Unsolicited Goods and Services: Telephones
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what powers (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have to regulate the operation of unsolicited automated outbound telemarketing messages which present themselves as public information messages rather than commercial marketing messages. [59536]
Mr Vaizey: I have been asked to reply.
22 Jun 2011 : Column 351W
Companies that make recorded calls to sell or promote their product or business have to comply with Regulation 19 (1) and (2) of the Privacy Regulations, which require that prior consent of the consumer has to be obtained before such calls can be made. Also, Regulation 24 (1) (a) states that all messages must include the identity of the caller and an address or free phone number at which the caller can be contacted. Where a consumer receives an automated call they have not agreed to, or has registered their number with the Telephone Preference Service, there may have been a breach of the regulations.
Therefore, if at any time a public information message turns into a marketing message then would be a breach of the regulations.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is responsible for considering complaints about possible breaches and it is able to issue a penalty of up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches of the regulations.
Education
Academies
Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of progress on the academies programme in (a) Hastings and Rye constituency, (b) Hastings and (c) East Sussex. [59056]
Mr Gibb: As of 9 June 2011, two schools in the Hastings and Rye constituency and 27 schools in East Sussex have registered an interest in becoming an academy. Of these, neither of the schools in the Hastings and Rye constituency has submitted an application; one school, Ringmer community college, in East Sussex has submitted an application and been issued an Academy Order. We have received no registrations of interest to become academies from schools in Hastings.
Eastbourne Academy in East Sussex opened as a sponsored academy in 2010. In addition, Filsham Valley school, the Grove school and Hillcrest school in East Sussex are planned to open as two sponsored academies in September 2011.
Full details of schools that have formally applied for academy status, as well as a list of academies that have opened in the academic year 2010/11 can be found on the Department for Education Academies website at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/a0069811/schools-submitting-applications-and-academies-that-have-opened-in-201011
Academies: Finance
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding is available for new academies; and what criteria his Department uses for assessment of applications in the Academies Capital Building Programme. [60219]
Mr Gibb: New academies are given annual revenue funding on an equivalent basis as maintained schools in their local authority area. In addition, maintained schools converting to an academy receive £25,000 to help them with the costs of conversion.
22 Jun 2011 : Column 352W
More money is available to under-performing schools which become an academy with the assistance of a sponsor, including a small capital grant to help them make improvements to the school environment as part of their transformation. Other capital funding is also available to academies:
(a) A small amount devolved to all academies, allocated on the basis of a per school and per pupil formula, equivalent to funds available for maintained schools. Most academies are being paid this year's allocation in June.
(b) An £85 million fund for 2011-12, targeted mainly towards academies' building condition needs, for which the first round of applications closed on 27 May. Those applications are being assessed against three main criteria: the outputs to be achieved through the proposed project, whether the proposal represents good value for money, and the extent to which the project can be delivered on budget and on time to ensure this year's grant is spent in the current financial year. Academies which have applied in the first round will be notified shortly of the outcome,
(c) Capital funding to meet the basic need for additional pupil places due to local demographic changes. A total of £800 million has been allocated to local authorities in 2011-12, to be used to address this basic need across all Government-funded schools, including academies. £30 million has been made available to the Young People's Learning Agency, for allocation where there is a similar basic need for additional post-16-year-old places, including in academies.
Academies: Hertfordshire
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools have (a) applied for and (b) achieved academy status in North East Hertfordshire constituency; and if he will make a statement on the timetable for decisions on any outstanding applications. [60511]
Mr Gibb: As of 1 June, five schools in North East Hertfordshire have applied to convert to academy status. Of these, the Knights Templar has opened as an academy in April 2011. The remaining four schools—Freman college, Roysia middle school, Greneway school and Meridian school—are currently in the conversion process and expecting to open as academies in August 2011. Roysia, Greneway and Meridian schools are applying together to form a chain under a multi-academy trust arrangement.
