Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children of each ethnicity achieved A* to C GSCE grades in English, mathematics, one language, two sciences and history or geography in 2010. [54898]

Mr Gibb: The information requested is in the following table.

Achievements at GCSE for pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 by ethnicity in 2009/10 (1,2) , coverage: England, maintained schools {including Academies and CTCs)
  Number of pupils achieving A*-C grades in:

Number of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 English (3) Mathematics Language (4) At least two sciences (5) Either History or Geography English (3) Mathematics, Language (4) , at least two sciences (5) and either History Geography

White

477,313

316,446

296,878

128,368

218,704

155,692

73,668

White British

456,606

303,923

284,344

118,832

209.939

149,435

70,124

Irish

2,006

1,495

1.391

715

1.111

921

503

Traveller of Irish Heritage

123

36

30

4

16

11

*

Gypsy/Roma

534

89

72

26

34

18

*

Any Other While Back ground

18,044

10,903

11,039

8,791

7,604

5,307

3,038

               

Mixed

16,040

12,280

11,161

5,515

8,150

5,375

2,823

White and Black Caribbean

6,430

3,975

3,368

1.239

2,227

1,359

548

White and Black African

1,693

1,166

1,062

559

745

474

237

White and Asian

3,516

2.657

2,554

1,387

2,019

1,385

834

Any Other Mixed Background

6,401

4,432

4,177

2.330

3.159

2,157

1,204

               

Asian

42,440

28,654

28,300

14,778

20,478

12,698

6,606

Indian

13,099

10,419

10,253

5,841

8,292

5,300

3,176

Pakistani

16,273

9,823

9,352

4,558

6,155

3,827

1,682

Bangladeshi

6,495

4,202

4,089

1,667

2,718

1,565

603

Any Other Asian Background

6,573

4,210

4,596

2,692

3,313

2,006

1,145

               

Black

24,163

15,186

13,792

5,883

8,858

5,322

2,160

Black Caribbean

8,033

4,823

4,074

1,389

2,526

1,426

544

Black African

13,372

8,706

8,243

3,773

5,393

3,349

1,394

Any Other Black Background

2,758

1,657

1,475

721

939

547

222

               

Chinese

2,236

1,730

2,032

1,531

1,556

1,040

763

               

Any Other Ethnic Group

6,616

3,977

4,158

3.098

2,795

1,638

920

Unclassified(6)

7,251

4,665

4,370

2,127

3,186

2.332

1,170

13 May 2011 : Column 1379W

13 May 2011 : Column 1380W

All pupils

578,059

382,938

360,689

161,300

263,727

184,097

86,110

* = Figures not shown in order to protect confidentiality. (1) Final Data. (2) In 2010 iGCSEs, accredited at lime of publication, have been counted as GCSE equivalents and also as English and mathematics GCSEs. (3) Highest grade achieved in English, English Studies or English Language. (4) Covers the following GCSE languages: French, German, Spanish. Danish, Dutch, Italian, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Urdu, Persian. (5) The two sciences can be either; (i) Double science GCSE or (ii) GCSE Science (Core or Applied) plus GCSE Additional Science or Applied Additional Science or GCSE Land and Environment or (iii). At least two of the following subjects: Physics GCSE, Chemistry GCSE and Biological Science GCSE. (6) Includes pupils for whom ethnicity or first language was not obtained, refused or could not be determined. Source: National Pupil Database

Health Education: Sex

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 5 April 2011, Official Report, columns 779-80W, on health education: sex, when he plans to place copies of the information in the Library; if he will send a copy of the information to the hon. Member for Southend West; and if he will make a statement. [55298]

Tim Loughton: The information requested was placed in the House Libraries on 11 May 2011, and a copy has been sent to the hon. Member.

Higher Education: Admissions

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of schools in Coventry sent at least one pupil to the university of (a) Oxford and (b) Cambridge in each of the last 13 years. [54951]

Mr Willetts: I have been asked to reply.

Information has been supplied by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and is in the following table.

