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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Crops: Genetically Modified Organisms
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has undertaken of whether Bt proteins from genetically modified crops can survive the human digestive system and pass into the blood supply; and if she will make a statement. [58067]
Anne Milton: I have been asked to reply.
In the European Union, genetically modified (GM) foods undergo a pre-market evaluation that includes the safety of components introduced into GM crops, such as Bt proteins. The safety of Bt proteins has also been assessed during the authorisation of pesticides that contain the microorganism Bacillus thuringiensis. The assessment of the Bt proteins that are present in authorised GM foods is based on tests in animals and does not include human trials to examine whether the proteins pass into the blood supply. However, the available data from in vitro tests have shown that Bt proteins are rapidly broken down by digestive enzymes in the same way as most other proteins in the diet.
Dangerous Dogs
Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to respond to her Department's consultation on (a) proposals for compulsory microchipping and (b) other proposals in its consultation on dangerous dogs. [58045]
Mr Paice: We will shortly announce measures to tackle them and make our streets safer.
Responses to the proposals in the DEFRA dangerous dogs consultation, held last year, were strongly divided with primary concerns being whether the bans on specific dog breeds were the best approach to reduce dog attacks, and how to deal promptly and effectively with those that allow their dogs to be a nuisance to others.
There has not been a public consultation on compulsory microchipping.
DEFRA is working closely with the Home Office on the antisocial behaviour dimension to the dangerous dogs issue. The Home Office have run a public consultation on proposals to replace and streamline the measures to
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tackle antisocial behaviour. The new, flexible, tools proposed would replace 18 formal powers currently in use, including those applicable to dogs. The consultation ended on 17 May and the responses are now being analysed.
Appliances: Energy
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on encouraging the implementation of (a) energy efficiency and (b) energy labelling standards for all major energy-consuming appliances. [57323]
Richard Benyon: The Government are fully committed to raising energy efficiency standards for products, and encouraging consumers and businesses to buy the most efficient products available. Removing the least efficient products from the market remains one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing CO2 emissions, and benefits consumers and businesses by reducing their energy bills. The UK is at the forefront of negotiating ambitious yet achievable minimum energy performance and labelling standards in Europe for the highest energy-consuming appliances. Government recently launched a campaign with retailers to promote a better understanding of the EU Energy label among consumers.
In addition to minimum energy performance and labelling standards agreed in Europe, DEFRA, along with the Energy Saving Trust, has launched a voluntary retailer initiative for televisions, which encourages retailers to remove the least efficient products from their shelves ahead of legislative requirements and promote best in class products. The UK is also working closely with industry on an EU-wide voluntary code of conduct on data centres.
Our enforcement authority, the National Measurement Office, works with businesses to ensure these energy efficiency measures are adhered to.
Food Production
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the food production industry is comprised of small and medium-sized enterprises. [58134]
Mr Paice: Small and medium enterprises are those where the number of employees is between 0 and 249.
As a percentage of the total number of enterprises in the manufacture of food products and beverages sector, 98% are small and medium enterprises.
Based upon turnover of the manufacture of food products and beverages sector, 26% are small and medium enterprises.
The breakdown of these figures is shown in the following table.
| 2010 UK | ||||||
| Number | Percent | |||||
| Enterprises | Employment ( 1,000) | Turnover ( £ million) | Enterprises | Employment | Turnover | |
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| (1 )"With no employees" comprises sole proprietorships and partnerships comprising only the self-employed owner-manager(s), and companies comprising of only one employee director. (2) Numbers for beverages not included in order to avoid disclosure of confidential data Note: Numbers of enterprises are rounded, in order to avoid disclosure. Consequently, the "All Enterprises" and "All Employers" totals may not exactly match the sum of their parts. Source: BIS Enterprise Directorate Analytical Unit | ||||||
Food: Waste
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regulations govern the provision by retail outlets and restaurants of items of food past their sell-by date to homeless people and charitable organisations. [57518]
Mr Paice: There are no specific regulations which cover the provision of food to homeless people or charities.
However businesses should be aware of the following.
The Food Safety Act 1990 (as amended) provides the framework for all food legislation in Britain—similar legislation applies in Northern Ireland. This provides food safety requirements to prevent food being food sold or given away by a food business that would be injurious to health or unfit for consumption.
The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (as amended) require that all pre-packed foods carry a durability indication, either a ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date. It is against the law to supply food for human consumption past the ‘use by’ date as the safety of the food is likely to be compromised. Food can be supplied after the ‘best before’ date, as long as the food is fit for consumption and not injurious to health.
