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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 9 June 2011
Culture, Media and Sport
Broadcasting: Alcoholic Drinks
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with Ofcom on the effects on informed consent to participation in a television broadcast by a subject of the provision of alcohol by the broadcaster. [58726]
Mr Vaizey: The Secretary of State has had no discussions with Ofcom on this matter.
Government Art Collection
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many works in the Government art collection are currently on display; and how many such works are on display in London. [58600]
Mr Vaizey: As of 7 June, there are 9,039 works on display, of which 3,472 are on display in London.
Olympic Games 2012
Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to encourage the engagement of young people in the north-east in the London 2012 Olympics. [58397]
Hugh Robertson: It is important that children and young people from across the UK are actively encouraged to participate in the wide range of opportunities created by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Over 17,000 schools and colleges across the UK have registered for LOCOG's education programme Get Set, 790 of those are in the north-east—61.1% of the total number in the region. Through the Inspire Programme, over 1,200 cultural and sporting programmes across the UK have been awarded Inspire Marks, including 50 in the north-east. Projects such as ‘Kite Mark’ and ‘Northern Design Competition’ will assist in engaging young people with London 2012.
The north-east has secured £1.53 million from the Legacy Trust for the region's ‘Generation 2012’ project. This initiative provides opportunities for regional cultural organisations and young people to work together to develop up to 10 high quality, aspirational 2012 projects in the region, bringing people together for community activities of all kinds.
In November I launched the ‘Places People Play’ programme, which will bring sporting legacy to life in communities across the country. This will be achieved by transforming the places where people play sport, inspiring all to make sport happen at a local level and
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creating sporting opportunities that give everyone the chance to become part of the mass participation legacy. Further detail can be found at the following link:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/news/news_stories/7565.aspx
In addition, we are introducing the School Games, a new school sport competition which will provide more opportunities for pupils in schools across the UK to compete in sport through a vibrant programme of regular intra- and inter-school competitions.
Tourism
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) how many local tourism centres sponsored by his Department are in operation; [58500]
(2) how many local tourism centres sponsored by his Department are expected to close in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13. [58501]
John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not directly sponsor local tourism centres. Over the next four years, we are though allocating nearly £33 million to VisitEngland to help support existing and new local destination management organisations in developing the visitor economy in their own areas.
UK Film Council
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the cost to the public purse has been of the abolition of the UK Film Council. [58777]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 May 2011, Official Report, column 753W.
Transport
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) on what date special advisers in his Department last used the Government car pool to travel in an official capacity; and on how many occasions a special adviser in his Department has travelled to their home address using the Government car pool since May 2010; [56086]
(2) how much his Department spent on special advisers' travel by (a) Government car, (b) private hire car, (c) train, (d) bus, (e) commercial aircraft and (f) private aircraft since May 2010. [56092]
Norman Baker: Special advisers are not entitled to use of a car from the Government car pool and no cars from the pool have been used by special advisers to travel on official business or to travel to their home addresses.
The Department has not incurred any expenditure in relation to use by special advisers of buses, commercial or private aircraft, or Government cars since May 2010.
Civil servants and special advisers can use a taxi when this is justified and in accordance with departmental rules and the requirements of the Civil Service Management
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Code. The Department has a call-off account with the Government Car and Despatch Agency for a low-carbon taxi-style service known as the Green car service. On one occasion since May 2010 a special adviser has used a Green car, at a cost of £36. This was in accordance with departmental rules for civil servants' use of taxis in relation to late night working.
The Department has spent £568 on train tickets for special advisers over the past year.
Motor Vehicles: Registration
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 12 May 2011, Official Report, column 1300W, on motor vehicles: registration, if he will bring forward proposals to compensate the owners of limousines currently on the road who were granted new vehicle registration documents without the evidence required to meet the single vehicle approval test. [58356]
Mike Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport will not bring forward any proposals to compensate owners of limousines.
In carrying out its statutory functions and dealing with applications for registration, the Driver and Vehicle licensing Agency (DVLA) does not owe a duty of care to third party purchasers who may subsequently rely on vehicle registration certificates when entering into a commercial transaction.
Navigation: General Lighthouse Authority
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what work he is undertaking with the General Lighthouse Authority to (a) continue maintenance of LORAN-C radionavigation and (b) to develop a full eLORAN radionavigation system. [58503]
Mike Penning: The provision of general marine aids to navigation around our coasts is the statutory responsibility of the three General Lighthouse Authorities. The General Lighthouse Authorities consider the need, usage and number of aids to navigation, including LORAN-C and its associated infrastructure.
The General Lighthouse Authorities’ Research and Radionavigation Directorate is undertaking the development of the eLORAN system in the UK.
Railways
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has carried out research into the productivity of business passengers while travelling by rail. [55447]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 13 May 2011]: The Department for Transport commissioned a consortium led by Mott MacDonald to undertake a study of rail business travellers in order to obtain direct evidence on the productive use of travel time during the course of work. The final report “Productive Use of Rail Travel Time and the Valuation of Travel Time Savings for Rail Business Travellers” was received by the Department in June 2009.
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Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to amend the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation target for the obligation period beginning on 15 April 2012; and what steps he has taken to increase the level of sustainability of biofuels for use in vehicles. [58061]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport is currently consulting on amendments to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, to implement the renewable energy and fuel quality directives.
We do not propose to make any changes to the current obligation levels that are set out in the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations Order 2007 as amended. However, we propose a legal obligation on the Secretary of State for Transport to keep the level under review and to consider what additional measures will be required to ensure that the UK delivers the requirements of the renewable energy and fuel quality directives in the period 2014 to 2020. This will enable us to establish a stable biofuel policy that will allow industry to robustly plan for the period 2014 to 2020.
The consultation proposes to introduce mandatory sustainability criteria. These include that biofuels, with some exceptions, must deliver greenhouse gas savings of at least 35% when compared to fossil fuels and that biofuels must not be sourced from areas of high biodiversity, or from high carbon soils (e.g. rainforests or wetlands). All biofuels will have to meet these mandatory sustainability criteria in order to be counted towards meeting the targets in the renewable energy and fuel quality directives, and therefore receive rewards under an amended Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation scheme.
Rescue Services: Northern Ireland
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what date he expects to make an announcement on the future of coastguard stations in Northern Ireland. [58496]
Mike Penning: We expect to make an announcement about the modernisation of Her Majesty’s Coastguard before the House rises for summer recess on 19 July.
Roads: Regulation
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons no organisation representing cyclists was included among the experts championing the Red Tape Challenge on Road Transport; and if he will nominate such an expert as soon as possible. [58548]
Mike Penning: There are relatively few regulations governing the use of cycling—only five out of over 400 in the whole of this section of the red tape challenge.
