Spinal Cord Injuries: Rehabilitation
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the rehabilitation requirements of people with spinal cord injuries who are not treated in specialist spinal cord injury centres; and if he will make a statement. [57961]
Paul Burstow: Most spinal injuries are caused by road traffic accidents and sports injuries. The Spinal Injuries Association estimate that around 40,000 people are currently living with a spinal cord injury in the United Kingdom.
Around 825 people are treated each year in the 11 United Kingdom specialist spinal injuries centres. These are based in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Middlesbrough, Oswestry, Sheffield, Southport, Stanmore, Stoke Mandeville, and Wakefield.
Patients with a spinal injury will be referred to a specialist centre following initial treatment at a local hospital.
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Commissioning arrangements for specialised services, such as spinal injury services, have been strengthened by the publication in July 2006 of “Health Reform in England: Update and Commissioning Framework”. The framework was informed by the “Review of Commissioning Arrangements for Specialised Services”, under the leadership of Professor Sir David Carter, former Chief Medical Officer for Scotland.
Through specialised commissioning groups, primary care trusts work collectively to plan, commission and monitor specialised services for those with spinal injuries.
It is the responsibility of health professionals to assess the rehabilitation of all those living with spinal injuries.
Work and Pensions
Charitable Donations
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to encourage charitable giving by Ministers in his Department. [57123]
Chris Grayling: All our Ministers are involved in charitable activity in their own constituency but that charitable giving is a private and personal issue.
We have doubled DWP’s commitment to volunteering through our “Community 10,000” initiative to enable DWP staff to actively contribute to local voluntary and community organisations as part of this Government’s wider civil service initiative. In addition this Department supports the civil service’s official charity, The Royal National Lifeboat Institute and a Payroll Giving scheme is available to all employees.
Child Maintenance
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate has been made of the potential savings to the Exchequer for charging (a) the parent with care and (b) the non-resident parent for (i) calculation fee, (ii) arrangement and collection fee and (iii) application fee when applying to use the Statutory Child Maintenance scheme under the proposals set out in the Green Paper on child maintenance. [57999]
Maria Miller: The impact of charges on the Exchequer will depend on the level at which they are set. We intend to publish detailed proposals and draft regulations in due course. Those will then be subject to a further period of consultation and, subsequently, affirmative regulations will be subject to debate in the House. The impact assessment accompanying consultation on the draft regulations will set out the financial implications of the proposed charging regime.
Crisis Loans
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's impact assessment on proposals for the localisation of crisis loans and community grants, when he expects to publish his Department's assessment of the costs and benefits of the proposals. [46399]
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Steve Webb: Our proposal is to replace community care grants with local provision. Crisis loans will be replaced by a combination of local provision and payments on account of benefit. Local provision will be the responsibility of local authorities in England and the devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales. Payments on account will be delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions.
We published a call for evidence on the proposals for local provision on 17 February which contained consideration of the benefits of local delivery. If there are new administrative burdens on local authorities they will be funded by the Department for Work and Pensions in the usual way.
Disability Aids: Motor Vehicles
Mr Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what information his Department holds on the number of people found to have wrongfully received support in respect of an adapted motor vehicle in (a) England and (b) Winchester and Chandler's Ford in the most recent period for which data is available; [54791]
(2) what assessment he has made of the eligibility criteria for the awarding of adapted cars for claimants of disability living allowance; [54792]
(3) how many people claiming the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance received an adapted motor vehicle in (a) England and (b) Winchester and Chandler's Ford in the latest period for which figures are available. [54797]
Maria Miller: Support for adapted motor vehicles is available through the Motability scheme. The Department works closely with Motability but it is an independent charity and is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme. Specific questions relating to the operation of the scheme should be directed at Motability and can be sent to: Declan O'Mahony, Director, Motability, Warwick house, Roydon road, Harlow, Essex, CM19 5PX.
Motability has advised that the rigorous assessment process and criteria they use for determining support for adapted vehicles has meant that they have never identified any incidences of scheme customers receiving support they were not entitled to. Support for vehicle adaptations is provided through Motability's own charitable fund or the Specialised Vehicles Fund, which Motability administers on behalf of the Department.
The Specialised Vehicles Fund provides financial assistance to those severely disabled scheme customers who require complex vehicle adaptations that allow them to enter a car as a passenger while remaining seated in their wheelchair or enables them to drive their car whilst remaining seated in their wheelchair. The Department is satisfied that the criteria Motability use to sift applications to the Specialised Vehicles Fund helps severely disabled people who face barriers to living independently including those who are seeking or in employment or education.
Disability Living Allowance
Margaret Curran:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of children, excluding existing applicants,
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whose premium entitlement in respect of disability will be reduced from £52 to £25.95 a week under the universal credit in each of the next five financial years. [57941]
Chris Grayling: Departmental modelling estimates that, once fully implemented, approximately 100,000 children would have a lower entitlement as a result of the reform of disability benefits under universal credit. However, these households will receive full cash protection against this change to ensure that there are no cash losers at the point of transition. Estimates on a year-by-year basis during the transition period are not available.
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department plans to take to gather evidence of overlapping payments made to recipients of the disability living allowance mobility component in residential care homes. [58225]
Maria Miller: DWP officials have been reviewing the available evidence and gathering more to determine the extent to which there are overlaps in provision for mobility needs of people in residential care homes.
When the work is complete we will make a final decision on the way forward. Any changes will be rolled into the introduction of Personal Independence Payment from April 2013.
Our intention is not to reduce the mobility of residents in care homes but to remove any overlaps in provision.
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the number of disability living allowance claimants with an indefinite award who will be granted a short-term award as a result of changes to the benefits system. [58228]
Maria Miller: Currently there is no systematic process for regularly reviewing disability living allowance (DLA) awards and the majority of DLA recipients—70%(1)—have an indefinite award, which means it may not be reviewed unless the individual reports a change in their condition or circumstances. As a result, some people are currently receiving an incorrect amount of DLA. This undermines the credibility of the benefit.
We want to ensure that personal independence payment awards remain correct. We will do this by making awards for a fixed term, except in exceptional circumstances. The length of award will be based on the individual's needs and the likelihood of their health condition or impairment changing. As the award duration will be based on an assessment of the individual, I am unable to predict the outcome of the assessment and how many individuals with a current DLA award will receive a shorter-term award of personal independence payment.
