| Friday 18 December 2009 | Friday 31 December 2010 | Friday 30 September 2011 | ||||
| Establishment | Certified norma l accommodation | Operational capacity | Certified normal accommodation | Operational capacity | Certified normal accommodation | Operational capacity |
12 Oct 2011 : Column 409W
12 Oct 2011 : Column 410W
12 Oct 2011 : Column 411W
12 Oct 2011 : Column 412W
Prison: Video Linkup
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many days the video linkup system at Peterborough Prison has been fully operational in the last three months; and what assessment he has made of the costs to the justice system of the system not being fully operational. [73772]
Mr Blunt: The Prison Court Video Link (PCVL) system at HMP Peterborough underwent necessary repair during the period from late August to early October 2011. This led to less usage of the system while these repairs were undertaken. The system is now fully operational.
The following table provides a comparison of the PCVL usage at HMP Peterborough during the three months July 2011 to September 2011.
| 2011 | Number of occasions PCVL used at HMP Peterborough |
It is not possible to predict the exact cost that would have been saved on extra prisoner escorts while the system was being repaired, as the number of usages can vary month on month. However, as an indication, we calculate that the saving made by using PCVL instead of escorts to court in July 2011, the last full month when the system was fully operational, was £16,400 for the 49 occasions used. September's lower usage of 30 occasions is therefore likely to have saved around 39% less than normal expectations.
12 Oct 2011 : Column 413W
Prisons: Contracts for services
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department paid to the contractors running (a) HMP Doncaster, (b) HMP Peterborough, (c) HMP Lowdham Grange, (d) HMP Bronzefield, (e) HMP Ashfield, (f) HMP Parc, (g) HMP Altcourse, (h) HMP Forest Bank, (i) HMP Wolds, (j) HMP Dovegate, (k) HMP Birmingham, (l) HMP Featherstone and (m) HMP Rye Hill in the financial year (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13. [73847]
Mr Blunt: The information requested by the right hon. Member is provided in the following table. The values quoted are based on the invoiced amounts paid to contractors. The same actual invoiced amounts for financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13 are therefore not available at present.
| Name of prison | 2010-11 (£) |
HMP Birmingham only very recently transferred operations across to the new contractor (from 1 October 2011), and as yet no funds have been paid against invoices.
HMP Featherstone is due to receive its first prisoners in April 2012 and so no invoices have been paid to the contractor to date.
Tribunals Service
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what resources he has allocated to the Tribunals Service to reduce the number of cases waiting to be heard in the latest period for which figures are available; [73568]
(2) how many people were employed by the Tribunals Service to hear appeals in each of the last five years. [73569]
Mr Djanogly: In April 2011, Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) was created, bringing together Courts and Tribunals into one organisation.
The total gross operational budget for the tribunal element of HMCTS for 2011-12 is £279.4 million. The allocated funding has not been assigned specifically for cases waiting to be heard but on sitting levels needed to achieve the optimum level of performance.
In 2009-10, there was an average of 1,519 full-time equivalent tribunal panel members. In 2010-11 there was an average of 1,620 full-time equivalent tribunal panel members. The method of calculating ‘Full Time Equivalent' members changed in 2010-11 and while the
12 Oct 2011 : Column 414W
2009-10 figures have been restated in line with this change, earlier figures have not been recalculated and are, therefore, not available.
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) in how many cases on appeal dealt with by the Tribunals Service decisions were overturned in the latest period for which figures are available; [73564]
(2) what the average length of time was for which a person waited to have their case heard by the Tribunals Service in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many people waited longer than (a) six months and (b) 12 months; [73565]
(3) how many cases were waiting to be heard by the Tribunals Service on the most recent date for which figures are available. [73566]
Mr Djanogly: In April 2011, Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) was created, bringing together Courts and Tribunals into one organisation.
There are, including the Upper Tribunal Chambers, 35 Tribunal jurisdictions within HMCTS. The information requested for all Tribunals could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The three largest jurisdictions within HMCTS—social security and child support, immigration and asylum and employment tribunals—accounted for 93% of receipts for the business year 2010-11. Information has, therefore, been provided for these jurisdictions.
(1) The following table shows the number of cases (or jurisdictional complaints for employment tribunals) found in favour of the appellant for the full year, 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 and for 1 April to 30 June 2011.
| Number of successful cases: 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 and for 1 April to 30 June 2011 | ||
| Tribunal | 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 | 1 April 2011 to 30 June 2011 |
| (1) This is the number of employment tribunal jurisdictional claims that were disposed of and found to be successful (in favour of the claimant) at a tribunal and excludes settlements. A claim can contain a number of grounds, known as jurisdictional complaints. In any hearing, the tribunal has to decide upon the merits of the claim made under each jurisdiction. (2) Based on decisions at hearing and on the papers. | ||
Employment tribunals determine disputes between employers and employees over employment rights. As party v. party tribunals, employment tribunals differ from all other administrative tribunals.