Full details of schools that have formally applied for academy status, as well as a list of academies that have opened in the academic year 2010/11, can be found on the DfE Academies website at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/a0069811/schools-submitting-applications-and-academies-that-have-opened-in-201011
Academies: Yorkshire and the Humber
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in (a) Skipton and Ripon constituency, (b) North Yorkshire and (c) Yorkshire and the Humber have applied to become academies. [60262]
Mr Gibb: As of 1 June 2011 three schools in the Skipton and Ripon constituency have applied to become academies; 10 have applied in North Yorkshire and 98 have applied in Yorkshire and the Humber.
22 Jun 2011 : Column 353W
Full details of schools that have formally applied for academy status, as well as a list of academies that have opened in the academic year 2010/11, can be found on the Department for Education Academies website at:
http://www.education.gov.Uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/a0069811/schoots-submitting-applications-and-academies-that-have-opened-in-201011
James Review
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when his Department plans to respond to the James review of capital investment in schools. [58990]
Mr Gibb: The Government will respond to the Capital review soon. However we are already implementing changes that are very much in the spirit of the Capital review recommendations, and which will help deliver the buildings and facilities that children need. These include focusing the available funding on providing new school places where they are needed, and on the buildings in the worst condition; getting the best value for money from our existing Building Schools for the Future commitments and other projects; and considering how the school premises regulations can be simplified so as to remove unnecessary burdens and blockages.
Pupils: Disadvantaged
Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the number of children eligible for the pupil premium if it were extended to include those who have lost a parent serving in the armed forces. [58227]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 8 June 2011]: The Government have introduced a premium for children whose parents are serving in the armed forces. For 2011-12 the premium has been set at £200 per pupil. Funding for this year will be provided for each pupil recorded on the January 2011 School Census as a service child who is in year groups Reception to Year 11 in mainstream schools. It is not possible to make an estimate of the number of children who have lost a parent serving in the armed forces as the Department does not record these data.
Schools: Construction
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of schools required to be built to meet population growth in each of the next five years. [59223]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 10 June 2011]: It is the responsibility of each local authority to manage the supply and demand for primary and secondary school places in their area and secure a place for every child of statutory school age who wants one. The Department will continue to provide capital funding and monitor the situation with local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places.
The Department does collect information from each local authority on school capacity in maintained schools through an annual survey, which includes local authorities'
22 Jun 2011 : Column 354W
own pupil forecasts. The most recent survey data relate to the position at May 2010 and are available on the Department's website:
http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d000982/index.shtml
We can only estimate the level of demand for school places. It cannot be determined by pupil forecasts alone as other local factors have an influence; for example, changes to school capacity and spare school places. The survey data indicate that there will be a need for an additional 260,000 primary places and 60,000 secondary places nationally over the next five years. We are unable to determine how many schools will actually need to be built to meet the population growth over the next five years. This is a local matter and will be dependent on the needs of the local community.
Home Department
Airports: Security
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received on the effects on those travelling by air of the sale of goods by private companies related to regulations on the transport of liquids on commercial flights. [59955]
James Brokenshire: The Secretary of State for the Home Department has not received any representations on the effects of those travelling by air of the sale of goods by private companies related to regulations on the transport of liquids on commercial flights.
Cycling: Theft
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps her Department is taking to promote awareness of cycle crime; [59814]
(2) what steps her Department is taking to reduce the theft of bicycles. [59815]
James Brokenshire: It is for police forces to tackle the problem of bicycle theft in areas where this is a particular problem for the local community. This involves not only enforcement action but also effective crime prevention advice to the public on measures to secure their belongings.
Harassment
Anna Soubry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who were charged under Section (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4 and (d) 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 reached trial in each of the last 10 years; and in how many cases the person was found guilty. [60839]
Mr Blunt: Number of persons proceeded against at the magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, in England and Wales, 2000 to 2010 can be viewed in the table.
Charging data are not collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice.
22 Jun 2011 : Column 355W
22 Jun 2011 : Column 356W
| Number of persons proceeded against at the magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Protection From Harassment Act 1997, England and Wales 2000-10 (1, 2) | ||||||||||||
|
|
|
2000 (3) | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 (4) | 2009 (5) | 2010 (6) |
| (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However. It is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Staffordshire Police Force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April. July and August 2008. (5) Revisions have been made to 2009 figures to account for the late receipt of a small number of court records. (6) The following offence came into force on 30 September 2009: Breach of a Restraining Order issued on acquittal—Section 5A Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice. | ||||||||||||
Human Trafficking
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria her Department uses to identify victims of human trafficking. [61150]
Damian Green: Trained specialists in designated “competent authorities” make decisions about whether an individual is a victim of trafficking. Competent authorities consider the criteria that is specified in the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings definition of trafficking.
