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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 12 May 2011
Culture, Media and Sport
Archaeology
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effects of the reduction in the budget of English Heritage for 2011-12 on its support for archaeology and associated activities. [54887]
John Penrose: English Heritage has made every effort to minimise the effects of the reduction in its budget for 2011-12 on its support for archaeology and associated activities. It has done this by protecting, so far as possible, its advisory services to local authorities, and its listing, scheduling and other designation activities. In addition, it has carried out a root and branch re-organisation of its processes for prioritising resources to understand and protect heritage, and has maintained the National Heritage Commissions Programme, through which it supports the work of others, at the highest possible level.
Olympic Delivery Authority
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many businesses based in the London borough of Bexley have obtained contracts from the Olympic Delivery Authority to date. [54841]
Hugh Robertson: As of April 2011 the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) had directly awarded contracts to seven suppliers registered in the London borough of Bexley. These figures only account for the contracts awarded by the ODA to its own top tier of contractors (tier one contractors). The figures do not include the contracts further down the supply chain, in tiers two, three and so on, which are awarded by the tier one contractors and not by the ODA. The ODA estimates that tens of thousands more contracts will be generated throughout its supply chains. More information on businesses that have won Games-related contracts can be found at the business section of the London 2012 website:
http://www.london2012.com/business
Wales
Enterprise Zones
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what assessment she has made of the effects on the economy of introducing enterprise zones in Wales; [54926]
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(2) what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the establishment of enterprise zones in Wales. [54927]
Mr David Jones: Economic development is a devolved matter in Wales and any detailed assessment of the impact of enterprise zones on Wales would need to be carried out by the Welsh Assembly Government.
However, it is vital that we give Welsh businesses the same competitive advantages as businesses in places like Bristol and Liverpool, where we have already committed to introducing enterprise zones.
The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), has therefore had initial discussions with the First Minister and has also written to him on two occasions setting out our commitment to work with the Welsh Assembly Government to establish enterprise zones in Wales.
Both my right hon. Friend and I will continue to champion the creation of enterprise zones in Wales with the new Welsh Assembly Government now the Welsh elections have concluded.
Small Businesses
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress the Government have made on introducing tax incentives for small businesses in Wales. [54971]
Mrs Gillan: The Government are committed to providing the necessary support to small businesses in Wales through a number of initiatives, including tax incentives.
We have reduced the small profits rate of Corporation Tax for small companies from 21% to 20%. We have increased the lifetime limit on gains eligible for Entrepreneurs’ Relief from £5 million to £10 million, encouraging entrepreneurs who want to expand their businesses and reinvest their gains. We have also extended the current small business rates relief holiday for one year from October 2011.
To encourage investment in businesses with the highest growth potential, we announced a reform of the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Venture Capital Tax scheme. Subject to State aid approval, the rate of income tax relief for EIS will be increased to 30%. We also announced a reform of the R&D tax credits scheme which will see, subject to State aid approval, the SME rate increased to 200% from April 2011 and 225% from April 2012.
The Government have also asked the Office of Tax Simplification to undertake a review examining small business’ experience of tax administration and recommending possible reforms ahead of the 2012 Budget.
Attorney-General
Serious Fraud Office
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has for the future of the Serious Fraud Office; and if he will make a statement. [54916]
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The Attorney-General: Decisions have not yet been made on future structures for economic crime. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, in consultation with the Law Officers and other relevant colleagues, is currently considering options for delivering the Government's commitment to take white-collar crime as seriously as other crime.
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library a copy of each item of advice he has received from (a) officials in his Department, (b) the OECD and other UK or international governmental agencies, (c) private organisations and individuals, (d) the Director of the Serious Fraud Office and (e) others on the future arrangements for (i) investigating and (ii) prosecuting serious financial crimes committed in (A) the UK and (B) by UK citizens or companies abroad. [54917]
The Attorney-General: Officials' advice to Ministers relating to policy advice within Government is covered Under Exemption 2—internal discussion and advice—of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. It would therefore not be appropriate to place it in the Library.
The responsibility for releasing any other advice on this issue that may have been submitted to my office by outside organisations or individuals would fall to them to make public should they wish to do so.
Justice
Bill of Rights
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Commission on a Bill of Rights will have powers to take evidence from external parties. [55055]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The terms of reference for the Commission on a Bill of Rights state that the Commission should consult with the public, the judiciary and the devolved Administrations and legislatures. It will be for the Commission to decide what it needs to do in order to fulfil its terms of reference.
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the minutes of the meetings of the Commission on a Bill of Rights will be published. [55056]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: It will be for the Commission to determine whether it publishes the minutes of its meetings.
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on what dates the Commission on a Bill of Rights is scheduled to meet. [55057]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The dates on which the Commission will meet is a matter for the Commission itself to determine.
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the members of the Commission on a Bill of Rights will receive remuneration for their contribution. [55058]
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Mr Kenneth Clarke: Yes. The members of the Commission will receive remuneration for the work they do to fulfil the Commission's terms of reference.
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what funding has been allocated for the Commission on a Bill of Rights. [55059]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The Commission's budget for 2011-12 is £97,500 plus £66,000 for the Commissioners' remuneration. We will expect the Commission to make efficient use of its resources in the light of the constraints imposed by the spending review.
