Public Expenditure
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions his Department has had with HM Treasury on the implications of the 2011 Budget for the provisions of the Scotland Bill. [49846]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland and I have regular discussions with all UK Ministers on a range of issues. The provisions of the Scotland Bill will deliver financial accountability to the Scottish Parliament whilst retaining the benefits of the unified UK tax system for business and individuals across Scotland.
House of Commons Commission
Art Works
Gloria De Piero: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many works of art in the Parliamentary Art Collection are (a) on display and (b) in storage. [49790]
John Thurso: There are over 8,500 works of art in the Parliamentary Art Collection. Around 80% of the collection is on display throughout the buildings of the Parliamentary Estate at any one time, with 20% held in store. This figure fluctuates regularly due to office moves, picture selections and changes made to the displays.
Gloria De Piero: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the cost to the House of Commons Service was of insuring the Parliamentary Art Collection in respect of works (a) on display and (b) in storage in the last year for which figures are available. [49791]
John Thurso: The House Service does not purchase commercial insurance for works of art in the Parliamentary Art Collection when they are on display in the buildings of the Parliamentary Estate. Similarly no commercial insurance is purchased for works of art held in storage on the Parliamentary Estate.
Works of art from the Parliamentary Art Collection are covered by insurance when they are on loan to third parties outside the Parliamentary Estate and in such instances the borrower pays the cost of the insurance cover.
During the current financial year 2010-11 the House Service has paid £1,350 for commercial insurance for 240 works of art from the Parliamentary Art Collection temporarily being held in external storage.
International Development
Darfur
15. Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Darfur. [49675]
30 Mar 2011 : Column 373W
Mr Andrew Mitchell: In Darfur, more than 70,000 people have fled fighting since January. The UK is the single largest donor to the Common Humanitarian Fund. We also support NGOs and the International Committee of the Red Cross in their work on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, and protection.
Developing Countries: Tuberculosis
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what resources his Department is providing for development of diagnostic tools to detect tuberculosis at the point of care in (a) rural and (b) other communities in developing countries. [49447]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development is supporting a public-private product development partnership, the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), with funding of £5 million for the period 2009-14. FIND are working on a number of new diagnostic tools for tuberculosis, including those that can be used in (a) rural settings and (b) in reference laboratories and district hospitals.
To date FIND have developed five diagnostic tests for reference laboratories and district hospitals and are also working on how they can adapt these tools for use in more peripheral settings.
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has plans to share the best practice on tackling tuberculosis and HIV in maternal care arising from its work in Rwanda with international counterparts. [49448]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not work specifically on tackling tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in maternal care in Rwanda. DFID provides sector budget support to the health sector as a whole, to support the Government of Rwanda delivering results across the sector. The performance of the health sector is regularly reviewed jointly by the Government of Rwanda and donors. These reviews enable dialogue around best practice and agreement on how to disseminate lessons to the wider international health community. The Government of Rwanda themselves are very proactive in disseminating their best practice to other developing country governments and partners and have, for example, recently done so with respect to results-based health financing and community health insurance. The World Health Organisation and the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria also play a leading role, supported by the UK, in sharing best practice on tackling tuberculosis and HIV in maternal care.
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research his Department plans to undertake on the effects of tuberculosis on children and families in the developing world in the next 12 months. [49453]
Mr O'Brien:
The Department for International Development is supporting a range of research programmes that will address the impact of tuberculosis (TB) on children and families in the developing world, over the next 12 months and beyond. For example, research on the development of new vaccines aimed at infants and
30 Mar 2011 : Column 374W
children; a wide range of clinical and operational research to improve the diagnosis of TB in children and to find better ways to treat people with TB, in particular multi-drug resistant TB, which has a large impact on children and families.
Development Aid
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the poorest country is to which the UK provides development aid; and what form such aid takes. [49888]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: According to Statistics on International Development (SID), published October 2010, Burundi is ranked as the poorest country to which the UK provides bilateral and multilateral aid. Burundi’s gross national income per capita is $135. Following the Bilateral Aid Review, the UK Government are focusing future support exclusively on furthering Burundi’s integration into the East African Community (EAC). We consider this to be the single most important contributing factor to Burundi’s economic growth in the medium term. The UK Government’s work on Trade Mark East Africa has supported the creation of a new Revenue Authority in Burundi, resulting in overall revenues rising by more than 30% and domestic tax revenues doubling. UK funding to Burundi will continue to be provided through the multilateral development organisations.
Details of UK aid expenditure in developing countries are published in SID, which is available in the House Library or online at:
www.dfid.gov.uk
Swaziland: Overseas Aid
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will review his decision on the reprioritisation of aid to Swaziland in light of the rate of HIV prevalence and low life expectancy in that country. [49443]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) closed its bilateral programme to Swaziland in 2005. DFID's support for Swaziland is mainly delivered through multilateral partners such as the World Bank, UN, European Commission (EC) and Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
Swaziland will continue to benefit from regional programmes managed by the DFID office in South Africa. For example, our regional HIV and AIDS behaviour change programme has reached 80% of the population of Swaziland with radio, TV and booklets containing messages on the importance of prevention and testing for HIV and AIDS.
In 2008-09, DFID provided £4.5 million in aid to Swaziland.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Departmental Hospitality
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on the contents of ministerial drinks cabinets since 12 May 2010. [48352]
30 Mar 2011 : Column 375W
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have ministerial drinks cabinets.
Arms Trade
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the export of (a) arms and (b) crowd control devices to foreign governments which his Department identifies as non-democratic or oppressive. [49084]
Alistair Burt: We operate one of the most robust and transparent arms exports control systems in the world, whereby all controlled goods (including arms and crowd control devices) are assessed, on a case-by-case basis, against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. As the Secretary of State said to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 16 March 2011, we will review the export of equipment that might be used for internal repression, in particular crowd control goods.
British Nationals Abroad
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British nationals he estimates are resident in (a) Brazil, (b) Russia, (c) India and (d) China. [48341]
Mr Hague: British nationals resident overseas are not obliged to inform our embassies or consulates of their presence although we actively encourage them to do so. Therefore, our estimates are based on the number of those nationals who we understand have been issued resident permits, or made themselves known to the embassies, and from publicly available research. We estimate:
Brazil—in the region of 10,000 British nationals permanently resident;
Russia—in the region of 7,000 British nationals permanently resident;
India—in the region of 34,000 British nationals permanently resident, rising to around 51,000 at certain times of the year;
China—in the region of 17,000 British nationals permanently resident.
Chen Guangcheng
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department, (c) officials in his Department, (d) HM Ambassador to China and (e) officials in the British Embassy in China have made to the government of China on (i) Chen Guangcheng and (ii) his family; what response was received; and if he will make a statement. [47700]
Alistair Burt: We are concerned by persistent reports of mistreatment and extrajudicial restrictions targeting individual human rights defenders in China, particularly lawyers. We are aware of the video released on 9 February 2011 of blind human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng, in which he describes the restrictions placed upon him during his current period of house arrest. We are concerned about the treatment of Chen and his family, whose detention appears to violate Chinese laws.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 376W
During his recent meeting in January with Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs expressed his concern about Chen’s treatment. The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton Deane (Mr Browne) also raised Chen’s case with the head of the Chinese delegation to the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue on 13 January, and called for his release. We also included Chen on a list of individual cases of concern that was handed to the head of the delegation to the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue.
A satisfactory response on Chen’s case has not yet been received. We continue to monitor his situation and are working with EU partners to maintain the profile of his case.
Cycle to Work Scheme
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees of his Department are participating in the Cycle to Work scheme. [49409]
Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has approximately 70 London based employees participating in the Cycle to Work scheme.
