Foreign Nationals: Prisoners
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign national prisoners held on the prison estate are entitled to reside in the UK. [60000]
Damian Green: I have been asked to reply.
In order to answer this question the UK Border Agency would need to cross reference individual records with the National Offender Management Service. This would incur a disproportionate cost. The latest figure available shows that on 31 March there were 10,745 foreign nationals in the prison estate.
However, I can advise that a proportion of the foreign nationals in prison have a right to be in the UK either as an EEA national, or through another form of leave for example Indefinite Leave to Remain or having been granted asylum. The UK Border Agency will seek to revoke leave in order to remove individuals who meet the criteria for deportation.
16 Jun 2011 : Column 919W
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many foreign nationals were convicted of (a) rape, (b) sexual assault, (c) sexual offences against children and (d) violent offences in each of the last 10 years; [59667]
(2) how many foreign nationals convicted of (a) rape, (b) sexual offences against children, (c) other sexual offences and (d) a violent offence were sentenced to (i) non-custodial sentences and (ii) custodial sentences of (A) less than one year, (B) between one and two years, (C) between two and three years, (D) between three and four years, (E) between four and five years, (F) between five and six years, (G) between six and seven years, (H) between seven and eight years, (I) between eight and nine years, (J) between nine and 10 years, (K) between 10 and 11 years, (L) between 11 and 12 years, (M) between 12 and 15 years, (N) between 15 and 20 years and (O) over 20 years in each of the last 10 years. [59670]
Mr Blunt: Statistical information recorded centrally on the Court Proceedings database held by the Ministry of Justice does not include a defendant's nationality.
Priti Patel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign nationals convicted of (a) rape, (b)
16 Jun 2011 : Column 920W
sexual offences against children,
(c)
other sexual offences and
(d)
a violent offence were released from prison after serving custodial sentences of (i) less than one year, (ii) between one and two years, (iii) between two and three years, (iv) between three and four years, (v) between four and five years, (vi) between five and six years, (vii) between six and seven years, (viii) between seven and eight years, (ix) between eight and nine years, (x) between nine and 10 years, (xi) between 10 and 11 years, (xii) between 11 and 12 years, (xiii) between 12 and 15 years, (xiv) between 15 and 20 years and (xv) over 20 years in each of the last 10 years. [59669]
Mr Blunt: The following tables show the number of foreign national prisoners released from determinate sentences for (a) rape, (b) other sexual offences, and (c) violence against the person offences, by detailed sentence length band in each year from 2001-10 (except 2009 where the data are not available to this level of detail). From the data held centrally, it is not possible to separately identify those offenders convicted of sexual offences against children; they are included with other sexual offences.
| Foreign national prisoners discharged from determinate sentences, rape, other sexual offences and violence against the person, England and Wales, 2001-10 | |||||||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |||||||
|
|
Rape | Other sexual offences | Violence against the Person | Rape | Other sexual offences | Violence against the Person | Rape | Other sexual offences | Violence against the Person |
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16 Jun 2011 : Column 922W
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |||||||
|
|
Rape | Other sexual offences | Violence against the Person | Rape | Other sexual offences | Violence against the Person | Rape | Other sexual offences | Violence against the Person |
| 2007 | 2008 | 2010 | |||||||
|
|
Rape | Other sexual offences | Violence against the Person | Rape | Other sexual offences | Violence against the Person | Rape | Other sexual offences | Violence against the Person |
16 Jun 2011 : Column 923W
Legal Aid: Citizens Advice Bureaux
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of legal help contracts with citizens advice bureaux on (a) debt, (b) welfare benefits, (c) housing, (d) family law and (e) employment assistance. [59961]
Mr Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is responsible for administering the legal aid scheme in England and Wales. The LSC does not hold information on the cost-effectiveness of legal help contracts with Citizens Advice Bureaux on (a) debt, (b) welfare benefits, (c) housing, (d) family law and (e) employment assistance.
