Developing Countries: Domestic Service
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects on domestic workers in developing countries of the International Labour Organisation's Convention on Domestic Workers. [68688]
Mr Duncan: We have not made a specific assessment of the potential impact on domestic workers in developing countries of the International Labour Organisation's (ILO's) Convention on Domestic Workers. The Government recognise the importance of protecting vulnerable workers worldwide, and continues to support developing countries in implementing national labour laws, ensuring decent work for all workers including domestic workers. In addition we plan to look at the impact of the ILO Convention through the Asia Regional Anti-Trafficking Programme which will include a focus on migrant workers from India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Developing Countries: Food
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of local, national and regional (a) emergency and (b) strategic food reserves to alleviating the effects of food price volatility in developing countries. [68582]
Mr Duncan: At the meeting of Agriculture Ministers in June, G20 members agreed to ask the World Food Programme (WFP) to develop a pilot proposal for an emergency food reserves system, to complement existing regional and national food reserves. Department for International Development (DFID) staff are currently participating in the working group set up to support WFP in preparing a feasibility study and cost-benefit analysis for this pilot.
G20 countries, including the UK, do not advocate the development of physical food reserves as a means of alleviating the effects of food price volatility in developing countries. The proposed pilot will not aim to fill commercial gaps or purchase or release stocks large enough to impact on wider food markets or commodity price levels. Other measures included in the G20 Agriculture Action Plan—such as the Agricultural Market Information System to improve data on agricultural markets and an international Rapid Response Forum to co-ordinate
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action when agricultural markets become more volatile—are intended to reduce the negative impacts of price volatility on the poor.
Horn of Africa: Sexual Offences
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received of sexual assault of female refugees in the Horn of Africa; what steps are being taken to safeguard such refugees; and what further steps are being considered. [68594]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: In Kenya last month, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) released the report of a rapid assessment of Gender Based Violence in Dadaab refuge camp. The report made several recommendations including improving the access to quality health services, provision of age appropriate emotional support, establishment of female only safe areas for the reporting of protection concerns, and that all sectors of camp life must take prevention and risk mitigation actions to minimise potential risks and violence to women and girls.
By contrast, in Ethiopia there are limited data or confirmed reports of sexual assault of female refugees. However, recent assessments by aid agencies in the Dolo Ado refugee camps, now hosting over 118,000 Somali refugees (of whom 53.5% are female), have highlighted a number of risk factors that make female refugees vulnerable to sexual and gender based violence.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and other aid agencies are working with community members to improve the level of services, expertise of staff and awareness in the refugee camps to address these risks. We are working to ensure that this happens.
India: Overseas Aid
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to ensure the targeting of development aid at people living in unstable and fragile circumstances as a result of the conflict in north east India. [68685]
Mr Duncan: We have agreed with the Government of India to focus our development co-operation on a number of large states which contain a substantial proportion of the people living on less than $1.25 per day. We are therefore not targeting our development aid at those affected by conflict in north east India. We are, however, supporting some national programmes of the Indian Government, such as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Universal Elementary Education Programme), which benefit the north-eastern states.
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department plans to provide support in respect of battle-related deaths in India between 2000 and 2008. [68691]
Mr Andrew Mitchell:
The Department for International Development (DFID) does not plan to provide support specifically for those affected by battle-related deaths in India between 2000 and 2008. DFID has agreed with the Government of India to focus our development
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co-operation on a number of India's poorest states. Our support will be targeted to the poorest women and girls, to help them obtain quality schooling, health care, nutrition and jobs. We will also help unlock the potential of the private sector to deliver jobs, products, infrastructure and basic services.
Kenya: Refugees
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to support UN efforts to encourage the Kenyan Government to allow the expansion of refugee camps in Kenya. [68595]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government have been pressing the Government of Kenya throughout 2011 on the need to allocate more space for refugee camps, working closely with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The Minister for Internal Security recently confirmed that they would open Ifo II camp in Dadaab, which is expected to be occupied by approximately 40,000 refugees. However, with nearly 1,300 people, including children, arriving from Somalia on a daily basis, the process of decongesting the Dadaab camps needs to be accelerated. I raised these points with the Kenyan Prime Minister and the Minister for Internal Security during my visit to Kenya in July. The UK is also providing a substantial package of financial support through UN agencies, to assist new refugees in the Dadaab camps.
Malawi: Overseas Aid
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when his Department plans to publish its revised Operational Plan for Malawi. [68729]
Mr Duncan: We are in the process of revising the Department for International Development's Operational Plan for Malawi following the announcement on 14 July 2011 to suspend general budget support to Malawi. This revision includes discussing certain policy issues with the Government of Malawi. The Malawi Government's response will affect DFlD's Operational Plan, which we intend to publish once these policy issues have been clarified.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which projects in Malawi listed on his Department's website on 19 July 2011 will be reduced as a result of the freeze on direct aid to that country. [68730]
Mr Duncan: The UK Government announced that they were suspending general budget support to Malawi on 14 July 2011. This decision does not mean that DFID intends to reduce the amount of UK aid Malawi receives, but that we intend to deliver that aid through other channels. Hence there are no plans to reduce any projects listed on the website as a result of the announcement to suspend general budget support to Malawi.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the aid formerly committed to Malawi between 2011 and 2015 will not now be delivered following his Department's freeze on direct aid to that country. [68731]
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Mr O'Brien: The UK Government announced on 14 July 2011 that they were suspending general budget support to Malawi. This decision does not mean that the Department for International Development (DFID) intends to reduce the amount of UK aid Malawi receives. It simply means we intend to deliver that aid through other channels. We are determined to continue funding other programmes in Malawi that protect the poor and deliver basic services like health and education. This means keeping girls in school, ensuring women deliver their babies safely and helping farmers grow enough food to feed their families and communities.
DFID is currently revising its Operational Plan for Malawi following the 14 July 2011 announcement on general budget support. This will set out the specific plans and results for the programme over the next four years.
Overseas Aid
Mr Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to assist UK companies in tendering for overseas contracts funded by his Department. [68171]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) launched a Supplier Portal at the beginning of April 2011. The Portal provides an electronic platform of easy single point access to allow all our suppliers, including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to have the opportunity to compete equally for DFID contracts. There is no charge to the supplier for this service, which includes automated alerts for new opportunities.
DFID actively engages with suppliers through participation at events like the British Expertise seminars. These forums are an opportunity for suppliers to gain a greater understanding of DFID business, engage directly with senior Procurement Officials and openly discuss DFID procurement policies to identify further opportunities to improve.
All competitions for procurements with a value of £100,000 or above are carried out in line with the European Union (EU) Directives and are advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). The EU principles of fair and open competition are also applied to lower value procurements. All OJEU adverts are automatically shown on the DFID Supplier Portal.
Overseas Aid: Private Sector
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of aid he proposes will be delivered through the private sector. [68618]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not allocate funds on the basis of an organisation's business profile. Partners are chosen on a case-by-case basis to ensure maximum value for money. For planning purposes DFID allocates money by priority pillars. The pillars are wealth creation, governance and security, climate change and global partnerships, as well as DFID funding in support of the Millennium Development Goals (education, health, water and sanitation and humanitarian assistance).