HMCTS publishes statistical information (the latest to 30 June 2011) at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/tribunals/quarterly.htm
In addition, details of the social security and child support tribunal's performance is also published monthly, most recently to 31 August 2011.
(2) It has not been possible to collate the average waiting for employment tribunals and immigration and asylum cases within the time frame required for this answer. However, I will write to the hon. Member to provide the information once it has been collated.
12 Oct 2011 : Column 415W
The average waiting time for the social security and child support (SSCS) tribunal measures the time from the receipt of the appeal in the tribunal to the time of its disposal. In August 2011, the average clearance time from receipt to disposal for all SSCS benefits combined was 24.4 weeks.
The following table shows the percentage of cases disposed of in April to June 2011, aged more than six months and more than 12 months old(1).
(1) These data reflect the age of the case at the time that it was disposed—the best data we have at this time to reflect “waiting” times.
| Percentage of cases aged more than six months and 12 months | ||
| Tribunal | Percentage of cases disposed of aged more than six months old | Percentage of cases disposed of aged more than 12 months old |
The measures cannot be directly compared between one tribunal and another because of different processes.
(3) Information is not collected on the number of cases waiting to be heard. The following table shows the caseload outstanding at 30 June 2011.
| Caseload outstanding 30 June | |
| Tribunal | Caseload outstanding at 30 June 2011 |
Approximately three-fifths of the outstanding employment tribunal caseload related to ‘multiple' claims (collections of two or more of these cases are grouped and managed together). They are often legally and factually complex and at any point in time it is common for such cases to be ‘stayed', meaning that they are not ready to have a final hearing at that time for some reason—for example due to awaiting the decision of an appellate court on case management or other interim matters.
Work Capability Assessment: Appeals
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff were employed by the Tribunals Service to deal with appeals against work capability assessment decisions in each month of (a) 2010 and (b) 2011. [72788]
Mr Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment is a key factor) rather than appeals against work capability assessment decisions themselves.
12 Oct 2011 : Column 416W
It is not possible to identify how many staff deal specifically with ESA appeals. The following table shows the number of staff employed by the Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) tribunal (the lowest level to which the figures can be broken down) as at the end of each month between January 2010 and June 2011 (the latest period for which published figures are available). The tribunal hears appeals on a range of benefits, of which ESA is one. There was an increase in headcount of 236 over the time period. Of this, 68 were permanent staff and 168 staff on fixed term contracts. HMCTS disposed of 37,200 SSCS appeals in June 2011, up 55% from 24,100 in January 2010.
| Social Security and Child Support tribunal staff numbers January 2010 to June 2011 | |
|
|
Number of staff (1) |
| (1) The data are taken from management information. The figures quoted refer to the total number of people employed and include those who work part-time or on a full-time basis and on temporary or fixed-term contacts. Some of the staff included may work in multi-jurisdictional centres dealing with other work as well as social security and child support appeals. | |
Wormwood Scrubs: BBC
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 7 September 2011, Official Report, column 632W, on Wormwood Scrubs: BBC, what reasons have been given for the delay from the BBC and Mentorn in making the payment. [72241]
Mr Blunt: We have not sought clarification from Mentorn about the time it took for the invoice to be paid. We have received the payment in full and are satisfied with this transaction.
Youth Justice Board
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what budget he has allocated to the Youth Justice Board for (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13. [73789]
Mr Blunt: The Youth Justice Board received the following amounts of grant in aid funding from the Ministry of Justice:
12 Oct 2011 : Column 417W
(a) 2010-11: £434.17 million
(b) 2011-12: £389.939 million
(c) 2012-13: We have provided the YJB with an indicative allocation of £384.973 million. This figure is still under review and will not be finalised until the beginning of the financial year.
The YJB also receives Capital Funding from the MOJ as well as funding from other Government Departments.
Youth Offending Teams
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what funding youth offending teams received in total in each year since 2007. [71427]
Mr Blunt: Total funding to youth offending teams during each financial year since 2007 is given as follows:
|
|
£ |
These amounts are different from the totals given in Appendix A, Table A.2 of the published Youth Justice Statistics 2009-10. This is because grants from the YJB for Intensive Supervision and Surveillance (ISS), youth crime prevention, Re-settlement and Aftercare Provision (RAP) and Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) are not included in the total given in Table A.2.
