Written Answers to Questions
Monday 28 February 2011
Electoral Commission Committee
Alternative Vote
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what information the Electoral Commission holds on the views of its staff prior to their appointment on the adoption of the alternative vote system for elections to the House of Commons. [42676]
Mr Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that its staff and commissioners provide, on recruitment, details of any prior political activity that falls within the restrictions set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.
In addition, commissioners (and staff, where relevant) maintain a register of interests which is published online and declare any interests relevant to items under discussion at board meetings. These declarations are recorded in the minutes which are published online. In some cases these include declarations of individual commissioners' past (or current) positions on various issues, including on the alternative vote.
House of Commons Commission
Written Questions
Martin Horwood: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many parliamentary questions for written answer have been tabled by the hon. Member for Hammersmith since May 2010; what the largest number of such questions tabled in a single day was; and what estimate the Commission has made of the cost associated with tabling of the questions. [42025]
John Thurso: The hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr Slaughter) has tabled 390 questions for written answer since May 2010; the largest number tabled on a single day was 173, on 8 February 2011. As indicated in the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Mole Valley (Sir Paul Beresford) on 30 November 2010, Official Report, columns 731-2W, the House Service estimates that the average cost of a printed question prior to answer in the period from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2010 was £80.
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Scotland
Citizens Advice: Scotland
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with representatives of Citizens Advice Scotland on the effects of the recent recession on young people in Scotland. [41326]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland recently met representatives from Citizens Advice Scotland. A number of issues were discussed.
Departmental Conditions of Employment
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of his Department’s adherence to each of the principles of good employment practice set out in the Cabinet Office publication Principles of Good Employment Practice. [42617]
David Mundell: Other than minor purchases, the Scotland Office does not undertake direct procurement or tendering projects. It utilises existing service contracts between suppliers and the Scottish Government or the Ministry of Justice. Adherence to the principles outlined in the Cabinet Office’s publication, ‘Principles of Good Employment Practice’ would be an issue for those bodies letting the contracts.
Glasgow University: Finance
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with (a) Ministers in the Scottish Executive, (b) representatives of Universities Scotland, (c) representatives of the university of Glasgow and (d) trade unions on the economic effects of planned reductions in funding for language courses at the university of Glasgow. [42803]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland has regular discussions with representatives from Scotland’s universities on a variety of matters. Higher education in Scotland is devolved and funding for Scottish universities is a matter for the Scottish Government. Universities are autonomous institutions and decisions on course provision are the responsibility of university courts.
Harassment
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to review the operation of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 as it applies to Scotland. [42827]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State has no plans to review Section 12 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. Sections 8, 9, 10 and 11 extend to Scotland only and are devolved to the Scottish Government.
Life Sciences
Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with (a) ministerial colleagues and (b) others on support for the life sciences in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [42070]
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David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland and I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on this issue. Scotland is home to the second largest life sciences cluster in the UK, and one of the most sizeable in Europe. With an established network of over 40 pharmaceutical clinical trials support and contract research organisations, more medical research is carried out per head of population in Scotland than anywhere else in Europe.
Scotland’s strong academic base in the life science field is an important competitive advantage, with Scotland’s universities accounting for 12% of UK research staff and funds, higher than Scotland’s share of the UK population.
Third Sector
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what account he has taken of the Compact between the Government and Civil Society in policy development. [42610]
David Mundell: The Compact is an agreement between the Government, and its associated non-departmental public bodies, arm’s length bodies and executive agencies, and civil society organisations (CSOs) in England. It aims to ensure that the Government and CSOs work effectively in partnership to achieve common goals and outcomes for the benefit of communities and citizens. The Scottish Government has operational responsibilities for engagement with CSOs in Scotland and has its own arrangements in place. However, where the UK Government have responsibility for funding services provided by CSOs in Scotland, it will honour the commitments made in the Compact in relation to CSOs it funds.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department has taken to support the big society initiative. [42635]
David Mundell: I have had several meetings with individuals and organisations in Scotland about the Government’s vision for the big society. On 23 February I hosted a roundtable meeting with a range of stakeholders to explore how the Government’s vision interacts with what is going on in Scotland.
Justice
Cartel Client Review
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the Claims Management Regulation—Monitoring and Compliance Unit regarding Cartel Client Review; and if he will make a statement. [42024]
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Mr Djanogly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 February 2011, Official R eport, column 736W, to the hon. Member for Manchester Central (Tony Lloyd) in which I outlined the action taken by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) against Cartel Client Review Ltd.
When a business is cancelled, there is no further action that the Claims Management Regulator takes unless we have evidence that the business is trading without authorisation. The Regulator will assist other enforcement agencies as appropriate if further investigations or other actions against any business or individuals within the business are considered necessary.