(1 )“Analysis of Disability Living Allowance: DLA Awards”, Department for Work and Pensions, March 2011.
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what income threshold will apply to people (a) with and (b) without disabilities for the payment of universal credit. [58234]
Chris Grayling:
There is no single level of income beyond which universal credit will no longer be paid. Universal credit claimants will have a maximum amount
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reflecting personal circumstances such as housing costs, responsibility for dependent children and other needs. This maximum amount will be reduced to take account of certain types of earned and unearned income and income from capital.
As we said in the recent policy briefing note
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/ucpbn-1-additions.pdf
for disabled people who have limited capability for work or limited capability for work and work-related activity, there will be an additional element included in the maximum amount. We have also said that there will be a disregard of net earnings of up to £7,000 a year in such cases.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 May 2011, Official Report, columns 1002-3W, on the disability living allowance, for what reasons he does not plan to publish the findings of the review into funding for the mobility needs of people in residential care; and when he expects the work to be complete. [58072]
Maria Miller: There is no formal review. Officials in the Department for Work and Pensions have been reviewing mobility needs and available support for residents of care homes. When this work is completed soon we will make a decision on the way forward. What is important is that we get the policy right. Any changes will be rolled into the introduction of personal independence payment from April 2013.
Disposable Income
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate has been made of the level of personal disposable income in real terms in each year since 1981. [57568]
Chris Grayling: Estimates of equivalised household disposable incomes are available in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series, produced by the Department for Work and Pensions, which is why the question has been transferred from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. This data are at a household not individual level.
| Table 1: Median equivalised household income 1990-91 to 2009-10, in 2009-10 prices | ||
| £ per week | ||
| Before Housing Costs | After Housing Costs | |
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| Notes: 1. FES figures are for the United Kingdom, FRS figures are for Great Britain up to 2001-02, and for the United Kingdom from 2002-03. The reference period for FRS figures is single financial years. FES figures are two combined calendar years from 1990-91 to 1992-93 and two financial years combined for 1993-95. 2. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. Figures have been presented on a Before Housing Cost and an After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Costs, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, buildings insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Costs they are. 4. Disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 5. Incomes are presented in 2009-10 prices and have been rounded to the nearest £ sterling. 6. The majority of these statistics are publicly available in the Households Below Average Income Report on the DWP website: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai Sources: 1. Family Expenditure Survey (FES) 1990-91 to 1993-95 2. Family Resources Survey (FRS)1994-95 to 2009-10 | ||
Employment and Support Allowance
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women claimed income-related employment and support allowance for themselves and a partner in the latest period for which figures are available. [57695]
Maria Miller: The information requested is given as follows.
| Income-related employment and support allowance claimants with a partner, by gender at November 2010 | ||
| All income-based | With partner payment | |
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| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Employment and support allowance (ESA) replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 3. Benefit type—The type of ESA is defined as pay status at the caseload date—this may differ to the status at the start or end of the claim. 4, Data in this table are for those receiving income-based ESA, but includes a small number of people entitled to both contributory and income-based ESA. 5. Figures for partners are only shown where an increase is in payment for a dependant adult. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100%. | ||
Employment Schemes: Mental Illness
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Work programme will support people with mental health problems into work; and if he will make a statement. [57477]
Chris Grayling: The Work programme will cater for a wide range of customer groups, including many with disabilities and health issues, including mental health issues.
Harder to help customers will be able to access the programme early if appropriate and we will pay providers more to support them. For example, if a provider supports a customer moving from incapacity benefits to employment and support allowance into sustained employment, they can earn almost £14,000.
We have not told providers what they must do to support customers except that they should provide a truly personalised service that addresses their customers' specific challenges, including through partnership work with local health care providers. They will be free to innovate to find new and more effective ways of overcoming a range of disadvantages, including those with mental health conditions.
Many customers with disabilities are eligible for in work support through Access to Work, and those referred to the Work programme will remain eligible for the elements of this which providers couldn't reasonably be expected to offer.
English Language: Education
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions (a) he and (b) the Minister for Employment have had with (i) the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and (ii) the Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning on the proposal to only offer free courses in English for speakers of other languages to those in receipt of active benefits. [57942]
Chris Grayling:
Ministers and officials in the Department for Work and Pensions worked closely with their counterparts in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to develop the Government's strategy on
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skills for sustainable growth. For people who do not have the necessary English language skills to find work, the Government recognise the importance of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) training in helping them gain employment and to contribute to society. It is equally vital that where people are required to engage in the labour market as a condition of receiving benefits that appropriate support is in place. The Government's priority is therefore to focus the available resources of publicly-funded ESOL provision on people whose lack of English is preventing them from finding work.
Housing Benefit
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of exempting from the total household benefit cap households where any member is in receipt of (a) disability living allowance, (b) personal independence payment, (c) attendance allowance, (d) constant attendance allowance, (e) employment and support allowance and is in the support group, (f) employment and support allowance and is in the work-related activity group, (g) carer's allowance and (h) any element or other component of universal credit paid in respect of a disability in each of the next five financial years. [57886]
Chris Grayling: The spending review 2010 announced that from 2013 we will introduce a cap on the total amount of benefit that working-age people can receive so that households on out-of-work benefits will no longer receive more in welfare payments than the average weekly wage for working households. The benefit cap is intended to promote fairness between those in and out of work and to increase incentives for people to move into work or increase their hours of employment.
On its introduction we estimate that household benefit payments will be capped at around £500 per week for couple and lone parent households and around £350 per week for single adult households.
We are looking at ways of easing the transition for families and providing assistance in hard cases.
If the benefit cap were applied in full, as described in the supporting documentation for the spending review 2010 the savings to the Exchequer are estimated to be £225 million in 2013-14 and £270 million in 2014-15.
The household benefit cap as announced excludes households where someone is in receipt of (a) disability living allowance, (d) constant attendance allowance. Claimants receiving (b) personal independence payment will be treated the same way as claimants receiving disability living allowance for the purposes of the benefit cap.
Estimates suggest that excluding households where a member is in receipt of (c)attendance allowance or (e) employment and support allowance and is in the support group would have a negligible impact on the overall savings from the benefit cap.
Excluding households where a member is in receipt of (f) employment support allowance in the work-related activity group is expected to reduce savings to approximately £210 million in 2013-14 and £225 million 2014-15. Figures are not available for 2015-16 and beyond.
