Military Aircraft
Mr Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what UK military assets have been identified for inclusion in contingency plans for the UK to contribute to a no-fly zone over Libya; and how many (a) air-to-air capable aircraft, (b) ground attack aircraft, (c) air-to-air refuelling tankers, (d) AWACS aircraft and (e) other supporting assets and personnel will be included in such plans. [45382]
Nick Harvey: The Government keeps plans for the use of our armed forces under constant review. A number of contingency plans, including for further humanitarian assistance, enforcing an arms embargo and the implementation of a no-fly zone, are being considered by NATO with respect to Libya. No decisions have been taken and no assets have been committed.
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's fast jet capability; and if he will make a statement. [45931]
Nick Harvey
[holding answer 14 March 2011]: In the air defence role Typhoon aircraft are held at readiness
15 Mar 2011 : Column 218W
to defend UK airspace, including the Falkland Islands, and in the air to ground role the Tornado GR4 provides a capable close air support, reconnaissance and offensive strike capability. It can support other contingent operations if required.
The Tornado GR4 is capable of carrying a full array of strike and counter-insurgency weaponry, including a full range of precision guided bombs, Storm Shadow long range stand-off missiles and the highly accurate dual-mode seeker Brimstone weapon. Since 2009 it has also provided the United Kingdom contribution to fast jet operations in Afghanistan. The RAPTOR reconnaissance pod is a highly discriminating sensor which provides an unparalleled combination of stand-off and resolution in a tactical system.
Typhoon deliveries are ongoing and it continues to build up both air defence and multirole capabilities. Our other air defence fighter, the Tornado F3, will be retired when the Typhoon takes over the remaining Quick Reaction Alert duties at the end of this month.
By around 2020 our fast jet fleet will be made up of two modern and highly capable multi-role combat aircraft, Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter, which will provide the flexibility and strike-power to deal with a variety of new and existing threats in line with the adaptable posture set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review.
Military Aircraft: Helicopters
Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what type of helicopter was used in the recent mission to transport diplomats to Benghazi, Libya; and when the helicopter was allowed to return to its original basing point. [45807]
Dr Fox: I refer the hon. Member to the statement given by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), to the House on 7 March 2011, Official Report, columns 643-45. I am unable to provide any further operational details.
Military Aircraft: Public Finance
Mr Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate has been made of the cost to the public purse of establishing support facilities in Malta for (a) RAF Tornado aircraft, (b) RAF Typhoon aircraft, (c) RAF AWACS aircraft, (d) RAF air-to-air refuelling tankers and (e) support infrastructure and personnel; and whether any additional costs would be funded from the contingency reserve. [45381]
Nick Harvey: There are currently no RAF Tornados, RAF Typhoons, RAF AWACS or RAF air-to-air refuelling tankers based in Malta and we have no plans for such basing in the future. The additional costs of support infrastructure and personnel for the recent deployment to Malta are currently being assessed and it would be premature to release them at this point. We are looking at whether there are additional costs for evacuating entitled personnel from Libya that it would be appropriate to recover from the reserve or other Government Departments.
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Military Bases
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the (a) sale and (b) demolition of Hyde Park Barracks is being considered as part of the rationalisation of the defence estate; [45759]
(2) what discussions (a) Ministers in his Department and (b) his officials have had on the (i) sale and (ii) demolition of Hyde Park Barracks. [45760]
Mr Robathan: We keep our estate under continuous review to ensure that it is no larger than is required for defence purposes.
So far as Hyde Park Barracks is concerned, in addition to the ongoing review of the defence estate, officials have considered the future use of the barracks, but there are currently no plans to redevelop the site.
National Security Council
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what military personnel serve on the secretariat of the National Security Council. [45870]
Dr Fox: The secretariat to the National Security Council consists of two civilian staff posts. It has no military staff.
The National Security Secretariat, which supports the delivery of the national security strategy, comprises a broad set of directorates that oversee foreign and defence policy and security, intelligence, and resilience functions across Government—as well as co-ordination of Government response in the event of civil emergencies, terrorist incidents and international crises.
The National Security Secretariat has five seconded military personnel.
Navy: Military Bases
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what notice his Department proposes to give to service personnel whose ships are to be transferred under his proposed changes to port-basing. [45925]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 14 March 2011]:The Ministry of Defence is currently examining whether there is a case for changing base porting arrangements for the Type 23 frigates. As part of this process consideration will be given to the impact on naval service personnel and their families and we will give them sufficient notice to enable them to plan their futures. A decision is expected by the end of the year.
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement on the port-basing of ships and submarines. [46000]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 14 March 2011]:The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is examining whether there is a case for changing the current base porting arrangements for the Type 23 frigates. We anticipate a decision being made by the end of the year, although no date has been set for making any announcements.
An announcement on the base porting of the Type 26 global combat ship will be made after the main investment decision point, which is anticipated to be by the middle of this decade.
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The MOD keeps the base porting arrangements for its ships and submarines under continuous review, but, at this time, we have no plans to announce any other base porting changes beyond those outlined above.
Nimrod Aircraft: Decommissioning
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the decommissioning of the Nimrod MRA4 fleet. [46600]
Peter Luff [holding answer 14 March 2011]:I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Armed Forces, my hon. Friend the Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey), on 13 January 2011, Official Report, column 445W, to the hon. Member for Glasgow South (Mr Harris).
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the involvement of the private sector in the Royal Navy in addition to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. [45352]
Nick Harvey: The private sector supports the Naval Service in a range of contracted out activities through commercial policy arrangements and includes training, maintenance, catering and cleaning.
Additionally, under a private finance initiative arrangement six roll-on/roll-off sealift ships (the Point Class) are used to transport military cargoes when required. These are civilian ships with British based crews who are required to be sponsored reserves as a condition of service. They carry no special protection capability. Therefore, when undertaking military work, any force protection measures would be provided by the armed forces.
