Departmental Rail Travel
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of civil servants in his Department are entitled to travel first class by rail within the UK. [47071]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department's current travel and expenses policy allows staff to travel first class by rail only if there is a business need for them to do so. Staff at senior executive officer (SEO) level and above may travel first class without separate approval.
Latest data submitted by the Department to the Office of National Statistics as at 31 December 2010 show that there were 2,656 civil servants in the Department. 1,604 of these were employed at SEO level or above; that is, 60% of the Department's workforce.
All staff have a responsibility to consider at the outset whether they have a definite need related to their work to travel first class by rail. Where air travel is cheaper than rail travel, officials are encouraged to obtain economy class air tickets from the Department's travel contractor.
The Department is implementing a new travel and expenses policy guidance for staff in April 2011 which reflect latest Treasury principles and the Government's efficiency measures, announced in May 2010, to reduce first class travel.
Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what regulations his Department introduced between 9 and 28 February 2011; [47049]
(2) what regulations his Department revoked between 9 and 28 February 2011. [47060]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is in the following tables.
17 Mar 2011 : Column 621W
17 Mar 2011 : Column 622W
General Practitioners
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) GP surgeries and (b) single-handed GP surgeries there were in (i) Suffolk, (ii) Bedfordshire, (iii) Cambridgeshire, (iv) Essex, (v) Hertfordshire, (vi) Norfolk and (vii) England in each year since 1997. [46916]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not available in the format requested. However, information is available by strategic health authority (SHA)/primary care trust (PCT) area.
Table 1 includes information relating to the number of general practitioner (GP) practices in the former SHAs and PCTs in the east of England area covering the period from September 2001 to September 2005, and the number of GP practices for the reconfigured SHA and PCT areas for 2006 to 2009.
Table 2 is the number of single-handed practices in the same area over the same period. For data collection purposes, single-handed GP practices are defined as those who do not employ a salaried GP but may be assisted by a GP registrar or GP retainer.
Table 3 provides information on the number of single-handed providers from 1997 to 2005 but where a single-handed provider is defined as one which may also include a salaried GP, GP registrar or GP trainee. Therefore, this information is not comparable to the information in table 2.
Copies of these tables have been placed in the Library.
Information on the number of single-handed providers in England from 1999 to 2009 is available in the workforce census bulletin “General and Personal Medical Services 1999 to 2009 (second edition)” published by the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care. A copy of the bulletin can be found at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/010_Workforce/nhsstaff9909/GP/General%20Practice%20%20 Bulletin%20Tables%201999%20-%202009.pdf
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the merits and demerits of requiring patients to make appointments with GPs through call centres; and if he will make a statement. [47368]
Mr Simon Burns: None. General practitioners (GPs) practices are responsible, as independent contractors to the national health service, for ensuring their patients can make appointments to obtain the care they need from general practice. In making such decisions, GPs will want to secure both the best and most effective arrangements for their patients and for the practice. There are no requirements for practices to move to call centres for appointment-based bookings.
General Practitioners: Working Hours
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average distance travelled for an out-of-hours GP appointment was in (a) Suffolk, (b) Bedfordshire, (c) Cambridgeshire, (d) Essex, (e) Hertfordshire and (f) Norfolk in each of the last 10 years; and what the average waiting time for an out-of-hours GP appointment was in (i) Suffolk, (ii) Bedfordshire, (iii) Cambridgeshire, (iv) Essex, (v) Hertfordshire and (vi) Norfolk in each of the last 10 years. [47029]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not centrally held. The hon. Member may wish to approach the relevant primary care trusts within the east of England region for local information.
17 Mar 2011 : Column 623W
Health Services
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the expenditure by (a) Sefton primary care trust and (b) other primary care trusts of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies grant in the latest period for which figures are available. [47278]
Paul Burstow: Sefton primary care trust (PCT) received a total of £1.081 million in funding for Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) in 2010-11. This was comprised of £608,000 in their baseline as their weighted capitation share of £103 million shared between all PCTs for the IAPT programme, and a direct allocation of a further £473,000 from the £70 million growth funding allocated to individual PCTs by their strategic health authorities (SHAs) as part of this programme in 2010-11.
Sefton started its IAPT service in October 2010. In its first quarter, between 1 October and 31 December 2010, this service saw 1,228 patients entering treatment, of which 679 completed it. Another 117 patients moved to recovery with many others showing significant improvement in their symptoms and still being in treatment at the end of this period. Seven of the people treated in this three months came off sick pay or benefits.
Total funding provided nationally for the IAPT programme in 2010-11 was £173 million. This comprised £103 million shared between all PCTs’ baselines on a weighted capitation basis. The £70 million growth money for 2010-11 was shared between SHAs on a weighted capitation basis and allocated by them to PCTs in their region, in the light of local circumstances and decisions to start new services. Some PCTs have chosen to add funding to their allocations in order to enhance their local services and others have struggled to find the full amount in their baselines but the detail of this is not held centrally.
Across the country in the quarter between October and December 2010, 91,527 people entered IAPT treatment, 64,230 completed it, 22,369 moved to recovery with many more showing significant improvement in their symptoms and remaining in treatment across the end of this period. A total of 4,238 people treated came off sick pay or benefits.
Health Services: East of England
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by (a) West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust and (b) Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust on salaries and wages for (i) general and senior managers, (ii) nurses and midwives, and (iii) administrative and clerical staff in each year since 2009-10. [46936]
Mr Simon Burns: Expenditure on managers and senior managers, nursing and midwifery and administrative and clerical staff costs by West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust and Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust in 2009-10 is shown in the following table:
17 Mar 2011 : Column 624W
| £000 | |||
| Managers and senior managers | Nursing and midwifery | Administrative and clerical | |
| Notes: 1. 2009-10 is the most recent financial year for which figures are available. 2. The data are taken from the Financial Returns. The Financial Returns are a means for the national health service to provide planning and costing information to the Department, and these essentially provide a more detailed breakdown of individual expenditure lines reported in the audited summarisation schedules. The Financial Returns data are not audited, but are instead validated by reference to the audited summarisation schedules from which the NHS Summarised Accounts are prepared. There are a number of factors which may distort the figures and they may contain errors and omissions at an individual level (mainly as a result of classification errors) which are not material at the national level. Source: NHS Financial Returns, Department of Health | |||
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) Suffolk Primary Care Trust and (b) the East of England Strategic Health Authority spent on (i) management and (ii) other consultants in each of the last five years. [47031]
Mr Simon Burns: Expenditure on consultancy services by Suffolk Primary Care Trust and East of England Strategic Health Authority for the financial years 2007-08 to 2009-10 is shown in the following table:
| £000 | |||
| 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
| Note: 2007-08 was the first year that expenditure on consultancy services was separately identified in the audited summarisation schedules. It is not possible to disaggregate the amounts spent on management and other consultants from these figures. Source: Audited Summarisation Schedules 2007-08 to 2009-10, Department of Health | |||
Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents of each (a) EU member state and (b) non-EU country were treated by the NHS in each of the last five years; and what the cost to the public purse was of such treatment in each such year. [47008]
Anne Milton:
Under European Union Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009, the United Kingdom is able to claim full reimbursement for the cost of treatment provided in the UK to residents of another European Economic Area member state or Switzerland. Separately, the UK has bilateral health care agreements with a small number of non-EU countries, which entitle nationals or residents of those countries to free national health service hospital treatment when the need for it arises
17 Mar 2011 : Column 625W
during their visit to the UK. Residents of other countries are not usually entitled to free NHS treatment and will be charged.
The following table shows the total audited losses, bad debt and claims abandoned for overseas visitors for years 2005-06 to 2009-10, for England. As well as written off debt for foreign nationals, including EEA and Swiss nationals, who are not ordinarily resident in the UK or exempt from charges, these data include written off debt for UK nationals who are not ordinarily resident here. Further, the data do not include monies owed that hospitals are still in the process of recovering.
| Bad debts and claims abandoned in respect of overseas patients | |
| £ | |
Insulin
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has plans to bring forward proposals to increase access to insulin pumps for people with Type 1 diabetes. [46762]
Paul Burstow: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines along with international evidence are clear on usage and benefits of these devices.
Dr Rowan Hillson, the National Clinical Director for Diabetes is currently chairing a working group considering the steps that need to be taken to increase uptake of insulin pumps. “The NHS Operating Framework for 2011/12” also highlights the need to do more to make these devices available.
In addition, the NHS Technology Adoption Centre has published guidance for the national health service to help drive the uptake of these devices in line with the guidelines provided by NICE.
Mental Illness: Ex-servicemen
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much funding his Department provided to Timebank for its Shoulder to Shoulder programme in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009 and (d) 2010; [46881]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect on the NHS budget of the Timebank Shoulder to Shoulder programme. [46996]
Mr Simon Burns: The Shoulder to Shoulder project is a partnership between Timebank and Combat Stress, funded by the Department with the aim of providing mentors to young service leavers to aid their transition into civilian life. The project began just over a month ago, and any evaluation would be premature.
The funding available is shown in the following table:
| £ | |
17 Mar 2011 : Column 626W
NHS: Information and Communications Technology
Mr Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delay event notices in the National Programme for IT in the Health Service have been issued by (a) Connecting for Health (b) other NHS bodies and (c) BT in relation to the Cerner deployment at North Bristol NHS Trust; and what the value is in each case. [46805]
Mr Simon Burns: Under National Programme for Information Technology Local Service Provider (LSP) contracts, LSPs, but not the Department, nor national health service organisations, are obliged to issue a delay event notice (DEN) when they anticipate being unlikely to achieve a contractual milestone on time. The duty to issue a DEN is the LSP’s, whether or not the LSP is responsible for the event concerned.
Only one DEN has been issued in relation to the Cerner deployment at the North Bristol NHS Trusts. It was issued by BT on 16 September 2010, citing two delay events requested by the trust. BT has not to date associated any cost with the DEN.
NHS: Negligence
Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take under his NHS reforms to ensure redress for patients who suffer injury as a result of negligent medical treatment in an NHS hospital; and if he will take steps to ensure that such rights of redress are no less than those that would apply to a patient suffering injury in a privately-run hospital. [46684]
Mr Simon Burns: The standard national health service contracts already place a requirement on providers of NHS care to have appropriate indemnity arrangements in place.
Patients still have the right to make a claim where they have been negligently harmed, regardless of the who the provider of care was.
NHS: Per Capita Costs
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total public expenditure per head of population was on (a) capital and (b) running costs of the NHS in (i) Suffolk, (ii) Bedfordshire, (iii) Cambridgeshire, (iv) Essex, (v) Hertfordshire, (vi) Norfolk and (vii) each of the English regions in each year since 1997. [47025]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not collect any information for the national health service by either county or English region.
Information on running costs is not available centrally.
Total capital expenditure by strategic health authorities (SHAs), primary care trusts (PCTs) and NHS trusts per head of population, summarised by SHA area, is shown in the following table. The East of England SHA, and its predecessors, covers the six counties referred to in this question.
17 Mar 2011 : Column 627W
17 Mar 2011 : Column 628W
17 Mar 2011 : Column 629W
Organs: Donors
Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department is taking steps to reduce regional variations in the number of people on the NHS Organ Donor Register; and if he will make a statement. [46861]
Anne Milton: NHS Blood and Transplant works in partnership with the national health service, local authorities, commercial and third sector organisations to support local promotional and awareness-raising activity around the country. Everyone in the United Kingdom can register via national initiatives such as joining the Organ Donor Register when registering with a doctor or applying for a driving licence.
People of Asian and African-Caribbean descent are three to four times more likely than white people to develop renal failure and need a kidney transplant. Yet there are far fewer donors from these communities. That is why NHS Blood and Transplant undertakes a number of specific initiatives targeted at these communities working with specific faith organisations, advertising on black and Asian television channels, radio stations and newspapers or through social media, to raise awareness about the benefits of organ donation, and to encourage more people to add their name to the Organ Donor Register.
Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of 16 to 20-year-olds are on the NHS Organ Donor Register. [46864]
Anne Milton: As at 10 March 2011, 22% or 888,100 people aged 16-20 years (inclusive) in the United Kingdom were on the Organ Donor Register.
Patients: Accidents
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the proportion of accidental falls suffered by patients in NHS facilities which are the result of poor vision; and if he will make a statement. [46757]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally.
There are a number of initiatives that encourage staff to check for visual problems in hospital patients who are at high risk of falls. These include the National Patient Safety Agency’s “Slips trips and falls in hospital” and Patient Safety First’s “How to” guide for reducing harm from fails. The documents can be found at:
www.nrls.npsa.nhs.uk/resources/patient-safety-topics/patient-accidents-falls/?entryid45=59821
www.patientsafetyfirst.nhs.uk/ashx/Asset.ashx?path=/Intervention-support/FALLSHow-to%20Guide%20v4.pdf
Research on falls prevention recognises impaired vision as an important contributing factor to falls, usually in combination with other risk factors such as balance problems or muscle weakness rather than in isolation, and that identifying and treating cataract reduces the risk of further falls. United Kingdom research has indicated around 45% of patients admitted with hip
17 Mar 2011 : Column 630W
fracture have vision impairment, as do around 50% of patients admitted to elderly medicine wards. The research review document can be found at:
www.cochranejournalclub.com/preventing-falls-in-nursing-care-facilities-and-hospitals/pdf/CD007146_standard.pdf
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what costs have been incurred by the NHS in each region as a result of (a) treatment for and (b) payments to patients who have suffered accidental falls in NHS facilities; and if he will make a statement. [46804]
Mr Simon Burns: Data on costs of treatment to patients who have suffered accidental falls are not held by either the Department or the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA).
In respect of payments to patients, it is not possible to separate falls which involve patients as opposed to visitors. Therefore the information provided is for claims involving falls made against members of the NHSLA schemes.
Information on claims involving falls made against members of the NHSLA schemes:
| Strategic health authority | Total paid (£) |
| Source: NHS Litigation Authority March 2011. | |
We have used data from April 1999 which was when the NHSLA introduced the Liabilities to Third Party scheme.
These claims are subject to excesses, with member bodies responsible for handling and funding below-excess claims themselves. They can, however, ask the NHSLA to handle these claims for them for a handling fee.
Prescriptions: Fees and Charges
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the merits of extending the range of conditions which qualify parents for prescription charge exemptions. [46755]
Mr Simon Burns:
The Government announced in the spending review that to ensure spending in the national health service is focused on priorities, some programmes announced by the previous Government but not yet implemented will not be taken forward. This includes extending free prescriptions to all those with long-term conditions. We are continuing to explore options for reforming the current prescription charging arrangements, taking into account the financial context. In particular, we are examining the implications of the introduction of universal credit in relation to those current benefits
17 Mar 2011 : Column 631W
that entitle the recipient of that benefit to free prescriptions. We are also looking at the implications of state pension age changes. We will make announcements about how these changes will be implemented in due course.
Suffolk Primary Care Trust: Pay
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much Suffolk Primary Care Trust spent on salaries and wages for (a) general and senior managers, (b) nurses and midwives, and (c) administrative and clerical staff in each year since 2009-10. [46937]
Mr Simon Burns: Expenditure on managers and senior managers, nursing and midwifery and administrative and clerical staff costs by Suffolk Primary Care Trust in 2009-10 is shown in the following table:
| 2009-10 (£000) | |
| Notes: 1. 2009-10 is the most recent financial year for which figures are available. 2. The data are taken from the Financial Returns. The Financial Returns are a means for the national health service to provide planning and costing information to the Department, and these essentially provide a more detailed breakdown of individual expenditure lines reported in the audited summarisation schedules. The Financial Returns data are not audited, but are instead validated by reference to the audited summarisation schedules from which the NHS Summarised Accounts are prepared. There are a number of factors which may distort the figures and they may contain errors and omissions at an individual level (mainly as a result of classification errors) which are not material at the national level. Source: NHS Financial Returns, Department of Health | |
Third Sector
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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. [42660]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department's Ministers are actively involved with charities on a private basis as detailed in the list of Ministers' interests recently published by the Cabinet Office, and in addition are involved in other local voluntary and community activities in our constituencies.
Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to use the provisions of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 to transfer employees of primary care trusts to local GP consortia. [47404]
Mr Simon Burns: Subject to the circumstances in each case, the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations may apply to primary care trust staff transferring to general practitioner commissioning consortia.
17 Mar 2011 : Column 632W
International Development
Departmental Land
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to reduce the size of his Department's estate; and if he will make a statement. [46745]
Mr Duncan: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer provided by the Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey) on 14 March 2011, Official Report, column 150W.
In the meantime, officials from the Department for International Development (DFID) are already in discussion with the Government Property Unit on possible opportunities to reduce our estate.
Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what regulations his Department revoked between 27 January 2011 and 28 February 2011; [47032]
(2) what regulations his Department introduced between 9 and 28 February 2011. [47043]
Mr Duncan: The Secretary of State for International Development has not introduced any regulations since 9 February 2011 and is not responsible for any regulations that are currently in force.