‘Sell by’ dates are voluntary markings by retailers and as such there are no regulations covering their use.
Most of the provision in the Food Labelling Regulations do not apply to catering establishments, including providing date marks. However, the Food Safety Act requirements still apply and the food would have to be safe.
Forests
Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements she has put in place to ensure the protection and continuation of existing permissive access rights under any prospective sale of Forestry Commission land. [58033]
Mr Paice: All new sales of the public forest estate have been suspended until the Government have considered the recommendations from the Independent Panel on Forestry.
Infectious Diseases: Herbal Medicine
Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the treatment of echinococcus multilocularis following the implementation of the EU Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products. [57308]
Mr Paice: I have not received any representations regarding the treatment of animals against Echinococcus multilocularis with respect to the implementation of the EU directive on traditional herbal medicines, which primarily relates to human health and therefore falls to the Department of Health.
Livestock: Transport
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information regarding animal welfare (a) on the journey and (b) at the final destination is requested by the Animal Exports Division of her Department before authorisations for exports are granted. [57912]
Mr Paice:
The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) is responsible for checking the application for a journey log which has to be submitted by the transporter for any consignment of major livestock species or domestic equidae that are to be exported on
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journeys lasting over 8 hours. The application must provide, among other things, details of the length of the journey including any statutory rest periods. Once AHVLA is satisfied that the journey will meet all of the necessary EU legal requirements, it is approved. The journey log must then accompany the consignment on the journey to the final destination. The journey log must be returned by transporters to AHVLA following completion of the journey. AHVLA undertakes checks of returned journey logs to ensure the journey was completed as planned, (or if deviations occurred, these were justifiable) and that no infringements of the EU legislation took place.
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the regulation of the export of live animals. [57913]
Mr Paice: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mrs Moon) on 3 May 2011, Official Report, columns 610-11W.
Pets: Animal Welfare
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on pet cat containment fences; and if she will make a statement. [57618]
Mr Paice: No such research has been commissioned by DEFRA.
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on banning the use of cat containment fences. [57619]
Mr Paice: Any restriction on the use of containment fences would require new legislation to be introduced. If the Government were to propose new legislation to ban the use of containment fences, there would be a public consultation exercise to provide the opportunity for interested individuals and organisations to provide their comments on the Government's proposals. All comments received would then be carefully considered before the introduction of any such legislation.
Rain Forests: Brazil
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Brazil on the deforestation of the Amazon region and its likely effects on the environment; and if she will make a statement. [57489]
Mr Paice [holding answer 7 June 2011]: The Secretary of State visited Brazil in April and held constructive discussions with the Government to discuss deforestation and the associated biodiversity loss, with particular reference to the Amazon and Cerrado.
Trapping
Cathy Jamieson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 February 2011, Official Report,
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column 710W, on trapping, whether she has set a date for publication of the report; and if she will make a statement. [57730]
Mr Paice: We still expect to publish the report in 2011 but it remains the case that no firm date has yet been set.
Communities and Local Government
Fire Services: Finance
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what the (a) highest, (b) average and (c) lowest percentage change is in estimated revenue spending power for fire services in England between 2011 and 2013; [58222]
(2) what the percentage change in estimated revenue spending power will be for the West Midlands Fire Service between 2011 and 2013. [58223]
Robert Neill: Overall, single purpose fire and rescue authorities will see a change in their estimated revenue spending power of -2.2% in 2011-12 and -0.5% in 2012-13. Information on the percentage changes in estimated revenue spending power for individual authorities can be found on the DCLG website at:
2011-12:
http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/spannexas.xls
2012-13:
http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/spannexbs3.xls
West Midlands Fire Service
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received on changes to the formula grant for West Midlands Fire Service. [58220]
Robert Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Westminster North (Ms Buck) on 24 May 2011, Official Report, columns 687-88W.
Homelessness
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration he has given to the balance between community empowerment and preventing opposition to any kind of local development in planning and allocating (a) homeless and (b) other services under the provisions of the Localism Bill. [57718]
Greg Clark: With regard to planning, where the last Government tried to deliver development through imposition from above, this Government will do so through participation and involvement on the ground. Our reforms will enable people to shape development in their local area, and share in the benefits of growth, to deliver the development the country needs.