Departmental Legal Costs
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department paid in (a) damages, (b) claimant costs and (c) defendant costs in respect of all civil claims brought against his Department in which the claimant was successful or the Department settled in each of the last three years. [54630]
Mr Djanogly: The information requested is not held centrally or recorded in a manner that is easily retrievable to provide a full factual reply to this question. It could be obtained only by manually sifting through files and invoices for the last three years at a disproportionate cost.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to reply to the letter of 25 January 2011 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Caroline Woods. [54822]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: I apologise for the delay in responding. I will ensure that the right hon. Member receives a reply shortly.
Prison Service: Resignations
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) principal officers, (b) senior officers, (c) prison officers and (d) operational support grades employed at each prison left the Prison Service in the last 12 months. [55004]
Mr Blunt: Information on the number of principal officers, senior officers, prison officers and operational support grades employed at each Prison Service establishment within the National Offender Management Service that left between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2011 is contained in a table I have placed in the House Library.
Information in respect of contracted establishments is provided by individual contractors. Grading structures may vary.
Prisons: Manpower
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the operational staffing requirement was for (a) operational managers, (b) principal officers, (c) senior officers, (d) prison officers, (e) operational support grades and (f) other grades at each prison establishment on 31 March 2011; and what the staff in post figure for each such group was on that date. [55001]
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Mr Blunt: Information on the operational staffing requirement for operational managers, principal officers, senior officers, prison officers, operational support grades and all other grades at each prison establishment within the National Offender Management Service on 31 March 2011 is contained in a table I have placed in the House Library.
Information in respect of contracted establishments is provided by individual contractors. Grading structures may vary.
Prisons: Private Sector
Ian Lavery:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) prison custody officers and (b) other
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staff are employed at each private sector prison; what the prison population was at each such prison on 31 March 2011; and if he will make a statement. [55005]
Mr Blunt: Information on the number of prison custody officers and other staff employed at each private sector prison establishment within the National Offender Management Service on 31 March 2011 is contained in the following table. The table also provides prison population figures for each establishment at the end of March.
Information for contracted establishments is provided by individual contractors.
| Prison custody officers, other staff and prison population—private sector establishments—end March 2011 | ||||
| Establishment | Prison custody officer | Other grades | Total staff | Population (1) |
| (1) Population figures are for 25 March 2011 | ||||
International Development
Libya: Overseas Aid
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost to the public purse has been of aid operations in Libya since February 2011; and what proportion of such aid has been distributed (a) through the EU, (b) through UN agencies and (c) bilaterally. [55018]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) has contributed £13.4 million through international humanitarian agencies including the United Nations. This has helped fly home over 12,700 migrant workers from the borders, provided emergency shelter for up to 12,000 people driven out of their homes by the fighting, funded the emergency evacuation of 5,000 people from Misrata, and supplied urgently needed food, medical supplies and medical personnel. DFID has also contributed around £5.25 million through the European Commission (EC). In addition, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has contributed £500,000 to the United Nations Department for Political Affairs for activity to encourage a positive political and stabilisation process in Libya.
Palestinians: Overseas Aid
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department has provided to Palestinian people (a) through the EU, (b) through UN agencies and (c) directly in each of the last three years; and what proportion of such aid went to (i) Palestinian refugees, (ii) Gaza and (iii) the West Bank. [55020]
Mr Duncan: The table shows how much aid the UK has provided to the Palestinian people over the last three years through our imputed share of European Union (EU) aid spending in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs); through UN agencies such as the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), World Food Programme and UN Mines Action Services; and through bilateral programming which includes both financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and various projects across the OPTs,
Our support to Palestinian refugees is provided through UNRWA and helps provide basic services, such as education, health care and social services, to Palestinian refugees across the OPTs, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The figure for UK support to refugees through the EU is estimated from the proportion of EU support to UNRWA relative to its total support to the OPTs.
It is not possible fully to disaggregate UK aid to Gaza and to the West Bank. For example, our financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA), via a World Bank Trust Fund, helps pay for basic services and salaries of public sector workers in both Gaza and the West Bank. The table disaggregates Gaza-specific assistance (such as support for humanitarian and early recovery activity) where it is possible to do so. EU assistance to the OPTs is similarly provided via a variety of instruments, and from the information available it is not possible to disaggregate between Gaza and the West Bank.
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2008 | % | 2009 | % | 2010 | % |
Cabinet Office
Departmental Procurement
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he has made an estimate of the number of (a) ongoing and (b) planned (i) research projects and (ii) statistical data collections that have been cancelled or curtailed across Government since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [53908]
Mr Maude: Information on ongoing and planned research projects and statistical data collections that have been cancelled or curtailed across government since May 2010 is not held centrally. However, I understand that the National Statistician has requested that departments inform her of cessations of statistical outputs and of any consultations around statistical outputs and statistical work programmes and that the UK Statistics Authority are monitoring this.
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of (a) research projects and (b) statistical data collections in evaluating the value for money of public spending; and if he will make a statement. [53909]
Mr Maude: The contribution of research projects and statistical data collections in evaluating value for money of public spending is not held centrally.
Newspaper Licensing Agency: Fees
Martin Horwood: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department has paid in fees to (a) the Newspaper Licensing Agency and (b) the Consumer Licensing Agency in the most recent financial year for which figures are available. [55197]
Mr Maude: License fees paid by the Cabinet Office to the (a) Newspaper Licensing Agency (NLA); and (b) Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) for the most recent year for which figures are available were: (a) £1,176.40 (exc. VAT) to the NLA for the period November 2009-October 2010; and (b) £21,925.00 (exc. VAT) to the CLA for the period July 2009-June 2010.
Sheffield
John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many invitations he has received to visit Sheffield in 2011 to date. [52131]
Mr Maude: I have no record of receiving any invitations to visit Sheffield in 2011.
John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations he has received from individuals and organisations within the Sheffield City region on the coordination of Government policy and its implications for that region. [52132]
Mr Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the list of official meetings by Ministers with external organisations which is published on a quarterly basis, in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he last visited Sheffield in an official capacity. [52139]
Mr Maude: I have not visited Sheffield in an official capacity since the formation of this Administration on 11 May 2010.
Transport
Biofuels: Exports
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on research into Britain's capacity to export biofuel overseas in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [53635]
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Norman Baker [holding answer 3 May 2011]:The Department for Transport has not undertaken research specifically looking at Britain's capacity to export biofuel overseas.
The Renewable Fuels Agency's (RFA) annual reports include a section on the effects of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in the UK, including impacts of the RTFO on UK business. The RFA annual reports can be found at:
http://www.renewablefuelsagency.gov.uk/rtfo
In addition, as part of their Renewable Energy Statistics work, Department for Energy and Climate Change completed research in July 2010 on the UK Production of Biofuels for Transport in 2009. This covered UK production capacity and biofuels end markets.
Departmental Responsibilities
Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the existing workforce of his Department's Shared Service Centre he expects to be required to run the Centre after its privatisation. [54120]
Norman Baker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 4 May 2011, Official Report, columns 760-61W.
Driving Tests
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider the merits of changes to the driving test so that the test is taken in two parts and includes a probationary period; and if he will make a statement. [52772]
Mike Penning: Our learning to drive arrangements already provide for people to train in a protected environment using a provisional licence. Also the driving test is already conducted in two parts, a computer-based theory test and a practical driving test. Research indicates that learner car drivers typically take around a year to qualify.
Our policy is to avoid additional regulation whenever possible, and we would be very concerned about imposing any regulation that reduced the mobility of young people who had acquired their full licence, because of the impact that it would have on their participation in the labour market and in further and higher education.
M5: Worcestershire
Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what noise mitigation measures for the M5 in Worcestershire the Highways Agency has (a) prepared and (b) implemented. [53830]
Mike Penning: In 1999 the Highways Agency prepared a list of locations on the motorway and trunk road network in England most seriously affected by noise. The list was published on 11 November 1999, Official Report, columns 681-83W. No locations on the M5 in Worcestershire were identified.
The management of noise issues is currently being reviewed as a result of the European environmental noise directive, introduced into UK legislation in October 2006 through the environmental noise regulations. The
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lead Department for this is the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The regulations require strategic noise maps and action plans to be prepared for urban areas and major roads, railways and airports. The mapping and action plan process is being undertaken on a five year cycle.
DEFRA published noise maps for England's roads on 16 May 2008 and the corresponding noise action plans were formally adopted by the Secretary of State for DEFRA on 15 March 2010. The action plans set out a framework for managing noise rather than propose specific mitigation measures. They have been designed to identify ‘Important Areas’ that are impacted by noise from major sources and therefore must be investigated. The action plans also require those ‘Important Areas’ that contain ‘First Priority Locations’ to be investigated as a priority.
DEFRA is producing maps of Important Areas, identifying those which include First Priority Locations and those which do not. The Highways Agency will examine these locations over the coming years, taking into account current Government policy on noise mitigation and available funding.
There are 10 First Priority Locations in Worcestershire: three between Junctions 4 and 4a, three between Junctions 4a and 5, one between Junctions 5 and 6, two between Junctions 6 and 7 and one between Junctions 7 and 8.
In the present economic climate, the Highways Agency is not able to take action for noise mitigation reasons alone but, whenever resurfacing of its network becomes due as part of the normal maintenance cycle, a material with quiet noise properties is used. No major maintenance schemes are programmed for Worcestershire in the foreseeable future.
Motor Vehicles: Registration
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment has been made of the effects of the issuing of new vehicle registration documents to stretched limousines which have not passed the single vehicle approval test; [52779]
(2) how many stretched limousines have been issued with a new vehicle registration document that have not previously passed the single vehicle approval test; [52780]
(3) how many stretched limousines issued with a new vehicle registration document have subsequently failed the single vehicle approval test. [52781]
Mike Penning: There are around 7,500 limousines currently on the road. Of these, 175 appear not to have had the evidence required to demonstrate they fully meet the standard provided at the time of their registration. There is no information held on how many of these have since failed a single vehicle approval test.
The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and local authorities have responsibility for enforcing the standards on construction and use of these vehicles on the road. This includes periodic roadworthiness testing, on-road spot checks, operator licensing compliance and local authority licensing standards where the vehicles are used for hire and reward. These arrangements are considered sufficient to mitigate any road safety risks that may be associated with the use of these 175 vehicles.
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Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to inform the owners of stretched limousines about the requirement to pass the single vehicle approval test. [52782]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport does not routinely notify owners of the technical construction requirements to be met prior to registering a vehicle in Great Britain. The relevant regulations are publicly available and manufacturers and importers, or their appointed representatives, usually deal with compliance issues before the owner takes delivery of the vehicle.
In the case of stretched limousines, the Department identified a general lack of awareness by importers and issued Guidance for Operators in early 2008. This is available from the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and the Department's website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/taxis/
Motor Vehicles: Testing
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to requiring motorists to display proof of a valid MOT on their vehicles. [52783]
Mike Penning: The benefits of such a requirement would be outweighed by the costs that it would impose. The Police and Vehicle Operator and Services Agency (VOSA) can already determine whether a vehicle has a valid MOT by checking against the MOT database. In addition, a vehicle must have a valid MOT (if required) for its keeper to be issued with a vehicle excise duty disc.
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Rescue Services: Milford Haven
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many call outs were received by Milford Haven Coastguard in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010. [52788]
Mike Penning: The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Milford Haven co-ordinated responses to the following incidents (those graded as Alert, Distress and Uncertainty):
|
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Number of incidents |
Roads: Accidents
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the average cost to the public purse of a (a) fatality, (b) serious injury and (c) slight injury caused through an accident involving a vehicle in the last year for which figures are available. [53783]
Mike Penning: The values for preventing fatalities and injuries used by the Department for Transport are published in unit 3.4.1. of its transport appraisal guidance (WebTAG), available at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/webtag/documents/expert/unit3.4.1.php
Table 3, as follows, presents the components that make up these values. The direct costs to the public purse comprise medical and ambulance costs, and police costs.
| Table 3: Average value of prevention of road accidents by severity and element of cost—June 2009 | |||||||
| £ | |||||||
| Casualty related costs | Accident related costs | ||||||
| Accident severity | Lost output | Medical and ambulance | Human costs | Police cost | Insurance and admin | Damage to property | Total |
Roads: Lighting
Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made an assessment of the potential (a) financial and (b) carbon savings of (i) a reduction in the density of lighting on main road and motorway routes and (ii) switching off lighting on sections of main road and motorway routes where there is a good safety record and traffic flows during the night are low. [53578]
Mike Penning: The Highways Agency has no plans to reduce the density of lighting (such as turning off every other lamp) on all purpose trunk roads (main roads) or motorways as this can cause patchy lighting and could compromise safety. This can be tiring for motorists and may conceal hazards in the darker patches.
The agency has assessed and implemented switching lighting off between midnight and 5.00am on motorways where there is a good safety record and traffic flows during the night are low. This is delivering up to 40% savings in energy costs and carbon at these locations.
There are no plans to switch off lighting during parts of the night on all purpose trunk roads.
Roads: Safety
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the level of road safety in (a) the London borough of Bexley, (b) Greater London and (c) Kent. [54850]
Mike Penning:
The Department has made no such assessments. However, local authorities do have a duty
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under section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to carry out studies into accidents within their area and to take such measures as appear appropriate to prevent such accidents.
Health
Brain: Injuries
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to improve the provision of long-term care and support for those with brain injuries. [55200]
Paul Burstow: Responsibility for commissioning services to meet the needs of those living with brain injuries lies with local heath bodies and, as brain injury rehabilitation services are classed as a specialised service, they are currently commissioned by the 10 regional groups.
Cancer
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for cancer treatment. [55308]
Paul Burstow: “Improving Outcomes: a Strategy for Cancer”, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, confirmed that the cancer waiting time standards have been retained within the national health service. These standards are in place to ensure patients with suspected cancer and diagnosed cancer are seen and treated within appropriate time scales.
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The standards set out that there should be a maximum wait of 31 days between diagnosis and first definitive treatment for all cancers. The NHS is expected to deliver this in 96% of cases, allowing for patients who do not want to be treated or are unable to be treated within this time scale. In the most recent period for which statistics are available (quarter 3 2010-11), 98.5% of patients received their first definitive treatment within 31 days of diagnosis.
Confectionery: Sugar
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the confectionery industry on the sugar content of their products. [55213]
Anne Milton: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), meets with representatives from the confectionary industry in a wide range of forums.
He has held no discussions recently with the confectionary industry about the sugar content of their products.
London Ambulance Service: Manpower
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) drivers, (b) paramedics and (c) other staff in the London Ambulance Service were employed to provide services direct to the public on 1 April in each year since 2005. [55198]
Mr Simon Burns: Information is not collected in the format requested.
The following table provides the numbers of national health service staff employed in London Ambulance Service NHS Trust by main staff group and by level as at 30 September for each year since 2005.
| NHS hospital and community health services: Staff in the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust by main staff group and by level as at 30 September each year | ||||||
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2005 (1) | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 (2) |
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| n/a = Not applicable. See note 1. (1) In 2006 ambulance staff were collected under new, more detailed, occupation codes. As a result, qualified totals and support to ambulance staff totals are not directly comparable with previous years. (2) The new headcount methodology for 2010 data is not fully comparable with previous years data due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the Census publication here: www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/010_Workforce/nhsstaff0010/Census_Bulletin_March_2011_Final.pdf Notes: It is impossible to separately identify those staff who were 'employed to provide services direct to the public' from the census data. It is assumed that all staff who are not in the 'NHS Infrastructure Support' staff group have some contact with patients or the public. Data Quality: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: The NHS Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census. | ||||||
London Ambulance Service: Redundancy
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many redundancies the London Ambulance Service plans to make from each category of job in 2011-12. [55199]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not collected centrally. The right hon. Member may wish to contact the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust for the information requested.
Medical Treatments: VAT
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to inform those in receipt of disability benefits that they are entitled to buy medical products at zero rate value added tax. [52763]
Maria Miller: I have been asked to reply.
Our Award Notices do not mention benefits or other schemes. Leaflet DLA 95 covers these at pages 6 and 7 (a copy is held in the Library). The leaflet also contains links to the "Direct Government" website, which provides further information.
NHS: Drugs
Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are in place to monitor the implementation of the recommendations in “Best Practice for Ensuring the Efficient Supply and Distribution of Medicines to Patients”, published by his Department in February 2011. [55013]
Mr Simon Burns: “Best Practice for Ensuring the Efficient Supply and Distribution of Medicines to Patients” was published in February jointly by the Medicines Supply Chain Group. The Department carefully monitors data about supply problems to see if patients are being harmed because of delays in the supply of medicines.
NHS: Procurement
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much the NHS plans to spend on procurement in each year from 2012 to 2015; [54929]
(2) how much the NHS spent on medical supplies and equipment in 2010-11; and if he will make a statement; [54930]
(3) what plans he has to review best practice for procurement in the NHS; [54931]
(4) what steps his Department takes to evaluate NHS contracts for supply and delivery of medical supplies and equipment for best value; and if he will make a statement. [54932]
Mr Simon Burns: In 2009-10, the latest year for which figures are available, the national health service spent approximately £37 billion with external suppliers on the procurement of goods and services, of which £16.5 billion is spent by NHS providers (NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts). This £16.5 billion comprises a number of different expenditure categories such as drugs, non-clinical supplies and services, transport and establishment, all of which may include elements of medical supplies and equipment, but the category “clinical supplies and services” will cover most of the purely medical supplies and associated equipment purchased by NHS providers. Expenditure in this particular category for 2009-10 was £4.5 billion.
In future years NHS providers will continue to be free to make their own procurement decisions from within their own budgets. However, efficiencies across the NHS in the region of £15-20 billion by the end of 2013-14 are required under the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention initiative which includes projected efficiency savings of £1.2 billion from procurement by the end of 2013-14. To achieve this the Department has a comprehensive procurement strategy in place based around three key work strands of greater transparency on pricing; promoting and improving the national collaborative bodies such as NHS Supply Chain; and product standardisation and rationalisation.
The National Audit Office published a report on its review of procurement by NHS providers in February 2011. The Department agreed with most of their recommendations, and which are already being addressed by these work strands.
The Department does not make assessments of individual NHS contracts. The role of the Department is on making the tools and information available for the NHS
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to make the best procurement decisions. All NHS bodies must follow their Standing Financial Instructions to ensure that any contracts entered into are value for money and comply with any legal requirements.
Patient Records: Data Loss
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place in NHS hospitals to protect patient records from data loss. [55207]
Mr Simon Burns: The security of patient records is a local responsibility and each national health service body is legally responsible for holding information securely. However, the Department provides comprehensive policy, guidance and supporting tools for security compliance to NHS bodies, including centrally-funded training resources.
The Department has also provided electronic patient record systems that are protected by the highest levels of access controls and other security measures, a secure NHS network for exchanging information that is centrally monitored and strongly protected, and secure NHS e-mail facilities that encrypt all data in transit within the system.
Radiotherapy
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2010, Official Report, column 127W, on radiotherapy, for what reason the national radiotherapy dataset was not published as proposed in April 2011; and when his Department expects to publish the dataset. [55302]
Paul Burstow: Release of the radiotherapy dataset is governed by the Radiotherapy Clinical Information Group (RCIG). The RCIG has decided to produce a report on the dataset collection for 2009-10, which is due for publication in June.
The RCIG is also planning to release the full dataset via the cancer commissioning toolkit (CCT) by the end of year. The CCT gives commissioners access to high quality data about cancer services across the treatment pathway and allows trusts to benchmark their performance against one another.
St Helens and Knowsley Health Authority
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the North West Strategic Health Authority has proposed the tendering of the management of the St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust in the course of its discussions with the Trust on a tripartite agreement. [55023]
Mr Simon Burns
[holding
answer
10 May 2011]: As stated in my reply to the hon. Member for St Helens North (Mr Watts) of 4 May 2011, Official Report, columns 857-58W, the North West Strategic Health Authority has undertaken discussions with St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals National Health Service Trust regarding its progress towards achieving foundation trust status, and did raise a number of options for the trust's long-term future. These ranged from a successful application in their own right including resolution of the private finance initiative issue, a partnership with
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one or more national health service organisations and finally, if all other options were unsuccessful, a public/private partnership. This final option would only be for management with all NHS staff and assets remaining wholly owned by the NHS.
None of these options have yet been agreed as the Tripartite Formal Agreement remains in draft and is being discussed with the Department. When it has been finalised and the agreement has been signed by all parties, the trust will publish the agreement on their website.
Trauma: Health Services
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that best practice in trauma care learnt in Afghanistan is applied in the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [55131]
Mr Simon Burns: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 28 March 2011, Official Report, column 196W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester (Rob Russell).
Education
Children in Care: Standards
Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to improve the standard of children's homes. [54396]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 9 May 2011]:In September 2010 I launched a new sector-led support and challenge programme for children's homes. The aim of this programme is to support the sector itself in developing and sharing evidence of effective practice so that children and young people in children's homes receive the best possible care.
A range of activities is now under way, in close collaboration with local authorities, independent children's homes providers, Ofsted and leading researchers in the field. These include analysing data about children's homes, working with areas which have high concentrations of children's homes to identify features of good and poor practice and commissioning research about the characteristics and needs of the workforce in children's homes. The Department for Education is working closely with partners in the sector to make sure that the learning from this work is shared as widely as possible to support service improvement.
Revised and streamlined regulations, guidance and National Minimum Standards for children's homes came into effect in April 2011. These emphasise the importance of delegating decision making as much and as clearly as possible to children's homes staff, so that they are able to offer children the personal support they need.
Children: Protection
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he plans to take in response to the recommendations of the Munro Review of Child Protection. [55032]
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Tim Loughton: Professor Eileen Munro published the findings of her independent review of child protection, “A Child Centred System” on 10 May 2011. Professor Munro's recommendations are wide-ranging and look at how to re-focus the child protection system on meeting the needs of the child, rather than complying with prescriptive rules and targets.
I welcome Professor Munro's thorough analysis of the issues. It is important that we consider carefully, with professionals themselves, how best to respond to her proposals to bring about the radical, long-term reform needed. I have therefore announced that an implementation working group drawing together key individuals from the social work profession, local government, health, police, education and the voluntary sector will be formed. The Government will work closely with this group to develop a full response to Professor Munro's recommendations before the summer recess.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Nadhim Zahawi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department and its predecessors spent on hospitality for journalists and members of media organisations in each year between 2005 and 2010. [54542]
Tim Loughton: The Department does not hold expenses data to the level requested by the hon. Member as we gather expenditure details under a general hospitality account code. Therefore the information required is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs. However, I can confirm that the Department for Children, Schools and Families held an annual Christmas reception for journalists and media organisations at an approximate cost of £500 per year.
Departmental Pensions
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of his Department's budget he expects to be spent on staff pensions in each of the next five years. [54560]
Tim Loughton: The Department is still in the process of working through the details on the level of work force needed to deliver the coalition Government's education agenda in future years and therefore is not in a position to comment on the amount it will spend on staff pensions in each of the next five years.
Details of staff pension costs to the Department are published annually within the Resource Accounts and available on the Department's website. Information on costs for the last financial year (2010-11) will be available after the first week of July 2011:
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/departmental information/reports/a00390/annual-departmental-reports-accounts-and-spending-reviews
Discretionary Learner Support Fund
Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of young people who will receive funding from the 16 to 19 bursary fund in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14. [53117]
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Mr Gibb [holding answer 3 May 2011]: Around 320,000 young people will receive guaranteed support in the 2011-12 academic year as a result of the measures we announced on 28 March 2011. This includes those who will receive weekly payments under the transitional arrangements, and the estimated 12,000 young people who may be eligible each year for a guaranteed annual bursary of £1,200. Beyond this, the 16-19 bursary fund is discretionary and decisions as to who will be supported and to what level will be made by schools, colleges and training organisations.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Nadhim Zahawi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what the average annual payment to recipients of education maintenance allowance eligible for payment at £30 per week was in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; [54288]
(2) how many and what proportion of recipients of education maintenance allowance received less than £800 a year in the last year for which figures are available; [54284]
(3) what the average number of weekly payments was to recipients of education maintenance allowance in the last year for which figures are available; [54283]
(4) what the average annual payment was to recipients of education maintenance allowance in the most recent year for which figures are available; [54282]
(5) what the average number of weekly payments was to recipients of education maintenance allowance who were eligible for the top rate of £30 per week in the last year for which figures are available. [54281]
Mr Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.
Education: Finance
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding he has allocated for the provision of top-up bursaries to students in receipt of education maintenance allowance who will receive a smaller or no award in 2011-12. [53652]
Mr Gibb: A total of £115.5 million will be allocated in the academic year 2011-12 to schools, colleges and training providers for discretionary bursaries. This will allow schools, colleges and training providers to: pay guaranteed bursaries to young people in vulnerable groups; pay discretionary bursaries to young people starting courses in 2011-12; and to provide ‘top up’ support from the discretionary fund to young people covered by the education maintenance allowance transitional arrangements where necessary. The amounts paid under each of these categories will depend on local circumstances.
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether people in receipt of a 16-19 education bursary will be able to have their payment paid directly into a bank account; and what discussions he has had with representatives of banks on the scheme. [54012]
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Mr Gibb: Under our proposed arrangements for the 16-19 bursary fund, schools, colleges and training providers will have discretion to make arrangements for paying bursaries to students in ways that best fit individual needs and circumstances.
We are consulting on the details of the bursary fund and will work with the Association of Colleges, Sixth Form Colleges Forum and others to consider the arrangements, including the handling of cashless payment systems. The Department has not held any discussions with representatives of banks relating to the scheme.
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the continuation of bursary funding in 2012-13 for those in the second year of study. [54720]
Mr Gibb: The most vulnerable young people will be eligible to receive a bursary of £1,200, regardless of which year of study they are in. In all other cases schools, colleges and training providers will be able to exercise their discretion to award 16-19 bursaries to young people in ways that best fit local needs and circumstances, including determining the approach that should be taken to young people in their second year of study.
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether local authorities will be required to provide data to further education and sixth form colleges to enable them to assess the eligibility for discretionary learner support and bursaries of 16-year-olds applying to enrol at an institution in September 2011 in respect of students (a) in receipt of free school meals in year 11, (b) from a household with a low income, (c) in care and (d) in receipt of income support. [54880]
Mr Gibb: We will not require local authorities to provide data to further education and sixth form colleges in respect of young people’s eligibility for the new 16-19 bursary fund. We will provide guidance to schools, colleges and training providers regarding the kind of evidence they might wish to seek from young people claiming a guaranteed £1,200 bursary. Beyond that, schools, colleges and training providers will be able to exercise their discretion to award bursaries to young people—including those who were in receipt of free school meals in year 11—in ways that best fit their needs and circumstances.
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with banks on provision of bank accounts for 16-year-olds who are to receive bursaries. [54881]
Mr Gibb:
We have had no discussions with banks on the provision of bank accounts for 16-year-olds who are to receive bursaries. Arrangements for young people to open bank accounts were discussed at the time of the introduction of the education maintenance allowance and are unchanged by the announcement of the 16-19 bursary fund. Young people aged 16 are able to open a basic bank account, which is offered by 16 members of the British Bankers Association. This account will allow for receipt of the bursary, including by cashless means, and will allow funds to be withdrawn via ATMs as well as via standing orders and direct debits where necessary.
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In the summer of 2011 the Money Advice Service will be publishing an interactive tool on their website which will allow young people to find out the forms of identification that are accepted by each bank offering the basic bank account.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Education by what mechanism he expects schools to transfer funds to students in respect of 16-19 bursaries. [55039]
Mr Gibb: Under our proposed arrangements for the 16-19 bursary fund, schools, colleges and training providers will have discretion to award bursaries to students in ways that best meet individual needs and circumstances.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements his Department plans to put in place to facilitate the transfer of funding for 16 -19 bursaries to schools and colleges. [55040]
Mr Gibb: The Young People's Learning Agency will make allocations for the 16-19 bursary fund to schools, colleges and training providers following the end of the formal consultation on the new arrangements, which includes a question on the proposed methodology for allocating the funding. The consultation closes on 20 May 2011.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures his Department plans to put in place to evaluate the 16-19 bursary scheme. [55046]
Mr Gibb: Currently schools, colleges and training providers with an allocation of discretionary learner support funds are required to provide management information to the Young People's Learning Agency. We expect that this arrangement will continue for the 16-19 bursary fund, allowing us to monitor its introduction. In addition we are considering how best to evaluate the impact of the new arrangements.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to issue guidance to colleges and schools on implementation of the proposed 16-19 bursary scheme. [55047]
Mr Gibb: The Young People's Learning Agency, who will be responsible for the operation of the new 16-19 bursary fund, will issue short, focused guidance to schools, colleges and training providers after the end of the formal consultation on the new arrangements.
Free School Meals
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what evidence of demand for school places his Department requires to be submitted by schools wishing to be approved as free schools. [54228]
Mr Gibb: The criteria for assessing the evidence of demand in a free school application are set out in the ‘how to apply’ form, which is available on the Department’s website at:
http://education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/freeschools/a0074965/applying-to-become-a-free-school
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Further Education: Inspections
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what basis he would request an inspection of a (a) further education and (b) sixth form college which is judged outstanding by Ofsted under the powers proposed in clause 41 of the Education Bill. [53118]
Mr Gibb: The power proposed in clause 41 of the Education Bill exists across a number of inspection remits. There is a similar power in respect of school inspections, boarding welfare inspections and education inspections of independent schools. The power has been used extremely rarely in relation to schools and we envisage that it will only be used in exceptional circumstances for colleges. We expect this to be in cases where, for example, the Secretary of State has significant concerns about an institution.
Music: Education
Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future of the music grant beyond 2012. [53267]
Mr Gibb: The Government will announce the future of music funding when we publish the National Plan for Music Education later this year.
Pupils: Work Experience
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding his Department is providing for the administration associated with arranging work experience placements for secondary school students. [54825]
Mr Gibb: In future, in line with our policy of giving greater autonomy to schools, it should be up to schools to determine whether and how work experience is provided.
Schools: Sports
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools received funding from his Department for the promotion of schools sports in Wells constituency in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; and what the type of school was in each such case. [55049]
Tim Loughton: All maintained schools in the Wells constituency received additional funding for PE and sport in both 2009-10 and 2010-11. These schools are listed by school type in the following table.
| School type | School name |
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Special Educational Needs: Finance
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what constitutes a severe disability for the purposes of assessing the award of a 16-19 bursary; and whether colleges will be expected to verify receipt of disability living allowance in determining an award. [53650]
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Mr Gibb: Disabled young people who are in receipt of income support will be eligible to receive a guaranteed bursary of £1,200. Other disabled young people will be able to apply for a bursary from their school or college. We are consulting on the details of the new arrangements and will work with the Association of Colleges and Sixth Form Colleges Forum and others to consider how schools, colleges and training providers might identify those students who would benefit from support under the proposed arrangements.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to respond to question 53332, on the bursary fund in the North East, tabled on 21 April 2011 for answer on 27 April 2011. [55070]
Mr Gibb: A response was issued to the hon. Member on 9 May 2011, Official Report, column 966W.
Home Department
Crime: Drugs
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were (a) arrested and (b) charged with possession of class (i) A, (ii) B and (iii) C drugs in each police force area in each year since 1997. [53419]
James Brokenshire: The number of arrests for “drug offences” is published within the Home Office Statistical Bulletin ‘Police Powers and Procedures’. It is not possible to separately identify what class of drugs these arrests were for. Convictions are published by the Ministry of Justice in their ‘Criminal Statistics’ publication. Current and previous copies of these publications are available from the Library of the House.
Driving Offences
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many roadside checks for (a) speed, (b) use of seat belts and child restraints, (c) vehicle safety and roadworthiness and (d) driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs each police force carried out in each of the last 12 months. [53485]
James Brokenshire: In relation to parts (a) to (c) of the question and drug testing of part (d), these data are not collected. The number of breath tests conducted as well as the number of Vehicle Defect rectification scheme notices issued by the police is published as part of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin ‘Police Powers and Procedures’. Current and previous copies of these publications are available from the Library of the House.
Police: Prison Accommodation
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions her Department has used police cells to hold immigrants in each police force area in each year since 1997; and what the average rate paid per night by her Department to each police force for the use of such accommodation was in each such year. [53516]
Damian Green:
Information on the number of occasions in which immigrants have been held in police cells during the period 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2010
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is shown in Table 1 to be placed in the House Library. The rates at which the various police authorities charged the UK Border Agency for the use of police cells during the 2010-11 financial year are shown in Table 2. Historic costs are not readily available and it would involve disproportionate costs to establish them.
All those that are arrested on suspicion of an immigration offence, i.e. have not already been served immigration papers, are to be taken to a designated PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence) custody suite. The agency would normally only use police cells for one night, with a normal maximum of two nights. In exceptional cases a detainee may spend up to five nights continuously in a police cell (seven nights if removal directions have been set within 48 hours) if, for instance, the individual is awaiting transfer to more suitable UK Border Agency or Prison Service accommodation and the police are content to maintain detention.
| Table 2: Police authority charge rates for police cells 2010-11 | |
| Police authority | Charges per 24 hrs (£) |
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Prevent Review
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to publish her review of the Prevent strategy. [54879]
Mrs May: A thorough and detailed review was required to ensure that Prevent works as well as possible. The review and new strategy will be published shortly.
Visas: Kunai Doshi
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to decide on the application for a long stay visa from Mr Kunai Doshi, case reference number D1145300. [55285]
Damian Green: Given the personal nature of this inquiry and public nature of the response, I am unable to divulge any details of the individual case. If my hon. Friend would like to write to me on this matter, I would be willing to respond in a more substantive manner.
Treasury
Apprentices
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely number of work experience places he expects to be created in each (a) region, (b) local authority and (c) parliamentary constituency in each of the next four years, following his decision to fund an additional 80,000 work experience places; and how many work experience places in total he expects there to be in each such case in each such year. [54603]
Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply.
The Department has not set expectations for, or determined likely volumes of Work Experience placements by locality. Jobcentre Plus District Managers will assess, on an ongoing basis, the requirement for placements in their locality based on customer needs and the local labour market. The Department plans to publish official statistics for the number of starts for work experience placements. This is expected to be from autumn 2011 enabling us to ensure that our statistics are accurate and robust and that we adhere to the guidelines set by the UKSA.
Child Tax Credit: Overseas Residence
David T. C. Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was paid in child tax credits to people domiciled outside the UK in each of the last three years. [55068]
Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 5 May 2011, Official Report, column 914W.
12 May 2011 : Column 1318W
Economic Situation
David Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the likelihood of a double-dip recession. [54893]
Danny Alexander: The UK returned to positive growth in the first quarter of this year. The Government have always been clear that the recovery will be choppy, but the independent Office for Budget Responsibility and all other credible forecasters, including NIESR released just last week, are very clear that the UK recovery will continue.
Financial Services Compensation Scheme
Mr Swayne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received regarding the decision not to distinguish between providers and intermediaries in respect of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme interim levy fee; and if he will make a statement. [53685]
Mr Hoban: The Government receive representations on various issues from a wide range of stakeholders. Rules governing the levies imposed on members of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme are made by the Financial Services Authority, which is independent of the Government
Financial Stability Board: Investments
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what representations he has made to the Financial Stability Board on exchange traded funds; [55134]
(2) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the regulatory framework in the London markets in respect of exchange traded funds. [55135]
Mr Hoban: The Government are aware of the recent developments in the exchange traded funds industry and is working closely with the FSA and Bank of England to analyse the risks associated with these products.
The Financial Stability Board has carried out analysis of the exchange traded funds market at the request of its members. The UK is a member of the Financial Stability Board and is supportive of further analysis in this area.
Fuels: Prices
Alun Cairns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 4 April 2011, Official Report, column 724-5W, on fuels: prices, if he will publish the pump price data collected by his Department. [55136]
Justine Greening: Energy price statistics including weekly fuel prices are published by the Government under the statistics tab of the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s website at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/
Open source data is also available from:
www.petrolprices.com
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Members: Correspondence
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight of 8 April 2011, ref. 1/91445/2011. [53936]
Justine Greening: HMRC plans to reply to the hon. Member on or before 16 May 2011 on behalf of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Pensions: Private Sector
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of people were contracted (a) in and (b) out of defined benefit pension schemes in 2010. [53068]
Danny Alexander [holding answer 28 April 2011]:There are estimated to be 26.6 million jobs in the UK. The number of employees that are members of contracted out defined benefit pension schemes is 6.8 million or around 25% of employees. The number of individuals that are not members of contracted out defined benefit schemes is 19.8 million or around 75%.