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DFID's new Private Sector Department will play a key role in promoting private sector activities within wealth creation, as well as the other pillars. More detail on DFID's approach to working with the private sector is contained within the paper titled “The Engine of Development: The Private Sector and Prosperity for Poor People”. This can be found on the DFID website:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/News-Stories/2011/Mitchell-Harness-dynamism-and-energy-of-private-enterprise-in-international-development/
For more information on current activities in this area and budget allocations please see the DFID Annual Report and Accounts 2010-11, which can also be found on the DFID website:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Finance-and-performance/Annual-report/
Palestinians: Overseas Aid
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what checks his Department has put in place to ensure that UK aid and assistance to Gaza is used for its intended purpose. [68494]
Mr Duncan: The UK takes extensive precautions to ensure that our assistance to Gaza is used to meet the humanitarian needs of the civilian population and support the legitimate Gazan economy.
We carefully select the partners we work with in Gaza. They are, in the main, United Nations agencies and reputable international non-governmental organisations with proven track records of effective delivery in Gaza. Our funding to the Palestinian Authority (which spends approximately half its budget in Gaza) is administered through a World Bank managed trust fund, which has stringent audit requirements. We work closely with all our partners on project design to ensure that our support reaches only its intended beneficiaries and that European Union and UK legislation on anti-terrorist funding is adhered to.
Private Sector
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff of his Department have expertise in the private sector. [68619]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development currently has 58 accredited private sector development advisers. Twelve more are due to join us this year and we plan to recruit 12 more next year.
Somalia: Overseas Aid
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent assessment he has made of the requirement for humanitarian aid in Puntland; [68003]
(2) how much humanitarian funding his Department is giving to Somaliland as part of its response to the food supply situation in east Africa. [68004]
Mr Andrew Mitchell:
British humanitarian support to Somalia has mostly been focussed on delivering lifesaving aid where acute needs are greatest, specifically in south and central areas of Somalia, where some 2.8 million people are in desperate need of help. However,
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we recognise that northern Somalia has not escaped the impact of the current drought and is also suffering, although to a lesser extent—acute malnutrition rates in many southern regions are almost double those in the north, and mortality rates are many times worse.
Last month I announced a £25 million package of support to help over 500,000 victims of the drought across Somalia, including treatment for thousands of acutely malnourished children, urgently needed food, clean water, shelter and health care. UK support to the UN’s pooled funding mechanism, the Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF), is helping non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to access urgently required funds to respond to ongoing needs across the country, including in Puntland and Somaliland.
British aid in Somalia is being targeted to help those people most in need of emergency assistance. At present, and based on recent UN assessments, the majority of northern Somalia does not fall into this category of severity. However, my officials will continue to monitor the food security situation in the north of the country to ensure needs are being met across this area.
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much humanitarian funding his Department is giving to Puntland as part of its response to the food supply situation in east Africa. [68005]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government humanitarian funding reaching Puntland is approximately £4.5 million, reaching the affected pastoralist communities. The UK Government's humanitarian aid targets the most vulnerable people who are currently in southern Somalia, where more than 90% of our current response is going.
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will consider the merits of increasing his Department's humanitarian aid to Puntland. [68006]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: My Department's officials are in constant contact with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's unit which conducts regular food insecurity and nutritional surveys in all of Somalia. The most recent survey was conducted in July and the food insecurity situation was classified as serious to critical in Puntland. The next survey results are expected by the end of August and these will inform my Department's officials on the merits of increasing humanitarian aid to Puntland.
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the requirement for humanitarian aid in Somaliland. [68007]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's unit which conducts regular nutritional surveys in all of Somalia indicated a serious food insecurity situation in Somaliland during the last survey in July but this had not yet moved to critical. The next survey results are expected at the end of August and my Department's officials will use these results to re-assess the humanitarian aid requirements for Somaliland.
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Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will consider the merits of increasing his Department's humanitarian aid to Somaliland. [68009]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: My Department's officials are in constant contact with United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's unit which conducts regular food and nutritional surveys in all of Somalia. The most recent survey conducted in July indicated serious food insecurity in Somaliland. My Department's officials are closely following the surveys and will use the unit's results, expected by the end of August, to consider the merits of increasing the UK Government's humanitarian aid to Somaliland.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department has provided (a) directly and (b) through international agencies in respect of the famine in Somalia; and if he will make a statement. [69081]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: Consecutive poor rains and failed harvests, coupled with conflict and widespread insecurity across Somalia, have left some 3.2 million people in immediate need of lifesaving assistance, many of them in the famine-affected areas of southern Somalia.
The British Government have been swift to respond to the needs of the Somali people, providing emergency support to over 500,000 men, women and children. British aid, delivered through trusted UN and charity organisations like UNICEF, Oxfam GB and Concern Worldwide, is helping to: treat over 60,000 acutely malnourished children; provide food for almost 20,000 people; provide clean drinking water for over 300,000 people and; provide access to basic health care for some 140,000 people.
I announced a package of £25 million of new assistance to Somalia during my visit to the region on 16 July, as well as £16 million of support for Somali refugees in Kenya and Ethiopia. This was in addition to £17 million of humanitarian aid the UK had already provided earlier in 2011. UK support is also helping Somalia indirectly through our contributions to the UN Central Emergency Respond Fund, UN agencies, the European Union and various UK NGOs.
We will continue to closely monitor the situation and urge other countries to contribute to the humanitarian response immediately.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Government of Somalia and (b) authorities in Somaliland and Puntland on steps to facilitate international support in respect of the current famine. [69082]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: I visited Mogadishu on 17 August, where I met Prime Minister Abdiweli, Ministers involved in the Transitional Federal Government's Drought Management Committee and the Deputy Mayor of Mogadishu. I pressed the Somali authorities to do everything possible to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. I emphasised the UK's continued leadership role in galvanising the international response and detailed the support we are providing through humanitarian partners on the ground: nutritional support for starving children, water, sanitation and health services.
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Famine has not been declared in either Somaliland or Puntland, but the UK Government are in regular contact with the authorities in both regions and we continue to monitor the humanitarian situation throughout Somalia. Some of our funding to humanitarian partners working across Somalia is being used to support urgent needs in these regions.
South Sudan: International Trade
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is providing to increase levels of (a) economic output from and (b) trade with South Sudan. [68273]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: UK aid will improve farmers' access to markets through the construction and maintenance of over 500 kms of feeder roads, as part of a joint programme with the World Bank, USAID and the EU. A trade facilitation programme will establish a customs service and lower the cost of cross-border trade. Further programmes are being developed to promote private sector development, including by addressing corruption and providing incentives to firms to create market opportunities for poorer people. The Department for International Development (DFID) is also helping the Government of South Sudan to improve economic management and investment decisions.
South Sudan: Overseas Aid
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what priorities his Department has set for the outcomes of aid delivered by his Department to South Sudan. [68568]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development's (DFID's) four year Operational Plan for South Sudan was published on the DFID website
www.dfid.gov.uk
on 28 July 2011. The UK's aid programme in South Sudan will focus on enabling poor people, particularly girls and women, to benefit from more equitable and sustainable services; increased employment and livelihood opportunities—supported by private sector investment; greater security; more accountable and efficient government; and less corruption. DFID is aiming for extensive results including: 1 million people having enough food to eat; 240,000 more children completing primary school; 750,000 people to be treated for or prevented from getting malaria; 4 million people receiving life-saving healthcare and nutrition; 12 million textbooks printed and distributed to almost 2 million children; and increased private sector investment and trade by reducing cross border transport costs by 15%.
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to increase access and protection for aid workers in South Sudan. [69456]
Mr Andrew Mitchell:
Humanitarian personnel across South Sudan work in a difficult security environment. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is playing a vital role in engaging the Government of South Sudan on issues of access and security. The UK Government work closely with the UN on these issues
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and also raise them bilaterally with the authorities, including during my visit in May 2011. The UK Government are providing financial support to the non-governmental organisation (NGO) RedR in order to train NGO staff on security. It is important that NGOs have full access and are adequately protected when going about their important work, and we urge the Government of South Sudan to ensure that this is the case.