Strategic Defence and Security Review
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the Strategic Defence and Security Review, how much funding he plans to allocate to introducing a new range of medium weight armoured vehicles, including Terrier engineer vehicles and the Scout reconnaissance vehicles. [45899]
Peter Luff: £386 million has been approved for the Terrier engineer vehicle programme which has an in-service date of 2013. The Scout reconnaissance vehicle is part of the wider Specialist Vehicle (SV) programme. A demonstration phase contract worth approximately £500 million was signed in June 2010 for Scout and other early elements of the SV programme. No contract has been signed for the manufacture of Scout, and the remainder of the SV programme has not yet reached its main investment decision point. The Department does not publish the planned costs of programmes before this point. To do otherwise would potentially undermine our commercial position.
Mr Jim Murphy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the Strategic Defence and Security Review, which Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance capabilities
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will receive increased funding from his Department in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period. [45902]
Peter Luff: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 November 2010, Official Report, column 748W.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much he expects his Department to save as a result of the commitment in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to rationalise wider equipment holdings in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; [45903]
(2) how much he expects his Department to save as a result of the commitment in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to creating a cost-effective training environment in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; [45907]
(3) how much he expects his Department to save as a result of the commitment in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to reduce the role of the VC-10 transport/tanker aircraft to undertake air-to-air refuelling in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; [45912]
(4) how much he expects his Department to save as a result of the commitment in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to reductions in spend on media and communications in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; [45919]
(5) how much he expects his Department to save as a result of the commitment in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to efficiencies and improvements in military training, including the increased use of simulators for air-crew and Army live firing, in each year of the comprehensive spending review period. [45923]
Peter Luff: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 November 2010, Official Report, column 582W. It is too early to say what potential savings may accrue from the Strategic Defence and Security review in all of the detailed categories listed. Where estimates of itemised savings have been made, I am withholding these as their disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. Much work is now required to work through the detailed implications of Strategic Defence and Security Review decisions and their implementation. We will be providing the fullest possible information as progress is made.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the Strategic Defence and Security Review, how much funding he has allocated to introducing protected support vehicles to replace unprotected versions that are no longer suitable. [45906]
Peter Luff: Decisions on the funding of the protected support vehicles programmes, will be made at their respective main investment decision points. The Ministry of Defence does not publish the planned costs of programmes before this point. To do otherwise would potentially undermine our commercial position.
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Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of reduction in the planned number of Joint Strike Fighter aircraft he expects to arise as a result of the outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. [45911]
Peter Luff: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 November 2010, Official Report, columns 852-3W to the hon. Member for Glenrothes (Lindsay Roy), the hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) and the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson).
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what new capabilities he plans to purchase using the funding allocated to cyber security by the Strategic Defence and Security Review; [45913]
(2) who sits on the UK Defence Cyber Operations Group; how many times the Group has met since its creation; what the agenda was for each meeting; and what executive powers the Group has; [45914]
(3) what plans he has for the allocation of funding for cyber security announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review; and what capability benefits will result from this expenditure. [45917]
Mr Robathan: As stated in the National Security Strategy the Government believes that attacks through cyberspace constitute a threat to our national security on a par with terrorism. We are investing an extra £650 million over the spending review period to address this threat. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) will play its part by incorporating cyber security into the mainstream of defence planning and operations; supported by the establishment of a Defence Cyber Operations Group (DCOG).
We have set up a formal Defence cyber security change programme to deliver our Strategic Defence and Security Review commitments by 2015 and transform the way Defence approaches cyber operations. A two-star military officer has been appointed to drive implementation and will be chairing a programme board with representation from within the MOD, the Cabinet Office and other Government Departments. We have established a strong cyber policy and plans team which will develop MOD cyber policy, lay the ground work for the establishment of the DCOG, and enhance MOD's cyber capabilities. By 2015, the DCOG will be fully operational, manned and equipped.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the strategic defence and security review (SDSR), how much his Department will bear the risk of the capability gaps that will arise as a result of the outcome of the SDSR. [45920]
Dr Fox: The strategic defence and security review sets out the capabilities we will be enhancing and those we will be removing or gapping from the armed forces as we move towards the Future Force 2020 structure. We recognise that there will be risks associated with these decisions. We are managing these risks by: ensuring our operations in Afghanistan are prioritised; maintaining our military strategic intelligence capability; ensuring we have adaptable capabilities; deepening our partnerships; preserving the ability to reconstitute our levels of military capability in areas which are currently lower priority; and, by maintaining our strategic deterrent.
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Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much he expects his Department to save as a result of the commitment in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to rationalise his Department's estate including the sale of surplus land and buildings and associated running cost reductions and running cost savings across the estate in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period; [45921]
(2) how much he expects his Department to save as a result of the commitment in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to a revised approach to managing and delivering infrastructure services across his Department's estate in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period. [45922]
Mr Robathan: The Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox), announced on 16 February 2011, Official Report, column 78W, that the formation of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation would result in savings of some £1.2 billion for the first four years, from estate running costs, and the disposal of surplus land and buildings. Precise details are being finalised, including those as part of the re-basing study currently under way, but we would expect about half of it to be delivered through greater efficiency in the management and delivery of infrastructure services leading to savings in manpower and contract costs.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what capability gaps he has identified resulting from the outcome of the strategic defence and security review. [46027]
Dr Fox: To address the deficit in the Defence budget and contribute to wider deficit reduction a number of capabilities had to be either removed or gapped. These are set out in the strategic defence and security review White Paper.
Submarines
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the establishment is at all ranks of the Royal Navy Submarine Service. [46132]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 14 March 2011]: The permanent posts for the Royal Navy Submarine Service as of March 2011 are:
| Preferred rank | Total |
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It should be noted that this list may change depending on the programmes of the submarine fleet. These figures include the full complement of the Royal Navy submarine posts (including the system of six crews to man the four Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines). Also included are posts for submarine personnel, based in shore positions across Defence, who are acting in support of the fleet but not assigned to individual submarines.
Surveillance
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the surveillance needs of the UK (a) now, (b) in 2015 and (c) in 2020; and what plans he has to meet these needs. [45905]
Mr Robathan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire (Peter Luff), gave on 29 November 2010, Official Report, column 583W.
