Higher Education: Finance
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many degree course places funded by (a) the Higher Education Funding Council for England and (b) other organisations there were in (i) higher education institutions and (ii) further education colleges in (A) 2009-10, (B) 2010-11 and (C) 2011-12; how many such courses in each category he estimates will be funded in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [59176]
Mr Willetts: The table shows the number of headcount Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate degree students funded (a) by HEFCE and (b) independently(1) in (i) Higher Education Institutions and (ii) Further Education Colleges in academic years (A) 2009/10 and (B) 2010/11.
(1) The institution receives enough resources from other sources (other than EL) public sources) for the year of instance to cover the HEFCE standard resource for its provision.
| Funded Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate degree students | |||
| Headcount | |||
| Academic year | |||
| Funded by: |
|
(A) 2009/10 | (B) 2010/11 |
| Sources: 1. Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)'s Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey (HESES) 2. Higher Education In Further Education: Students Survey (HEIFES) | |||
Figures for 2011/12 will be available in late December 2011. It is expected that the total number of fundable (i.e. HEFCE and independently funded) places on all courses in 2011/12 will be broadly similar to 2010/11.
Information about the number of courses in 2012/13 is not available; the Department does not plan for the number of courses available.
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Intellectual Property: Africa
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the implementation of the recommendation of the Gowers Review on Intellectual Property that the UK Patent Office should undertake joint working with intellectual property offices in Africa. [58522]
Mr Davey: Since the publication of the Gower's review in 2006, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has undertaken a number of technical assistance projects in Africa. These include, in 2007 a project with Kenya and Botswana to implement a regulatory framework for access to medicines, working with IP offices and relevant ministries. In 2008, the UK hosted a visit from the then Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office of South Africa on IT, HR and IP processes, and worked with the Nigerian Copyright Commission. With funding from DFID, SAANA Consulting was commissioned to follow up the IP Needs Assessment diagnostic study for Uganda with delivery and evaluation of the priority projects. In 2009 we organised a conference with African countries and China on enforcement, with the United States Patent Office.
In addition, we have provided funding to Light-years IP to help establish a series of projects in Sub-Saharan Africa designed to help African producers extract greater value from their products by maximising the value of their intellectual property. In February 2011, the IPO in partnership with the South African Research and Innovation Management Association, (SARIMA) undertook a project to build capacity in the commercialisation of intellectual property at South African Technology Transfer Offices.
Intellectual Property: Drugs
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage World Trade Organisation member states to ratify the amendments to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights to make importation of drugs easier and cheaper. [58523]
Mr Davey: The UK has regularly made clear its support for the Doha Declaration on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and public health, which agreed that:
“the TRIPS Agreement does not and should not prevent members from taking measures to protect public health”
including allowing developing countries with insufficient or no manufacturing capacities in the pharmaceutical sector to use a compulsory licence to import medicines. The EU has ratified the amendments to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
Intellectual Property: Research
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the implementation of the recommendation of the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property relating to the amendment of section 60(5) of the Patents Act 1977 to clarify the research exception. [58520]
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Mr Davey: The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) consulted further on this recommendation in 2008 and the areas of pharmaceuticals and plant breeders' rights were highlighted by respondents. Guidance on the research exception was included in the latest edition of the IP Management Handbook for Universities (Intellectual Assets Management for Universities) published on the 19 of May 2011.
The Government are considering further how the IP framework might be improved in relation to clinical trials with a view to presenting recommendations in the autumn as set out in the Growth Plan published with the budget in April 2011. As part of this process the IPO launched a consultation on 6 June 2011 to investigate the impact of UK patent legislation on the conduct of clinical and field trials involving pharmaceuticals in the UK.
Legal Systems: Islam
Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many family law cases have been dealt with by Sharia tribunals under the Arbitration Act 1996 in each year since 1997. [58472]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 9 June 2011]:The Muslim Arbitration Tribunals (MAT) was established in 2007 in order to provide an alternative route to resolve civil issues in accordance with Sharia principles. The MAT operates according to the principles of the Arbitration Act 1996. We do not have any data on family matters dealt with by these councils or the MAT. Sharia councils do not describe themselves as “tribunals” as they do not have powers to enforce their decisions.
Common law has restrictions on what can be arbitrated. Some family law issues such as the custody of a child or marital status cannot be arbitrated although some family financial issues can.
There are no specific provisions in the Arbitration Act 1996 for Sharia council or “tribunals”.