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Government of South Sudan on (a) incidences of violence against aid workers and (b) the protection of such workers in South Sudan. [69554]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: Humanitarian personnel across South Sudan work in a difficult security environment. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is playing a vital role in engaging the Government of South Sudan on issues of access and security. The UK Government work closely with the UN on these issues and also raise them bilaterally with the authorities, including during my visit in May 2011. The British Government are providing financial support to the NGO RedR in order to train NGO staff on security. It is important that NGOs have full access and are adequately protected when going about their important work, and we urge the Government of South Sudan to ensure that this is the case.
Sri Lanka: Politics and Government
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Sri Lanka regarding the humanitarian situation in that country. [68868]
Mr Duncan: The Secretary of State for International Development has not had any recent discussions with the Sri Lankan Government. The British high commission in Colombo regularly discusses the humanitarian situation with the Sri Lankan Government and monitors progress on the ground, which has greatly improved since the end of the military conflict in May 2009. The Department for International Development (DFID) is currently providing £3 million of de-mining assistance to allow those displaced by the conflict to return to their home areas. The high commission also meets with other donors in country, including multilateral organisations to which the UK makes a contribution.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Apprentices
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the number of apprenticeships available in each skill area in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [69795]
Mr Hayes: Table 1 shows apprenticeship starts by sector subject area for 2009/10, the latest academic year for which final data are available.
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Estimates of the number of apprenticeships available are not available for 2011 and 2012. The apprenticeships programme is demand led. The Government do not plan apprenticeship places by level but provide funding and forecast the overall number of places that may be afforded. We rely on employers and providers to work together to offer sufficient opportunities to meet local demand, taking advantage of the greater freedoms and flexibilities that we have created in the further education system.
For the 2011/12 academic year, our indicative forecast is to fund over 360,000 apprenticeship places. The sectors that these places fall within will be determined by the employers coming forward to make places available.
| Table 1: Apprenticeship programme starts by sector subject area, 2009/10 | |
| Sector subject area | Number |
| ‘—’ Indicates a base value of less than five. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest ten except for the grand total which is rounded to the nearest hundred. Source: Individualised Learner Record. | |
Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 23 June 2011:
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
Apprentices: Greater London
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of people aged over 18 who (a) began and (b) completed an apprenticeship in (i) the London borough of Tower Hamlets and (ii) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency in each year since 2005-06. [68679]
Mr Hayes: Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship programme starts and framework achievements by learners aged 19 and over in Tower Hamlets local education authority and Bethnal Green and Bow parliamentary constituency for academic years 2005/06 to 2009/10, the latest year for which final year data are available.
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| Table 1: Apprenticeship framework starts and achievements in Tower Hamlets local education authority and Bethnal Green and Bow parliamentary constituency by learners aged 19 and over, 2005/06 to 2009/10 | ||||||
| 2005/06 | 2006/07 | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | ||
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Geographic information is based upon the home postcode of the learner. 3. These figures are based on the geographic boundaries of parliamentary constituencies as of May 2010. 4. Age is calculated based on age at start of the programme. Source: Individualised Learner Record | ||||||
Information on the number of apprenticeship starts and achievements is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 23 June 2011
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
Apprentices: Skills Funding
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the head of the Skills Funding Agency on possible changes to the monitoring of apprenticeships lasting 13 weeks or less. [69915]
Mr Hayes: End to end responsibility for apprenticeships, including delivery of the programme and accountability for ensuring high standards and value for money for public investment in apprenticeships, sits with the chief executive of the National Apprenticeship Service rather than the chief executive of Skills Funding. As Minister responsible for apprenticeships, I meet with the chief executive of the National Apprenticeship Service regularly to discuss these matters.
The length of apprenticeships is already monitored. Of the record number of apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2010 and 30 April 2011, only 3% of achievers had an actual length of stay lasting less than 13 weeks. The National Apprenticeship Service is scrutinising each of these programmes to satisfy itself that they meet the required quality standards and that an appropriate level of funding is paid to reflect the training needed and delivered.
Arms Exports
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the value of each contract the UK Trade & Investment Defence and Security Organisation has helped companies in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland to secure in each of the last five years. [68719]
Mr Prisk: The information requested is not held by the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation. Data collected from defence companies on the total value of new contracts signed for the sale of products and services overseas in the last five years, and for security companies the value of export business completed in each of the last four years, are shown in the table.
Information on security business is not available for the year 2006.
| £ billion | |||
| Defence | Security | Total | |
Exports: Syria
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many arms export licences have been granted for arms sales to Syria in each of the last five years; what arms were exported under each licence; who received the arms in Syria; and what their end-use was. [67846]
Mr Prisk: In the past five years, the Export Control Organisation has issued three licences for the export of military goods to Syria.
In October 2008, a Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) was issued for the export to UNICEF of seven pieces of body armour, 14 ceramic plates to be fitted to body armour and seven helmets, for the protection of their staff in conduct of their humanitarian work. These items have been exported and the SIEL is therefore exhausted.
In August 2008, a SIEL was issued for the export of sporting gun ammunition to a sporting organisation for training and competition. The SIEL was for 300,000 rounds of sporting ammunition (of the internationally recognised sporting calibre .22). Our records show that 60,000 rounds were exported in September 2008 and that the licence has since expired.
In January 2010, a SIEL was issued for the export of sporting gun ammunition to a sporting organisation for training and competition, including international competition. The SIEL was for 200,000 rounds of sporting ammunition (.22 calibre). The goods on this licence have not been shipped. The Government reviewed all licences for Syria in May 2011 after the EU arms embargo was imposed. This licence was revoked as the proposed export was no longer consistent with the Consolidated Criteria, Criteria 1 (UK's International commitments to enforce EU arms embargoes).
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Business: Banks
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of information asymmetries between small and medium-sized enterprises and banks. [67483]
Mr Prisk: It is widely recognised (e.g. the 2004 Graham Review) that market failures exist in small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) debt markets, where information needed by lenders to make judgments on individual loan applications may be expensive, or difficult to obtain. Although advances in credit assessment techniques may have helped to overcome these difficulties, barriers resulting from a lack of information may still be faced by certain types of business, in particular those that lack an established track record.
This Department is aware that some businesses can encounter difficulties when accessing bank finance due to a lack of financial track record, or collateral. For instance, the SME Finance Monitor (July 2011) reported that, for SMEs whose borrowing requests were declined, the main reason given was lack of credit history or a poor credit history.
In order to help viable businesses lacking a track record, the Government have extended the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, which is targeted at such businesses and those businesses that lack security.
Business: Government Assistance
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many business mentors are working in the Business Mentoring Scheme (a) nationally, (b) in each region and (c) in each parliamentary constituency. [67481]
Mr Prisk: Mentorsme.co.uk, Britain's first online mentoring gateway, was launched on 4 July and provides a single point of access for those seeking mentoring and those seeking to be mentors, covering the whole of the UK.
At launch, it included approximately 40 mentoring organisations, providing access to around 10,000 mentors. Since launch, a number of applications from other mentoring organisations who wish to be listed on the portal have been received and are currently being assessed. More organisations will be added in the coming months as they register interest, providing they meet certain standards. The site includes both national and regional organisations, including at least eight which cover the hon. Member's constituency. We do not currently have data to establish how many individual mentors are in each region or parliamentary constituency.