Departmental Redundancy
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants in his Department have been offered voluntary redundancy since April 2010; and if he will make a statement. [49185]
Alistair Burt: No Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff have been offered voluntary redundancy since April 2010.
Egypt: Aviation
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 February 2011, Official Report, column 713W, on Egypt: politics and government, how many British nationals who used flights from Egypt charted by his Department have (a) paid and (b) not paid for the flight to date. [48943]
Alistair Burt: Our records show that the two charter flights carried 196 British nationals. As of 25 March 2011, repayment cheques have been received for 42 passengers. This covers 29 adults plus 13 children, with a total value of £11,200.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on charging (a) British and (b) non-British nationals who used recent flights chartered by his Department from Egypt. [48965]
Alistair Burt: I refer my hon. Friend to my response of 15 February 2011, Official Report, column 713W.
As of 25 March 2011, repayment cheques have been received for 42 passengers.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 377W
Egypt: Politics and Government
Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to offer (a) financial and (b) other support to Egypt for the purposes of managing political transition. [49403]
Alistair Burt: The Government support a peaceful, democratic transition and political reform that meets the aspirations of the Egyptian people. The EU is the main channel for our support and financial assistance to Egypt. The EU has offered a package of measures to support the transition to a civilian-led democratic government in Egypt, and awaits a formal request from the Egyptians to take this forward. The EU is also working on measures to support civil society in Egypt.
In addition, we are discussing bilateral assistance with the Egyptian Government aimed at Egypt's political, economic and structural needs. This includes work strands to promote political participation, employment and vocational education, civil society engagement, security sector reform, constitutional reform, and help to tackle corruption and conflict of interest in government. I met the Egyptian Finance Minister, Dr Samir Radwan, on 25 March 2011 and we discussed economic recovery and the political transition in Egypt.
Japan: Aviation
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many seats were (a) available and (b) occupied on each of the flights on aircraft recently chartered by his Department for passenger transport from Japan following the tsunami. [48910]
Mr Jeremy Browne: Following the revision of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) travel advice to advise British nationals to consider leaving Tokyo and areas to the north of Tokyo, the FCO secured seats on four flights to Hong Kong for British nationals who were unable to book tickets on commercial flights out of Japan.
Flight one—The FCO block booked seats on a commercial flight with Cathay Pacific airlines. 200 seats were made available and 44 British nationals and dependents took up seats.
Flight two—FCO chartered this flight. 283 seats were available and four British nationals took up seats.
Flight three—FCO chartered this flight using Orient Thai Air. 448 seats were available and 20 British nationals and dependents took up seats.
Flight four—FCO block booked seats on a commercial flight with Cathay Pacific airlines. 50 seats were made available and 11 British nationals and their dependents took up seats.
Given the scale of the unfolding crisis and unpredictability of demand, these bookings were a sensible precautionary measure to ensure that all British nationals and their families who wished to leave Japan immediately were able to do so.
Japan: Tsunami
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Ministers in his Department were consulted on the decision not to give permission to International Rescue Corps to work in Japan following the tsunami. [47971]
30 Mar 2011 : Column 378W
Mr Hague [holding answer 21 March 2011]: There was no question of the British Government deciding not to give permission to the International Rescue Corps to work in Japan. Decisions about whether to accept or decline offers of assistance are for the Japanese Government. Our embassy in Tokyo wrote a formal letter of support to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the International Rescue Corps' behalf. It did not consider it necessary to consult Ministers before doing so.
Libya: Aviation
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many seats were (a) available and (b) occupied on each of the flights on aircraft recently chartered by his Department for passenger transport from Libya. [48918]
Alistair Burt: Six flights were chartered to offer primarily British nationals and then foreign nationals safe passage out of Libya. A total of 1099 seats were made available; 553 seats were occupied. Due to the chaotic situation and safety concerns at Libya airport it was not always possible for British nationals to pass through immigration and/or board flights in sufficient time to meet chartered aircraft.
1. Departed Libya (Tripoli) at 02:47 on Thursday 24 February 2011—221 seats available; 181 seats used
2. Departed Libya (Tripoli) at 18:09 on Thursday 24 February 2011—180 seats available; 131 seats used
3. Departed Libya (Tripoli) at 22:49 on Thursday 24 February 2011—200 seats available; three seats used
4. Departed Libya (Tripoli) at 23:55 on Thursday 24 February 2011—170 seats available; 0 seats used
5. Departed Libya (Tripoli) at 08:35 on Friday 25 February 2011—180 seats available; 136 seats used
6. Departed Libya (Tripoli) at 13:07 on Saturday 26 February 2011—148 seats available; 102 seats used.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of British nationals who have left Libya in the last month on flights organised by other governments. [48942]
Alistair Burt: We believe that the departure of around 150 British nationals, by air or sea, was assisted by other EU Governments.
Libya: Politics and Government
Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government is taking to assist in the delivery of essential medical supplies to Libya. [47629]
Alistair Burt: On 9 March 2011, the Department for International Development announced that the UK would provide funding to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which will enable the ICRC to provide three medical surgical teams to treat and provide medical supplies to 3,000 people affected by the fighting in Libya. The ICRC will act to co-ordinate support to hospitals and facilitate delivery of these medical supplies.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 379W
We continue to address humanitarian concerns as part of our response to the deteriorating situation in Libya. For example, as well as imposing immediate measures to stop the violence in Libya, the UK-led UN Security Council Resolution 1970 called on member states to facilitate humanitarian aid and urged the Libyan authorities to ensure the safe passage of medical supplies into the country. The UK drafted and co-sponsored UN Security Council Resolution 1973 adopted on 17 March 2011, similarly demanded that the Libyan authorities ensure the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance. It also made clear that the ban on all flights in Libyan airspace shall not apply to flights whose sole purpose is humanitarian, such as delivering or facilitating the delivery of assistance, including medical supplies, food, humanitarian workers and related assistance.
Middle East: Armed Conflict
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the Palestinian Authority's adherence to its road map commitment to end incitement against Israel. [49169]
Alistair Burt [holding answer 28 March 2011]: The Government deplores all incitement to violence. We have strongly supported the Palestinian Authority's (PA) programme of reform of its institutions of state, including the security sector. The PA has made considerable progress in this regard, meaning a more effective government, an improved security situation, and the PA meeting its core commitments under the Quartet road map. For this progress to be sustainable progress is needed towards a two-state solution; it is vital that obstacles to resuming negotiations are removed, including Israel's decision to continue building settlements, in direct contravention of its road map commitments.
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Palestinian authorities on the need to reduce tensions between Israel and the Gaza Strip. [49385]
Alistair Burt [holding answer 28 March 2011]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary expressed his concern at the escalating violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip in a statement on 25 March 2011, noting a surge in rockets and mortars launched at Israeli civilians and the death of six Palestinian civilians as a result of Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip.
We have underlined in public and in private, with both Israeli and Palestinian interlocutors, the need to prevent further loss of innocent life, to bring the perpetrators to justice and to work to reduce these tensions.
Olympic Games 2012
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Department for International Development on projects to be taken forward under the London 2012 Olympic Truce. [48084]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) fully supports the Olympic Truce.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 380W
Preparations for the London 2012 Truce are at an early stage. I have not yet held discussions with the Department for International Development on the Truce, but the FCO will discuss our contribution to the Truce as part of the overall preparations for the 2012 Olympics.
Tunisia: Aviation
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what costs his Department has incurred in chartering aircraft to Tunisia in 2011; [48936]
(2) how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals have used flights organised by his Department from Tunisia in 2011. [48953]
Alistair Burt: No flights were chartered for consular crisis reasons by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from Tunisia in 2011.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of British nationals who have left Tunisia in 2011 on flights organised by other governments. [48941]
Alistair Burt: We do not have an accurate estimate of the number of British nationals that have left Tunisia on flights organised by other governments.
