Tuberculosis: Medical Treatments
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to fund the Find and Treat Tuberculosis Project and the mobile X-ray screening unit after April 2012. [65431]
Anne Milton: The national health service in London has funded the Find and Treat service since April 2011. Therefore, decisions about future funding of Find and Treat will be made by the NHS in London, in the context of their current review of tuberculosis (TB) services in London which will lead to a TB plan for London due later this year.
The Department commissioned the Health Protection Agency to evaluate the Find and Treat service (including the mobile X-ray unit).
The final evaluation report, which is subject to academic peer review, indicates that the service is both clinically and cost effective.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation of the Find and Treat Tuberculosis Service and mobile X-ray screening unit his Department has carried out; what the conclusions were of the final evaluation; and when he will make the full report publicly available. [65432]
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Anne Milton: The Department commissioned the Health Protection Agency to evaluate the Find and Treat service (including the mobile X-ray unit).
The final evaluation report, which is subject to academic peer review, indicates that the service is both clinically and cost effective. Once the report has been peer-reviewed and finalised, it will be made publicly available.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Abyei
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts his Department is making to broker a lasting solution to the dispute over Abyei. [64465]
Mr Bellingham: The Abyei Interim Agreement of 20 June ought to lead to the swift withdrawal of Sudanese armed forces and the deployment of Ethiopian peacekeepers under an UN mandate. We are fully committed to finding a lasting and peaceful solution to the Abyei issue and will remain engaged with the rest of the international community and both Sudan and South Sudan, as we move beyond the secession of South Sudan on 9 July.
Access to Work Programme
Mrs McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many disabled people are being supported in employment in his Department under its access to work programme. [65042]
Mr Bellingham: None. Ministerial Government Departments directly fund workplace support for their own disabled staff, instead of using access to work. The HR Directorate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides support for disabled staff. As of 4 July, 258 members of staff have disclosed a disability and those that require them have been provided with reasonable adjustments.
Afghanistan: Pakistan
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the Government of Pakistan's policy to have a strategic role in the future of Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [63609]
Mr Hague: We agree with Pakistan that peace and stability in Afghanistan will not be achieved through force alone and that the key is a genuinely representative political outcome that addresses the political and economic aspirations of all Afghan citizens, and the wider region. Pakistan has a positive role to play in supporting this Afghan-led process.
The UK encourages greater co-operation between Afghanistan and Pakistan which will help improve peace and security on both sides of their borders. We warmly
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welcome the recent strengthening of the Afghanistan-Pakistan bilateral relationship including the recent visits of Prime Minister Gilani to Kabul and President Karzai to Pakistan.
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which occasions he has discussed the drawdown of NATO forces in Afghanistan with his (a) Russian, (b) Chinese and (c) Pakistani counterpart. [63022]
Mr Hague: The transition of security responsibilities from International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to Afghan forces and the corresponding gradual drawdown of ISAF troops during this process is an issue on which ISAF and the Afghan Government routinely keep other countries in the region updated. In addition, the UK regularly engages with Russia, China and Pakistan on Afghan-related issues. Troop drawdown was discussed with these countries most recently at a meeting of the International Contact Group in Kabul on 26-27 June.
Africa: Piracy
Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had on the safety of UK ships off the (a) east and (b) west coast of Africa from the threat of piracy. [64224]
Mr Bellingham: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), is in regular contact with ministerial colleague on these matters and he attended an NSC discussion on Somalia on 11 July, where piracy was discussed.
The Prime Minister recently discussed Somali piracy with his counter-parts at the G8 summit, where partners underlined their determination to continue to respond resolutely to the threat. The G8 remains focused on the safety of shipping in both east and west Africa.
I recently chaired two cross-Whitehall ministerial working groups, with the Under-Secretary of State for Transport and the Minister for the Armed Forces, the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey), to discuss the threat of Somali piracy. The working group recently visited the EU's Counter-Piracy HQ at Northwood, and met senior figures from industry.
Bahrain: Torture
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Bahrain authorities on recent reports of torture suffered by patients in hospital who may have been involved in opposition rallies. [62325]
Alistair Burt: We continue to raise the UK's strong concerns over many credible reports of human rights abuses and allegations of torture in Bahrain. We call on the Government to investigate them fully and transparently and for the Bahraini authorities to act in accordance with the law.
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The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), made clear the UK's concerns when he met the Crown Prince of Bahrain on 25 May. The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox), discussed our concerns when he met the Crown Prince on 31 May and again on 23 June during their telephone call. Our ambassador in Bahrain continues to regularly raise the issue of human rights in his contact with the Bahrain Government.
British Nationals Abroad: Detainees
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are in detention in each overseas country without having been charged; and for how long each has been detained. [63955]
Mr Bellingham: As of March 2011 we were aware of 2,076 British nationals in detention overseas, a figure which includes individuals detained at all stages of the legal process. We are unable to estimate how many of those have been detained without charge in individual foreign countries. Estimating this figure, and how long they have been detained in each case, would prove difficult and incur disproportionate cost. We aim to contact British nationals, depending on local circumstances, within 24 hours of being told of their arrest or detention. We will consider approaching the local authorities if a British national is not treated in line with internationally-accepted standards, including if their trial is unreasonably delayed compared to local cases.
China: Water
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a regional water sharing agreement between China and India was discussed during the visit of the Chinese Premier to the UK in June 2011. [64331]
Alistair Burt: A regional water sharing agreement between China and India was not discussed during the visit of the Chinese Premier to the UK in June 2011.
Special Advisers
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what expenses were claimed by (a) paid and (b) unpaid special advisers working in his Department in the last 12 months. [62068]
Mr Lidington: Over the last 12 months, the Department's special advisers claimed £21.49 in expenses. This was on passport pictures and a taxi fare. The Department has no unpaid special advisers.
Departmental Dismissal
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials in his Department were dismissed for under-performance as a result of the procedures arising from his Department's staff appraisal system in each of the last three years. [64686]
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Mr Bellingham: Records are only available for UK-based Foreign and Commonwealth officials. Records for overseas-based locally employed officials are not centrally held and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
There have been fewer than five dismissals in each of the last three years. Details are withheld on the grounds of confidentiality.