Technology and Innovation Centres: Finance
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how much is to be allocated from the Technology Strategy Board budget in 2011-12 to develop a national grants for research and development scheme; and if he will make a statement; [59093]
(2) how much money is to be allocated from the Technology Strategy Board budget for technology and innovation centres in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [59094]
Mr Willetts: The budgets allocated by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) for its Grant for Research and Development (R and D) scheme and Technology and Innovation Centres in FY 2011/12 are in the order of £20 million and £45 million respectively. These are indicative allocations within the TSB's overall core budget of £317 million for 2011/12 and are flexible to permit TSB to direct funding across its range of support mechanisms to maximise the impact of its strategic programmes and respond to emerging priorities.
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Health
Blood and Transplant Service
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on plans to make parts of the National Health Service Blood and Transplant Service subject to competitive tendering. [58057]
Anne Milton: Discussions have been held between departmental and Scottish Government officials about the review into NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT).
The current review of NHSBT was a result of the conclusions of the “Report of the Arm’s-length Bodies Review” published in July 2010. The review is intended to assist NHSBT in further improving the efficiency of its operations and is consistent with Government policy to explore opportunities to increase efficiency.
Blood: CJD
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2011, Official Report, column 1273W, on blood transfusions, whether the dates for the timetabling of the prion filtered red blood cells in surgery and multi-transfused patients (PRISM) study have changed; and when he expects the final report to be completed; [59007]
(2) whether the eight-week antibody tests of the prion filtered red blood cells in surgery and multi-transfused patients (PRISM) study have been concluded. [59010]
Anne Milton: The timetable remains as set out in my reply of 24 March 2011, Official Report, column 1273W. The final report will be completed by the end of December 2011, for consideration by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissue and Organs in early 2012. I understand that the study in multi-transfused patients will no longer go ahead due to difficulties in recruiting sufficient patients to the study.
As of 3 June 2011, eight-week antibody samples continue to be received from surgical patients, as part of the prion filtered red cells in surgery and multi-transfused patients study. The samples are taken eight weeks after the patients receive the red cell units, and follow-up samples taken at six months.
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the costs of the (a) development and (b) implementation of (i) prion filtration and (ii) a blood test for vCJD. [59011]
Anne Milton:
With regard to prion filtration I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon.
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Member for Ogmore (Huw Irranca-Davies) on 23 May 2011,
Official Report
, column 423W. Costs of development are borne by manufacturers.
With regard to blood tests no estimates have been made of the costs of the development and implementation of a blood test for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) as there is currently no test proven to identify asymptomatic vCJD infection.
Health
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on health inequalities (a) in the North East and (b) nationally for each year since 1997. [58913]
Anne Milton: The information is shown in the tables.
Further information is available in the Regional Health Profile for the North East, and in local health profiles, which are produced annually by the Association of Public Health Observatories and commissioned by the Department. These profiles are available on the Association of Public Health Observatories website:
www.apho.org.uk/resource/view.aspx?RID=95362
www.apho.org.uk/resource/view.aspx?RID=50215®ION=50150&SPEAR
| Table 1: Life expectancy at birth (years) by area deprivation quintile, England, 2001-04 and 2005-08 | ||||
| Male | Female | |||
|
|
2001-04 | 2005-08 | 2001-04 | 2005-08 |
| Notes: 1. Figures are period life expectancies at birth. 2. Period life expectancy at birth for an area in a given time period is an estimate of the average number of years a new-born baby would survive if he or she experienced the particular area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. It reflects contemporary mortality among those living in an area in each time period, rather than mortality that will be experienced throughout life among those born in the area, It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area could actually expect to live. 3. Figures are four-year averages, based on data aggregated over four-year time periods. 4. Area deprivation quintiles are derived by grouping lower layer super output areas (LSOAs) in England into quintiles based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007 score for each LSOA. Each quintile contains approximately a fifth of LSOAs in England. Source: Office for National Statistics (“Inequalities in disability-free life expectancy by area deprivation, England 2001-04 and 2005-08”, Olugbenga Olatunde, Michael Smith, Chris White. Health Statistics Quarterly, vol 48, pp 36-57) | ||||
| Table 2a: Life expectancy (LE) at birth (years) for England, areas in England with the worst health and deprivation, the North East Region, and local authority (Unitary Authority (UA) and district council) areas in the North East, 1996-98 to 2007-09—Male | ||||||||||||
|
|
1996-98 | 1997-99 | 1998-2000 | 1999-01 | 2000-02 | 2001-03 | 2002-04 | 2003-05 | 2004-06 | 2005-07 | 2006-08 | 2007-09 |
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|
Difference (England LE minus areas with the worst health and deprivation LE) |
||||||||||||