Developing Countries: Business
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on programmes where businesses participate in corporate social responsibility initiatives in developing countries in the latest period for which figures are available. [46733]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development’s (DFID’s) support for corporate social responsibility (CSR) is incorporated into our broader work on responsible business practices. Interventions include activities that promote increased corporate engagement and investment that demonstrably contribute to poverty reduction and support growth in developing countries.
We do not have centralised information on DFID’s spend in this area across our country offices. Central funding from the Department in 2009-10 on projects that supported responsible business comprised:
| £ | |
|
Programme Partnership Arrangement with the Ethical Trading Initiative |
|
|
Accountable Grant with Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International |
17 Mar 2011 : Column 633W
|
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises |
Developing Countries: Social Protection
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department has provided to World Bank social protection programmes in each of the last three years. [46299]
Mr Duncan: In response to the global food, fuel and financial crises in 2009, the Department for International Development (DFID) has been providing support through the World Bank to help developing countries and the poorest in those countries that are vulnerable to shocks. Between 2009-10 and 2010-11 DFID has provided £2 million to the World Bank’s Rapid Social Response Multi-Donor Programme which supports strengthening of social protection systems in developing countries. DFID has also provided £200 million over the same period to enable the setting up of a “Crisis Response Window” (CRW) that is supporting low income countries affected by the crises. CRW funds have supported initiatives such as a labour-intensive works programme in Yemen and a food and basic needs programme for vulnerable households in Nepal.
In addition to these centrally supported initiatives, DFID country-level work on social protection is often implemented in partnership with the World Bank. For example, over the last three years, DFID has provided nearly £2 million through the World Bank in Pakistan to support the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) to deliver better targeted cash transfers to the ultra-poor in the country, reaching over 2.5 million families.
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department expects to have spent on social protection in 2010-11; and what budgetary allocation has been made for 2011-12. [46300]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development expects to have spent £78.9 million on social protection in 2010-11. Budgetary allocations for 2011-12 are still being agreed to deliver the commitments made following the recent bilateral and multilateral aid reviews.
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department is taking steps to support the development of social protection systems in developing countries to address the potential effects of (a) recent and (b) future increases in food prices. [47281]
Mr Duncan:
The Department for International Development (DFID) is committed to helping 6 million people escape from extreme poverty through cash transfers, which help recipients cope with a variety of shocks including food price rises. We are also working to improve cash transfer delivery systems to make them more responsive to food price rises. For example in Ethiopia, people can receive their transfer as food rather than cash if they cannot afford local food prices. In
17 Mar 2011 : Column 634W
some countries such as Mozambique we are supporting the development of public works programmes that can be scaled up when food prices rise sharply. In response to global crises—including food price spikes—DFID has contributed £2 million to the World Bank’s Rapid Social Response Multi-Donor Programme, which provides technical assistance to help strengthen social protection systems. We have also committed £200 million to a World Bank Crisis Response Facility which will help to pay for social protection systems in low income countries.
Microfinance
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries his Department funds microfinance projects. [47119]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development's (DFID's) support for microfinance is incorporated into broader financial sector development programmes, which have a range of interventions including policy and regulatory reform, capacity building, product innovation and research. Programmes are often implemented by intermediaries, such as non-governmental organisations, Government agencies or in partnership with other donors.
We do not hold a central database with disaggregated information on support provided to microfinance projects through DFID-funded financial sector development programmes. Examples of financial sector development programmes with microfinance components include:
Financial Sector Deepening Trusts in Kenya and Tanzania promoting access to finance for the poor.
Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access in Nigeria developing a national financial inclusion strategy, innovating products and building the capacity of financial institutions.
International Finance Corporation's $150 million multi-donor programme implemented in 19 countries in the middle east and north Africa.
The Consultative Group on Assisting the Poor (CGAP) developing best practice, standards and technical tools to support the sustainable development of microfinance in developing countries worldwide.
Overseas Aid
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had on (a) the outcome of his Department’s recent evaluation of cash transfers and (b) the potential implications of such findings for his Department’s policies on this issue. [46374]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) is currently finalising a comprehensive Evidence Paper on Cash Transfers that has drawn on expertise inside and outside of DFID. The paper concludes that cash transfers can be a highly effective way to reach the poorest and help them lift themselves out of extreme poverty, The paper will be published in the next two weeks on DFID’s Research4Development website. Findings from the paper have already fed into the discussions that Ministers have had as part of the recent Bilateral Aid Review. Coming out of that review, DFID has committed to helping more than 6 million of the world’s poorest to escape extreme poverty—through cash transfers.
