finance
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on the levels of their financial reserves. [39253]
Robert Neill: I refer the hon. Member to a letter sent by the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Andrew Stunell), to local authorities on 27 January 2011. I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.
Motor Vehicles: Sales
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers are available to local councils to prevent the commercial (a) repair and (b) sale on public roads of fully-taxed vehicles. [37566]
Robert Neill: Section 3 of part 2 of the 'Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005' makes selling and repairing cars on the road by way of business a specific offence. Also, local authorities in England and Wales can adopt provisions in the 'Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982' whereby they can designate streets as prohibited for street trading purposes, or as licence or consent streets where permission must be obtained to trade. Section 75 of the 'Road Traffic Act 1988' makes it an offence to sell, supply or offer to sell or supply, or expose for sale an unroadworthy vehicle.
Non-Domestic Rates
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the merits of extending the concession allowing empty rates to be waived for properties with a rateable value of less than £18,000 per annum until economic growth returns to its long-term trend. [39112]
Robert Neill: The Government's ability to take action on empty property rates needs to be balanced against the costs involved, the targeted support that we have already provided on business rates and the overriding need to reduce public expenditure and support the economy generally by reducing the deficit.
Unfortunately, taking these matters into consideration, support for empty property rate measures for 2011-12 is unaffordable. As I outlined in my written statement of 13 December 2010, Official Report, columns 61-62WS, it would cost £400 million to continue with the temporary empty rates measure, which unfortunately is not fiscally sustainable given the public finances that the new Government have inherited from the last administration.
However, while the Government have no immediate plans for reforms, we are certainly keeping this matter under review.
Schools: Construction
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish his Department's response to its consultation on planning for schools development. [39128]
Robert Neill: The Government ran a consultation on planning for schools development, which closed on 10 December. We are currently considering responses and will publish our response thereafter.
Sports: Finance
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely effect on local sport and leisure facilities of reductions in grants to local authorities. [36853]
Robert Neill: It is for local authorities to decide on their spending priorities. In total, local authorities will have greater control over more than £7 billion of funding from 2011-12 which is moving into formula grant, being unringfenced or is new funding for the spending review period, so enabling them to better meet local communities' needs.
Deputy Prime Minister
Elections
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) if he will assess the relationship between turnout in national and local elections and levels of social capital; [38317]
(2) to ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will assess the relationship between levels of social capital in each socio-economic grouping and turnout at elections. [39017]
Mr Harper: The Government have no plans to carry out such an assessment.
Research that has been undertaken relating to turnout and engagement in elections, for example, by the Electoral Commission and the Hansard Society, has found that a range of factors will impact upon turnout at elections including socio-economic factors.
The Government are committed to engaging the electorate in elections and wider democratic activity. The Government's programme of political and constitutional reform aims to restore people's trust in our political system.
Elections: Machine Ballot Counting
Philip Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of consultancy reports held by his Office on the efficacy and reliability of machine ballot counting in regional and local government elections. [36452]
Mr Harper: The Government have not commissioned any consultancy reports on the overall efficacy and reliability of machine counting of ballots in respect of regional and local government elections.
The Electoral Commission evaluated and reported on each of the individual pilots, approved under the previous Government, that utilised electronic counting of ballots in England in May 2007. These evaluations included technical reports on each pilot as well as an overall technical report. The Commission also utilised
consultants to complete a report on the use of electronic counting at the Greater London Authority elections in May 2008. These reports are all publicly available on the Electoral Commission's website.
Other reports that refer to the use of electronic counting in 2007 and earlier years, in English local elections, Scottish parliamentary and local elections and Greater London authority elections, have also been produced by the Commission and the Greater London authority and are available on their websites.
Primary Elections
Jon Trickett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 1 February 2011, Official Report, columns 766-7W, on primary elections, whether he plans to make an announcement on all-postal primaries after the boundaries review. [39172]
Mr Harper: As my answer of 1 February 2011, Official Report, columns 766-7W, set out, we will make further details available once we have considered the impact of the significant changes being made to our electoral process under the Government's programme of political and constitutional reform.
Tibet: Human Rights
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2011, Official Report, column 195W, on Tibet: human rights, what the response was of Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on the issue of human rights in Tibet. [38190]
The Deputy Prime Minister: When I met Vice Premier Li, I reiterated the Government's policy on Tibet. I made clear that we have concerns about the protection of human rights in China and in Tibet specifically.
Vice Premier Li said that China was working towards ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and recognized the universality of human rights. But national conditions had to be taken into account. He said that significant reform was under way in China but that progress in these areas would take time.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Storage
Mr Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made on the first carbon capture and storage demonstration project. [39308]
Charles Hendry: The Front End Engineering and Design studies for the first Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project are nearing completion. Negotiations are progressing. Depending on the quality and value for money of Scottish Power's detailed solution, we hope to award a contract in the second half of 2011.
Climate Change
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what definition of the term global temperatures he uses. [38356]
Gregory Barker: The term 'global temperatures' is commonly used and taken here to mean global average, annual, near-surface temperatures. This is estimated by combining statistically the National Meteorological Services' accredited climate station data with sea surface temperatures measured by shipping and buoys. These data are analysed independently by several centres and the resulting 'global temperature series' show very close agreement.