Chelmsford Prison
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 28 October 2010, Official Report, column 215W, on Chelmsford Prison, for how long the tumble drier on E wing at HM Prison Chelmsford has been out of service; for what reason the action to repair it has not yet been carried out; which officer of HM Prison Service is responsible for the welfare of prisoners at HM Prison Chelmsford; and if he will make a statement. [42674]
Mr Blunt: The tumble driers at HMP Chelmsford were not in use for some time due to awaiting parts to carry out repairs, these have now been received and the tumble driers repaired and are now in working order for use by prisoners.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) budget for 2010-11 and (b) estimated budget for each of the next three years is for (i) the Legal Services Board, (ii) the Legal Services Commission, (iii) the Legal Services Consultative Panel, (iv) the National Archives, (v) the National Offender Management Service, (vi) the National Probation Service, (vii) the Northern Ireland Court Service, (viii) the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission, (ix) the Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission, (x) the Offices of Courts Funds, (xi) the Office of the Information Commissioner, (xii) the Office of the Judge Advocate, (xiii) the General Office of the Judicial Committee, (xiv) the Office for Judicial Complaints, (xv) the Office of the Legal Services Ombudsman, (xvi) the Office of the Public Guardian, (xvii) the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee, (xviii) the Parole Board, (xix) the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, (xx) the Prison Service Pay Review Body, (xxi) the Scotland Office, (xxii) the Sentencing Council, (xxiii) the Tribunal Procedure Committee, (xiv) the Tribunals Service, (xv) the Victims' Commissioner, (xvi) the Wales Office and (xvii) the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales. [42839]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The information requested is set out in the following table.
| £ | ||||
| Organisation | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 |
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Please note that future budgets are subject to change. Where “not yet allocated” is stated, this means that the budget allocation work is under way and progressing, and in some cases may be complete, but that the final figure is subject to formal approval. When all budgets have been formalised, I will write to the House and arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library.
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) budget for 2010-11 and (b) estimated budget for each of the next three years is for (i) the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax (Northern Ireland), (ii) Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace, (iii) the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives, (iv) the Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information, (v) the Assessor for Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice, (vi) the Civil Justice Council, (vii) the Civil Procedure Rule Committee, (viii) the Courts Boards, (ix) the Criminal Cases Review Commission, (x) the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, (xi) the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee, (xii) the Crown Court Rule Committee, (xiii) the Family Justice Council, (xiv) the Family Procedure Rule Committee, (xv) HM Courts Service, (xvi) HM Inspectorate of Court Administration, (xvii) HM Inspectorate of Prisons, (xviii) HM Inspectorate of Probation, (xix) HM Land Registry, (xx) HM Prison Service, (xxi) the Insolvency Rules Committee, (xxii) the Judicial Appointments Commission, (xxiii) the Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman, (xxiv) the Judicial Office for England and Wales, (xxv) the Land Registration Rule Committee and (xxvi) the Law Commission. [42840]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The information requested is set out as follows.
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|
Abolished from 1 April 2011—work will be transferred to the new executive agency Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service |
||||
| (1) Includes secretariat support from MoJ estimated at £251,000. | ||||
Please note that future budgets are subject to change. Where “not yet allocated” is stated, this means that the budget allocation work is under way and progressing, and in some cases may be complete, but that the final figure is subject to formal approval. When all budgets have been formalised, I will write to the House and arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library.
Human Trafficking: Convictions
Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions for offences related to sex trafficking there were in each year since 2006. [41518]
Mr Blunt: The number of defendants who were found guilty at all courts for offences of trafficking for sexual exploitation under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in England and Wales, for the years 2006 to 2009 (latest available) can be viewed in the following table.
Data for 2010 are planned for publication in the spring of 2011.
| N umber of defendants who were found guilty at all courts for offences of trafficking for sexual exploitation under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in England and Wales, for the years 2006 to 2009 (1,2,3) | ||||
| Statute | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 (4) | 2009 |
| (1) Includes offences under: Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.57 ‘Trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation’ Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.58 ‘Trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation’ Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.59 ‘Trafficking out of the UK for sexual exploitation’ (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice. | ||||
Legal Advice and Assistance: Telephone Services
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the costs of establishing the Community Legal Advice Helpline as the single gateway to civil legal aid services. [42257]
Mr Djanogly: We published impact assessments alongside the consultation paper that outline potential costs and benefits of the proposals.
Legal Aid
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what timetable he has set for his Department’s review of the responses to the recent consultation on proposals for the reform of the legal aid system in England and Wales. [42015]
Mr Djanogly:
We will take all the time necessary to review responses. It would be foolhardy to place a
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deadline on this work as such an approach would pre-suppose a uniform time standard for each individual response, which would be inappropriate under the circumstances.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff in his Department are engaged in reviewing the responses to the recent consultation on proposals for the reform of legal aid in England and Wales; what methodology will be used to analyse those responses; and how many staff will be deployed on analysis at each stage of the process. [42016]
Mr Djanogly: We have significant numbers of staff engaged on the consultation responses. The exact amount varies as we are being ably supported by colleagues from the Legal Services Commission where possible, though we have a substantial core team that is currently exclusively deployed on reviewing responses.
In terms of methodology, all responses are initially logged with transcripts of text transferred to the log. These data are then broken down by subject area, with summaries being produced for each question in the consultation, and by thematic area reflecting the chapters in the consultation paper eg alternative sources of funding. Both the logs and summaries are reviewed by policy teams so all suggestions and comments are factored into their thinking when developing proposals.
In addition, we are undertaking a numerical analysis of responses, although this is only possible where respondents have addressed specific questions. This will be published alongside the response to consultation in due course.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff in his Department worked primarily on legal aid matters in the latest period for which figures are available. [42017]
Mr Djanogly: There are 43 full-time equivalent members of staff currently employed on legal aid matters which include:
Legal Aid and Sentencing Bill
Legal Aid Reform consultation and legislation
Exceptional legal aid funding
Impact of other Government Departments policy on MoJ and Legal Aid Fund.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) legal firms, (b) individuals, (c) law centres, (d) citizens advice bureaux, (e) advocacy groups and (f) others responded to his Department’s recent consultation on proposals for the reform of legal aid in England and Wales. [42018]
Mr Djanogly: The consultation responses are still being processed, so we are not able to provide this information at this time. I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested as soon as it is available.