However, we are still interested to hear what cyclists have to say about those five—and we have recently met with representatives of British Cycling, CTC and the Bicycle Association of Great Britain to discuss the red tape challenge. We are working with everyone across the whole road transport sector, as we want to ensure as many people as possible get involved.
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Wales
Freedom of Information
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 her office has received since her appointment; and what the time taken to provide a full response to the request was in each case. [58507]
Mr David Jones: Since my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales appointment, the Wales Office has received 171 Freedom of Information Act requests. The Act requires a full response within 20 working days or within an agreed extension to undertake a public interest test. For the 2010-11 year, my Department replied to 94% of requests within this deadline, compared with 91% for 2009-10.
House of Commons Commission
Theft
Keith Vaz: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many cases of theft from the parliamentary estate have resulted in a prosecution in each year since 2006. [57932]
John Thurso: The following table gives the number of individual prosecutions for theft from the parliamentary estate:
|
|
Number of individuals prosecuted for theft |
Keith Vaz: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps the House of Commons Service plans to take to combat recent cases of theft from the parliamentary estate. [57933]
John Thurso: We do not comment on the detailed security measures in place across the parliamentary estate. I would encourage the right hon. Member to speak to the Serjeant at Arms directly.
Women and Equalities
Crown Relocations
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many contracts the Government Equalities Office holds with Crown Relocations; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is. [58637]
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Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office does not hold any contracts with Crown Relocations.
Members: Correspondence
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member from Erith and Thamesmead of 15 March 2011 on her constituent the Reverend Geoff Clark. [58219]
Lynne Featherstone [holding answer 8 June 2011]: A response to the hon. Member's letter on her constituent, the Reverend Geoff Clark, was made on 2 June 2011.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Animal Welfare: EU Action
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has received legal advice on instances where a single EU member state has taken unilateral action on animal welfare matters which has led subsequently to a change of EU policy in line with that action; and if she will make a statement. [58071]
Mr Paice: There is no central record kept of such legal advices, nor is there any recollection of any occasion where, since coming into office, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), has from within DEFRA received legal advice of instances where individual EU member states have taken unilateral action on animal welfare matters which has subsequently led to a change of EU policy in line with that unilateral action.
Apples
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to encourage the stocking of English apples by supermarkets. [58387]
Mr Paice: Retailers and apple grower trade associations are working together to meet growing consumer demand for English apples. All fruit and vegetables are required by law to have their country origin on the item, shelf or the package. In many grocery stores, British apples can be recognised by the Union Flag on the packaging or the liner for boxes of loose apples. The Fruit and Vegetable Taskforce on increasing consumption and production brought together the whole supply chain to identify and unblock barriers; they reported in summer 2010 and agreed an action plan in October 2010. The action plan was divided into production, supply chain and consumption: Most recommendations, which are fairly technical, have made significant progress and we are looking to produce an updated progress report later in the year.
Circuses: Animal Welfare
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date her Department removed from its website the impact assessment undertaken in respect of regulation of wild animals acts in travelling circuses. [57419]
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Mr Paice: As a matter of routine documents are only held on the consultation section of the DEFRA website for a year after they are first published, so the Impact Assessment in question was removed shortly after the end of December 2010.
Departmental CCTV
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many CCTV cameras are installed in and around her Department's premises; and how much such cameras cost to (a) install and (b) operate in the latest period for which figures are available. [56843]
Richard Benyon: We currently have 663 cameras situated at 56 DEFRA locations, but this figure is continually reducing as we have embarked upon an estate rationalisation project.
The cost of carrying out planned maintenance on the cameras alone is currently in the order of £70,000 per annum excluding reactive repairs which fluctuate in value.
The costs of installations are difficult to separately identify as they are normally part of wider project costs.
Departmental Data Protection
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contracts her Department holds which allow contractors to store personal data of UK citizens overseas; to which contracts this applies; in which countries the data for each such contract are held; and how many people have their data stored overseas under each such contract. [55737]
Richard Benyon: The Department has one contract which permits personal data to be stored overseas on a case by case assessed basis and with written approval. The contract includes a facility for personnel in the core Department as well as some Executive Agencies and NDPBs to subscribe to online training, with packages covering everything from IT skills to professional development. 889 personnel have subscribed to the service and the data are stored in the United States of America. The purpose of storing the data is so that individuals can access their online training records, the nature of which means that the record of the training undertaken needs to be saved.
Departmental Press: Subscriptions
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many subscription or membership fees for (a) the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and (b) other professional organisations were paid from budgets of her Department and its agencies in respect of their staff in each of the last three years. [57350]
Richard Benyon: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has made no payments directly to the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the last three years.
The Department is, however, unable to identify from central records how many subscription or membership fees have been paid to professional organisations. Most subscriptions and memberships are paid direct by staff
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from their own resources and claimed, authorised and paid through the staff expenses system. To identify the number would incur additional analysis of all expense transactions and this would incur disproportionate cost.
Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS)
The numbers of subscription and membership fees paid is as follows:
| Number of subscriptions/memberships | |||
|
|
2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| (1) These include membership of scientific bodies | |||
The number of subscription and membership fees paid is as follows:
2009-10: 45
2010-11: 119.
RPA is unable to provide costs for 2008-09 or a breakdown as the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
RPA has made no payments to the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the last three years.
The number of subscription and membership fees paid is as follows:
Chartered Institute of Public Relations:
2008-09: 0
2009-10: 5
2010-11: 2.
Chartered Institute of Personnel Development:
2008-09:6
2009-10:5
2010-11: 15.
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons:
The subscriptions for this body are in two parts. Part 1 is the individual membership and is paid on behalf of our veterinary staff. Part 2 is the payment in respect of each of our premises which dispense veterinary medicines.
2009-10:
Individual subscriptions for 328 veterinary staff.
Premises Subscriptions for 48 premises.
2010-11:
Individual subscriptions for 321 veterinary staff.
Premises subscriptions for 48 premises.
2011-12
Individual subscriptions for 302 veterinary staff.
Premises subscriptions for 48 premises.
Association of Personnel Assistants
2010-11: 1.
Note:
This is the first year that this subscription was paid.
Association of Chief Executives
2009-10: 1
2010-11: 1.
Note:
These are the only two years this subscription has been paid.
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Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA)
The number of subscription and membership fees paid is as follows:
(a) No amounts have been paid to Chartered Institute of Public Relations
(b) Subscription and membership fees paid to other professional organisations, is as follows:
2008-09: 204
2009-10: 362
2010-11: 235.
Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)
The number of subscription and membership fees paid is as follows:
(a) No amounts have been paid to Chartered Institute of Public Relations
(b) Subscriptions to other professional organisations:
2010-11: 40
2009-10: 41
2008-09: 35.
Food and Environment Research Agency
The number of subscription and membership fees paid is as follows:
|
|
2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department plans to cease to fund any of its functions over the period of the comprehensive spending review. [55187]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA is not planning to cease funding of any broad DEFRA functions. However, DEFRA has taken the opportunity presented by the spending review to consider those things that only it can and must do, and how we can deliver those. Where we have been carrying out activities that we have decided should no longer be done by DEFRA, we are ceasing funding for such work. DEFRA is prioritising its resources in order to achieve the priorities in the Department's Business Plan. As part of the arm’s length bodies review we are planning a reduction in the number of bodies from over 90 to less than 40.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the annual amount of consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions produced by the UK. [57678]
Mr Paice
[holding answer 7 June 2011]: In 2008 DEFRA published an evidence study that measured the UK's carbon dioxide emissions using a consumption-based approach, titled “Embedded carbon emissions indicator—EV02033”. We are now carrying out further work to update these findings. The Centre for Sustainability
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Accounting has recently estimated that in 2008 greenhouse gas emissions relating to UK consumption totalled 1,076 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent.
Origin Marking: Israel
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason the guidelines on place of origin labelling issued by her Department on 10 December 2009 do not apply to all products on sale in the UK that originate from Israeli settlements. [58697]
Mr Paice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 24 May 2011, Official Report, column 548W.
Home Department
Asylum
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new asylum cases initiated in each year are awaiting resolution. [53756]
Damian Green: The following table shows the number of pending asylum applications (made since 1 April 2006) as at 31 March 2011, by year of application. These data include cases with no decision to date and those with an outstanding appeal. They do not include figures relating to cases that are appeal rights exhausted or are awaiting judicial review.
| Pending applications received for asylum since April 2006 in the United Kingdom as at 31 March 2011 (1, 2, 3) , by year of application (5) | ||
| Total pending | ||
| Year of application | Total (including dependants) | Of whom: Principal applicants |
| (1) Figures rounded to the nearest 5 (‘—’ = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding. (2) For the figures which include dependants further disaggregations by age, gender and nationality will be available on the EUROSTAT website: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_database (3) Numbers pending either initial decision or further judicial appeal, but excluding those who have lodged a judicial review (4) Applications received for asylum since 1 April 2006. (5) Provisional figures. | ||
Further information on asylum is available from the Control of Immigration publications which are available in the Library of the House and the Home Office Science website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics
In addition, from this summer information on our new asylum performance framework will be published on a regular basis—with key statistics disaggregated by gender—so that the House and any member of the public can scrutinise what we are achieving and hold us to account. It is my intention that these data will include all unconcluded cases. These will include those that are appeal rights exhausted and those whose
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discretionary leave has expired—in addition to those awaiting a decision or appeal outcome as identified above.
Asylum: Housing
Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to ensure that housing provided by the National Asylum Support Service meets the needs of tenants. [58319]
Damian Green: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 16 May 2011, Official Report, columns 23-24W.
Electronic Surveillance
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what supervision and control processes her Department is putting in place to regulate the use of Geotime and other software used for covert monitoring of the movements of individual citizens. [56359]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 19 May 2011]: Geotime and other similar software provide an analytical tool for the visual representation of data that has already been acquired lawfully for specific purposes from other sources. Anyone using such software to analyse data is bound by the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 and other relevant legislation.
Entry Clearances
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on (a) the (i) cost to the visitor and (ii) efficiency of the UK's tourist visa-processing operations and (b) the effect of such operations on the visitor economy. [58147]
Damian Green: UK Border Agency officials meet regularly with representatives of the tourist industry to listen to their views on the visa service offered to tourists from overseas, and to consider how the service may be further improved.
The Government recognise the UK's position as a top global tourist destination and the importance of the visitor route to the UK economy. A total of 1.2 million tourist visas were issued last year, up 14 % from 2009. We provide a good visa service to visitors from overseas and our fees and processing times are competitive compared with those offered by other countries. Our customer service standards for visa processing times are published on our website
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas
as are details of the performance of each of our visa application centres overseas. We aim to process 90% of tourist visas within three weeks and meet this target in the vast majority of cases Nevertheless, we continue to look at ways of improving the service further while maintaining the security of our border.
Extradition
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many UK nationals were extradited to the US in (a) 2004, (b) 2005, (c) 2006, (d) 2007, (e) 2008 and (f) 2009; [58483]
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(2) how many cases of extradition of US nationals to the UK took place in (a) 2004, (b) 2005, (c) 2006, (d) 2007, (e) 2008 and (f) 2009. [58484]
Damian Green: Nationality records have not been historically recorded in extradition cases between the UK and the United States. This is because neither country can refuse extradition requests from the other on the basis of the subject's nationality.
The following table shows the number of UK nationals extradited to United States from the UK (England and Wales) over the period 2004-2009.
Information regarding the nationality of those extradited to the UK from the United States has not in the past been routinely recorded. Records have been kept since 2007. In that time there are no records of US nationals having been extradited to the UK from the United States in 2007 and 2009. One US national was extradited in 2008. This does not include cases where nationality was disputed or unclear.
| Number of UK nationals extradited to United States from the UK (1) over the period 2004-09 | |
|
|
Number |
| (1) For the purposes of the question, we have taken the “UK” as meaning England and Wales. Scotland deals with its own US cases—as did Northern Ireland until 1 April 2008. (2) Includes one US/UK dual national. (3) Includes one UK/Iran dual national. | |
Harassment
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many potential offences under section (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4 and (d) 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 were recorded in 2009-10; [58315]
(2) how many complaints received by police forces of potential offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 during (a) 2009 and (b) 2010 were not proceeded with by police forces or prosecutors. [58316]
Lynne Featherstone: Offences recorded under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 are classified under the Home Office offence classification of ‘Harassment’. There were 53,029 offences of harassment recorded in 2009-10. It is not possible to identify centrally how many offences were recorded under each section of the Act.
Information on the number of complaints that were not proceeded with is not available centrally.
Visas: Appeals
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to removing the right of appeal for people who have been refused visas to enter the UK for up to six months; and what assessment she has made of the effect of implementation of such a measure on the number of people who will reapply. [57983]
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Damian Green: The refusal of a visa to enter the UK for up to six months attracts a full right of appeal only where the applicant is applying to visit a family member. In all other categories of temporary entry clearance the right of appeal is limited to human rights and race relations grounds. Bringing the right of appeal for persons seeking to visit family members into line with all other temporary visit visas is clearly an important area where we would want to seek wide views and on which we would wish to consult formally.