Departmental Travel
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on private charter aircraft in each of the last 10 years. [58943]
Mr Lidington: With regard to ministerial travel for the period since May 2010, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood (Maria Eagle) on 5 May 2011, Official Report, column 880W. For the period from 1999 to May 2010, the previous Government published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Where private charter aircraft were used, this was shown in the list. The previous Government also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House.
The following expenditure has been incurred in 2011 in respect of charter planes used for evacuations of British nationals and eligible persons:
Egypt: £178,894;
Libya: £1,107,462;
Japan: £780,121; and
Bahrain £175,546 (total £2,251,624).
As I said in my written ministerial statement on 4 July 2011, following our review of consular evacuation procedures, the security and well-being of British nationals is always our absolute priority in a crisis.
Prior to 2011, £213,400 was paid for charter flights for the repatriation of tsunami victims on 30 and 31 December 2004, and £52,998 was paid to transport staff to assist evacuation from Lebanon on 20 July 2006. Further figures are not held centrally, and are available only at disproportionate cost.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on chartered boats in each of the last 10 years. [59121]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) incurred costs of £9,600 in respect of evacuation by ship from Libya in 2011.
Complete figures for previous years are not held centrally, and are available only at disproportionate cost.
Egypt: Politics and Government
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the capacity of (a) international aid organisations and (b) other non-governmental organisations to operate in Egypt. [59717]
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Alistair Burt: There is a wide range of international and non-government organisations (NGOs) operating in Egypt. Some local human rights NGOs are taking part in working groups to advise on the drafting of a new law on the registration process for NGOs.
The UK has committed £1.2 million through the Arab Partnership to support the political transition in Egypt. Our embassy in Cairo is in close contact with a range of local and international non-governmental organisations, Government officials, the opposition and activists to identify the most useful interventions. They are making progress in developing programmes that address Egypt's political, economic and structural needs.
UN organisations, such as UN Development Programme and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), are also active in identifying programmes to support the transition to a civilian-led democratic Government. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has recently agreed to donate £100,000 from its Human Rights and Democracy Fund to the OHCHR to support the setting up of a Regional Office for North Africa in Cairo and a Country Office in Tunisia.
Embassies: Working Conditions
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking in relation to the treatment of domestic staff in embassies in London. [63204]
Mr Bellingham: The FCO treats any allegation of mistreatment of domestic workers in diplomatic households very seriously. The police investigate allegations that the law has been broken by persons entitled to immunity and report the results to the FCO. When an allegation is brought to our attention by the police, we liaise as necessary with the relevant diplomatic mission and the UK Border Agency to work for an appropriate response. In the case of an allegation of mistreatment requiring further investigation by the police, the FCO will request a waiver of the diplomat's immunity from the diplomatic mission concerned on behalf of the police. Failure to provide a waiver may result in a request to the mission for withdrawal of the diplomat. In 2010 there were two cases involving allegations of mistreatment of a domestic worker in a diplomatic household.
In accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 (VCDR) foreign diplomats accredited in the UK are entitled to employ domestic workers. Under article 41(1) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations it is the duty of all diplomats:
“to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State.”
This applies to the terms and conditions of employment for all domestic staff. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) regularly reminds all foreign missions based in the UK of their obligations under the law, most recently in February 2011.
EU Relations
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has entered into with his European counterparts regarding the promotion of greater market integration in (a) European energy markets, (b) European services markets and (c) European digital services markets. [64919]
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Mr Davey: As Minister responsible of many of the policy areas in this question I have been asked to reply.
Market integration of European energy markets is a priority for the UK in delivering our objectives of secure and affordable energy. This issue is regularly discussed by Ministers across Whitehall Departments at European as well as bilateral engagements.
During meetings with counterparts in other States, I use every opportunity to stress the importance of completing the Single Market for services. I raised this at the Competitiveness Council on 9 March 2011. The European Commissioner responsible for this area, Michel Barnier, visited the UK at the beginning of April when he discussed this matter with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable). I hosted a ministerial meeting on 6 July in Lancaster House (attended by ministerial and official representatives from the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Ireland, Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic and Latvia) where we agreed to unite our efforts and jointly lobby European Commission to accelerate the pace of implementation of the Services Directive and to promote the Digital Single Market.
Foreign Relations
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date each bilateral agreement was enacted between the UK and (a) Brazil, (b) the Russian Federation, (c) India and (d) China since 1997. [56317]
Mr Hague: I have written to the right hon. Gentleman. A copy of the letter is in the Library of the House.
Gambia High Commission: Manpower
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he expects there to be changes to the number of staff employed in the Gambian high commission as a result of the closure of bilateral aid programmes from the UK. [64544]
Mr Bellingham: There are no changes envisaged to the number of staff employed in our high commission in the Gambia as a result of the closure of bilateral aid programmes from the UK. DFID had contracted a locally engaged officer to help oversee the winding down of DFID's Gambia bilateral programme. Their contract ended in March 2011 and DFID has no plans to renew the contract. As with all our posts, we keep staffing levels under regular review. The UK continues to invest substantially in the Gambia through a variety of programmes delivered through our high commission, totalling over £120,000. Development support to the Gambia also continues through our contributions to multilateral organisations such as the European Union. For 2008-09 the figure for attributed UK aid to the Gambia through multilateral organisations was £923,000.
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Germany: World War II
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to commemorate the White Rose resistance movement; and if he will make a statement. [R] [64646]
Mr Lidington: While I applaud the valiant resistance demonstrated by the White Rose movement, I do not currently plan to take steps to commemorate it.
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of each item of information held by his Department on the White Rose resistance movement; and if he will make a statement. [64648]
Mr Lidington: Information Management Department have searched FCO records, including records already transferred to the National Archives, but have been unable to find any references to the White Rose resistance movement.
While I applaud the valiant resistance demonstrated by the White Rose movement, I do not currently plan to take steps to commemorate it.
Government Communications Headquarters: Bude
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many US personnel are based at GCHQ Bude. [57058]
Mr Lidington: Government Communications Headquarters Bude employs approximately 200 people and supports the interests of the UK and its allies. It is long-standing policy not to provide a detailed breakdown of staffing.
Italy: Higher Education
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed with his Italian counterpart the implementation in Italian law of judgments of the European Court of Justice in respect of the position in Italy of UK and other foreign national lecturers. [64664]
Mr Lidington: The UK Government continue to bring to the attention of the Italian authorities the issue of discrimination over jobs and pay against UK and foreign national lecturers in Italian universities. I raised the issue with the Italian Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini, on 21 June 2011. I am also writing to ask him what steps his Government will put in place to secure a resolution to this longstanding issue.
