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10 Feb 2011 : Column 407W—continued
Buses: Fuels
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what incentives his Department provides to bus operators to use fuel which has minimal adverse effects on the environment. [39311]
Norman Baker: Under the £45 million Green Bus Fund, the Department for Transport is supporting the purchase of around 500 new low carbon emission buses (LCEBs). LCEBs use around 30% less fuel than conventional diesel buses and emit around a third less carbon dioxide. All buses supported by the Green Bus Fund have to be ordered by the end of March 2011 and must be in service by the end of March 2012.
In addition, from 1 April 2010, a 3% increase in bus service operators grant (BSOG) has been payable to any operator which achieves a fuel efficiency improvement (as measured in kilometres per litre) of 6% compared with the 'base year'.
Furthermore, a payment of 6p for every kilometre operated by Low Carbon Emission Buses has been payable since 1 April 2009.
Crossrail Line: Woolwich
Mr Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the agreement between his Department and Transport for London and Berkeley Homes for the construction of the station box at Woolwich as part of the Crossrail scheme; and if he will make a statement. [39526]
Mrs Villiers: Negotiations to secure a funding solution for Woolwich station box are ongoing. Crossrail Ltd, the Department for Transport, Transport for London and Berkeley Homes have been working hard to secure an agreement which is in line with principles made clear to Parliament in 2007. These principles are that a station box at Woolwich can go ahead so long as it can be funded at no extra cost to the public purse above the current cost of Crossrail.
Cycle to Work Scheme
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the level of take-up by (a) employees and (b) employers of the Cycle to Work scheme. [38207]
Norman Baker: Cycle to Work Schemes make use of the 1999 Finance Act annual tax exemption, which allows employers to loan cycles and cyclists' safety equipment to employees as a tax-free benefit.
While the Department does not hold data regarding the take up of the scheme, the Cycle to Work Alliance report that there are currently over 400,000 employees taking advantage of the scheme. This involves 650 bike retailers and 15,000 employers.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) press officers, (b) internal communications officers, (c) external communications officers, (d) communications strategy officers and (e) other positions with a communications remit were employed by (i) his Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) each other non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department on the most recent date for which figures are available. [38952]
Norman Baker [holding answer 9 February 2011]: Figures are taken from the Operational Efficiency Programme benchmarking exercise for the period of April 2009 to March 2010. The figures represent full-time equivalents (FTEs). The NDPBs figures requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost due to this information not being held centrally.
The Department's central communications function is currently being downsized to contribute to the overall reduction in staff costs by around 25% as part of the Department's programme for meeting the Government's policy of reducing administration costs by 33% during the spending review period.
| Communications staff, full-time equivalents, 2009-10 | |||
| Central Department | Executive agencies | ||
Departmental Procurement
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what single tender contracts his Department has awarded since his appointment; and what the monetary value is of each contract above the EU public procurement threshold. [36193]
Norman Baker: A table listing single tender contracts awarded since 12 May 2010 has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Dover Harbour Board
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2011, Official Report, column 151W, on the Dover Harbour Board, on what dates since May 2010 officials in his Department met the Dover Harbour Board; and which officials were present at each such meeting. [37845]
Mike Penning: A number of policy officials in the Department met representatives of Dover Harbour Board in the normal course of business on 17 June 2010. Policy officials were also present at a meeting I held on 21 June with the chairman of Dover Harbour Board and my visit to the port of Dover on 8 December.
Departmental officials dealing with the decision on the proposed transfer scheme have not held meetings with representatives of Dover Harbour Board.
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the majority view was of respondents to the two consultations carried out by his Department on the transfer scheme proposed by the Dover Harbour Board. [37881]
Mike Penning: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given to him on 25 January 2011, Official Report, column 152W.
I have placed in the Library of the House summaries of the representations received on the application from Dover Harbour Board to allow it to sell the port of Dover. The Decision Minister, the Minister of State, Department for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs Villiers), is presently considering the application made by the Dover Harbour Board in the light of those representations.
Electric Vehicles
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of (a) electric cars and (b) hybrid cars sold in the UK in 2009-10. [37843]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport does not hold data on vehicle sales, but does hold data on newly-registered vehicles. During the 2009-10 financial year there were 202 electric cars and 17,437 hybrid cars newly registered at addresses in the UK.
High Speed 2
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what preparatory work his Department has undertaken on the interoperability of High Speed 2 with European rail standards; [38592]
(2) what estimate he has made of the likely costs arising from interoperability requirements in the construction of High Speed 2. [38799]
Mr Philip Hammond:
The specification designed by HS2 Ltd is for HS2 to be fully interoperable with existing European high speed railways. While no specific
estimates have been made, designing the line to European standards is likely to reduce costs as off-the-shelf componentry could be utilised.
High Speed 2: Finance
Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has allocated for exceptional hardship purposes in its budget for High Speed 2. [38805]
Mr Philip Hammond: The Department for Transport has estimated £50 million for the cost of the Exceptional Hardship Scheme over the life of the scheme from launch on 20 August 2010 to its assumed end date around the end of 2011 or early 2012.