With regards to homelessness, the Localism Bill does not change the duty on local housing authorities to secure suitable accommodation for households who are
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eligible for assistance, homeless through no fault of their own and in ‘priority need’. The Bill's provisions give local authorities flexibility to end the homelessness duty with offer of suitable accommodation in private rented sector.
With regards to other services, the community right to challenge will enable communities to express an interest in running a local authority service which, where accepted, will lead to a procurement exercise for the service.
Local Enterprise Partnerships
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what process his Department undertook in determining the awarding of the contract to run the national representative body for local enterprise partnerships to the British Chambers of Commerce; [57859]
(2) what arrangements he plans to put in place to ensure transparency in the funding of the national representative body for local enterprise partnerships; [57860]
(3) whether he assessed the merits of alternative options for the operation of a network of local enterprise partnerships before awarding the work to the British Chambers of Commerce; [57861]
(4) what process his Department undertook to determine the cost to the public purse of establishing a national local enterprise partnership network run by the British Chambers of Commerce; [57862]
(5) if he will publish the final business case made to his Department by the British Chambers of Commerce for the operation of the national local enterprise partnership network. [57863]
Robert Neill: The British Chambers of Commerce offered to run a network of local enterprise partnerships and submitted a proposal to support this offer. The Government have chosen the British Chambers of Commerce as the preferred option to run the network because, with its existing extensive network and capability across the country, it is ideally placed to provide the capability and support that partnerships need to achieve their economic ambitions.
The Department is not procuring this service but will support this activity led by British Chambers of Commerce. No grant agreement is yet in place and any funding awarded will be subject to a satisfactory funding agreement which will be dependent on the quality of their final business case and is subject to the Department's normal funding arrangements.
Subject to the necessary redactions to protect sensitive personal and commercial information, we shall publish their final business case.
The British Chambers of Commerce is committed to working closely with other business organisations to ensure that the network is a success. We hope other business organisations will engage constructively in this work going forward.
Public Sector Pensions
Mr Winnick:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to respond to the letter of 20 April 2011 concerning public sector pensions sent by the hon. Member for
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Walsall North of 20 April to the Treasury; and for what reasons the letter was transferred to his Department. [57735]
Robert Neill: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 23 May 2011. The letter was transferred as my Department has policy responsibility for the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales.
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2011, Official Report, column 345W, on the arts, when the project into quantifying the economic benefit of the arts and cultural sector will be completed; and if he will publish the report of the project; [58129]
(2) whether he has plans to commission a study on the value of the arts to (a) the economy and (b) society. [57893]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is currently in a scoping phase regarding the project aimed at providing a framework for quantifying the economic contribution of the Department’s sectors, including arts and culture. Once this scoping phase is completed, we will be in a position to decide whether this work will be undertaken internally or commissioned externally. Once complete, the outputs of this work will be published on the DCMS website.
This project is focused on economic contribution. A few strands of work have been completed on the value of arts to society. Research produced through the Department’s CASE programme considers the value of culture in terms of engagement. This can be found at the following link:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/research/CASE-value-summary-report-July10.pdf
The Arts Council did a large scale consultation in 2007 on the value of arts, the details of which can be found at the following link:
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/about-us/research/public-value-programme/arts-debate-findings/
A report was written for the Department on the measurement of the value of culture and this was published in December 2010. This can be found at the following link:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/7660.aspx
BBC
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will initiate discussions with the BBC Trust on steps to assist in ensuring that any BBC cost-saving measures are targeted at making efficiency savings. [57576]
Mr Vaizey: How the BBC implements cost-saving measures is a matter for the BBC but I encourage them to avoid any reduction in its core services as was agreed during the licence fee negotiations.
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Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the scope is of potential changes that can be made to the governance of the BBC in advance of charter renewal. [58024]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: Any changes would be made within the framework of the BBC Charter and Agreement.
Henley Review
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what meetings he has had with the Secretary of State for Education to discuss the Henley review of cultural education; [58042]
(2) when the Henley review on the future of cultural education will report. [57895]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: The independent review of cultural education was announced on the 8 April 2011 and Ministers have asked Darren Henley to produce his final report by the end of the year.
Discussions between my Department and the Department for Education are on-going.
S4C
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he received a request from (a) members of the Welsh Government or (b) the Secretary of State for Wales between 6 May and 20 May 2011 to meet to discuss issues relating to S4C. [57466]
Mr Vaizey: We are not aware of any requests from Members of the Welsh Government or the Secretary of State for Wales between 6 and 20 May 2011 to meet the Secretary of State to discuss issues relating to S4C.