Detailed information on the consideration procedure can be found in the UK Border Agency's Competent Authority guidance, a copy of which I will place in the Library. It is also available on the UKBA website at:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/asylumprocessguidance/specialcases/guidance/competent-guidance
Nosratollah Tajik
Mr Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects former Iranian diplomat Nosratollah Tajik to return to Iran. [61163]
Damian Green: Nosratollah Tajik is the subject of an extradition request from the United States. He has made representations to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), which are currently being considered.
Police: Olympic Games 2012
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of police officers who are to be drafted in from other police forces in the UK for the purposes of policing the London 2012 Olympics. [61132]
James Brokenshire: Security preparations for the 2012 games are progressing to schedule, including gaining clarity on mutual aid requirements and logistics. We are working closely with the Police Federation and staff associations on all these issues. The number of police officers who will need to be deployed on Olympic safety and security duties varies considerably across the 64 days of the games period, from the opening to the closing of the athletes’ village.
Work has been done to provide an estimate of mutual aid officers needed across the country on a peak day. Current planning suggests that the maximum number of officers who will be required on days of peak demand is 10,000. Of these, it is estimated that around 8,000 will be supplied by the police forces of the areas hosting the events, meaning that around 2,000 will need to be provided by other police forces through mutual aid arrangements. We currently estimate that 72,000 mutual aid shifts are required across this period, though this figure may be subject to change.
Funding arrangements for Olympic and Paralympic mutual aid are intended to ensure that lending forces are fully reimbursed for the officers they supply, avoiding any diminution of the overall resources available to the lending forces and ensuring that policing can be maintained across the UK as a whole during games-time.
Stop and Search: Terrorism
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many stops under schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 were carried out at (a) Glasgow International, (b) Glasgow Prestwick, (c) Edinburgh International and (d) Aberdeen Airport in each year since 2007. [61341]
22 Jun 2011 : Column 357W
James Brokenshire: The release of detailed statistics on the operational use of schedule 7 at a specific location could be of use to terrorists or others wishing to harm national security. It would allow comparison of varying levels of schedule 7 activity at different ports. Therefore it is not appropriate to provide information that may indicate the deployment of police resources and we are not therefore able to provide this information.
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the ethnicity of those requested to participate in a stop under schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 at (a) Glasgow International, (b) Glasgow Prestwick, (c) Edinburgh International and (d) Aberdeen Airport in each year since 2007. [61342]
James Brokenshire: Information on the ethnicity of those examined at specific locations is not held by the Home Office.
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests for terrorism-related offences were made at Scottish airports as a result of stops under schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 in each year since 2007. [61343]
James Brokenshire: No arrests are understood to have been made for terrorism-related offences immediately following a schedule 7 examination at Scottish airports for the period April 2009 to March 2010, based on information supplied by the police service. However, for operational reasons the police may decide it is more appropriate to arrest an individual once the schedule 7 examination has been concluded and such arrests are not recorded as being related to schedule 7.
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there have been for terrorism-related offences as a result of stops at Scottish airports under schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 conducted in each year since 2007. [61344]
James Brokenshire: Information on the number of convictions resulting from examinations is not held by the Home Office.
UK Border Agency
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average waiting time is at UK Border Agency desks in (a) Heathrow terminal 4 and (b) other Heathrow terminals for those (i) with and (ii) without EU passports; and what the equivalent figures were in each of the last 24 months. [60561]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency constantly strives to provide a high standard of customer service at the border and is committed to expediting the entry of legitimate passengers and trade that help build the UK economy while at the same time maintaining a secure border.