The Italian Government maintain the position that Italian legislation is compliant with the European Court of Justice (ECJ) judgments, and the issue is now a matter for individual universities. The universities remain adamant that the issue cannot be resolved without additional funding from the Government.
Italy: Sikhs
Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed with his Italian counterpart the respect given by Italian Government authorities to the Sikh turban. [64186]
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Mr Lidington: I am aware of specific incidents in Italy where members of the Sikh community have been asked to remove their turbans for security checks at airports. I understand the distress this will have caused. According to reports from our embassy in Rome, the Italian authorities confirmed in June that Sikhs would no longer be required to remove their turbans at airports. The Minister of State, Department for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs Villiers), wrote to all her EU counterparts in June to explain a trial being undertaken in the UK of an alternative procedure for delivering elements of EU regulations on screening passengers prior to travel. I hope this procedure will be considered by EU authorities.
Kenya: Clara Gutteridge
Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether during his recent visit to Kenya he made representations to the Kenyan Government in respect of Clara Gutteridge, who was deported from Kenya on 10 May 2011. [64372]
Mr Bellingham: I visited Kenya in late May 2011. Although I did not raise Ms Gutteridge's case on that occasion, I raised it with Prime Minister Odinga during his recent visit to London in July. The UK Government have taken her case very seriously and raised it with the Kenyan authorities on a number of occasions since her deportation. In particular, we have raised concerns that her deportation was in response to legitimate work on human rights issues related to terrorism suspects transferred to Uganda, rather than on grounds relating to counter-terrorism. We have also publicly and privately raised concerns about allegations of rendition, which I know is a particular focus of the work she was involved with.
Languages
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on the proportion of its officials who speak (a) French, (b) German, (c) Spanish, (d) Portuguese, (e) Russian, (f) Arabic, (g) Mandarin Chinese, (h) Hindi, (i) Punjabi, (j) Sindhi and (k) Japanese. [63014]
Mr Hague: Based on our 2010 central HR database records, the approximate proportions of UK-based staff with language skills registered are:
(a) French: 52%
(b) German: 29%
(c) Spanish: 18%
(d)Portuguese: 4%
(e) Russian: 6%
(f) Arabic: 4%
(g ) Mandarin: 3%
(h) Hindi: 1%
(i) Punjabi: Less than 1%
(j) Sindhi: Less than 1%
(k)Japanese: 3%.
We are creating extra speaker slots in the FCO network in line with foreign policy priorities, including in the middle east, China, and Latin America. We will invest in additional full-time language training for officers appointed to these positions where necessary.
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Libya
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent from the public purse on Musa Kusa (a) during his recent visit to the UK and (b) since his departure for Qatar. [63297]
Alistair Burt: As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) said to the House on 4 April 2011, Official Report, column 752, Musa Kusa flew to the UK from Tunisia of his own volition, having notified our authorities shortly before his departure of his intention to travel here. The Government neither provided nor paid for Musa Kusa's travel and he has received no direct payment from the Government, nor subsidy for accommodation. No aspects of Musa Kusa's visit to Qatar have been paid for by the Government. We cannot comment on expenditure relating to his personal security in the UK and wider national security issues.
Libya: Armed Conflict
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed UN Security Council Resolution 1973 with his (a) Chinese and (b) Russian counterpart since the start of Operation Ellamy. [63015]
Mr Hague: I am in regular contact with my Chinese and Russian counterparts in various forums on a range of issues including Libya. The Prime Minister and Chinese Premier Wen set out their views on Libya to the media at the UK-China summit on 27 June. The Prime Minister also discussed Libya with President Medvedev in the margins of the G8 summit on 26 May.
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has made any requests to other countries for (a) financial and (b) military assistance for the operation in Libya. [63828]
Alistair Burt: There is a regular ongoing dialogue with international partners including the UN, NATO, EU and within the Libya Contact Group on funding and military assistance. It is clear that there is a broad international coalition in support of the operation in Libya and many nations are contributing.
Lithuania: Anti-Semitism
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of levels of anti-Semitism in Lithuania since May 2010; what recent discussions he has had with his Lithuanian counterpart on anti-Semitism in Lithuania; and if he will make a statement. [64649]
Mr Lidington:
Our embassy in Vilnius reports all incidents of anti-Semitism in Lithuania to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. There have been a number of anti-Semitic incidents since May 2010. We take a serious view of these incidents and continue to urge the Lithuanian authorities to tackle them in a determined
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way. My hon. Friend will know that the UK is committed to fighting discrimination and intolerance. Combating all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism, is an important part of the UK Government's human rights policy.
Lithuania: World War II
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the adoption by the Parliament of Lithuania of legislation on compensation for Jewish property looted during the second world war; and if he will make a statement. [64647]
Mr Lidington: I welcome the adoption by the Lithuanian Parliament on 21 June 2011 of a law which will provide compensation for communal and religious property owned by the Jewish community of Lithuania before the second world war. This compensation will support the ongoing social and cultural life of the Jewish community in Lithuania and help ensure that their historical contribution to that country and Europe is remembered. This law, signed by the Lithuanian President, Dalia Grybauskaite, on 5 July 2011, approves the decision to pay 128 million Litas (approximately £32 million) in the next 10 years to compensate Jewish people for the property expropriated from them by totalitarian regimes.
The compensation will be paid during the period 2013-23 and transferred to a special fund administered by a governing body representing the Jewish community in Lithuania.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to reply to the letter of 2 June 2011 from the hon. Member for Walsall North regarding Professor Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar. [64343]
Alistair Burt: The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the hon. Member for Taunton Deane (Mr Browne) replied to the hon. Member for Walsall North's letter of 2 June 2011 on 6 July.
It is the long-standing policy of the UK Government to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the hon. Member for Taunton Deane (Mr Browne) has written to the Indian high commissioner in London setting out the UK's strong opposition to the death penalty, urging the Government of India to commute such sentences to life imprisonment and calling for the establishment of a formal moratorium on the death penalty, with a view to its abolition. He also raised this issue with Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao when they met on 28 June, and also with the Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur during their meeting on 5 July. We have likewise raised our concerns about the end of the de facto moratorium on the death penalty through the EU.