Western Sahara: Morrocco
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Western Sahara was discussed during his recent meeting with the Moroccan Minister for Foreign Affairs. [49392]
Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) met the Moroccan Minister for Foreign Affairs Taieb Fassi Fihri in London on 10 March 2011. They discussed Western Sahara in the context of the constitutional reforms announced by King Mohammed VI of Morocco in his speech of 9 March 2011. They also discussed the role of the new National Council of Human Rights which will have a regional office in Western Sahara.
Yemen
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he last spoke to the President of Yemen. [49730]
Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) last spoke to President Saleh on his visit to Yemen on 9 February, when he discussed social, political and economic reform, as well as counter terrorism. I spoke to Yemeni Foreign Minister Dr Al-Qirbi on 19 March.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with members of the Friends of Yemen group; and what proposals have been discussed. [49809]
30 Mar 2011 : Column 381W
Alistair Burt: I am in frequent contact with a number of Friends of Yemen partners, including my EU counterparts, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and of course Yemen. Discussions have followed on from the previous meeting in September 2010 in New York, and how we could move forward to help Yemen tackle their political, economic and security challenges.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Emissions: Housing
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the proportion of household carbon dioxide emissions which arose from (a) lighting, (b) heating, (c) cooking and (d) electrical appliances in the latest period for which figures are available. [49880]
Gregory Barker [holding answer 29 March 2011]: DECC publishes estimates of how fuel use is broken down by end use in ‘Energy Consumption in the United Kingdom’:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/publications/ecuk/ecuk.aspx
Analysis of these data, when combined with emissions factors, indicate that lighting accounted for 7% of household emissions, heating for 65%, cooking for 4%, and electrical appliances for 24%.
Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward proposals to simplify the administration of the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme by removing or minimising the administrative (a) cost to and (b) burden on businesses. [49845]
Gregory Barker: Yes. The Government are committed to simplifying the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme in order to reduce the burden on participants while maintaining the incentives on participants to implement cost effective energy efficiency measures.
We have laid an amendment order before the House containing the first tranche of amendments to the CRC. The order will postpone the start of phase 2 to give us a suitable window to consider and implement broader simplification measures. This amendment also reduces the administrative burden to over 12,000 organisations, by removing the requirement for organisations to make an information disclosure from phase 2 onwards. This order will come into force on 1 April 2011. I will bring forward further proposals later this year following consideration of the simplification proposals we have received from participants to date.
Feed-in Tariffs
Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) if his Department will produce an impact assessment on Cornwall as part of the fast-track review of the feed-in tariff scheme; [49393]
30 Mar 2011 : Column 382W
(2) what estimate he has made of the potential number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time jobs to be created in solar photovoltaic farms in Cornwall under the feed-in tariff scheme by 2015; and what assessment he has made of the likely effect on this estimate of the outcome of the fast-track review of the feed-in tariff scheme. [49396]
Gregory Barker: Impacts of the fast-track proposals on Great Britain (GB) have been considered during the consultation stage and are reflected in the accompanying impact assessment which has been published on the DECC website:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/fit_review/fit_review.aspx
The Department will not be producing a specific impact assessment for Cornwall.
Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many megawatts of solar photovoltaic generating capacity have been installed in Cornwall and Devon since the launch of the feed-in tariff scheme. [49394]
Gregory Barker: Since the launch of the FITs scheme on 1 April 2010, the generating capacity of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in Cornwall and Devon up to 31 December 2010 are:
Devon—1.398 MW
Cornwall—0.645 MW and 0.00376 MW on the Isles of Scilly
In addition, there is a further 0.326 MW in Devon and 0.110 MW in Cornwall which were installed between 15 July 2009 and 31 March 2010 (when the FITs scheme was announced).
Public Bodies: Feed-in Tariffs
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 15 March 2011, Official Report, column 296W, on renewable energy: feed-in-tariffs, if he will place in the Library details of the feed-in-tariff schemes in the 51 non-departmental public bodies receiving a revenue from feed-in-tariffs. [48325]
Gregory Barker: The Department does not hold that information.
Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on social landlords acting as electricity generators; and if he will make a statement. [49464]
Gregory Barker: The feed-in tariffs (FITs) scheme does not exclude anyone from participating in the scheme. We recognise the contribution social landlords could make towards fuel poverty by participating in the scheme.
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether each owner of a flat in a property with array capacity which may exceed 4KW in total who have separate electricity supply and meters are individually eligible for the 4.3 pence feed-in tariff. [49539]
30 Mar 2011 : Column 383W
Gregory Barker: A site is defined in the Standard Conditions of Electricity Supply Licence as:
“the premises to which are attached one or more Accredited Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) installations or Eligible Installations in close geographical proximity to each other, to be determined by: a). the relevant meter point administration number for the electricity supply, b). street address, c). OS grid reference; and any other factors with the Authority (Ofgem) at its discretion views as relevant.”
Application of these is the responsibility of Ofgem who are the administrators of the scheme. It is therefore not within the Department's remit to make definitive statement on eligibility of particular schemes.
Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs
Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the expenditure by the solar power industry in all stages of planning and development into solar photovoltaic installations above 1 MW since the introduction of the feed-in tariff scheme. [49395]
Gregory Barker: Information on development cost data are not collected as part of the administration of the Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) scheme.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the written ministerial statement of 18 March 2011, Official Report, column 32WS, on feed-in tariffs (review), for what reasons he has set a target rate of return of five per cent. for the solar photovoltaic feed-in tariffs; and if he will make a statement. [48818]
Gregory Barker: Feed-in tariff (FITs) levels were originally set to provide a target 5-8% return on investment across all technologies. Solar photovoltaic (PV) tariffs were set at the lower end of this range to reflect the ease of deployment; for example, solar PV installations up to 50kW do not require planning permission and are unlikely to require complex grid connections. In the fast-track review DECC is proposing revised tariffs in the light of emerging evidence that PV capital costs have fallen significantly since the start of the scheme and that large-scale projects are coming forward more quickly than originally expected. The aim is to target incentives towards smaller community and domestic installations, while keeping overall costs within the available budget.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received from community groups on his decision to launch a fast-track review of solar photovoltaic feed-in-tariffs for installation with generating capacity above 50 kilowatts. [48819]
Gregory Barker: Since the announcement of the fast-track review of solar photovoltaics (PV) the Department have received some representation from community groups. We expect wider input from this from the consultation on the fast-track review which was launched on 18 March and will close on 6 May 2011.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 384W
Water Power
Anna Soubry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the merits of greater utilisation of (a) hydropower and (b) water wheel turbines on rivers. [49702]
Gregory Barker: There have been several recent assessments of the UK’s remaining hydropower potential, including old water wheel sites. These have estimated the remaining viable resource at between 850 MW and 1,550 MW, which is equivalent to 1% to 2% of current UK generating capacity. This represents a modest but useful contribution to our renewable energy and emission reduction targets. In addition, these small hydro schemes would ensure the active involvement of hundreds of businesses, communities and individuals in the transition to the low carbon economy.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent assessment is of the (a) availability of and (b) adequacy of supply to British forces in Afghanistan of equipment support materials for protected military platforms; and if he will make a statement. [49625]
Peter Luff [holding answer 28 March 2011]: The availability and supply of support materials for protected military platforms is kept under constant review and replenishment action is initiated whenever required.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many urgent operational requirements have been implemented for platforms serving in Afghanistan (a) with and (b) without a support and maintenance contract in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [49736]
Peter Luff: Over £4.9 billion has been approved through the Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) process on equipment to meet emerging threats and requirements for Afghanistan since Operation Herrick began.