It is open to someone who has been refused a visa to visit a family member to apply again and provide further information in support of their application that addresses the reasons why their initial application was refused, which are set out in a comprehensive written refusal. Entry clearance staff work to a service standard of concluding 90% of visit visa applications within 15 days (performance was 95% in 2010-11), so the outcome of a second application will be known much sooner than the outcome of an appeal. We have not carried out an assessment of whether all those who currently appeal would reapply, were the appeal right in this category removed.
Defence
Armed Forces: Employment
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of armed forces veterans left the armed forces and found employment in each year since 2000. [58515]
Mr Robathan: All service personnel are entitled to some form of resettlement support either at unit level or through the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), with lifetime job finding support through either the Officers' Association or the Regular Forces Employment Association. Based on a survey of service leavers, who were entitled to resettlement provision through the CTP, the following table shows those who found employment within six months of being discharged.
|
|
Employed within six months of discharge (percentage) |
A limited amount of employment information exists for those service leavers who were not entitled to resettlement provision through the CTP. Since 1 April 2006 , we estimate that some 77% of service leavers in this group gained employment within six months of leaving.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average length of time was for armed forces veterans to find post-service employment in each year since 2000. [58516]
Mr Robathan:
Information on the length of time to find employment is not held prior to 1 April 2005. The
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following table shows the average length of time to find post-service employment in each year since then, based on a selected sample.
|
|
Number of days to gain employment |
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what sectors armed forces veterans found post-service employment in the latest period for which figures are available. [58517]
Mr Robathan: In 2010, service leavers found post-service employment within 44 industry sectors across the public, private and voluntary/community sets. These industry sectors are diverse and range from accountancy and finance through to sports and leisure.
British Sovereign Base
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Lord Ashcroft will be given an official level of security clearance as senior independent adviser to the study of British sovereign base areas in Cyprus. [58514]
Dr Fox: The noble Lord, Lord Ashcroft has been given the appropriate security clearance.
EU Defence Policy
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the European Defence Agency's interim report on the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy. [57866]
Mr Gerald Howarth: The Government broadly welcome the interim report on “Common Security and Defence Policy/military elements” issued by High Representative Baroness Ashton as a contribution to the debate, in particular its focus on improving EU/NATO relations and more effective capability development by European partners. However, we have expressed our reservations on the report's proposals for discussions on increasing the scope for common funding of battlegroups as we have consistently made clear our opposition to such common funding. Discussions on these topics will continue with EU partners as part of the ongoing policy debate.
Military Alliances
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the pooling and sharing of military assets. [57867]
Mr Gerald Howarth:
The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox), has regular discussions with his European counterparts on pooling and sharing. We believe that it is important that the UK seeks and exploits all opportunities
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to promote greater burden sharing and increased co-operation, in order to optimise capability development in Europe,
More specifically, I attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Defence Ministers' formation on 24 May 2011, which included pooling and sharing as a topic for discussion. The UK took the opportunity at the discussions to re-emphasize the point that national commitments to any pooling and sharing initiatives must be voluntary, consistent with the fact that each member of the Council is a sovereign nation state.
Regulation
Mr Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the name is of each body responsible for regulation of operations at his Department's site at Coulport; and what plans each has for regulation of the site. [58508]
Peter Luff: There are a number of internal and external bodies responsible for regulation of operations at Royal Naval Armaments Depot (RNAD) Coulport. The external bodies are the Health and Safety Executive, including their nuclear arm, the Office of Nuclear Regulation; the Scottish Environment Protection Agency; and local authorities. These bodies are responsible for developing their own plans for the regulation of the site, but we work in close co-operation with them.
Internal Ministry of Defence (MOD) regulators include the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator, the Defence Ordnance Safety Group, the Fuel and Gas Safety Regulator, and the Defence Fire and Risk Management Organisation. The MOD plans to maintain continuity of regulation during the transition to, and following the implementation of, the new arrangements at RNAD Coulport.
Departmental Research
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) longitudinal and (b) other (i) research and (ii) collection of data his Department has (A) initiated, (B) terminated and (C) amended in the last 12 months; and what such research and data collection exercises undertaken by the Department have not been amended in that period. [56755]
Peter Luff: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Terrorism: Detainees
Mr Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 1 September 2004, Official Report, columns 715-6W, on the Ministry of Defence, what the locations are of the two high value detainees; whether the classification of the two detainees as high value was a UK or US classification; and whether the two detainees were part of the US High Value Terrorist Detainee Program. [54857]
Nick Harvey
[holding answer 9 May 2011]:The two individuals referred to were both very senior Iraqi members of Saddam Hussein's regime. I can confirm that the UK would classify them both as high value detainees. One of them is currently serving 15 years in prison in Baghdad, having been convicted of several different offences. The other was executed by the Iraqi authorities in early 2010
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for crimes against humanity. Whether the detainees were part of a US program is a matter for the US to comment on.
Work and Pensions
Attendance Allowance
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider the merits of introducing a mobility component of attendance allowance to ensure that a person with mobility needs is eligible for the same level of financial support at the age of 65 as they are at 64. [58628]
Maria Miller: We have no plans to amend the entitlement conditions for attendance allowance to introduce a mobility component. It is normal for pensions and benefit schemes to contain different provisions for people at different stages of their lives. Disability living allowance, which has a mobility component, is intended to focus additional help with the extra cost of disability on people who have the very considerable disadvantage of being severely disabled earlier in life and who as a consequence have less opportunity to work, earn and save compared to non-disabled people.
If a person claims disability living allowance, including the mobility component, before their 65(th) birthday, it can remain in payment beyond age 65 as long as the conditions of entitlement remain satisfied.
Attendance allowance provides help with the disability-related extra costs of people who experience the onset of disability after age 65. Based on the need for personal care, this help is part of the wide range of support that the Government make available to older people so that they can have a decent and secure income in retirement.
Disability Living Allowance
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on disability benefits. [58462]
Chris Grayling: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues and other stakeholders to discuss a range of issues, including disability benefits.
Future Jobs Fund: Kirklees
Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Kirklees have been placed in employment through the Future Jobs Fund. [56665]
Chris Grayling: The most recent Young Person's Guarantee statistics were published on 13 April 2011. Statistics are available on the Future Jobs Fund which covers the period from October 2009 to the end of January 2011.
There have been a total of 690 FJF funded temporary placements within the Kirklees local authority area between October 2009 and January 2011
A breakdown of this information can be found in the following table.