Local Sustainable Transport Fund
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has had recent discussions on the role of employers in use of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. [38208]
Norman Baker: As part of the bidding guidance issued to accompany the £560 million Local Sustainable Transport Fund, local authorities are encouraged to engage with local businesses and employers when preparing applications in order to ensure that such bids meet the key objectives of the fund-to create growth and cut carbon.
Localism Bill
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to take steps to encourage community ownership bids for statutory harbour authorities under clauses 66 to 70 of the Localism Bill. [37864]
Mike Penning: The Localism Bill is currently being considered by the House of Commons Committee. It will be for the community to determine whether it wants to make a challenge or a bid, under the opportunities provided by the Localism Bill.
Parking: Fees and Charges
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from local authorities on the level of parking charges and penalties since 12 May 2010; and how many of these requested greater scope for local authorities in determining the level of such charges and penalties. [39365]
Norman Baker [holding answer 9 February 2011 ]: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave him on 10 January 2011, Official Report, column 36W, and the right hon. Member for Warley (Mr Spellar) on 8 December 2010, Official Report, column 264W. I have not received further representations from local authorities since those dates.
One local authority has requested greater scope in determining the level of parking penalty charges.
Railways: Disability
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2011, Official Report, column 891W, on railways: disability, if he will assess the provision of support available to disabled passengers who choose to travel at short notice. [38198]
Norman Baker: We do not currently intend to carry out an assessment of the level of service and facilities available to disabled passengers who choose to travel at short notice, as this is primarily an operational matter for the train operating companies and Network Rail in their compliance with the obligations placed upon them by the Equalities Act. We do however understand that Passenger Focus is planning further research in this area, which we await with interest.
Railways: Franchising
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanism he plans to put in place to measure rail overcrowding in (a) Manchester, (b) Leeds and (c) Birmingham under his proposed rail franchise rules. [35985]
Mrs Villiers: The crowding measures, and associated mechanisms, that will be used in non-London urban centres will be developed when the relevant commuter franchises are re-let reflecting the specific issues that relate to each area.
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the relative consideration to be given to (a) investment, (b) profitability, (c) punctuality and (d) overcrowding in determining the length of future rail franchises; [35993]
(2) what factors his Department will take into account in determining the length of future rail franchises. [35994]
Mrs Villiers: We believe that future franchises should generally be for around 15 years but that shorter contracts may be necessary in some circumstances, for example, where major works like Thameslink, will involve significant changes in the configuration of services. Where significant private sector investment is proposed, we are prepared to consider franchises of up to 22.5 years.
The significant variation in the nature of services provided on different parts of the network means that a one size-fits-all approach to franchising is not appropriate. Franchise terms will therefore be tailored to the specific circumstances of the services in question.
We anticipate that issues around profit sharing, punctuality and crowding will be assessed as part of the bid process and will be reflected in contract outputs where appropriate.
Railways: Overcrowding
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources his Department has allocated to help train operators manage overcrowding. [35996]
Mrs Villiers: In total the Government will deliver more than 2,100 new rail carriages on to the network by May 2019. Of these 1,200 will be for new Crossrail and Thameslink services. This will in turn free up hundreds of existing electric carriages to be deployed on to the newly electrified lines by franchised train operators. In total, there will be at least 1,850 net additional carriages on the network by 2019. The Government are currently engaged in commercial negotiations with the franchised operators about the allocation of the unallocated element of 650 further carriages for delivery before 2014.
Roads: Accidents
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether parties injured in a motor vehicle accident where the driver at fault is not insured are entitled to compensation from the public purse. [39395]
Mike Penning: Victims in accidents involving uninsured drivers are eligible to claim compensation from the Motor Insurers' Bureau, the UK compensation body funded by the motor insurance industry.
Sea Rescue
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the compatibility of his proposals to reduce the number of (a) coastguard control centres and (b) coastguard control staff with the provisions of the international convention on maritime search and rescue 1979. [38061]
Mike Penning: The proposals as outlined in the consultation document "Protecting our Seas and Shores in the 21st Century" are compatible with the international convention on maritime search and rescue 1979.
In the MCA's proposal, the communications infrastructure and the provision of search and rescue facilities (coastguard rescue teams, helicopters, lifeboats etc.) are unaffected, and are considered to be appropriate with the provisions of the convention. Furthermore the ability of centres to communicate with, and support one another will be enhanced.
Shipping: Oil
Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many ships gave notice of ship to ship oil transfers in January 2011, as required under MARPOL Annex 1 New Chapter 8. [39117]
Mike Penning: Chapter 8 of annex I to the MARPOL convention has not yet been implemented in the UK. It will be implemented by means of regulations which are being prepared by the Department for Transport.
13 applications for permission to carry out ship-to-ship transfers in the UK territorial sea, resulting in 16 actual ship-to-ship transfers, were processed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. (Two other applications were submitted but withdrawn.)
No ships notified the UK that they planned ship-to-ship transfer operations beyond the 12 nautical mile limit of the UK territorial sea.
Trust Ports
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has plans to convert those trust ports classified as public corporations into organisations owned by the local community. [37867]
Mike Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has no such plans.