During 2010, there were 71 modifications purchased under UOR arrangements fitted to existing fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, armoured vehicles, protected patrol vehicles and support vehicle platforms, in support of UK armed forces deployed in Afghanistan. Of these, 63 required and had a support and maintenance contract.
Armed Forces
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that the outcomes of planning round 11 in respect of capability are consistent with the policy objectives set out in the strategic defence and security review; and if he will make a statement. [49096]
Dr Fox: The policy objectives in the strategic defence and security review (SDSR) have provided the strategic direction for the Department’s annual planning round, whose outcomes, therefore, will be consistent with the aims and objectives set out in the SDSR White Paper.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 385W
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to report to the House monthly on the adherence of each service to harmony guidelines, including any instances of breaches and their extent. [49738]
Nick Harvey: No. To help get the work/life balance right for our service personnel, we have Harmony Guidelines for the length of time personnel spend away and the interval that they should have between operational tours. These allow commanding officers to judge the situation facing their personnel and give them the opportunity to take remedial measures where possible. They do not provide an overall measure of manning. In addition, Harmony figures are unlikely to change significantly month on month as they are calculated against a rolling period ranging over years.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of personnel in each armed service are in breach of their harmony guidelines; what assessment he has made of the effect of Operation Odyssey Dawn on the number of such people; and if he will make a statement. [49739]
Peter Luff: Less than 1% of the Royal Navy, 6% of the Army and 5% of RAF personnel are operating above Harmony guidelines. Operation Ellamy, the UK name for the NATO operation in Libya, is still in its early days and its duration remains unclear, as does the eventual number of personnel deployed to the operation. As a result of this, it is not yet possible to assess the effect on harmony of this operation. None the less, the impact of all periods of deployment on the harmony guidelines remains under scrutiny.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether armed forces personnel who are currently at lower readiness level will be deployed during Operation Odyssey Dawn; and if he will make a statement. [49740]
Nick Harvey: UK armed forces are operating as part of a coalition to enforce the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. The UK component of this is known as Operation Ellamy. Operation Odyssey Dawn refers to the US contribution. UK forces personnel will be activated through a graduated response as required to support Operation Ellamy. However, where specific gaps in capability exist, personnel at a lower level of readiness may be deployed.
Armed Forces: Bahrain
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel of each service are stationed in Bahrain. [48959]
Nick Harvey: The following table shows the number of troops stationed in Bahrain:
| Service | Endorsed number (as at 28 March 11) (1) |
| (1) Rounded to the nearest 10 personnel | |
30 Mar 2011 : Column 386W
The precise number of personnel in theatre fluctuates on a daily basis for a variety of reasons, including mid-tour rest and recuperation, temporary absence for training, evacuation for medical reasons, the roulement of forces, visits and a range of other factors. We do not, therefore, publish actual figures for personnel deployed in theatre.
Armed Forces: Colchester
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much rent for void properties his Department paid Annington Homes in Colchester constituency in financial year 2010-11; [49570]
(2) how many family houses on the defence estate in the Colchester constituency are unoccupied. [49571]
Peter Luff: As the majority of service family accommodation (SFA) may be unoccupied for only short periods and for various reasons between occupants, no calculation is made of the rent paid while SFA properties are void.
As at 24 March 2011, 125 SFA properties were unoccupied.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of HM Armed Forces based at Colchester Garrison are living in private sector accommodation rented by his Department. [49573]
Peter Luff: As at 23 March 2011, 408 service personnel based at Colchester were housed in substitute service single accommodation (SSSA) properties.
SSSA is only ever used as a last resort in cases where service accommodation either does not exist or is not available to an individual's entitlement. Where a multi-occupant property is rented for SSSA, it will, as far as possible, be used to capacity.
There are no families based at Colchester housed in substitute service family accommodation (SSFA).
Armed Forces: Conditions of Employment
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what legal status the proposed tri-service military covenant will have. [48982]
Nick Harvey: Provisions in the Armed Forces Bill, currently before Parliament, will require the Defence Secretary to present an armed forces covenant report to Parliament every year. Therefore, under this Government, for the first time the armed forces covenant will be referenced in law. This demonstrates the commitment of this Government to rebuild the armed forces covenant.
Armed Forces: Meat
Mr Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to increase the proportion of meat served to the armed forces which is produced in Britain. [49439]
Peter Luff:
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),
30 Mar 2011 : Column 387W
on 15 November 2010,
Official Report
, column 555W, to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Zac Goldsmith).
C-704 Missiles
Mr Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the ability of the SharpEye Solid-State Radar system to operate C-704 missiles. [49582]
Peter Luff: The SharpEye is a low power navigation radar largely used in civil applications. The C-704 missile system can use target information from a wide variety of radar systems, including the SharpEye.
Cougar Training
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the start date is for training exercise Cougar. [49778]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 29 March 2011]:Current planning assumptions are for the Responsive Force Task Group to achieve a deployment date of 26 April, when it will start its Cougar training.
Defence: Procurement
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work he expects to be undertaken on ships and submarines in each region in accordance with his Department’s Terms of Business Agreement with (a) Babcock and (b) BAe. [49566]
Peter Luff: The Terms of Business Agreement (TOBA) with Babcock Marine (BM) provides a mechanism by which BM can be allocated work in the support of the Royal Navy’s surface ships and submarines, and in the support of Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde and HMNB Devonport. The TOBA states that surface ship support work will be carried out at Devonport or Rosyth Dockyards. It also states that the deep maintenance of submarines will be carried out at Devonport Dockyard, with some support work being carried out at HMNB Clyde.
The BAE Systems Surface Ships (BAES SS) TOBA allocates BAES SS work on the design, build, and support of complex warships. Design and build work on complex warships by BAES SS is currently carried out in Portsmouth and at their shipyard in Scotstoun and Govan; support work conducted by BAES SS under the TOBA is carried out in Portsmouth.
Departmental Early Retirement
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's staff have taken early retirement in each of the last five years; and at what cost to his Department in each such year. [49310]
Peter Luff: Staff exits are categorised in different ways for military personnel and civil servants.
For military personnel, early exits consist of voluntary outflows (VO) and medical discharges. VO is used to describe exits from trained UK regular forces which are voluntarily generated by the individual before the end
30 Mar 2011 : Column 388W
of their agreed engagement or commission period. The costs of VO and medical discharges could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Civil servants may leave or be dismissed on early retirement terms, with the financial consequences depending on the individual's circumstances. Where a pension is paid early, current rules generally require it to be actuarially reduced so that there is no extra cost to the Department. But arrangements may be put in place to buy out the actuarial reduction where voluntary exit schemes are required to enable the Department to reduce civilian staff numbers; and before the Civil Service Compensation Scheme was amended in 2010, some early retirements attracted an enhanced pension. Early payment of pension can be used for the purposes of medical retirement as well as for voluntary releases and redundancies.