17 Mar 2011 : Column 635W
West Africa: Cotton
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the effects of EU cotton subsidies on west African cotton farmers; and if he will make a statement. [46766]
Mr Duncan: The UK Government have supported significant research into the impact of cotton subsidies on African and west African farmers, including the impact of EU cotton subsidies. These subsidies have a significant negative impact on farmers in west Africa and their removal is a key objective of the UK Government.
The Department for International Development (DFID) works closely with DEFRA to reform the EU common agricultural policy and eliminate direct support to the EU cotton sector.
Developing Countries: Multinational Companies
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the costs to developing countries of the proposed relaxation of the controlled foreign company rules and taxation of foreign branches proposals. [46089]
Mr Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
Treasury Ministers hold regular conversations with the Secretary of State for International Development on a wide range of issues regarding developing countries.
The Government published the consultation document “Corporate Tax Reform: delivering a more competitive system” on 29 November 2010 which includes the proposals for a new CFC regime and for reforms to the taxation of foreign branches. The Government are committed to an open transparent consultation and have encouraged engagement with all interested parties. This has included engaging with non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The Government work through a variety of channels to deliver high-quality capacity building in developing country tax administrations to ensure that these countries are in a position to collect the tax they are owed.
Cabinet Office
Big Society Bank
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what arrangements he plans to put in place to fund the big society bank; and whether he expects there to be any differences in the operation of the bank in each nation or region. [42415]
Mr Hurd: The Government have committed to using 100% of dormant accounts funds available for spending in England to set up the big society bank. In addition, four of the UK’s main banks have agreed to support the establishment of the bank with the injection, on a commercial basis, of £200 million of capital over two years, commencing in 2011.
We expect that the independent big society bank will have the ability to operate across the UK.
17 Mar 2011 : Column 636W
Big Society Network
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what contracts his Department holds with the big society network. [46525]
Census
Tessa Munt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what options he is considering as an alternative to holding a full UK Census in 2021; [46954]
(2) what estimate he has made of the financial savings which would accrue from holding an alternative to a full UK Census in 2021; [47080]
(3) what consideration he has given to (a) accuracy, (b) data security and (c) ethics in assessing alternatives to a full UK Census for 2021. [47081]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking:
(1) what options are being considered as an alternative to holding a full UK Census in 2021 (46954)
(2) what estimate has been made of the financial savings which would accrue from holding an alternative to a full UK Census in 2021 (47080)
(3) what consideration has been given to (a) accuracy, (b) data security and (c) ethics in assessing alternatives to a full UK Census for 2021. (47081)
The UK Statistics Authority proposed looking at alternatives to the traditional census and this work is being taken forward by the National Statistician through the Beyond 2011 programme. Proposals will be made in 2014.
The Beyond 2011 programme is currently at the early initiation stages, launching in April 2011, and it will look at the full range of options for providing census-type information. Current international practice is to collect socio-demographic data through a variety of different approaches including using administrative sources and registers, traditional censuses, rolling censuses, voluntary surveys or a combination of these.
Users will be widely consulted as part of a Beyond 2011 consultation which will take place later in 2011. There are likely to be open web based consultations, road shows and a system of advisory committees and user groups as happened during the review to determine the need for the 2011 Census. These events will provide ample opportunity to contribute to all aspects of the Beyond 2011 debate, including for central and local government, Parliament and the wider public.
There will be many considerations in coming to a decision in 2014 about our future approach, most notably meeting our legal obligations, accuracy and costs. It is too early to provide answers at this point on these issues but they are central to the work that is being undertaken. Data security, ethics and other risks will also be carefully considered in the assessment of future options, as they are for the traditional census.
All contributions to this work will be welcome. The Beyond 2011 programme team directly can be emailed directly on Beyond2011@ons.gsi.gov.uk and progress can be checked through the ONS website at:
www.ons.gov.uk/about-statistics/methodology-and-quality/imps/beyond-2011/index.html
17 Mar 2011 : Column 637W
Charities: Finance
Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of operational charities receive funding from the public purse. [45933]
Mr Hurd [holding answer 14 March 2011]: The Department does not hold data on the proportion of operational charities in receipt of funding from the public purse.
Data from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations' Civil Society Almanac 2010 estimate that 22% of general charities receive income from statutory sources in the form of grant or contract income.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many (a) charities and (b) operational charities with two or more employees receive funding from the public purse. [45934]
Mr Hurd [holding answer 14 March 2011]: The Department does not hold data on the number of charities and operational charities with two or more employees in receipt of funding from the public purse. Data from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations’ Civil Society Almanac 2010 estimate that 22% of general charities receive income from statutory sources in the form of grants or contracts; however these data are not broken down by number of employees.
Survey estimates for the wider voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector are available through the National Survey of Third Sector Organisations. These estimates are based on a sample response from a range of sector organisations and as such are not comparable to NCVO figures on general charities only. Data from the 2008 Survey, re-analysed by the Third Sector Research Centre, are as follows:
| Number of staff (FTEs) | Proportion of VCSE organisations in receipt of public funds (grant and contract income) (estimated) |
Charities: Redundancy Pay
Kate Hoey: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will have discussions with the Charity Commission on the size of redundancy payments permitted to be made by charities. [44953]
Mr Hurd: There are no plans to have such discussions with the Charity Commission. Charity trustees are under a duty to act in their charity's best interests, but are free to make decisions relating to their charity if made properly and within the law. This is the cornerstone of charities' independence. The Charity Commission's role is to ensure transparency so that the public, in its various capacities as taxpayer, donor and beneficiary, can hold trustees to account on such issues.
17 Mar 2011 : Column 638W
The Charity Commission can intervene only in cases where there is a serious risk of significant harm to or abuse of a charity, its assets, beneficiaries or reputation, and where it considers intervention is necessary and proportionate. Otherwise the Charity Commission is precluded by statute from intervening in the administration of a charity, including decisions about redundancy payments.
Charity Commission: Political Activities
Kate Hoey: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will have discussions with the Charity Commission on the requirements for political neutrality of that body. [44954]
Mr Hurd: There are no plans to have such discussions with the Charity Commission. The Charity Commission has an important and well-known role in promoting public trust and confidence in charities as the independent registrar and regulator of charities in England and Wales. As a non-ministerial department it is independent of Government and its independence from ministerial direction or control is set out in statute, and is an essential feature as it needs to be politically impartial in its decision making. The recent review of public bodies also reached this conclusion.
The Charity Commission adheres to the Civil Service Code, including the requirement for impartiality—acting solely according to the merits of the case and with political impartiality.
Community Development
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will assess the influence of religious engagement on levels of civic engagement. [42123]
Mr Hurd: The Cabinet Office has no plans at the moment to assess the influence of religious engagement on levels of civic engagement.
Efficiency and Reform Group
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the highest salary is of a member of staff working in his Department's Efficiency and Reform Group. [46429]
Mr Maude: Salaries for senior civil servants were published on the Cabinet Office website as part of the Government's Transparency Agenda:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/structure-charts-cabinet-office
Employment: Third Sector
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of people to be employed in the charitable and voluntary sector in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Teesside and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency at the end of (i) March 2011 and (ii) each subsequent financial year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period. [47589]
17 Mar 2011 : Column 639W
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for the number of people to be employed in the charitable and voluntary sector in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Teesside and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency at the end of (i) March 2011 and (ii) each subsequent financial year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period (47589).
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not produce such estimates.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
Epilepsy: Death
Mr Amess:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many (a) males and (b) females in each (i) age
17 Mar 2011 : Column 640W
group and (ii) strategic health authority’s area died in circumstances attributable to epilepsy in each of the last five years. [45600]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2001:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many (a) males and (b) females in each (i) age group and (ii) strategic health authority’s area died in circumstances attributable to epilepsy in each of the last five years. (45600)
The table provides the number of deaths where epilepsy was the underlying cause of death, for (a) males and (b) females in each (i) age group and (ii) strategic health authority in England, from 2005 to 2009 (latest year available).
The number of deaths registered in England and Wales each year by sex, age and cause are published annually on the National Statistics website at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=15096
| Table1: Number of deaths where epilepsy was the underlying cause of death, by sex, age group and strategic health authority, England, 2005 - 09 (1, 2, 3) | |||||||||||
| Deaths | |||||||||||
| Male | Female | ||||||||||
| Strategic health authority | Age group | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
17 Mar 2011 : Column 641W
17 Mar 2011 : Column 642W
17 Mar 2011 : Column 643W
17 Mar 2011 : Column 644W
| (1 )Cause of death for epilepsy was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes G40-G41. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2011. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. | |||||||||||