In relation to the Port of Dover, as my hon. Friend is aware, the Minister of State, Department for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs Villiers), is currently considering an application for a transfer of the port undertaking made by Dover Harbour Board under the Ports Act 1991.
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2011, Official Report, column 265W, on trust ports, what relevant policy guidance his Department provides; and if he will place in the Library a copy of such guidance. [37964]
Mike Penning: No such specific guidance has been issued. However, any such guidance, if issued, would be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2011, Official Report, column 265W, on trust ports, whether any sanctions are available to him in respect of trust ports which have failed to deal with stakeholders in an accountable manner beyond asking them to explain their reasons. [37965]
Mike Penning: If a stakeholder considers that a trust port or its board has not dealt with their concerns appropriately, then they should bring it to the Department's attention. After the board of the trust port has had an opportunity to comment, the Department will consider what the appropriate response should be.
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the Member for Christchurch of 16 September 2010, Official Report, column 1250W, on trust ports: privatisation, what relevant representations his Department received in relation to the proposals by Dover Harbour Port. [38320]
Mike Penning: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given to him on 25 January 2011, Official Report, column 152W.
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make it his policy that when a trust port is sold the levy of 50 per cent. applicable under the provisions of the Ports Act 1991 be passed to the community to be reinvested for the benefit of the locality; [38321]
(2) if he will make it his policy to allow trust ports designated as public corporations to be transferred to independent status without the proceeds accruing to the local community or to the Exchequer. [38324]
Mike Penning: The Ports Act 1991 requires all payments of the levy on the sale of a major trust port to be made into the Consolidated Fund. The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend, has no plans to bring forward legislation to amend the Ports Act.
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Marine Management Organisation has received any recent proposals from a trust port to seek powers through a harbour revision order to modify the terms of the Ports Act 1991 for the purposes of relinquishing public corporation status. [38322]
Mike Penning: The Marine Management Organisation has not received any recent such proposals from a trust port.
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that public corporation status for major trust ports be rescinded in favour of community ownership. [38323]
Mike Penning: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no such plans.
In relation to the port of Dover, as my hon. Friend is aware, my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State (Mrs Villiers) is currently considering an application for a transfer of the port undertaking made by Dover Harbour Board under the Ports Act 1991.
Work and Pensions
Council Tax Benefits
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of each item of correspondence with (a) the Local Government Association, (b) local authorities and (c) the devolved administrations on his proposals to localise council tax benefit. [29023]
Steve Webb: There has been no formal ministerial correspondence on this matter, however, there has been contact at official level with devolved Administrations, all local authorities and their associations on proposals announced as part of the Spending Review, specifically a letter from the head of housing benefit strategy division within the Department for Work and Pensions to colleagues within the Local Government Association, London Councils and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities dated 20 October 2010, which the Secretary of State has placed in the Library.
Departmental Publications
Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on the publication and distribution of its DWPeople magazine in each year since the magazine's first publication. [36929]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions launched an all staff magazine in April 2010 called DWPeople. This magazine is written and designed in-house by staff in DWP Internal Communications.
April 2010 to December 2010 = £127,387.70 (net costs)
This cost was for a bi-monthly publication, with 40,000 copies produced each issue and made available to all DWP staff.
We are currently looking at lower cost electronic options to distribute DWPeople.
The Department is currently reviewing expenditure across the board to ensure we are delivering value for money for the taxpayer.
Disability Living Allowance: Housing Benefit
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many and what proportion of local housing allowance claimants are in receipt of disability living allowance; [39711]
(2) how many disability living allowance claimants will be affected by changes to local housing allowance in 2011-12; and what estimate he has made of the average change in the level of benefit payments to such claimants. [39712]
Steve Webb: The information on the proportion of local housing allowance claimants who receive disability living allowance is not available.
Information is collected on claimants' income from disability living allowance on the new single housing benefit extract. However, this information has not yet been quality assured to National Statistics standard, and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.
The Department published a document on "Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12" on 23 July 2010. This can be found at:
An impact assessment and equality impact assessment were published on 30 November. These can be found at:
Disability Living Allowance: Industrial Diseases
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have successfully claimed industrial injuries disability benefit for osteoarthritis in Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East constituency in each of the last three years. [39505]
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 at December 2010. This information will be published in due course.
Future Jobs Fund
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects of the operation of the future jobs fund on economic growth; and if he will make a statement. [38892]
Chris Grayling: At up to £6,500 per person the future jobs fund (FJF) is expensive; creates temporary, short term posts; and the grants do not include any incentives to move people into permanent jobs. As part of the evaluation of the FJF we will be conducting an impact assessment to estimate the difference that the policy has made to participants' employment and benefit receipt outcomes. To enable participants' outcomes to be tracked for a sufficient period analysis will be undertaken from autumn 2011 This will inform a cost-benefit assessment based on benefit, fiscal and economic savings. However it is not possible to reliably identify the potential impact on economic growth.