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| Number of people in the Kirklees local authority that have started FJF funded employment since October 2009 | |
|
|
Starts |
| Notes: 1. Data Source—DWP LMS opportunities evaluation database April 2011. 2. Due to Data Protection protocols, values less than 10 are suppressed and marked with a ‘*’ to avoid unnecessary disclosure. Additionally, any figures above 10 are rounded to the nearest 10. Due to rounding, totals may not be the sum of the individual cells. Months are calendar months. Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Jobseekers, Disability and Work Programme Division | |
Income Support: Young People
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people aged between 16 and 18 years were in receipt of income support in each category in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [58611]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is given as follows.
| Income support 16 to 18-year-old claimants by statistical group in Great Britain, each quarter February 2010 to November 2010 | |||||
|
|
All 16 to 18-year-olds receiving IS | Incapacity benefits | Lone parent | Carer | Others receiving IS |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Data have been compiled using the claimant's Income Support Statistical Group, this is a hierarchical variable. A person who fits into more than one category will only appear in the top-most one for which they are eligible. 3. Lone parents are defined as claimants on income support with child under 16 and no partner. Lone parent obligations were introduced from 24 November 2008 affecting the age of the youngest child. 4. Incapacity benefits are defined as those receiving incapacity benefit or disability living allowance. 5. Carers are defined as those receiving carer's allowance. Source: 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study data. | |||||
Managing Agents
Tom Greatrex:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions his Department has reclaimed money from Atos as a result of unsatisfactory medical advice in each month since May 2010; how
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much has been reclaimed in each such month; and what proportion of the monetary value of its contract with Atos the total sum reclaimed represents. [58506]
Chris Grayling: Since May 2010 the Department has not needed to claim any money back from Atos Healthcare as they have met all of their targets for medical advice.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on the criteria to determine whether responses to freedom of information requests prejudice the interest of Atos Healthcare and the Department's future dealings with Atos Healthcare or other service providers. [58544]
Chris Grayling: The policy of my Department is to fully comply with our obligations under the Freedom of Information Act. We look to ensure that information shared is properly assessed for privacy, confidentiality (including that of service providers), commercial and public interest and consider each on a “case by case” basis. Where information is requested that is prejudicial to this criteria the Department will consider exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act.
Members: Correspondence
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Minister for Employment plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Weaver Vale of 22 June 2010 and 8 March 2011 on behalf of his constituent Mr Mark Tansley. [58304]
Chris Grayling: Due to an administrative error no reply was sent to my hon. Friend in response to his letter of 22 June 2010 and I apologise for that oversight. However, I understand that a Jobcentre Plus official replied on the same matter direct to my hon. Friend’s constituent in response to a separate, related e-mail.
A reply to the letter of 8 March 2011 was sent to my hon. Friend on 13 April 2011.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire dated 13 July 210, reference JS8612. [58486]
Steve Webb: Regrettably, due to an administrative error a reply was not sent to the hon. Member until 9 June 2011 and I apologise for that oversight.
Mike Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Edinburgh West of 17 February 2011 on support for mortgage interest. [58561]
Chris Grayling: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 1 March 2011.
Mortgages: Barnsley
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Barnsley East constituency received support for mortgage interest payments in each of the last five years. [58138]
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Steve Webb: Claimants receiving help with mortgage interest in Barnsley East parliamentary constituency are as follows:
|
|
Total claimants receiving mortgage interest |
| (1) Numbers are based on very few sample cases and are subject to a high degree of sampling variation, therefore these figures should be used as a guide only. Notes: 1. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Figures are based on 5% sample data. All figures are subject to a degree of sampling variation. 4. ‘—’ denotes nil or negligible. 5. Caseload figures have been uprated by using 5% proportions against 100% WPLS data. 6. Figures provided are a point in time estimate at November in each year 2006 and 2008 to 2010. No figures are available for November 2007, therefore we have provided figures as at August 2007. 7. Figures shown above are for Barnsley East for the period November 2010. Prior to this period the parliamentary constituency was named Barnsley East and Mexborough. Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5% samples. Work & Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) 100% data. | |
Pension Credit
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will prepare and publish an impact assessment in respect of the proposals in the Welfare Reform Bill affecting the qualifying age and entitlement to pension credit; [58493]
(2) if he will estimate the saving which would accrue to the Exchequer if entitlement to pension credit were removed from an individual who reached qualifying age and was a member of a couple the other member of which had not attained the qualifying age; [58749]
(3) if he will estimate the average change in income to (a) the individual and (b) the couple who would no longer be entitled to pension credit if entitlement to pension credit were removed from an individual who reached qualifying age and was a member of a couple the other member of which had not attained the qualifying age; [58750]
(4) how many (a) men and (b) women would no longer be entitled to pension credit if entitlement to pension credit were removed from individuals who reached qualifying age but were members of a couple the other member of which had not attained the qualifying age in each year between 2013 and 2020. [58751]
Steve Webb: In the Welfare Reform Bill we are taking powers to restrict access to pension credit for couples where one member of the couple is below the qualifying age for pension credit.
We are still considering a range of policy issues relating to couples in this situation. We will publish further information once the policy has been finalised.
We recognise that it is important not to undermine the stability and outcomes for existing pension credit customers, so there will be no change for couples already in receipt of pension credit at the point of change.
There are currently around 100,000 claims to pension credit from couples where one member is below the
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qualifying age for pension credit, 90,000 of these claimants are male and 10,000 are female.
Pensioner Poverty
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of pensioners lived in poverty in each year between 1981 and 2004. [58363]
Steve Webb: Estimates of pensioner poverty are published in the Households Below Average Incomes series. The most commonly used measure of pensioner poverty relates to those people with income below 60% of contemporary median household income, after housing costs. This is often referred to as relative poverty.
The latest year of data which are available is 2009-10. The following table shows the number and percentage of pensioners with income below 60% of contemporary median household income, after housing costs from 1981 to 2004.
| Table 1: Number and proportion of pensioners falling below 60% of contemporary median household income, after housing costs (AHC) | |||
| Publication | Period | Number (million) | Percentage |
| Notes: 1. These statistics are based on the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series, sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) and Family Expenditure Survey (FES). 2. FRS figures are for Great Britain up to 1997-98, and for the United Kingdom from 1998-99, with estimates for Northern Ireland imputed for the years 1998-99 through 2001-02. The reference period for FRS figures is single financial years. 3. FES figures are for the United Kingdom. These are single calendar years for 1981, and 1987; two combined calendar years from 1988 to 1993 and two financial years combined from 1993-94 to 1994-95. 4. 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. 5. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication “Households Below Average Income” (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or “equivalised”) for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 6. For the Households Below Average Income series, incomes have been equivalised using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) modified equivalisation factors. 7. Proportions of pensioners in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest whole percentage point and numbers of pensioners have been rounded to the nearest 100,000. 8. 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 Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP. | |||
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In-work Poverty
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce levels of in-work poverty. [57571]
Chris Grayling: Universal credit will reduce the number of individuals in poverty. On reasonable assumptions, the combined impact of take-up and entitlements might lift around 950,000 individuals out of poverty, including 350,000 children and more than 600,000 working-age adults, the vast majority of these people are likely to be in working households.