The numbers leaving on VO, medical discharge and early retirement are set out in the following table:
|
|
2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
| (1) Data are not kept in this format prior to 2008-09. (2) These figures represent calendar years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. (3) These figures include MOD trading funds but exclude locally engaged civilians and members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. | |||||
Costs for release, where the exit involves the early payment of pension other than on an actuarially reduced basis, are not separately identifiable and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether a sanction will be applied if a guarantee of realistic budgets for development, procurement and deployment is not fulfilled; [48977]
(2) with reference to his speech to the Institute of Civic Society of 22 February 2011, who is to (a) provide and (b) assess the guarantees of realistic budgets for development, procurement and deployment to be presented to Ministers. [48991]
Dr Fox:
Project teams are responsible for ensuring that project proposals are tautly and realistically costed, drawing on expert advice. Their proposals are then subject to scrutiny by independent assurance teams. The Ministry of Defence Investment Approvals Board ensures that project approvals align with Defence priorities. The Defence Board and Ministers are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the equipment programme as a whole is affordable and deliverable, and for taking the decisions that are required to achieve this. In particular I have asked the Permanent Secretary and the Chief of Defence Materiel to examine our future programmes to ensure that their costs and risks are well understood and that the budget set aside for them is appropriate. In addition, I intend to chair a new Major Projects Review Board which will monitor major programmes on a quarterly
30 Mar 2011 : Column 389W
basis to ensure that they are on time and within budget, to direct remedial action where necessary, and to hold those responsible to account.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his speech to the Institute of Civic Society of 22 February 2011, whether he plans to publish the outcome of the examination of his Department's future programmes which he has commissioned. [48990]
Dr Fox: The examination of the Department's future programme is an internal process designed to inform ongoing work under Planning Round 2011. As such, we have no intention of publishing the findings.
Departmental Redundancy
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants in his Department have been offered voluntary redundancy since April 2010; and if he will make a statement. [49189]
Peter Luff: No records are kept of the numbers of staff who are offered voluntary redundancy and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, between April 2010 and 1 March 2011, some 370 civil servants left the Ministry of Defence (including trading funds) on redundancy terms (this includes both voluntary and compulsory exits). These figures exclude other forms of paid early releases, including redundancy avoidance measures.
European Fighter Aircraft
Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Typhoon aircraft were grounded because parts had been removed to keep other aircraft airborne on 9 March 2011. [48607]
Peter Luff: On 9 March 2011 three Typhoon aircraft were being used as donor airframes for cannibalised parts. This is a routine measure in the management of the fast jet fleet. None of these aircraft were in the forward fleet.
HMS Ark Royal
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will reverse the decision to withdraw HMS Ark Royal and its Harrier aircraft. [48901]
Peter Luff [holding answer 28 March 2011]:No. In the context of the budgetary position we inherited from the previous Government, the strategic defence and security review set out the arguments underpinning the Government’s decision to decommission HMS Ark Royal and remove the Harrier from service. It would have been unsustainable to retain a fleet of four fast jet types over the next decade.
Recent events in North Africa have shown that the UK has extensive basing and over-flying rights to enable the full and effective projection of air power overseas with our Typhoon and Tornado fleets. Harrier aircraft cannot carry the range of weapons and reconnaissance capability that has been required for missions over Libya.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 390W
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of retaining HMS Ark Royal and its Harrier aircraft for the next four years. [48902]
Peter Luff [holding answer 28 March 2011]: HMS Ark Royal and the Harrier aircraft were withdrawn from service at the end of 2010 as a consequence of decisions taken during the Strategic Defence and Security Review. While there are no plans to retain these capabilities in operational service, the costs of doing so would have been broadly comparable to the savings we expect to achieve from withdrawing them. We estimate the savings from withdrawing Ark Royal to be £10 million in 2011-12, £25 million in 2012-13, £35 million in 2013-14 and £35 million in 2014-15. Savings from retiring the Harrier aircraft are estimated at around £900 million between now and 2018.
HMS Cumberland
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date HMS Cumberland is due to be decommissioned. [49921]
Peter Luff: HMS Cumberland is presently in the Mediterranean supporting enforcement action against Libya under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. We have decided that she should remain there until she can be replaced by another suitably prepared and equipped destroyer or frigate. Because of this, her withdrawal from service will be postponed from 1 April 2011 until around the end of the month.
HMS Tireless and HMS Turbulent
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to make any part of the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator's report into the incidents on HMS Tireless and HMS Turbulent publicly available. [48968]
Peter Luff: I will place a copy of the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator's investigation into ‘Babcock Event No 19720: Failure To Reinstate Primary Safety Systems’ in the Library of the House before the end of May 2011, following a review to ascertain whether any sensitive information is required to be withheld.
Major Projects Review Board
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what criteria are applied to determine whether a procurement project is classified as a project of concern by his Department's Major Projects Review Board; [49001]
(2) on how many occasions his Department's Major Projects Review Board has met; [49002]
(3) who sits on his Department's Major Projects Review Board. [49003]
Dr Fox: As I announced last month, the Ministry of Defence's Major Projects Review Board (MPRB) will meet on a quarterly basis. The first meeting of the MPRB will therefore be held early in the first quarter of financial year 2011-12.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 391W
The MPRB will be chaired by myself supported by the Minister for Defence Equipment Support and Technology, the Chief of Defence Materiel and other officials as appropriate.
Projects will be reviewed in terms of performance, cost, and time. Projects forecasting significant slippage, cost growth, or performance shortfalls would lead to their being placed on the “projects of concern” list.
Merville Barracks
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department paid for renting accommodation in the private sector for those military personnel for whom there is no accommodation available at Merville Barracks, Colchester in financial year 2010-11. [49572]
Peter Luff: To date in financial year 2010-11, a total of 186 service personnel identified as being based at Merville Barracks, were accommodated in substitute service single accommodation (SSSA). A total of 68 SSSA properties were rented for this purpose at a total cost of £687,684,
SSSA is only ever used as a last resort in cases where service accommodation either does not exist or is not available to an individual's entitlement.
Where a multi-occupant property is rented for SSSA, it will, as far as possible, be used to capacity.
Military Tattoos
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) military tattoos, (b) military festivals and (c) other military events open to the public will be held in 2011; and how much expenditure will be incurred by his Department in respect of each such event. [40140]
Nick Harvey: In addition to Armed Forces Day and Welcome Home Parades, that give members of the public the opportunity to show their support for our Service personnel returning from operations, there are two Military Tattoos planned for 2011 and their associated planned expenditure is shown in the following table:
| Event | Planned expenditure (£) |
The following table lists military festivals and other military events currently planned to take place during 2011:
| Event | Planned expenditure (£) |
30 Mar 2011 : Column 392W
| Note: Most of the above events are sponsored by commercial organisations and as a result involve negligible costs to the Ministry of Defence. These costs are largely concerned with marketing, and are recouped through ticket sales or from the commercial partner. | |
Nimrod Aircraft
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long the Nimrod R1 will remain operational; what factors were considered in the decision to postpone the retirement of the Nimrod R1; and what plans he has for the future use of the aircraft in theatre. [47827]
Dr Fox: The original decision to withdraw the Nimrod R1 from service was taken in 2008 by the previous Government. However, in view of current events in Libya one Nimrod R1 aircraft is being kept in the region for up to three months in support of UNSCR 1973. This is a pragmatic decision given the aircraft is already in the region but is subject to continuous review of the Alliance’s operational requirement.
Peacekeeping Operations
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many urgent operational requirement requests were made in each of the last five years; how many such requests resulted in an equipment purchase; and what the total cost of such purchases was in each year. [49542]
Peter Luff: Over the last five years, the Ministry of Defence has approved some 820 requests for funding for equipment through the urgent operational requirements process for Iraq and Afghanistan, at a cost of around £5.7 billion. Based on centrally available records the breakdown for each of the last five financial years is estimated as follows:
| Financial year (FY) | Number approved (1) | Total approval cost (1) (£ million) |
| (1) Nearest 10 | ||
These figures include the protected mobility package (financial year 2008-09) and light protected patrol vehicle programme (financial year 2010-11).
For financial year 2010-11, the figures given are the approval for the financial year to date, noting that it is not yet complete.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 393W
The estimate of the number of requests for funding we have approved includes some business cases that have been subject to re-approvals as requirements have evolved, and some that will have been provided for both Iraq and Afghanistan. For these reasons, a single capability may have been counted more than once in these numbers.