As a demonstration of the importance we place on passenger clearance times, our targets and performance against them will be published this year (2011-12) as part of the Government transparency agenda. This will enable members of the public to be fully sighted on
22 Jun 2011 : Column 358W
average passenger clearance times, based on samples taken across the UK's ports and airports. Our current target is to clear 95% of EEA passengers within 25 minutes of joining the queue and non EEA passengers within 45 minutes. Current year to date performance sits at 98% and performance is closely monitored to ensure that deployment of resource is flexed to deal with increases in traffic and maintain overall passenger clearance times while ensuring the border remains secure.
While we do not measure performance against average waiting times we do record them and the details requested are provided in the following tables:
| Heathrow terminal 1: EEA passengers | |
| 2009-10 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
| 2010-11 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
| Heathrow t erminal 1: Non-EEA p a ssengers | |
| 2009-10 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
22 Jun 2011 : Column 359W
| 2010-11 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
| Heathrow terminal 2: EEA passengers | |
| 2009-10 | |
| 2009 | Average queue time |
| Heathrow terminal 2: Non-EEA passengers | |
| 2009-10 | |
| 2009 | Average queue time |
22 Jun 2011 : Column 360W
Immigration operations ceased at Heathrow terminal 2 in November 2009, due to refurbishment.
| Heathrow t erminal 3: EEA passengers | |
| 2009-10 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
| 2010-11 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
| Heathrow terminal 3: Non-EEA passengers | |
| 2009-10 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
22 Jun 2011 : Column 361W
| 2010-11 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
| Heathrow terminal 4: EEA passengers | |
| 2009-10 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
22 Jun 2011 : Column 362W
| 2010-11 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
| Heathrow t erminal 4 : Non-EEA passengers | |
| 2009-10 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
| 2010-11 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
22 Jun 2011 : Column 363W
| Heathrow terminal 5: EEA passengers | |
| 2009-10 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
| 2010-11 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
| Heathrow terminal 5: Non-EEA passengers | |
| 2009-10 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
22 Jun 2011 : Column 364W
| 2010-11 | |
|
|
Average queue time |
Victim Support Schemes
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to co-locate social services, victim support services, primary care trusts and the police in order to improve the service provided to adults and children at risk. [60892]
James Brokenshire: The Government recognise the value of multi-agency arrangements, including the widely held view that multi-agency working brings real benefits to protecting children and vulnerable adults.
The Department of Health published a statement of Government policy on safeguarding vulnerable adults from abuse on 16 May 2011. This includes a statement of principles for use by local authority social services and housing, health, the police and other agencies, in order to develop and assess the effectiveness of their local safeguarding arrangements. One of these principles is partnership—local solutions through services working with their communities.
The Government understand that when local people get involved, communities can do things differently. We need local authorities and local multi-agency partnerships to provide leadership in moving to less risk-averse ways of working, and to concentrate on outcomes instead of focusing on compliance. Local multi-agency partnerships should support and encourage communities to find local solutions. These solutions will be different in different places, reflecting, for example, local demographics and environmental characteristics.
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has recently led targeted work to identify good practice arrangements being delivered locally, in order to enhance safeguarding through stronger partnership working, including co-located models. ACPO has produced advice to forces to make these good practice models and their benefits available nationally.
At the national level, the recently-published Munro Review of Child Protection highlighted a number of examples of good practice, including those where multi-agency teams are co-located in one office. Co-location
22 Jun 2011 : Column 365W
was considered essential in order for the process to work, being the most effective means of building relationships, trust and understanding between agencies, in order to enhance confidence in sharing information.
The Government are currently considering their response to Professor Munro's report.
Violent and Sex Offender Register
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in each local authority area are on the violent and sex offender register; and how many people were (a) added to and (b) removed from the register in each year for which figures are available. [61199]
Lynne Featherstone: The data required to answer this question fully are not collected in the format requested and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
The total number of registered sex offenders residing within each of the 42 police authority areas in England and Wales is detailed within the published annual MAPPA (Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements) Reports. The report for 2009-10 is available online at:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.justice.gov.uk/publications/mappa.htm
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people on the violent and sex offender register were convicted of further (a) sexual offences, (b) sexual offences against children and (c) violent offences after being placed on the register; [61200]
(2) how many people on the violent and sex offender register have committed (a) offences against women, (b) offences against children and (c) multiple offences against women and children; [61201]
(3) how many people on the violent and sex offender register live in a household with a person under the age of 18; [61202]
(4) how many people on the violent and sex offender register have served custodial sentences of (a) less than one year, (b) one to five years and (c) more than five years; [61203]
(5) how many people on the violent and sex offender register are employed in jobs where they have contact with (a) children and (b) at risk groups. [61205]
Lynne Featherstone: The data requested are not collected in the format requested and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many people on the violent and sex offender register (a) there are no up-to-date address details and (b) their current address is recorded as unknown. [61204]
Lynne Featherstone: As of 20 June 2011, there are 211 registered sex offenders who do not have a recorded address on ViSOR and 109 offenders who have an address recorded as “no fixed abode”.