Child Poverty
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what resources his Department expects to allocate to the implementation of measures set out his Department's report in A New Approach to Child Poverty: Tackling the Causes of Disadvantage and Transforming Families' Lives in each of the next three years. [57651]
Maria Miller: The first national child poverty strategy fulfils the Government's obligations under the Child Poverty Act 2010 and sets out our plans for tackling child poverty from 2011-14. The strategy also provides a comprehensive framework for ending child poverty in the longer term and clearly demonstrates how Government Departments must work together to address and overcome the key drivers of poverty.
The publication of the strategy was set against the backdrop of a huge deficit that this Government inherited and a challenging spending review that placed a high priority on improving the life chances of children and protection of vulnerable families while also making crucial progress in reducing the nation's fiscal debt.
The Government's new strategic direction will dismantle the powerful barriers that keep most disadvantaged families stuck in cycles of poverty. Failure to do so will condemn some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of our society to repeatedly finding themselves on one or more of the established pathways to poverty.
We are resolute in our determination to tackle these key drivers of poverty and as such the Government have:
Set aside £2 billion of Department for Work and Pensions spending review settlement over the next four years to fund the implementation of the universal credit.
Established the Work programme, which will offer people seeking employment targeted, personalised help, delivered by contractors drawn from across the private, public and voluntary sectors, as well as social enterprises. Work programme contractors are paid for results, so the cost of the programme will depend on performance, but is expected to be between £3 billion and £5 billion.
Introduced a number of initiatives specifically targeted at the most vulnerable children and families in our society:
the Fairness Premium worth £7.2 billion over the spending review period.
the Pupil Premium worth £2.5 billion a year to 2014-15.
the Early Intervention Grant worth £2,222 million in 2011-12 and £2,037 million in 2012-13.
the 16-19 Bursary Fund which guarantees the most vulnerable 16 to 19-year-olds bursaries of £1,200 a year.
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DWP will support further investment in innovative action from local partners which have the scope to improve children's and families' outcomes. We will look to expand existing initiatives which challenge public service commissioners and providers to seek value for money and deliver local solutions to local problems.
Shared Housing
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the number of units of shared accommodation available (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority area; [58053]
(2) with reference to Table 4 of his Department's impact assessment on Increasing the shared accommodation rate age threshold to 35, what estimate he has made of the number of additional units of shared accommodation available in Brighton and Hove. [58055]
Steve Webb: No national or local estimate has been made of the availability of shared accommodation.
In Table 4 of the impact assessment it is estimated that 840 claimants would have their entitlement reduced to the shared accommodation rate, but not all of these will necessarily seek to move into shared accommodation. Some will seek to move to shared accommodation but others may move in with their family or partner, or find work in order to afford self-contained accommodation.
No estimate has been made of the availability of additional shared accommodation following the increase in the age threshold, which will depend on the responses of claimants and landlords to the extension of the shared accommodation rate to the 25 to 34 age group.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the costs to the discretionary housing payments budget of supporting individuals aged 25 to 34 years affected by the extension of the shared accommodation rate who are judged unable to live in shared accommodation. [58054]
Steve Webb: Claimants who receive the severe disability premium will continue to be exempt from the shared accommodation rate, as will those who have an overnight carer, so it remains the case that people with the most severe disabilities will not be expected to move into shared accommodation, and that the costs of their accommodation will be met without recourse to the discretionary housing payments budget.
Beyond the existing exemptions, the Department does not set criteria by which claimants are considered to be unable to move into shared accommodation.
Local authorities are responsible for deciding, based on any supporting information provided by the claimant, whether a claimant's particular circumstances warrant further financial assistance through a discretionary housing payment. No estimate has been made of the cost to the discretionary housing payment budget.
Shared Housing: Blackpool
Paul Maynard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the (a) demand for and (b) supply of shared accommodation in Blackpool in its planning for
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the introduction of the new shared accommodation rate of housing benefit for single people under 35 years old. [57997]
Steve Webb: Based on analysis of the local housing allowance case load in March 2010, it is estimated that 720 claimants in Blackpool would have their local housing allowance reduced to the shared accommodation rate.
No assessment has been made of the impact on demand for shared accommodation, which will depend on how claimants respond to their lower rate of housing benefit. Some will seek to move to shared accommodation but others may move in with their family or partner, or find work in order to afford self-contained accommodation.
No assessment has been made of the supply of shared accommodation in Blackpool. This will depend on the responses of claimants and landlords to the reduced local housing allowance entitlement.
Source:
Equality impact assessment of the increase to the shared accommodation rate age threshold, available on the DWP website at:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-hb-shared-accommodation-age-threshold.pdf
Social Security Benefits: Disability
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward proposals to encourage high street chemists to promote awareness of the eligibility of those on disability benefits to buy medical products at zero rate value added tax. [54278]
Maria Miller: Those receiving DLA are eligible for a wide range of additional benefits, which are detailed in an information leaflet issued to all those receiving an award notice for DLA. The leaflet includes links to the Directgov website where advice on medical products at zero rate VAT can be found.
Universal Credit
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate (a) the total number of families (i) working 16 or more and (ii) fewer than 16 hours per week which would be better off or worse off and (b) the average amount by which they would be better off or worse off, should child care support through the universal credit be provided at (1) 70 per cent. of child care costs up to £125 for one child and £210 for two or more children and (2) 80 per cent. of child care costs up to £100 for one child and £150 for two or more children, excluding any broader impact of the transition to universal credit. [58744]
Maria Miller: Universal credit is an integrated working-age benefit that will provide a basic allowance with additional elements for disability, caring responsibilities, housing costs and children. Therefore, households will receive one payment of universal credit rather than separate payments for the different elements.
As a consequence, separating the child care element from the broader impact of universal credit as a whole could give a misleading impression of whether a household would be better off under universal credit.
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A package of transitional protection is being developed in order to ensure that there will be no cash losers purely as a result of the move to universal credit where circumstances remain the same.
Work Capability Assessment
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of work capability assessments made in the last 12 months have been undertaken by (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) others. [58505]
Chris Grayling: Between 1 June 2010 and 31 May 2011 the proportion of work capability assessments undertaken was as follows:
(a) 44.2% (doctors);
(b) 52.8% (nurses);
(c) 3% (others).
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Departmental Manpower
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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) voluntary redundancy, (c) natural wastage and (d) involuntary redundancy. [57610]
Mr Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no current plans to publish this information, but is committed to transparency and the availability of data and will keep this under review.
Departmental Research
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) longitudinal and (b) other (i) research and (ii) collection of data his Department has (A) initiated, (B) terminated and (C) amended in the last 12 months; and what such research and data collection exercises undertaken by the Department have not been amended in that period. [56770]
Mr Lidington: Information in the form requested is not available centrally and cannot be provided without disproportionate cost.
Iraq: Iran
Mr Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the government of Iraq on the loudspeakers around Camp Ashraf; and if he will make a statement. [57911]
Alistair Burt: Our embassy officials have noted the presence of loudspeakers at the entrance to Camp Ashraf. The Government of Iraq have told us that the purpose of the loudspeakers is to allow family members to communicate with relatives inside the camp.
We regularly discuss the situation of Camp Ashraf with our international partners and have repeatedly pressed the Government of Iraq to ensure the human rights of the residents of Camp Ashraf are respected.
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Israel: Borders
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the defence of the borders of Israel; and if he will make a statement. [58488]
Alistair Burt: In the run-up to demonstrations on 15 May and 5 June, the embassy in Tel Aviv spoke to Israeli Defence Minister Barak as well as to officials in the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Defence Forces to urge restraint. Israeli officials said that security forces would act with maximum restraint, but stressed the need to protect Israeli citizens.
Our embassies in Amman, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus and Jerusalem, also lobbied their hosts, underlining the need to avoid provocative actions.
I refer my hon. friend to the statement issued by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) on 6 June.
Libya: Armed Conflict
Mr Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of seeking changes to the rules of engagement in respect of military action in Libya to allow direct attacks on infrastructure supporting the Gadaffi Government; what discussions he has had with NATO counterparts on this issue; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any legal advice received on this matter. [57098]
Alistair Burt: Any military action in Libya must be carried out in accordance with Resolution 1973 of the United Nations Security Council, and the Government has made clear that they will ensure that any action by British forces in Libya is lawful. We keep in close and regular touch with our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies on all aspects of military operations in Libya.
Middle East: Peace Negotiations
Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to ensure that Hamas accepts each of the Quartet Principles before participating in any negotiations between the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority; and if he will make a statement; [58252]
(2) what assessment he has made of the potential implications of the accord between Fatah and Hamas on the ability of the Palestinian Authority to return to peace negotiations. [58253]
Alistair Burt:
We have been absolutely clear—as has the rest of the international community—that we expect to see a government that rejects violence and pursues a negotiated peace. Mahmoud Abbas as both head of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and President of the Palestinian Authority reaffirmed his commitment to those principles in Cairo on 4 May 2011. He also reiterated that he is committed to a two-state solution—
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Israel and Palestine—based on 1967 borders. But his new government has yet to be formed. The UK will judge a future Palestinian government by its actions and its readiness to work for peace.
Senegal: Prisoners
George Eustice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are imprisoned in Senegal. [58003]
Mr Bellingham: Our embassy in Senegal is aware of two British nationals imprisoned in Senegal.
Sudan: Politics and Government
Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the situation in Abyei. [58748]
Mr Bellingham: We are deeply concerned at the outbreak of violence in Abyei, and have been monitoring the situation closely.
We are aware of reports of the large numbers of displaced people from Abyei. At present, lack of access hinders accurate humanitarian needs assessment, but Non Governmental Organisations and the United Nations (UN) are ready to respond once security and access allows. We are working with the UN to ensure that once security and access is granted, assistance will reach these displaced civilians. The UN has reserves of both shelter and food for such situations.
My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for International Development and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met with the Sudanese Foreign Minister Karti on 6 June, and I held a further meeting with him on 7 June. We urged the Government of Sudan to fully withdraw their armed forces from Abyei.
Together with our international partners, we are calling on both parties to return to the African Union facilitated negotiations to resolve their differences.
Syrian Arab Republic: Borders
Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on border incidents in the Golan Heights. [58745]
Alistair Burt: As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said in his statement of 6 June 2011, Official Report, columns 31-35, we are deeply concerned by reports that a number of protesters have been killed and others injured following protests in the Golan Heights. We recognise Israel's right to defend herself. It is vital that any response is proportionate, avoiding lethal use of force unless absolutely necessary, and that the right to protest is respected. I continue to call on all parties, including the Governments of Israel and Syria, to do everything they can to protect the lives of civilians and to avoid provocative acts.
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Syrian Arab Republic: Human Rights
Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports of human rights abuses in Syria. [58747]
Alistair Burt: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made on 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 32, by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (York) (Mr Hague).
Trade Unions
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has provided any financial support to (a) the National Union of Teachers, (b) the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers, (c) the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, (d) the National Association of Head Teachers and (e) schemes run by those organisations in each year since 1997. [56408]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has no record of providing any financial support to the specified organisations or schemes run by them.
However, budgets in the FCO are devolved to over 260 Posts overseas and as details are not held centrally, this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
UN Security Council
Mr Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the legal advice he has received on the definition of command and control structures, as opposed to infrastructure, in the interpretation of UN Security Council Resolution 1973. [57097]
Alistair Burt: No. Any such legal advice would be privileged.
Western Sahara: Human Rights
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will ask HM Ambassador to Morocco to raise with the Moroccan authorities allegations of torture, ill treatment and sexual assault of Abid Abou Jihad by a Moroccan police unit; [57514]
(2) if he will ask HM Ambassador to Morocco to raise with the Moroccan authorities the number of complaints of human rights violations filed since 2006 by Saharawi people at the Court of El-Aaiun that mention Corporal Mohamad Elhasouni; [57515]
(3) if he will ask HM Ambassador to Morocco to raise with the Moroccan authorities (a) protests organised by Saharawi people on human rights and (b) arrests at the regional office of the Moroccan National Council for Human Rights; [57516]
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(4) if he will ask HM Ambassador to Morocco to raise with the Moroccan authorities alleged attacks by the Moroccan police on unemployed Saharawi graduates in Boujdour, Western Sahara on 7 May 2011. [57517]
Alistair Burt: UN Security Council Resolution 1979 on United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara's (MINURSO) operations, passed on 27 April 2011, contains language on
“the importance of improving the human rights situation in Western Sahara and the Tindouf camps”
“encourages the parties to develop independent and credible measures to ensure full respect for human rights.”
Morocco has recently created a National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) with an office in Laayoune, Western Sahara. We would expect the CNDH to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in Western Sahara and will be monitoring the performance of this new institution. Officials from our embassy in Rabat also travel to Western Sahara on a regular basis.
The EU Delegation in Rabat conducts enhanced dialogue with human rights defenders from Morocco and Western Sahara, in which British officials are closely involved. There is a regular EU-Morocco human rights dialogue and we will continue to discuss human rights with Morocco bilaterally and with EU partners.
Yemen: Politics and Government
Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Yemen. [58746]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The situation in Yemen is extremely uncertain following the attack on President Saleh on 3 June, and he is currently receiving medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. Saleh's departure brought an end to 10 days of heavy fighting.
We welcome the announcement of the transfer of authority to the Vice President and urge him to take advantage of this relative calm, working closely with all sides, to implement the Gulf Co-operation Council Agreement and to begin political transition now.
We urge all sides to continue showing restraint and seek dialogue as the way forward. We support the efforts of the GCC to get all Yemeni sides to agree to a transitional process. We hope now that, with Saleh in Riyadh there will be a real chance for transition to happen.
Deputy Prime Minister
Departmental Pay
John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the annual salary cost is of staff in his private office; and what the cost was of salaries in the Deputy Prime Minister's Office in each year from 2007-08 to 2009-10. [7889]
The Deputy Prime Minister: The total staffing cost for my office in 2010-11 was £1,028,487.
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Business, Innovation and Skills
North East Local Economic Partnership
21. Sir Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of progress in establishing the north-east local economic partnership; and if he will make a statement. [57799]
Mr Prisk: The north-east local enterprise partnership was asked to form its board in January. Paul Walker, former CEO of Sage plc, has been appointed as interim chair and is overseeing the recruitment of the formal board. It is anticipated that this will be in place shortly.
ESOL
22. Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to publish the equality impact assessment undertaken on his Department's co-financing proposals for courses in English for speakers of other languages. [57800]
Mr Hayes: I am determined to reform English for speakers of other languages to make it fairer for people such as those in the hon. Lady's constituency, ensuring improved outcomes and better value for money. That is why I chose, as I was able, to inform the House in a debate on 3 May 2011, Official Report, columns 209-12WH, that the Department expects to publish an equality impact assessment before the summer recess.
Regional Growth Fund
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made on the second round of allocations from the regional growth fund; and if he will make a statement. [57796]
Mr Prisk: The second round of the regional growth fund is worth just under £1 billion and bids must be received before 1 July 2011. Applicants are able to attend a series of roadshows, chaired by Lord Heseltine and Sir Ian Wrigglesworth, which offer advice and support to prospective bidders. These roadshows have been heavily subscribed.
One North East
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the opportunity costs of the sale on the open market of the assets held by One North East; and if he will make a statement. [57798]
Mr Prisk: There is no opportunity cost. Where regional development agency assets are being sold it is either because their regeneration is complete, or because the purchaser is well-placed to continue their development.
Companies: Pay
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what guidance his Department issues on the governance of remuneration committees of limited companies. [58457]
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Mr Davey: UK quoted companies are required under company law to disclose the members of their remuneration committees and the advisers to those committees.
The Financial Reporting Council's UK Corporate Governance Code includes principles and provisions on the role and membership of the remuneration committee. Annex A to the code gives guidance about the design of performance-related remuneration for executive directors.
Export Credits Guarantee Department
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make the carrying out of an impact analysis a pre-condition for all projects supported by the Export Credits Guarantee Department. [58478]
Mr Davey: ECGD undertakes impact analysis for projects that fall within the ambit of the OECD “Revised Council Recommendation on Common Approaches on the Environment and Officially Supported Export Credits” and the OECD “Principles and Guidelines to Promote Sustainable Lending Practices in the Provision of Official Export Credits to Low Income Countries”.
Export Credits Guarantee Department: Developing Countries
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the debt owed by developing countries to the Export Credits Guarantee Department. [58481]
Mr Davey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne) on 24 May 2011, Official Report, column 645W.
Export Credits Guarantee Department: Human Rights
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has any plans to adopt mandatory standards on human rights as part of the remit of the Export Credits Guarantee Department. [58479]
Mr Davey: The Export Credits Guarantees Department (ECGD) considers the human rights impacts of the projects that fall within the ambit of the OECD ‘Revised Council Recommendation on Common Approaches on the Environment and Officially Supported Export Credits’, which require projects to be benchmarked against international standards, usually those of the World Bank Group. The standards cover labour and working conditions, community health and safety, land acquisition and involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples, etc.
Export Credits Guarantee Department: Technology
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has any plans to include green technology products in the remit of the Export Credits Guarantee Department. [58480]
Mr Davey: The Export Credits Guarantee Department is already able to support exports of green technology products.
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Export Credits Guarantees Department: Arms Trade
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will prohibit support for (a) arms and (b) fossil fuels from the Export Credits Guarantee Department. [58477]
Mr Davey: No. A blanket ban that would exclude whole classes of exports from being able to access support from the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) would be unlawful under ECGD's Act. ECGD considers defence and fossil fuel related exports in accordance with its risk standards and its international obligations (e.g. those relating to anti-bribery and corruption and environmental, social and human rights standards) to determine whether or not it can provide support for individual transactions.
Global Positioning System: Earthquakes
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with (a) the US administration and (b) his EU counterparts on the effects of recent earthquakes on the calibration of global positioning systems; and if he will make a statement. [58025]
Mr Willetts: I have not had any discussions with either the US administration or EU counterparts on the effects of recent earthquakes on the calibration of global positioning systems.
The recent earthquake in Japan has had a small effect on the shape of the Earth which has required their mapping agencies to undertake a readjustment of their geodetic network. This has already taken place. No changes are required to satellite navigation systems as the effect was insignificant compared with annual variations in the Earth's shape.
Local Enterprise Partnerships
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the legal status is of a local enterprise partnership. [58459]
Mr Prisk: As set out in the Local Growth White Paper the Government do not intend to define local enterprise partnerships in legislation. The constitution and legal status of each partnership will be a matter for the partners, informed by the activities that they wish to pursue.
Local Enterprise Partnerships: Public Appointments
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what guidance his Department provides to local enterprise partnerships on the appointment of board members. [58455]
Mr Prisk: The guidance this Department provides to local enterprise partnerships on the appointment of board members is set out on our website at the following address:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/economic-development/leps/board-membership
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Nuclear Engineering: Higher Education
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of (a) vacancies on university courses and (b) graduates in nuclear engineering in each of the next five years. [57282]
Mr Willetts: This information is not available; we do not plan for the number of students at a course, subject or institutional level. The actual number of places on nuclear engineering courses will depend on the decisions of individual universities. We expect the total number of places on all courses in 2011/12 to be broadly similar to 2010/11.