| Table 2b: Life expectancy (LE) at birth (years) for England, areas in England with the worst health and deprivation, the North East Region, and local authority (Unitary Authority (UA) and district council) areas in the North East, 1996-98 to 2007-09—Female | ||||||||||||
|
|
1996-98 | 1997-99 | 1998-2000 | 1999-01 | 2000-02 | 2001-03 | 2002-04 | 2003-05 | 2004-06 | 2005-07 | 2006-08 | 2007-09 |
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10 Jun 2011 : Column 524W
| Notes: To tables 2a and 2b: 1. Figures are period life expectancies at birth. 2. Period life expectancy at birth for an area in a given time period is an estimate of the average number of years a new-born baby would survive if he or she experienced the particular area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. It reflects contemporary mortality among those living in an area in each time period, rather than mortality that will be experienced throughout life among those born in the area. It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area could actually expect to live. 3. Figures are three-year rolling averages, based on data aggregated over three-year time periods. 4. All figures are shown rounded to one decimal place (figures for England and the areas with the worst health and deprivation are rounded to one decimal place based on published figures rounded to two decimal places). Difference between areas with the worst health and deprivation and the England average is calculated from life expectancy figures rounded to two decimal places; difference between North East and England is calculated from England figures to two decimal places and North East figures to one decimal place. 5. The areas with the worst health and deprivation were previously known as the “Spearhead Group”, which was defined in 2004 for use with associated former Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets included in the 2004 spending review. The Government have abolished the PSA system. The former “Spearhead Group” consisted of the 70 local authority (Unitary Authority and district council) areas (based on boundaries prior to the 1 April 2009 local government re-organisation) that were in the bottom fifth nationally for three or more of the following five factors: male life expectancy at birth 1995-97; female life expectancy at birth 1995-97; cancer mortality rate in under 75s 1995-97; cardiovascular disease mortality rate in under 75s 1995-97; and Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 (Local Authority Summary), average score. Source: Office for National Statistics | ||||||||||||
Health Services: North East
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors, (b) midwives, (c) specialist scientific staff, (d) nurses, (e) medical managers, (f) non-medical managers, (g) administrators and (h) healthcare assistants were employed in the North East in each year since 1990. [59005]
Mr Simon Burns: Information is not available in the format requested. Information on the numbers of national health service staff in the North East Strategic Health Authority Area by main staff group, including doctors, midwives, specialist scientific staff, nurses, managers, administrators and healthcare assistants in each year since 1995 is shown in the following table.
Information cannot be provided from 1990 onwards, as comparable work force data are available only from 1995.
| Headcount (1) | ||||||||
|
|
1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
|
Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff (ST&T) |
||||||||
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10 Jun 2011 : Column 526W
| Headcount (1) | ||||||||
|
|
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 (1) |
|
Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff (ST&T) |
||||||||
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| (1) The new headcount methodology for 2010 data are not fully comparable with previous years data due to improvements that make them a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the “NHS Workforce: Summary of staff in the NHS: Results from September 2010 Census” publication which is available in the Library. (2) Excludes medical Hospital Practitioners and medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals. (3) GP Retainers were first collected in 1999 and have been omitted for comparability purposes. (4) NHS Infrastructure support staff includes administrative senior managers, managers, clerical staff, Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, and other areas of work which do not involve patient contact. Notes: 1. Comparable workforce data are only available from 1995. 2. 2010 Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. 3. Medical and dental data as at 30 September each year. 4. GP data as at 1 October 1991-99 and 30 September 2000-10. 5. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published, this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Sources: 1. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care 2010 Non-Medical Workforce Census 2. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census 3. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics. | ||||||||
Health Services: Terrorism
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what analysis his Department has conducted on the ability of medical experts to (a) identify and (b) report those who are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. [58936]
Mr Simon Burns: No separate analysis has been undertaken to measure a clinician’s ability to identify or report those who are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism.
Health professionals are not being asked to seek out or report individuals who are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism, but instead will raise any concerns internally with the Prevent Lead within their organisation. The Prevent programme in health raises awareness of this form of exploitation so that, during the normal course of clinical practice, a clinician or healthcare worker may recognise that a vulnerable individual is either being groomed or drawn into violent extremism, and is therefore knowledgeable in how to provide support. Safeguarding vulnerable individuals will ensure that appropriate actions and support mechanisms can be put in place to redirect them away from criminal activity. This process is undertaken with the consent of the patient.
Healthcare staff already have a duty to report concerns about abuse or exploitation of vulnerable adults and children. Raising concerns through Prevent will be no different.
As with any other therapeutic relationship that a healthcare worker has with a patient, it is key that the safeguarding processes already in place can be used, assisting clinicians to protect vulnerable adults and children from exploitation and harm by others.
Heart Diseases: Children
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what reason the documents associated with the Safe and Sustainable Review consultation were not translated into Urdu; [57284]
(2) for what reason the Safe and Sustainable Review did not take account of children’s heart surgery services at Yorkhill hospital, Glasgow; [57285]
(3) what estimate was made in the NHS Safe and Sustainable Review of the number of patients who would travel from Yorkshire and Humber to (a) Liverpool under options A, B and C and (b) Leicester under option A instead of to Newcastle. [57286]
Mr Simon Burns: The Safe and Sustainable review of children’s heart services in England is being conducted by the NHS Specialised Commissioning Team. However, we have been following its progress.
Translations of the consultation documents have been available on request. Acting on requests received, the national health service is translating the consultation document and response forms into 10 different languages. They are Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Farsi, Gujarati, Polish, Hindi, Punjabi, Somali and Urdu. These translated documents are available at:
www.specialisedservices.nhs.uk/safeandsustainable/consultation_document
The NHS in England does not have responsibility for the commissioning of Scottish health services. This is a matter for Ministers of the Scottish Government. However, a representative of the commissioning body for the children's heart surgical service at Yorkhill hospital, the National Services Division, was present as an observer at Safe and Sustainable steering group meetings to identify any relevant cross-border issues.
Detail about the travel analysis is available in Appendix S, page 208 of the pre-business consultation case. This is available at:
www.specialisedservices.nhs.uk/document/meeting-joint-committee-primary-care-trusts-jcpct-16th-february-2011-agenda
Netcare Healthcare UK
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he or officials of his Department have met representatives of (a) Netcare, (b) Network Healthcare Holdings Ltd and (c) General Healthcare Group since his appointment; and if he will make a statement. [59090]
Mr Simon Burns:
Ministers have not had meetings with these organisations. Officials at the Department
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have routine operational contact with General Healthcare Group as part of their involvement with the provision of services through the Extended Choice Network.
Representatives from the General Healthcare Group met with officials on 27 January 2011, 14 April 2011 and 6 June 2011.
Sickle Cell Diseases: Children
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospital sites in England provide access to transcranial doppler ultrasound assessment for children with sickle cell disease. [58274]
Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure implementation of the NHS Standards and Guidance for Transcranial Doppler Scanning for children with sickle cell disease in (a) Ealing Primary Care Trust and (b) England. [58722]
Anne Milton: The Department does not collect information on services for transcranial doppler assessment of children with sickle cell.
The provision of services for transcranial doppler scanning of young children with sickle cell disease is the responsibility of commissioners of specialised services and providers.
The Department, working with key stakeholders, has supported a range of initiatives to improve access to quality services for sickle cell and thalassaemia patients. This includes supporting the development of transcranial doppler scanning services to provide early identification of sickle cell children at risk of stroke, and the training of health professionals.
Mr Virendra Sharma:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to ensure suitable training for clinical staff in the theory,
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protocols and equipment used in transcranial doppler scanning for stroke on children with sickle cell disease. [58725]
Anne Milton: The content and standard of healthcare training is the responsibility of the independent regulatory bodies.
Through their role as the custodians of quality standards in education and practice, these organisations are committed to ensuring high quality patient care delivered by high quality health professionals and that healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to deal with the problems and conditions they will encounter in practice.
While it is not practicable or desirable for the Government to prescribe the exact training that any individual doctor will receive we are, of course, aware of the need to ensure perceived areas of weakness in training curricula are addressed. The Department has sponsored training courses for healthcare professionals for transcranial doppler (TCD) scanning carried out by Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust and King's College Hospital Foundation Trust. In March 2009, the NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme published standards and guidelines for TCD scanning.
Social Services: Inspections
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inspections were carried out by the Care Quality Commission or its predecessors in each year between 2000 and 2010; and how many have been carried out in 2011 to date. [58878]
Mr Simon Burns: The following information has been provided by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC has advised it cannot confirm the accuracy of data produced by the National Care Standards Commission and is therefore unable to supply data prior to 2004.
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The CQC no longer carries out performance assessment of adult social care providers under the Care Standards Act 2000. From 1 October 2010 providers of adult social care are now subject to the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, which requires all health and social care providers to register with the CQC and meet essential requirements of safety and quality. The CQC is in the process of consulting on a new excellence award for adult social care, which will provide further information to people using services on the quality of care provided.
The CQC regulation is increasingly based on a wide spectrum of information covering hard data, observations made on the ground and patient experience.
The CQC has a risk-based approach to the frequency of its inspections of providers. Under the new system, the CQC can make short, focussed unannounced site visits with direct observations of care at any time. This lets the CQC see how care is being delivered at first hand and on an everyday basis.
Southern Cross Healthcare
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date his Department first discussed with Southern Cross the financial position of that company; and on what subsequent dates such meetings have been held. [59013]
Paul Burstow: Departmental officials first met with Southern Cross to discuss the matter on 14 March 2011. Subsequent meetings have taken place on 21 March, 6 April, 21 April, 19 May, 23 May, 6 June and 8 June 2011.
Regular contact has been maintained since March between departmental officials and Southern Cross as part of the careful watch we are keeping on the situation.
Strokes: Children
Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve stroke services for children. [58721]
Anne Milton: The Department supports and promotes guidelines produced by the Royal College of Physicians which provides national health service professionals and others information and best practice guidance in managing the conditions of children who have suffered strokes.
Since a large proportion of strokes in children occur in those with sickle cell disease, we have implemented national antenatal and newborn screening including transcranial doppler scanning from age two, which can help detect the likelihood of strokes.
Also, a small number of newborn babies are vulnerable to strokes from intracranial bleeding and Vitamin K is routinely administered as a prophylaxis to prevent bleeding.
We have also published the National Framework for Children and Young People's Continuing Care, which will help with assessing the continuing health care needs of children and young people, including those children affected by stroke, and with considering the bespoke packages of care required to meet those needs.
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Communities and Local Government
Departmental Billing
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanism his Department has established to ensure its payments are passed through the supply chain to each tier in accordance with the last date for payment defined in the Government's Fair Payment guidance. [55896]
Robert Neill: My Department's mechanism to ensure that payments are passed through the supply chain in accordance with the Government's Fair Payment guidance is via a standard contract clause.
“A6.8 Where the Contractor enters into a sub-contract for the purpose of performing its obligations under the Contract, it shall cause a term to be included in such sub-contract which requires payment to be made by the Contractor to the sub-contractor within a specified period not exceeding 30 Days from receipt of a valid invoice as defined by the sub-contract.”
The Government's Guide to best ‘Fair Payment' practices, which applies to construction procurement, can be found at:
www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/Guide_to_Fair_Payment_Practices.pdf
Departmental CCTV
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many CCTV cameras are installed in and around his Department's premises; and how much such cameras cost to (a) install and (b) operate in the latest period for which figures are available. [56831]
Robert Neill: The Department has a network of CCTV cameras to enhance security at its premises, to prevent and deter crime including terrorism, and to assist in managing the response to any incidents that may occur.
In considering the public interest, I do not feel it would be appropriate to disclose information which would allow assessments to be made on the location and scope of such security measures.
Departmental Research
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 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. [56761]
Robert Neill: This information cannot be provided due to disproportionate costs.
Notwithstanding, I refer the hon. Member to:
(i) the departmental press notice of 10 August 2010 on the Place Survey which was previously placed in the Library of the House, further to the written ministerial statement of 6 September 2010, Official Report, columns 1-3WS;
(ii) the answer given to him on 28 February 2011, Official Report, column 107W, on the Citizenship Survey;
10 Jun 2011 : Column 533W
(iii) the written ministerial statement of 13 October 2010, Official Report, columns 20-21WS, on Comprehensive Area Assessment, Local Area Agreements and the Single Data List, alongside the associated departmental webpage on the Single Data List at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/decentralisation/tacklingburdens/singledatalist/
(iv) my Department's Draft Statistics Plan for 2011-12 Consultation, which can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/plan201112consultation
We are committed to reducing the burden of data reporting imposed on local authorities by central Government.
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Departmental Travel
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much each executive agency of his Department has spent on travel by (a) private hire vehicles, (b) trains, (c) buses, (d) commercial aircraft and (e) private aircraft since May 2010. [56078]
Robert Neill: Between 1 May 2010 and 30 April 2011 the Department's Executive Agencies have spent the following amounts:
| £ | |||||
| DCLG's Executive Agencies | (a) Private hire vehicles | (b) Trains | (c) Buses | (d) Commercial aircraft | (e) Private aircraft |
| (1) Data only provided for the period 1 December 2010 to 30 April 2011 as information prior to this period could only be made available at disproportionate cost. | |||||
As context, the Department's Executive Agencies spent the following between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010.
| £ | |||||
| DCLG's Executive Agencies | (a) Private hire vehicles | (b) Trains | (c) Buses | (d) Commercial aircraft | (e) Private aircraft |
| (1) Total amount for Travel for the year 2009-10 was £275,461.70, encompassing travel by private hire vehicles, trains, commercial aircraft; overnight subsistence costs, private vehicle motor mileage claims, hotel accommodation and food claims. Expenditure on travel alone for this period can only be made available by manual intervention at disproportionate cost. | |||||
Fire Engines
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many fire appliances were (a) owned and (b) leased by each fire and rescue authority in each of the last five years. [58241]
Robert Neill: My Department holds data on the total number of fire appliances available in each fire and rescue authority up until 2008-09. However this information is not broken down by whether the appliances are owned or leased.
Subsequent information on total number of appliances in each fire and rescue authority has been collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). CIPFA does not break down whether the fire appliances are owned or leased.
Fire Services
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received on the Ideas Bank established following the report of the Fire Futures forum; and when members of the forum will next (a) discuss and (b) report on reform of the fire and rescue service. [58242]
Robert Neill: The Department does not monitor representations against the “Ideas Bank” from the fire and rescue sector's Fire Futures Reports. Further discussions are a matter for sector partners as they seek to deliver more accountable, effective and cost efficient structures.
Fire Services: Manpower
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) whole-time, (b) retained and (c) total firefighters there were per head of population in each of the last 10 years. [58243]
Robert Neill: The numbers of firefighters per head of population in England in each of the last 10 years are shown in the table:
| Numbers of whole - time and retained firefighters (headcount) 2001 - 10 in England | ||||
| Headcount | ||||
| At 31 March each year | Whole - time | Retained | Total | Headcount per 1,000 heads of population |
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| Source: Fire and Rescue Service Operational Statistics, Department for Communities and Local Government and Office for National Statistics Mid-year Population Estimates | ||||
Housing Benefit: Cornwall
Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what funding his Department provided to Cornwall council for discretionary housing benefit payments in 2010-11; and what his estimate is for such funding in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13; [57251]
(2) what funding he expects Cornwall council to receive from the Discretionary Housing Fund. [57252]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply.
The Department has allocated Cornwall council £239,989 for discretionary housing payments in 2011-12.
The allocation of funding for 2012-13 is yet to be decided and the Department will work closely with local authorities and their representative groups to consider how the Government's contribution of £60 million for discretionary housing payments available for next year should be distributed.
Housing: Birmingham
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment he has made of the availability of shared accommodation in Birmingham. [57908]
Grant Shapps: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 April 2011, Official Report, column 236W, by the Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Thornbury and Yate (Steve Webb), to my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Mike Weatherley).
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel have been severely injured in Afghanistan in the last 12 months; and how many such personnel are receiving treatment in the Queen Elizabeth hospital, Birmingham. [58254]
Mr Robathan: The information requested is provided in the following table:
| Reporting p eriod 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011 | |
|
Number of VSI or SI aeromedically evacuated and treated at Selly Oak and/or QEHB |
|
10 Jun 2011 : Column 536W
The answer to the question provides the number of service personnel who have been very seriously injured (VSI) or seriously injured (SI) in Afghanistan (Operation HERRICK).
We are only able to report to the end of December 2010. Additionally, as the figures for the Queen Elizabeth hospital, Birmingham (QEHB) and Selly Oak hospital are captured under the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine Clinical Unit (RCDM Clin Unit), we are unable to identify separately those patients treated at QEHB. Hence, the table shows the number of personnel who have been treated at Selly Oak and/or the QEHB.
Of the four casualties not recorded as being received by RCDM Clin Unit, two were treated in the field hospital at Camp Bastion and then returned to unit in theatre and two were returned to unit in the UK, receiving treatment within primary health care.
Armed Forces Act 2006
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date current provisions on the army under the Armed Forces Act 2006 will cease to have effect. [58937]
Mr Robathan: The Armed Forces Act 2006 applies to all three Services and will expire on 8 November 2011, unless it is renewed before then by primary legislation or by Order in Council. An Order in Council could only renew the 2006 Act until 31 December 2011. Provision for renewal is therefore made in the Armed Forces Bill which is currently before Parliament. If that Bill is enacted, the 2006 Act will expire in 2012 unless it is renewed by Order in Council.