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Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals arising from his Department's Green Paper on legal aid reform. [42237]
Mr Djanogly: We will bring forward legislative proposals to the House as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to improve access to mediation services as part of his legal aid reforms. [42243]
Mr Djanogly: The Government propose to retain legal aid for mediation in family matters. The 2010 bid round run by the Legal Services Commission saw an 11% increase in the number of mediation providers, with 201 organisations providing services in 1,002 locations across England and Wales. The Government are also working with the Family Mediation Council to ensure there is sufficient mediator provision and to increase awareness of mediation for the future.
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the five highest amounts of legal aid paid in respect of a single case were in the last 10 years; and in which areas of law these cases were brought. [42245]
Mr Djanogly: The information requested is not readily available as it involves matching data in different formats from several current and legacy schemes. The information therefore could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people resident in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England received legal aid in each of the last five years. [42272]
Mr Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is responsible for administering the legal aid scheme in England and Wales. The LSC does not record the number of people who receive legal aid, but instead records the number of ‘acts of assistance’. One individual may receive a number of separate acts of assistance, and one act of assistance can help more than one person.
The following tables show the volumes of legal aid granted based on legal aid providers with postcodes falling within the constituencies of (a) Coventry North West, Coventry North East and Coventry South (b) the West Midlands region and (c) England.
The figures do not include legal aid received via telephone advice, Community Legal Advice Centres, the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme, telephone triage, or family mediation. These figures are unavailable on a regional basis.
| Coventry constituencies—legal aid volumes | |||||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
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| West Midlands region—legal aid volumes | |||||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
| England—legal aid volumes | |||||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on measures to mitigate the effects on individuals of legal aid reform. [42347]
Mr Djanogly: Extensive discussions, at both ministerial and official levels, have been conducted with other Government Departments on a range of issues. These discussions will continue as we finalise proposals.
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has estimated the effects on the public purse of the provision of early advice to individuals through the legal aid system. [42348]
Mr Djanogly: No such assessment has been made, and nor would it be possible to do so with any degree of accuracy.
Legal Services Commission: Complaints
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) grievances and (b) complaints were made by personnel at the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to the LSC in each year for which figures are available; how many such complaints were (i) upheld and (ii) dismissed; and what the (A) financial and (B) other consequences for the LSC were in each case. [41694]
Mr Djanogly: Between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010 there were 17 grievances. Between 1 April 2010 and 7 February 2011 there were 11 grievances, with the following outcomes:
| Number | |
There were no financial consequences for the LSC. In two instances, LSC policies were clarified to staff.
Legal Services Commission: Disciplinary Proceedings
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many personnel employed by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) have been subject to disciplinary action by the LSC in each year for which figures are available; and what action was taken in each case. [41691]
Mr Djanogly: The LSC employs around 1,500 staff. Between 1 April 2010 and 7 February 2011 there were five disciplinary cases, of which three resulted in the members of staff receiving first written warnings.
The LSC started recording information in relation to disciplinary cases in a centralised system in April 2010. Prior to that, records were kept on individual employee files in various local offices. The information could not therefore be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.
Legal Services Commission: Standards
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what obligations are placed on personnel of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to perform their work with reasonable care and skill; what action the LSC may take against any personnel in breach of such obligations and whether the LSC can take action to recover any losses to the LSC and those dealing with it in consequence of such failings; [41692]
(2) when and by what means the Legal Services Commission assessed the (a) skill and (b) competence of its personnel responsible for the 2010 tenders; and what account that assessment took of the comments on its personnel by the Divisional Court. [41734]
Mr Djanogly: Like most public sector organisations, the LSC has human resources policies and procedures to ensure that staff perform effectively in their roles. These include job descriptions, recruitment and selection processes, training and development and performance management through regular discussions with line managers. Front line staff are subject to a range of quality control measures on a regular basis, the results of which are fed into their performance management discussions.
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Actions taken where a performance issue is identified can range from assessing training needs to disciplinary proceedings and even dismissal, depending on the different circumstances.
If a member of staff is found to have committed an offence relating to their work, the LSC or another party could take legal action to recover any losses.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what performance appraisals have been undertaken in respect of (a) the Chair, (b) the Chief Executive, (c) other Commissioners, (d) each Executive Director and (e) each National Relationship Director of the Legal Services Commission since 1 January 2009; (i) when, (ii) how and (iii) by whom each such assessment was carried out; and what the results were in each case. [41729]
Mr Djanogly: The process for performance appraisals is as follows: (a) the Secretary of State for Justice undertakes the performance appraisal for the Chair; (b) the Chair undertakes the performance appraisal for the Chief Executive; (c) the Chair undertakes the performance appraisal for other Commissioners; (d) the Chief Executive undertakes the performance appraisal for each Executive Director and (e) the Executive Director Commissioning undertakes the performance appraisals for each National Relationship Director of the Legal Services Commission. Appraisals are conducted annually. The results of appraisals are confidential.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman) on 4 January 2011 with regard to Mrs C. A. Beevers. [41273]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: I replied to the right hon. Member on 15 February. I apologise for the delay in responding.
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to respond to the letters of (a) 16 December 2010, (b) 13 January 2011 and (c) 1 February 2011 from the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough (Mr Blunkett) on Mr Keith Nicholson. [42349]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: I replied to the right hon. Member on 17 February. I apologise for the delay in doing so.