Video Games
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to implement recommendations of the Byron Review relating to assistance to parents to restrict children's access to games which are not suitable for their age. [57246]
Mr Vaizey: The Government are currently working with a number of key organisations on the detail of making statutory the Pan European Games Information scheme for games aimed at those aged 12 or over. This accords with the recommendations made by Tanya Byron in her report “Safer Children in Digital World”. It is vital that we are satisfied that the arrangements that we are putting in place work for industry, regulators, those involved in enforcement, and, especially, for parents.
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Committee
Surveys
Priti Patel:
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority how many (a) opinion polls and (b) surveys IPSA (1) has commissioned since
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its establishment; and what estimate has been made of the cost to the public purse of each such activity; [57625]
(2) is planning to conduct in the next 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of each such activity. [57626]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated June 2011:
As acting Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about opinion polls and surveys planned and conducted by IPSA.
Since IPSA began operations in May 2010 it has conducted one public opinion poll and one external online survey as part of the first Annual Review of the MPs' Expenses Scheme. The opinion poll was part of a regular omnibus poll conducted by an independent polling company at a cost of approximately £2700. The online survey was created by IPSA staff using commercial software, at a one-off cost of £1169 (with one-off web hosting cost of £464). This software has subsequently been used for a website usability survey and may be used to conduct future external surveys.
At this stage, IPSA does not have specific plans for future external surveys or opinion polling, although we would anticipate periodically carrying out research into public opinion in relation to the work of IPSA.
Justice
Departmental Trade Unions
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff of (a) his Department, (b) HM Courts and Tribunals Service, (c) HM Land Registry, (d) the National Offender Management Service, (e) the National Archives and (f) the Office of the Public Guardian were entitled to work (i) full-time as trade union representatives and (ii) part-time on trade union activities in (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11; how many such staff were paid more than £25,900 annually; and what the cost was to the public purse of employing such staff on such duties. [58224]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 23 May 2011, Official Report, columns 407-408W.
Facilities Agreements between the Ministry of Justice and the Trade Union Sides follow the provisions of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and the ACAS Code of Practice “Time off for Trade Union Duties and Activities” available at:
http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2391
These departmental agreements are in the process of being reviewed, and more recent data cannot currently be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
Drugs: Rehabilitation
Nicola Blackwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost of a drug rehabilitation requirement was in the latest period for which figures are available; how many such requirements are in force; how many such requirements made in respect of
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persons
(a)
of each sex and
(b)
each age group were (i) made, (ii) successfully completed and (iii) breached by non-compliance in each of the last three years. [58144]
Mr Blunt: The drug rehabilitation requirement (DRR) is the primary means for sentenced offenders to address their drug misuse as part of a community order or suspended sentence order. The costs of the DRR cover treatment, which is funded by drug (and alcohol) action teams (D(A)ATs) in England, and the costs of managing the requirement by local probation trusts.
Significant local variations in D(A)AT commissioning practice and costs of treatment modalities have made it difficult to establish the average cost of the treatment element of a DRR.
Detailed work to cost the services funded by NOMS estimates the average direct cost of supporting a DRR. This is the cost per completion at different levels of intensity for different lengths of requirement, each of which relate to the seriousness of the offence and the extent of the offender's needs.(1) The estimates are as follows, and are contained in published information which has been placed in both Libraries.
| Table 1: Cost per completion ("does cost ") of DRR by type and length | |||
| £ | |||
| Intensity | |||
| DRR duration (months) | Low | Medium | High |
The most recent analysis of the case load found that on 31 December 2010 there were 8,114 community orders with a DRR and 3,127 suspended sentence orders with a DRR in force.
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The following table shows the number of DRR commencements, successful completions, and revocations for non-compliance following breach proceedings broken down by age and gender in each of the last three years for which full information is available(2). Data on the number of applications made for a summons or warrant to return the offender to court for breach are not collected centrally by type of requirement.
The proportion of offenders successfully completing DRRs rose from 47% in 2008-09 to 56% in 2009-10(3). This is encouraging because we know from research relating to the drug treatment and testing order (DTTO), which was replaced by the DRR, that offenders who complete orders have significantly lower reconviction rates (53%) than those that do not (91%)(4), although it is not possible to attribute this difference entirely to the programme.
NOMS recently undertook a delivery review of DRRs which recommended the overhaul of starts and completion targets with clear outcome focused measures.