Total funding figures for 2010-11 have not been published yet as they are still undergoing final audit processes prior to publication (scheduled for January 2012).
Treasury
Banks: Finance
Mr Crausby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the proportion of UK banks which take up their full allocation of European Investment Bank funding; [72719]
(2) what happens to any European Investment Bank funding allocated to UK banks but left unclaimed. [72720]
Justine Greening: In accordance with its statute, the European Investment Bank (EIB) does not make a specific funding allocation to UK banks.
Currently, four UK banks have access to EIB facilities: Barclays, Santander, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Lloyds Banking Group.
Capital Investment: Government Departments
Simon Wright:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton (Mr Meacher) of 14 June 2011, Official Report, column 701W, how many capital expenditure programmes that have not used the private finance initiative have been undertaken
12 Oct 2011 : Column 418W
by each Government Department since 1997; what the total monetary value was of such programmes; and if he will place a list of such programmes in the Library. [72239]
Danny Alexander: The majority of capital spending programmes are not funded through private finance initiatives. Each Department will have a list of spending on capital projects, however HM Treasury does not hold a central list of individual capital programmes across Government. Treasury publishes twice yearly the PFI Data Summary of spend on PFI projects. Treasury does not collect information on individual non-PFI spending projects.
International Development
Developing Countries: Nutrition
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to improve awareness of (a) nutrition and (b) agriculture in developing countries; and if he will make a statement. [72775]
Mr O'Brien: The UK is committed to long-term efforts to tackle hunger and undernutrition, as captured in our recently published strategy “Scaling Up Nutrition: the UK's position paper on undernutrition”. It sets out the steps the Department will take to comprehensively scale up its nutrition programmes over the next four years, reaching 20 million children under the age of five, in addition to humanitarian assistance.
The Government are also working with international partners to address issues of food security. In June, G20 Agriculture Ministers agreed an action plan on food price volatility and agriculture to take forward concrete actions in this area. On the basis of the action plan and through work of international organizations—DFID has taken specific actions including; strengthening research, innovation and dissemination, mobilizing the G20 agriculture research networks and promoting efforts to scale up responsible investments and activities related to agricultural production and food security, in cooperation with the multilateral development banks and the private sector.
Education
Apprentices
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds were undertaking an apprenticeship in each of the last five financial years; and what proportion he expects to participate in an apprenticeship in each year to 2014-15. [72510]
Mr Hayes [holding answer 10 October 2011]: The following table sets out the proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds undertaking apprenticeships using academic years. Figures are not available by financial year. Plans beyond 2011/12 are subject to review and are not yet available.
12 Oct 2011 : Column 419W
12 Oct 2011 : Column 420W
| Participation rates for 16-18-year-olds on apprenticeships, England | ||||||
| Academic years | ||||||
|
|
2006/07 | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 (provisional) | 2011/12 (projection) |
| Notes: 1. Age is age at the beginning of the academic year, i.e. 31 August. 2. Percentages are based on a snapshot count of what people were participating in at the end of the calendar year, i.e. 2010/11 is based on end 2010 snapshot estimate. 3. Population estimates for academic year ages are derived by DFE from mid-year estimates and projections provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Government Actuary's Department (GAD). 4. 2011/12 snapshot of projections have been derived from the whole year learner volumes published in the 2011-12 16-19 Funding Statement (December 2010) and are currently being reviewed as part of the work for the 2012-13 16-19 Funding Statement which is due to be published in November 2011. 5. Forecasted volume will change as more current data and analysis become available. | ||||||
Legal Opinion
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Department in 2010-11; what guidance his Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case. [72563]
Tim Loughton: The Department does not keep a central record of hourly rates paid to external solicitors and cannot therefore provide average hourly rates.
Where possible, the Department instructs barristers from the Attorney-General's panel of Counsel. Details of barristers who are currently on the panel are available from the Treasury Solicitor's Department website at:
www.tsol.gov.uk/attorney_generals_panel_of_counsel.htm
The Attorney-General's panel of Counsel is made up of three London panels which are divided according to experience, as well as a regional panel. The maximum rates paid to barristers on the panels are:
A panel: £120 per hour
B panel: £100 per hour
C panel: £80 per hour
Regional panel: £60 to £110 per hour (depending on experience)
For particularly complex and sensitive matters, the Department instructs First Treasury Counsel. The hourly rate paid to First Treasury Counsel is £220.
The Department is required to seek a nomination from the Attorney-General when it retains leading Counsel. Fees in these cases are individually agreed.
When commissioning external legal advice, the Department uses its internal guidance on the procurement of consultancy services.