Next of Kin
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department takes to verify claims to be next of kin of those who die intestate; and if he will make a statement. [42166]
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Mr Djanogly: Under the law of England and Wales, entitlement to inherit or to administer the estate of a person who dies intestate is determined by the order of priority specified in the Administration of Estates Act 1925 and the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987 respectively. Authority to administer the estate is conferred by the court through letters of administration.
Any disputed claims to administer the estate or to inherit would ultimately have to be resolved by the court on the application of the interested parties. The Ministry of Justice does not verify such claims.
Reoffenders
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent estimate he has made of the level of reoffending of those convicted of shop theft; and if he will make a statement. [42050]
Mr Blunt: The most recent published data for the 2008 cohort show that the one year re-conviction rate for adults convicted of theft was 65.2%. Within this group the re-conviction rate for adults convicted of shoplifting was 78.3%. The cohort includes adult offenders discharged from custody or commencing a court order between January and March of 2008. These are the latest available published data.
More information on the reoffending rates is available from the Ministry of Justice website:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm
Sexual Offences Act 2003: Convictions
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions there have been for offences under (a) section 16, (b) section 17, (c) section 18 and (d) section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in each year since those sections same into force; how many of those convicted were teachers in each year; and if he will make a statement. [42258]
Mr Blunt: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under sections 16, 17, 18, and 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, in England and Wales for the year 2004-09 (latest available) is shown in the following table.
The Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. Other than where specified in the statute, this information does not include the circumstances of each case. It is not possible from these centrally held data to identify the defendant’s professional status.
Court proceedings data for 2010 are planned for publication in spring 2011.
| Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under sections 16, 17, 18, and 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (1, 2) , in England and Wales for the year 2004-09 (3, 4, 5) | ||||||
| Sexual Offences Act 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 (6) | 2009 |
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| (1) Includes the following offences: Sexual Offences Act 2003 Section 16 S.16(1)(e)(ii) and (2)-(5) Abuse of a position of trust: sexual activity with a child—offender 18 or over and victim under 13. Section 17 S.17(1)(e)(i) and (2)-(5) Abuse of a position of trust: causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity—offender 18 or over and victim 13-17. S.17(1)(e)(ii) and (2)-(5) Abuse of a position of trust: causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity—offender 18 or over and victim under 13. Section 18 S.18(1)(f)(i) and (2)-(5) Abuse of a position of trust: sexual activity in the presence of a child—offender 18 or over and victim 13-17. S.18(1)(f)(ii) and (2)-(5) Abuse of a position of trust: sexual activity in the presence of a child—offender 18 or over and victim under 13. Section 19 S.19(1)(e)(i) and (2)-(5) Abuse of a position of trust: causing a child to watch a sexual act—offender 18 or over and victim 13-17. S.19(1)(e)(ii) and (2)-(5) Abuse of a position of trust: causing a child to watch a sexual act—offender 18 or over and victim under 13. (2) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004. (3) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (5) The number of defendants found guilty in a particular year may exceed the number proceeded against as the proceedings in the magistrates court took place in an earlier year and the defendants were found guilty at the Crown court in the following year; or the defendants were found guilty of a different offence to that for which they were originally proceeded against. (6) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services: Ministry of Justice. | ||||||
Terrorism: Compensation
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many of those injured in the London 7/7 bombings have received the maximum payment allowed under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme; [42251]
(2) how many of those injured in the London 7/7 bombings and who have claimed compensation have been paid at the level of the cap on such payments. [42252]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: Five people injured in the London bombings have received the maximum payment under the scheme, which is half a million pounds.
War Crimes: Prosecutions
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many war criminals were prosecuted following an investigation by the Metropolitan police in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [42043]
The Solicitor-General: I have been asked to reply.
There has been one such prosecution that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) would categorise as a war crime in the last 10 years. Faryadi Zardad was prosecuted and convicted of conspiracy to take hostages and conspiracy to torture in 2005 after a Metropolitan police investigation. He was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.
Prime Minister
Childhood and Families Ministerial Taskforce
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Prime Minister (1) on which dates the Childhood and Families Taskforce has met; which Ministers were in attendance on each such occasion; and who else attended; [41866]
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(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the terms of reference of the Childhood and Families Taskforce; [41867]
(3) when he expects the Childhood and Families Taskforce to report; [41868]
(4) whether the Childhood and Families Taskforce will be taking (a) oral and (b) written evidence in the course of its work. [41869]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Jon Trickett) on 8 November 2010, Official Report, column 24W.
Attorney-General
Departmental Interpreters
Ian Austin: To ask the Attorney-General which services provided by the Law Officers' Departments' interpreters are in a language or languages other than English; how many interpreters are employed or subcontracted for each non-English language; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of interpretation costs incurred in the latest period for which figures are available. [42220]
The Solicitor-General: The Law Officers' Departments do not employ staff specifically to undertake translation duties. When translation services are required they are commissioned from commercial translation service providers. Records are not kept centrally on the frequency of languages used by interpreters or how many interpreters are contracted for each language. Such information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Recorded costs incurred by the Law Officers' Departments on translation services during the last full financial year are contained in the following table:
| Translation costs 2009-10 | |
|
|
£ |
| (1) Includes costs for sign language interpreters. (2) Includes data for Attorney-General's Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate. | |
No costs for translation services have been separately recorded by the National Fraud Authority (NFA) during this period. However, Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting centre run by the NFA, operates a Contact Centre as part of its service. The Action Fraud Contact Centre provider subcontracts a language interpretation service for telephone calls received in languages other than English. Welsh speakers at the Contact Centre provide translations for contacts received in Welsh, at no extra cost to the NFA.