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Excluding households where a member is in receipt of (g) carers allowance is expected to reduce savings to approximately £210 million in 2013-14 and £255 million 2014-15. Figures are not available for 2015-16 and beyond.
Note that estimates above are based on the current benefit system including changes announced in the spending review 2010, but excluding universal credit.
Information on section (h) is not available as the estimated savings from the benefit cap in universal credit will depend upon final detailed design issues regarding the treatment of in-work households.
Analysis of those affected by the benefit cap has been modelled using survey data—as such there is a degree of uncertainty around the results.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of exempting from the total household benefit cap households where no adult is subject to any work-related requirements for universal credit or out-of-work benefits under the provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill in each of the next five financial years. [57887]
Chris Grayling: The spending review 2010 announced that from 2013 we will introduce a cap on the total amount of benefit that working-age people can receive so that households on out-of-work benefits will no longer receive more in welfare payments than the average weekly wage for working households. The benefit cap is intended to promote fairness between those in and out of work and to increase incentives for people to move into work or increase their hours of employment.
On its introduction we estimate that household benefit payments will be capped at around £500 per week for couple and lone parent households and around £350 per week for single adult households.
If the benefit cap were applied as described in the spending review the savings to the Exchequer are estimated to be £225 million in 2013-14 and £270 million in 2014-15.
If households where no adult is subject to any work-related requirements were excluded from the benefit cap, savings would fall to approximately £190 million in 2013-14 and £230 million in 2014-15. Figures for 2015-16 and beyond are not available.
Analysis of those affected by the benefit cap has been modelled using survey data—as such there is a degree of uncertainty around the results.
Note that estimates above are based on the current benefit system including changes announced in the spending review 2010, but excluding universal credit. The estimated savings from the benefit cap in universal credit will depend upon final detailed design issues regarding the treatment of in-work households.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of exempting from the total household benefit cap couples with dependent children who would not be affected by the benefit cap if they lived in separate households in each of the next five financial years. [57888]
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Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available. We would have to make complex assumptions about housing costs, caring responsibilities and family composition of a couple living apart in order to estimate the cost to the Exchequer.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of excluding from the amount liable for the total household benefit cap (a) child benefit, (b) child tax credit, (c) child-care costs and (d) any amount of the universal credit awarded in respect of children in each of the next five financial years. [57889]
Chris Grayling: The spending review 2010 announced that from 2013 we will introduce a cap on the total amount of benefit that working-age people can receive so that households on out-of-work benefits will no longer receive more in welfare payments than the average weekly wage for working households. The benefit cap is intended to promote fairness between those in and out of work and to increase incentives for people to move into work or increase their hours of employment.
On its introduction we estimate that household benefit payments will be capped at around £500 per week for couple and lone parent households and around £350 per week for single adult households.
If the benefit cap were applied as described in the spending review the savings to the Exchequer are estimated to be £225 million in 2013-14 and £270 million in 2014-15.
Estimates suggest that excluding (a) child benefit from the calculation of the household benefit cap would reduce savings to approximately £115 million in 2013-14 and £140 million 2014-15, while excluding (b) child tax credit would reduce savings to approximately £40 million in 2013-14 and £50 million in 2014-15. Figures are not available for 2015-16 and beyond.
Working tax credit recipients (including those receiving child care support through WTC) are excluded from the benefit cap, therefore excluding support paid for (c) child care costs through working tax credit from the benefit cap will have no impact on the overall savings.
The information requested in section (d) is not available as the estimated savings from the benefit cap in universal credit will depend upon final detailed design issues regarding the treatment of in-work households.
Note that estimates above are based on the current benefit system including changes announced in the spending review 2010, but excluding universal credit.
Analysis of those affected by the benefit cap has been modelled using survey data—as such there is a degree of uncertainty around the results.
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the additional cost to the public purse of exempting from the total household benefit cap households that would be worse off in work once child-care costs are taken into consideration in each of the next five financial years. [57926]
Chris Grayling:
The total amount of child-care costs depends on individual families' circumstances and therefore we are unable to make an accurate assessment of the
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proportion of households affected by the benefit cap that would be worse off in work.
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the additional cost to the public purse of exempting from the total household benefit cap households where someone has left work due to (a) redundancy or illness and (b) reasons relating to the care of a child in each of the next five financial years. [57927]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
The costing model used to estimate the effects of the benefit cap is based on data from the 2008-09 Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not record information on whether an out-of-work member of a household left work due to redundancy or illness or for other reasons relating to the care of a child.
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of excluding from the amount liable for the total household benefit cap any amount of the universal credit paid in respect of a disability in each of the next five financial years. [57940]
Chris Grayling: We have announced that households which include a member who is entitled to disability living allowance or personal independence payment will be exempt from the cap.
The specific information requested, is not available as the estimated savings from the benefit cap in universal credit will depend upon final detailed design issues regarding the treatment of in-work households.
Industrial Injuries
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many workplace injuries where exposure to high temperatures was a contributory factor were reported to the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last six years. [57953]
Chris Grayling: A total of 209 injuries have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive where exposure to high temperatures was stated as a contributory factor, as outlined in the following table. These relate to reported injuries to workers where the ‘agent of injury’ has been coded as 16.01 ‘Physical phenomena, excessive heat in atmosphere including from the sun’, injuries which can occur working both indoors and outdoors.
| Fatal injuries | Total injuries | |
Mr Crausby:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions of employers the Health and Safety Executive has brought for failure to
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manage high temperatures in the workplace in each of the last six years. [57954]
Chris Grayling: From 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2010, the Health and Safety Executive took one prosecution as a result of employers' failures to manage high temperatures in the workplace. The employer was found guilty and ordered to pay fines totalling £30,000.
Motability
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what discussions his Department has had with representatives of Motability on Aspect Conversions Ltd; [57254]
(2) whether his Department has any oversight of Motability's Premier Partner Supplier scheme. [57731]
Maria Miller: The Department works closely with Motability but it is an independent charity and is wholly responsible the administration of the Motability scheme. Specific questions relating to scheme policy or the operation of the scheme should be directed at Motability and can be sent to: Declan O'Mahony, Director, Motability, Warwick House, Roydon Road, Harlow, Essex CM19 5PX.