Housing Benefit
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the reasons are for the timetable he has set for implementation of the proposed housing benefit cap and the proposed 30(th) percentile calculation change. [22320]
Steve Webb: The Department laid amendments to Housing Benefit legislation on 30 November 2010. Following advice from the Social Security Advisory Committee and key stakeholders in relation to the implementation of these measures and to ensure a smooth transition, the measure to set local housing allowance rates at the 30(th) percentile and the overall weekly caps will both come into force for new customers from 1 April 2011. This means all measures that will adjust local housing allowance rates in 2011 will come into force on the same date. However, existing customers will have more time to adjust to any reduction in entitlement by having up to nine months transitional protection at their existing local housing allowance rate from the anniversary date of the claim.
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of single 25 to 35 year-old local housing allowance claimants living in single-occupancy households in (a) West Lothian and (b) Scotland. [37939]
Steve Webb: At October 2010, our records show that there were 8,110 recipients of housing benefit in Scotland assessed under the local housing allowance arrangements who were single and aged between 25 and 35 years old. Out of these recipients, 170 were living in West Lothian local authority. Information about the occupancy type of these households is not available.
Note:
Figures are derived from the single housing benefit extract for October 2010 and are rounded to the nearest 10 recipients.
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent in real terms on housing benefit in each year since the introduction of the benefit. [39599]
Steve Webb: The first year of housing benefit in broadly its current form is 1988-89. Housing benefit expenditure in real terms is shown in the following table.
| 2010- 11 prices (£ million) | |
| Notes: 1. Forecasts for 2010-11 are based on the autumn 2010 forecast. 2. Housing benefit expenditure can be found at the following URL: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/alltables_budget2010.xls 3. Housing benefit expenditure by local authority district can be found at the following URL: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/h_tables_budget2010.xls Source: Local Authority Subsidy returns | |
Pensions
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the average income of (a) women and (b) men retiring in 2011 will be made up of (i) basic state pension, (ii) occupational and personal pension, (iii) additional state pension and (iv) other savings. [39510]
Steve Webb: The exact information requested is not available.
Estimates of the levels of pensioners' incomes are published in the Pensioners' Income Series, which uses Family Resources Survey data. The latest year for which figures are available is 2008-09. It should be noted that information provided for 2008-09 covers all those who were pensioners in that year and not those that retired in that year.
The following table gives information available for the average incomes of pensioner couples, single male pensioners and single female pensioners in 2008-09 split out by various income sources. It is not possible to split out basic state pension and additional state pension from the survey data-these are both included within state pension income in the following table:
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the additional basic state pension entitlement is for (a) a woman and (b) a man retiring in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2018. [39512]
Steve Webb: The available information is in the following table.
| Average amount of weekly state second pension/state earnings-related pension scheme for new claimants at state pension age | ||
| £, cash terms | ||
| March 2016 | March 2018 | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest £1. 2. Award relates to the average weekly amount of state second pension/state-earnings related pension scheme in payment to someone claiming at state pension age in a particular year and exclude those above state pension age receiving a deferred claim. 3. Figures do not include graduated retirement benefit. 4. Figure include claimants living overseas. | ||
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average occupational pension for a (a) woman and (b) man retiring in (i) 2011, (ii) 2016 and (iii) 2018. [39600]
Steve Webb: The information requested is in the following table.
| £ | ||
| Men | Women | |
| Notes: 1. Results shown are mean weekly average occupational pension income for those who have some occupational pension income (those with a nil amount are excluded) and who reach state pension age in the indicated years; they are in cash terms and are rounded to the nearest £1. 2. Results are based on version 11_02 of DWP's pension simulation model Pensim2 and reflect all legislated and announced pension policy changes; for example, automatic enrolment into workplace pension schemes, increases in state pension age etc. Figures shown are indicative as they are based on small sample sizes; Pensim2 contains a 60,000 representative sample of the population and only a proportion of these reach state pension age in any given year with a non-zero occupational pension amount. 3. Results show combined income from all occupational pension schemes, both defined contribution (including NEST) and defined benefit schemes; they do not include any income from state pension, other state benefits (either contributory or income based) or personal pensions (including stakeholder pensions). 4. Historical information on proportions in receipt of occupational pensions and amounts received are available through the DWP's Pensioners' Income Series, copies of which are available in the Library. | ||
Social Security Benefits
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recipients of out-of-work benefits were in receipt of (a) incapacity benefit, (b) severe disablement allowance and (c) employment support allowance in each year since 1992; and how many of these were also in receipt of disability living allowance in each such year. [39710]
Maria Miller: The information requested regarding the number of people receiving incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and employment and support allowance is currently only available for the period May 2002 to May 2010. We are also currently unable to provide figures for the number of people receiving each of these benefits who were also in receipt of disability living allowance. Collating the information requested for these benefits between 1992 and 2002 will take a longer period due to the complexity and extent of work required.
I will undertake to write to the hon. Member by 28 February with the rest of the information requested, and will deposit a copy of the letter in the House Library.
| Incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and employment and support allowance claimants: Great Britain and abroad | |||
| As at May each year | Incapacity benefit | Severe disablement allowance | Employment and support allowance |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance for new claimants from October 2008. 4. Data includes those cases receiving 'credits only'. Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% WPLS. | |||
Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has any plans to renegotiate the contract with companies providing medical assessments for employment and support allowance and disability living allowance applicants following the outcome of the comprehensive spending review. [37699]
Chris Grayling: The DWP Medical Services contract was awarded to Atos Healthcare, a division of Atos Origin, in 2005 for a period of seven years, with the option to extend for a further three and then for a further two. In 2009 the Department negotiated an extension to the contract to 31 August 2015 with the exclusion of disability living allowance from 2013, which will be put to competitive tender. The extension is made subject to Atos Healthcare delivering substantial savings against the current estimated cost of £100 million per annum.