We will continue to press for the abolition of the death penalty.
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Middle East: Armed Conflict
Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Israeli Government regarding the observance of UN Security Council Resolution 1860 and the naval blockade of Gaza. [65429]
Alistair Burt: The UK recognises that Israel has legitimate security concerns that must continue to be safeguarded, and believes that efforts to maintain security while enabling movement and access for Palestinian people and goods are critical.
We remain clear that the situation in Gaza is both a tragedy and unsustainable. While there is no humanitarian crisis, there is an enduring need for humanitarian aid. We have also been clear that actions by both Israel and Hamas have contributed to this situation. Working closely with the EU and Quartet, we continue to call on Israel to ease restrictions on access and enable a return to economic normality. During my recent visit to the region, I explained the risks to Israel from the current situation in Gaza.
Israel's decision to move from a list of 120 permitted goods to a list of specific prohibited items was a positive step. However there has been no fundamental change in the crossings regime and economic stagnation and de-development in Gaza remain the norm. We are clear that more needs to be done, particularly to enable exports, accelerate key imports for reconstruction and ensure free movement of people. Without economic growth in Gaza, there is a risk of fostering a more broadly radicalised environment. An improved economy and a resurgence of Gaza's pragmatic business fraternity are not only essential for the people of Gaza, but are also firmly in Israel's security interests.
Middle East: Natural Gas
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the effects of gas explosions in Israel and Jordan in recent months. [65195]
Alistair Burt: On 17 June, local press reported a gas explosion killed four people and injured more than 60 in the Israeli coastal town of Netanya. The Israeli police said the blast was likely to have been caused by negligence and confirmed the attack was not an act of terrorism. One person has been arrested.
I am also aware of reports that the pipeline that carries natural gas from Egypt to Israel and Jordan has been attacked three times this year, the most recently on 4 July. After the fall of President Mubarak, an agreement was reached between the Egyptian military and Bedouin tribes that only Bedouins can guard the pipeline's control rooms. The gas deal and the pipeline have long been unpopular as it is seen as a symbol of Egypt's unpopular peace treaty with Israel.
Military Aircraft: Exports
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department are taking to promote the export of (i) Hawk Mk. 128 and (ii) Eurofighter Typhoon Aircraft [64890]
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Alistair Burt: The promotion of British commerce and international trade is a core UK foreign policy objective. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and UK missions overseas are promoting strongly key UK defence sector export opportunities at relevant meetings at home and overseas, in close co-ordination with the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation. These defence sector commercial priorities include Hawk and Eurofighter Typhoon.
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions with other governments (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had on the export of (i) Hawk Mk. 128 and (ii) Eurofighter Typhoon Aircraft [64891]
Alistair Burt: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers promote actively key UK defence sector export opportunities at relevant meetings with their international counterparts, complementing action by other UK Government Ministers. Among other engagements, this has included the promotion of Eurofighter Typhoon with the Indian Government, and the Government welcome strongly the selection of Typhoon for the final phase of India's medium multi-role combat aircraft competition.
Military Aircraft
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the compliance of use of armed remotely-piloted aircraft by other countries with the provisions of (a) the Geneva Conventions, (b) the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and (c) the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. [63215]
Mr Lidington: The assessment of whether armed remotely-piloted aircraft are being used in compliance with international obligations is a question of fact in each case. All states must abide by their legal obligations.
Morocco: Politics and Government
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recent demonstrations in Morocco. [65437]
Alistair Burt: There have been a number of demonstrations in Morocco in recent months calling for socio-economic change and political reform. Demonstrations continue to be scheduled. We assess that significant public unrest is unlikely in the short term. The Foreign Secretary has welcomed preliminary indications of a positive outcome in the referendum on the new draft constitution for the Kingdom of Morocco. We look forward to the implementation of these reforms in Morocco and parliamentary elections later in the year.
Netherlands: Slaughterhouses
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise (a) at the United Nations and (b) with the European Commission the prohibition by the Netherlands of the practice of shechita; and if he will make a statement. [R] [64643]
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Mr Lidington: The Dutch Parliament is currently considering a draft law on the prohibition of the ritual slaughter of animals. However, this is a matter for the Dutch Government and Parliament accountable to the people of the Netherlands. We have no plans to raise this subject with the UN or the EU Commission.
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with his Dutch counterpart the compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights of the prohibition of the practice of shechita in the Netherlands; and if he will make a statement. [R] [64645]
Mr Lidington: The Dutch Parliament is currently considering a draft law on the prohibition of the ritual slaughter of animals. However, this is a matter for the Dutch Government and Parliament.
Nuclear Disarmament: Finance
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's budget is for stimulating nuclear disarmament initiatives in 2011-12. [60548]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is set to spend approximately £140,000 in 2011-12 on nuclear disarmament projects relating to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty. This is in addition to resource allocated to nuclear disarmament-related research by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Atomic Weapons Establishment.
Separate to our project spend, the majority of the FCO's resource towards making progress on nuclear disarmament comprises staff for multilateral negotiations, working groups and table-top exercises.
Piracy: International Co-operation
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to seek international agreement on a new international legal framework to tackle piracy on the high seas and bring pirates to court. [64154]
Mr Bellingham: Maritime piracy is a crime of universal jurisdiction and does not require a new international legal framework to bring pirates to court. The Government welcome the efforts of Kenya, the Seychelles and other countries around the world in pursuing the prosecution of pirates, with more than 1,000 pirates now in custody in 20 different jurisdictions globally.
The Government do not support the proposal to establish an extraterritorial Somali court on the basis that it would take time to set up and an interim solution would still be needed, the Somali Government are against a court outside of Somalia, which would contravene the Somali constitution, and it would not be cost effective in comparison to the costs of prosecution in national courts in the region or elsewhere. The Government believe that it is prison space rather than court capacity which remains the key capacity constraint, which an extraterritorial court would not solve. We have provided
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£5.3 million of support to the UN office on Drugs and Crime to build prison as well as court capacity in Somalia and other countries in the region.
Police: Secondment
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many police officers are seconded to his Department and working (a) in the UK and (b) abroad. [64225]
Mr Bellingham: We do not hold a central record of how many police officers are seconded to the FCO. We estimate the number is very small. 29 police officers are currently seconded to the Stabilisation Unit (a tri-departmental unit part funded by the FCO), of which two are in the UK and 27 overseas.