Motability: Finance
Mark Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding his Department provided for the Motability scheme in each of the last 10 years. [57847]
Maria Miller: Motability is an independent charity and is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme. Motability is largely self-financed and the only funding the Department for Work and Pensions gives the scheme relates to the Specialised Vehicles Fund, which Motability administers on our behalf. Information on the amount of funding allocated to Motability in respect of the Specialised Vehicles Fund and its administration in each of the last 10 years is contained in the following table.
| Funding for the Specialised Vehicle Fund and its administration over the last 10 years | ||
| £000 | ||
| Specialised Vehicles Fund | Administration | |
| Note: The Specialised Vehicles Fund provides financial assistance to those severely disabled scheme customers who require complex vehicle adaptations that allow them to enter a car as a passenger while remaining seated in their wheelchair or enables them drive their car while seated in their wheelchair. | ||
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Child Poverty
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the likely effect of recent changes in child benefit on the number and proportion of children living in poverty by 2015. [56792]
Justine Greening: I have been asked to reply.
Changes to child benefit are one of a number of changes the Government have made to the tax and benefits system. These changes also include substantial increases above indexation of the child element of the child tax credit in April 2011 and April 2012. Treasury analysis shows that modelled tax and benefit reforms announced since Budget 2010 may have a small reduction in child poverty in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
The Government have recently published their first Child Poverty Strategy, which covers the period 2011-14, and sets out the Government’s vision for every child to have the opportunity to realise their potential and stabilise the lives of particularly vulnerable families.
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce child poverty in (a) the London borough of Bexley and (b) London. [57354]
Maria Miller: The national child poverty strategy, published on 5 April this year, sets out how we will reduce child poverty across the UK. In addition to setting out how national reforms—such as the introduction of universal credit—will help reduce child poverty across the UK, the strategy also sets out local areas’ key role in tackling child poverty. Through decentralising power, reducing bureaucracy and greater local accountability we are giving local areas the freedom they need to tackle the particular root causes of child poverty in their area; for example the first phase of community budgets aimed at tackling families with multiple problems are being implemented in 16 local areas including eight London boroughs.
The universal credit will support those who do the right thing, who take a full-time job to have an income which lifts them out of poverty. Our proposed design should enable most families with children who have a parent in full-time employment to have an income that lifts them out of poverty. The same should apply for lone parents who work at least 24 hours a week or more. The six contractors for London were announced in April and the programme will be rolled-out in London over the coming months.
The strategy also sets put the Child Poverty Core Offer of sector-led support that is available to all local authorities to help them implement their duties to reduce child poverty under Part 2 of the Child Poverty Act 2010. As part of the Government’s wider goal to free-up policy delivery to target local need, we will continue to push power away from the centre to local government, communities and voluntary sectors, to help those families in difficulties make their voices heard.
Retirement: Age
Rachel Reeves:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will estimate the number of (a) women and (b) men who would be affected by increasing the state pension age for men and women
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from 65 to 66 between 2020 and 2022 and bringing forward the proposed increased in the state pension age to 67 years old in 2036 by 18 months; [57639]
(2) if he will estimate the savings to the Exchequer which would arise from increasing the state pension age from 65 to 66 between 2020 and 2022 and bringing forward the proposed increase in the state pension age to 67 years old in 2036 by 18 months; [57638]
(3) if he will estimate the maximum delay in additional time for a (a) man and (b) woman to wait to receive a state pension in the case where the state pension age for both men and women increased from 65 to 66 between 2020 and 2022 and the proposed increase in the state pension age to 67 years old in 2036 was brought forward by 18 months. [57640]
Steve Webb: The number of women and men who would be affected by increasing the state pension age from 65 to 66 between 2020 and 2022 and bringing forward the legislated increase to 67 by 18 months is 2.9 million and 2.9 million, respectively.
The maximum delay for both men and women compared to the currently legislated timetable in the case where the state pension age for both men and women increased from 65 to 66 between 2020 and 2022 and the proposed increase to 67 in 2036 was brought forward by 18 months would be of 12 months.
Increasing the state pension’s age from 65 to 66 between 2020 and 2022 would result in savings of £19.7 billion (in 2010-11 prices) between 2020-21 and 2025-26. This is significantly less than the savings of £30 billion (in 2010-11 prices) between 2016-17 and 2025-26 resulting from the Pensions Bill 2011 timetable.
Bringing forward the proposed increase in the state pension age to 67 by 18 months from the legislated timetable would result in savings of £11 billion (in 2010-11 prices) between 2032-33 and 2035-36.
State Retirement Pensions: Barnsley
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many women in Barnsley East constituency born between 6 March 1954 and 5 April 1954 will be required to wait an additional two years before claiming a state pension under his plans to accelerate the state pension age; [58126]
(2) how many women in Barnsley East constituency born between 6 December 1953 and 5 October 1954 will be required to wait an additional 18 months to claim a state pension under his plans to accelerate the state pension age. [58127]
Steve Webb: We estimate that in Barnsley East constituency there are approximately 480 women, born between 6 December 1953 and 5 October 1954, who will have an increase in state pension age of 18 months or more. Of these, approximately 50 women, born between 6 March 1954 and 5 April 1954, will have an increase in their state pension age of two years.
Universal Credit
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of second earners who will be subject to higher withdrawal rates under universal credit who are in couples without children. [54194]
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Maria Miller: Departmental modelling estimates that the majority of the estimated 300,000 second earners reported in the Impact Assessment to experience an increase in their withdrawal rate under universal credit are in couples with children. This is unsurprising given that over 90% of second earners with affected withdrawal rates are in couples with children. Less than 50,000 of the second earners who see an increase in their withdrawal rate are in childless couples.
Winter Fuel Payments
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 May 2011, Official Report, column 1340W, on winter fuel payments, what the birthday date for qualification for winter fuel allowance will be for (a) men and (b) women in each of the next 15 years following enactment of the proposals set out in the Pensions Bill 2011. [57646]
Steve Webb: The age at which winter fuel payments can be received is increasing in line with the women’s state pension age.