Work Capability Assessment
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's document ESA214-The Work Capability Assessment, page 4, what the cost of the contract to the private company carrying out the medical services element of the work capability assessment was in the last 12 months. [37877]
Chris Grayling: Information relating to the cost to the contractor for delivery of the medical services element of the work capability assessment is commercially sensitive and release of the information would prejudice the interests of Atos Healthcare and the Department's future dealings with Atos Healthcare or other service providers.
Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many assessments conducted by Atos were carried out on people suffering from a terminal illness in 2010. [38202]
Chris Grayling: In 2010, 4,647 employment support allowance cases were referred to Atos Healthcare by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) under the terminal illness code. Of these, 3,253 cases were confirmed as terminally ill.
In 2010, 100,942 disability living allowance cases were referred to Atos Healthcare by the DWP under the terminal illness code. No information is held on how many of these were confirmed as terminally ill.
No information is held relating to terminal illness cases for other benefit types.
Prime Minister
Remploy
Ian Austin: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley of 2 February 2011, Official Report, column 857, on Remploy, for what reasons he believes the previous administration had planned to phase out support for Remploy; and if he will make a statement. [39506]
The Prime Minister: The modernisation plan for Remploy was introduced by the previous administration and under which 29 factories were closed or merged. The plan also contained unrealistic sales targets of 130% growth in procurement for Remploy's factories.
Like all manufacturing organisations Remploy faces increased global competition and the need to overcome the impact of the recession. As a result the previous administration's modernisation plan's sales targets have proved impossible to achieve. For this reason Remploy management have decided to offer voluntary redundancies to staff and managers in the factories and central functions.
The Government have confirmed that Remploy's operational budget for the current five-year modernisation period remains protected at £555 million.
International Development
Departmental Security
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which persons not employed by Government Departments or agencies hold passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises. [39262]
Mr O'Brien: Passes may be issued to individuals where there is an identified business need for them to make frequent visits to Department for International Development premises, subject to the usual security checks. For security reasons it would not be appropriate to provide details of individuals who hold such passes.
Palestinians: Overseas Aid
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has provided in aid to Palestinians, excluding for police and security purposes, in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [39036]
Mr O'Brien: Excluding funding for specific projects to support the development of the Palestinian security sector, UK aid to the occupied Palestinian territories (OPTs) totalled:
£59.4 million in 2007-08;
£60.2 million in 2008-09; and
£82.1 million in 2009-10.
These figures include contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency, which provides services to Palestinian refugees both in the OPTs themselves and also in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
The figures also include our direct financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which supports among other things the PA's payment of recurrent costs, such as civil service and security force salaries. As this funding is not earmarked, we cannot disaggregate the proportion used to pay salaries in the security sector. All support provided by the Department for International Development (DFID) to the OPTs, including our support to Palestinian policing and security, is classified as official development assistance (ODA) in accordance with the rules of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD's) Development Assistance Committee (DAC).
Zimbabwe: Overseas Aid
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has allocated to aid to Zimbabwe in 2010-11. [38984]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) has allocated £70 million to Zimbabwe for 2010-11 through its bilateral aid programme. Final spending figures for 2010-11 will be available by October 2011 in DFID's annual publication, 'Statistics on International Development', which provides a detailed summary of UK aid flows.
None of the funds provided by the UK are channelled through the Government of Zimbabwe. DFID works
through established partners such as the United Nations and non-governmental organisations.
Health
Care UK
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) senior officials in his Department have had with representatives of Care UK since his appointment. [39175]
Paul Burstow: Ministers and senior officials in the Department have had the following meetings with independent sector organisations where Care UK representatives were in attendance.
Darent Valley Hospital
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has undertaken any consultations on health provision at Darent Valley hospital; and if he will make a statement. [38969]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has not undertaken any consultations on health provision at Darent Valley hospital. It is for national health service commissioners to consider the provision of services for their local population.
Departmental Procurement
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all new contracts his Department has tendered over £10,000 have been published with associated tender documents on the Contracts Finder website since its inception. [39221]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has, since September 2010, published the documentation for 99 tenders over the value of £10,000 both on the interim website that was made available until December 2010 and more recently Contracts Finder. The Department has not published two tenders during this as exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act were considered to apply to both.
The Government's commitment to publish all new contracts awarded was from January 2011. The Department will be publishing shortly those contracts awarded since January 2011, subject to consideration of possible exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act.
The Department has put in place an internal monitoring process to ensure that new tenders and contracts are published in line with the Government's commitments.
Departmental Redundancy Pay
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether a confidentiality clause in a contract entered into with a public body and concerning a special severance payment prevents the other party to that contract from discussing with their hon. Member (a) details of the agreement and (b) matters relating to the agreement. [39790]
Mr Simon Burns: Special severance payments when staff leave public service employment should be exceptional. They will always require Treasury approval. Whether the payment is made under a compromise agreement or not, which may or may not include a confidentiality clause, setting out exactly what is expected of both parties, is a matter for local discretion.
The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 provides that any clause or term in contract, or other agreement between a worker and their employer, is void insofar as it purports to preclude the worker from making a protected disclosure.
In relation to 'gagging clauses', the Department's stance has not altered since 2005. Contracts of employment are a matter between the employing organisation and its employee. It is likely that most contracts will include some form of confidentiality clause as employees will have access to sensitive patient and commercial information which should not be released. However, the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 provides that any clause or term in contract, or other agreement between a worker and their employer, is void insofar as it purports to preclude the worker from making a protected disclosure.
The Department made clear, in a Health Service Circular on the Public Interest Disclosure Act (HSC 1999/198), that local policies should prohibit confidentiality gagging clauses in contracts of employment and compromise agreements which seek to prevent the disclosure of information in the public interest.
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to satisfy himself that all special severance payments comply with HM Treasury guidance Managing Public Money, annex 4.13; [39791]
(2) what steps he is taking to satisfy himself that all special severance payments achieve value for money in line with HM Treasury guidance Managing Public Money. [39792]
Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Finance Controllers Office (in the Department of Health) has produced and published detailed guidance for employers to follow around the process for making severance payments. This guidance states that employers should consider why a severance case represents value for money, before a business case for the payment is produced.
Strategic health authorities are required to submit all business cases for severance payments to the NHS Finance Controllers Office in the Department of Health. The NHS Finance Controllers Office then seeks HM Treasury approval for the business case.
Foundation trusts must also seek HM Treasury approval, through Monitor, for all severance payments.
Consequently, all severance payments made by national health service employers must be approved by HM Treasury. As part of this approval process, HM Treasury apply their own criteria to assess whether severance payments achieve value for money.
General Practitioners
Mr Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals for GP consortia he has received to date in (a) Enfield, (b) London and (c) England; and what criteria will be used to assess such proposals. [38996]
Mr Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Bill 2011 will provide for general practitioner (GP) consortia to be established from April 2012, prior to taking on full statutory responsibilities from April 2013. The Bill sets out that it will be for the NHS Commissioning Board to determine applications to become a consortia.
A rolling programme of GP pathfinder consortia has been established to test the different elements involved in GP-led commissioning and enable emerging GP consortia to get more rapidly involved in current commissioning decisions. Groups of GP practices keen to participate in the pathfinder programme put themselves forward to their strategic health authority (SHA). SHAs will approve any group of practices to become a pathfinder if they can demonstrate clinical leadership, local authority engagement, and an ability to contribute to the delivery of the local quality, innovation, productivity and prevention agenda in their locality. They will also need to be able to operate in the context of the existing service and financial plans in the health communities they are working in.
For details of the pathfinder consortia already established I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey) on 19 January 2011, Official Report, columns 846-49W.
Gosport War Memorial Hospital
Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure accountability in the case of the deaths of patients at the Gosport War Memorial hospital in the late 1990s; [39325]
(2) if he will initiate a public inquiry into the deaths of patients at Gosport War Memorial hospital in the late 1990s. [39326]
Mr Simon Burns: The police investigated the circumstances surrounding the deaths of several elderly patients at Gosport War Memorial hospital in the late 1990s; the Crown Prosecution Service subsequently decided that there was insufficient evidence to justify any prosecutions. The doctor whose actions had come under suspicion was also subject to a General Medical Council Fitness to Practise hearing which concluded that her continued registration should be made subject to several conditions. We understand that the doctor has now retired.
The Portsmouth coroner will be holding an inquest into the death of another elderly patient who died at Gosport War Memorial hospital at the time concerned. We will wait until the conclusion of that inquest before deciding whether any further action is appropriate; however, we cannot at present see what more a public inquiry could discover.
Hospital Wards: Closures
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) urgent care units, (b) accident and emergency departments and (c) maternity departments are the subject of a closure proposal. [39110]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally. Activity on national health service reconfiguration, either planned or already under way is a matter for the local NHS.
The Secretary of State for Health has outlined new strengthened criteria he expects decisions on NHS service changes to meet. All service reconfiguration proposals must:
demonstrate support from general practitioner commissioners
ensure arrangements for public and patient engagement, including local authorities should be further strengthened
ensure greater clarity about the clinical evidence base underpinning proposals
take into account the need to develop and support patient choice
Infant Foods: Labelling
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had at EU level on the effects on consumer confidence of industry practices in labelling formula milk containing docosahexanenoic acid. [39276]
Anne Milton: European Union-wide legislation on the use of certain health claims for docosahexanenoic acid was agreed at the Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health on 6 December 2010. Consumer understanding of the labelling of these products was discussed by EU member states and was taken into account in the conditions of use which apply to the claims. The claims, which are now subject to scrutiny by the European Parliament, would not be permitted on infant formula (products suitable for babies from birth). However they could be used on follow-on formula (suitable for babies from six months of age), weaning foods and any other foods meeting the conditions of use.