Departmental Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Attorney-General what regulations his Department introduced between 30 November 2010 and 8 February 2011. [42084]
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Women and Equalities
Departmental Photographs
Mr Buckland: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she plans to take on the labelling of airbrushed photographs in the media. [41614]
Lynne Featherstone: The Government have no plans to label airbrushed photographs in the media.
The Government are committed to bringing together the industry, experts and campaigners to work together to tackle low levels of body confidence. I am working with experts in this area, and relevant industries, to identify non-legislative ways of tackling this issue.
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Pay
Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2011, Official Report, column 133W, on pay: equal opportunities, what the average salary was of employees of the Equality and Human Rights Commission who were (a) male, (b) female, (c) of each ethnicity and (d) in each category of disability in the latest period for which figures are available. [42753]
Lynne Featherstone: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an arm's length body; the following is based on information it has provided.
Based on the salaries of EHRC employees as at 31 March 2010 (the most recent information available) the average annual salaries of the employee groups requested are:
|
|
£ |
| (1) The EHRC calculates an overall ethnicity pay gap for all BME employees. They do not calculate average salaries for each ethnic group. (2) EHRC does not ask individuals to declare the nature of their disability when disclosing their monitoring. | |
UN Commission on the Status of Women
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what the objectives are of the UK delegation at the forthcoming session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. [41946]
Lynne Featherstone: The UN Commission on the Status of Women is recognised worldwide as being the major international forum to progress women’s rights. The UK delegation’s objectives will be to ensure that the Government’s commitment to promote rights internationally, as outlined in the Equality Strategy and the Department for International Development’s Structural Reform Plan, are reflected in the Resolutions adopted and in joint statements by the European Union.
28 Feb 2011 : Column 19W
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities which UK non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will be represented at the 55th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women; and which NGOs participated in the 54th session. [41947]
Lynne Featherstone: The following list gives the UK non-governmental organisations (NGOs) due to be represented at the 55th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) (known at the time of writing) and those represented at the 54th session last year that we were aware of:
National Alliance of Women's Organisations (NAWO)
Widows for Peace through Democracy
Soroptimist International
Widows Rights International
UN Women UK
Womankind Worldwide
International Council of Jewish Women
National Council of Women Great Britain
Baha'i International
Northern Ireland Women
European Platform
Hope Medical and Educational Enterprises
Voluntary Services Overseas
Scottish Women's Convention
UK Resource Centre for Science, Engineering and Technology
International Federation of University Women
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
International Federation of Business and Professional Women
UNAMINA
National Alliance of Women's Organisations (NAWO)
Widows for Peace through Democracy
Soroptimist International
Widows Rights International
UN Women UK
Womankind Worldwide
International Council of Jewish Women
National Council of Women Great Britain
Baha'i International
Northern Ireland Women
European Platform
Hope Medical and Educational Enterprises
Voluntary Services Overseas
Scottish Women's Convention
UK Resource Centre for Science, Engineering and Technology
International Federation of University Women
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
International Federation of Business and Professional Women
UNAMINA
Older Women's Network
The Haven Wolverhampton
Sudanese mothers for Peace
UNA-UK
Business and Professional Women UK
Gender Statistics Users Group
Amnesty International UK
28 Feb 2011 : Column 20W
Open Democracy
Women Making a Difference Project
Race on the Agenda
Engender
Welsh Assembly of Women
Oxfam
FORWARD
Women's National Commission
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities when she plans to consult on the new arrangements for the discharge of the functions undertaken by the Women’s National Commission. [42713]
Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office has started developing a new approach to enable women and women’s organisations to interact more closely and directly with Government. We will be consulting on the new approach soon; this will include how we engage with the former Women’s National Commission (WNC) partners and reach a wider range of women and women’s organisations.
Leader of the House
Written Questions
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Leader of the House what recent representations he has received to review the cost arising from the tabling of large numbers of questions for written answers by hon. Members. [42678]
Sir George Young: My office receives regular representations about the impact on the work of Departments of the large volume of questions for written answer.
HM Treasury regularly estimates the average cost of producing a written answer. The current average is £154, but Ministers will answer all questions where the cost of answering does not exceed the disproportionate cost threshold, which is currently set at £800 per question.
The following table gives the estimated total cost of responding to written questions for each financial year from 2005-06 to 2009-10:
| Financial year | Number of written answers published | Estimated average cost (£) | Estimated total cost (£ million) |
| (1) From 15 November 2006. (2) From 3 December 2008. (3) From 20 January 2010. | |||
The figures in the table do not include the costs to the House of processing and printing questions and their answers. These costs are a matter for the House of Commons Commission.
28 Feb 2011 : Column 21W
Wales
Third Sector
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what account she has taken of the Compact between the Government and civil society in policy development. [42611]
Mr David Jones: The Compact between the Government and civil society organisations is accompanied by guidance on accountability and transparency to ensure that Government Departments as well as civil society organisations are clear about the level of commitment and the implications of not following the Compact.
Where the coalition Government interact with civil society organisations in Wales, they will honour the commitments made in the Compact. The Welsh Assembly Government have operational responsibility for engagement with civil society organisations in areas where policy responsibility is devolved and have existing arrangements for engagement with civil society organisations. The Compact does not override these arrangements.