Following Royal Assent, the changes to state pension age set out in the Pensions Bill 2011 would mean that the next 15 years of qualifying birth dates for winter fuel payments will be as set out in the following table. The dates are the same for men and women.
| Winter fuel payment qualifying dates | |
| Winter | Must be born on or before this date to qualify |
Education
Children: Hearing Impairment
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what financial support his Department (a) has provided in each of the last three years and (b) plans to provide in 2011-12 and 2012-13 for hearing access equipment for deaf children in Walsall; [56361]
(2) what financial support his Department (a) has provided in each of the last three years and (b) plans to provide in 2011-12 and 2012-13 for speech and language therapy services for deaf children in Walsall; [56362]
(3) what financial support his Department (a) has provided in each of the last three years and (b) plans
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to provide in 2011-12 and 2012-13 for specialist education support services for deaf children in Walsall. [56363]
Sarah Teather [holding answer 19 May 2011]:Funding data specifically for hearing access equipment; for speech and language therapy services; and for specialist education support for deaf children are not collected by the Department. However, the available information on the net expenditure planned by Walsall local authority on the provision of education for pupils with special educational needs in the last three years is shown in the following table:
| Planned (net) provision for pupils with SEN in Walsall | |||
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | |
The Department is currently collecting the section 251 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 Budget data for the 2011-12 financial year. The information will not be publicly available until later in the year, when it will be published as Official Statistics.
Departmental Charitable Donations
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to encourage charitable giving by Ministers in his Department. [57120]
Sarah Teather: This is a personal matter for individual Ministers.
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to ensure that children are trained in emergency life support skills including cardiopulmonary resuscitation. [57923]
Mr Gibb: Within the non-statutory programmes of study for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, pupils are taught about basic emergency procedures and where to get help. They learn to develop the skills to cope with emergency situations that require basic first aid procedures, including resuscitation techniques.
The 2010 Ofsted report found that three quarters of schools surveyed provided good or outstanding PSHE.
We have announced our intention to hold an internal review of PSHE education to determine how we can support schools to improve the quality of all PSHE teaching, including giving teachers the flexibility to use their judgement about how best to deliver PSHE education. Further details will be announced shortly.
School Standards
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what research his Department has conducted on the cost-effectiveness of packages of education, care and health support in (a) non-maintained and (b) maintained special schools. [55554]
Sarah Teather:
It is for local authorities to determine the cost-effectiveness of the school to be named in a child's statement of special educational needs. In determining the school to be named a local authority
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will take into account whether the placement is suitable to meet the child's age, ability aptitude and type of SEN; whether the placement is compatible with the efficient education of other children with whom the child will be educated; and whether the placement is an efficient use of local authority resources, which will include the cost-effectiveness of the placement. The fees charged by non-maintained special schools will vary with the individual needs of each child and are contractual matters to be decided between the school and local authority. Maintained special schools are currently funded in accordance with an authority's local funding formula determined in discussion with its schools forum. The first part of a two part consultation on school funding reforms closed on 25 May 2011 and full details are available on the Department's website at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action=conResults&consultationId=1756 &external=no&menu=3
Separation
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education in what geographic area the funding his Department has allocated for relationship support services with respect to family separation over the next four years will be spent. [57636]
Sarah Teather: The funding the Department has allocated to relationship support services is for England only.
Special Educational Needs
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assistance his Department provides to parents of children with learning difficulties. [54954]
Sarah Teather [holding answer 12 May 2012]: We set out in the Green Paper, “Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability”, the main ways we are supporting parents of children with learning difficulties: every local authority in England has a duty to arrange a parent partnership service to give parents advice and information about their child's special educational needs; the Department is directly funding parent carer forums in every local authority area which enable parents to shape local services for disabled children; and, we have also recently distributed £6.5 million in grants to the voluntary and community sector to provide local support to communities including parents of children with learning difficulties.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Advantage West Midlands
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to make a decision on the future ownership of the Ansty Business Park in Coventry following the closure of Advantage West Midlands. [52061]
Mr Prisk:
Each regional development agency (RDA), including Advantage West Midlands (AWM), has developed a detailed plan for the disposal and treatment of its assets and liabilities and scrutiny of these is continuing.
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We have agreed aspects of AWM’s assets and liabilities plan and are still in discussions about others, including the future of the Ansty Business Park. In line with my previous answers on this issue disposals will be made in a way that secures best value for the taxpayer and minimises costs. It will be for AWM to set out a strategy for disposing of individual sites and assets.
Apprentices
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding he has allocated to support (a) apprenticeship places, (b) advanced apprenticeship places and (c) higher apprenticeship places in 2011-12. [41086]
Mr Prisk: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 February 2011, Official Report, columns 208-09W, to his question asking what funding has been allocated for (a) apprenticeship places, (b) advanced apprenticeship places and (c) higher apprenticeship places in 2011-12; and what funding was allocated in each such category in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11. [38196]
The apprenticeships programme is demand-led. Government do not plan apprenticeship places by level but provides funding and forecasts the overall number of places that may be afforded. We rely on employers and providers to work together to offer sufficient opportunities to meet local demand, taking advantage of the greater freedoms and flexibilities that we have created in the further education system.
In 2009-10, the planned expenditure on participation in apprenticeship training was £1,042 million(1). The apprenticeship budget for the 2010-11 financial year is £1,328 million(2): £780 million for 16 to 18-year-olds; £548 million for 19+. We expect to spend over £1,400 million in the 2011-12 financial year: £799 million for 16 to 18-year-olds; £605 million for those aged 19 and over(3).
The total volume of apprenticeship starts in 2009/10 was 279,700. This is an increase of 16.6% compared to 2008/09. Of these there were:
190,500 apprenticeship (Level 2) starts-a 20.2% increase on 2008/09;
87,700 advanced apprenticeship (Level 3) starts-a 7.9% increase on 2008/09;
1,500 higher level apprenticeship (Level 4+) starts-a large increase on 2008/09.
We have ensured there is sufficient funding in place to train over 350,000 apprentices in England in the 2010/11 academic year. For the 2011/12 academic year, our indicative forecast is to fund over 360,000 apprenticeship places. The levels that these places are at will be determined by the level of skills employers actually need in their business.
Provisional data show that there were 119,800 apprenticeship starts in the first quarter of the 2010/11 academic year. Of these there were:
76,300 apprenticeship (Level 2) starts;
42,300 advanced apprenticeship (Level 3) starts; and
1,200 higher level apprenticeship (Level 4 or higher) starts.
We are committed to improving, expanding and re-shaping apprenticeships so that Level 3 becomes the level to which learners and employers should aspire. We will also ensure there are clear routes into apprenticeships
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to widen access to the programme, and clear routes into higher level skills training including, but not exclusively, Level 4 apprenticeships.
(1) LSC grant letter for 2009-10
http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/nat-statementofpriorities200910-nov08.pdf
(2) 16-18 figs: DCSF 16-19 Statement of Priorities and Investment Strategy 2010-11; 19+figs: SFA Funding Letter
(3) 16-18 figures: 16-19 Funding Statement, YPLA (December 2010); 19+ figures: Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth, BIS (November 2010)
Business: Higher Education
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant the answer of 27 January 2011, Official Report, columns 485-6W, on business: higher education, how much funding was allocated to encouraging partnerships between universities and businesses in each of the last five years; how much such funding has been allocated through (a) the Research Council Pathways to Impact, (b) HEFCE's Research Excellence Framework, (c) the Higher Education Innovation Funding and (d) as a result of ongoing collaboration between the Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board for each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [46993]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 15 March 2011]: Research Council Pathways to Impact are not a system for allocating separate funding. The first Research Excellence Framework assessment will be completed in 2014, and it will inform research funding allocations from 2015. In respect of higher education innovation funding, I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 21 January 2011, Official Report, column 977W.
The scale of Research Council activity aligned with the Technology Strategy Board over the three years 2008-11 was £200 million. Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board are committed to continue to work together; detailed decisions on future collaborative funding will be made by them in due course.
Business: Loans
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on small and medium-sized enterprises of the failure of banks who are party to the Merlin Agreement to meet their lending targets under that agreement. [57976]
Mr Prisk: The Merlin Agreement was about setting stretching lending targets to the banks to make sure that they make available the credit that businesses need to grow. This is particularly important for small businesses, and this is why we have insisted on individual figures for SMEs.
The Bank of England reported the banks' first quarter performance against the Merlin Agreement on 23 May. Lending to SMEs in the first quarter was £16.8 billion against a quarterly ‘stretch’ target of £17.2 billion (the ‘capacity’ target would imply a figure of £19 billion). This is disappointing and, although lending to small firms will not follow a linear pattern month on month, the banks must do more to ensure that they meet their commitment over the next few months.
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The agreement with the banks was made mid-way through the first quarter, and this might have impacted on the figures. But it is too early to properly assess the impact of the Merlin Agreement on small businesses' ability to access bank finance.
We will therefore continue to monitor very closely whether the banks are making sufficient credit available to small firms before passing a definitive judgement on the impact of the agreement on small businesses.
The Government are clear that, if the banks fail to meet their commitments, the Government reserves the right to return to the matter and take further measures.
Business: Regulation
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent progress has been made in implementing the one-in-one-out rule to reduce the level of business regulation. [58240]
Mr Prisk: On April 7 2011, the Government published the first in a series of publications entitled ‘One-in, One-out: Statement of New Regulation’, which will be published twice a year. The Statement of New Regulation showed that the Government's one-in, one-out rule has resulted in an overall reduction in the net cost to business and civil society organisations of -£3.207 billion.
When work started on the Statement of New Regulation, Departments proposed a total of 157 domestic regulatory measures, 119 of which would have imposed a cost to business. In the course of preparing the Statement of New Regulation the requirement for the estimates to be assessed and confirmed by the independent Regulatory Policy Committee was rigorously imposed, and Departments were challenged to defend particular regulatory decisions. The result was that the total number of proposed regulations dropped by 70% (from 157 to 46). Of the remaining 46 measures only 11 impose a net cost to business, 26 impose a zero net cost to business and nine reduce the net cost to business.
Businesses
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to remove regulatory burdens from businesses. [57937]
Mr Prisk: The Government have set out a clear aim—to leave office having reduced the overall burden of regulation.
We have already taken a number of important steps towards this goal. For example, the Statement of New Regulation, published in April, showed that from an initial 157 proposed new domestic regulations, robust implementation of the one-in, one-out rule meant that the total number of regulations being implemented was reduced by 70% (from 157 to 46), of these only 11 imposed a net cost on business (£65 million) which was outweighed by a considerable reduction in burdens elsewhere (£3.3 billion).
We have also ended ‘gold-plating’ of EU directives, introduced sunset clauses for new regulation and announced an unprecedented three-year regulatory moratorium from new domestic regulation for micro-businesses and new start-ups.
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The ‘One-in, One-out: Statement of New Regulation’ is available here:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/better-regulation/docs/o/11-p96a-one-in-one-out-new-regulation.pdf
Businesses Advisory Services
Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the number of business mentors. [56648]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 7 June 2011]: The Government want to improve access to, and raise awareness of, the diverse mentoring provision and expertise in the UK. To achieve this we have been working with the British Bankers Association (BBA), UK trade bodies and mentoring organisations to develop a single web-based gateway. I understand that the BBA has identified approximately 50 key mentoring organisations which they hope will join the portal. These organisations have approximately 12,000 business mentors currently aligned to them.
BIS is working with the BBA to make a more comprehensive assessment of the number of business mentors and to engage mentoring organisations, business organisations, multi national corporations and the banks to determine how to expand provision of business mentoring.
Consumer Credit
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to publish the Government’s response to the consultation on reforming the consumer credit regime. [58059]
Mr Davey: The Government will publish a summary of responses to the consultation in the summer, followed by a more detailed response in the autumn.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy to publish monthly information on changes in the numbers of his Department's employees categorised by (a) seniority, (b) number of employees taking voluntary redundancy, (c) natural wastage and (d) involuntary redundancy. [57603]
Mr Davey: The Government are committed to transparency and the availability of data and are currently exploring options for the more frequent publication of this type of workforce management information across the civil service.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish information on employment levels by responsibility level as part of the Annual Civil Service Employment survey as well as information on the overall number of leavers by Department including BIS. This can be viewed at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=2899
ONS publish information on employment levels across the civil service as part of the Quarterly Public Sector Employment Bulletin, which can be viewed at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=13615
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Departmental Mobile Phones
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the name is of each contractor or supplier of (a) mobile telephone and (b) mobile data services to his Department. [56054]
Mr Davey: The Department currently uses Vodafone for its mobile telephone and mobile data services.
Education: Prisoners
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to “Making Prisons Work: Skills for Rehabilitation”, how many and what proportion of offenders paid for learning in prison in the last year for which figures are available; and how many and what proportion he expects to pay for learning in prison following the implementation of the review's recommendations. [57462]
Mr Hayes: Data on the number offenders currently paying for their learning while in prison are not collected centrally.