(1) The DRR can be used for low, medium and high sentencing bands. The amount and intensity of the drug treatment delivered under the DRR can be tailored to individual treatment needs regardless of the seriousness of the offence. The content and duration of the total community order should provide the overall restriction of liberty which is commensurate with the seriousness of the offence.
(2) These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
(3) Ministry of Justice {2010) National Offender Management Service Annual Report 2009/10: Management Information Addendum. London: Ministry of Justice.
(4) Hough, M., Clancy, A., McSweeney, T. and Turnbull, P.J. (2003) The Impact of Drug Treatment and Testing Orders on offending: two year reconviction results. Home Office Research Findings No. 184. London: Home Office.
| Number of drug rehabilitation requirements (DRRs) commenced, successfully completed and revoked for failure to comply 2008-10 | |||||||||
| Male | |||||||||
| 18-20 | 21-24 | 25-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60+ | All | ||
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| Female | ||||||||||
| 18-20 | 21-24 | 25-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60+ | All | Total | ||
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Homicide: Convictions
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions for offences of (a) murder, (b) rape and (c) unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor there have been in each year since 1997; and what proportion of such convictions followed a guilty plea at the first instance in each such year. [57979]
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Mr Blunt: Defendants pleading guilty at the Crown court for either, murder, rape or sexual activity with a child, the total number of offenders found guilty for these offences and the proportion of convictions where a guilty plea was given, England and Wales 1997 to 2010 are shown in the table.
It is not possible to determine from the Ministry of Justice court proceeding database at what stage a defendant pleaded guilty or not guilty.
| Defendants pleading guilty at the Crown Court for either, murder, rape or sexual activity with a child, the total number of offenders found guilty for these offences and the proportion of convictions where a guilty plea was given, England and Wales 1997 to 2010 (1,2) | ||||||||||||||
| Offence and outcome | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Prior to 2003 sexual activity with a child was classed as unlawful sexual intercourse with a child under Sexual Offences Act 1956. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice | ||||||||||||||
Treasury
Banks: Regulation
Chris Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what sanctions he has considered introducing in the event that the banks participating in Project Merlin do not meet their lending targets; [58230]
(2) what sanctions Ministers and officials of his Department and representatives of the banking sector discussed imposing in the event that banks participating in Project Merlin did not meet their agreed lending targets during the negotiations for that agreement. [58232]
Mr Hoban: On 9 February, the Chancellor announced a new commitment by the UK’s biggest high street banks on lending expectations and capacity. As part of this commitment, the banks intend to lend £190 billion of new credit to businesses in 2011, up from £179 billion in 2010. If demand exceeds this, the banks will lend more. £76 billion of this lending will be to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is a 15% increase on 2010 lending of £66 billion.
The commitment to make new lending to SMEs is part of the performance metrics of each bank’s chief executive and those of the senior managers responsible for SME lending. The Government reserve the right to
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return to this issue and take further measures if the banks fail to live up to their commitments.
Carbon Emissions
Martin Horwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the analysis underlying the decision to set carbon price support at the level (a) announced in the 2011 Budget and (b) proposed in the preceding consultation. [57938]
Justine Greening: The consultation asked for views on how best to implement a carbon price floor, including how the Government should determine future market prices of carbon upon which to base carbon price support rates. The consultation used the Government’s long-term carbon price forecast as an illustration.
The Government published their response to the consultation on 30 March 2011, confirming that a market-based approach would be used to determine carbon price support rates as this was the option preferred by respondents.
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/carbon_price_floor_consultation_govt_response.pdf
Child Care Tax Credit
Ms Buck: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the number of households that are entitled to assistance with childcare costs through tax credits received in excess of 80 per cent. of the maximum permissible amount; [57928]
(2) what estimate he has made of the proportion of households receiving above 80 per cent. of the maximum permissible amount of childcare costs through tax credits in (a) each region, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales; [57929]
(3) what the maximum any household received as a proportion of the maximum permissible amount of childcare costs was in the latest period for which figures are available. [57930]
Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her on 26 April 2011, Official Report, column 224W.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on incentives on single parents to work of the end of childcare tax credit. [58136]
Mr Gauke: When estimating changes to marginal deduction rates, it is reform to the tax and benefit system as a whole that is important to households, rather than certain subsets of it.