Saudi Arabia
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what the outcomes were of the visit by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to Saudi Arabia in May 2011; and if he will make a statement; [65005]
(2) what costs were incurred in each category of expenditure on the visit by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to Saudi Arabia in May 2011; [65006]
(3) if he will place in the Library a copy of the schedule of the visit by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to Saudi Arabia in May 2011; [65007]
(4) what the purpose was of the visit by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to Saudi Arabia in May 2011. [65008]
Alistair Burt: I did not visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in May 2011. I made a short visit to Saudi in April 2011, when I had a series of bilateral meetings, including with my opposite number the Deputy Foreign Minister; the Head of the Human Rights Commission; and a number of other Government Ministers. I had a productive dialogue on security, commerce and human rights and established relationships with some key interlocutors.
Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade
Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills regarding arms export licences to Saudi Arabia. [64826]
Alistair Burt: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Ministry of Defence work closely to manage the UK's export licensing regime, which BIS leads on. As such officials are in constant touch including on Saudi Arabia. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) has not discussed recently arms exports to Saudi Arabia with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable).
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Sri Lanka: Broadcasting Programmes
Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Sri Lankan Government following allegations made in a recent television documentary on that country. [64857]
Alistair Burt: I spoke to the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister on 14 June. I made it clear that the Sri Lankan Government need to address the allegations contained in the material recently shown in that television documentary and arising from the UN Panel of Experts Report. The UK has consistently called for an independent, thorough and credible enquiry into allegations of violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by both sides during the military conflict in Sri Lanka. In common with our partners in the international community, we expect to see progress on this by the end of the year.
If the Sri Lankan Government do not respond the UK will work with the international community in considering all options available to press the Sri Lankan Government to fulfil their obligations.
Sudan
Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the emergence of South Sudan as an independent state. [64318]
Mr Bellingham: South Sudan will become as an independent state on 9 July. There is much more work both north and south have to do in the coming days, not least on resolving the outstanding issues of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement; a continuing UN presence; and the worrying humanitarian situation. We urge both north and south to work together up to and beyond 9 July and maintain peace and stability as new neighbours.
UN Resolutions
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions a draft resolution text has been circulated at the United Nations which was vetoed by (a) Russia and (b) China in the last five years. [63612]
Mr Hague: Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council Resolution on Burma on 12 January 2007. They also jointly vetoed a resolution on Zimbabwe on 11 July 2008. Russia alone vetoed a resolution on Georgia on 15 June 2009.
United States of America
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of changes in the relationship between the UK and the USA since the state visit of President Obama. [64967]
Alistair Burt:
President Obama's state visit to the UK in May made clear the importance of the relationship ("not just special, but essential"). We are working closely together in Afghanistan, Libya and elsewhere to bring
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security to people around the world. One million jobs in each of our countries depend on our investment partnership. We are each other's top partners in science, research and higher education, shaping the future of our economies and bringing jobs and growth to our citizens.
A number of initiatives were announced during the visit to intensify further UK/US co-operation in a range of areas, including the establishment of a Joint Strategy Board, co-operation in higher education, science and research, on military families, development, and cyber-security. Work is now in hand to follow these up.
Cabinet Office
Access to Work Programme
Mrs McGuire: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many disabled employees of his Department are receiving support from the access to work programme; and what proportion of the work force of his Department this figure represents. [64396]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office has no record of any staff receiving support from the access to work programme.
Breast Cancer: Bexley
Mr Evennett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of people in each age group in the London borough of Bexley who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last year for which figures are available. [65562]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking what recent estimate has been made of the number of people in each age group in the London Borough of Bexley who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last year for which figures are available [65562].
The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2008. Please note that these numbers may not be the same as the number of people diagnosed with cancer, because one person may be diagnosed with more than one cancer.
The following table provides the numbers of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in 2008 by age group for the London Borough of Bexley.
| Table 1. Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer, (1, 2 ) by age group, Bexley, (3) 2008 (4) | |
| Age group | Cancer registrations (number) |
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| (1) Breast cancer is coded as C50 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). (2) Around 99% of breast cancer cases are in women. (3 )Based on boundaries as of May 2011. (4) Newly diagnosed cases registered in 2008. | |
Business
Mr Brine: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many new business start-ups there have been in Winchester constituency since the introduction of the national insurance contributions holiday for new businesses. [64712]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many new business start-ups there have been in Winchester constituency since the introduction of the National Insurance contributions holiday for new businesses. [64712]
The requested information is not available. Annual statistics on the number of enterprise births are available from the ONS release on Business Demography at www.statistics.aov.uk. However, as the contribution holiday specified in the National Insurance Contributions Act 2011 relates only to new businesses set up from 22 June 2010 they are not covered by the latest statistics, which relate to business births in 2009. Statistics relating to births of enterprises in 2010 will be available in December 2011.
Charities Act 2006
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what candidates he is considering to undertake the independent review of the Charities Act 2006; what factors he will take into account in deciding whom to appoint to undertake the review; and when he plans to announce who will undertake the review. [64233]
Mr Hurd: Section 73 of the Charities Act 2006 requires the Minister for the Cabinet Office to appoint a person to undertake an independent review of the Charities Act 2006 before 8 November 2011. We are currently considering the terms of reference for the review, and various matters relating to the appointment. At this stage no decision has been made on who will be appointed to undertake the review. We expect to make an announcement after the summer recess.
Citizenship: Armed Forces
Michael Fallon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether members of combined cadet forces are eligible for the National Citizen Service pilots. [65019]
Mr Hurd:
National Citizen Service is designed to bring together young people from different backgrounds in a programme of social action and personal development. Members of combined cadet forces are eligible to take
11 July 2011 : Column 136W
part in National Citizen Service pilots, as are young people from all backgrounds who meet the age criteria for participation.
Citizenship: Kent
Michael Fallon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many young people from (a) Sevenoaks and (b) Kent he expects to participate in the National Citizen Service pilots. [65018]
Mr Hurd: The Government are piloting National Citizen Service in a wide range of locations across England in 2011. The Government anticipate that up to 150 young people will be able to take part in National Citizen Service pilots in Kent this year. Those young people will be drawn from a range of locations across Kent and there is no target specifically for young people in Sevenoaks. We hope that if successful at the pilot stage, National Citizen Service opportunities will be open to many more young people in future years.