22 Jun 2011 : Column 366W
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have applied to be removed from the violent and sex offender register in each year for which figures are available. [61206]
Lynne Featherstone: Sex offenders subject to notification requirements cannot currently apply to discontinue these requirements.
Visas
Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what year her Department used as a baseline to determine the visa allocations to companies who request intra-company transfers in respect of the most recent year for which information is available; for what reasons that year was chosen; what methodology her Department used to calculate visa allotments; and how many requests it (a) received and (b) granted in (i) that year and (ii) 2010. [60553]
Damian Green: No year was used as a baseline to determine Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) allocations for intra-company transfer (ICT) sponsors. Sponsors requesting a Tier 2 ICT sponsor licence indicate on their application how many CoS they require. The number allocated to each sponsor by the UK Border Agency is based on the number requested alongside a number of criteria, including business needs, previous compliance with immigration rules and historic usage.
It is not possible to provide information on the number of ICT CoS requested by sponsors as this information is not centrally recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The number of ICT CoS assigned by the UK Border Agency to sponsors in 2010 was 39,725 and the number used by sponsors during this period was 36,913.
Visas: Olympic Games 2012
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to ensure that members of the Libyan and Syrian Governments do not use the Olympic visa scheme to visit London in 2012; and if she will make a statement. [61142]
Damian Green: Members of the Libyan and Syrian Governments, including their Heads of State, are subject to international travel bans and would not be able to travel to the EU to attend the Olympics.
Cabinet Office
Big Society Bank
Mr Bain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what definition of social value the big society bank will use in its disbursement of funds. [60925]
Mr Hurd: The purpose of the big society bank is to boost the ability of social enterprises, charities, and voluntary and community organisations to deal with a wide range of social issues by improving their access to appropriate capital.
22 Jun 2011 : Column 367W
In assessing investment decisions, the big society bank will therefore consider whether the investment will result in a better provision of financial services for VCSE (Voluntary and Community Social Enterprise) organisations, whether the investment will leverage additional capital into the sector, and whether the investment will enable social investment intermediaries to become more resilient and sustainable and better to develop and provide services to the sector in the long term.
Mr Bain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the banking sector will play any role in the governance of the big society bank. [60926]
Mr Hurd: It is essential that the corporate governance arrangements of the big society bank are effective in ensuring that the big society bank remains true to its social mission and that dormant accounts are used to achieve social objectives. We are working closely with the team developing the big society bank to make certain that this is the case.
The exact terms of the £200 million investment in the big society bank by the four UK banks, including any potential role in the governance of the big society bank, are still being negotiated.
Mr Bain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what types of capital for the big society bank will be contributed by the Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, HSBC and Lloyds Banking Group. [61228]
Mr Hurd: The banks are committed to investing in a way that is compatible with the big society bank's mission to help grow a sustainable social investment market and achieve returns against a double bottom line of social and financial returns.
The exact terms of this investment have yet to be finalised.
Charities: Public Expenditure
Mr Bain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will assess the effect on the revenues of charities and voluntary groups of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review in each of the next four financial years. [60930]
Mr Hurd: The Government's programme of reform will create significant new opportunities for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector as we open up public service markets and make these markets more accessible to the sector.
Data are not available to enable us to forecast sector revenues over the next four years. However we continue to work closely with partners in the voluntary sector and across Government to support the sector through this transitional period and ensure it can continue its vital role in building big society. This includes measures to:
Support the sector through the Transition, by investing £107 million in the Transition Fund to create breathing space for public service providers.