Parents, including lone parents, currently receive support to pay for childcare through the childcare element of working tax credit. In addition, the Government maintained free early learning for three and four year olds, and extended 15 hours a week of free early education and care to all disadvantaged two year olds from 2012-13.
The new universal credit will replace the current complex system of means-tested working age benefits with an integrated payment over the next two Parliaments, reducing fraud and error and ensuring that work pays. The universal credit will improve financial work incentives
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by ensuring that support is reduced at a consistent and managed rate as people return to work and increase their working hours and earnings.
The Government are working with key stakeholders, drawing on their expertise, to establish which options will best support parents to meet the costs of childcare in the future within or alongside universal credit. Details of the new proposal will be set out shortly.
Departmental Legal Costs
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [54634]
Justine Greening: The Department has not incurred any costs for damages in the last three years. Details of payments made in relation to claimant costs and defendant costs for civil claims brought against the Department during the past three years are set out in the following table.
| £ | |||
| Financial year | |||
| Nature of payment | 2010-11 | 2009-10 | 2008- 0 9 |
Devolution: Scotland
Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what matters were discussed during his meeting with the First Minister on 23 May 2011; and what his policy is on the Scottish Government's request to (a) bring forward and increase borrowing powers under the Scotland Bill, (b) devolve the Scottish Crown Estate and (c) devolve corporation tax to the Scottish Parliament. [57899]
Danny Alexander: UK Government Ministers held a series of constructive meetings with the First Minister of Scotland on 23 and 24 May, at which a range of matters were discussed. Any further announcements will be made to Parliament in due course in the context of Scotland Bill.
Devolution: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he received requests for meetings from (a) members of the Welsh Government or (b) the Secretary of State for Wales between 6 May and 20 May 2011 to discuss public expenditure in Wales. [57467]
Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives from a wide range of organisations in the public and private sector. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.
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Double Taxation: Israel
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the UK-Israel convention on double taxation is applied to (a) income tax and (b) company tax levied by Israel on individuals or companies based in settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories or the Golan Heights. [57958]
Mr Gauke: The 1962 Double Taxation Convention between the UK and Israel does not apply to individuals or companies in the Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories or the Golan Heights.
Financial Services Compensation Scheme
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reason is for the time taken to commence the review of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. [57922]
Mr Hoban: It is essential that the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) is able to pay out compensation to all eligible policyholders. Without certainty of payout, consumer protection is substantially weakened. It is therefore vital that the FSCS is able to raise resources in a range of circumstances to compensate consumers effectively.
The rules governing the FSCS are set by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), which has commenced a review of the funding model of the FSCS. They will proceed to a formal consultation and cost benefit analysis once discussions on European directives affecting compensation arrangements have been concluded and the Government's policy on the future role of the FSCS in the context of reform of the regulatory architecture for financial services has been settled.
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what discussions he has had with the Financial Services Authority on the potential effect on insurance brokers of the increase in the levy for the Financial Services Compensation scheme; [58046]
(2) what assessment he has made of the potential effects on insurance brokers of the increased levy under the Financial Services Compensation scheme. [58141]
Mr Hoban: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 126W.
Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property
Jason McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much accrued to the Exchequer from empty property business rates in the last 12 months. [57952]
Mr Gauke: The Government do not hold information on the amount of business rates raised from empty properties in England.
The Government publish data on empty property rate relief, received by owners of empty non-domestic properties. The latest figures can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1824788.xls
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Revenue and Customs: Complaints
Damian Hinds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints (a) his Department and (b) HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) received on the operation of HMRC in respect of (i) service levels, (ii) timeliness of response, (iii) clarity of communications and (iv) other matters; and what categories are used to classify such complaints. [56387]
Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs maintains a complaints database to help the Department understand why complaints are made and act to address this. Within the database, complaints are assigned to one of the following core categories: delay, staff conduct, process/system, policy/legislation, communication, misleading advice, loss/damage, mistake/error, compensation/costs claim and discrimination. HMRC categorises complaints when they are resolved, rather than when they are received.
For the year 2010-11 HMRC resolved 76,438 complaints of which 22,185 were categorised as ‘delay’ and 10,632 were categorised as ‘communication’. HMRC does not categorise complaints under a heading of “service levels”.
Smuggling: Northern Ireland
Mr Donaldson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints HM Revenue and Customs has received on the use of vehicle stop and search powers in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years and how many such complaints have been upheld. [55769]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 16 May 2011]: No complaints have been received in Northern Ireland in the last four years as a result of our stop and search powers.