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what Government funding (a) was and (b) is to be made available for business support in (i) Wirral, (ii) Merseyside, (iii) the north-west and (iv) England in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12, (C) 2012-13, (D) 2013-14 and (E) 2014-15. [67992]
Mr Prisk: Government funding for business support in (i) Wirral, (ii) Merseyside, (iii) the north-west and (iv) England in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12, (C) 2012-13, (D) 2013-14 and (E) 2014-15 is as follows:
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The Local Growth White Paper published on 28 October 2010 launched the £1.4 billion Regional Growth Fund (RGF) that will operate over three years from 2011 to 2014. This is a challenge fund that operates in England only and is not ring-fenced or pre-allocated in any way.
The first round of bidding for the fund closed on 21 January 2011. Announcements on the successful bids from that round were made in April, with £450 million being invested by the Government through the RGF, expected to leverage more than £2.5 billion of private sector investment. The second, main, round was launched on 12 April with a closing date of 1 July. We are very pleased with the response to this round and the team is currently processing details of the bids received. Details of both rounds can be found on the BIS website:
www.bis.gov.uk/rgf
Grant for Business Investment (GBI)
In 2010/11 the total Selective Finance for Investment in England (SFIE)/GBI actual expenditure in England was £48 million. Of this, £11 million was in the north-west. This figure includes two SFIE projects located in Merseyside (Getrag Ford and Pilkington) on which £2.06 million was paid.
Going forward, the budget figures for forecast expenditure in 2011/12 are £32 million, in 2012/13 and 2013/14 it is £23 million and in 2014/15 it is £19 million.
The forecast for individual projects in the north-west in 2011/12 is £8.5 million, in 2012/13 it is £6.2 million and in 2013/14 and 2014/15 it is £5.2 million. The expenditure relates to three projects, all in Merseyside.
The Government are committed to creating the right long term environment to make it easier to start and grow a business. This includes a new Business Coaching for Growth (BCG) programme which will help up to 10,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) a year to overcome the barriers to high growth. This is a national service so it is not possible to provide a regional breakdown.
BCG will be built around two main themes:
Coaching: the programme will provide coaches to work face to face with senior management teams to help them to develop and implement their strategies and develop the skills, expertise and techniques to overcome the barriers they face to growing.
Connectivity: BCG will be highly networked and will connect high growth potential businesses to other forms of support such as business incubators and science parks. It will also fast track businesses to trusted sources of specialist advice.
The formal process to procure BCG began in April and has attracted considerable interest from the business community.
BIS has adopted the Competitive Dialogue procurement procedure which involves strong engagement and discussion with private sector bidders. BIS is confident that the market will deliver an innovative, flexible and cost-effective solution to delivering BCG across England. The full procurement process should be completed in the autumn and the service will be rolled out in early 2012.
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The Enterprise Finance Guarantee is a loan guarantee scheme to facilitate additional bank lending to viable SMEs with insufficient or no security with which to secure a normal commercial loan.
Enterprise Loan Guarantee (EFG) loans to businesses in the Wirral, Merseyside, north-west and England for the financial years 2010/11 and 2011/12 were as follows:
| Number of loans offered | Loan amount (£ million) | |
Regional Development Agencies/ Venture Capital Loan Funds
Regional development agencies (RDAs) established a range of venture capital and loan funds (VCLFs) providing debt and equity funding to SMEs in their respective regions. These funds were established using money from the Single Programme and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). In many regions, including the north-west, European funds were used to leverage private sector investment into the VCLF. Across England almost £0.5 billion (RDA funds, ERDF and private investment) has been committed to VCLFs investing in SMEs up to the end of 2015. Of this, £185 million has been committed to the North West Fund. It is expected that 40% of the North West Fund will be invested in Merseyside.
In addition the Government have made some £1,328 million available in the 2010-11 financial year to support apprenticeship training in England and we expect to spend over £1,400 million in the 2011 -12 financial year.
The apprenticeships programme is demand led. Government do not plan apprenticeship funding by region. The Government funding for apprenticeships is paid directly to the organisation that provides and supports the apprenticeship training. In most cases this will be a further education college or independent learning provider.
Direct Government funding via UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) for trade development in the north-west region was £2.5 million in 2010/11 and £2.9 million has
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been allocated for 2011/12. In addition, businesses in the north-west may benefit from UKTI's nationally funded trade development programmes.
The 2011 Budget allocated £20 million (2012/13), £40 million (2013/14), £65 million (2014/15) and £80 million (2015/16) to fund delivery of enterprise zones.
The Government have put forward a range of measures to develop enterprise zones and make them attractive places to do business including:
A 100 per cent business rate discount worth up to £275,000 over a five year period (for businesses that move into an enterprise zone during the course of this Parliament).
All business rate growth generated by the zone for a period of at least 25 years will be kept by that area.
Local development orders are available to local authorities to establish a simplified planning regime.
Government support to ensure that super fast broadband is rolled out throughout the zones. This will be achieved through guaranteeing the most supportive planning environment and, if necessary, public funding.
In addition, the Government will work with individual local enterprise partnerships to consider:
The scope for introducing enhanced capital allowances to support zones in assisted areas where there is a strong focus on high value manufacturing;
The use of tax increment finance to support the long-term viability of the zone, in tandem with the Local Government Resource Review; and
UKTI support on inward investment and trade opportunities.
The first 11 local enterprise partnerships to host enterprise zones announced at Budget were: Greater Birmingham and Solihull; Leeds City Region; Sheffield City Region; Liverpool City Region; Greater Manchester; West of England; Tees Valley; North East; Black Country; Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and London.
The open competition to identify a further 10 enterprise zones closed on 30 June with 30 bids received. All of the bids were assessed against their ability to deliver growth and jobs, their value for money and their plans for implementation.
Following careful consideration the following local enterprise partnerships were selected to be granted an enterprise zone: Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough, The Marches, New Anglia, South East Midlands, South East (formerly East Sussex, Kent etc), Oxfordshire, Hull and the Humber, Liverpool City Region, Leicester and Leicestershire, and Solent.
High Street Support Scheme: Support for small or medium-sized enterprises
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government announced on 18 August a £20 million High Street Support Scheme, jointly funded by BIS, to give grants to local firms affected by the riots for out-of-pocket expenses. The scheme is being administered through local authorities.
Copyright
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on fair use in copyright law. [69671]
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Mr Davey: The Hargreaves review of intellectual property and growth was charged in its terms of reference with a number of aims, including investigating what are the benefits of “fair use” exceptions to copyright and how these might be achieved in the UK. The review concluded that a broad legal mechanism similar to US fair use would not be practical within the EU framework, but that there is a need for more flexibility in order to meet new opportunities. Therefore the review recommended that the UK should make more use of the freedoms available within the EU framework, including permitting consumers to make private copies of copyright works in order to use them within fair and reasonable limits.
The Government have accepted the conclusions and recommendations of the review. The Government have no intention of prejudicing the fundamental role of copyright in providing appropriate incentives for the creation of valuable works, on which much value for the UK depends. We nonetheless believe the review is right to identify activities that copyright currently over-regulates unnecessarily to the detriment of the UK, and we will propose a substantial opening up of the UK's copyright exceptions regime, as set out in our response to the review. The Government will also press at EU level for a wider set of exceptions to secure further flexibilities without prejudicing appropriate incentives for creation of works.