Citizenship: Young Offenders
Michael Fallon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many young offenders he expects to participate in the National Citizen Service pilots. [65020]
Mr Hurd: National Citizen Service pilot providers are required to ensure that young people from a range of different backgrounds take part in their schemes. While the Government have not set a target for National Citizen Service participants who have been through the youth justice system, many of our pilot providers are highly experienced in working with this group and we expect that many participants will be drawn from this background. An independent evaluation of the pilot programme will provide data on the composition of the pilot participant cohorts.
Civil Servants: Disciplinary Proceedings
Richard Fuller: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants have been (a) dismissed and (b) disciplined in each (i) Government Department, (ii) agency and (iii) non-departmental public body in respect of a faith-related issue in each of the last five years. [63944]
Mr Maude: This information is not collected or held centrally. To obtain the information requested could not be done without exceeding the disproportionate cost threshold. There is no record of any cases in the Cabinet Office.
Civil Service: Performance Standards
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the civil service appraisal systems for managing performance. [64710]
Mr Maude:
Effective performance management is the cornerstone of any successful organisation. There are a wide variety of different appraisal systems used across civil service departments, agencies and NDPBs. I have made it clear that reforming these performance management
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arrangements is essential. We need to make sure that talented stars can rise further and poor performance is managed.
Departmental Dismissal
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many officials in his Department were dismissed for under-performance as a result of the procedures arising from his Department's staff appraisal system in each of the last three years. [64692]
Mr Maude: There has been one case in September 2010 where a member of staff in Cabinet Office was dismissed for under-performance as a result of the procedures arising from the staff appraisal system. Two individuals resigned in 2010 and 2011 before they could be dismissed for failing their probationary period and both of these cases were due to under-performance. Another member of staff was returned from their loan early due to under-performance in 2010.
Departmental Responsibilities
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions a request for a meeting by an hon. Member of each political party has been refused by (a) a Minister in his Department directly and (b) his Department on behalf of a Minister since May 2010. [64436]
Mr Maude: I am not aware of any such requests being refused.
Economic Growth
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the level of economic growth excluding financial services in each of the last six quarters. [63867]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for the level of economic growth excluding financial services in each of the last six quarters (63867).
The latest period for which economic growth data are available is for the first quarter of 2011. The data in column 3 of the table below gives Gross Value Added (GVA) at basic prices excluding financial services for each quarter from 2009 Q4 to 2011 Q1. The data has been derived from data published in the Quarterly National Accounts Statistical Bulletin published on 28 June 2011.
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Comparable growths for total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at market prices and GVA at basic prices are shown for comparison in columns 1 and 2.
| GDP and GVA: Percentage growth on previous quarter | |||
| GDP at market prices | GVA at basic prices | GVA less financial services | |
| Note: The difference between GDP at market prices and GVA at basic prices is one of price basis—GDP includes taxes on products and excludes subsidies. | |||
Employment
Mr Clappison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many (a) UK nationals, (b) people born in the UK, (c) non-UK EU nationals and (d) non-EU nationals of working age were in employment in the (i) public and (ii) private sector in each of the last four quarters for which figures are available; and what proportion of the people employed in each sector the figures in each such category represent. [63775]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many (a) UK nationals, (b) people born in the UK, (c) non-UK EU nationals and (d) non-EU nationals of working age were in employment in the (i) public and (ii) private sector in each of the last four quarters for which figures are available; and what proportion of the people employed in each sector the figures in each such category represent. 63775
The information requested is shown in the following tables. The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and are not seasonally adjusted. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. This is assessed in a footnote to the tables.
Labour market statistics published in the monthly Labour Market Statistical Bulletin previously described as working age (men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59) have now been replaced with statistics based on those aged 16-64 for both men and women. Consequently, the estimates provided have been produced on this basis.
| People aged 16 to 64 in employment by public and private sector and by nationality and country of birth: United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted | ||||||||
| Thousand | ||||||||
| Public sector (1,2) | Private sector (1,3) | |||||||
| UK nationals | UK born | Non-UK EU nationals (5) | Non-EU nationals | UK nationals | UK born | Non-UK EU nationals (5) | Non-EU nationals | |
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11 July 2011 : Column 140W
| Thousand | ||||
| Total employment (3,4) | ||||
| UK nationals | UK born | Non-UK EU nationals (5) | Non-EU nationals | |
| People aged 16 to 64 in employment by public and private sector and by nationality and country of birth, as a proportion of the total employment aged 16 to 64 in each sector: United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted | ||||||||
| Percentage | ||||||||
| Public sector (1,2) | Private sector (1,3) | |||||||
| UK nationals | UK born | Non-UK EU nationals (5) | Non-EU nationals | UK nationals | UK born | Non-UK EU nationals (5) | Non-EU nationals | |
| Percentage | ||||
| Total employment (3,4) | ||||
| UK nationals | UK born | Non-UK EU nationals (5) | Non-EU nationals | |
| (1) It should be noted that public and private sector estimates: are based on survey respondents' views about the organisation for which they work; do not correspond to the National Accounts definition used for official Public Sector Employment estimates. (2) Includes nationalised industry or state corporation, central Government, civil service, local government or council (including police, fire services and local authority controlled schools or colleges), university or other grant-funded educational establishment, health authority or NHS trust and armed forces. (3) Includes self-employed and unpaid family workers. (4) Includes those whose type of employer was not known. (5) Comprises EU27. (6) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described below: Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key: * 0 ≤ CV<5%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 ≤ CV <10%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 ≤ CV <20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ≥ 20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes CV ≥ Coefficient of Variation Source: Labour Force Survey | ||||
Government Departments: Procurement
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 27 June 2011, Official Report, column 629W, on Government Departments: procurement, what mechanisms are in place to ensure EU member states comply with obligations to treat UK companies equally when procuring goods and services. [65051]
Mr Maude: Public authorities in other EU member states are required to treat UK companies equally when they procure goods and services, in accordance with the provisions in the EU procurement directives.
The principal means of enforcement for a breach of the directives and other enforceable EU law such as the EU treaty are:
action by suppliers or contractors against contracting authorities in accordance with member states' implementation of the relevant remedies directive; and
infraction proceedings by the Commission against the member state that can result in escalation to the European Court of Justice.