NHS: Pay
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the pay of all NHS staff will remain within the remit of the relevant national pay review bodies after implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill; [39099]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of NHS staff that will be covered by national pay and bargaining structures following implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill. [39100]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government have committed to work with NHS Employers and trade unions to explore appropriate arrangements for setting pay following the end of the two-year public sector pay freeze. At this stage, I am unable to predict the outcome of those discussions and, therefore, what the future remit of the pay review bodies may be.
We are unable to estimate the number of national health service staff that will be covered by future national pay and bargaining structures. The Government have made it clear that pay decisions should be led by health care employers rather than imposed by the Government.
To achieve this, all individual employers will have the right, as foundation trusts have now, to determine pay for their own staff. However, it is likely that many providers will want to continue to use national contracts as a basis for their local terms and conditions.
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) costs to the public purse of the Agenda for Change programme in the NHS. [39597]
Mr Simon Burns: Agenda for Change was introduced to replace a pay system which was no longer fit for purpose and was designed to deliver improvements in NHS services and give trusts the tools, advice and guidance to match staff resources and activities to patient need and organisational objective.
Use of these tools is delivering the following productivity and quality benefits:
Re-designing services around patients. Harmonising terms and conditions of service helps break down barriers between occupational groups and enhance team and gives employers the freedom to create new roles to support patient care.
Higher quality care. The new system of pay progression (linked to the Knowledge and Skills Framework) provides incentives for staff to acquire and use new skills.
Greater flexibility in the use of staff. New ways of recognising unsocial hours and extended service cover provides greater incentives for flexible working patterns, enabling services to be extended into evening and weekends.
Boosting recruitment and retention. The new pay scales offer higher starting pay and maxima, helping to improve participation rates and keep nurses working for the NHS.
Tackling local labour market pressures through the use of recruitment and retention premia.
It is for individual organisations to ensure they are making best use of the service benefits and flexibilities offered by Agenda for Change.
The paybill cost for Agenda for Change staff was £32.51 billion in 2009-10, the latest date for which figures are available.
NHS: Redundancy Pay
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which five (a) NHS acute trusts, (b) foundation trusts, (c) mental health trusts, (d) special health authorities, (e) strategic health authorities, (f) primary care trusts, (g) ambulance trusts and (h) care trusts made the most special severance payments by (i) total value of payments and (ii) total number of payments per organisation in each of the last three years; [39793]
(2) how many special severance payment cases have been notified to HM Treasury by (a) NHS acute trusts, (b) foundation trusts, (c) mental health trusts, (d) special health authorities, (e) strategic health authorities, (f) primary care trusts, (g) ambulance trusts and (h) care trusts, in accordance with HM Treasury Managing Public money guidelines in each of the last three years; what the total value of such payments was; and what proportion of payments included a confidentiality clause. [39794]
Mr Simon Burns: The following table shows the number and value of special severance payment cases that have been approved by HM Treasury (HMT) in respect of national health service organisations.
The table includes the number and total value of approvals for payments by HMT. It does not include the actual payments, as this information is not held by the Department. The final actual payments made can be lower than the approved amount or, not made at all.
The Department does not hold equivalent data on special severance cases for foundation trusts. The table therefore does not include foundations trusts. Foundation trusts' severance cases are under the direction of Monitor.
The Department does not hold information regarding the number of confidentiality clauses that have been included as part of any special severance payment case.
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010- 11( 1) | ||||
| Number of cases approved by HMT | Total value of approved payments (£) | Number of cases approved by HMT | Total value of approved payments (£) | Number of cases approved by HMT | Total value of approved payments (£) | |
| (1) 1 April 2010 to 8 February 2011. | ||||||
Primary Care Trusts: Costs
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the administrative costs of operating each primary care trust, excluding the administrative costs of running clinical services where the trust was the provider, was in the latest period for which figures are available. [39225]
Mr Simon Burns: Figures representing total expenditure on administrative and clerical staff in 2009-10 are shown in the following table. It is not possible to disaggregate the element of this total cost that can be attributed to the running of clinical services where the trust was the provider.
| Administrative and clerical staff | |
| Name | £000 |
| Source: 2009-10 Financial Returns of primary care trusts. | |
Reconfiguration Panel
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reconfiguration proposals have been referred to the Reconfiguration Panel in the last 12 months. [39163]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Health has referred five reconfiguration proposals to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel in the last 12 months, following formal referrals to him by local overview and scrutiny committees. The five schemes are:
Health for northeast London
Changes to Women and Children's services at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Changes to Homeopathy services in Sefton
Portsmouth (closure of end of life care ward)
Meeting Patients' Needs (changes to health services in East Lancashire)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: East Sussex
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has had recent discussions with the (a) Brighton and Hove and (b) North Down and Weald primary care trust on approaches to limiting the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases. [39196]
Anne Milton: Performance on the two indicators in the NHS Operating Framework for 2010-11 of 'Access to a GUM clinic within 48 hours' and 'Chlamydia screening of 16-24 year olds', which relate to tackling the spread of sexually transmitted infections, is raised at regular meetings between the South East Coast Strategic Health Authority and the performance delivery team at the Department of Health as part of performance discussions on key indicators in the NHS Operating Framework.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Departmental Security
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which persons not employed by Government departments or agencies hold passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises. [39265]
Alistair Burt: 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.