Radioactive Waste
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 22 March 2011, Official Report, column 947W, on radioactive waste, if he will send for publication in the Official Report the text of the letter sent to the hon. Member for Newport West. [49789]
Peter Luff: The information requested will take some time to collate and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as this is completed. All letters following up answers to parliamentary questions are published in the Official Report.
Saudi Arabia: Military Aid
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many short-term training teams have been sent to the Saudi Arabian National Guard in each year since 2007; and how many courses taught by such teams covered (a) internal security training, (b) public order training and (c) sniper training; [49808]
(2) whether the British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard is still in operation. [49825]
Nick Harvey: The British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard continues to operate as an essential part of our bilateral relationship.
Training forms an integral part of the British Military Mission’s activity.
It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the details of individual programmes without prejudicing relations between the UK and other states.
Tornado Aircraft
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of retaining the Tornado aircraft fleet for the next four years. [48903]
Peter Luff [holding answer 28 March 2011]: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 November 2010, Official Report, columns 318-9W, to the hon. Member for Portsmouth North (Penny Mordaunt).
Trident
Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date payment is due for items already commissioned for Trident replacement; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of items commissioned for which payment has not yet been made. [45210]
Peter Luff: I have interpreted this question as relating to long lead items for the replacement Vanguard class submarine. There are no outstanding payments against commitments made for long lead items ahead of the initial gate decision.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 394W
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the increase in the cost of the Trident replacement programme as a result of delays introduced by project extensions. [49604]
Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Peter Luff), who has responsibility for defence equipment, support and technology, on 14 March 2011, Official Report, column 7, to the hon. Member for Bolton West (Julie Hilling).
Prime Minister
Yemen
Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister on what date he last spoke to the President of Yemen. [49729]
The Prime Minister: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on 24 March 2011, Official Report, column 1121.
Communities and Local Government
Homelessness: Finance
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has allocated to each local authority in England under each category of homelessness grant for 2011-12; and what criteria were used in determining such allocations. [49485]
Grant Shapps: Despite the record deficit inherited we are maintaining investment in homelessness grant at £100 million a year for each of the next four years. For 2011-12, we have announced allocations of £81.5 million for local authorities and £18.5 million for the voluntary sector. As part of our reforms to reduce the number of separate local authority grants, a further £8.5 million to tackle fraud and under-occupation has been integrated to provide a single allocation of Preventing Homelessness Grant for local authorities in 2011-12 totalling £90 million.
A list of allocations of Preventing Homelessness Grant to individual local authorities in 2011-12 has been placed in the Library of the House.
There are a number of factors that were considered in determining allocations, but a very significant one is the need to support work to tackle rough sleeping. We have also sought to maintain the level of grant for individual authorities, including rolling forward the additional £10 million allocated to London authorities during 2010-11 to support implementation of welfare reform measures. Westminster council’s allocation for 2011-12 is £8.325 million.
These allocations have been confirmed for 2011-12 and published as provisional figures at the same level for 2012-13. We intend to consult in due course on proposed allocations for 2013-14 and 2014-15.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 395W
Solar Power: Planning Permission
Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many solar photovoltaic schemes exceeding 1 megawatt in (a) Cornwall and Devon and (b) the UK have received planning permission since the inception of the feed-in tariff scheme. [49397]
Robert Neill: Information on planning permissions for solar photovoltaic schemes exceeding 1 MW, including when they were granted, will be available from individual local planning authorities but is not collected by this Department. The Renewable Energy Planning Database, accessible via the Department for Energy and Climate Change’s website, includes data on solar photovoltaic projects but the statistics may not include all recently consented developments because of the time lag in collecting data.
Cabinet Office
National Security Council
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on which dates the National Security Council has met in 2011 to date; and in each such case (a) how many Ministers attended, (b) which Ministers attended, (c) for how long the Council met and (d) what items were on the agenda. [49949]
Mr Letwin: The National Security Council is a Cabinet Committee that typically meets once a week for an hour to consider matters relating to National Security, Foreign Policy, Defence, International Relations and Development, Resilience, Energy and Resource Security. Since January 2011 it has met on the following dates: 11, 18 and 25 January; 1, 8, 15, 25 and 28 February; and 1, 4, 8, 15, 17 and 22 March.
Consistent with longstanding practice, information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet committees, including agendas and attendance, is generally not disclosed as to do so would put at risk the public interest in both collective responsibility and the full and frank discussion of policy by Ministers. Ministers will more effectively reach collective decisions if they are able to debate questions of policy freely and in confidence.
Decisions taken by Cabinet or its Committees are binding on all members of the Government under the principle of collective decision-making, irrespective of whether they are able to attend a particular meeting or not. The maintenance of this convention is fundamental to the continued effectiveness of Cabinet government, and is therefore in the public interest.
Big Society Initiative
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what representations he has received on the resignation of Phil Redmond as Chair of the Liverpool vanguard big society pilot; and if he will make a statement’ [39922]
(2) if he will assess the progress made by the vanguard pilot for the big society in Liverpool at the point at which it ended. [40335]
30 Mar 2011 : Column 396W
Mr Hurd: Phil Redmond has not resigned. He remains committed to the Liverpool big society vanguard pilot and continues to work closely with the Government to address barriers in the way of action to re-energise volunteering in the city. The Cabinet Office has no plans to assess the progress of the vanguard pilot.
Departmental Meetings
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions Cabinet Office Briefing Room has met in 2011 to date; on what date each meeting was held, and for what duration; which Ministers attended each meeting; and what the agenda was of each meeting. [49947]
Mr Maude: COBR has met a number of times this year, including to co-ordinate the response to events in Libya and Japan. Information about the actual dates, duration, attendance and agendas of individual meetings are not normally disclosed both on grounds of national security and because they relate to internal discussion and advice.
Departmental Public Appointments
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have been and (b) are to be closed, merged or reorganised following his appointment; and how many (i) women and (ii) men who are public appointees at each body will no longer hold such an appointment in consequence. [47110]
Mr Maude: The coalition Government are committed to increasing the accountability of public bodies, and this involves reducing their number and their cost to the taxpayer. The proposals for the majority of bodies across all Departments was announced and published on 14 October 2010. An updated list reflecting changes since October 2010 has been published on the Cabinet Office website.
As a result of the reforms to the Cabinet Office public bodies, the number of women and men who will no longer hold public appointment positions is as follows:
| Public appointment positions that will no longer be held | |||
| Body | Reform | Male | Female |
30 Mar 2011 : Column 397W
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Committee
Childcare Salary Supplement Scheme
Caroline Lucas: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, for what reasons the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority decided to (a) remove the childcare salary supplement scheme for new hon. Members' staff and replace it with a salary sacrifice scheme, (b) take the childcare salary supplement scheme payments for returning hon. Members' staff from the staffing budget rather than a central budget and (c) operate different childcare support arrangements for new hon. Members' staff and returning hon. Members' staff. [44623]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated March 2011 :
As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for what reasons the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority decided to:
a) remove the childcare salary supplement scheme for new members' staff and replace it with a salary sacrifice scheme;
b) take the childcare salary supplement scheme payments for returning members' staff from the staffing budget rather than a central budget and
c) operate different childcare support arrangements for new members' staff and returning members' staff
IPSA took the decision to offer new MPs' staff members a salary sacrifice scheme for childcare vouchers on the basis that this type of scheme is common practice across large parts of the public and private sector.
The childcare salary supplement scheme payments for returning MPs' staff is taken from the staffing budget on the grounds that these payments form part of MPs' overall staffing costs and should therefore fall under this budget category.