Departmental Responsibilities
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when the Minister for Universities and Science first met representatives of (a) LCU Business School, (b) Tribal Education, (c) Edison Education, (d) Career Education, (e) BPP/Apollo, (f) Laurette, (g) Bridgepoint and (h) the Education Centre of Excellence following his appointment; and whether subsequent meetings have taken place. [68134]
Mr Willetts: I have not met with representatives of LCU Business School, nor with representatives of Tribal Education, Edison Education, Career Education, Bridgepoint and the Education Centre of Excellence. I met with representatives of BPP as a part of a wider meeting on 12 July 2010. I met with representatives of Laureate on 15 September 2010 and on 1 February 2011. I met with representatives of Apollo and BPP on 10 May 2011.
A quarterly-updated list of all BIS ministerial meetings with external organisations is also available at:
http://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/disclosure-ministerial-hospitality-received-department-for-business
English Language: Education
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 59-60WS, on English for speakers of other languages, what resource allocation (a) his Department and (b) the Department for Communities and Local Government are to make to facilitate education for those (i) women and (ii) others identified as requiring additional support in order to ensure their competence in the English language; and if he will make a statement. [69129]
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Mr Hayes: As part of the Government agenda to support unemployed people into work we will fully fund units and full qualifications for people in receipt of jobseekers' allowance and employment support allowance (in the Work Related Activity Group) to help them enter and stay in work. FE colleges and training organisations also have local discretion to provide fully subsidised courses for people on a wider range of benefits where the training is to help them enter employment.
The Government will continue to fund 50% of the cost of English for speakers of other languages training for eligible people who are settled here, with individuals expected to meet the remainder of the costs. We will no longer fund ESOL in the workplace. This contributes to our broader objective of establishing a fairer balance between the investment made in skills by the Government, the employer and the learner.
This Department and the Department for Communities and Local Government are working in partnership to develop new forms of support for individuals who need language skills to assist with integration and community cohesion. I will announce further details in due course.
Export Controls: Iran
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether there is a legal requirement for an exporter to consult his Department before exporting goods to Iran. [67507]
Mr Prisk: If the goods or technology to be exported are specified on a UK or EU control list, or if the exporter has been informed that non-listed items may be intended for a weapons of mass destruction (WMD)-related end-use or a military end-use in an embargoed destination (such as Iran), the items can only be exported under a valid licence issued by the Export Control Organisation (ECO). If the exporter is aware that non-listed items may be intended for a WMD-related end-use or a military end-use in an embargoed destination, they must notify the ECO before exporting the items and the ECO will determine whether or not an export licence is required. If the exporter has grounds for suspecting a WMD-related end-use, they must not export the items unless they have made all reasonable inquiries as to their actual end-use and satisfied themselves that they will not be used for WMD-related purposes. A breach of any of the above requirements is a criminal offence. The Government offer an advice service regarding whether an export requires a licence or not and strongly advise that any exporter who is unsure on this point should use this service.
Export Credits Guarantee
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made by his Department's cross-departmental working group established to implement the Government's decision that the Export Credits Guarantee Department and UK Trade & Investment should become champions for British companies that develop and export innovative green technologies around the world. [66443]
Mr Prisk:
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) are keeping officials across departments informed of their
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progress in supporting British companies that develop and export green technologies. As part of the low carbon priority published in its new strategy, ‘Britain Open for Business’, UKTI is delivering a green export campaign to help UK businesses through trade missions, exhibitions, keynote speeches, overseas media and press activity. ECGD is actively reaching out to exporters of renewable energy equipment and services so that they are aware of the products available from ECGD to provide them with credit protection and facilitate the provision of finance.
Higher Education: Admissions
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 761W, on higher education: admissions, how many and what proportion of students (a) were from socio-economic groups four to seven, (b) were aged 25 or older, (c) were aged 35 or older, (d) were women, (e) studied full-time, (f) lived away from home during their education, (g) studied science, technology, engineering or mathematics while at university, (h) studied languages and (i) studied a humanities subject; and if he will make a statement. [69060]
Mr Willetts: The numbers and proportions of UK-domiciled undergraduate entrants to UK higher education institutions who were aged 25 or older, were 35 or older, were women, studied full-time, studied science, technology, engineering or mathematics, studied languages and studied a humanities subject are shown for the 2009/10 academic year in table 1.
| Table 1: UK-domiciled undergraduate entrants (1) by age, gender, mode of study and subject area , UK higher education institutions , a cademic year 2009/10 | ||
| Number | Percentage of total | |
| (1) Covers entrants to full-time and part-time courses. (2 )STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Covers the following subject areas: Medicine and dentistry, Subjects allied to medicine, Biological sciences, Veterinary science, Agriculture and related subjects, Physical sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering and technology and Architecture building and planning. (3) Covers Historical and philosophical studies. Notes: 1. Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and are rounded up or down to the nearest five. 2. Percentages are based on unrounded figures and are given to one decimal place. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record | ||
The numbers and proportions of UK-domiciled full-time undergraduate entrants who lived away from home during term time, and those who were from socio-economic groups four to seven are shown for the 2009/10 academic
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year in table 2. Socio-economic and term-time accommodation information is not available for part-time entrants.
| Table 2: UK-domiciled full-time undergraduate entrants by term-time accommodation and socio-economic group (1) , UK higher education institutions, a cademic year 2009/10 | ||
| Number | per cent | |
| (1) Information on socio-economic class is gathered on a different basis for young (aged under 21) and mature (aged 21 and over) entrants and is shown separately in the table. Socio-economic class is derived from information on occupation: for entrants aged under 21 this is based on the occupation of their parent, and for those aged 21 and over it is based on their own occupation. (2) Covers entrants whose term-time accommodation address was recorded as institution maintained property, own residence, other rented accommodation, and private sector halls. (3) Covers the socio-economic groups: Small employers & own account workers, Lower supervisory & technical occupations, Semi-routine occupations and Routine occupations. Notes: 1. Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and are rounded up or down to the nearest five.. 2. Percentages are based on unrounded figures and are given to one decimal place. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record | ||
Figures are taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record. Information for the 2010/11 academic year will become available from January 2012.
Higher Education: Fees and Charges
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effect on youth unemployment of the change in higher education fee arrangements in 2012. [67405]
Mr Willetts: The change in the fee arrangements enables the Government to continue to finance a high number of places in higher education for students in 2012, and therefore there is expected to be no adverse impact on youth unemployment as a consequence of the change.
Insolvency
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to amend the insolvency rules to introduce a clear definition of administration expenses. [70286]
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Mr Davey: The Government are listening to the views of interested stakeholders but have not yet made a decision as to what legislative change might be required. Representative bodies have been invited to provide evidence as to the practical impacts being felt as a result of a recent High Court decision in this area.
International Subscriptions: Research Council
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what international subscriptions for use of equipment or facilities were funded by the research councils in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; and what such subscriptions will be funded in 2011-12. [69801]
Mr Willetts: The following international subscriptions for use of equipment or facilities were all funded by the research councils in 2009-10 and 2010-11 and will be funded in 2011-12, unless stated otherwise.
Engineering and Ph y s i cal Sciences Research Council :
The Joint European Torus (JET) which investigates the potential of fusion power (through a grant to the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy).
The Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE), an initiative to allow researchers to access a world-class suite of supercomputers across Europe via a central peer review system.
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
Natural Environment Research Council:
International Ocean Drilling Programme
European Space Agency (ESA)
European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association (EISCAT)
ESA has transferred to the UK Space Agency with effect from 1 April 2011. EISCAT transferred to NERC (from STFC) with effect from 1 January 2010.
Science and Technology Facilities Council:
European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO)
Institut Laue-Langevin
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN)
European Space Agency (2009-10 and 2010-11 only). The UK Space Agency assumed responsibility for ESA for 2011-12.
Manufacturing
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department has contributed funding to the Made by Britain manufacturing campaign run by the Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group. [69710]
Mr Prisk: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has not contributed funding to this initiative.
Newcastle College: Mergers
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what legal advice he has received on the effects of a merger between Newcastle and Northumberland colleges on the promotion of competition in the further education sector in the north-east. [69590]
Mr Hayes:
Discussions on the proposed merger are still taking place between the Skills Funding Agency
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and Newcastle and Northumberland colleges. I will consider what additional information and advice I may need at the point I receive a recommendation from the chief executive of Skills Funding on the final merger proposal.
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had discussions with the Office of Fair Trading on the potential effects of a merger between Newcastle and Northumberland Colleges on the promotion of competition in the further education sector in the north-east. [69591]
Mr Hayes: Discussions on the proposed merger are still taking place between the Skills Funding Agency and Newcastle and Northumberland Colleges. I will consider what additional information and advice I may need at the point I receive a recommendation from the chief executive of Skills Funding on the final merger proposal.
Nuclear Power
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding his Department provided for research into nuclear energy in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; and how much such funding he plans to provide in 2011-12. [69799]
Mr Prisk: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills does not directly provide funding for research into nuclear energy. The Department provides funding to the research councils and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) which then provide a range of support.
The Research Councils UK (RCUK) energy programme will invest £540 million in energy related research between 2011-15, which includes research and training related to nuclear fission energy.
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) spent £6.4 million on nuclear fission in 2009-10 and £6.5 million in 2010-11. It is not possible to give precise figures for future spend on nuclear fission. Priorities for the whole RCUK Energy Programme will be regularly reviewed with advice from the programme's Scientific Advisory Council. In addition the EPSRC spends £25 million per year on nuclear fusion energy research, primarily through the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy.
The Economic and Social Research Council spent approximately £335,000 on nuclear energy related research in 2009-10 and £4,000 in 2010-11. It is not possible to give precise figures for future spend on nuclear energy. Future spend will be determined by the proposals for funding received.
In addition to the funding within its nuclear physics programme, which examines how atomic nuclei behave and the origin of elements, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) provided £2 million in 2009-10, £1.5 million in 2010-11 and £0.5 million in 2011-12 for the HiPER project. HiPER is a proposed European High Power Laser Energy Research facility dedicated to demonstrating the feasibility of laser driven fusion as a future energy source. Between 2009 and 2011 STFC provided £424,000 to a pilot Knowledge Exchange grant for the project ‘Using Thorium as fuel in conventional Reactors'.
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The Technology Strategy Board have provided approximately £200,000 in 2010-11 for Nuclear R&D feasibility studies under its £2 million competition to develop innovation in the supply chain with the remainder of this funding expected to be drawn down in 2011-12. Furthermore, some of the funding, which is currently being finalised, for the High Value Manufacturing Technology and Innovation Centre will support the work of the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. The Technology Strategy Board also plans a further £10 million Collaborative R&D competition in 2012.
Ordnance Survey: Government Procurement Card
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the (a) date of purchase, (b) amount, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry was of each transaction undertaken by Ordnance Survey using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10. [68890]
Mr Davey: This is an operational matter for the Ordnance Survey. I have asked Vanessa Lawrence CB, Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey to write to my hon. Friend. A copy will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Letter from Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB, dated 2 September 2011:
As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to reply to your question on transactions undertaken by Ordnance Survey using the Government Procurement Card in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10.
An electronic copy of this information has been placed in the House of Commons Library. For each transaction this includes the date of purchase, amount and supplier. Information on the “level 3 or enhanced transaction entry” is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost; however, the broad category of spend under which each transaction has been allocated is included.
Use of the Government Procurement Card reduces administrative costs and helps to ensure payments to suppliers are made promptly. The GPC card system provides the most efficient way for Ordnance Survey to make payment for low value items only, I hope this information is helpful to you.
Regional Growth Fund
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact on small and medium-sized enterprises of not being able to bid directly to the Regional Growth Fund. [69912]
Mr Prisk: No assessment has been made as small and medium-sized enterprises can bid directly to the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) either on their own or they may come together to submit a package of projects which make a coherent whole but which individually would not meet the minimum bidding threshold of £1 million. Furthermore, four out of the 50 successful bids to Round 1 were conditionally allocated funding for small and medium enterprise support schemes. RGF funding for these four schemes totals £175 million, which was almost 40% of all the funds allocated (£450 million) in Round 1.
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Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the demand for funding from a third round of the Regional Growth Fund following the most recent growth forecast by the Office of Budget Responsibility. [69913]
Mr Prisk: No formal assessment of demand for funding from a third round of the Regional Growth Fund has been made.
Small Businesses: Civil Disorder
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to prioritise small and medium-sized businesses which have been adversely affected by the August 2011 public disorders. [69916]
Mr Prisk: The Government have already introduced a number of measures to support businesses affected by the recent public disorder between 6 and 11 August.
The Government are giving £20 million to local authorities, under the High Street Support Scheme, to help affected small and medium-sized businesses and commercial districts get back on their feet following the recent disorder.
This funding will be administered by local authorities and is being provided to:
help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) get back on their feet more quickly, including with cash flow problems, while they wait for insurance or other claims to be met;
help SMEs with non- refundable exceptional business expenses;
help rebuild business confidence in the area affected; and
help fund the full costs to local authorities of providing Business Rate Hardship Relief.
SMEs who have suffered loss or damage to property as a result of the disturbance can seek compensation from their police authority under the Riot Damages Act (1886). The Home Secretary has extended the period to claim to 42 days.
The Government have also ensured that affected businesses have access to practical advice, information and support and this is available on:
www.BusinessLink.gov.uk
These measures are set out in the written ministerial statement on Public Disorder—Support for Business laid before the House of Commons on 11 August 2011, Official Report, columns 119-21WS.
Students: Assessments
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students affected by examination board errors were not accepted by their first choice of university in August 2011. [70300]
Mr Willetts: Higher education institutions have until 14 September to process decisions on the conditional choices held by applicants. The information requested about university destinations is therefore not currently available.
UCAS was in close contact with Ofqual in the run-up to A level results day and the regulators (Ofqual in England, CCEA in Northern Ireland and DfES in
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Wales) oversaw the actions that each awarding organisation took in relation to the examination paper errors. On 5 August, Ofqual issued a statement confirming that they was satisfied that everything that could be done had been done to make sure that, as far as possible, candidates had not been unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged and that there was a level playing field.
In addition, it should be borne in mind that there may be many reasons why individuals have been not accepted by their first choice university, and it should not be assumed that there is a direct link between an applicant sitting a paper with an error and them failing to secure a place at their firm choice.
Students: Illnesses
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many higher education students suspended their studies due to illness or incapacity in each of the last five years. [70580]
Mr Willetts: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects information on the number of students who suspend their studies, but the reason for suspension is not recorded. Figures are given for all students who suspended their studies in the academic years 2005/06 to 2009/10.
Unemployment: Scotland
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will assess trends in underemployment in Scotland. [69620]
Mr Hayes: Skills funding and provision are a devolved activity and I would advise the hon. Member to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (Michael Russell MSP) at the Scottish Parliament.
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Education
Academies: Pay
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what requirement there is upon academies to pay staff earning less than £21,000 a year the £250 uplift in accordance with Government policy on the public sector pay freeze; how many such academy staff have not received the uplift; which academies have not paid the uplift to such staff; and what monitoring his Department has put in place on the payment of uplifts to academy staff. [68190]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 5 September 2011]: Academies are publicly funded independent schools and are not covered by public sector pay arrangements. Governing bodies for academies are free to set the pay and conditions that are appropriate for their school and are able to make their own decisions on how to respond to the public sector pay freeze.
The Department collects details on the salaries of staff in maintained schools and academies annually, through the School Workforce Census, to aid strategic planning for the school work force. The census does not collect information in the detail necessary to identify whether academies are imposing a pay freeze or paying support staff earning less than £21,000 a £250 pay increase.
Apprentices
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of (a) 16 and (b) 17 year olds are undertaking an apprenticeship. [64210]
Mr Hayes [holding answer 18 July 2011]: The following table shows the number and percentage of apprenticeship starts in England by age in 2009/10, the latest year for which we have full year data.
| Apprenticeship programme starts by age, 2009/10 and population estimates for 2010 | ||||
|
|
Apprenticeship starts | Percentage of all apprenticeship starts | 2010 England population | Percentage of apprenticeship starts in 2010 England population |
| Notes: 1. Apprenticeship figures are rounded to the nearest 10, apart from the total which is rounded to the nearest 100. England population figures (ONS population estimates, 2010) are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Percentages are based on unrounded figures. 3. Apprenticeship age is calculated based on age at start of the programme. Source: Individualised Learner Record and ONS population estimates, 2010. | ||||
Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 23 June 2011:
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
Apprentices: Tower Hamlets
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of people aged 16 to 18 years who (a) began and (b) completed an apprenticeship in (i) the London borough of Tower Hamlets and (ii) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency in each year since 2005-06. [68678]
Mr Hayes: The following table shows the number of apprenticeship programme starts and framework achievements by 16 to 18-year-old learners in Bethnal Green and Bow constituency and Tower Hamlets local education authority for academic years 2005/06 to 2009/10, the latest year for which final data are available.
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| Apprenticeship framework starts and achievements in Tower Hamlets local education authority and Bethnal Green and Bow parliamentary constituency by 16 to 18-year-olds, 2005/06 to 2009/10 | ||||||
|
|
|
2005/06 | 2006/07 | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Geographic information is based upon the home postcode of the learner. 3. These figures are based on the geographic boundaries of parliamentary constituencies as of May 2010. 4. Age is calculated based on age at start of the programme. 5. 16 to 18-year-old learners include a small number of learners who are aged under 16. Source: Individualised Learner Record. | ||||||
Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 23June 2011:
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
Discretionary Grants: Tower Hamlets
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when his Department expects to inform schools and further education colleges in (a) the London borough of Tower Hamlets and (b) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency of their allocation of discretionary learner support. [68677]
Mr Gibb: The Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) notified schools, colleges and training providers of their 2011/12 funding allocation for the new 16 to 19 Bursary Fund on 17 June 2011.
Drugs: Misuse
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children and young people are prescribed methadone under National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse regimes; and what procedures are in place to assist such people in ending drug use. [69645]
Sarah Teather: The National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) collects information on the number of young people in specialist substance misuse services in England. In 2009-10, there were 480 young people under 18 in treatment who had opiates as their main problem drug and, of these, 294 received pharmacological interventions. NDTMS does not distinguish between opiate substitute drugs (such as methadone or buprenorphine), other prescribed drugs (such as Ritalin for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), or what they are prescribed for (in this context it could include prescribing for detoxification, stabilisation and symptomatic relief of substance misuse). Information on the doses prescribed is not recorded within NDTMS nor held centrally.
Young people's substance misuse is markedly different to that of adults. Young people tend to have shorter histories of substance use and have used lower levels of drugs for shorter periods. They are therefore much less likely to be physically dependent. 2% of young people in treatment in 2009-10 had heroin or crack cocaine as their primary problem substance.
Substitute prescribing for under-18s is therefore rare, and it is expected that if young people are receiving substitute prescribing, it should normally be as part of a reduction or detoxification programme. Most substance misuse interventions for young people focus on psychosocial counselling-based therapies aimed at achieving abstinence.
This is supported by NDTMS figures, which show that of the 294 young people with opiate problems receiving pharmacological interventions in 2009/10, 78 were continuously receiving these interventions a year later. This suggests that of the total 23,528 young people receiving interventions for substance misuse, 0.3% were prescribed methadone or other substitute opioids on a maintenance basis.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate has been made of the average cost per week of a drug addiction care plan for a young person in a care home or the secure estate. [69648]
Sarah Teather: Information on costs specifically relating to a drug addiction care plan is not held centrally.
The full average cost of care in a local authority children's home is £2,881 per resident week, including external services.
In 2009-10, the full average annual cost of a placement in the secure estate was £59,000 for a young offender institute, £163,000 for a secure training centre and £219,000 for a secure children's home.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what qualifications are required of those who work on delivery of drug addiction treatment to young people in the secure estate and care homes. [69652]
Sarah Teather: Expectations for staff competencies and staff development in the secure estate are set out in the national specification for substance misuse:
http://yjbpublications.justice.gov.uk/Scripts/prodView.asp? idproduct=443&eP
For children's homes the National Minimum Standards set out the qualifications and staffing arrangement required. These are available via the following link:
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrdering Download/NMS%20Children's%20Homes.pdf
Standards 17 and 18 specify the qualifications and training for those working in children's homes and standard 14 specifies the minimum qualifications for managing the administration of a children's home.
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Specialist substance misuse staff may also be working in conjunction with residential staff where required.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what residential rehabilitation facilities are available to those under 18 years of age with substance addictions. [69654]
Sarah Teather: Young people with very complex needs, including substance misuse, who require a residential placement can be supported in a range of settings including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services or, for looked after children, a children's home or intensive fostering placement. However, such placements will be made after a full assessment of the child's needs have been carried out, rather than an assessment of their drug and alcohol use alone.
Some adult residential rehabilitation facilities also accept young people aged 17 where a placement is deemed suitable.
Young people's drug and alcohol related needs differ considerably from those of adults. 2% of young people in treatment in 2009-10 had heroin or crack cocaine as their primary problem substance, with the vast majority (91%) accessing services due to cannabis or alcohol misuse.
Young people have, typically, been misusing drugs or alcohol for a much shorter period of time and very few have developed a dependency to the point that residential rehabilitation facilities, such as those used for adult dependency, are required.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what types of drug addiction treatment are offered to young people in care homes and the secure estate; [69655]
(2) what type of care plan is provided for young people with a drug addiction in the secure estate and care homes; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of such plans. [69650]
Sarah Teather: Looked-after children, including those in children's homes or in intensive fostering placements, who are misusing drugs or alcohol should have access to the full range of support services provided by the local young people's substance misuse service. These include psychosocial interventions (such as counselling), family support and pharmacological interventions for those few young people who need them. These should be provided on an “in-reach” basis to the children's home where appropriate.
For young people with very complex needs, their care plans should consider the full range of their needs and set clear objectives for the end of their drug and alcohol treatment. Local commissioners will need to consider the full range of needs carefully for looked-after children before making an appropriate residential placement.
All young people entering custody are screened for substance misuse and those with identified needs should have a care plan in place that considers the full range of their substance misuse and associated needs, as well as their resettlement back into the community.
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The national specification for substance misuse sets out the guidelines for young people in the secure estate and the support that should be available:
http://yjbpublications.justice.gov.uk/Scripts/prodView.asp? idproduct=443&eP
Education Maintenance Allowance
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students in (a) Newcastle upon Tyne, (b) Northumberland and (c) North Tyneside constituency were in receipt of education maintenance allowance in the academic year 2010-11; and how many students in each area he estimates will receive 16 to 19 bursaries in 2011-12. [69589]
Mr Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA), which operates the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA’s chief executive, has written to the hon. Member for North Tyneside with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 16 () August 2011:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ69589 that asks;
“How many students in (a) Newcastle upon Tyne, (b) Northumberland and (c) North Tyneside constituency were in receipt of education maintenance allowance in academic year 2010-11; and how many students in each area he estimates will receive 16 to 19 bursaries in 2011-2012.”
As at the 31 July 2011 the number of young people who had received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) was as follows:
a. Newcastle upon Tyne: 3,618;
b. Northumberland: 3,596;
c. North Tyneside: 2,589.
In each case, figures refer to the local authority area. Information is not available at levels below local authority such as Parliamentary constituencies. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year concerned.
EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments, broken down by local authority, during 2010/11 is available on the YPLA website, at the following address:
http://ema.ypla.gov.uk/resources/research/takeup/
Further information on take up for 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10 can also be found on that website.
It is not possible to say how many young people will receive 16-19 bursaries in the 2011/12 academic year. Schools, colleges, Academies and training providers will be able to determine their own criteria for eligibility for discretionary bursaries, and for deciding the level of awards. Therefore the YPLA does not hold data about the number of young people that are expected to benefit from the bursary scheme in each local authority area. We expect that in many cases providers will want to agree a consistent approach across an area, taking account of the needs and circumstances of young people locally.
Education Maintenance Allowance: Tower Hamlets
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress his Department has made in its investigation into the effects of changes to education maintenance allowance in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. [68709]
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Mr Gibb: Schools, colleges and training providers in Tower Hamlets will receive £695,860 in 2011/12 under the arrangements for the new 16 to 19 Bursary Fund. In addition, all young people in Tower Hamlets who first applied successfully for EMA in 2009/10, and the majority of those who first did so in 2010/11, will continue to receive weekly payments via the nationally administered transitional arrangements in 2011/12.
As the new arrangements take effect we will be monitoring participation data closely, including those relating to London boroughs. We also expect to undertake a formal evaluation of the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund, which will allow us to consider its impact in more detail. We have at present no evidence that the introduction of the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund has had an impact on participation in education and training post-16 in Tower Hamlets.
Music: Education
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of peripatetic music lessons per student for (a) primary and (b) secondary age pupils in (i) England, (ii) the west midlands and (iii) Dudley borough for the school year 2011-12; [69609]
(2) what the cost was of peripatetic music lessons per student for (a) primary and (b) secondary age pupils in (i) England, (ii) the west midlands and (iii) Dudley borough in each of the last five years. [69610]
Mr Gibb: Local authorities are responsible for arranging the provision of music instrument lessons and for setting the charges for these lessons, which historically have often been paid for by parents. Information on the cost of peripatetic music lessons is not collected by or held centrally by the Department for Education, but the total number of children in England taking music lessons in 2010 was just over 1.1 million at a cost of £219 million.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to encourage the uptake of music education in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools. [69611]
Mr Gibb:
We want every child to learn a musical instrument and to sing. We are committed to significant public expenditure in providing music services because we are determined that every child will have access to a
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quality music education, including those from families that cannot afford to pay for private lessons. We have protected money to the front line, and we shall be setting out our detailed proposals, later this year, in a national plan for music education. This will include our proposals for encouraging the uptake of good quality music education in state funded schools.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from representatives of (a) parents, (b) teaching unions, (c) local authorities and (d) head teachers regarding the effects on music education of changes in the level of spending on schools. [69612]
Mr Gibb: In addition to the 900 responses to the call for evidence for Mr Darren Henley's review of music education in 2010, the Department for Education received between January and July this year almost 400 items of correspondence from people concerned about music education. It would be a disproportionate cost to the Department to break these down by type of correspondent.
In response to Mr Henley's review of music education, the Government made clear their commitment to ensuring every child experiences a sound music education with opportunities to learn to play a musical instrument and to sing. In addition to announcing a funding settlement for music education of £82.5 million for 2011-12, the Government pledged to eliminate historical discrepancies in funding. Moving to a more transparent funding formula has resulted in some local authorities receiving an increase in funding, while we have guaranteed that no local authority would lose more than 10% of its funding compared to 2010-11. The majority of the funding for 2011-12 will go to the front line to deliver music education.
Schools: York
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much central Government resource funding was allocated to schools in York in each year since 1996-97; and how much he plans to allocate in each year of the comprehensive spending review period in (a) cash and (b) real terms (i) in total and (ii) per pupil. [65596]
Mr Gibb: The per pupil and total revenue funding figures, from the Department to local authorities, for pupils aged three to 19 for York for years 1997-98 to 2005-06 are as follows.
These figures are in cash terms:
| Local authority total revenue funding (cash) | |||||||||
|
|
1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
These figures are in real terms:
| Local authority total revenue funding (real) | |||||||||
|
|
1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
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7 Sep 2011 : Column 734W
| Notes: 1. Price Base: Real terms at 2010-11 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 29 June 2011. 2. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of Standard Spending Assessment/Education Formula Spending (EFS) settlements and exclude the pensions transfer to EFS and YPLA. 3. Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DfE Departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to pupils aged three to 19 and exclude Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level. 4. Where responsibility for funding a school has transferred from an authority, related funding no longer appears in the series. 5. The pupil numbers used to convert £ million figures to £ per pupil are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations plus PLASC three-year-old maintained pupils and estimated three to four-year-olds funded through state support in maintained and other educational institutions where these are not included in the SSA pupil numbers. 6. Rounding: Total figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million, per pupil figures are rounded to the nearest £10. | |||||||||
The total revenue per pupil figures shown in the following table are taken from the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). They are not comparable with those for the years 1997-98 to 2005-06 because the introduction of the DSG in 2006-07 fundamentally changed how local authorities are funded.
The 1997-98 to 2005-06 figures are based on Education Formula Spending (EFS) which formed the education part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, plus various grants. This was an assessment of what local authorities needed to fund education rather than what they spent. The DSG is based largely on an authority's previous spending. In addition, the DSG has a different coverage to EFS. EFS comprised a schools block and an LEA block (to cover LEA central functions), whereas DSG only covers the school block. LEA block items are still funded through DCLG's Local Government Finance Settlement but education items cannot be separately identified. Consequently, there is a break in the Department's time series as the two sets of data are not comparable. An alternative time series is currently under development.
To provide a comparison for the 2006-07 DSG, the Department has isolated the schools block equivalent funding in 2005-06; as described above this does not represent the totality of ‘education' funding in that year.
The total and per pupil revenue funding figures for years 2005-06 to 2010-11 for York are provided in the following table. The figures shown are for all funded pupils aged three to 19 and are in cash terms:
| Local authority total revenue funding (DSG + grants cash) | ||||||
|
|
2005-06 (Baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
These figures are in real terms:
| Local authority total revenue funding (DSG + grants real) | ||||||
|
|
2005-06 ( Baseline ) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| Notes: 1. This covers funding through the Dedicated Schools Grant, School Standards Grant, School Standards Grant (Personalisation) and Standards Fund as well as funding from the Learning and Skills Council; it excludes grants which are not allocated at LA level. 2. Price Base: Real terms at 2010-11 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 29 June 2011. 3. These figures are for all funded pupils aged three to 19. 4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10. 5. Some of the grant allocations have not been finalised. If these do change, the effect on the funding figures is expected to be minimal. | ||||||