Voluntary Work
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department are participating in volunteering activities as part of her Department's involvement in the big society initiative. [42655]
Mr David Jones: My right hon. Friend and I are actively involved with numerous charities on a private basis as detailed in the list of Ministers' interests, recently published by the Cabinet Office.
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts: Public Participation
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 16 February 2011, Official Report, columns 797-98W, on arts: public participation, what activities his Department's Taking Part survey monitors other than those cited in the answer. [42691]
Mr Vaizey: The Taking Part Survey collects data on the following arts activities/events:
dance—live performance or rehearsal/practice (ballet, other dance but not for fitness);
singing—live performance or rehearsal/practice (not karaoke);
musical instrument—live performance, rehearsal/practice or played for own pleasure;
written music;
theatre—live performance or rehearsal/practice (e.g. play or drama);
opera/musical theatre—live performance or rehearsal/practice;
carnival;
street arts (art in everyday surroundings like parks, streets, shopping centre);
circus (not animals);
visual art (e.g. painting, drawing, printmaking or sculpture);
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photography (as an artistic activity, not family or holiday ‘snaps');
film or video-making as an artistic activity (not family or holidays);
digital art—producing original digital artwork or animation;
craft—any craft activity (e.g. textiles, wood, metal work, pottery, calligraphy etc.);
creative writing—original literature (e.g. stories, poems or plays); and
being a member of a book club.
visual art exhibition (e.g. paintings, photography or sculpture);
craft exhibition (not crafts market);
event which included video or digital art;
culturally specific festival (e.g. Mela, Baisakhi, Navratri);
theatre (e.g. play, drama, pantomime);
opera/musical theatre;
street arts (art in everyday surroundings like parks, streets or shopping centre);
circus (not animals);
carnival;
live music performance (e.g. classical, jazz or other live music event but not karaoke);
live dance event (e.g. ballet, African People's dance, South Asian, Chinese, contemporary or other live dance); and
event connected with books or writing
The survey also asks about attendance at museums and galleries, heritage sites and libraries, and asks about participation in a range of sports. The 2009-10 publication and associated data worksheets are available at:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/7386.aspx
The data can be analysed further using NetQuest at:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/research_and_statistics/6762.aspx
Links from this page provide further background information on the survey and links to the detailed questionnaires.
Broadband: North Wales
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what criteria he applied when selecting the North Wales pilot area for superfast broadband announced on 10 February 2011. [41688]
Mr Vaizey: North Wales is not a pilot area but will form part of the Welsh Assembly Government broadband programme for Wales. The £10 million funding announced by the Chancellor will help bring superfast broadband to hard-to-reach areas and extend superfast broadband to Pwllheli and the surrounding areas of North Wales. The spending allocation was in line with Broadband Delivery UK modelling.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he had with the Welsh Assembly Government prior to selecting the superfast broadband pilot area in North Wales announced on 10 February 2011. [41689]
Mr Vaizey: North Wales is not a pilot area. It forms part of the Welsh Assembly Government's broadband project for Wales.
28 Feb 2011 : Column 23W
Broadband: Scotland
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of households in (a) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency, (b) East Ayrshire and (c) Scotland with a broadband connection speed of less than 2 megabits per second. [42008]
Mr Vaizey: Broadband Delivery UK is working with the relevant authorities to accurately assess the current broadband provision at community level across the UK in its work to deliver the coalition Government's objective to facilitate universal broadband access of at least 2Mbps and achieve the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015.
City Television Stations
Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress has been made on the introduction of city television stations. [42000]
Mr Vaizey: We are currently consulting industry and the public on the Local Media Action Plan. The Plan invites ‘Expressions of Interest’ from organisations interested in bidding to run a new network channel that will support local services. The formal award process for the new channel is expected to begin this summer.
Departmental Business Interests
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) if he discussed with Ofcom the appropriateness of its Director of Technology Resources responsible for promoting white space devices taking up the post of Chief Technical Officer at a mobile wireless data service provider; and if he will make a statement; [41193]
(2) whether Ofcom took steps to remove responsibility for white space devices from the Director of Technology Resources once he had agreed to take up the post of Chief Technical Officer at a mobile wireless data service provider; and if he will make a statement. [41194]
Mr Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport has not discussed this matter with Ofcom. However, Ofcom has confirmed that as soon as the Director of Technology accepted an offer of employment at a mobile wireless data provider, he was removed from any involvement on Ofcom’s work on white space devices.
Licensing
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated any research on the potential benefits to the public of allocating spectrum in the 872/917 band for machine-to-machine and smart grid application. [41743]
Mr Vaizey: The Department has not commissioned or evaluated any research, to determine the potential benefits of allocating this band for these applications.
28 Feb 2011 : Column 24W
Olympic Games 2012
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to address the conclusions of the National Audit Office's report on preparations for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, HC (2010-11) 756 in respect of (a) the regeneration of East London, (b) the sustainability of the Olympic Park and (c) the provision of economic, social and sport participation legacies; and if he will make a statement. [43007]
Hugh Robertson: As is usual parliamentary practice in relation to National Audit Office reports, Departments do not comment or respond to them in advance of a Public Account Committee (PAC) hearing. As there is a PAC hearing on the report scheduled for 21 March, the Government will consider the recommendations and respond in the usual way.
Olympic Games 2012 : Northern Ireland
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport for what reasons no improvements in sports facilities in Northern Ireland have been scheduled as part of the plans for the London 2012 Olympics. [41798]
Hugh Robertson: Responsibility for sports facilities in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive and Sport Northern Ireland.