The reason IPSA operates separate arrangements for returning MPs' staff and new MPs' staff is because IPSA did not want to alter existing contractual arrangements in this regard for returning MPs' staff, but wanted to bring the practice for new MPs' staff into line with the practice that is common across most sectors.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what estimate the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has made of the financial benefit per month to a member of staff with two children under five working full-time for an hon. Member under (a) the salary supplement scheme and (b) the salary sacrifice scheme in the latest period for which figures are available; what consultation IPSA undertook on the equity of the changes made to such childcare support arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [44624]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated March 2011:
As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has made of the financial benefit per
30 Mar 2011 : Column 398W
month to a member of staff with two children under five working full time for an hon. Member would receive under (a) the salary supplement scheme and (b) the salary sacrifice scheme in the latest period for which figures are available; and what consultation IPSA undertook on the equity of the changes made to such childcare support arrangements.
The financial benefit per month based on a salary supplement scheme would be £336 per month for an employee who has two children under the age of 5 years. This £336 would be subject to income tax and national insurance contribution and the exact amount will therefore vary per employee. The benefit for employees in receipt of childcare vouchers is the difference between the net and gross amount of the salary sacrifice, which can be up to £243 per month, irrespective of the number of children they have.
IPSA consulted in January 2010 on whether to provide childcare support but did not consult on what system of support to provide. Following this consultation, IPSA took the decision to retain the salary supplement system for staff already in receipt of this support, but to offer the staff of new MPs, and IPSA's own staff, a salary sacrifice scheme for childcare vouchers on the basis that such schemes are common across large parts of the public and private sector.
Consultants: Recruitment
Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what the cost to the public purse was of the recruitment consultancy services used for the recruitment of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority’s incoming compliance officer. [45797]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated March 2011:
As acting Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the cost to the public purse for the recruitment consultancy services used for the recruitment of the incoming compliance officer.
IPSA agreed to a fee of £1,500 + VAT for the recruitment consultancy services used for the recruitment of the Compliance Officer for IPSA, an office provided for in statute by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, as amended by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.
The recruitment consultancy’s services included providing assistance in drawing up a job specification, preparing and placing the advertisement for the job in the Sunday Times, updating and advertising the vacancy on a dedicated micro-website, and undertaking an initial sift of the 60 applications received in response to the advertisement.
Personnel: Pay
Mr Spellar: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, pursuant to the answer of 14 March 2011, Official Report, column 3W, on employment, whether the three members of staff received any payment on their departure from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. [49474]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 399W
Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated March 2011:
As acting Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2011, Official Report, column 3W, on employment, whether the three members of staff received any payment on their departure from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.
The members of staff did not receive any payment on their departure.
Work-based Stress
Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what arrangements are in place in the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to (a) reduce levels of work-based stress and (b) provide assistance to staff diagnosed with such stress. [48197]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated March 2011:
As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what arrangements are in place to a) reduce levels of work-based stress and b) provide assistance to staff diagnosed with such stress.
IPSA seeks to promote a healthy work-life balance for its employees. IPSA has recently developed a stress risk assessment which managers will shortly start using to identify symptoms of stress in both individuals and teams. The assistance provided will depend on the cause of stress.
Health
Blood: Contamination
Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will assess the merits of allowing those who are newly-eligible for compensation for contaminated blood to claim funds from the Skipton Fund on an ongoing basis instead of imposing a deadline of 31 March 2011; [49412]
(2) whether he undertook any consultation before establishing a deadline of 31 March 2011 for claims by those newly-eligible for compensation in respect of contaminated blood to claim funds from the Skipton Fund; [49430]
(3) if he will extend the deadline for claimants of compensation for contaminated blood to the Skipton Fund in cases where it can be demonstrated that it was not possible to make claimants aware of new arrangements within the time allowed; [49431]
(4) for what reasons he established a deadline of 31 March 2011 for claims to the Skipton Fund by those affected by contaminated blood. [49432]
Anne Milton:
When the deadline of 31 March 2011 was announced 10 January 2011, it gave potential claimants 12 weeks to register their intention to make a claim with the Skipton Fund. It is not essential for claimants to obtain all of the necessary evidence to support their claim by that date. The deadline was decided without consultation. Due to the uncertainty of how many
30 Mar 2011 : Column 400W
applications there may be in respect of those who died pre-2003, we will not know by 31 March 2011 whether all claims have come forward. However, the Skipton Fund will consider registrations that are made after 31 March 2011, on a case by case basis, where there is a valid reason for the applicant to have missed the registration deadline.
Food Standards Agency: Pensions
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the proposed meat hygiene inspection charges will be allocated to the payments in respect of pensions of staff of the Food Standards Agency. [49389]
Anne Milton: The full cost of delivering official controls to the Great Britain meat industry is budgeted at £55 million for 2011-12. This figure includes two elements of pension cost to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as follows:
(1) Employer pension contributions of £2.9 million.
(2) Pension deficit cost of £4.7 million. (The total cost to the FSA is estimated by external actuaries to be £5.6 million of which the proportion included in the cost of industry work is £4.7 million). This cost is volatile, varies with actuarial assumptions, and future charges will be adjusted in line with any fluctuations.
Therefore, the proportion of pension cost in the total cost of delivering official controls is £7.6 million out of a total of £55 million (14%).
Hospitals: Admissions
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of emergency readmissions to hospital in each NHS hospital trust in England occurred within 30 days of discharge in each of the last 13 years. [49805]
Mr Simon Burns: Emergency readmissions are normally defined as emergency admissions occurring within 28 days of discharge following an admission for the same patient. The proportion of such readmissions occurring within 30 days of discharge is therefore, by definition, 100%. A table containing information on the number of emergency readmissions by national health service hospital trust for the years 1999-2000 to 2008-09 has been placed in the Library.
NHS Trusts
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that small and medium-sized businesses are notified of any contract tendered for by NHS Trusts. [49950]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department is committed to encouraging the national health service to comply with the transparency requirements that apply to all Government bodies as set out in the Cabinet Office guidance. This includes the requirement for procurers to publish tender information so that small and medium-sized businesses have good notice of all tender opportunities. Indeed the Department will shortly be communicating with the NHS to remind them of these requirements.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 401W
NHS: Surveys
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2010, Official Report, column 1074W, on NHS: surveys, when he expects data from the findings of the Ipsos MORI six-monthly surveys from March 2008 to March 2010 on public perceptions of the NHS to be published on his Department’s website; and when he expects data from the December 2010 survey to be made available. [49603]
Mr Simon Burns: Since 2000, the Department has commissioned, from Ipsos MORI, tracking surveys of public attitudes towards the national health service and social care. The reports from March 2008 to March 2010 have been published on the Department’s website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/PublishedSurvey/ListOfSurveySince1990/Generalsurveys/DH_4129933
We are awaiting the final report from Ipsos MORI for the survey conducted during November/December 2010. Future surveys will be published in line with the Department’s freedom of information publication scheme.
Pressure Sores
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has any plans to require (a) foundation trusts and (b) acute trusts to measure the incidence of pressure sores; and if he will make a statement. [49398]
Mr Simon Burns: All foundation trusts and trusts are required to report via the Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) dataset. Pressure sores (decubitus ulcer) should be recorded in HES under the ICD-10 code L89. Depth of coding varies significantly between trusts, and pressure sores are often a secondary diagnosis; measuring the incidence of pressure sores is complex, as it requires recording of whether or not a pressure sore was present on admission to hospital.
The NHS Information Centre is currently developing a Safety Thermometer, which measures prevalence of pressure sores (and a number of other avoidable adverse events) more systematically in a group of foundation trusts and trusts who have volunteered to take part.