“Making Prisons Work: Skills for Rehabilitation” made clear the Government's view that not all learning in prison should be free, particularly when there is an expectation elsewhere in the system that learners will contribute to costs. We have committed to considering the case for offenders, and employers, contributing to the costs of intermediate and higher level training, and to making sure arrangements for prisoners studying higher education are aligned with mainstream changes from autumn 2012.
It is not currently possible to estimate how many or what proportion of prisoners will pay for learning in prison until we have considered these issues further.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to “Making Prisons Work: Skills for Rehabilitation”, when he expects a loans system to be in place to enable offenders to pay for further education and higher education in prison. [57463]
Mr Hayes: For further education and training, “Skills for Sustainable Growth” set out the Government's intention to introduce loans, from the 2013/14 academic year, to help people access the funds they need to gain intermediate and higher level skills. Further information on those loans will be made available in a consultation document we intend to publish during June.
Loan arrangements are already in place to support prisoners studying full-time higher education. The Minister for Universities and Science, my right hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr Willetts), announced in his oral statement of 3 November 2010, Official Report, column 924, on higher education funding and student finance that part-time students will be entitled to a loan for tuition on the same basis as full-timers, and that the Government intends to implement these changes for the 2012/13 academic year. Access to loans for prisoners studying higher education on a part-time basis will be considered in conjunction with the other changes required to give effect to this.
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Export Credit Guarantees: Egypt
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration he has given to the merits of auditing debts owed by Egypt to the Export Credits Guarantee Department; and if he will consider the merits of cancelling any debt owed by Egypt which was the result of loans made to governments which are considered undemocratic. [58226]
Mr Davey: No audit of debts owed by Egypt to the Export Credits Guarantee Department is contemplated. To date Egypt has not sought cancellation of debts owed to ECGD or any other export credit agency. Such matters would be decided multilaterally through the auspices of the Paris Club of official creditors.
Export Credit Guarantees: Trinidad and Tobago
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2010, Official Report, column 361W, on export credit guarantees: Trinidad and Tobago; whether a claim has been made to the Export Credits Guarantee Department in respect of the cover on the sale of offshore patrol vessels to Trinidad and Tobago; and if he will make a statement. [58075]
Mr Davey: No claim has been received by the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
Higher Education
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) with reference to the report of the Higher Education Funding Council for England on “Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges”, if he will take steps to ensure that higher education courses provided by private providers are subject to the same standards of (a) transparency, (b) assessment and (c) measures of student satisfaction as publicly-funded higher education institutions; [57523]
(2) with reference to the report of the Higher Education Funding Council for England on “Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges”, what steps he plans to take to maintain the reputation of higher education; [57524]
(3) with reference to the report of the Higher Education Funding Council for England on “Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges”, if he will take steps to ensure that private providers of higher education have a duty to widen participation; [57525]
(4) with reference to the report of the Higher Education Funding Council for England on “Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges”, whether private providers of higher education will be subject to the same quality assessment regime as publicly-funded higher education institutions; [57526]
(5) what assessment he has made of the report of the Higher Education Funding Council for England on “Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges” in relation to private provision of higher education; [57527]
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(6) if he will take account of the risks identified by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in its report on “Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges” in further consultation on private provision of higher education; [57528]
(7) what discussions he has had with representatives of the higher education sector on the report of the Higher Education Funding Council for England on “Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges”; [57529]
(8) if he will (a) undertake and (b) publish an assessment of the risks to the public higher education sector of the expansion of private higher education providers; [57574]
(9) if he will bring forward proposals to mitigate the risks associated with an expansion of private provision in higher education identified by the Higher Education Funding Council of England in its report on “Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges”. [57575]
Mr Willetts: The future regulatory regime for all providers of higher education will be considered in the forthcoming White Paper. This will set out the Government’s proposals to encourage a more diverse and competitive higher education sector alongside an appropriate regulatory regime, which ensures high standards and protects students. An impact assessment covering any proposed regulatory changes will be published alongside the White Paper.
The Higher Education Funding Council for England’s (HEFCE) report “Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges” was sent to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), on 28 July 2010. The Department welcomed the report as a valuable contribution to our thinking on how to encourage high quality and diverse provision that offers students a wider choice. The Secretary of State and I requested that the report be made publicly available in the annual grant letter to HEFCE on 20 December 2010. HEFCE published the report in February and is available at:
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/learning/flexible/statement.htm
The Secretary of State and I have not held specific discussions on the HEFCE report with representatives of the higher education sector.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to publish his White Paper on higher education. [57974]
Mr Willetts: We will publish our Higher Education White Paper shortly.
The White Paper will set out major reform of the English higher education system. Reform of this scale warrants careful consideration so we have decided to take time to develop it.
Investment: North-East
Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage investment in the north-east. [57883]
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Mr Prisk: The Government have invited both the Tees Valley and North Eastern Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) to establish their governance arrangements bringing business and civic leaders work together to drive sustainable economic growth and create the conditions for private sector job growth in their communities.
These LEPs have been invited to submit proposals for Enterprise Zones which will benefit from:
A business rate discount worth up to £275,000 per business over a five year period;
All business rate growth within the Enterprise Zone for a period of at least 25 years will be retained by the local area, to support the Partnership's economic priorities and ensure that Enterprise Zone growth is reinvested locally;
Government help to develop radically simplified planning approaches for the Zone, for example, existing Local Development Orders;
Government support to ensure that superfast broadband is rolled out throughout the Zone, achieved through guaranteeing the most supportive regulatory environment and, if necessary, public funding.
Further to these incentives the Government will work with LEPs on additional options, to suit local circumstances, including consideration of:
Enhanced capital allowances for plant and machinery, in a limited number of cases and subject to State Aid, where there is a strong focus on manufacturing;
Tax increment finance to support the long-term viability of the area;
The north also benefited from £57 million in the first round of the Regional Growth Fund which provides funding for high-quality transport infrastructure, apprenticeships and support for science.
The Government introduced a National Insurance Contributions holiday starting on 22 June 2010 up until 5 September 2013 providing new businesses that start up outside the greater south-east with a substantial reduction in their employer contributions.
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the UK's national trade and investment promotion agency, and leads on delivering a whole-of-Government approach to attracting high quality, high value investment to the UK. Support for inward investment in England, including the north- east, is provided by a new national UKTI-led service outsourced to the private sector. As part of this national inward investment service, a UKTI Investment Services team in Durham will work with local partners, including LEPs, to attract high quality inward investment projects to the north-east.