Voluntary Work and Charitable Donations
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether his Department has a policy to encourage its employees to (a) volunteer and (b) donate via payroll giving; [43234]
(2) what steps his Department has taken to support the big society initiative; [42638]
(3) whether (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department are participating in volunteering activities as part of his Department’s involvement in the big society initiative. [42658]
Mr Robathan: The big society is an approach and philosophy which is at the heart of the Government’s reforms across all policy areas with the aim of localising power and opening up public services and encouraging social action. Each Department has a range of specific programmes which will contribute to growing the big society. These policies are co-ordinated across Government through meetings at official and ministerial level, including the Informal Ministerial Group on the Big Society and Localism, which shares ideas and supports progress on cross cutting issues relating to the big society.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been involved with the big society initiative since its launch in July 2010 with Ministers and Officials attending the inter-ministerial and director general meetings respectively. MOD personnel have also been actively involved in desk level discussion on the big society and National Citizen Service initiatives.
My ministerial colleagues and I are committed to leading the way to get more Defence professionals to use their skills through active involvement with charities and voluntary groups.
For civil servants within the MOD, the Department has in place policy, rules and guidance on special leave that provide staff and their managers with a framework within which to support time off to engage in big society goals and volunteering activities. Those can include local Government work, magisterial duties and other unpaid voluntary public service.
15 Mar 2011 : Column 225W
There are a number of initiatives already in place, including:
The Ministry of Defence has four sponsored Cadet Forces: the Sea Cadet Corps, the Army Cadet Force, the Air Cadet Force and the Combined Cadet Force. They are among the UK’s largest and most successful youth organisations, having a long history of preparing young people for all walks of life and encouraging an active involvement in local communities. There are currently 133,000 cadets and 25,000 adult volunteers across the cadet movement.
Defence Youth Engagement Review:
The MOD is currently conducting a comprehensive review of youth engagement with the aim of determining its youth engagement requirement and methods to deliver it. Interim findings are anticipated in mid 2011 and final recommendations by the end of 2011
The MOD Education Outreach Programme:
A programme aimed at ‘giving students a start’. The MOD undertakes this as a demonstration of commitment to our corporate social responsibility and a visible contribution to helping develop the skills of the next generation. The programme provides a tangible example of the volunteering ethos of the MOD staff, both military and civilian, and relies on over 30 mentors and supporters, all of whom are volunteers.
Additionally in the south west, HMS Raleigh is assisting Torbay Youth Service with their National Citizen Service by providing a week’s accommodation for two pilot programmes.
Across the civil service, Departments including the MOD recently communicated a policy encouraging staff to make full use of special leave provision in their particular Department to volunteer for the 2012 Olympics, as well as contributing their own time alongside any given by Departments.
MOD employees are able to contribute to charities by deduction from salary or pension. Regular articles in ‘in house’ magazines encourage staff to donate via payroll giving.
To build on this further and to support the big society initiative, the MOD will continue to work alongside other Government Departments through the Civil Service Volunteering Group to communicate to all staff what opportunities will be available to them, and encourage their participation.
Warships: Repairs and Maintenance
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2011, Official Report, column 917W, on submarines and warships, what the (a) name and (b) type is of each (i) destroyer and (ii) frigate not currently part of the operational schedule undergoing deep maintenance. [46133]
Peter Luff [holding answer 14 March 2011]:The Type 23 frigates HMS Northumberland, HMS Lancaster and HMS Kent are currently in refit. In addition the Type 42 destroyer HMS Edinburgh and Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll are both in post refit sea training and the Type 45 HMS Dauntless, which has recently joined the fleet, has not completed basic operational sea training. These ships are also therefore not available for operations.
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Home Department
101 Calls
Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the level of usage of the national non-emergency number. [42944]
Nick Herbert: The ‘101’ non-emergency telephone number is not yet a national service.
Arrests: Brighton and Hove
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many arrests were made in Brighton and Hove under section 73 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010; [45418]
(2) how many arrests were made in Brighton and Hove under section 6 (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010. [45395]
James Brokenshire: The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally.
The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery. From these centrally reported categories, it is not possible to identify arrests under the particular Acts stated.
The most recent data published on arrests (2008-09) by the Home Office can be found at the following link:
http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/police-powers.html
Asylum
Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of time that elapsed between an application for asylum and final determination of the case in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [44434]
Damian Green: In the last 12 months the average length of time elapsed between an application for asylum and final determination of the case was 263 calendar days.
In answering this question we have assumed the date of final determination to be the date an application was either granted or became appeal rights exhausted (ARE)
(1) had no re-course to appeal;
(2) chose not to exercise appeal rights; or
(3) appealed out-of-time, we have taken final determination to be the date of initial decision.
All figures quoted are internal management information only and are subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to ensure refugees can access (a) employment, (b) housing and (c) financial assistance from 1 April 2011; and if she will make a statement. [46187]
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Damian Green: Individuals granted refugee status have full entitlement to access public funds and services.
The Refugee Integration and Employment Service currently provides help and support for new refugees in addressing their integration needs and accessing their entitlements. These contracts expire in September 2011 in line with the agreed contract term.
From October it is proposed that the most vulnerable new refugees will continue to be able to access advice and signposting through the end to end advisory and support services for refugees and asylum seekers which will continue to be delivered under extended agreements with the voluntary sector.
Asylum: Advisory Services
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to make an assessment of the effects on refugees of reductions in the budget for advice services for refugees at the end of financial year 2011-12; and if she will make a statement. [46186]
Damian Green: The Government have extended grant agreements with voluntary sector partners to provide advice and support services for asylum seekers for a further period of two years. The levels of funding provided by these grant agreements have been reduced in line with reductions in the numbers of people claiming asylum and in the numbers of people in receipt of asylum support and therefore in need of these services.
Asylum: Community Relations
Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the potential effects on levels of community cohesion of reductions in funding for refugee integration programmes. [45886]
Damian Green: We do not believe that the reductions in funding for refugee integration activity will have a significant impact on community cohesion. It is proposed that the most vulnerable new refugees will continue to be able to access advice and signposting through the end to end advisory and support services for refugees and asylum seekers which will continue to be delivered under extended agreements with the voluntary sector. UK Border Agency officials will be co-chairing a working group with the voluntary sector to identify practical, cost neutral, solutions to address the integration needs of refugees.
Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for future funding for the integration of refugees after they are granted limited leave to remain. [45887]
Damian Green:
It is proposed that the most vulnerable new refugees will continue to be able to access advice and signposting through the end to end advisory and support services for refugees and asylum seekers which will continue to be delivered under extended agreements with the voluntary sector. UK Border Agency officials will be co-chairing a working group with the voluntary sector to identify practical, cost neutral, solutions to
15 Mar 2011 : Column 228W
address the integration needs of refugees. The membership will include representatives from other Government Departments.
Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the likely effect on the budgets of (a) other Government Departments and (b) local authorities of the cessation of her Department’s funding for refugee integration. [45888]
Damian Green: Individuals granted refugee status have full entitlement to access public funds and services. The impact of the reduction in funding on the budgets of other Departments and local authorities will therefore be minimal. UK Border Agency officials will be co-chairing a working group with the voluntary sector to identify practical cost neutral solutions to address the integration needs of refugees. The membership will include representatives from other Government Departments.
Asylum: Scotland
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has any plans to open an office of the UK Border Agency to process claims relating to asylum seekers resident in Scotland in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) Aberdeen. [46004]
Damian Green [holding answer 14 March 2011]:There are currently no plans to open an asylum screening unit in Scotland; however claims relating to asylum seekers are routinely processed at our offices in Glasgow after initial screening.
We have always been clear that anyone seeking asylum should do so at the first available opportunity—this means on arrival at a port of entry. Only those who have failed to claim on arrival have to travel to Croydon to make their asylum application.
We recognise there may be a small number of exceptional cases who are unable to travel to Croydon. Applicants, whose circumstances are such that they are unable to travel to Croydon, may have their application recorded and screened at a local regional office. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the annual cost to the public purse of processing initial applications for asylums in Scotland. [46005]
Damian Green [holding answer 14 March 2011]: We do not hold these cost estimates but we are currently developing a process to cost our different outputs, for example asylum conclusion. We will seek to publish this information in due course.
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects of reductions in the budget for the UK Border Agency on refugee charities in Scotland in receipt of funding from that body. [46421]
Damian Green:
The Government have extended grant agreements with voluntary sector partners in Scotland to provide advice and support services for asylum seekers for a further period of two years. The levels of funding
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provided by these grant agreements have been reduced in line with reductions in the numbers of people claiming asylum and in the numbers of people in receipt of asylum support and therefore in need of these services.
Avi Benayahu
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the circumstances of Mr Avi Benayahu’s entry into the UK in 2010; and what her policy is on the use by foreign nationals of false names on entry into the UK. [46622]
Damian Green: The Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases. As part of the UK Border Agency’s responsibility to secure the border and identify and prevent crime, its officers check all arriving passengers against the Watchlist and examine documents to ensure that they are genuine.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when her Department was first informed of the intention of Mr Avi Benayahu to enter the UK under a false identity. [46623]
Damian Green: The Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases.
British Nationality
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people resident in each London borough have been naturalised as UK citizens since 2005. [45409]
Damian Green: In order to become naturalised as a British citizen an applicant needs to have attended a citizenship ceremony. The following table provides information relating to the number of applicants for naturalisation who have attended a citizenship ceremony.
This information is taken from local management information provided by UK Border Agency, North West Region Planning and MI Team. It is not a National Statistic and as such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.
| Naturalisation cases attending a British citizenship ceremony in the London boroughs, 2005 - 10 (1) | ||||||
| Ceremony attended | ||||||
| Local authority | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
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| (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5, totals may not sum to their components due to rounding. Source: Local Management Information provided by UK Border Agency, North West Region Planning and MI Team and is not a National Statistic. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change. | ||||||
Departmental Land
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to reduce the size of her Department's estate; and if she will make a statement. [46223]
Damian Green: The Department is taking steps to reduce the size of its office estate. Measures to deliver this include consolidation of accommodation across the Home Office Group and the adoption where practicable of the Government's workplace standards of eight square metres per person and a ratio of eight workstations per 10 staff. Estate consolidations are under way in London, Croydon and Liverpool. In Croydon for instance buildings totalling 26000 square metres were surrendered last December. Plans for further significant consolidations are being developed in other major cities and in back office accommodation held at ports of entry.
Departmental Procurement
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many procurement projects with a monetary value greater than (a) £10 million, (b) £50 million and (c) £100 million (i) her Department and (ii) each non-departmental public body and agency for which she is responsible was engaged upon in the latest period for which figures are available. [45567]
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Damian Green: The number of current procurement projects and programmes in the Home Office, including its agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) is as follows:
| Whole life cost (£ million) | Number |
The values represent the whole life costs of the projects and programmes and thus include past, current and future costs.
Departmental Regulation
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions her Department has consulted representatives of small businesses on the effects of proposed new regulations since 6 May 2010. [46144]
Damian Green: There have been 16 public consultations by the Home Department since 6 May 2010 which have been published on the Home Office website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/consultations/
Representatives of small business are asked to contribute when this is appropriate. In addition, representatives are consulted on a more informal basis in routine policy development by the Department.
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what regulations her Department introduced between 9 and 28 February 2011. [46955]
Damian Green: The information requested is shown in the following table.
The following three statutory instruments in the form of regulations were made by the Home Department between 9 and 28 February 2011.
Departmental Written Questions
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of written questions tabled to her for answer on a named day between 27 May 2010 and 9 March 2011 did not receive a substantive answer on the day named for answer. [46559]
James Brokenshire: From 27 May 2010 until 9 March 2011, the Home Office gave a substantive answer to 260 out of 777 (33.5%) questions for answer on a named day on the day named for answer.
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Human Trafficking: Olympic Games 2012
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to assess the risk of human trafficking in the period before the London 2012 Olympics. [46326]
Damian Green: Intelligence on risks to the 2012 Olympics, including human trafficking, is assessed on a quarterly basis through the Olympics organised crime threat assessment.
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to allocate resources to the Metropolitan police for work to counter the risk of human trafficking during the period of the London 2012 Olympics. [46379]
Damian Green: Tackling human trafficking is core police business. To date we have not seen any evidence of an increase in trafficking around the Olympics. However, we remain vigilant and the Metropolitan police service has received extra funding from the Migration Impact Fund to prioritise activities to disrupt prostitution and recover victims around the Olympic park.
Identity Cards: Foreign Nationals
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many biometric residence permits she expects to be issued to non-European economic area nationals in each of the five years from 2011. [46446]
Damian Green: Based on previous levels, and grants, of applications for leave to remain it is estimated that approximately 340,000 biometric residence permits (BRPs) will be issued each year, subject to any policy changes.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many biometric residence permits have been issued to non-EEA foreign nationals. [46447]
Damian Green: Biometric residence permits were introduced on 25 November 2008 and as at 4 March 2011, just over 409,000 have been issued.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of issuing biometric residence permits to non-EEA foreign nationals. [46448]
Damian Green: There is no cost to the public purse in issuing biometric residence permits to non-EEA nationals. Costs are met by the fees recovered from applicants and the financial benefits accruing from the issue of biometric residence permits.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will state (a) how and (b) where biometric data from residence permits issued to non-EEA foreign nationals will be stored. [46449]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency collects a facial image and 10 fingerprints, from each non-EEA foreign national applicant applying for a biometric residence permit, which are stored electronically on the agency’s database and on the permit.
15 Mar 2011 : Column 233W
Illegal Immigrants: Taxation
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will estimate the number of illegal migrants working in the UK who (a) pay tax and (b) make national insurance contributions. [46409]
Damian Green: There is no official Government estimation for the number of illegal workers in the UK and it is therefore not possible to estimate how many illegal migrants working in the UK pay tax or make national insurance contributions.
Immigrants: English Language
Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what means she ensures that providers of secure English language tests adhere to the Common European Framework. [45814]
Damian Green: To date the UK Border Agency has conducted its own checks to ensure that providers of secure English language tests adhere to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
The UK Border Agency is currently refreshing its list of providers and is requiring prospective providers to provide evidence to show how their tests map against the CEFR. The UK Border Agency is verifying this mapping with the help of an independent expert in the CEFR.
The UK Border Agency will be carrying out independent checks to ensure that tests being completed conform to the relevant level on the CEFR.
Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many student visas included the requirement for the applicant to have passed a secure English language test in the last 12 months; and how many such tests were administered by each provider. [45815]
Damian Green: Secure English Language Testing (SELT) for Tier 4 (General) Student Visa applicants wishing to study a course below degree level was introduced on 12 August 2010. There are exemptions for:
applicants intending to study for foundation degrees;
applicants intending to study for English language courses, including pre-sessional courses;
applicants from majority English speaking countries; and
applicants moving from Tier 4 (Child).
There is no English language requirement for Tier 4 (Child) applicants.
The UK Border Agency does not keep a separate central record of those applicants who are required to pass the SELT. This information could be obtained by checking individual records only at disproportionate cost.
The UK Border Agency does not have a record of how many tests have been administered by each provider.
Immigration Controls
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accreditation bodies are currently approved by the UK Border Agency; and when that approval is scheduled to end in each case. [46749]
15 Mar 2011 : Column 234W
Damian Green: Each of the five UK Border Agency approved accreditation bodies were approved for an initial period of two years. The Accreditation Service for International Colleges, Accreditation UK and the British Accreditation Council were all approved in July 2007. The Association of British Language Schools was approved in March 2009, and the Church of England Ministry Division in May 2009. The government has made clear in its recent consultation on student visas that it intends to strengthen the current arrangements for accreditation. The existing approvals have not therefore been formally renewed, pending decisions on the longer-term arrangements. However the accreditation bodies are continuing to provide the service for which they were approved.
Immigration Controls: Musicians
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to facilitate the granting of work permits and visas to foreign professional musicians invited to perform at concerts in the UK. [46719]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency is committed to providing a first-class visa service meeting its customer service targets for processing applications. 95% of non-settlement applications are processed within three weeks and many applications are dealt with much faster. Although applicants are advised to allow sufficient time for their applications to be processed, visa sections overseas recognise that this is not always possible and will expedite cases where there is an urgent and genuine need to travel.
The agency’s partnerships and engagement team also often helps secure visas for musicians and other artists in cases of last minute substitution or injury. The team regularly receives positive feedback from the arts and entertainment sector on its service delivery and intervention in high profile and genuine cases.
Missing Persons
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, the hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (James Brokenshire) on 26 October 2011, Official Report, column 59WH, on missing persons, when she expects to publish the findings of the review into the recommendations of the Missing Perons Taskforce Review. [44311]
James Brokenshire: The Home Office has carried out an assessment of the 22 recommendations in the Missing Persons Taskforce Review. Seven have already been delivered, action is under way on a further 10 and the remainder are subject to further consideration. We are working with our counterparts in other Government Departments to consider what further action is needed in this important area, taking account of other relevant developments including, for example, the Munro Review of Child Protection and the transfer of responsibility for missing children from the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).
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Police: Crime
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) number of police officers and (b) crime rate was in the North Wales police force area in each of the last 20 years. [44760]
Nick Herbert: Data on police officer strength in North Wales as at 31 March 1990 to 31 March 2009 and 30 September 2010 are given in Table A. Offences recorded in North Wales per 100,000 population, from 1990 to 2009-10 are given in Table B.
The latest provisional Police Service Strength statistics were published on 27 January 2011 and can be found at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html
Bulletins for this and previous years are deposited in the Library of the House.