Mr Donaldson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations HM Revenue and Customs received from political parties in Northern Ireland (a) in the 12 months prior to and (b) during its review of vehicle stop and search powers. [55770]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 16 May 2011]: HMRC received one MP's letter for NI which was in December 2010 from the right hon. Member asking about the cessation of our stop and search powers in Northern Ireland.
Mr Donaldson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many detections HM Revenue and Customs made as a result of the use of vehicle stop and search powers in each of the last five years. [55771]
Mr Gauke: In the period April to October 2010, 41 detections were made as a result of the stop and search powers in Northern Ireland. The use of the powers was suspended in October 2010.
Mr Donaldson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse incurred in training HM Revenue and Customs officers in Northern Ireland in the use of vehicle stop and search powers in each of the last five years. [55772]
8 Jun 2011 : Column 327W
Mr Gauke [holding answer 16 May 2011]: Costs for training HMRC officers in the use of stop and search powers in NI over the last five years were £4,200. These were incurred in 2009-10 and no other expenditure has been incurred on this training in the last five years.
VAT: Insurance
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the future of the exemption from value added tax for outsourced insurance-related services in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [53111]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 3 May 2011]: Discussions concerning an EU Commission Proposal that would modernise the VAT exemption for financial and insurance services have taken place at the Council of Ministers Working Party level for several years and are continuing under the Hungarian presidency. These have included the issue of the VAT treatment of outsourcing in the insurance sector. The matter was discussed by Ministers as part of an overall orientation debate on the dossier at the November 2010 ECOFIN.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Burma: Politics and Government
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Burmese Government following reports of a breach of the ceasefire agreement with the Shan State Army; and if he will make a statement. [57978]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The Government are deeply concerned by the reported breakdown of a ceasefire agreement with the Shan State Army North (now known as the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army) that has led to renewed conflict in Shan State. Our ambassador to Rangoon raised the issue of the ongoing conflict with the Burmese Government on 10 May 2011 underlining the importance of a political solution. Senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials made the same point to the Burmese Ambassador to the UK on 5 May 2011. We continue to monitor the situation and urge the Burmese Government to engage in genuine dialogue with ethnic groups and work towards a peaceful solution.
Departmental Equality
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a public address on diversity in his Department. [57297]
Mr Bellingham: In line with our obligations under the Equality Act 2010, the Department will be publishing diversity information by 31 December 2011.
Lord's Resistance Army
Jeremy Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Governments of (a)
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the Democratic Republic of Congo,
(b)
Uganda and
(c)
Rwanda on the activities of the Lord’s Resistance Army. [57289]
Mr Bellingham: We have regularly discussed the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) with key partners, including the Governments of Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and UN Peacekeeping Operations in the region. These discussions, which have taken place bilaterally, at the International Working Group (IWG) on the LRA and at the UN Security Council, have been with a view to helping to improve co-ordination amongst those countries and organisations that are working to reduce the threat posed by the LRA to civilians in the region.
Discussions have covered the joint military effort to pursue the remaining LRA units in DRC, Central African Republic and South Sudan; work by UN agencies on disarming, demobilising and repatriating LRA combatants; and the work of UN agencies and non-governmental organisations to provide humanitarian relief to LRA- affected areas.
Uganda: Politics and Government
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with his Ugandan counterpart the treatment of the opposition leader Kizza Besigye and unarmed civilians during recent protests in that country. [57851]
Mr Bellingham: I have directly raised the UK's concerns over the Ugandan authorities’ handling of the ongoing opposition protests with Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa. Our High Commission in Kampala, along with other EU member state missions, has raised our concerns directly with President Museveni. Our High Commission has also raised concerns with the Ugandan Prime Minister and Inspector General of Police.
The UK and its partners have urged the Ugandan authorities to respect their peoples' constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful exercise of the freedoms of speech and assembly, and that the police should respond proportionally to instances of unrest amongst demonstrators.
Northern Ireland
Manpower
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff were employed in each directorate of his Department in 2009-10. [57907]
Mr Paterson: The number of staff employed by the Northern Ireland Office in 2009-10 is recorded in the departmental report for this period. The information can be found on page 13 of the Report. We do not hold information on the number of staff recorded by directorate in 2009-10.
http://www.nio.gov.uk/nio-pubs-search-results?start=20 &category=Departmental_Reports&keyword=&order= date&submitbutton.x=17&submitbutton.y=9
8 Jun 2011 : Column 329W
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of staff at the Northern Ireland Office at each grade were transferred to the Department of Justice Northern Ireland (a) before, (b) on and (c) since 12 April 2010. [57906]
Mr Paterson: The information is as follows:
(a) No members of staff were transferred into the Department of Justice before it took legal effect on 12 April 2010.