Since 2007, in order to ensure that clients are offered the same standard of quality whether they choose to obtain legally aided advice from a private contracted solicitor firm or a voluntary sector organisation the LSC has offered one single contract to both private and voluntary sector organisations.
The LSC manages each provider’s performance against the contract to ensure that legal aid funds are properly managed, and provide value for money services for the client, the Government and the taxpayer.
Prisoners’ Release
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were released on life licence in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010 in England and Wales. [59679]
Mr Blunt: The number of releases from prison establishments in England and Wales on life licence in (a) 2009 was 142 and in (b) 2010 was 161.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to prevent resettled ex-offenders from being concentrated in certain regions. [59804]
Mr Blunt: Normally, offenders who have served sentences in custody are expected to return to their home area.
Probation trusts will work closely with local authority housing services and the police to make sure that offenders are appropriately managed in the community. Applicants for social housing must demonstrate to local housing authorities that they have a local connection; offender managers work closely with local authorities to verify this connection, and to protect the public by mitigating any risks, particularly to victims
Trusts are also active members of Community Safety Partnerships, which are responsible for developing local strategies for reducing reoffending.
Probation
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) whether a risk assessment was carried out by the relevant probation trust prior to the closure of any Probation Service office since May 2010; [59077]
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(2) how many Probation Service offices in England and Wales were closed in April 2011; [59078]
(3) what estimate he has made of the potential savings from the closure of Probation Service offices in England and Wales in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13; [59079]
(4) what plans he has to close Probation Service offices in England and Wales in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13. [59080]
Mr Blunt: As part of probation trusts' estate strategy development, an assessment is made of the impact and risks relating to proposed closures.
No probation premises closed during April 2011.
Probation trusts are encouraged to consider vacating buildings that are not required or that are not fit for purpose, not only to increase efficiency, but also to improve the overall quality and suitability of premises. A number of properties are under consideration for closure in 2011-12 and 2012-13, but final numbers and, therefore, the total estimated savings have yet to be determined.
Reoffenders
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were recalled to custody following a breach of a (a) determinate licence and (b) life licence in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2010 in England and Wales. [59678]
Mr Blunt: For the financial year 2009-10(1), there were (a) 13,919 recalls of people serving determinate sentences and (b) in 2009 there were 124 recalls from life licence. In 2010 there were 99 recalls from life licence.
Statistics on licence recalls and returns to custody are published quarterly in the Offender Management Statistics quarterly bulletin on the Ministry of Justice website
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/prisons-and-probation/oms-quartlery.htm
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
(1) Financial year data for 2009-10 are based on information recorded on the central prison IT system at 30 April 2010. Financial year data for 2010-11 is not available.
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people recalled to custody were deemed high risk in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010 in England and Wales. [59696]
Mr Blunt: Offenders serving a sentence of 12 months and over are released from prison, in most cases automatically at the half way point of a determinate sentence, under licensed supervision to the Probation Service. Offenders released on licence are recalled to custody if their behaviour gives cause for concern. Offenders who, at the point of recall, are believed to present a high risk of serious harm or a risk of imminent re-offending are classified as an “emergency” recall. There were 2,454 emergency recalls in 2009 and 2,458 in 2010.
16 Jun 2011 : Column 925W
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Education
Children: Human Trafficking
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what recent assessment he has made of the capacity of local authorities to support children identified as victims of human trafficking; and if he will make a statement; [58948]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of children identified as victims of human trafficking that have gone missing from local authority care in (a) each region and (b) Wales in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement; [58949]
(3) how many children identified as victims of human trafficking were in local authority care in (a) each region of England and (b) Wales in the latest period for which figures are available. [58950]
Tim Loughton: Local authorities have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area. They work in close co-operation with the police and the UK Border Agency to support and provide protection for potentially trafficked children. This will include assessing their needs and putting in place support packages, which may include the child becoming looked after in the care system. Where a child does become looked after, local authorities must allocate the child a social worker who will draw up a care plan. This sets out how the authority intends to respond to the full range of a child's needs, including the need to safeguard them from contact with traffickers.