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the (a) First Minister and (b) Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure in the Northern Ireland Executive on the inclusion of Northern Ireland in the planning for the London 2012 Olympics. [41799]
Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (Mr Hunt) has not met the First Minister or the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure to discuss the inclusion of Northern Ireland in the planning for the London 2012 Olympics. However, the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure and I are both members of the Sport Cabinet, at which we discussed the Olympics on 15 February. In addition, the Torch will visit all nations, including Northern Ireland, during the 2012 Torch Relay, and a Live Site is planned for Belfast during the games.
Public Libraries
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of (a) people who volunteered and (b) hours given by volunteers in public libraries in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [41974]
Mr Vaizey: Data showing the number of library volunteers in England are published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) in their annual Public Library Statistics. Copies are available in the House Libraries. In 2009-10 there were 16,710 volunteers in libraries in England. They contributed 528,718 volunteer hours.
28 Feb 2011 : Column 25W
Radio Frequencies
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment Ofcom has made of the potential to allocate spectrum in the 872/917 band on an unlicensed or lightly-licensed basis for machine-to-machine and smart grid applications. [41775]
Mr Vaizey: Ofcom published a consultation on the 872/917 MHz band in August 2009 which set out two general approaches to authorisation of these bands:
A full licensing approach: under which a single or limited number of licences are awarded, e.g. a national licence that would support wide area network applications such as mobile communications, potentially awarded via an auction;
A light regulatory approach: in which individual transmitters are authorised without limitation on their numbers, either under a licence exempt regime, or under a light licensing regime. Both machine to machine and smart grid would be potential technologies under this approach.
In the responses to the consultation, stakeholders were split between the uses of this band and it was unclear which approach should be taken.
Ofcom's future work on this band will include further analysis into the potential to allocate spectrum in the 872/917 MHz band on an unlicensed or lightly-licensed basis for machine to machine and smart grid applications.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what recent discussions he has had on a second digital dividend; and if he will make a statement; [42100]
(2) what estimate his Department and Ofcom have made of the likely financial benefits of a second digital dividend; and if he will make a statement. [42110]
Mr Vaizey: I have noted that the European Commission’s Radio Spectrum Policy Programme, currently under discussion with member states, has raised the possibility of considering the release of spectrum immediately below 790 MHz, known as the second digital dividend, in the longer term. This spectrum is used in the UK, as in other countries in the EU, for digital terrestrial television services. Any proposal to change must take into account the full economic and social impact of both the future use of the spectrum, and of making the change.
The timing of any formal discussion on the so-called 700 MHz band is unclear, and is not the immediate focus of the proposed Commission Radio Spectrum Programme or any other initiative we know about. I would expect the Commission to produce a thorough impact assessment, including the potential costs and benefits, as the basis for any future discussions of potential alternative uses of this spectrum.
There is much else in the Radio Spectrum Policy Programme that needs to be agreed and delivered in the short term and I expect that to be the focus in the immediate future.
I have yet to have any discussions with interested parties in the UK specifically on the second digital dividend, but will continue to engage with current spectrum users and those interested in future use of the spectrum so as to make sure that the UK can derive the most economic and social benefit from its use.
28 Feb 2011 : Column 26W
Sports: Health
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he last met with the Scottish Government Minister for Public Health and Sport; and what matters were discussed. [42007]
Hugh Robertson: As Minister for Sport and the Olympics, I met with the Scottish Government Minister for Public Health and Sport on Tuesday 15 February in Cardiff at the Sports Cabinet. The meeting also involved the other devolved Administrations’ Ministers with responsibility for Sport and the Chairs of the Sports Councils. The agenda items were: UK Sport/Sport England Merger, School Games, British Winter Sports Institute, whether Team GB should be changed to Team UK, National Governing Bodies’ Governance and 2012 Legacy issues.
Treasury
Aggregates Levy
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a levy is being imposed on aggregate extraction. [42433]
Justine Greening: There is no levy imposed on extraction of aggregates in the UK. The aggregates levy, introduced in 2002, is charged on each tonne of virgin aggregate at the first point of commercial exploitation.
Biofuels: Finance
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal measures he is taking to support the development of the bioethanol sector. [42988]
Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Totnes (Dr Wollaston) on 18 October 2010, Official Report, column 551W.
Capital Gains Tax: Forests
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether private companies which purchase land sold under the Government's proposals for the disposal of the public forest estate will be liable for capital gains tax on profits arising from the use of such land. [41949]
Mr Gauke: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced on 17 February that the Government's proposals on the future management and ownership of the public forest estate are withdrawn.
Carbon Emissions
Nia Griffith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the consultation period on the proposed carbon price support did not last 12 weeks. [41808]
Justine Greening: The Code of Practice on Consultation acknowledges that shorter periods will at times be necessary. The consultation was published together with proposals to reform the UK’s electricity market on 16 December.
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An eight-week consultation was necessary to ensure the Government could meet their commitment, announced in Budget 2010, to introduce legislation in the Finance Bill 2011.
Nia Griffith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons draft legislation on the Carbon Price Support was published in advance of the consultation process. [41917]
Justine Greening: The draft legislation was made available on 26 January 2011, before the consultation closed. Exposing the draft legislation allowed for public scrutiny in advance of the Budget, which is in line with HM Treasury's new approach to tax policy making.
Alun Cairns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the merits of introducing a floor price for carbon; and what estimate he has made of the optimal floor price. [42677]
Justine Greening: An in-depth assessment of the costs and benefits of introducing a floor price for carbon is set out in the consultation document published on 16 December. The consultation sets out three indicative floor price scenarios in 2020 and the Government are seeking views from the public and industry on the optimal level. Copies are available in the Library of the House or online at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consult_carbon_price_support.htm
Child Benefit
Karl Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the potential savings to the Exchequer of withdrawing child benefit from families with a higher rate tax payer if the higher rate threshold were £38,600. [35922]
Justine Greening [holding answer 26 January 2011]: The Government announced in the spending review that withdrawing child benefit from families with a higher rate taxpayer would save £2.5 billion from 2014-15. This information can be found on page 12 of the spending review document at:
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_completereport.pdf
Child Care Tax Credit
Ms Buck: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households his Department estimates will face losses of (a) under £5, (b) £5 to £10, (c) £10 to £20 and (d) £20 and over a week as a result of the reduction of the child care tax credit. [41447]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 17 February 2011]: No estimate has been made.
The reduction of child care support to 70% from 80% is part of a range of reforms to the tax credits system announced at the spending review.
The Government published estimates of the distributional impact of the package of announced tax and benefit measures which can be found at:
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_annexb.pdf
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Estimating the impact of an individual measure does not give a clear indication of the full monetary impact on an individual household.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect of reducing the second income threshold for the family element of the child tax credit from £50,000 to £40,000 on the weekly income of a family earning (a) £42,500, (b) £43,000 and (c) £43,500 in 2011-12. [41687]
Mr Gauke: The reduction of the second threshold to £40,000 is part of a range of reforms to the tax credits system announced at the emergency Budget and spending review.
The Government published estimates of the distributional impact of the packages of announced tax and benefit measures which can be found at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_annexa.pdf
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_annexb.pdf
Estimating the impact of an individual measure does not give a clear indication of the full monetary impact on an individual household.
Climate Change Levy
Nia Griffith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has plans for further reform of the climate change levy; and whether he plans to align the environmental taxes levied on fuels with their environmental impact. [41776]
Justine Greening: Announcements on tax are a matter for the Chancellor to make at Budget.
Departmental Conditions of Employment
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of his Department's adherence to each of the principles of good employment practice set out in the Cabinet Office publication Principles of Good Employment Practice. [42630]
Justine Greening: HM Treasury regularly reviews the established policies in place for employment terms and conditions to ensure they adhere to best practice and legal requirements.
Departmental Freedom of Information
Yvette Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long on average his Department took to respond to requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in the latest period for which figures are available. [42248]
Justine Greening: The Ministry of Justice publishes regular quarterly and annual figures on the responses Government Departments make to Freedom of Information requests. These show performance against the statutory 20-working-day target. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of the third quarter, 2010. HM Treasury’s data are as follows:
28 Feb 2011 : Column 29W
| HM Treasury | ||||
| Percentage | ||||
| Q1 January to March | Q2 April to June | Q3 July to September | Q4 October to December | |
The full report can be found at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/foi-stats-bulletin-q3-2010.pdf
The above table can be found on page 20.
Yvette Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when he expects to respond to the Freedom of Information request submitted to his Department by the hon. Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) on 20 September 2010; [42249]
(2) for what reasons the Freedom of Information request submitted to his Department on 20 September 2010 by the hon. Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford has not been responded to; and if he will make a statement. [42250]
Justine Greening: HM Treasury provided a response to seven of the 10 Freedom of Information requests received by the hon. Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford on 20 September 2010 within the statutory 20-working-day deadline. For the remaining three requests the deadline was extended as permitted by the Act to consider the public interest. HM Treasury replied to these requests on 25 February 2011.
Departmental Interpreters
Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for which services provided by (a) his Department and (b) its associated public bodies interpreters provide services in a language or languages other than English; how many interpreters are employed or subcontracted for each non-English language; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of interpretation costs incurred in the latest period for which figures are available. [42890]
Justine Greening: Translators are engaged on a temporary basis when required. No interpreters are permanently employed by the Treasury or any of its associated public bodies. In 2009-10, one translator was engaged by the Treasury to translate from Chinese at a cost of £145.00. No other spending on translators was incurred in 2009-10.
Departmental Press Releases
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions his Department has provided embargoed media briefings prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010; in respect of how many such briefings his Department was informed that the embargo had been breached; what steps were taken as a result of each such breach; and on how many occasions his Department has provided media briefings without an embargo prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010. [31920]
28 Feb 2011 : Column 30W
Justine Greening: HM Treasury has not provided any media briefings with or without embargo prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010.
Departmental Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what regulations his Department introduced between 18 November 2010 and 8 February 2011. [42077]
Justine Greening: Between 18 November 2010 and 8 February 2011, my Department has introduced the following statutory instruments:
The Iran (European Union Financial Sanctions) Regulations 2010 (SI no. 2010/2937)
The Somalia (Asset-Freezing) Regulations 2010 (SI no. 2010/2956)
The Financial Markets and Insolvency (Settlement Finality and Financial Collateral Arrangements) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (SI no. 2010/2993)
The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Administration Orders Relating to Insurers) Order 2010 (SI no. 2010/3023)
The Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (SI no. 2011/99)
The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Order 2011 (SI no. 2011/133)
The Investment Bank (Amendment of Definition) Order 2011 ( SI no. 2011/239)
The Investment Bank Special Administration Regulations 2011 (SI no. 2011/245)