Set out reasonable expectations of councils, to ensure local funding decisions are made wisely, and in conjunction with the sector.
22 Jun 2011 : Column 368W
Develop the £200 million big society bank to help sector organisations access much needed additional resources and investment.
Open up public services, incorporating consultation with sector organisations and commissioners on Modernising Commissioning.
Increase giving of time and money, through measures set out in the Giving White Paper.
Mr Bain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make an assessment of the effects of the Government's fiscal policies on charities and voluntary groups in each of the next four financial years. [60932]
Mr Hurd: Fiscal policy is a matter for HM Treasury. The 2011 Budget outlined a package of measures to support charities, encourage charitable giving and increase incentives for philanthropy. This includes measures to:
Reduce the rate of inheritance tax to 36% for estates leaving 10% or more to charity, from April 2012;
Increase the limit for “thank you” gifts under Gift Aid from £500 to £2,500 from April 2011;
Introduce Gift Aid online filing to reduce bureaucracy for charities claiming Gift Aid in 2012-13;
Introduce a new scheme to enable Gift Aid to be claimed on small donations without the paperwork in April 2013;
Explore how to increase the take-up of Payroll Giving.
The Government anticipate that the combined effect of these measures will increase funding to charities by around £600 million over the lifetime of the Parliament.
Departmental Data Protection
Andrew Miller: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to promote visual data security in his Department; and what training his Department provides to its officials in respect of the management of visual data security. [60904]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office takes the protection and security of its data very seriously and takes a number of measures to ensure that sensitive information is protected when being displayed on visual display units (VDUs). These include strict rules regarding the use of IT equipment outside of the office (including when travelling/working overseas) and the use of mobile phones and similar devices both on and off its estate.
In addition, the Department's VDUs are programmed to go into “hibernation” if not activated within a short period of time; staff are instructed not to leave their units switched on when away from their desks; screens may be “anonymised” where considered necessary for those working inside and away from the office; and “privacy screen panels” are also available. The need to ensure visual data security is considered as part of any office accommodation moves.
Staff are trained regarding all aspects of data handling and security through a variety of ways including induction courses; regular briefing and training events; articles on the Department's intranet site; and ad hoc reminders as and when considered necessary.
Departmental Billing
Mr Denham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will assess the effects on levels of economic growth of late payments by Government contractors to subcontractors. [60462]
22 Jun 2011 : Column 369W
Mr Maude: The Government recognise that late payment has detrimental effects, particularly on cash flow for SMEs, and are determined to do everything they can to transform the culture of late payment. That is why we have a target for central Government Departments to pay 80% of valid invoices within five working days of receipt, and why all new contracts must include a clause providing for 30-day payment from primes to sub-contractors.
We are also exploring ways to make performance against these objectives more transparent.
Government Departments: Procurement
Mr Sanders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2010, Official Report, column 998W, on the public sector: procurement, how many Government Departments have not yet published in full on their departmental websites details of contracts with a monetary value over £10,000. [53686]
Mr Maude: The latest report on departmental usage of the Contracts Finder system, dated 27 May, is published on the Cabinet Office website:
www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/policy-and-guidance-transparency-public-sector-procurement-and-contracting
five Departments had published all their new contracts;
14 Departments are in the process of preparing contracts for publication;
four Departments had not let any contracts.
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his policy is on the outsourcing overseas of contracts that Government Departments hold with private sector companies. [60682]
Mr Maude: The Government's procurement policy is to seek value for money for the public purse through fair competition in open markets, in line with our membership of the EU and other international agreements.
Of course the Government want companies and workers in the UK to benefit from public procurement opportunities, the vast bulk of which go to UK-based companies.
Mutual Societies
Chris Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many calls the Mutuals Information Service has received in each month since November 2010. [60827]
Mr Hurd: The Mutuals Information Service is provided by an independent organisation—Local Partnerships, working in partnership with Co-operatives UK and the Employee Ownership Association.
The Minister for the Cabinet Office announced the launch of the Mutuals Information Service on 17 November 2010 and Cabinet Office has continued to work closely with the providers of the service. We understand that around 250 new enquiries were received between the launch date and 31 March 2011.