(b) The number of Department of Finance and Personnel (Northern Ireland) staff seconded to the Northern Ireland Office prior to devolution and who subsequently transferred to the Department of Justice NI at devolution is:
| Grade | Number of staff |
(c) The number of staff at the Northern Ireland Office who have transferred to the Department of Justice NI since 12 April 2010 is:
| Grade | Number of staff |
Prison Service: Manpower
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions the Secretary of State has had with the Board of Directors of the Prison Service Trust in Northern Ireland in the last two years on the establishment of a Garden of Remembrance dedicated to the memory of prison office staff who gave their lives in the course of the troubles. [57852]
Mr Paterson: Since my appointment, I have not had any discussions with the Board of Directors of the Prison Service Trust in Northern Ireland with regard to this matter.
Transport
Bus Services: Standards
Graham Stringer:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has plans to make the data generated by real time information equipment supported by Bus Service Operators Grant available to (a) the Vehicle
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and Operator Services Agency and
(b)
the Traffic Commissioners for the purposes of overseeing service performance. [58015]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport is currently undertaking an initial information gathering exercise by contacting bus operators claiming the Bus Service Operators Grant Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) incentive to determine what data are available and in what format.
The Department has not yet requested data generated by the Bus Service Operators Grant AVL incentive and will produce a note of why it needs any data requested after this initial information gathering stage and will set out in writing how these data will be collected, used and protected.
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many officers the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency made available for monitoring the performance of bus services in each region in the latest period for which figures are available. [58016]
Mike Penning: The figures as at the end of April 2011 are as follows:
| Number | |
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of (a) buses and (b) coaches were subject to prohibition notices as a result of (i) announced and (ii) unannounced checks by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency in each of the last five years. [58017]
Mike Penning: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) does not record PSV prohibition figures based on announced and unannounced encounters. There is also no split of the information between buses and coaches. However the following information for all PSVs is held:
| Percentage | ||
| Fleet checks at operators premises | Roadside Checks | |
| Note: Some fleet checks at operators' premises will be announced but it is not possible to determine the proportion. | ||
Great Western Railway Line
Jonathan Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for journey time improvements
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to the Great Western main line between south Wales and London other than by electrification; and if he will make a statement. [57688]
Mrs Villiers: The new fleet of trains procured by the Intercity Express programme will reduce journey times from Cardiff to London Paddington by seventeen minutes and Swansea to London Paddington by 20 minutes. The journey time reductions are a result of the trains' faster acceleration, shorter station dwell times and a revised service pattern, and are not caused by electrification as such.
Furthermore, because modern trains accelerate very much faster, Network Rail is reviewing whether any speed limits along the line of route might be increased so as to maximise the benefit of this improved acceleration.
Pedestrian Crossings
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when guidance for local authorities on the introduction of (a) school, (b) pedestrian and (c) light-controlled pedestrian crossings was last published; and whether he has any plans to publish revised guidance. [57456]
Norman Baker: Guidance on school crossing patrols is published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA). The School Crossing Patrol Service Guidelines were last updated in 2010 and are reviewed annually.
The Department published guidance on the introduction of pedestrian crossings in 1995 in Local Transport Note (LTN) 1/95: The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings, and LTN 2/95: The Design of Pedestrian Crossings.
Detailed guidance on puffin crossings was published in 2006 in the Puffin Good Practice Guide. These may be revised in the future as a result of the Traffic Signs Policy Review.
Traffic Commissioners: Manpower
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many support staff were available to (a) the Senior Traffic Commissioner and (b) individual traffic commissioners in the latest period for which figures are available. [58014]
Mike Penning: The budget for the Office of the Traffic Commissioner and Licensing for 2011-12 is 177.25 members of staff of which 166.24 are in post. These are distributed as follows:
(a) there is one member of staff available to the Senior Traffic Commissioner;
(b) there are 82.46 staff based in the Central Licensing Office in Leeds to whom all Traffic Commissioners (TCs) have access. There are a further 57.92 staff in the traffic area offices as follows:
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| (1) Some dealing with devolved issues. | |
In addition to the above there are the following staff: