Pensioners
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to improve the living standards of pensioners. [66940]
Steve Webb: We have restored the earnings link for the basic state pension and given a triple guarantee that the basic state pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings, price increases (as measured by the consumer prices index) or 2.5%. The restoration of the earnings link and the triple guarantee will benefit both existing and future pensioners by providing a more generous state pension, giving a solid financial foundation from the state, which is essential as part of the pensions system.
We are protecting key support for older people: free eye tests; free prescription charges; free bus passes; free television licences for the over 75s; and winter fuel payments will remain exactly as budgeted for by the previous Government. We have permanently increased the cold weather payment from £8.50 to £25.
We are introducing automatic enrolment into workplace pensions from 2012. This is a central element of our strategy to reinvigorate private pension savings and aims to harness inertia and bring about a change in people's behaviour in saving for retirement. We expect this to radically increase the number of people saving into
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a pension and to lead to between 5 million and 8 million people newly saving or saving more in all forms of workplace pension schemes.
We are looking at options for delivering a simpler and fairer state pension which rewards those who do the right thing and save for their retirement and is sustainable for future generations. Two options for reform of the state pension were published in a Green Paper "A State Pension for the 21st Century". The consultation period ended on 24 June. We are currently considering the consultation responses and will reply in due course.
Living standards are about more than income. A range of policies has also been put in place to improve the lives of people over 60 years of age. The Government provided £1 million in 2010-11 to fund Active at 60 Community Agents to help people who are at most risk of longer-term loneliness and social isolation remain active, independent and positively engaged with society following retirement. In 2010 we introduced Ageing Well, a new programme designed to support local authorities to improve their services for older people.
Pensioners: York
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the average monetary value of benefits in kind provided by his Department to (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples in York in respect of (i) NHS services, (ii) social services, (iii) travel concessions, (iv) television licences, (v) insulation, home repairs and improvement grants and (vi) other services in each year since 2005. [65621]
Steve Webb: A wide range of services and benefits in kind are available to older people and these are administered both centrally and locally by a number of Government Departments. As a result, the information is not available in the format requested: some information is not collected and some could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information which is available is given as follows.
People aged 60 and over are able to claim free prescriptions and eye tests on the grounds of age. Detailed information on prescription charges is not held in the format requested.
Free NHS sight tests were made available to people aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999. Information on the average value of NHS sight tests provided to people aged 60 and over within the area of the former York and Selby PCT is only available on a consistent basis for one year 2005-06 and is set out in the following table.
| Financial year | Number of free NHS sight tests given to people aged 60 and over | Estimated cost of NHS sight tests to people aged 60 and over(£) |
The PCT was restructured in October 2006 and no equivalent data for 2006-07 are available. Information for 2007-08 to 2009-10 is available for the North Yorkshire and York PCT area and is set out in the following table.
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| Financial year | Number of free NHS sight tests given to people aged 60 and over | Estimated cost of NHS sight tests to people aged 60 and over (£) |
There is no automatic entitlement for pensioners to NHS optical vouchers or free dental treatment. Individuals may qualify for these benefits if they are in receipt of certain qualifying benefits, or if they have been assessed as eligible for assistance under the NHS low income scheme. Information on the value of such NHS services provided to patients of pensionable age who qualify on the basis of their personal economic circumstances is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The following table shows the gross current expenditure by York council on social services for people aged 65 or over from 2005-06 to 2009-10.
| Gross current expenditure (1) by York Council on older people (aged 65 or over) | |
| £000 | |
| Year (1 April to 31 March) | Gross current expenditure |
| (1) Gross expenditure includes income from client contributions, but excludes capital charges and certain income items which count as expenditure elsewhere in the public sector, such as contributions from primary care trusts. This is to avoid double counting within the aggregate public sector accounts of the money involved. Notes: 1. From 2002-03 onwards, the data include clients who transferred to council with social services responsibilities (CSSR) support on 8 April 2002, who were formally in receipt of higher rates of income support under the Department for Work and Pensions preserved rights scheme. 2. From 2003-04, additional funding was made available to CSSRs via the Supporting People grant. Source: R03 and PSS EX1 returns | |
The statutory minimum travel concession, introduced in April 2008, gives those of pensionable aged and eligible disabled people free off-peak local bus travel in any part of England. The Government provide around £1 billion a year to fund the concession.
Travel concession schemes are provided through local authorities, which have flexibility to enhance their schemes to offer more than the statutory minimum, so there are local variations in what is offered and take-up of concessionary travel also varies from one area to another. Therefore it is not possible to quantify the value of the benefit in kind in a specific local authority area.
Free television licences for people aged 75 or over were introduced in November 2000. TV Licensing, who administer free licences as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of licences issued. However, figures, shown in the following table, are available for the number of households with at least
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one person aged 75 or over receiving winter fuel payments in York local authority. These people would be eligible for a free television licence.
| York local authority area | |||
| TV licences fees (£ | |||
| Number of households with someone aged 75 or over | Colour | Black and White | |
The Warm Front scheme is one of the Government's key programme for tackling fuel poverty in vulnerable households in the private sector in England. Warm Front provides grants for heating, insulation and energy efficiency measures. The following table displays the number of pensioner households that have received Warm Front assistance in the York local authority area since 2005, and the average spend on each of those households.
| Number of single pensioner households assisted in York | Average spend per single pensioner household assisted (£) | Number of two pensioners households assisted in York | Average spend per two pensioner household assisted (£) | |
In addition, the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), an obligation on energy suppliers to deliver carbon savings in the household sector, is the primary existing driver of household energy saving measures—especially insulation. To ensure an equitable distribution of the benefits, the scheme requires a proportion of the carbon savings be achieved in the homes of ‘priority' lower income households (aged 70 and over or on certain means tested benefits). In the first two years of the scheme, between April 2008 and March 2010, 3,861 priority group households in York benefited from subsidised loft and/or cavity wall insulation under the scheme. CERT runs to December 2012.
Pensions
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who would be affected by bringing forward by two years the date of the planned increase in the state pension. [66718]
Steve Webb: Bringing forward by two years the increase in the state pension age to 67, from 2036 to 2034, would affect 1.8 million persons.
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Personal Income
Dr Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what uses his Department has made of the annual survey of hours and earnings data produced by the Office of National Statistics in the last three years. [65290]
Chris Grayling: The Department draws on both longitudinal and cross-sectional information from the annual survey of hours and earnings (ASHE) for a number of purposes. Key uses include:
helping to inform workplace pension reform, for example as part of the Making Automatic Enrolment Work (MAEW) review;
monitoring trends in employee pension provision, membership and contributions;
informing impact and equality assessments;
helping to forecast state pension expenditure and caseloads;
modelling the impact of policy changes on the pension landscape;
supporting the evaluation of workplace pension reforms;
helping to inform policy on sickness absence from work and statutory maternity payments.
Prisons: Females
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women with children aged (a) up to two, (b) between three and five, (c) between five and 10, (d) between 10 and 15 and (e) between 15 and 18 years have been in prison for (i) up to six months, (ii) between six months and one year, (iii) between one and two years, (iv) between two and six years and (v) more than six years in each of the last five years. [67017]
Mr Blunt: I have been asked to reply.
Details on the children on the children of prisoners are not routinely collected, and limited disproportionate cost by analysing information held on offender files or on local data systems, validating it, and then collating it in a common format in order to provide a response.
Social Security Benefits
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on linking benefit payments to education training programmes. [66080]
Chris Grayling: From 1 August a recipient of jobseeker’s allowance or employment and support allowance (work-related activity group) in England may be required by a Jobcentre Plus adviser, or by a provider working on behalf of Jobcentre Plus, to attend work-related education training programmes or careers advice. Failure to attend without good reason would lead to a benefit sanction. This is not the case at present. The change is intended to improve take-up and completion of work-related training so that lack of basic work skills do not hinder the claimant’s opportunities in the labour market, thus enabling the claimant to find a job and keep it as soon as possible.
Jobcentre Plus advisers and providers will take into account a claimant’s circumstances and skills needs and only consider a mandatory referral to training activity which will aid the claimant’s movement into work.
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Before a mandatory referral to training can be made, the skills provider must have confirmed that they are able and willing to accept the claimant on to an appropriate course. Units of accredited training will be offered as well as longer courses and the content of the course will depend upon the identified job goals and skills need of the claimant.
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2011, Official Report, column 659W, on social security benefits, on what estimate of learner numbers his Department has made funding decisions for the number of people on active benefit who have skills needs. [67137]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions does not make funding decisions with respect to training for people on active benefits who have skills needs. In England, funding decisions are taken by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. In Scotland and Wales, these decisions are a devolved policy area. The Department for Work and Pensions works with the relevant skills funding bodies to ensure that appropriate support is in place for benefit recipients across Great Britain.
The Department for Work and Pensions funds the Work programme, which is delivered through contracted providers. Work programme providers are paid for getting people into work and keeping them there, which means there are strong incentives for delivery partners to provide skills training where that support would help a customer move into work and keep them in work. The Department has not specified what level of funding within the Work programme should be allocated to skills training and it will be for providers to decide what support is needed.
The meaning of the term active benefit has been taken as that given in the answer of 27 June 2011, Official Report, column 610W, on social security benefits.
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2011, Official Report, column 659W, on social security benefits, how many people in receipt of benefits and entitled to fee remission for education and training will cease to be so eligible from August 2011. [67138]
Chris Grayling: People in receipt of active benefits will see no change in their eligibility for fee remission for employment-related training from 1 August 2011.
From 1 August, people in England in receipt of other benefits will be able to receive full fee remission for training for fully-funded basic literacy and numeracy training up to a first full NVQ level two, while young adults aged 19- to 24-years-old will be able to receive full fee remission for a first full NVQ level three qualification. They will not receive full fee remission for other courses. The number of people on these other benefits who would normally undertake training in other courses could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The meaning of the term active benefit has been taken as that given in the answer of 27 June 2011, Official Report, column 610W, on social security benefits.
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Social Security Benefits: Scotland
Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether payments relating to local welfare assistance in Scotland will be made from a fixed financial allocation or will be demand-led. [66829]
Steve Webb: The programme funding for the new local welfare assistance, including in Scotland, will be cash limited.
Details of the funding are set out in the Government response to the call for evidence “Local support to replace Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans for living expenses” which was published on 23 June.
The Government response is available in the Library and can be accessed on the Department for Work and Pensions website.
www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2011/local-support-replace-ccg-cl.shtml
Unemployment
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the average cost to the public purse of a job loss or redundancy (a) nationally, (b) in Derby and (c) in the east midlands. [65791]
Mr Davey: I have been asked to reply.
There are always redundancies, job losses and separations. For example, seasonally adjusted figures from the Labour Force Survey indicated that there were 144,000 redundancies in the UK in March to May 2011. The number of redundancies has fallen substantially since the recession.
It is not possible to estimate the overall average cost to the public purse because it will depend on the state of the economy, whether the redundant person takes up a benefit and how long they remain on benefit before they leave—either to go into work or another destination. For example, even though there were 144,000 redundancies, overall employment during the period March to May 2011 rose—by 50,000—because the numbers moving into jobs exceeded the numbers that left—including those made redundant.
There is, however, a direct cost of redundancy to the public purse. Businesses are required by law to make statutory redundancy payments. Businesses bear the costs of these redundancy payments except in cases where the business becomes insolvent. In such cases the Insolvency Service bears the costs of the statutory redundancy payments. The redundancy payments made by the service to ex employees of insolvent employers during the period Apr 2009 to March 2010 amounted to £270,012,000.
Universal Credit
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the impact assessment in respect of universal credit, what assumptions his Department made in respect of (a) take-up of entitlement, (b) level of entitlement, (c) child care costs and levels of support for child care costs and (d) other factors in making its estimate that 350,000 children and over 600,000 working age adults would be lifted out of poverty as a result of the introduction of universal credit. [66178]
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Maria Miller: The estimate of numbers lifted out of poverty are based on an assessment of the impact of universal credit using DWP’s Policy Simulation Model. This model uses data from the 2008-09 Family Resources Survey (FRS) and uprates incomes and demographics to the relevant year using projections from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The model is able to assess entitlement to universal credit, because of the wide range of personal characteristics reported to the FRS by respondents.
The model allows for the fact that currently not all benefits or tax credits are taken up. In the future it is assumed that those currently taking up some, but not all of their benefit entitlements will take up in full under universal credit; and of those taking up none of their current entitlement, around half will do so under the new system.
The impact assessment did not include any impacts from changing child care payment arrangements, as the policy design was not finalised at that time. These impacts will be included in a future iteration of the universal credit impact assessment, once the relevant policy announcements have been made.
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of housing benefit staff that may be made redundant under proposals to introduce universal credit; and what his estimate is of the cost of such redundancies to (a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) private contractors. [66969]
Steve Webb: It is still too early to say how many staff and what skills and experience will be required for universal credit. Decisions about TUPE and redundancy cannot be made until there is much more definition around the specific roles required to deliver the new universal credit. Although it is anticipated that fewer staff will be required compared to the legacy benefits, it is too early to say which staff and organisations will be affected. The impact on local authority staff will be affected by the design of the council tax benefit replacement, and decisions about the delivery model for universal credit.
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many housing benefit staff employed by (a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) contractors he expects will transfer to his Department under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 to administer universal credit; [66970]
(2) how many staff will be needed to assess housing costs following the introduction of universal credit. [66971]
Steve Webb:
The Welfare Reform White Paper sets out that the Department for Work and Pensions will be responsible for organising the delivery of universal credit. It also states that we will continue to pay housing benefit to working age customers until we can migrate them successfully on to universal credit, currently expected to be by October 2017. We have yet to settle on the precise details of how the transition will work, and the effects on housing benefits staff. This approach will ensure an orderly transition and that we have people
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with relevant skills and experience to support claimants both in work and out of work, as they migrate to the new credit.
We will continue to work with colleagues in HM Revenue and Customs and local authorities to test new ways of working and consider how, in the longer term, we can build on the best capabilities of current organisations to provide a consistently excellent service to claimants and ensure value for money.
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the effect on the number of local housing offices of the introduction of universal credit. [66972]
Steve Webb: The provision of housing advice and support is the responsibility of local authorities who can choose to configure their services in the ways best suited to the needs of their communities. Decisions about the number of local housing offices in the future will be a decision for them.
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the assets and systems currently used to provide the housing benefit service will transfer from local authorities, housing associations and contractors to his Department under proposals for the universal credit; and if he will make a statement. [66973]
Steve Webb: The systems and processes for universal credit are still under development and the requirements will depend on future delivery options. As many local authorities use the same assets and systems to provide council tax and housing benefit, decisions about the assets and systems cannot be made until the future design of the council tax benefit is known.
Vacancies: Greater London
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of job vacancies advertised in Jobcentre Plus branches in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency, (b) south London and (c) Greater London in the latest period for which figures are available. [65563]
Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what recent estimate he has made of the number of job vacancies advertised in Jobcentre Plus branches in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency, (b) south London and (c) Greater London in the latest period for which figures are available.
On 8 July 2011, there were 317 vacancies advertised at Bexleyheath Jobcentre Plus.
On the same date there were 3,344 vacancies advertised in Jobcentre Plus offices within the South London District of Jobcentre Plus and a total of 15,049 vacancies advertised with Jobcentre Plus offices throughout the London region.
Please note there may be more than one job per vacancy advertised.
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Welfare State: Reform
Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the (1) conclusions and recommendations of the report by Sheffield Hallam university on the effects on Wales of the Government’s proposed welfare reforms; [65466]
(2) impact of his proposed welfare reforms on people in Wales. [65467]
Chris Grayling: The Welfare Reform Bill, introduced in the Commons on 16 February 2011, makes the most fundamental reforms to the social security system for 60 years. It will deliver a system that is simpler, fairer and ensures that work always pays.
Alongside our programme of reform which will help move more people closer to the labour market, the Government have taken action to stimulate a sustained recovery in the economy and labour market built around private sector investment, enterprise, a simplified tax regime and the removal of unnecessary regulations that stifle growth.
The latest labour market statistics show that around 500,000 private sector jobs have been created in the past year. The figures also show that in the UK employment has increased by over 300,000 and in Wales there are 31,000 more people in work than last year.
No separate analysis of the Sheffield Hallam report has been undertaken. However, a full impact assessment of our reform programme, including equality impact assessments, was published alongside the Bill.
Communities and Local Government
Community Relations
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions his Department has had on the effects on the promotion of collaborative working on strategic decision-making of revoking the statutory guidance, Creating Strong, Safe and Prosperous Communities. [66200]
Robert Neill: Much of the statutory guidance was redundant following the dismantling of Local Area Agreements, revision of Best Value guidance and the Secretary of State's decision to repeal the Duty to Involve and the Duty to Prepare a Sustainable Community Strategy.
Revocation of this guidance and associated duties enables local authorities to innovate and work in new ways to serve their local communities. We want to encourage authorities and civil society to collaborate more, including greater involvement for voluntary groups in the design and running of public services. In this context, we recently consulted on light touch statutory guidance on the Best Value duty setting out some reasonable expectations of the way authorities should work with voluntary and community groups and small businesses when facing difficult funding decisions. The consultation closed on 14 June and we expect to provide a Government response and publish final guidance this summer.
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Conditions of Employment
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether officials of his Department have had recent discussions with the Rural Communities Policy Unit in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; [67151]
(2) how many meetings officials of his Department have had with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on the Government's employment law review since May 2011. [67220]
Robert Neill: Officials within the Department for Communities and Local Government regularly meet colleagues from other Departments to discuss a range of matters.
Country Parks: Gloucestershire
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received on the sale by Gloucestershire county council of a country park to the Watermark Group; and if he will make a statement. [67083]
Robert Neill: We are not aware of any representations on this matter.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has issued any guidance to (a) local authorities or (b) other bodies on the generation of low-carbon energy on their estates. [65413]
Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply.
In March, DECC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Local Government Group. The Local Government Group believes that local authorities now have the tools and the appetite to deliver low carbon solutions on their estates and across the local area. Many of these tools have been developed in the ongoing partnership between DECC and LGG.
The Local Carbon Framework (LCF) pilot programme worked with nine LA areas (30 authorities in total) to identify what works at what spatial level and begin to develop templates for action on carbon for all LAs. The results of this programme will be widely disseminated to local authorities by October.
In addition, the Community Energy Online (CEO) portal, which DECC launched in November 2010 points to case studies and guidance on how to develop a renewable energy project both for local authorities and for their communities. DECC is also developing a national heat map, which will be available through CEO to enable local authorities to identify heat demand in their areas and develop renewable solutions such as district heating.
The Climate Change Skills fund within the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) has also provided training for local authority staff and councillors including on community engagement on renewable energy, Plan LoCaL, and events are now being delivered locally across the country.
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Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the carbon dioxide emissions from his Department in (a) June 2010 and (b) June 2011. [66762]
Robert Neill: The carbon dioxide emissions from the Department for Communities and Local Government in June 2010 and June 2011 are as follows:
| Tonnes CO 2 | |
The Department has exceeded the Prime Minister's target of reducing carbon emissions by 10% in 2010-11, achieving a reduction of 18%, and is now focused on the Government's further agenda to reduce carbon emissions by 25% by 2015.
Departmental Official Cars
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to his Department and its predecessors was of the provision of ministerial cars in each financial year between 2000-01 and 2010-11; how many (a) cars for the exclusive use of Ministers and (b) ministerial car journeys were paid for by his Department in each such year; what the average cost to his Department of a ministerial car journey was in each such year; and what steps his Department has taken to reduce the cost of ministerial cars since his appointment. [62995]
Robert Neill: Information on the cost and number of ministerial cars is published in the annual written ministerial statement by the Department of Transport, details of which can be found within the Library of the House. A written ministerial statement covering the financial year 2010-11 for all Departments will be published in due course.
For ease of reference I have tabulated costs relating to this Department. Further to my written answer of 17 June 2011, Official Report, columns 977-78W, this includes revised costs of ministerial cars used by DCLG Ministers between 12 May 2010 and 31 March 2011 based on updated management information. This represents a significant reduction in the level of spend on ministerial cars compared to the level inherited from the last Administration.
| Financial year | £ |
| (1) To 12 May 2010 (2) From 12 May 2010 to 31 March 2011 | |
Information prior to 2005 is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Information relating to individual ministerial car journeys prior to September 2010 is not available as there was no requirement to collect these data.
18 July 2011 : Column 609W
Information relating to the number of ministerial car journeys made since the introduction of the ‘on-demand’ ministerial car service on 6 September 2010 and up until 31 March 2011 is as follows:
| Department for Communities and Local Government | |
| Number | |
The Department now retains one allocated car. The Department's five other allocated cars have been given up and Ministers now use a pool car service on demand provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency.
Electric Vehicles: Planning Permission
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable he has set for the establishment of permitted development rights for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle charging points. [66439]
Robert Neill: My Department is committed to amending the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 to introduce permitted development rights for electric vehicle charging points as part of our agenda to support renewable energy and low carbon technologies. This will be done at the earliest opportunity.
Fire Services
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to enable improved sharing of (a) information and (b) operating practices between fire and rescue services. [66793]
Robert Neill: It is for each fire and rescue authority to decide the type and level of information it may choose to share with other fire and rescue authorities or partner agencies. Fire and rescue authorities have responsibility as with other local authorities for the use and protection of personal and secure data and information. The Government have produced guidance, to assist fire and rescue authorities to comply with the relevant legislation.
The Government's expectation was laid out in the National Framework (2008-11) where fire and rescue authorities must:
“Have in place systematic arrangements to ensure incident and safety event outcomes inform the ongoing development of safe systems of work and training and development of staff. This should include the sharing of risk critical information on a regional/national basis when appropriate.”
The chief fire and rescue adviser has responsibility for the production of national operational guidance for the fire and rescue service. Systems are in place to gather information from operational incidents to determine and refresh such guidance where appropriate.
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John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what plans he has for future provision of (a) fire appliances and (b) emergency equipment to fire brigades in (i) London and (ii) Lincolnshire; [R] [66825]
(2) what recent representations he has received on the future provision of (a) fire appliances and (b) emergency equipment to fire brigades in (i) London and (ii) Lincolnshire; [R] [66826]
(3) what recent assessment he has made of likely future provision of (a) fire appliances and (b) emergency equipment to fire brigades in (i) London and (ii) Lincolnshire. [R] [66827]
Robert Neill: The provision of fire appliances and their associated equipment is the responsibility of individual fire and rescue authorities. I have had a number of representations regarding the current arrangements for ownership and management of vehicles and equipment in London and Lincolnshire.
Fire Services: Pensions
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the viability of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme if there is a drop-out rate of 10 per cent. or more. [66790]
Robert Neill: In his interim report, Lord Hutton of Furness recommended increasing employee contributions as the cost of public service pensions had increased by a third due to improving longevity and this additional cost had fallen primarily on taxpayers. The Government accepted Lord Hutton's rationale and, at the spending review, announced the intention to implement progressive increases to employee contribution rates in public sector pension schemes, equivalent to 3% on average to be phased in from April 2012.
The Treasury published an estimate of likely opt-out rates at the spending review:
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_policycostings.pdf
which has been scrutinised by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility.
To minimise opt-outs occurring, any changes to the firefighters' pension schemes will be phased and progressive, so that higher earners contribute at a higher rate than lower earners. Proposals for future changes to contribution rates for members of the firefighters' pension schemes will be issued for consultation later this year.
Non-domestic Rates: Sunderland
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consultation his Department undertook with (a) Sunderland City Council and (b) the Local Government Group prior to the Deputy Prime Minister's announcement on the future of the national non-domestic rating pool. [67106]
Robert Neill:
The Local Growth White Paper, “Realising every place's potential”, published on 28 October 2010, sought comments on the possibility of allowing councils to keep locally raised non domestic rates. The Local Government Resource Review's consideration of proposals for business rates retention has taken account of the
18 July 2011 : Column 611W
response from Sunderland City Council to the Local Growth White Paper and regular discussions with the Local Government Group, both through a formal Working Group and through bilateral meetings. We will continue with that engagement as the proposals are taken forward.
Regional Development Agencies: Assets
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what recent discussions he has had on the establishment of local committees for the Homes and Communities Agency's management of former assets of regional development agencies; [67277]
(2) whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the Homes and Communities Agency on the transfer of assets held by the regional development agencies. [67287]
Grant Shapps: I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement made by the Minister for Business and Enterprise, my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk), on 6 July 2011, Official Report, columns 95-96WS. This outlined that we are working to a date of 19 September 2011 to arrange the transfer of the regional development agencies assets to the Homes and Communities Agency under a stewardship arrangement, subject to completion of the necessary detailed work and arrangements. We are working very closely with our colleagues in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Homes and Communities Agency to finalise these details, including discussions on local and national governance.
Ministers within the Department for Communities and Local Government also regularly meet with the chair and chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency to discuss the agency's core business.
Repossession Orders: Sunderland
Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department is taking steps to reduce the number of repossessions in Sunderland Central constituency. [66445]
Grant Shapps: The Government are helping home owners in difficulty by tackling the record deficit to prevent a rapid increase in interest rates hitting struggling households.
The Government are committed to working closely with lenders, debt advice agencies and local authorities to ensure that repossession is only ever a last resort and that effective help and advice for home owners at risk of repossession is available. The Government ‘Mortgage Help’ website outlines the options available to households.
The Government continue to provide direct financial support to struggling home owners through support for mortgage interest. In addition, the Government also provide support for eligible householders through the mortgage rescue scheme.
Shared Equity Schemes: Bexley
Mr Evennett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many house buyers in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency
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received support from shared equity schemes in each of the last five years. [66382]
Grant Shapps: The following table shows the shared equity completions (ie purchases) funded by the Government in the London borough of Bexley for the past five years. Information is not collected by constituency.
| Number | |
| Source: Homes and Communities Agency Information Management System | |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Anaerobic Strategy Document
Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much her Department spent on consultants as part of the preparation of the Anaerobic Strategy Document; [65057]
(2) what the cost was of producing the Anaerobic Strategy Document. [65058]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA spent £4,600 on external costs (printing, meetings etc.), plus dedicated staff resources, to produce the Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan. No consultants were used in the production of the document.
Angling: Licensing
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of income derived from rod licences in England and Wales was used for river maintenance and habitat management in the latest period for which figures are available. [64872]
Richard Benyon: Rod licence income is spent entirely on fisheries work by the Environment Agency (EA). This work does include some habitat improvement, focused on increasing fish stocks with the purpose of improving angling. In 2009-10 the EA spent £1.4 million (approximately 5.5%) of rod licence income on habitat improvement in rivers.
Bed Bugs
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department is (a) undertaking or (b) commissioning research into new pesticides to deal with bed bug infestations. [65226]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA is not undertaking or commissioning research into new pesticides to deal with bed bug infestations.
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Ministerial Meetings
Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) meetings and (b) other engagements (i) Ministers and (ii) special advisers in her Department have attended since her appointment which were also attended by (1) (A) representatives, (B) journalists and (C) other employees of (1) News International and its subsidiary organisations including newspapers, (2) News Corporation and its subsidiary organisations and (3) BSkyB; [66006]
(2) Mr Andrew Coulson (A) between 12 May 2010 and 21 January 2011 and (B) since 21 January 2011. [66012]
Richard Benyon: As has been the practice of previous Administrations information relating to internal meetings, discussions and advice is not normally disclosed.
I refer the hon. Member to the Prime Minister's statement to the House of 13 July 2011, Official Report, columns 311-14.
Departmental Dismissal
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials in her Department were dismissed for under-performance as a result of the procedures arising from her Department's staff appraisal system in each of the last three years. [64687]
Richard Benyon: In DEFRA staff are dismissed for under-performance following application of the formal Improving Performance or Probation Procedures.
The following table shows the number of staff subject to formal performance action in each of the last three years where action has resulted in dismissal. This information is provided for core DEFRA and its agencies. Five of these cases relate to unsatisfactory probation. These figures do not include staff who left the department or its agencies when subject to informal performance action. No central records are kept of these departures.
| Number of dismissals | |
| (1) Details of dismissals in this year are being withheld for confidentiality reasons as the number of dismissals is less than five. | |
Departmental Freedom of Information
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many requests under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 her Department received from (a) hon. Members from each political party and (b) members of the public in each year since the Act's entry into force. [63581]
Richard Benyon: The Department does not collect statistics about the background of individuals who make FOI requests.
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The Ministry of Justice publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the volume, timeliness and outcome of information requests received by over 40 central Government bodies.
Departmental Responsibilities
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 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 her Department directly and (b) her Department on behalf of a Minister since May 2010. [64433]
Richard Benyon: The Department does not hold this information.
Droughts
Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to encourage the water industry to put in place a co-ordinated and phased approach to the introduction of hosepipe bans. [62319]
Richard Benyon: Most water companies are reviewing and updating their statutory drought plans, following the commencement of legislation to update their powers to manage water restrictions.
As droughts are not uniform in terms of duration, geography and impact, water companies need to be able to respond flexibly and quickly to emerging conditions in their areas. However, the Government recognise that different approaches to the implementation of restrictions can lead to some confusion for customers. We have asked the water companies to work together to minimise such confusion and to consult with their customers on their plans and their priorities for water savings.
The Government have taken a close and hands on approach to managing the impacts of the current drought. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the right hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), met with representatives of the sectors affected by the dry conditions on 27 June to hear an update on the situation and agree further actions that could be taken to prepare for a prolonged or multi season drought.
Environmental Protection
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by what means she plans to assess the contribution made by (a) local nature partnerships and (b) nature improvement areas to (i) the outcomes set out in her Department’s Natural Environment White Paper, (ii) commitments under the agreement reached in Nagoya on setting targets to protect the natural environment and (iii) the EU biodiversity strategy. [66787]
Richard Benyon: We will shortly be publishing a new biodiversity strategy for England. This will build on the Natural Environment White Paper and set out how we are taking forward our international biodiversity commitments in England. We will assess progress on our biodiversity objectives in the context of the arrangements to be set up under this strategy.
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EU Packaging Directive
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of progress in meeting obligations under the EU Packaging Directive. [66427]
Richard Benyon: The UK achieved the targets set in the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC) in 2008, and maintained that achievement in 2009 and 2010.
Flood Control
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will review the weighting given to agricultural land in (a) the Fens and (b) other areas of flood risk in her Department's flood risk management models to take into account the potential effect on flooding on the (i) population of and (ii) food supply from such areas. [66519]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA's policy on appraisal requires flood management authorities in all areas to value agricultural land and the damages that could occur to food production as a result of flooding and coastal erosion in line with HM Treasury guidance. Specific guidance was provided by DEFRA in 2008, based on HM Treasury Green Book appraisal principles. This is in line with the approach taken to the valuation of other assets. The guidance allows authorities to recognise the different kinds of agricultural output in flood and erosion risk areas and their different values. For example, it highlights the value of specialist salad crops in the Fens and the fact these are less viable to grow elsewhere.
The recently published policy statement on an outcome-focused, partnership approach to funding flood and coastal erosion risk management will continue to help to ensure that damages avoided to agricultural land (and other assets) are valued alongside benefits to households and the population in areas of flood and coastal erosion risk.
Food: Prices
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution her Department will make to the agricultural market information system agreed at the recent G20 Agriculture Ministerial summit in Paris. [63807]
Mr Paice: DEFRA will participate enthusiastically in these initiatives. It is too early to say what form our contribution will take.
Food: Waste
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to reduce food waste. [66274]
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to reduce levels of household food waste. [66426]
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Richard Benyon: The Government's Review of Waste Policy in England, published in June, sets our direction to move towards a zero waste economy. It outlines our long-term vision for food waste, which includes substantially reducing the amount arising.
To do this we will continue to help businesses and consumers waste less food by sharing insight, evidence and best practice, improving product design and retail and supply chain practice,. engaging consumers, and encouraging local partnership approaches to food waste prevention.
As well as continuing to work with food retailers and manufacturers via the Courtauld Commitment, the Government will develop a new responsibility deal with the hospitality and food service sector, which will cover food waste prevention. We will also lead by example by tackling food waste across the public sector estate.
Human Trafficking
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what responsibility she has for contributing to Government action against human trafficking; and what recent action she has taken in this regard. [65772]
Richard Benyon: The Government will shortly be publishing their strategy on human trafficking.
The strategy will reiterate the UK's intention to take a comprehensive approach to combating trafficking—both by focusing on tackling traffickers and maintaining effective care for victims. It will also mark a greater focus on combating the organised crime groups behind this crime.
The Government's approach will be based on four key principles:
improved victim care arrangements;
enhancing our ability to act early, before the harm has reached the UK;
smarter, multi-agency action at the border; and
a more co-ordinated policing effort at home.
Innovative Reward and Recognition Schemes
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much funding has been allocated to her Department's grant funding scheme for innovative reward and recognition schemes available to community groups, civil society organisation and local authorities in the latest period for which figures are available; [66429]
(2) what plans she has for the roll-out in London of (a) local green points and (b) other recycling reward schemes. [66430]
Richard Benyon: The Government encourages councils to reward people to recycle. We have announced that £500,000 is being made available to local authorities and other organisations for innovative reward schemes, but we have not prescribed particular initiatives. This choice is a matter for local authorities. The funding was announced as part of the Waste Review in June and the closing date for applications is 26 July.
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International Whaling Commission
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has any plans to bring forward proposals to increase the transparency of the governance of the International Whaling Commission. [66370]
Richard Benyon: A UK-led proposal, supported by all other member states of the European Union, was presented at this year's annual conference of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). It set out a number of reforms to improve the effectiveness and transparency of the IWC.
I am very pleased to report that the proposal was successfully adopted by consensus. The measures agreed will enable the IWC to transform itself into a modern, transparent and credible international organisation.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what discussions her Department has had with the International Whaling Commission on the enforceability of the scientific resources exemption; [66371]
(2) what her Department's policy is on the applicability of the scientific resources exemption in the rules of the International Whaling Commission. [66372]
Richard Benyon: Under the international convention on the regulation of whaling, contracting Governments are able to issue “special permits” to allow whaling for scientific purposes. Japan conducts this ‘scientific’ whaling legally under current International Whaling Commission (IWC) rules. The UK considers that such action severely hampers international efforts to conserve and protect whales and undermines the IWC moratorium on commercial whaling.
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At last week's annual meeting of the IWC, the UK made its opposition to Japan's ‘scientific’ whaling clear.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department plans to take to (a) promote and (b) enforce the ban on commercial whaling by all members of the International Whaling Commission. [66373]
Richard Benyon: I attended this year's International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting to demonstrate the UK Government's commitment to the work of the IWC, and our support for the moratorium on whaling.
At this year's meeting the UK promoted the creation of whale sanctuaries and the need for improved welfare and efforts to address endangered cetacean populations, including further action to be taken to save the critically endangered Western Gray Whale.
Landfill: Recycling
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of how much waste collected for recycling was sent to landfill in each of the last five years. [64587]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA does not hold data on all waste that is collected for recycling but subsequently rejected and sent to landfill. DEFRA’s WasteDataFlow system provides data on waste collected by local authorities:
www.wastedataflow.org
The following table shows the tonnages of waste collected for recycling or reuse from household and other sources that were subsequently rejected at the gate of the reprocessor since 2005. This waste would either be sent to landfill or incineration; figures for landfill alone, excluding incineration, are not held.
| Local authority recycling rejects | ||||||
| Source (tonnes) | Percentage of waste collected for recycling and rejected by reprocessor | |||||
| Household | Non-household | Total | Household | Non-household | Total | |
Marine Conservation Zones
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what quality assurance processes will be applied to (a) environmental, (b) social and (c) economic data used in the English Marine Conservation Zone regional projects; and what timetable has been set for the completion of such quality assurance processes. [64217]
Richard Benyon: The Government's policy is that the best available evidence should be used to identify sites and conservation objectives. This policy is set out in the Government's Guidance Note 1 on the Selection and Designation of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), to which the Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs) and Marine Conservation Zones Regional Projects are working. The evidence used in the regional project process includes data supplied by national contracts, with regionally and locally sourced data, and expert knowledge. Ministers want to make sound decisions on sites to take forward for designation, so we have ensured, and will continue to ensure that quality assurance processes are put in place.
The independent Science Advisory Panel has provided scientific advice to the regional projects on the creation of an ecologically-coherent network and ecological evidence. The panel has reviewed all the iterations and the draft recommendations of the regional projects. For social and economic data, the impact assessment being drawn up by the SNCBs and regional projects will be externally peer reviewed. In addition, we have asked the regional
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projects to reference all evidence used (both scientific and stakeholder evidence) to reach their recommendations and assess the social and economic impact, and the quality control and assurance processes they applied. We have asked the SNCBs to provide us with a clear assessment of the scientific certainty and quality assurance of evidence used.
The regional project recommendations will be submitted on 31 August 2011, the final Science Advisory Panel review of these recommendations is expected to be completed by mid October 2011, the external peer review of the impact assessment is expected to be completed by mid November, and the SNCB advice (including their assessment of scientific certainty) will be provided in mid January 2012.
Marine Conservation Zones: Birds
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether marine conservation zones will be designated for mobile species including seabirds, cetaceans and basking sharks; under what conditions such designations may be made; and if she will make a statement. [64219]
Richard Benyon: The Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies' Ecological Network Guidance to the Regional Projects describes the requirements for an ecologically coherent network, including those habitats and species of conservation importance considered to be most appropriately protected using Marine Conservation Zones. This includes three mobile species: smelt, European eel and undulate rays.
Highly-mobile species are best protected by measures which can apply across their range and spatial protection mechanisms are not always, in isolation, the most effective way of protecting these species. We will continue to develop bespoke management measures for vulnerable mobile species, such as acoustic deterrents to reduce dolphin by-catch and fisheries protection for endangered sharks. All naturally occurring wild birds, including seabirds, are protected by the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 and the Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations 2007. This legislation transposes the EC wild birds directive and, in particular, prohibits the deliberate killing or taking of wild birds and provides for the classification of special protection areas for birds in both English and UK waters.
If areas important to habitats or species not specified in the Ecological Network Guidance are identified, the evidence should be provided and we will consider their protection through Marine Conservation Zones.
Packaging Waste
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has any plans to establish a statutory producer responsibility regime for (a) metal and (b) plastic packaging. [66431]
Richard Benyon: A statutory producer responsibility regime for metal and plastic packaging is in place under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 (as amended).
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Metals: Recycling
Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage the recycling of strategic metals. [65976]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 13 July 2011]:The Government will shortly respond to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee report on strategically important metals.
DEFRA's business plan contains a commitment to develop an action plan on resource security. This will consider the need for further actions to assist businesses with risk management and recovery of critical resources, such as strategically important metals.
Sustainable use of materials and waste prevention are Government priorities. The Government have already set out some approaches to reducing use and increasing recovery of critical materials in the review of waste policy in England.
More generally, we encourage the recycling and recovery of all metallic wastes through adoption of the waste hierarchy so as to prevent valuable resources going to landfill; supporting the development of European end-of-waste criteria; and domestic quality protocols to fully recover waste to a non-waste product. Lighter regulatory controls are also in place for those carrying out small-scale, low-risk recycling and recovery operations of scrap metal and waste electrical and electronic equipment, by providing exemptions from the need for an environmental permit.
Packaging: Plastics
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to implement the recommendations of the annual report of the Advisory Committee on Packaging for 2010-11 on plastic packaging targets. [66723]
Richard Benyon: In the Review of Waste Policy in England, published in June, the Government stated their intention to consult on increased recycling targets for all packaging materials, including plastic. The findings and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Packaging in relation to plastic packaging targets will be considered as part of this.
Packaging: Toys and Games
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to convene with the Work Reduction Action Programme and other relevant trade associations a working group on toy packaging. [66722]
Richard Benyon: Following the publication of the Review of Waste Policy in England in June, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is commissioning data analysis of packaging usage in the toy sector, with results expected in the autumn. A working group will be established to review the data findings and agree next steps. It will include representatives from both WRAP and the relevant trade associations.
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Pigmeat: EU Action
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of implementing the recommendations of the European Commission's Pigmeat Enlarged Advisory Group. [65279]
Mr Paice: On 18 May 2011, the EU Commission presented the key conclusions of the Enlarged Advisory Group on Pigmeat. These focus on the role of innovation in boosting the competitiveness of the sector and the importance of better integration across the industry. The Commission has made no specific recommendations at this stage, but expects to consider the sector further in its forthcoming legislative proposals on the future CAP.
Anaerobic Digestion
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department plans to adopt to monitor data on (1) anaerobic plant capacity; [64534]
(2) actual and intended farmer take up of anaerobic digestion plants on an annual basis. [64535]
Richard Benyon: The Government’s Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan was published in June. This contains clearly identified actions that will ensure that we monitor the progress of the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) industry. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and the National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC) will publish an agreed baseline map of existing capacity by September this year. WRAP and the AD industry will continue to monitor the growth in capacity at all scales, and will publish this information via the NNFCC AD Portal website:
www.biogas-info.co.uk
Farmers’ use of AD technology will be included in the monitoring of the growth of the sector. Farm-based plants are already recorded on the map of AD plants published on the NNFCC portal site, and we will continue to monitor developments of farm-based digesters so that we can accurately assess capacity development in this sector.
Recycling: City of York
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding her Department provided to City of York council to increase recycling rates in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11. [65951]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA provides funding to upper tier local authorities outside London through the Waste Infrastructure Capital Grant to support investment in infrastructure, such as recycling and composting facilities, to boost recycling rates. The grant was for three years of the comprehensive spending review 2007 period and was front loaded at the time to encourage early investment.
DEFRA provided the following amounts to the City of York council:
(a) 2009-10: £361,122.65
(b) 2010-11: £133,485.73.
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The Government provide funding more generally to local authorities to support the delivery of their services through the Revenue Support Grant. This funding is not ring-fenced, giving councils the freedom to work with their residents when deciding how best to prioritise their spending, including on the provision of recycling services.
Research: Capital Investment
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what her most recent estimate is of the capital expenditure in research and development by her Department in (a) the last four financial years and (b) the next four financial years; [64811]
(2) what her most recent estimate is of the revenue expenditure in research and development by her Department in (a) the last four financial years and (b) the next four financial years. [64812]
Richard Benyon: Research and development (R&D) expenditure in DEFRA is classed as resource (revenue) expenditure, and therefore there is no capital expenditure to report.
(a) DEFRA's most recent assessment (7 July 2011) of research and development spend in the core Department in the past four years is as follows:
| £ million | |
| (1) Within an overall evidence budget of £209 million. | |
(b) DEFRA now allocates budgets on the basis of evidence, rather than research and development.
Evidence is defined as reliable and accurate information that DEFRA can use to support sound decisions in developing, shaping, and evaluating policy. It includes research and development, monitoring and surveillance, economic and statistical analysis and modelling, secondary analysis and synthesis, and analysis of stakeholder views.
It is not possible to be definitive about future R&D-specific spend at this point as the figures include a significant ring-fenced unallocated evidence provision retained for 2012-13 onwards. This will be allocated annually according to the DEFRA Chief Scientific Adviser's advice on the evidence priorities at the time. The exact proportion of the evidence total spent on research and development may vary depending on this advice. It is, however, possible to provide DEFRA's planned total programme evidence budgets (including statutory and non-statutory monitoring and animal health and welfare surveillance as well as R&D) for each of the next four years as follows:
| £ million | |
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River Ouse
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department monitors the riverbed levels of the tidal River Ouse; and how the outcome of this monitoring is communicated to the public. [66301]
Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency (EA) undertakes bed level surveys of the Tidal River Great Ouse every three months and has done so for many years. Survey information is available back to the 1940’s and provides data to monitor both long and short term changes to the bed level profile.
These survey data are not routinely published, but are available on request. They are frequently used by the EA for analysts, programming works or in developing long-term strategies, such as the Great Ouse Tidal River Strategy, which was available to all stakeholders including the public at the consultation stage.
The bed level survey data are used by the EA when briefing local stakeholders, such as internal drainage boards, conservation organisations and local communities, for example, Welney parish council, about the current state of siltation in the Great Ouse.
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department’s policy is on the use of Denver Sluice to flush silt from the tidal River Ouse; and what records her Department keeps on the operation of the sluice. [66302]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 18 July 2011]: The Environment Agency’s policy and operational rules for Denver Sluice are to maximise the available flow so that it can discharge through the sluices at all times. These flows help to reduce the siltation of the Tidal River downstream of the Denver Sluice. This is line with the Great Ouse Tidal River Strategy recommendations and has been found to be the most efficient, sustainable and cost-effective way of managing the build-up of silt in the Tidal River.
Daily flow calculations are recorded for all sluice gates at Denver. These are used for a number of reasons including calculating: the available flow for discharge through Denver sluices, the available flow for transfer to Essex to replenish public water resources in the Abberton reservoir, and the river levels required to maintain healthy fisheries, and to provide navigation. Records also include upstream and downstream river levels.
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Environment Agency's Great Ouse Tidal River Strategy has received final approval; what its status is; and what opportunities there are to review it. [66303]
Richard Benyon
[holding answer 14 July 2011]: The Great Ouse Tidal River Strategy was approved by the Anglian Central Regional Flood Defence Committee in 2010 and received internal Environment Agency (EA) approval from the National Review Group (now the Large Projects Review Group). This followed a full public consultation carried out in 2009, and detailed discussions with the local planning authorities in the
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Strategy area. Now that the (EA) has agreed local planning protocols, the Strategy is expected to be signed-off by the EA Board this year.
The Tidal River Strategy is a long-term (100-year) approach to managing flood risk in this part of the Fens. The EA aims to review its strategic plans every five to ten years.
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department plans to allocate to the Environment Agency's Great Ouse flood risk management budget for (a) dredging of the tidal River Ouse and (b) the Hundred Foot River in the next five years. [66304]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 14 July 2011]:The Environment Agency (EA) undertakes detailed planning for desilting requirements on an annual basis. This enables the EA to react to the routine quarterly bathymetric (water depth) surveys it carries out to monitor the bed levels and siltation in the rivers.
Over the next five years, the EA’s forecast spend for desilting works on the tidal Great Ouse is estimated at £75,000, and on the Hundred Foot river is estimated at £200,000. This forecast spending will have flexibility built-in to react to changing needs.
The Tidal River Strategy concluded that a routine programme of dredging these rivers was prohibitively expensive and unsustainable.
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long it took to formulate the Environment Agency's Great Ouse Tidal River Strategy; at what cost to the public purse; and what assessment her Department has made of the value for money of the strategy. [66305]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 14 July 2011]: The Environment Agency (EA) first scoped the Great Ouse Tidal River Strategy in 2005. The Strategy was completed in 2010 and final sign-off by the EA Board is due this year.
The Strategy evaluated key technical issues concerning engineering, the complexity of the managed hydrology, climate change, sea level rise and the economic justification (under HM Treasury rules) for any works in the Tidal Ouse system.
The total cost of producing the Strategy was £780,000 which consisted of £140,000 for EA staff costs and £640,000 for supplier costs. The project incurred additional costs due to changes in guidance from when the Strategy was initially scoped (in 2005) and from undertaking more development work following extensive public consultation.
The Strategy recommends spending on the system over the next 100 years to continue to manage flood risk of £227,000,000. This is a cash cost based on 2009 prices.
The preparation of the Strategy cost less than 0.35% of the total long-term cost of managing the Tidal River Great Ouse over the next 100 years. The Strategy is a substantial project, leading to the first real appraisal of the sustainability of this tidal fenland system, against the issues of climate change, sea-level rise, siltation and water-level management. The Strategy provides the
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economic justification for ongoing investment for the Ouse Washes and this means the many projects the Environment Agency undertake around this substantial reservoir (and its many components) are based on a sound appraisal of the need for and value of the assets maintained. Without this Strategy it would be very difficult to justify, technically and economically, continued flood risk management investment on the Tidal Ouse system.
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the potential future costs to arise from implementation of the Environment Agency's Great Ouse Tidal River Strategy. [66518]
Richard Benyon: The whole-life cash costs (not discounted to present day values) of implementing the plan over the 100 year life of the strategy are estimated to be £227 million. This includes capital intervention to the system assets, maintenance and a contingency allowance. The potential cash cost of works in the first five years is £12,900,000.
Rivers
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she plans to include proposals for river environment restoration for chalk streams in the Water White Paper. [66273]
Richard Benyon: As announced in the Natural Environment White Paper, the Government intend to take steps to tackle the legacy of unsustainable abstraction more efficiently. Further details, including those relating to the environmental restoration of chalk streams affected by unsustainable abstraction, will be included in the Water White Paper, due to be published later this year.
Rural Advocate
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements she plans to put in place for the fulfilment of the functions of the post of Rural Advocate. [66355]
Richard Benyon: The Government abolished the role of Rural Advocate in July 2010. The post had no statutory functions that need to continue and the Government have no plan to introduce new arrangements for the appointment of a publicly-funded external rural campaigner.
DEFRA Ministers will act as rural champions, and many rural MPs also act as effective advocates for rural life. In addition, there are many rural organisations and commentators who already advocate strongly and effectively on behalf of rural people, and the Government will work with these to ensure that the needs and interests of rural communities and businesses are fully and fairly reflected in their policies and programmes.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she received in support of the abolition of the post of Rural Advocate. [66356]
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Richard Benyon: The Government have not received any recent representations in support of their decision to abolish the post of Rural Advocate in the last year.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the right hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), and DEFRA Ministers have gone on record thanking Dr Burgess for his dedication, commitment and hard work undertaken as Rural Advocate during his tenure.
Rural Areas: Broadband
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what timetable is in place for the Rural Community Broadband Fund. [67282]
Richard Benyon: The Government announced on 10 March that they are establishing a rural Community Broadband Fund with funding of up to £20 million. The fund will draw on the Rural Development Programme for England’s European funds and funding from the £530 million available to Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK). It will provide support to rural communities for small community broadband projects.
Further details and how the fund will operate are being finalised between BDUK and DEFRA, but it is currently envisaged that the fund will be in operation by the end of 2011. Further information will be made available ahead of this.
Tuna: Conservation
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the International Union for Conservation of Nature on the threat of extinction to species of tuna. [66315]
Richard Benyon: The report which lists Southern and Atlantic bluefin, bigeye, yellowfin and albacore tunas as being under varying degrees of threat is concerning. It is essential that we continue to do all we can to ensure that the international bodies responsible for managing these species take all the necessary steps required to restore them to sustainable levels.
It is good to see that the report recognises that some recent measures, such as the reduced catches of Atlantic bluefin, may help the species to recover, but we need to ensure that these measures are built upon to ensure a sustainable future for these species.
Waste Management
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take with the devolved administrations on measures to achieve a zero-waste economy. [66724]
Richard Benyon:
Waste policy is a devolved issue and each administration is responsible for its own area, within the EU legislative context. However, while specific policies may differ, the overarching ambitions of our waste programmes are consistent. These are to move waste up the hierarchy, preventing waste wherever possible
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and increasing re-use and recycling. DEFRA will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations on these issues.
Water Abstraction: Hertfordshire
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for future levels of abstraction at the pumping stations at Fulling Mill and White Hall in North East Hertfordshire constituency. [66077]
Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency is seeking to reduce the levels of abstractions at Fulling Mill and White Hall. Investigations carried out between 2005-10 identified that abstractions at the two locations are having a detrimental impact on the ecology of the Rivers Mimram and Beane.
The Environment Agency has requested the closure of Fulling Mill Pumping Station (River Mimram), and a reduction in abstraction at Whitehall Pumping Station (River Beane). Both these abstractions are operated by Veolia Water Central (VWC), who have agreed to implement these reductions in 2015 subject to compensation.
Cost benefit assessments are currently being undertaken at both locations to clarify the benefits in terms of environmental improvements of the reduction in abstraction compared to the estimated compensation costs. These assessments are scheduled for completion by March 2012. Our initial assessment has been completed and we are in the process of reviewing this to take into account the environmental benefits.
Health
Abortion
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he intends to use (a) existing primary legislation or (b) secondary legislation under existing primary legislation to give effects to the proposals in amendments 1 to 3 to the Health and Social Care (Re-committed) Bill in respect of the provision of independent information, advice and counselling services for women requesting termination of pregnancy. [66051]
Anne Milton: Amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill are not necessary to require the availability of independent abortion counselling.
We are working on proposals to allow all women seeking an abortion to be offered access to independent counselling by appropriately qualified individuals.
Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were treated for alcohol-related illnesses in (a) York, (b) North Yorkshire and York primary care trust area and (c) England in each year since 1997. [65840]
Anne Milton: The information is in the following table. These data should not be described as a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion.
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We have not been able to include data for 1997-98 to 2001-02 as requested as alcohol attributable fractions are only available from 2002-03.
| Number of finished admission episodes which are estimated to be alcohol-related for England, York local authority (LA), and North Yorkshire and York primary care trust (PCT) of residence; 2002-03 to 2009-10 | |||
| Activity in English NHS h ospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector | |||
| England | York LA | North Yorkshire and York PCT of residence | |
| Notes: 1. Alcohol-related admissions. The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO), which uses 48 indicators for alcohol-related illnesses, determining the proportion of a wide range of diseases and injuries that can be partly attributed to alcohol as well as those that are, by definition, wholly attributable to alcohol. Further information on these proportions can be found at: www.nwph.net/nwpho/publications/AlcoholAttributableFractions.pdf The application of the NWPHO methodology has recently been updated and is now available directly from HES. As such, information about episodes estimated to be alcohol related may be slightly different from previously published data. 2.PCT/SHA data quality. In July 2006, the NHS reorganised strategic health authorities (SHAs) and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England from 28 SHAs into 10, and from 303 PCTs into 152. As a result data from 2006-07 onwards are not directly comparable with previous years. Data have been presented for those SHA/PCTs which have valid data for the breakdown presented here. As a result some SHA/PCTs may be missing from the list provided. See the following table. It should be noted that in 2005-06 Craven, Harrogate and Rural District PCT, Hambleton and Richmondshire PCT, Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale PCT and Selby and York PCT merged to form North Yorkshire and York PCT of residence. 3. SHA/PCT/LA of residence. The SHA, PCT or LA containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another area for treatment. 4. Assessing growth through time. HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. 5. Number of episodes in which the patient had an alcohol-related primary or secondary diagnosis. These figures represent the number of episodes where an alcohol-related diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a HES record. Each episode is only counted once in each count, even if an alcohol-related diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. 6. Data quality. HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts PCTs in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care | |||
| PCT of r esidence | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
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Anti-depressants: Children
Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of children aged between (a) 0 and 15 years and (b) 16 and 18 years who were prescribed anti-depressants in each year since 1997. [66942]
Paul Burstow: No estimate has been made. Information on the ages of individuals prescribed anti-depressants is not collected.
Baby Care Units: Finance
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 865W, on baby care units: finance, whether the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for allocating funding for neonatal networks from April 2012; and what plans he has to ensure that funding for neonatal networks continues beyond financial year 2011-12. [66101]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government have committed to retain and strengthen existing clinical networks and to use clinical networks to help ensure that a range of professionals play an integral part in the clinical commissioning of patient care. Further work will be undertaken to define these networks and review their range, function and effectiveness to deliver strengthened clinical networks in the new system. Decisions about the allocation of funding will be made following the conclusion of this work.
It is expected that in future clinical networks would be hosted by the NHS Commissioning Board, which would allow them to maximise the range and scale of support they provide to be most effective to clinical commissioning groups.
Contaminated Blood
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the outcomes were of the meeting between officials in his Department and representatives of Tainted Blood, the Manor House Group, the Hepatitis C Trust and the Haemophilia Society on 29 June 2011. [66957]
Anne Milton: At the meeting, I informed the representatives that I will be meeting a group of clinical and scientific experts later this year to discuss the current eligibility criteria for stage 2 hepatitis C payments, and that I will also be keeping the funding of the Caxton Foundation under review once we have a better understanding of the size of the beneficiary group. I also listened to the comments they made.
Blood: Screening
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) NHS trusts and (b) NHS foundation trusts use laboratory services outwith the UK to carry out blood analysis testing. [66462]
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Anne Milton: The Department does not hold this information.
Breast Cancer: Screening
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will ensure that breast cancer screening standards are maintained and reduce the chances of local variations in the standards of service provision; [65928]
(2) if he will take steps to maintain or increase the number of clinical nurse specialists working in breast care; [65938]
(3) if he will take steps to ensure that digital technology is used by all breast screening programmes in England. [65939]
Paul Burstow: Strict quality assurance operates across the NHS breast screening programme at a cost of £5 million per year. The aim of quality assurance in the programme is to maintain standards and continued improvement in the performance of all aspects of breast screening in order to ensure that women have access to a high quality service wherever they live. In line with the update on ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People’, breast screening quality assurance will become the responsibility of Public Health England from 1 April 2013.
As at 30 June 2011, 85% of the 80 local breast screening units in England had at least one digital mammography machine, and 39% were fully digital. We have advised programmes to move to direct digital as quickly as possible as the independent Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer Screening has said that running both film and digital systems together is inefficient.
We know that cancer patients greatly value the care and support of clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). The 2010 Cancer Patient Experience Survey showed that 93% of breast cancer patients reported having a CNS. To support the national health service to develop the CNS work force, ‘Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer’ sets out our intention to build the evidence base for the benefits and costs savings that CNSs can offer. This follows an independent report we published in December 2010 that showed that, in many scenarios, the costs of additional support roles are likely to be outweighed by the savings that can be achieved. The 2010 Census of Cancer Specialist Nurses in England reported that there were 2,164.2 whole-time equivalents CNSs in the 28 English cancer networks, of which 400.37 worked in breast cancer. A copy of the census has been placed in the Library.