22 Jun 2011 : Column 370W
Since the 31 March the monthly breakdown of new enquiries is as follows:
14 calls in April;
19 calls in May.
The Mutuals Information Service also receives enquiries and calls for information and advice following up from an original call. These are additional to the figures for new enquiries set out here.
Chris Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many calls the Mutuals Information Service received between 17 November 2010 and 30 March 2011. [60829]
Mr Hurd: The Mutuals Information Service is provided by an independent organisation—Local Partnerships, working in partnership with Co-operatives UK and the Employee Ownership Association.
he Minister for the Cabinet Office announced the launch of the Mutuals Information Service on 17 November 2010 and Cabinet Office has continued to work closely with the providers of the service. We understand that around 250 new enquiries were received between the launch date and 31 March 2011.
The Mutuals Information Service also receives enquiries and calls for information and advice following up from an original call. These are additional to the figures for new enquiries.
Third Sector
Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many hours Ministers in his Department spent volunteering in the last 12 months as part of the Government's big society initiative. [61225]
Mr Hurd: There are no records held centrally.
Voluntary Work: Young People
Simon Hart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many 16-year-olds in each region have registered to participate in National Citizen Service pilot projects. [61545]
Mr Hurd: National Citizen Service is taking place in a range of locations across England in its first pilot year, with over 10,000 places potentially available this summer. Data provided to the Cabinet Office by National Citizen Service delivery partners indicated that at 17 June the following numbers of young people had registered their details in each region.
|
|
Number |
22 Jun 2011 : Column 371W
Simon Hart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to extend the National Citizen Service to Wales. [61546]
Mr Hurd: The Government are piloting National Citizen Service in England in 2011 and 2012. Initial discussions have taken place with the Welsh Government to explore opportunities for the programme to be extended to Wales, and we will continue to work with the Welsh Government as the pilot phase of National Citizen Service progresses.
Justice
Protection from Harassment Act 1997
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice under what circumstances the police may be granted a search warrant in respect of an individual charged under the provisions of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. [61026]
Lynne Featherstone: I have been asked to reply.
The offences set out in sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 are indictable offences, for which search warrants can be sought under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
The police can seek a search warrant under section 8 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 by satisfying a magistrate of the conditions set out in section 8 (1) of that Act. Where the material sought by the police falls under the definition of “special procedure material” set out in section 14 of the 1984 Act, a warrant must be obtained from a circuit judge in accordance with the provisions of schedule 1 of that Act.
Departmental Data Protection
Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to promote visual data security in his Department; and what training his Department provides to its officials in respect of the management of visual data security. [60913]
Mr Djanogly: We take the security of information seriously and ensure staff are aware of their responsibilities under the Data Protection Act and for adherence with the Government's security policy framework, which incorporates the findings of the data handling review. We promote the visual security of data through our arrangements for information security within the office and our policy on remote working. We have issued guidance on working on documents, laptops and other mobile devices in public places and the risk of being overlooked. This includes urging staff to question whether they really need to take information out of the office and to obtain permission from a senior manager if this involves more sensitive information. This guidance is being given greater prominence in a forthcoming upgrade of our intranet pages, which will be promoted in a security awareness campaign.
All staff are required to undertake annual training in information security. The National School of Government's
22 Jun 2011 : Column 372W
e-learning course covers the visual security risk of working in public places and is used for most staff. Staff in HM Courts and Tribunals service received face-to-face training tailored to their ways of working and so did not specifically address working outside the office.
Legal Aid
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many civil and criminal providers of legal aid have offices in North East Hertfordshire constituency. [60749]
Mr Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) holds contracts with legal aid firms but each firm may provide services from several offices. There are five firms with postcodes falling within the North East Hertfordshire constituency providing civil services out of four offices and crime out of two.
In addition to face-to-face services, the public can get help with civil problems through Community Legal Advice which includes telephone and internet-based services.
Legal Costs
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the evidential basis is for the conclusion of the equality impact assessment published alongside the Government's response to the Jackson proposals on civil litigation costs that the proposals will have no impact on human rights. [60833]
Mr Djanogly: The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, introduced into the House of Commons on 21 June 2011 contains clauses which will implement these proposals. In accordance with section 19(l)(a) of the Human Rights Act 1998, the Secretary of State for Justice has confirmed that, in his view, the provisions of the Bill are compatible with the Convention rights.