Immigration
Mr Clappison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people who were not UK citizens or citizens of another EU-member state have migrated to the UK in each quarter since the fourth quarter of 2009. [64488]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many people have migrated to the UK who were not UK citizens or citizens of another EU member state in each quarter since the 4th quarter of 2009 (64488)
11 July 2011 : Column 141W
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes estimates of migrants entering and leaving the UK. The following table shows estimates of long-term migration by non-EU citizens for each quarter from the quarter ending March 2010 to September 2010. These data are provisional and are based upon the International Passenger Survey.
These estimates are of numbers of moves each year rather than numbers of people. For instance, an individual could enter in one year, leave just over a year later and then enter again a year after that. They would appear three times in this table.
These figures were provided as part of the response to the Parliamentary Question (Hansard Ref 63715) relating to the number of people who have immigrated to the UK who were not UK citizens or citizens of another EU member state in (b) Each of the last eight quarters for which figures are available.
| Provisional long-term international migration estimates from International Passenger Survey: Immigration of non-EU citizens to the UK 2010 Q 1 to 2010 Q 3 , United Kingdom | ||
| Thousand | ||
| Estimate | SE% (1) | |
| (1) Standard error percentages (SE%) indicate the robustness of each estimate. A migration figure with a standard error of >25% is not considered to be reliable. For any given estimate there is a 95% probability that the true figure lies in the range: estimate +/- 0,0196 x estimate x standard error %. | ||
Lone Parents: Employment
Simon Hart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many lone parents were (a) in employment and (b) unemployed in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency in each year since 2008. [65376]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking what estimate has been made of the number of lone parents who are in a) employment and b) unemployed in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency in each year since 2008. (65376)
Estimates of the number of lone parents who are in employment and unemployed are derived from the Annual Population Survey (APS) household datasets. Datasets for 2008 and 2009 are available. However, due to the specific nature of your request it is not possible to provide reliable estimates because the sample sizes for this survey are not sufficiently large enough for the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency.
Pay: Equality
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what statistics the Office for National Statistics collects on regional pay differentials. [65096]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what statistics the Office for National Statistics collects on regional pay differentials. (65096)
11 July 2011 : Column 142W
The Office for National Statistics preferred measure of regional pay differences comes from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). The latest survey results relate to April 2010, though results for April 2011 will be published in November 2011.
Average levels of earnings are estimated from the ASHE, and are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Earnings estimates by area are available at region (formerly known as Government office region), local authority and parliamentary constituency levels.
Information is produced for hourly, weekly and annual rates of pay for full and part-time employees by region, industry, occupation, age and gender. Further details on the survey are available from:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=15236
Skin Cancer: Mortality Rates
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people died from skin cancer aged (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59 years, (c) 60 to 69 years, (d) 70 to 79 years and (e) over 80 years in each (i) cancer network and (ii) primary care trust area in each year since 1997. [65423]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people died from skin cancer aged (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59 years, (c) 60 to 69 years, (d) 70 to 79 years and (e) over 80 years in each (i) cancer network and (ii) primary care trust area in each year since 1997. (65423)
Table 1 provides the number of deaths where skin cancer was the underlying cause, for people aged (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59 years, (c) 60 to 69 years, (d) 70 to 79 years and (e) 80 years and over, in each cancer network in England, for 1997 to 2009 (the latest year available).
Table 2 provides the number of deaths where skin cancer was the underlying cause, for people aged (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59 years, (c) 60 to 69 years, (d) 70 to 79 years and (e) 80 years and over, in each primary care organisation in England, for 1997 to 2009 combined.
Table 3 provides the number of deaths where skin cancer was the underlying cause, for people of all ages, in each primary care organisation in England, for 1997 to 2009.
Figures in Tables 2 and 3 for primary care organisations have been provided separately due to small numbers of events, in line with the ONS policy on protecting confidentiality within birth and death statistics.
Copies of Tables 1, 2 and 3 have been placed in the House of Commons library.
Suicide
Mr Bain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will estimate the numbers of (a) suicides and (b) attempted suicides among terminally-ill patients being treated at home in each of the last four years. [64810]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
11 July 2011 : Column 143W
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for an estimate of the numbers of (a) suicides and (b) attempted suicides among terminally-ill patients being treated at home in each of the last four years. (64810)
The following table provides the number of suicides for persons aged 15 years and over, in England and Wales, for 2006 to 2009 (the latest year available).
It is not possible from the information given at death registration to state whether the deceased was a terminally-ill patient or being treated at home at the time of death. When a death has been investigated by a coroner, further information may be available to ONS in the form of coroner's inquest text. However, this information may not be consistently collected and cannot be extracted without disproportionate cost.
Figures are not available for the number of attempted suicides, since these data are not routinely collected. Results from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey for 2000 and 2007 (the two most recent surveys) estimated that 0.5 per cent of persons aged between 16 and 74 in England attempted suicide in 2000, and 0.7 per cent in 2007.(1)
Suicide figures for persons aged 15 years and over in England and Wales from 1991 onwards are available on the National Statistics website at:
www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=13618
(1) The Health and Social Care Information Centre (2009) Adult psychiatric morbidity in England, 2007: “Results of a household survey”. Available at:
http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/mental-health/mental-health-surveys/adult-psychiatric-morbidity-in-england-2007-results-of-a-household-survey
| Table 1: Number of suicides for persons aged 15 years and over, England and Wales, 2006 to 2009 (1,2,3) | |
| Persons | |
| Deaths | |
| (1) Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34 (excluding Y33.9 where the Coroner's verdict was pending). From 2007, deaths which were previously coded to Y33.9 are coded to U50.9. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. | |
Vacancies
Ian Austin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of job vacancies available in (a) England, (b) the west midlands and (c) Dudley borough in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available. [65485]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what recent estimate has been made of the number of job vacancies available in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Dudley borough in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available. (65485)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates the number of vacancies from the Vacancy Survey, however estimates below UK are not available from this source.
11 July 2011 : Column 144W
An alternative source of information on job vacancies is administrative data from Jobcentre Plus. This data only includes job vacancies notified to Jobcentre Plus and consequently is inconsistent with the UK estimates from the Vacancy Survey, however geographical breakdowns of this data are available. Currently Jobcentre Plus vacancies account for around half of the total number of vacancies as reported by the Vacancy Survey.