The latest financial year recorded crime statistics were published in July 2010 and are available online at:
http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0910.html
| Table A: Police officer strength (FTE) (1) in North Wales as at 31 March 1990 to 31 March 2009 (2,3) and 30 September 2010 | |
|
|
Police officer strength |
| 1. Full Time Equivalent. All officers less staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave (comparable with previously published figures) 2. This and other tables contain full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items. 3. Comparable strength (excludes those on career breaks, or maternity/paternity leave). The Police Numbers Task Force (2001) recommended that a clear presentation was made of the numbers of staff employed by police forces including those seconded into the force and those on any type of long or short term absence. These new calculations were first used in 2003, and are not comparable with data prior to March 2003. The data from 2003 onwards used here are termed comparable because they have been calculated on the old basis to allow comparison. | |
| Table B: Offences recorded in North Wales per 100,000 population | |
|
|
Rate per 100,000 population |
15 Mar 2011 : Column 236W
| (1) The coverage was expanded and counting rules changed in 1998-99. Figures before and after that date are not directly comparable. (2) The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced in 2002-03. Figures before and after that date are not directly comparable. | |
Police: Local Government
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has plans to enable local authorities to access police data systems in order to tackle housing benefit and council tax fraud. [45216]
Nick Herbert: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 7 March 2011, Official Report, column 872W.
Students: Visas
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department from how many UK institutions graduates can receive a post-study work visa; and for what types of degrees in each case. [46799]
Damian Green: The information is not centrally recorded in the format requested and could be obtained by a manual check of individual case records only at disproportionate cost.
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people received a post-study work visa in 2009; and how many such people had received (a) a UK recognised bachelor or postgraduate degree, (b) a UK postgraduate certificate in education or Professional Graduate Diploma of Education and (c) a Higher National Diploma from a Scottish institution. [46800]
Damian Green: In 2009 38,425 post-study work visas were issued.
In order to qualify for a post-study work visa a migrant must have been awarded a United Kingdom recognised bachelor’s or postgraduate degree, a United Kingdom Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or Professional Graduate Diploma of Education (PGDE), or Higher National Diploma (HND) from a Scottish institution. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of which of these degree types are used to qualify under this route.
Vetting
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the policy of the Criminal Records Bureau is on who may use the title Ms in applications for a Criminal Records Bureau check. [45761]
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Lynne Featherstone: The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has no policy which outlines who may use the title Ms. There are no restrictions placed by the CRB on applicants as to which title they choose to use when completing a CRB application form.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were subject to a discretionary bar by the Independent Safeguarding Authority in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010. [46006]
Lynne Featherstone [holding answer 14 March 2011]: The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) commenced independent decision-making on 20 January 2009. Using its discretionary barring powers, the ISA barred 28 people in 2009 and 422 people in 2010.
This figure excludes barring decisions for auto-bar offences, as well as any barring decisions made on those people who were included on the previous barred lists and whom the ISA has ‘determined’ under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Transitory Provisions) Order 2009 should be placed on the ISA barred lists.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Criminal Records Bureau checks were issued in 2010 to those working in the gaming industry. [46813]
Lynne Featherstone: The information requested is not recorded by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). When making applications for CRB checks, individuals and employers are asked to provide the details of the specific position that is being applied for rather than the employment sector or industry.
Attorney-General
Confiscation Orders
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General how many confiscation orders have been obtained by the Serious Fraud Office's Proceeds of Crime Unit in 2010-11 to date; and what the total monetary value is of such orders. [46265]
The Solicitor-General: The Serious Fraud Office has obtained 14 confiscation orders in the financial year to date. The total value of these orders is £28,307,690.66.
Fraud: Prosecutions
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many people have been convicted in cases brought by the Serious Fraud Office in 2010-11; and what the conviction rate for cases brought by the Serious Fraud Office has been in 2010-11 to date; [46260]
(2) how many cases have been brought by the Serious Fraud Office in 2010-11; and how many defendants have been tried in such cases; [46261]
(3) what the caseload of the Serious Fraud Office has been in 2010-11 to date. [46262]
The Attorney-General: The conviction rate for cases concluded so far in year 2010-11 is 83%. 30 defendants were tried (individuals and corporates). Of these 30 defendants 25 were found guilty and five were acquitted. This covered a total of 15 cases.
15 Mar 2011 : Column 238W
The Serious Fraud Office case load naturally fluctuates throughout the year, and on average they handle around 100 active cases. These cases will be at pre trial, trial and post trial stages.
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate: Redundancy
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General (1) how much funding HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate has allocated to redundancy costs in each financial year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; [46188]
(2) how many staff HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate expects to make (a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily redundant in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; and from what roles he expects such staff to be made redundant; [46189]
(3) how much HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate has spent on redundancy costs in 2010-11 to date; [46191]
(4) how many staff HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate has made redundant in 2010-11 to date; and from what roles such staff have been made redundant; [46192]
(5) how much funding HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate allocated to redundancy costs in 2010-11. [46190]
The Solicitor-General: HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate has not made any staff redundant in 2010-11 and has no plans to do so. Currently there are also no plans for any staff redundancies in the period 2011-12 to 2014-15, and consequently no funds have been allocated to cover redundancies over this period.
Serious Fraud Office: Redundancy
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General (1) how much funding the Serious Fraud Office has allocated to redundancy costs in each financial year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; [46250]
(2) how many staff the Serious Fraud Office expects to make (a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily redundant in each financial year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; [46251]
(3) how many staff the Serious Fraud Office expects to make redundant in each financial year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; and from what roles staff are expected to be made redundant; [46252]
(4) how much funding the Serious Fraud Office allocated to meet redundancy costs in 2010-11; [46253]
(5) how many staff the Serious Fraud Office expects to make (a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily redundant in 2010-11; [46254]
(6) how many staff the Serious Fraud Office expects to make redundant in 2010-11; and from what roles staff are expected to be made redundant; [46255]
(7) how much the Serious Fraud Office has spent on redundancy costs in 2010-11 to date; [46256]
(8) how many staff the Serious Fraud Office has made redundant in 2010-11 to date; and from what roles staff have been made redundant. [46266]
The Solicitor-General:
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has not made any staff redundant in the 2010-11 period nor has it any plans to do so. The SFO also has no current plans for voluntary or compulsory redundancies
15 Mar 2011 : Column 239W
for the period 2011-12 to 2014-15 and consequently no monies have been set aside in this period for compulsory or voluntary redundancy.
Treasury Solicitor’s Department: Finance
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General (1) what the (a) resource and (b) capital budget of the Treasury Solicitor’s Department (i) is in 2010-11 and (ii) will be in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; [46229]
(2) what the (a) resource and (b) capital budget of the Treasury Solicitor’s Department (i) is for 2010-11 and (ii) will be in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period. [46247]
The Solicitor-General: The information requested is contained in the following table.
| Treasury Solicitor’s Department | ||
| £ | ||
|
|
Resource | Capital |
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General under what budget headings reductions in expenditure will be made by the Treasury Solicitor’s Department following the outcome of the comprehensive spending review; and by how much expenditure will be reduced under each heading. [46246]
The Solicitor-General: The planned expenditure for the Treasury Solicitor’s Department over the spending review period as agreed with Treasury is as follows:
| £ | ||
|
|
Revenue | Capital |
The revenue funding is to cover three budget headings: the cost of the public interest work TSol undertakes for the Attorney-General, our European division and the Government Legal Service (GLS) Secretariat. The expenditure will reduce by 33% in real terms over the spending review period from 2010-11 levels.
The capital funding is to meet our administration capital requirements.
Treasury Solicitor’s Department: Manpower
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General how many (a) permanent and (b) non-permanent staff the Treasury Solicitor’s Department expects to employ at (i) the end of March 2011 and (ii) the end of each subsequent financial year in the comprehensive spending review period. [46232]
The Solicitor-General: The Treasury Solicitor’s Department expects to employ (a) 819 full-time equivalent permanent staff and (b) 75 full-time equivalent non permanent staff at the end of March 2011.
15 Mar 2011 : Column 240W
The Treasury Solicitor’s Department provides legal services to Government Departments, who pay for the cost of those services. Staffing levels are, therefore, largely determined by client demand. There will be reductions in back office staff but it is anticipated that they will be redeployed on client work.
It is not, therefore, currently planned to change the overall number of staff during the spending review period.
Treasury Solicitor’s Department: Redundancy
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General (1) how much the Treasury Solicitor’s Department has spent on redundancy costs in 2010-11 to date; [46233]
(2) how many staff the Treasury Solicitor’s Department has made redundant in 2010-11 to date; and from what roles staff have been made redundant; [46234]
(3) how many staff the Treasury Solicitor’s Department expects to make redundant in 2010-11; and from what roles staff are expected to be made redundant; [46235]
(4) how many staff the Treasury Solicitor’s Department expects to make (a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily redundant in 2010-11; [46236]
(5) how much funding the Treasury Solicitor’s Department has allocated to meet redundancy costs in 2010-11. [46237]
The Solicitor-General: The Treasury Solicitor’s Department have not made any staff redundant in 2010-11 and no redundancy costs have been incurred.
There are no plans for staff redundancies in 2010-11 and thus no funds have been allocated to meet redundancy costs.
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many staff the Treasury Solicitor’s Department expects to make (a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily redundant in each financial year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; and from what roles staff are expected to be made redundant; [46238]
(2) how much funding the Treasury Solicitor’s Department has allocated to redundancy costs in each financial year from 2011-12 to 2014-15. [46239]
The Solicitor-General: The Treasury Solicitor’s Department has no plans for any staff redundancies from 2011-12 to 2014-15 at this stage and no funds have been specifically allocated to redundancies in budgets over this period.
The Treasury Solicitor's Department provides legal services to Government Departments, who pay for the cost of those services. Staffing levels are, therefore, largely determined by client demand. There will be reductions in back office staff but it is anticipated that they will be redeployed on client work.
Prime Minister
National Security Council: Manpower
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Prime Minister what the (a) civilian and (b) military staff establishment is of the secretariat of the National Security Council. [46686]
15 Mar 2011 : Column 241W
The Prime Minister: My National Security Adviser (Sir Peter Ricketts) is the Secretary to the National Security Council. The secretariat to the National Security Council consists of two civilian staff posts.
Work and Pensions
Child Maintenance
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of child maintenance cases with an assessment and payment schedule were fully compliant in the 12 months to the end of March 2010; and what proportion of such cases (a) resulted in payments of (i) 50 per cent. or more and (ii) less than 50 per cent. of the child maintenance due and (b) were wholly non-compliant. [4755]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of child maintenance cases with an assessment and payment schedule were fully compliant in the 12 months to the end of March 2010; and what proportion of such cases (a) resulted in payments of (i) 50 per cent. or more and (ii) less than 50 per cent. of the child maintenance due and (b) were wholly non-compliant.
In the 12 months to March 2010, 769,200 cases paid maintenance out of 944,300 cases that had a liability and or payment schedule at some point across the same period. 327,500 cases (35%) were fully compliant for the 12 month period, this includes cases which were only liable for maintenance for part of the year but were fully compliant for that period. 80,400 cases (9%) were wholly non-compliant for the 12 month period.
Robust management information figures are not available to answer what proportion of cases paid more, or less than 50 per cent. of the child maintenance due.
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many parents resident in Dartford constituency have used the Child Support Agency or the Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission to ensure child maintenance payments are enforced in each of the last five years. [44108]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 8 March 2011:
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents resident in Dartford constituency have used the Child Support Agency or the Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission to ensure child maintenance payments are enforced in each of the last five years. [44108]
15 Mar 2011 : Column 242W
The number of cases currently being handled by the Child Support Agency, where the parent with care lives in Dartford parliamentary constituency, are shown in the table below. Figures include all live cases and also cases without a current assessment but where arrears are still owed from a previous assessment. The figures also include those cases which are managed off the main computer system from December 2008.
| Quarter ending as at December each year | Cases |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures based on cases where the parent with care lives in Dartford constituency. 3. Figures reflect the performance of cases administered off system from December 2008. 4. It should be noted that the parliamentary constituency of Dartford had its boundary redrawn at the time of the 2010 general election. The caseload figure as at December 2010 is therefore not comparable with the figures prior to this date. | |
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Crisis Loans
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) impact assessment and (b) consultation his Department has undertaken on its decision on the future (i) level and (ii) availability of social fund crisis loans. [45536]
Steve Webb: The current system of crisis loans is poorly targeted and open to abuse; for example, some 17,000 people received 10 or more crisis loans in the last 12 months. As outlined in my written ministerial statement of 3 March 2010, Official Report, columns 45-46WS, we have had to take urgent action to bring spending on crisis loans back under control and ensure we can continue to meet genuine need.
An equality impact assessment of these changes has been published on the DWP website including details of consultation undertaken:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/impact-assessments/equality-impact-assessments/
Disability
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps he plans to take to ensure that assessors for the personal independence payment are trained in all aspects of disability; [45102]
(2) what steps he plans to take to ensure that the assessment process for the personal independence payment takes account of the role of the advocate for people who have difficulties in communicating and undertaking questions, such as those with autism; [45103]
(3) what steps he plans to take to ensure that a person with autism who undergoes an assessment for the personal independence payment will have person-centred support when attending an assessment; [45104]
(4) what steps he plans to take to ensure that all personal independence payment assessors will have the multi-disciplinary knowledge required to assess the needs of people with autism; [45105]
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(5) what consideration his Department is giving to the needs of people with autism in developing the assessment procedures for the personal independence payment; [45106]
(6) which experts involved in the working group developing the assessment process for the personal independence payment have a specialism in the potential problems faced by individuals in communication and planning a journey, as set out in the consultant document; [45107]
(7) whether any specialists on autism are involved in the group developing the assessment process for the personal independence payment. [45108]
Maria Miller: The assessment for personal independence payment is being designed in collaboration with an independent group of specialists in health, social care and disability. Its membership encompasses a wide variety of relevant expertise and reflects a broad range of experience in the needs of disabled people. As well as representatives from RADAR—the Royal Association for Disability Rights—and Equality 2025, the group includes individuals from professions such as occupational therapy, psychiatry, physiotherapy, social work, general practice and community psychiatric nursing. This approach ensures that the initial development work is being undertaken within a holistic view of the impact of disability.
The assessment development group is currently undertaking the early design work on the assessment criteria. Both I and departmental officials have met with the National Autistic Society to discuss our reform proposals and to seek their views on how the new benefit can best support those with autism. Once the broad principles are in place, we will work with the assessment group and disabled people and their organisations on the refinement and testing of the detail of the criteria. We know it is essential that the assessment accurately captures the needs of disabled people with autistic spectrum disorders and this is something that the development group is already considering. We agree with many of the points raised in the National Autistic Society's recent report on disability living allowance reform, “Who benefits?”, and we are looking closely at how these recommendations can be incorporated into its design.
We are still considering the delivery model for the personal independence payment assessment and no decisions have yet been taken. We recognise the importance of providing adequate training and guidance for assessors and of ensuring that the assessment process is appropriate to individual's circumstances, including individuals with autistic spectrum disorders. To ensure that we get this reform right, we will continue to work with disabled people and their organisations as the detail of the assessment criteria and its operation is developed and tested.
Disability Living Allowance
Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on the provision of mobility allowance for (a) those in hospital, (b) those moved to a residential home and (c) students; and what account he has taken of the degrees of mobility and levels of requirement in each situation in formulating his policy. [41478]
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Maria Miller: As was announced at publication of the Welfare Reform Bill on 17 February, the Government's intention is to bring in any change to the mobility component as part of the wider reform of disability living allowance (DLA). Consultation on wider reform of DLA with the key proposal of a new benefit to be known as personal independence payment concluded on 18 February. The intention is that all working age recipients of disability living allowance will be reassessed under the conditions of entitlement to personal independence payment from 2013 to establish whether they have entitlement to that payment.
Levels of payment will focus on those who have faced the most challenges in living independent lives. We will consider other directly relevant state funded support which is being made to ensure fairness.
Disability Living Allowance: Airdrie
Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of the working age population of Airdrie and Shotts constituency is in receipt of disability living allowance. [44842]
Maria Miller: The information is in the following table:
| Number and proportion of DLA recipients of working age in Airdrie and Shotts constituency | |
|
|
As at May 2010 |
| Notes: 1. Number of recipients is rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Proportions are to the nearest decimal place. 3. Figures do not include people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 5. Working age restricts the analysis to males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59. 6. Data are published at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp 7. Population estimates are published at: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files2/stats/population-estimates/wpc-pop-est-2001-2009.xls Source: DWP Information Directorate 100%WPLS | |
Disability Living Allowance: Children
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children with disabilities educated in special schools are in receipt of the mobility component of disability living allowance at the (a) lower and (b) higher rate. [43697]
Maria Miller: The information requested is not available as the number of non residential pupils in special schools is not recorded. This is because it is residence rather than type of school that affects payment of disability living allowance.
There are 2,000 children in residential care (which includes children in residential special schools) of which 1,200 are in receipt of the lower rate mobility component and 800 are in receipt of the higher rate component.
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Disability Living Allowance: Wolverhampton
Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Wolverhampton North East constituency receive the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance. [44668]
Maria Miller: The information is contained in the following table:
| Disability living allowance recipients with higher rate mobility component May 2010 | |
|
|
Number |
| Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest ten. 2. Data are for the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 3. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 4. These figures are published at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 100% WPLS | |
Employment and Support Allowance
Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward proposals to change employment and support allowance to take greater account of the need for support relating to health treatment. [38727]
Maria Miller: Anyone claiming ESA will undergo the work capability assessment (WCA). The WCA is based on the premise that eligibility should be based on the way a condition limits functional capability.
Where an individual is undergoing treatment for a health condition or disability, the WCA will take full account of the effects that the treatment has on the individual’s functional capability as part of the assessment of eligibility for ESA.
Employment and Support Allowance: Airdrie
Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Airdrie and Shotts constituency have been in receipt of employment and support allowance payments for more than one year. [44784]
Maria Miller: The information requested is given as follows:
| Employment and support allowance in Airdrie and Shotts parliamentary constituency May 2010 | |
|
|
Number |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Employment and support allowance (ESA) replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 3. These data were extracted from the Department's Tabulation tool at: http://83.244.183.180/5pc/tabtool.html 4. Data include those receiving “credits only”. Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 100% WPLS | |