Kashmir: Al-Qaeda
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the presence of al-Qaeda in Kashmir. [38992]
Alistair Burt: We cannot confirm that Al-Qaeda has a direct presence in Kashmir but we recognise that Al-Qaeda poses a significant threat by directing other groups, networks and individuals to mount attacks in all areas in South Asia as well as against UK interests. There is a history of militant activity on both sides of the Line of Control. We continue to call for an end to external support for violence in Kashmir.
The UK works closely with the Governments of Pakistan and India to tackle terrorism and violent extremism which threatens all our interests. UK funding also supports human rights, conflict prevention and peace building efforts on both sides of the Line of Control.
Middle East: Armed Conflict
David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent discussions he has had with (a) his Israeli counterpart and (b) the Palestinian Authority on trends in the conduct of administration by Hamas of the Gaza Strip; [39345]
(2) what recent reports he has received on the (a) number and (b) range of missiles available to Hamas; [39346]
(3) what estimate his Department has made of (a) the number of missiles held by Hamas and (b) their range in each year since 2005. [39348]
Alistair Burt: We maintain regular discussion with the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority on a wide range of issues, including the situation in Gaza.
We are concerned by reports that Hamas continue to acquire and test a variety of weapons. This is a continuing picture and we are not able to comment further on the detail. However, we have long made it clear that the arming and funding of Hamas and other Palestinian rejectionist groups is unacceptable.
We continue to call on Hamas to take concrete steps towards the Quartet principles: renouncing violence, recognising Israel and accepting previously signed agreements.
Middle East: Peace Negotiations
David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of steps taken by (a) Egypt, (b) Jordan and (c) Saudi Arabia on implementing the confidence measures towards Israel proposed by the EU External Relations Council at its meeting of 15 June 2009. [39347]
Alistair Burt: While we have not held discussions with EU counterparts specifically on using the Association Agreement to encourage these countries to recognise Israel, regional integration and co-operation are important parts of European Union Association Agreements and the wider Neighbourhood policy. The External Action Service and European Commission undertake assessments of progress against association agreements. This includes information on regional co-operation.
The latest assessments by country are at:
Regarding Israel specifically, our position is set out in the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of December 2010, which noted:
"The EU recalls that peace in the Middle East should be comprehensive and reiterates the importance of negotiations on the Israel-Syria and Israel-Lebanon tracks. Peace should lead to the full integration of Israel in its regional environment, along the lines set out in the Arab Peace Initiative".
David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the potential use of the EU's Association Agreement with Lebanon as a means to encourage Lebanon to recognise Israel. [39350]
Alistair Burt: We have not held discussions with EU counterparts specifically on using the Association Agreement to encourage Lebanon to recognise Israel. The EU-Lebanon Action Plan, which implements the Association Agreement, has as an objective the further development of co-operation between the EU and Lebanon in the context of the Middle East Peace Process, which is pursued on the ground and in Brussels.
The latest assessments by country are at:
Regarding Israel specifically, our position is set out in the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of December 2010, which noted:
"The EU recalls that peace in the Middle East should be comprehensive and reiterates the importance of negotiations on the Israel-Syria and Israel-Lebanon tracks. Peace should lead to the full integration of Israel in its regional environment, along the lines set out in the Arab Peace Initiative".
David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the potential use of the EU's Association Agreement with Tunisia as a means to encourage Tunisia to recognise Israel. [39351]
Alistair Burt: While we have not held discussions with EU counterparts specifically on using the Association Agreement to encourage Tunisia to recognise Israel, regional integration and co-operation are important parts of European Union Association Agreements and the wider Neighbourhood policy. The External Action Service and European Commission undertake assessments of progress against association agreements. This includes information on regional co-operation.
The latest assessments by country are at:
Regarding Israel specifically, our position is set out in the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of December 2010, which noted:
"The EU recalls that peace in the Middle East should be comprehensive and reiterates the importance of negotiations on the Israel-Syria and Israel-Lebanon tracks. Peace should lead to the full integration of Israel in its regional environment, along the lines set out in the Arab Peace Initiative".
David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the potential use of the EU's Association Agreement with Morocco as a means to encourage Algeria to recognise Israel; [39352]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the potential use of the EU's Association Agreement with Algeria as a means to encourage Algeria to recognise Israel. [39353]
Alistair Burt: While we have not held discussions with EU counterparts specifically on using the Association Agreement to encourage Morocco to recognise Israel, regional integration and co-operation are important parts of European Union Association Agreements and the wider Neighbourhood policy. The External Action Service and European Commission undertake assessments of progress against association agreements. This includes information on regional co-operation.
The latest assessments by country are at:
Regarding Israel specifically, our position is set out in the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of December 2010, which noted:
"The EU recalls that peace in the Middle East should be comprehensive and reiterates the importance of negotiations on the Israel-Syria and Israel-Lebanon tracks. Peace should lead to the full integration of Israel in its regional environment, along the lines set out in the Arab Peace Initiative".
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