In Table 1, we have provided the number of live unfilled Jobcentre Plus vacancies for each of the latest 12 months for which figures are available for England, the West Midlands and Dudley.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
| Table 1: Number of live unfilled Jobcentre Plus vacancies, May 2010 to May 2011 (1) | |||
| England | West m idlands | Dudley | |
| (1 )Data for September 2010 are not currently available. Source: Jobcentre Plus Administrative System. | |||
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Sequestration
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has had recent discussions with the devolved Administrations on the development of carbon capture and storage in the UK. [64382]
Charles Hendry: Ministers meet their counterparts in the devolved Administrations regularly to discuss a range of energy and climate change issues.
In addition, my officials hold regular detailed discussions with their counterparts on specific issues relating to the development of CCS.
Departmental Dismissal
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in his Department were dismissed for under-performance as a result of the procedures arising from his Department's staff appraisal system in each of the last three years. [64688]
Gregory Barker: I am unable to give the requested information, in respect of the number of officials in the Department of Energy and Climate Change who were dismissed for underperformance as the numbers involved are less than 10 people each year and so to give further details could breach confidentiality.
11 July 2011 : Column 145W
Departmental Regulation
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many regulations his Department has introduced (a) in the six months prior to 1 September 2010 and (b) in the six months after 1 September 2010 which it has determined do not impose costs on businesses. [65317]
Gregory Barker: In the six months prior to 1 September 2010, eight regulations introduced by my Department came into force, which do not impose costs on businesses.
The Overhead Lines (Exempt Installations) (Consequential Provisions) Order 2010
The Overhead Lines (Exempt Installations) Order 2010
The Electricity (Exemption from the Requirement for a Generation Licence) (Millennium and Kilbraur) (Scotland) Order 2010
The Electricity (Exemption from the Requirement for a Generation Licence) (Keadby) (England and Wales) Order 2010
The Energy Act 2004 (Commencement No. 10) Order 2010
The Energy Act 2008 (Commencement No. 5) Order 2010
The Sale of Electricity by Local Authorities (Scotland) Regulations 2010
The Sale of Electricity by Local Authorities (England & Wales) Regulations 2010
In the six months after 1 September 2010, eight regulations introduced by my Department came into force, which do not impose costs on businesses:
Radioactive Contaminated Land Regulations (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
Radioactive Contaminated Land (Enabling Powers and Modification of Enactments) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
Radioactive Contaminated Land (Enabling Powers and Modification of Enactments) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
Radioactive Contaminated Land (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
The Justification Decision (Generation of Electricity by the EPR Nuclear Reactor) Regulations 2010
The Justification Decision (Generation of Electricity by the AP1000 Nuclear Reactor) Regulations 2010
The Submarine Pipelines (Designated Owners) Order
The Lynn and Inner Dowsing Offshore Wind Farms (Amendment) Order 2011
The Government's policy is to consider alternatives to regulation. Details of regulatory measures introduced in the first half of 2011 can be found in the Statement of New Regulation in the Library of the House.
Costs are detailed in the Impact Assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1033/pdfs/uksiem_20111033_en.pdf
The Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order 2011
Costs are detailed in the Impact Assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/984/pdfs/uksiem_20110984_en.pdf
The Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2011
Costs are detailed in the Impact Assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/765/pdfs/uksiem_20110765_en.pdf
The Gas (Exemptions) Order 2011
Costs are detailed in the Impact Assessment, available at:
11 July 2011 : Column 146W
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/232/pdfs/uksiem_20110232_en.pdf
The Electricity (Guarantees of Origin of Electricity Produced from Renewable Energy Sources) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
Costs are detailed in the Impact Assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2715/pdfs/uksiem_20102715_en.pdf
The Nuclear Decommissioning and Waste Handling (Designated Technical Matters) Order 2010
Costs are detailed in the Impact Assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2850/pdfs/uksiem_20102850_en.pdf
The Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Licensing etc.) Regulations 2010
Costs are detailed in the Impact Assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2221/pdfs/uksiem_20102221_en.pdf
No DECC regulations have been removed since 1 September 2010. However, DECC remains committed to simplifying the statute book and reducing the burden of regulation on business where possible. Internal reviews of our regulatory stock and engagement with our stakeholders have identified a number of potential repeals and simplifications to date, with the exact process for repealing these currently being explored. We will continue our efforts to identify opportunities to eliminate any unnecessary burden on businesses this year through full engagement with the Red Tape Challenge.
No regulations have so far been excluded from the one-in one-out system because they address emergencies and systemic financial risks.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department (a) introduced and (b) removed in the six months prior to 1 September 2010; and what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was. [R] [65351]
Gregory Barker: In the six months prior to 1 September 2010, six regulations introduced by my Department came into force, which impose costs and benefits on businesses:
The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Order 2010
Costs are detailed in the impact assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/768/pdfs/uksiem_20100768_en.pdf
T he Feed in Tariffs (Specified Maximum Capacity and Functions) Order 2010
Costs are detailed in the impact assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/678/pdfs/uksiem_20100678_en.pdf
The Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order 2010
Costs are detailed in the impact assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/1107/pdfs/uksiem_20101107_en.pdf
The Energy Act 2008 (Consequential Modifications) (Offshore Environmental Protection) Order 2010
Costs are detailed in the impact assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/1513/pdfs/uksiem_20101513_en.pdf
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The Electricity and Gas (Carbon Emissions Reduction) (Amendment) Order 2010
Costs are detailed in the impact assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/1958/pdfs/uksiem_20101958_en.pdf
The Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations 2010
Costs are detailed in the impact assessment, available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/1996/pdfs/uksiem_20101996_en.pdf
In the six months prior to 1 September 2010, my Department removed the Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading scheme Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2301). These were replaced by the Aviation Greenhouse Gas
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Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1996), which contain similar provisions.
Electricity
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the (a) fuel source, (b) retirement date and (c) location is of each electricity generation plant in the UK with a capacity of more than 500 megawatts. [64234]
Charles Hendry: A list of power stations over 500 MW owned by major power producers in the UK is provided in the table. The list is sourced from DUKES table 5.11 and the fuel type is as specified by the station owner.
| Station name | Fuel | Installed capacity (MW) | Location | Retirement date |
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