Departmental Security
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which persons not employed by Government departments or agencies hold passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises. [39268]
Gregory Barker: Passes may be issued to those who are required to make frequent visits to specific Government sites, subject to the usual security checks. For security reasons it would not be appropriate to provide details of individuals who hold such passes.
Electricity Generation: Infrastructure
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many individual responses his Department has received to the consultation on the revised draft National Policy Statement on electricity networks (EN 5). [39052]
Charles Hendry: Of the responses we received to the consultation on the revised draft National Policy Statements for Energy, 1,518 respondents chose to comment on the statement on Electricity Networks Infrastructure (EN-5).
Energy
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on take-up of (a) energy efficient products and (b) measures eligible for Green Deal funding of the applications of differing rates of value added tax; and if he will make a statement. [38551]
Gregory Barker: The rates of value added tax for different products and measures is a consideration for Her Majesty's Treasury.
We are aware that a wide range of factors can influence the uptake of energy efficiency products and measures. In recent years, the carbon emissions reduction target has been successful in promoting their take up across over three million households through full and substantial part subsidies.
Subject to the progress of the Energy Bill, Green Deal will further drive the uptake of measures which can pay for themselves through energy bill savings. This principle means that consumers can benefit from energy efficiency improvements at no upfront cost.
Energy: International Cooperation
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what agreements were reached on energy and climate change at the Nordic Baltic Summit. [38768]
Gregory Barker: The UK Nordic Baltic summit brought together policy makers, business, and civil society leaders from nine countries with the aim of sharing ideas about how best to boost economic growth, enterprise, and job creation while improving people's well-being.
In the area of green economy and sustainable business, the Prime Minister attended a series of presentations, and took part in wider discussions, outlining innovative ideas from across the Nordic Baltic region in areas such as supergrids, smartgrids, and eco bonds. The Government are committed to promoting the transition to a low carbon economy in the UK and the EU, and believe that this region can be at the forefront of such a transition. The Prime Minister gave his backing to plans for a European supergrid, giving further momentum to work in this area. The Government are already an active participant in the North Seas Offshore Grid initiative, which is looking at the potential for greater interconnection of electricity networks across the whole region. This will be a cornerstone of the transition to a low carbon energy sector.
Energy: Meters
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what stakeholder (a) engagement and (b) analysis his Department is carrying out on smart metering; and if he will make a statement. [38817]
Charles Hendry: Since the Smart Metering Implementation Programme Prospectus was published for consultation in July 2010, the Programme has carried out extensive stakeholder engagement. This has included stakeholder briefing events, expert groups, workshops and multilateral evidence gathering sessions, plus bilateral meetings with a wide range of stakeholders and industry associations. We are very grateful for the intensive engagement from all stakeholders.
Information regarding the smart meter Programme is also available on the DECC and Ofgem websites.
Engagement to date has been informed by detailed stakeholder analysis. The Programme has canvassed stakeholders' views of our communications methods through surveys and bilateral meetings, using responses to help us refine and improve our communications.
The Programme is now preparing a response to the consultation and will launch the next phase of the programme, in which continued active engagement with all stakeholders will be vital.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department plans to publish the proposals arising from its consultation on the Smart Metering Implementation Programme Prospectus. [38819]
Charles Hendry: The Government aim to publish their response to the Smart Metering Implementation Programme Prospectus Consultation around the end of March:
Liquefied Petroleum Gas: Prices
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the relationship between price fluctuations and market considerations in the pricing structure of the domestic liquefied petroleum gas market. [38737]
Charles Hendry: The price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is influenced by a range of factors which include refinery capacity, stock levels, distribution costs, retail margins and exchange rates.
The UK has open and competitive markets for LPG. In a competitive market, prices are determined by costs faced by companies. As such, prices fluctuates with changes in costs. I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 21 January 2011, Official Report, column 55WS. I am keen that the reasons for high prices and supply issues this winter are thoroughly investigated by an independent authority. I wrote to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to ask it to bring forward its competition and consumer study into off-grid energy. I also asked the OFT if the study could explore the longer term consumer issues such as lifetime payback, consumer standards and labelling for alternative energy sources or supplies. Such a study would provide an independent assessment of the off-grid market and establish what further action may be necessary to ensure it works properly.
I welcome the independent assessment of the off-grid market to be made by the OFT, and we look forward to seeing its conclusions in advance of next winter so that the lessons from this winter can be learned and any necessary changes made.
Natural Gas: Drilling
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he or officials of his Department have had recent discussions on the legislative and regulatory framework relating to drilling for shale gas and coal bed methane with (a) Ministers in the devolved administrations and (b) Ministerial colleagues. [37475]
Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials have regular contact with other Government Departments on a range of issues. I have scheduled a meeting with the Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), to discuss the issue, and intend to undertake a visit to Cuadrilla's operations in Blythe in the coming weeks.
Power Stations: Construction
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what account he has taken of competition law in his proposal for a capacity payment to encourage the construction of reserve plants. [39282]
Charles Hendry: The Electricity Market Reform (EMR) project is under consultation and has yet to confirm whether a capacity mechanism is definitely necessary, and if so which type would best meet the nation's needs.
Implementation of any EMR policy decision will follow due process, and the impacts on competition carefully considered throughout. Competition will also be considered by Ofgem in its review of the wholesale market's liquidity, which is expected to reach a conclusion in the spring.
Renewable Energy
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) anaerobic digestion, (b) pyrolysis and (c) gasification producers and project developers have (i) been written to and (ii) responded as part of his Department's initiative to assess the deployment potential and generation costs of the renewable electricity targets. [37999]
Charles Hendry: The number of anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis and gasification producers and project developers who have been written to and responded as part of the Renewables Obligation Banding Review 2013 are given in the following table. For the purposes of the Banding Review, pyrolysis and gasification are classified as advanced conversion technologies, and are reflected in the table as such.
| Number | ||
| Written to | Responded | |
Several trade associations with interests in these technologies, including the Renewable Energy Association and the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association, are also contributing to the review.
Other organisations with an interest in the Banding Review are welcome to contact DECC, either now or as part of the statutory consultation later this year.
Solar Power
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many solar parks (a) have received planning permission and been constructed and (b) are awaiting a planning decision on (i) agricultural land, (ii) greenfield sites and (iii) brownfield sites. [37469]
Gregory Barker: The Department does not routinely collect these data. However, data obtained from RESTATS:
https://restats.decc.gov.uk/cms/welcome-to-the-restats-web-site
and Cornwall county council shows six solar park projects have received planning permission since the establishment of the FITs scheme on 15 July 2010. Data from Cornwall county council also show 11 awaiting planning decision.
The data are not consistently broken down as requested.
Utilities: Fees and Charges
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the merits of establishing a legal obligation on energy companies to provide a rebate on billed gas and electricity costs for families with children in receipt of child tax credit on incomes of £16,190 per annum or less; and whether he has discussed such a proposal with representatives of energy companies. [39280]
Gregory Barker: The coalition Government has recently consulted on the Warm Home Discount scheme which would require energy suppliers to provide financial assistance to more of their most vulnerable consumers.
A response on the consultation will be published in due course.
Water Power
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made on creating a network of marine energy parks. [38770]
Gregory Barker: The coalition is committed to supporting the growth of the marine energy sector in the UK. As part of this we are looking at how infrastructure such as marine energy parks can contribute to this by encouraging the clustering of expertise and industrial activity.
In collaboration with the sector and key partners we are developing a UK-wide marine energy programme to address the barriers to marine energy. The first meeting of the Marine Energy Programme Board which will oversee the process was held in Exeter on the 31 January. At the meeting I stated that I consider that the south-west, with its excellent marine resource, R and D capabilities and marine energy infrastructure, could be a prime candidate to be at the forefront of developing marine energy parks.
Wind Power
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects wind power to achieve commercial viability. [38391]
Charles Hendry: We expect that over time we will be able to reduce support for wind power and other renewable energy technologies as they become more economic, but it is not possible to put a specific timescale on this. The future point at which wind power does not require revenue support will depend on a number of factors, including future wholesale electricity prices, technology costs and the relative costs of alternatives to wind (including the carbon price). Our upcoming White Paper on Electricity Market Reform will set out our proposals for incentivising investment in low-carbon generation.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the total subsidy to wind power that will be necessary for it to become commercially viable. [38392]
Charles Hendry: It is not feasible to make a robust estimate of the total subsidies to wind power that will be necessary for it to be commercially viable without support. It would depend on a number of factors including when this occurs and the support mechanism. When this occurs will itself depend on factors including the speed at which wind costs fall (related to the degree of technological learning, commodity prices and supply chain development), future wholesale electricity prices and the relative costs of alternatives to wind.
The renewables obligation (RO) is currently the Government's main mechanism for incentivising large scale renewable deployment. Between its introduction in April 2002 and March 2010 it has provided approximately £2.2 billion in 2010-11 prices of support to wind power.
Evidence is currently being gathered to inform the renewables obligation banding levels from 2013-17, and we are also consulting on electricity market reform, including the introduction of feed-in tariffs with contract-for-difference for low-carbon generation, and premium payments as a credible alternative.
Wind Power: North Sea
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many submissions his Department received in response to the application for a wind farm at Westermost Rough; and how many were (a) supportive of and (b) opposed to the application. [38696]
Charles Hendry: The Department has received 19 representations about the Westermost Rough consent application. Seven respondents have opposed the proposed project: there have been no specific responses expressing support for the proposal.
Wind Power: Planning Permission
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average time taken by his Department was to make a decision in respect of a proposal for a wind farm after an application was made under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 in the latest period for which figures are available. [38656]
Charles Hendry: In the period from 1 January 2005 to date, the average time for determining Section 36 applications for onshore and offshore wind farms was 29 months.
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