The plan will also include arrangements to be followed if the young person goes missing. The National Minimum Standards (NMS) for Children's Homes and Fostering Services require all homes and fostering services to have explicit procedures for when looked after children are missing or absent. “Statutory Guidance on Children who Run Away and Go Missing from Home and Care”, issued in July 2009, requires local authorities to collect information on missing from care incidents. Local authorities must make regular reports to council members with responsibility for “corporate parenting” on patterns of children going missing from care. However, information on whether a looked after child has been the victim of human trafficking, or has been trafficked into the country and subsequently goes missing from care, is not collected centrally.
Scotland
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of contracts issued by (a) his Department and (b) agencies for which he is responsible were awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises in (i) Scotland, (ii) South Lanarkshire and (iii) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. [60206]
Tim Loughton: To get the information on what proportion of contracts were awarded by the Department for Education, and its agencies to small and medium-sized enterprises in the areas mentioned could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Deputy Prime Minister
Diamond Jubilee 2012: Urban Areas
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) when he expects to announce the outcome of the competition for diamond jubilee city status; [59542]
(2) which areas have submitted a bid for city status as part of the competition to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee. [59543]
Mr Harper: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statements I made on 1 December 2010, Official Report, column 77WS and today.
Women and Equalities
Age: Discrimination
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she is taking to reduce the incidence of age discrimination in the workplace. [58985]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply.
The Government's Age Positive initiative aims to reduce age discrimination at work by providing employers with guidance on the business benefits of investing in older workers. The Government are working in partnership with key business leaders in the main occupational sectors to drive forward sustained improvement around the recruitment, retention and training of older people and embed effective workforce practices that include flexible work and flexible retirement opportunities. Information is given on:
www.businesslink.gov.uk/agepositive
The Government have introduced legislation this year to phase out the Default Retirement Age (DRA), which will mean that employers can no longer retire people compulsorily at 65 years using the DRA. This change will allow people to retire when they choose to. The legislation will still allow employers to use compulsory retirement ages, which can be earlier than 65 years, providing they can objectively justify it.
Northern Ireland
European Commission
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what meetings he has had with European Commission officials since May 2010. [60658]
Mr Paterson: I have had no such meetings.
Communities and Local Government
Building Regulations
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what impact assessment his Department has carried out in respect of proposed changes to the competent person assessment scheme; and if he will make a statement. [59963]
16 Jun 2011 : Column 927W
Andrew Stunell: The Department published proposals in a consultation document to revise the conditions of authorisation for Building Regulations competent person schemes in December 2009 with a view to achieving a higher level of compliance with the requirements in the regulations and to give greater consumer protection. The proposals were accompanied by an impact assessment which concluded that there would be a net present benefit over 10 years of £23 million. The consultation document and impact assessment are available at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/competentschemechangesconsult
The Department is currently amending the proposed conditions in response to comments made in reply to the consultation and further discussions with scheme operators and others, and will amend the impact assessment accordingly. The amended impact assessment will be published later this year.
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what strategic framework his Department has developed for the delivery of its core functions during the comprehensive spending review period. [59734]
Robert Neill: The core functions of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) are to lead action within Government for decentralisation and localism, and also to play and an important role in delivering economic growth and the big society.
The framework for delivering these responsibilities consists of the DCLG business plan and the structural reform plan.
The DCLG business plan was republished on 13 May and sets out our vision and priorities, as well as data on budgets, common areas of spend and indicators. From July, progress on these will be published by all Departments including DCLG in the quarterly data summaries.
Detailed actions to deliver our priorities are set out with clear actions and measurable milestones in the structural reform plan. This was recently refreshed in the DCLG business plan. Progress against the structural reform plan actions is published on the No 10 website each month.
Fire Services
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish the Government's response to its consultation on the future of fire controls in England. [60254]
Robert Neill: We hope to publish our formal response, including information about arrangements for distributing any funding available shortly. I am very grateful to all those who responded and we have been analysing their views carefully. I updated chairs of fire and rescue authorities and their chief fire officers on progress earlier this week.
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to publish a new Fire and Rescue Services National Framework. [60624]
16 Jun 2011 : Column 928W
Robert Neill: A revised Fire and Rescue Services National Framework will be published by the summer 2012. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.
Fire Services: Accountability
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received on the merits of including the fire service within the remit of the proposed directly-elected police and crime commissioners; and if he will make a statement. [60209]
Robert Neill: My Department has not received any representations on the merits of including the fire service within the remit of the proposed directly-elected police and crime commissioners.
Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property
Mr David: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will review the decision to end support for empty property rate measures. [59768]
Robert Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer) on 8 February 2011, Official Report, column 178W.
Public Sector: Land
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consultation he has had with (a) the Welsh Government, (b) the Scottish Government and (c) the Northern Ireland Executive on plans for Government Departments to dispose of surplus public sector land. [59697]
Robert Neill: The disposal of surplus public sector land is a devolved matter, and the announcement on 8 June 2011 by the Minister for Housing and Local Government, to accelerate the release of public sector land for housing related to England only. My officials meet regularly with their counterparts in the devolved Administrations to discuss issues of mutual interest.
Travellers: Caravan Sites
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to amend the circular 1/2006 on Travellers; and if he will make a statement. [58934]
Robert Neill [holding answer 10 June 2011]:On 13 April, my Department published a draft planning policy statement on Traveller sites, which we intend will replace Circular 01/2006 (“Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Sites”) and Circular 04/2007 (“Planning for Travelling Showpeople”). It is open for public consultation until 6 July and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. Although the circulars are currently extant, decision makers are entitled to have regard to the fact that it is proposed to withdraw them and replace them with this new policy.
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Work and Pensions
Attendance Allowance
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has any plans to reform attendance allowance. [58855]
Maria Miller: There are currently no plans to reform attendance allowance. Once personal independence payment has replaced disability living allowance for the working age case load, we will consider carefully any potential impacts of this for attendance allowance.
Children: Day Care
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure families living in poverty have adequate access to childcare in order to take up employment. [57648]
Maria Miller: Jobcentre Plus advisers help parents identify and access appropriate child care provision in their area. Partnership managers work with local authorities to identify gaps in provision. The costs of child care are paid by Jobcentre Plus for parent claimants on Jobcentre Plus work and training programmes.
Help with child care costs for working parents is currently provided via working tax credits. We have recently announced that in the future help with child care costs will be provided in universal credit.
Departmental Research
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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. [56757]
Chris Grayling: DWP undertakes a regular review of its research programme, including statistical surveys. The information has been placed in the Library. The response does not include data collected by the Department's staff on its day-to-day management of our business.
Disability Living Allowance
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in receipt of the (a) medium rate care component and (b) high rate mobility component of disability living allowance also receive the disability element of child tax credit or the disability premiums of income support. [60170]
Maria Miller: My Department does not collate information on child tax credit.
Income support can be claimed only by people aged between age 16 and pension credit age. Therefore no child DLA claimants are in receipt of the disability premiums of income support.
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Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the future rate of the (a) enhanced disability element of child tax credit and (b) severe disability element of income support for children not in receipt of transitional protection after their replacement with the higher disability addition on the introduction of universal credit. [60171]
Chris Grayling: Under universal credit we have committed to providing additional elements for disabled children, with a higher rate for disabled and severely disabled children. We have already announced that the rates of the disabled child elements will align with the additional elements payable to disabled adults within universal credit. We have also committed to providing transitional protection for cash losers at point of change.
In today’s figures this means that the lower rate would be around £26.75 and the higher rate £74.50 a week.
Our intention is that the higher rate for children and adults will be increased in stages as resources allow. We are aware that severely disabled children receiving the highest rates in child tax credit or income support are receiving close to the illustrative amount for the higher rate already and we are factoring this into our planning.
Disability Living Allowance: Clwyd
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in Vale of Clwyd constituency who will be affected by the planned change to disability living allowance. [59548]
Maria Miller: Support in personal independence payment will be focused on those who face the biggest barriers to independent living. The assessment continues to be developed and at this stage, therefore, an evaluation is not available of the impact that changes could have on existing disability living allowance, or future recipients. We are working with disabled people and organisations that represent them on the detailed design and delivery of personal independence payment and the outcomes from this work will be reflected in updates to the impact assessment for this change. We have already announced that personal independence payment will be a non-taxable, non means-tested benefit payable to people in and out of work.
The numbers of recipients of disability living allowance in the Vale of Clwyd parliamentary constituency who are 16 to 64 years old are provided in the following table.
| Recipients of disability living allowance in the Vale of Clwyd parliamentary constituency ages 16 to 64—November 2010 | |
|
|
Number |
| Notes: 1. Case load figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Data are for the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 3. These figures are published at http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 100% WPLS | |
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Disability Living Allowance: Mental Health
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people with a (a) mental health condition and (b) physical disability who were in receipt of disability benefits and have had those benefits withdrawn in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [58562]
Maria Miller: We are unable to estimate the number of people with mental health conditions or physical disabilities who have had their disability living allowance or attendance allowance withdrawn. The specific information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The information on the number of people with mental or physical disabilities in receipt of disability living allowance or attendance allowance is in the following tables.
| Disability living allowance recipients by main disabling condition, Great Britain, November 2010 | |
|
|
Total |
| Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | |
| Attendance allowance recipients by main disabling condition, Great Britain, November 2010 | |
|
|
Total |
16 Jun 2011 : Column 932W
| Notes: 1. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 10—totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Where more than one disability is present only the main disabling condition is recorded. 3. Figures show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. ‘Physical Disorders’ encompass all categories not included in ‘Mental Health Disorders’. Namely, the main disabling conditions Arthritis, Muscle/Joint/Bone Disease, Blindness, Stroke Related, Epilepsy, Deafness, Malignant Disease, Chest Disease, Back Ailments, Heart Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Renal Disorders, AIDS, Skin Disease, Frailty, Multiple Sclerosis and a number of cases not allocated to a main disabling condition. These are codes which were introduced in October 2008 and include B21 ‘Infectious diseases (Tuberculosis)’, B31 ‘Infectious diseases (Malaria)’ and B99 ‘Infectious diseases (Other ‘Infectious Disease’)’. Unknown cases are also included in this category. 5. ‘Mental Health Disorders’ encompass the main disabling conditions ‘Learning Difficulties’ and ‘Mental and Behavioural Disorders’ and the new code introduced in October 2008, ‘Psychiatric Disorders’. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | |
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in Bridgend constituency (a) of each age group, (b) of each sex, (c) with each physical disability and (d) with each mental health diagnosis who are in receipt of disability benefits; and if he will make a statement. [58563]
Maria Miller: The information requested is in the following tables.
| Disability living allowance recipients in Bridgend parliamentary constituency by main disabling condition, age and sex—November 2010 | |||||||||
| All | Physical disorders | Mental health disorders | |||||||
|
|
All | Female | Male | All | Female | Male | All | Female | Male |
16 Jun 2011 : Column 933W
16 Jun 2011 : Column 934W
| Attendance allowance recipients in Bridgend parliamentary constituency by main disabling condition, age and sex—November 2010 | |||||||||
| All | Physical disorders | Mental health disorders | |||||||
|
|
All | Female | Male | All | Female | Male | All | Female | Male |
| ‘—’ Denotes nil or negligible. Notes: 1. Case loads are rounded to the nearest 10—totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Where more than one disability is present only the main disabling condition is recorded. 3. Figures show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament 2010. 5. 'Physical Disorders' encompass all categories not included in 'Mental Health Disorders’. Namely, the main disabling conditions Arthritis, Muscle/Joint/Bone Disease, Blindness, Stroke Related, Epilepsy, Deafness, Malignant Disease, Chest Disease, Back Ailments, Heart Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Renal Disorders, AIDS, Skin Disease, Frailty, Multiple Sclerosis and a number of cases not allocated to a main disabling condition. These are codes which were introduced in October 2008 and include B21 'Infectious diseases (Tuberculosis)', B31 'Infectious diseases (Malaria)' and B99 'Infectious diseases (Other Infectious Disease)'. Unknown cases are also included in this category. 6. 'Mental Health Disorders' encompass the main disabling conditions 'Learning Difficulties' and 'Mental and Behavioural Disorders' and the new code introduced in October 2008 , 'Psychiatric Disorders'. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | |||||||||
Employment and Support Allowance
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will allow claimants of employment and support allowance to move to universal credit ahead of the planned transfer date. [58183]
Maria Miller: Our current intention is that we will start to take new claims to universal credit from October 2013. From April 2014 to October 2017 we will begin to transition existing claimants to universal credit, existing claimants may also move as a process of natural transition if for example, they have a change of circumstance.
Jobcentre Plus: Complaints
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints have been received by each Jobcentre Plus office in the London borough of Greenwich in each of the last 12 months. [60169]
Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many complaints have been received by each Jobcentre Plus in the London Borough of Greenwich in each of the last 12 months. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
There are two Jobcentre Plus offices located in the London Borough of Greenwich; Eltham Jobcentre Plus and Woolwich Jobcentre Plus.
The figures included in the tables below represent all correspondence made by, or relating to, a Jobcentre Plus customer of either the Eltham or Woolwich offices. This includes complaints received at any point of the Jobcentre Plus complaints process, including at the Jobcentre, at District Office and those received by senior officials and Ministers.
| Complaints received by Eltham Jobcentre Plus over the last 12 months | |
| Month complaints received | Number of complaints |
| Complaints received by Woolwich Jobcentre Plus over the last 12 months | |
| Month complaints received | Number of complaints |
Jobcentres: Employment Schemes
Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department takes to monitor the effectiveness of jobcentres in assisting individuals into long-term employment. [58210]
16 Jun 2011 : Column 935W
Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking about what steps the Department takes to monitor the effectiveness of Jobcentres in assisting individuals into long term employment. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The main measure of Jobcentre Plus performance is the rate at which people leave Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support and Employment and Support Allowance and move into employment. The measure supports the Department for Work and Pensions 2011-15 Business Plan and the Coalition Government's structural reform priorities. Jobcentre Plus provides regular monthly progress and performance reports to the Department and Ministers, and performance data will be made available to the public through the DWP website.
For the very large numbers of Jobcentre Plus claimants, it is not cost effective or appropriate to routinely monitor what happens to them after they have been successful in finding work. However to help identify those claimants who return quickly to benefit and who experience difficulties remaining in work, Jobcentre Plus monitors the number of times claimants have been on the same benefit over the previous two years, and the period since they last claimed the benefit. The Department also undertakes a range of evaluation activity of its programmes to assess the impact on long term employment.
The Work Programme is now providing support for claimants at most risk of longer dependency on welfare. The Work Programme includes financial incentives for providers for achieving sustained employment outcomes for up to 2 years. A substantial element of the total potential payment is linked to sustained employment. Official statistics will be published in due course.
Personal Independence Payment: Autism
Mr Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to ensure that the needs of those with autism are adequately accounted for in the draft descriptors for the personal independence payment. [58718]
Maria Miller: We know it is essential that the assessment for personal independence payment effectively accounts for the needs of disabled people with autistic spectrum disorders. We want the assessment for personal independence payment, which we have been developing in collaboration with a group of independent specialists in health and disability, to consider the impact of disability in a more holistic way than DLA does. The activities we have chosen to assess are intended to allow us to accurately consider the impact of physical, sensory, mental, intellectual and cognitive impairments. For example, the introduction of communication is a significant departure from DLA and one which will ensure we better take into account the effect of impairments that impact on sight, hearing, speech and comprehension.
We have published our initial proposals for the assessment criteria and are currently seeking views on them. As part of this officials have already met with the National Autistic Society and are currently considering their initial contribution to our informal consultation. We are also testing the draft assessment criteria over the summer to enable us to better understand their likely impact. As part of this we will be specifically looking at how they affect people with autistic spectrum disorders.
16 Jun 2011 : Column 936W
I have separately met with the Society to hear their views on DLA reform firsthand. We hope to continue working closely with them and other disability organisations as we continue to develop the assessment criteria and move towards implementation of personal independence payment.
Universal Credit
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what processes he plans to put in place to determine entitlement to universal credit for claimants with complex cases which cannot be dealt with through an automated system. [59540]
Chris Grayling: Universal credit will be rules-based and largely automated both to reduce administration costs and deliver better value for money for the taxpayer. In some cases, it will still be necessary to make judgments about evidence or entitlement, and those assessments will continue to be made by members of staff.
Universal Credit: Disability
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the higher earnings disregard for disabled adults within the universal credit will apply to carers of disabled children. [60248]
Chris Grayling: Carers are not a specified group entitled to an increased disregard. However, a significant majority of carers will be in a household that benefit from an earnings disregard because of other family circumstances.
Of course, earnings disregards are only one way in which universal credit will enhance the work incentives of carers. All groups will benefit from the single earnings taper, which is the main mechanism for ensuring that work pays.
Defence
Armed Forces: Vehicles
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-combat vehicles owned by his Department were manufactured (a) in the UK, (b) in another EU member state and (c) in a country outside the EU. [59738]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence has a lease/hire agreement in place for the provision of the majority of non-operational vehicles (White Fleet Vehicles), which include cars, vans, trailers, minibuses, motorbikes and coaches. These are vehicles which are not intended to operate in combat zones. We do not therefore own such vehicles under this arrangement.
Some units may arrange for the ad hoc supply of a very small quantity of non-operational vehicles to be provided through local arrangements. These details are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
16 Jun 2011 : Column 937W
Defence Reform Unit: Expenditure
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department has been of the establishment and operation of the Defence Reform Unit. [59539]
Mr Robathan: None of the members of the Defence reform steering group chaired by the noble Lord, Lord Levene, have been paid for this role. The team supporting the review comprises staff reallocated from other duties at no additional cost to the Department beyond some £10,000 incurred on travel and subsistence.
Departmental Apprentices
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals completed civilian apprenticeships in his Department in each of the last 10 years. [59739]
Mr Robathan: The number of individuals completing civilian apprenticeships within the Ministry of Defence in each of the last 10 years is as follows:
| Financial year | Completions |
In addition, 154 individuals have completed civilian apprenticeships so far in 2011-12, and a further 1,255 civilian apprentices are currently in learning.
There have been a further 229 civilian apprenticeships completed over this period for which the exact year of completion is not known.
Departmental Consultants
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on consultants since 1 November 2010. [59613]
Mr Robathan: Consultancy (or external assistance) includes a range of activities, such as management consultancy, specialist lawyers, commercial bankers and IT expertise. Consultants help us increase our efficiency and effectiveness, but are employed only where the necessary work cannot be undertaken in house and where value for money can be clearly demonstrated. The total spend on consultants for the period 1 November 2010 to 30 March 2011 for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) was £13.085 million. This includes the MOD agencies and trading funds.
All new spend on consultancy must comply with the tighter controls announced last year by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
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Departmental Films
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on producing films since December 2010. [59614]
Mr Robathan: Since December 2010 the Ministry of Defence, including its Trading Funds, has spent approximately £440,000 on producing films, primarily to support essential training and as part of recruitment to maintain operational capability to the armed forces.
|
|
£ |
This covers the production of the Army Families Deployment Guide.
Departmental Manpower
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on recreational facilities for staff in its buildings in each of the last five years. [59053]
Mr Robathan: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Physical recreational facilities are made available as a matter of course for service personnel. All members of the armed forces are required to maintain a level of physical fitness that allows them to fulfil their service obligations and as a result suitable facilities are made available at military establishments for service personnel and, where capacity allows, also for civilian staff.
The Department provides no financial support for recreational facilities for civilian staff apart from the salary and accommodation costs of the Defence Sports and Recreation Association secretariat.
Departmental Marketing
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on advertising since May 2010. [59537]
Mr Robathan: In June 2010, the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury imposed restrictions across Government on marketing and advertising spend.
The following figures have been taken from requests which have been submitted to the Ministry of Defence's (MOD)s' Director of Media and Communications and approved under the Cabinet Office marketing and advertising restrictions from June 2010 to June 2011.
|
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£ million |
The MOD expenditure of £20 million includes £18 million for essential recruiting advertising to maintain the operational capability of the armed forces.
16 Jun 2011 : Column 939W
Departmental Renewable Energy
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many buildings (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department have had renewable energy equipment installed to provide power in the last 12 months; and what type of equipment was installed in each such case. [59676]
Mr Robathan: A range of renewable energy technologies have been installed on the Defence estate over the last 12 months. However, records of each individual piece of equipment, and where it is located are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Examples of the types of renewable energy equipment installed include: ground source heat pumps, solar photovoltaic panels and a biomass boiler.
Libya: Armed Conflict
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average daily cost of (a) using Italian air bases and (b) providing accommodation for UK armed forces in Italy as part of Operation Ellamy has been; and if he will make a statement. [58701]
Nick Harvey: It is too early to give a robust estimate of the costs of the operations in Libya. However, we expect they should be modest compared with some other operations, such as Afghanistan. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer has made clear, the additional costs of operations in Libya will be fully met from the reserve.
There are no ongoing additional costs resulting from our use of Italian air bases as this operation is being conducted under NATO and thus members of the alliance incur nil costs for such use.
The approximate average daily cost, assessed up to 1 June 2011, for accommodation of all UK personnel at the main deployed locations in Italy is given in the following table.
|
|
Approximate daily accommodation costs (£) |
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF reserves at each (a) rank and (b) speciality are deployed on Libyan operations. [59225]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 10 June 2011]: As at 9 June 2011, the following Royal Auxiliary Air Force personnel were deployed outside the UK in support of operation Ellamy:
| Trade/Branch | Rank |
16 Jun 2011 : Column 940W
The following sponsored reserves are also deployed on operation Ellamy:
| Trade/Branch | Rank |
Additionally the following Royal Auxiliary Air Force personnel have been called-out to support operation Ellamy within the UK:
| Trade/Branch | Rank |
Malaysia: Military Decorations
Anna Soubry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the decision of the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals in respect of the wearing of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal by British citizens; and if he will make a statement. [59957]
Mr Robathan: The Government are undertaking a review of the rules governing the awarding of military medals in line with their commitment in the Programme for Government. The review is currently in the final stages of evaluation and we are currently consulting with a number of campaign groups, including the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Veterans Association.
Military Low Flying
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 June 2011, Official Report, column 25WS, on military low flying 2010-11, how many low-flying training hours in (a) the UK and (b) Wales were used for the training of members of the (i) Royal Air Force and (ii) air forces of each other country and organisation which participated in low-flying training in UK airspace in 2010-11. [59698]
Mr Robathan: The information is not held in the format requested. A total of 49,399 hours of low-flying training, including operational low flying, were carried out across the UK during the training year 2010-11. Foreign based aircraft are recorded as having operated within the UK as a whole for a total of 112 hours and 47 minutes in the training year 2010-11.
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A total of 6,178 low-flying hours were recorded as being operated over Low Flying Area (LFA) 7 and LFA 7 T, which cover most, but not all, of Wales; we have no record showing separate flights by foreign based aircraft. Some foreign based aircraft may have operated both in the UK as a whole, and over Wales, as part of UK-led formations or exercises.