Processed Food: Labelling
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has made an estimate of the quantity of processed food sold in Britain which is not labelled as genetically modified (GM) but has been produced using GM food. [49451]
Anne Milton: Under European Union regulations, food labels must indicate when the food contains or consists of genetically modified (GM) organisms, or contains ingredients that are produced from GM organisms. However, this labelling requirement does not apply to small proportions of GM ingredients (below 0.9%) if they are accidentally present. Information on the quantity of food that contains unlabelled GM ingredients is not available.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 402W
Surgery
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations in each acute hospital trust were cancelled in each of the last 13 years. [49806]
Mr Simon Burns: The number of operations which are cancelled for non-clinical reasons on or after the day of admission, has been published by the Department on a quarterly basis since 1996-97. Trust level data were collected for the first time in 2001-02 and are not available prior to then. Information on the number of cancelled elective operations in each acute trust for the financial years 2001-02 to 2010-11 year-to date is contained in tables which have been placed in the Library.
Venous Thromboembolism
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Prevention Board and the VTE Three Professions Group were consulted on the development of VTE indicators in the NHS Safety Thermometer recently published by the Quality, Innovation, Prevention and Productivity Safe Care Safety Express workstream. [49586]
Mr Simon Burns: In developing the NHS Safety Thermometer the Quality, Innovation, Prevention and Productivity Safe Care workstream worked with approximately 100 national health service organisations to develop an audit tool to measure the incidence of four key safety issues: pressure ulcers, venous thromboembolism (VTE), falls and catheter use.
The Safe Care Workstream have been invited to present at the next VTE Prevention Board in July to agree the next steps for the work in the context of the planned inclusion of indicators on VTE as part of the Outcomes Framework for the NHS. The VTE Three Professions Group are represented on this Board.
Wheelchairs
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals have indicated to his Department that they have a shortage of wheelchairs. [49440]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has received no representations from hospitals indicating a shortage of wheelchairs.
Work and Pensions
Access to Work Scheme
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under his proposed changes to the Access to Work scheme, at what stage of the job-seeking process funding will be provided to a claimant. [10614]
Maria Miller: Access to Work provides financial help towards the extra costs faced by people with a disability in work, where this goes beyond what would be reasonable for an employer to meet. Access to Work supported 37,210 disabled people during 2009-10.
30 Mar 2011 : Column 403W
From 9 December 2010, disabled job seekers have been able to find out immediately if they are eligible for Access to Work support by completing a short online questionnaire at Directgov. If eligible, they will be able to print off a new ‘Pre-Employment Eligibility Letter’ which will help when applying for jobs and can be shown to prospective employers.
The Government have announced an independent review of the employment support they provide to people with disability-related barriers to work.
This review is designed to ensure that Department for Work and Pensions' specialist disability employment programmes provide the very best value for money and meet the needs of disabled people in finding and sustaining work and building fulfilling careers. The review will include Access to Work.
The review will report in summer 2011 with recommendations on how existing specialist support for disabled people can better serve the Department's wide ranging customer base.
Child Maintenance
Neil Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disputes between partners about levels of child support payable in cases where one or both former partners were self-employed the Child Support Agency and its successor recorded in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [48577]
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 Questions 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 disputes between partners about levels of child support payable in cases where one or both former partners were self-employed the Child Support Agency and its successor recorded in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [48577]
If a client believes that the decisions taken on their case are incorrect they can dispute this and ask for the decision to be reconsidered. The nature of disputes is not routinely recorded by the Child Support Agency. If the client feels that their issue has not been resolved they can escalate the decision to appeal which is an independent review of the decision by the Tribunal Service. This information is recorded and is provided as follows.
The table shows the total number of appeals against a Child Support Agency decision including the number where one or both former partners were self-employed. The level of child support payable may be one of several reasons for an appeal in a single case and a more detailed breakdown is not available.
|
|
Total appeals | Appeals involving a self-employed parent |
30 Mar 2011 : Column 404W
| Note: Records are based on the calendar year. | ||
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Public Bodies Reform Programme
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the level of savings which will accrue from the abolition of the Disability Employment Advisory Committee. [48691]
Maria Miller: On 16 March 2011, Official Report, columns 9-10WS, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude) issued a written ministerial statement updating Parliament on progress on public bodies reform. That statement also announced that Departments estimate cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period.
I estimate net overall administrative savings from the Disability Employment Advisory Committee over the spending review period of £314,000.
This is our best estimate of planned net savings to emerge from these reforms. The Disability Employment Advisory Committee has closed with effect from 30 November 2010.
Regulation
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many regulations sponsored by his Department have been (a) introduced since 22 November 2010 and (b) revoked since 12 May 2010. [44367]
Chris Grayling: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Disability Living Allowance: Scotland
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, (b) South Lanarkshire and (c) Scotland have had disability living allowance withdrawn since May 2010. [34375]
Maria Miller: Information is not available on the National Statistics datasets to identify disability living allowance claimants that have had their claim withdrawn.
The Department does collect some limited management information on the outcomes of initial claims for disability living allowance, but it is not of sufficient quality or completeness to provide a robust answer. This information does not include subsequent withdrawals by the claimant or as a result of fraud investigation. In addition, it is only available at processing unit level, not constituency, local authority area or country.
Information is available to identify the number of claimants with entitlement to disability living allowance where the payment has been suspended, for example if
30 Mar 2011 : Column 405W
they are in hospital. At May 2010, there were 27,740 cases with entitlement to disability living allowance where the payment has been suspended.
Disability Living Allowance: Wales
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on his proposals to remove the mobility element of disability living allowance for those resident in care homes. [43148]
Maria Miller: I have written to the Deputy Minister for Social Services at the Welsh Assembly (Gwenda Thomas) about this and disability living allowance reform more generally.
I guarantee that this measure is not intended to reduce the mobility of residents in care homes. It aims to remove any overlap, not to remove severely disabled people's ability to get out and about. We are now considering mobility provision in care homes as part of our wider reform of disability living allowance, not beforehand.
In addition, officials at the Department for Work and Pensions are in regular contact with their counterparts in the Wales Office as work on reform of disability living allowance and its replacement with personal independence payment progresses. In addition, officials for the Welsh Assembly are members of the cross-Whitehall working group on reform of disability living allowance and have been sent updates.
Employment and Support Allowance: Disability
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of (a) disabled people and (b) people with cancer on contributory-based employment and support allowance (ESA) in the Work-Related Activity Group who exceed the means testing threshold for income-based ESA. [45575]
Maria Miller: The information requested is given as follows.
| All employment and support allowance claimants: Great Britain, May 2010 | |||
|
|
Total number of claimants | Support Group | Work-Related Activity Group |
| Employment and support allowance claimants by payment type: Great Britain, May 2010 | ||||
| Claimants with a contributory element | Credit only cases | |||
|
|
In Support Group | Work-Related Activity Group | In Support Group | Work-Related Activity Group |
30 Mar 2011 : Column 406W
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Benefit type—The type of employment and support allowance (ESA) is defined as pay status at the caseload date—this may differ to the status at the start or end of the claim. 3. Employment and support allowance replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 4. This analysis does not include those with unknown or assessment phase/stage. 5. Phase/stage of ESA claim is only available from February 2010 onwards. The phase is derived from payment details held on the source system. 6. Information on whether an ESA claimant is disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010 is not readily available, therefore the whole claimant figure is provided. 7. ‘People with cancer’ is by primary assessment only and includes malignant neoplasms, benign neoplasms and neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behaviour. 8. ‘Credits only cases’ includes those who exceed the means testing threshold for income-based ESA. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | ||||