Offences against Children: Sentencing
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average length of sentence was for unlawful sex with a minor in the last 12 months. [61455]
Mr Blunt: Defendants sentenced, given an immediate custodial sentence and the average custodial sentence length for sexual offences against a minor, England and Wales, 2010 can be viewed in the following table.
| Defendants sentenced at all courts and the average custodial sentence length (months) for sexual offences against a minor (1) , England and Wales, 2010 (2,3) | ||||
| Offence | Total sentenced | Other sentences | Immediate custody | Average custodial sentence length (months) (4) |
22 Jun 2011 : Column 373W
| (1) Includes all offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 where the age of the victim can be determined from the Act (and where it is under 16) under which the offender was sentenced. This includes offences under Sections 1, 5-10 & 47 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, It is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes life and indeterminate sentences. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice |
Prisoners' Release
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of times police forces have not been informed of the release of offenders from prison on temporary licence in each of the last three years. [60887]
Mr Blunt: Prisons are expected to notify the police at least five days in advance of any release on temporary licence. Data on such notifications are not collected routinely and could not be established retrospectively except at disproportionate cost.
Prisoners: Education
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners did not complete an education or other rehabilitation course due to being released from custody in each of the last five years. [61194]
Mr Blunt: This information is not centrally collected and could be collected only at disproportionate cost. Prisoner education reflects that available in the community and part-completed courses in prison can be completed after release.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average length was of skills, education and training courses provided to offenders in prison in the latest period for which figures are available. [61195]
Mr Blunt: This information is not centrally collected and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many and what proportion of persons sentenced to (a) less than six months, (b) between six and 12 months, (c) between one and two years and (d) more than two years in prison undertook an education, training or skills related course in each of the last five years; [61196]
(2) how many and what proportion of persons who have left custody after (a) less than six months, (b) between six and 12 months, (c) between one and two years and (d) more than two years in prison had completed an education, training or skills related course in prison in each of the last five years. [61197]
22 Jun 2011 : Column 374W
Mr Blunt: This information is not centrally collected and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
Prisons
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of damage to each prison attributable to prisoners in each of the last five years. [61193]
Mr Blunt: Any occurrence of damage caused by prisoners is recorded on the Prison Service Incident Reporting System. These incidents are in a format that cannot readily be interrogated electronically. To provide the information requested would involve the manual inspection of incident records for the last five years which could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
Protection from Harassment Act 1997
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) in how many cases where a person was charged under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 the (a) case was not proceeded with and (b) individual was acquitted; [61025]
(2) how many people received (a) a custodial sentence, (b) a fine, (c) a conditional discharge and (d) a supervision order following a charge under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in 2010. [61024]
Mr Blunt: The number of persons acquitted at all courts for offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in England and Wales for 2010 was 559.
The number of persons sentenced and a breakdown of the outcomes at all courts for offences under the Harassment Act 1997, 2010 can be viewed in the table.
Information on cases charged which were subsequently not proceeded with is not collated by the Ministry of Justice.
Charging data are not collated centrally.
| Persons sentenced at all courts for offences under the Harassment Act 1997, England and Wales, 2010 (1, 2) | |
| Outcome | Number |
| (1 )The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Includes: Absolute discharge, Suspended sentence and Otherwise dealt with. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services in the Ministry of Justice | |
22 Jun 2011 : Column 375W
Youth Justice
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what research the Youth Justice Board has (a) evaluated and (b) commissioned on the effects of reductions in youth offending teams since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [61456]
Mr Blunt: The Youth Justice Board (YJB) has not undertaken formal research into the effects of reductions in youth offending teams (YOTs) since May 2010.
22 Jun 2011 : Column 376W
Under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, local authorities in England and Wales have the statutory responsibility to establish a youth offending team to deliver youth justice services. Local areas are therefore required to ensure sufficient funding and staffing is available to deliver their youth justice responsibilities.
The YJB will continue to monitor and review YOTs to ensure that local authorities provide the support and resources they need to deliver their statutory responsibilities.