Knowledge Economy: Liverpool
Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he has taken to encourage the growth of the knowledge economy in the Liverpool city region. [58156]
Mr Willetts:
The Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has identified the knowledge economy as one of its four key priorities. A plan to accelerate key areas of the economy has been devised by the City Region's Knowledge Economy Group, comprising representatives from The Mersey Partnership, the university of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores university, Liverpool Vision and some of the City Region's key knowledge
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based businesses. Proposals in the plan could secure an additional 58,000 jobs and in excess of £217 million added GVA—gross value added—for the region's knowledge economy by 2022.
The LEP has received £45,000 from the BIS LEP Capacity Fund, to help local partners better understand their business environment and to identify the actions they need to take to drive their priorities forward.
A project to stimulate small and medium enterprises (SMEs) growth in Liverpool through media advocacy has been awarded to the Liverpool Echo from the Regional Growth Fund. This will result in grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 to SMEs (including those in the Knowledge Economy) together with mentoring and coaching.
Local Enterprise Partnerships
Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the representation of micro-businesses on local enterprise partnerships. [58214]
Mr Prisk: As set out in the White Paper on local growth, the Government will normally expect to see business representatives form half the board, with a prominent business leader in the chair. Furthermore, we encourage board members to be drawn from a breadth of experience from micro-enterprises through to large businesses, and representing the key sectors in the Local Enterprise Partnership area.
Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how many and what proportion of companies on local enterprise partnership boards represent micro-businesses; [58215]
(2) how many and what proportion of companies on local enterprise partnership boards represent small businesses; [58216]
(3) how many and what proportion of companies on local enterprise partnership boards represent medium-sized businesses. [58217]
Mr Prisk: To date 13 Local Enterprise Partnership Boards have been recognised by the Government. These have a total of 83 private sector members of which 12% represent micro businesses (0-9 employees), 17% represent small businesses (10-49 employees) and 13% represent medium businesses (50-249 employees).
Medicine: Education
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of (a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate places at each university for (i) nursing and (ii) allied health professional qualifications in (A) the last three years and (B) the next three years. [57918]
Anne Milton: I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 4 May 2011, Official Report, columns 847-48W.
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Micro-business Regulation
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the average wage of employees of micro-businesses of each (a) gender and (b) age group for those in (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employment. [48321]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 23 March 2011]: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills does not hold information on the average wages of employees working for micro-businesses. The Office for National Statistics produces official statistics on employees and earnings but are unable to provide data on these breakdowns.
Public Transport
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on the effects of the (a) frequency and (b) cost of public transport services on (i) commuters and (ii) job seekers in (A) Coventry and (B) the west midlands. [51023]
Mr Davey: There have been no official discussions on these topics recently.
Regional Growth Fund
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made on the second round of the Regional Growth Fund; and if he will make a statement. [57973]
Mr Prisk: Round 2 of the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) opened on the 12 April and will close at noon 1 July 2011. Just under £1 billion will be available in this round.
To support Round 2 there are currently a series of RGF roadshows travelling across England, chaired by Lord Heseltine and Sir Ian Wrigglesworth. These offer presentations on the Fund's objectives, clinics on the RGF application process and programme bids, and offer potential bidders an individual session to discuss their proposed bid. To date these events have been very well received.
Students: Fees and Charges
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the level of fees for part-time university courses in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13. [57975]
Mr Willetts: We do not hold information on average fee levels for part-time courses in 2011/12. The majority of institutions have not yet set their fees for part-time courses for 2012/13 so it is too early to tell what the average fees will be. From September 2012, eligible new part-time students will have access to loans to cover the full cost of their regulated tuition fee.
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Students: Finance
Mr Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 3 May 2011, Official Report, column 717W, on students: finance, how much his Department spent on communicating student finance arrangements to prospective students, adjusted for inflation, in each year from 1999-2000 to 2010-11. [56290]
Mr Willetts: In the 2010/11 financial year £37,936 (£29,219 in 2000/01 prices) was spent on preparatory research for our current higher education student finance campaign. Thus far in 2011/12 £1.475 million has been allocated to this campaign which includes the £150,000 previously cited for the costs of employing an advertising agency.
For the 2010/11 financial year the Student Loan Company spent £1,650,243 (£1,271,040 in 2000/01 prices) communicating student finance arrangements to prospective students.
The following tables provide the figures adjusted for inflation in real terms at 2000/01 prices, the year from which the first figures are quoted.
| Original Table | ||
| Financial year | Department for Business, Innovation and Skills student finance publicity budget | Student Loans Company communications budget |
| Expenditure adjusted for inflation in real terms at 2000 - 01 prices | ||
| Financial year | Department for Business. Innovation and Skills student finance publicity budget | Student Loans Company communications budget |
The inflationary figures have been obtained using the ‘gross domestic product time series’ tool available on the HM Treasury website, which enables figures to be adjusted year on year for inflation, via this URL:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/data_gdp_fig.htm
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Vocational Training
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to address skills shortages nationally. [57977]
Mr Hayes: The coalition's skills strategy set out our plans to address the nation's skills shortages and realise our ambition to create a world-class skills base. We are addressing current weaknesses in the vital intermediate technical skills that are increasingly important as jobs become more highly skilled and technological change accelerates. We have already made significant progress in the short time since the skills strategy's publication.
We have placed apprenticeships at the heart of the system, expanding, improving and reshaping them so that technician level—Level 3—becomes the level to which learners and employers aspire. We are creating clear routes from apprenticeships to higher level training. Alongside apprenticeships there will be a wider and more flexible system of vocational qualifications that meets the needs of the economy.
In addition, we have established the Growth and Innovation Fund to support employers to be more ambitious about raising skills to reach their growth potential. And we have refocused the role of the UK
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Commission for Employment and Skills to be a true vehicle for economic growth and social partnership, with employers, trade unions and others coming together to give effective leadership on skills. One of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills strategic objectives is to provide high quality labour market intelligence to enable the supply of skills to be matched with demand more effectively.
Women and Equalities
Departmental CCTV
Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many CCTV cameras are installed in and around the Government Equalities Office premises; and how much such cameras (a) cost to install and (b) cost to operate in the latest period for which figures are available. [56845]
Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) is based within the Home Office's main premises at 2 Marsham street, therefore the responsibility for procurement, installation and running costs of such equipment falls to the Home Office and not GEO.