Schools in Coventry with applicants accepted to full-time undergraduate courses at Oxford university or university of Cambridge via UCAS
  Oxford university University of Cambridge
Year of entry Number of schools with acceptances Percentage of schools with acceptances Number of schools with acceptances Percentage of schools with acceptances

2001

2

25

3

38

2002

2

25

2

25

2003

2

25

1

13

2004

3

38

1

13

2005

3

38

2

25

2006

1

13

2

25

2007

2

25

3

38

2008

2

25

3

38

2009

2

25

3

38

2010

2

25

3

38

Source: UCAS

Schools have been identified as those with a postcode in the Coventry North East, Coventry North West and Coventry South parliamentary constituencies. Other kinds of centres have not contributed to this analysis. Only schools from which UCAS received applications in the cycle concerned have contributed to the proportion calculation. Data for earlier years have not been provided as the necessary reference data are not available.

Members: Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to reply to the letter of 17 March 2011 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton transferred from the Chancellor of the Exchequer with regard to Mr Nyongo. [54782]

Tim Loughton: The right hon. Member’s letter of 17 March was responded to on 5 May. Please accept my apologies for the delay.

Business, Innovation and Skills

Regulation

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the Government intends to exempt any regulations from the moratorium on new domestic regulation for small businesses announced in the 2011 Budget. [55174]

Mr Prisk: We expect the moratorium to be applied to all new regulations unless a compelling case is put forward for a waiver. At present no waivers have been agreed for regulations planned for commencement on 1 October.

A small number of regulations were exempted from the micro-business moratorium at the 4 April common commencement date, either because excluding micro-businesses would completely undermine the policy intention or because exclusion would not be meaningful in policy terms. These were:

Migration Cap—Introducing an annual limit on the number of non-EU economic migrants admitted into the UK to live and work (Tier 1, 2 and 4);

Travel Concession Schemes Regulations (Transport Act 1985);

Equality Act 2010 (application of Seafarers);

Competition Act 1998 (Land Agreement Exclusion Revocation);

Flood Risk Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee (England) Regulation.

13 May 2011 : Column 1381W

Departmental Information Officers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many press officers his Department employs. [55333]

Mr Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) currently employs 27.3 press officers.

This includes one press officer shared between, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Trade and Investment and BIS. This excludes one press officer working in BIS but employed by the Intellectual Property Office.

Private Rented Housing: Regulation

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 3 May 2011, Official Report, column 669W, on private rented housing: regulation, whether (a) sole traders and (b) partnerships are included in the Government's definition of a micro business. [55266]

Mr Prisk: I can confirm that both sole traders and partnerships with fewer than 10 employees are included in the definition of a micro business.

UK Trade & Investment: AssetCo

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether staff of UK Trade & Investment have provided (a) advice and (b) support to AssetCo plc; in which years such advice and support was given; and what the total cost to the public purse was of such advice and support. [54889]

Mr Prisk: Records show that UKTI assisted AssetCo in 2008, 2010 and 2011. Information on the nature of any support given to individual companies UKTI assists is commercially sensitive and held in confidence.

Culture, Media and Sport

National Lottery

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what information his Department holds on the criteria Camelot applies in considering existing businesses with lottery terminals when deciding whether to introduce further such terminals to a locality; and whether his Department issues guidance on this matter; [55630]

(2) what information his Department holds on the criteria to be met for Camelot to install a lottery terminal in (a) a supermarket and (b) other business premises; [55631]

(3) if he will direct (a) his Department and (b) the National Lottery Commission to investigate the process whereby Camelot allocates lottery terminals to (i) supermarkets and (ii) small retailers; [55633]

(4) what regulations govern the allocation by Camelot of new lottery terminals to (a) independent retailers and (b) supermarkets. [55634]

13 May 2011 : Column 1382W

John Penrose: Decisions on the selection of National Lottery retailers are a matter for Camelot in line with the requirements of its licence to operate the National Lottery. This includes an obligation to:

“ensure that fair and clear criteria are specified and applied for retailers to qualify for selection and deselection (and) make the criteria available on request.”

The National Lottery Commission is responsible for checking that criteria are in place and are reasonable. I understand that the Chair and Chief Executive of the National Lottery Commission have met the hon. Member to discuss this issue and would be happy to discuss any further concerns with her. I have no plans to look at the process of allocation of lottery terminals at this time.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what representations (a) his Department and (b) the National Lottery Commission have received on the practices of Camelot in allocating lottery terminals to supermarkets. [55635]

John Penrose: According to departmental records, in addition to the representations from the hon. Member, the Department received two representations from Members of Parliament on behalf of constituents about the allocation of National Lottery terminals to nearby supermarkets or multiples in the last financial year. Over the same period, the National Lottery Commission received 14 representations, on behalf of applicants for National Lottery terminals, about Camelot’s allocation of terminals. We do not hold information on whether these were specifically about the allocation of terminals to supermarkets.

Television: Local Broadcasting

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many organisations have submitted to his Department expressions of interest to operate the new national television spine supporting local television. [55577]

Mr Jeremy Hunt: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has received 21 expressions of interest from organisations specifically interested in operating a network channel to support local TV.

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport by what date he expects the first local television stations to begin broadcasting. [55578]

Mr Jeremy Hunt: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Structural Reform Plan states that the first local services are to be licensed by summer 2012. The services are then expected to start broadcasting following this, most likely from 2013 onwards.

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what plans he has for future development of local television services; [55579]

(2) what progress has been made on the bidding process for a new national television spine to support local television; and if he will make a statement. [55581]

13 May 2011 : Column 1383W

Mr Jeremy Hunt: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is currently analysing responses to the local media action plan. I will make a statement once this work has been completed.

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much resource his Department has allocated to manage the bidding process for a new national television spine. [55580]

Mr Jeremy Hunt: As a bidding process is not yet under way, no resource has been allocated.

Communities and Local Government

Departmental Pensions

Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of his Department's budget he expects to be spent on staff pensions in each of the next five years. [54557]

Robert Neill: The proportion of the Department's budget to be spent on employer contributions to staff pensions in each of the next five years will be determined by whatever changes are agreed to the Principal Civil Service scheme following the recommendations in the Button Review.

When the civil service pension arrangements were reformed in 2009, a commitment was made to share future increases (and decreases) in scheme costs between active scheme members and employers and to cap the average employer contribution at 20% (currently 18.9%) of pay. Changes will take effect from April 2012.

Housing: Construction

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to announce details of his proposed pilot land auctions; and if he will make a statement. [54133]

Robert Neill [holding answer 5 May 2011]: The Government announced in “The Plan for Growth” published at Budget 2011 that they will pilot the land disposal elements of the land auction model. The details of the pilot will be announced in due course.

The land auctions model seeks to capture a greater share of the land value uplift created by the granting of planning permission than is currently the case. This may bring a number of benefits compared to the current system of allocating land for development, potentially making significantly more land available for development, increasing competition and bringing greater certainty and reduced risks for developers. It would work alongside existing mechanisms such as the community infrastructure levy. The model would generally involve local authorities auctioning planning permission on parcels of land, owned either by the public sector or private landowners who want to participate.

Local Government Resource Review

Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to complete the review of the funding formula as part of the local government resource review. [55576]

13 May 2011 : Column 1384W

Robert Neill: The terms of reference of the Local Government Resource Review were set out in a written statement on 17 March 2011, Official Report, column 19-21WS. The Government intend to set out their proposals for consultation in due course.

Ordnance Survey: Southampton

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the total gross cost to the public purse is of the Ordnance Survey's new offices at Adanac Park, Southampton. [50993]

Robert Neill: The cost of the new offices to Ordnance Survey was £43.6 million.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Bahrain: United Arab Emirates

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the inventory of (a) military and (b) other equipment that the United Arab Emirates contributed to the Gulf Co-operation Council force sent to Bahrain in March 2011. [54827]

Alistair Burt: We have seen no evidence that the United Arab Emirates have contributed anything other than a military contingent and their personal equipment.

Departmental Buildings

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) name and (b) address is of each building owned by his Department; and what the estimated monetary value is of each such building. [53804]

Mr Lidington: In the United Kingdom, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) owns three properties:

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office

King Charles Street

London SW1A 2AH

(value: £105 million)

Old Admiralty Building

London SW1A 2PA

(value: £57 million)

and

Hanslope Park

Milton Keynes

MK19 7BH

(value of whole site; £22 million)

Overseas, the names and addresses of all public FCO buildings are available on the FCO website at:

www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/find-an-embassy

Providing a break-down of which are owned and which of these are rented could be done only at disproportionate cost.

The names and addresses of non public-facing properties (eg staff residential properties overseas) are generally not disclosed by the FCO since putting such addresses into the public domain may put staff at greater risk of terrorism or other criminal activity.

13 May 2011 : Column 1385W

The FCO estate is valued annually by professional chartered surveyors, and the latest total market values of properties, aggregated by country, are contained in the following table. The FCO does not publish its current valuations of individual buildings, since this information is commercially sensitive and could prejudice the FCO's ability to extract best value for the UK taxpayer in negotiations with third parties.

The FCO does, however, recognise that the sensitivity of such valuations diminishes over time, and the Department contributes to the centrally published asset values produced by HM Government. The latest figures can be found in the 2007 National Asset Register Chapter 10, pages 417-421, where a list of all FCO owned properties valued in excess of £1 million was last published. The link is:

http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm70/7022/7022.pdf

FCO estate summary by country 2010 (figures rounded to nearest £10,000)
Property valuations summed by country
Directorate Country Value at September 2010 (£)

Africa Directorate

Angola

14,850,000

Africa Directorate

Botswana

2,010,000

Africa Directorate

Cameroon

500,000

Africa Directorate

Congo

6,060,000

Africa Directorate

Ethiopia

160,000

Africa Directorate

Gambia

2,740,000

Africa Directorate

Ghana

8,700,000

Africa Directorate

Ivory Coast

840,000

Africa Directorate

Kenya

16,470,000

Africa Directorate

Malawi

3,110,000

Africa Directorate

Mauritius

4,680,000

Africa Directorate

Mozambique

2,070,000

Africa Directorate

Namibia

1,910,000

Africa Directorate

Nigeria

26,040,000

Africa Directorate

Rwanda

570,000

Africa Directorate

Senegal

4,570,000

Africa Directorate

Seychelles

970,000

Africa Directorate

Sierra Leone

2,280,000

Africa Directorate

South Africa

12,940,000

Africa Directorate

Sudan

5,170,000

Africa Directorate

Tanzania

11,520,000

Africa Directorate

Uganda

9,890,000

Africa Directorate

Zambia

5,540,000

Africa Directorate

Zimbabwe

8,980,000

     

Americas Directorate

Antigua and Barbuda

90,000

Americas Directorate

Argentina

28,300,000

Americas Directorate

Barbados

4,610,000

Americas Directorate

Belize

1,280,000

Americas Directorate

Bolivia

1,410,000

Americas Directorate

Brazil

6,840,000

Americas Directorate

Canada

36,370,000

Americas Directorate

Chile

7,790,000

Americas Directorate

Colombia

3,180,000

Americas Directorate

Costa Rica

1,320,000

Americas Directorate

Ecuador

1,510,000

Americas Directorate

Falklands

360,000

Americas Directorate

Guatemala

3,920,000

Americas Directorate

Guyana

1,120,000

Americas Directorate

Jamaica

6,690,000

Americas Directorate

Mexico

6,380,000

Americas Directorate

Montserrat

1,540,000

Americas Directorate

Panama

2,850,000

13 May 2011 : Column 1386W

Americas Directorate

Peru

9,510,000

Americas Directorate

St Lucia

390,000

Americas Directorate

St Vincent and Grenadines

0

Americas Directorate

Trinidad and Tobago

990,000

Americas Directorate

United States

132,480,000

Americas Directorate

Uruguay

4,100,000

Americas Directorate

Venezuela

6,100,000

     

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Australia

31,980,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Burma

2,960,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Fiji

1,430,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Hong Kong

115,080,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Indonesia

19,750,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Japan

26,780,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Korea

40,780,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Laos

1,330,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Malaysia

27,620,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

New Zealand

7,830,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Papua New Guinea

2,750,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Philippines

11,630,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Singapore

46,780,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Solomon Islands

450,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Thailand

158,850,000

Asia and Pacific Directorate

Vietnam

1,960,000

     

Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate

Armenia

1,910,000

Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate

Georgia

6,810,000

Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate

Kazakhstan

0

Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate

Russian Federation

1,570,000

Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate

Tajikistan

360,000

Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate

Ukraine

4,080,000

     

European Directorate

Albania

1,680,000

European Directorate

Austria

15,660,000

European Directorate

Belgium

14,290,000

European Directorate

Bulgaria

3,730,000

European Directorate

Cyprus

10,490,000

European Directorate

Czech Republic

6,290,000

European Directorate

Denmark

7,760,000

European Directorate

Estonia

650,000

European Directorate

Finland

17,450,000

European Directorate

France

129,000,000

European Directorate

Germany

32,620,000

European Directorate

Greece

30,670,000

13 May 2011 : Column 1387W

European Directorate

Holy See

500,000

European Directorate

Hungary

3,930,000

European Directorate

Iceland

610,000

European Directorate

Irish Republic

7,970,000

European Directorate

Italy

68,070,000

European Directorate

Latvia

1,450,000

European Directorate

Lithuania

1,880,000

European Directorate

Luxembourg

2,700,000

European Directorate

Macedonia

210,000

European Directorate

Netherlands

11,690,000

European Directorate

Norway

16,720,000

European Directorate

Poland

26,630,000

European Directorate

Portugal

10,830,000

European Directorate

Romania

5,380,000

European Directorate

Serbia

3,690,000

European Directorate

Slovakia

3,940,000

European Directorate

Slovenia

470,000

European Directorate

Spain

8,570,000

European Directorate

Sweden

22,550,000

European Directorate

Switzerland

49,140,000

European Directorate

Turkey

16,390,000

     

Home Estate

United Kingdom

184,710,000

     

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Algeria

13,500,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Bahrain

12,600,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Egypt

50,000,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Iran

89,050,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Iraq

0

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Israel

9,970,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Jerusalem

4,010,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Jordan

9,780,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Kuwait

40,790,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Morocco

4,350,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Oman

11,040,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Qatar

0

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Saudi Arabia

23,120,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Syria

1,910,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Tunisia

4,850,000

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

United Arab Emirates

0

Middle East and North Africa Directorate

Yemen

4,090,000

     

South Asia and Afghanistan Directorate

Bangladesh

120,000

South Asia and Afghanistan Directorate

India

61,310,000

South Asia and Afghanistan Directorate

Nepal

220,000

South Asia and Afghanistan Directorate

Pakistan

31,230,000

13 May 2011 : Column 1388W

South Asia and Afghanistan Directorate

Sri Lanka

17,830,000

     

Global

All countries total

2,042,480,000

Embassies: Buildings

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent in the last two years on improvements to embassy and high commission properties in each country in each of the last two years. [54599]

Mr Lidington: Improvements to properties are partly funded by budgets devolved to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's network of overseas posts, so the information is available only in the form requested at disproportionate cost.

Shoaib Assadullah

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Afghan Government on the case of Shoaib Assadullah; and if he will make a statement. [55262]

Alistair Burt: We have worked with the international community to raise this case with the Afghan Government.

We continue to remind the Afghan Government of their duty to abide by their national and international commitments on freedom of religion and belief.

Sri Lanka

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with UN counterparts on the UN Panel of Experts report on Sri Lanka. [55311]

Alistair Burt: Since its public release, we have discussed the report and recommendations with our UN counterparts, including the need for concrete action by the Sri Lankan Government on the recommendations. We have consistently called for an independent and credible investigation to address the allegations of war crimes committed by both sides in the military conflict and have urged the Government to respond constructively to the report.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recent report of the UN Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka. [55312]

Alistair Burt: We welcome the UN Panel of Experts report to the UN Secretary-General on the issue of accountability for alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by both sides during the military conflict in Sri Lanka. The serious nature of the

13 May 2011 : Column 1389W

allegations in the report make clear that this issue must be resolved before lasting reconciliation can be achieved in Sri Lanka. We are studying the recommendations and report carefully, and urge the Sri Lankan Government to use it as a means to promote national reconciliation.

West Africa: Piracy

Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the threat to UK shipping from piracy off the coast of West Africa. [55079]

Mr Bellingham: The levels of attacks and incidents of violence linked to piracy and armed robbery off the coast of West Africa has increased slightly, with eight actual or attempted attacks reported in the first quarter of this year alone, compared to six the previous year. To mitigate this risk, we are supporting the International Maritime Organisation and the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) to increase the integration of their coastguard functions through closer co-ordination and information-sharing. The UK will continue to provide assistance in co-ordination with international partners to build the maritime security capacity of regional countries in response to multiple maritime security challenges. We also welcome strongly the offer made by Ghana, with the assistance of the shipping industry, to host a Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre to provide information and warnings to commercial shipping travelling in the region.

Treasury

Corporation Tax: Businesses

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average value to businesses of his decision to reduce the main rate of corporation tax to 26% with effect from April 2011. [54609]

Mr Gauke: The total cost to the Exchequer in 2011-12 of the reduction in the main rate of corporation tax from 28% to 26% is £855 million. Around 85,000 companies will benefit from the change.

The full fiscal impact of the reductions in the main rate of corporation tax announced in the March 2011 Budget are shown in Table 2.1 (page 42) of the “Budget 2011” document published by HM Treasury on 23 March 2011. The impact of the reductions announced in June 2010 can be found in Table 2.2 (page 44).

A link to the full document is given here:

http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_complete.pdf

Debts: Developing Countries

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is taking steps to encourage his counterparts (a) in the US Administration and France and (b) other members of the Paris Club to introduce legislation similar to the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010. [55451]

13 May 2011 : Column 1390W

Mr Gauke: The Government have decided to make the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010 permanent. The draft order was laid before Parliament on 28 March 2011.

The UK has shared information regarding UK legislation with Paris Club members and will continue to share its experience of addressing non-participation in debt relief with all members of the Paris Club.

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is taking steps to encourage (a) Jersey and (b) other British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories to introduce legislation in line with the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010. [55452]

Mr Gauke: The Government have decided to make the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010 permanent. The draft Order was laid before Parliament on 28 March 2011.

The UK will share its experience of addressing non-participation in debt relief with Britain's Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories.

Departmental Manpower

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what efficiency savings will be required of the Valuation Office Agency in each of the next four years; and what changes in staffing levels are planned. [54303]

Mr Gauke: The Valuation Office Agency is net-funded by its clients for the services provided. Therefore its forecast funding depends on the future requirements of its major clients and an estimate of work likely to be obtained through competitive tenders in its Commercial Services work. Its forecast work over this period also includes the cyclical non-domestic rating revaluation which comes into effect on 1 April 2015. The current forecast funding for the next four years shows cumulative real terms efficiency savings of:

Percentage

2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

Excluding revaluation 2015

4.6

11.3

19.5

21.0

Including revaluation 2015

4.6

8.4

9.7

13.6

Total staff numbers will also depend on final client requirements. The current overall forecast staff requirement in full-time equivalent terms is:


Number

2011-12

3,559

2012-13

3,506

2013-14

3,545

2014-15

3,441

Excise Duties: Fuels

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2011, Official Report, column 1166W, on excise duties: fuel, if

13 May 2011 : Column 1391W

he will submit an application to the European Commission for implementation of a five pence per litre discount on fuel duty for remote rural areas of North Yorkshire. [55035]

Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 May 2011, Official Report, column 680W.

Members: Correspondence

Mr Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons the letter of 20 April 2011 from the hon. Member for Walsall North regarding changes to public sector pensions has not yet been transferred to another Department. [55622]

Danny Alexander: The case was transferred to the Department for Communities and Local Government on 11 May.

Public Sector: Pay

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what arrangements he has put in place in connection with the payment of £250 salary increases to lower-paid workers employed by the Government; [55632]

(2) pursuant to paragraph 2.18 of the June 2010 Budget, HC 61, what definition of (a) public sector and (b) workforces was used in the June 2010 Budget; and in what circumstances public sector workers earning £21,000 or less may not receive a pay increase. [54555]

Mr Gauke: The Government have announced a two-year pay freeze from 2011-12 for public sector work forces, except for those earning £21,000 or less, who will receive an increase of at least £250 per year.

This policy applies to work forces under ministerial control including the civil service and work forces with pay review bodies: doctors and dentists, NHS Agenda for Change, teachers, the armed forces and prisons. The Home Secretary determines police officer pay, taking into account the Police Negotiating Board's recommendations and the Government's policy on public sector pay.

Other work forces have responsibility for negotiating their own pay deals.

Radio Frequencies

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether funding granted to wireless microphone owners towards the cost of replacing redundant channel 69 equipment will be classified as a grant for tax purposes; and if he will make a statement; [52861]

(2) what effect funding granted to wireless microphone owners towards the cost of replacing redundant channel 69 equipment will have on a company's corporation tax liability; and if he will make a statement; [52862]

(3) what discussions his Department has had with (a) Ofcom, (b) HM Revenue and Customs and (c) industry representatives on the tax treatment of funding to wireless microphone owners towards the

13 May 2011 : Column 1392W

cost of replacing redundant channel 69 equipment; and if he will make a statement. [52863]

Mr Gauke: Following receipt of these questions HM Treasury officials have discussed, with HMRC, the main corporation tax consequences of Ofcom's grants to companies following the relocation of users of channel 69. Where the amount is compensation paid for surrender of wireless equipment, then the amount will be taken into account in calculating the disposal value of the equipment for the purposes of making capital allowance or corporate gains calculations. Otherwise, receipt of the payment will generally be revenue, which will be taken into account in calculating the company's taxable profits.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2011, Official Report, column 529W, on telephone services, how many telephone calls staff in the Debt Management Telephone Centre unit of HM Revenue and Customs (a) received from and (b) made to customers on 24 April 2011. [54859]

Mr Gauke [holding answer 9 May 2011]: HMRC's Debt Management Telephone Centre handled 116 inbound and made 79 outbound telephone calls on Sunday 24 April 2011.

Taxation: Personal Income

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the average change to the level of income in (a) real terms and (b) cash terms as a result of his decision to increase the personal income tax allowance with effect from 5 April 2011; [54578]

(2) how many people have been affected (a) nationally, (b) in each region and (c) in each local authority by his decision to increase the personal income tax with effect from April 2011; [54606]

(3) what estimate he has made of the number of people in each (a) region and (b) local authority who will no longer pay income tax following the decision to increase the personal income tax allowance with effect from April 2011. [54608]

Mr Gauke: The June 2010 Budget announced a £1,000 cash increase in the personal allowance for under 65s to £7,475 in 2011-12 (£820 above the previous Government's plans), with the benefits focused on individuals on low and middle incomes through accompanying changes to the basic rate limit and national insurance upper earnings and profit limits.

For basic rate taxpayers aged under 65 this represents a £164 real terms and £200 cash benefit.

As a result of these measures, the Government estimate that 22.6 million basic rate taxpayers will benefit in 2011-12, among which 830,000 of the lowest income taxpayers will be removed from tax altogether. Information at Government office region is provided in the following table.

13 May 2011 : Column 1393W

Thousand
Government office region Basic rate gainers Number taken out of income tax

North East

973

35

North West and Merseyside

2,520

100

Yorkshire and the Humber

1,880

74

East Midlands

1,670

59

West Midlands

1,990

71

East of England

2,060

76

London

2,700

103

South East

3,040

98

South West

1,990

71

Wales

1,070

41

Scotland

2,000

67

Northern Ireland

612

23

Address abroad/unknown

142

11

All

22,600

830

These estimates are based on the 2007-08 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook.

Reliable estimates are not available at the local authority level, due to greater uncertainties in projections for small geographical areas and small sample sizes.

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people who will no longer be eligible to pay income tax following his decision to increase the personal income tax allowance in April 2012 in each (a) region and (b) local authority area; [54600]

(2) what estimate he has made of the change to the level of income in (a) real terms and (b) cash terms following his decision to increase the personal income tax allowance for those aged under 65 years by £630 in April 2012; [54601]

(3) what estimate he has made of the number of people (a) nationally, (b) in each region and (c) in each local authority who will be affected by his decision to increase the personal allowance for those aged under 65 years in April 2012. [54607]

Mr Gauke: The 2011 Budget announced a £630 cash increase in the personal allowance for under 65s to £8,105 in 2012-13 (£240 above indexation), with an equivalent reduction in the basic rate limit to leave the higher rate threshold unchanged.

13 May 2011 : Column 1394W

For taxpayers benefiting from the personal allowance increase this represents a £48 real terms and £126 cash benefit. Those on incomes above £116,210 will pay £48 more in real terms and £126 in cash terms.

As a result of these measures, the Government estimates that 25 million taxpayers will benefit in 2012-13, among which 260,000 of the lowest income taxpayers will be removed from tax altogether. Information at Government Office Region is provided in the following table.

Thousand
Government Office Region Gainers Number taken out of income tax

North East

1,020

10

North West and Merseyside

2,680

28

Yorkshire and the Humber

2,000

26

East Midlands

1,820

18

West Midlands

2,140

25

East of England

2,350

25

London

3,170

30

South East

3,560

32

South West

2,170

24

Wales

1,130

10

Scotland

2,190

21

Northern Ireland

646

9

Address abroad/unknown

157

3

All

25,000

260

These estimates are based on the 2007-08 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook.

Reliable estimates are not available at the local authority level, due to greater uncertainties in projections for small geographical areas and small sample sizes.

Taxpayers

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely number of income tax payers in 2011-12. [54979]

Mr Gauke: Projected income taxpayer numbers in 2011-12 are published in Table 2.1 “Number of individual income taxpayers by marginal rate, gender and age, 1990-91 to 2011-12”, available on the HMRC website at the following address:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/table2-2.pdf