For non-contentious matters, the Department instructs solicitors' firms selected from a panel. This panel has been established under a framework agreement to provide legal services to Government bodies and is managed by the Government Procurement Service (formerly known as Buying Solutions). Between the beginning of April 2010 and the end of March 2011, the following sums were paid to panel firms:
|
|
£ |
The Department does not keep a separate record of the names of external barristers instructed or sums paid. Extracting this information for the period 2010-11 from the Department's central payments system could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Emissions
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations his Department has received from directorates of the European Commission on the UK's carbon floor price. [73751]
Gregory Barker: We are continuing to engage informally with the European Commission as part of our overall policy development related to the Electricity Market Reform proposal.
The EU and the UK share common energy policy objectives. We consider that the approach being adopted under the GB Electricity Market Reform is consistent with the EU's vision for decarbonisation and security of supply. We support full integration of the UK energy market with the wider EU electricity market. We are working with the European Commission and other EU stakeholders to ensure that the Electricity Market Reform package is consistent with, and complementary to, developing EU energy policy.
As set out in chapter 2 of the Government's Electricity Market Reform White Paper, the CPF complements the EU ETS by strengthening the carbon price signal in the UK electricity generation sector, enabling higher levels of investment in low-carbon infrastructure and therefore a faster rate of decarbonisation. Going forward, we would support an EU-wide tightening of the EU ETS in order to meet ambitious carbon emission reduction targets in the EU, and to meet the long-term EU objective of reducing emissions by 80% to 95% by 2050.
12 Oct 2011 : Column 421W
Carbon Emissions: Shipping
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress he has made on negotiations to apply a carbon price to international shipping emissions. [73584]
Gregory Barker: The UK Government believe that a global emissions trading system that places a price on carbon would be the best way of reducing international shipping emissions effectively and efficiently. We continue to push for progress towards this goal in the International Maritime Organization.
Last year, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), played an active role in the UN Secretary-General's High Level Group on Climate Financing (AGF), which found that applying a carbon price to the international shipping sector could provide a feasible source of climate financing. The UK has been pushing for progress on agreeing these recommendations through the EU, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the G20.
Electricity Generation
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received from the European Commission on electricity market reform. [73805]
Charles Hendry: We are continuing to engage informally with the European Commission as part of our overall policy development of the electricity market reform proposals.
Energy Supply: Prices
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how he plans to consult energy-intensive industries prior to the announcement of measures to mitigate the effects on them of introducing carbon price support. [73040]
Gregory Barker: My officials and I are in regular contact with a wide range of energy intensive industries on a bilateral and multi-lateral basis. I visited Germany on 26 and 27 September in the company of UK chief executives to see firsthand how German-based energy intensive industries were operating and to learn how the German Government encourage greater energy efficiency from their energy intensive industries. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), meets energy intensive and other UK industry in the Green Economy Council meetings which he co-chairs with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable) and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman).
My officials have met and continue to meet industry both individually and in wider fora. The principal forum for discussing the development of the package of measures to reduce the effects of Government policy on electricity costs for energy-intensive manufacturers whose international competitiveness is most affected by UK energy and
12 Oct 2011 : Column 422W
climate change policy is the Green Economy Council Energy Intensive Industries sub-group. This comprises representatives of industry, trade associations, trade unions and includes officials from DECC, the Department of Business Innovation and Skills and HM Treasury. The Government plan to announce the details of the package before the end of the year.
Feed-in Tariffs
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many community installations accredited for the feed-in-tariff scheme are (a) above and (b) below 50KW. [72975]
Gregory Barker: At the end of June 2011 there were 494 community installations confirmed onto the Feed-in-Tariffs (FiTs) scheme. Table 1 splits these out into schemes of above and below 50 kilowatts in generation capacity.
| Table 1: Numbers of community FiTs installations by technology and size | ||
| Technology | 50kW and under | Over 50kW |
Since the end of June a further 80 community schemes have been confirmed onto the FiTs scheme. It will be possible to break these down by installed capacity following the publication of the quarterly FiTs statistical publication on 27 October 2011.
Fuel Poverty
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the number of people aged over 60 in fuel poverty in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Dudley Borough. [73002]
Gregory Barker: The most recent fuel poverty data available for England and the West Midlands is for the year 2009. The most recent local authority level data available is for 2008. Data on fuel poverty are presented in terms of the number of households affected. The data show that:
In 2009, nearly two million households containing someone aged over 60 in England were in fuel poverty. This represents 27% of all households containing someone over 60 in England.
In 2009, 0.3 million households containing someone aged over 60 in the West Midlands were in fuel poverty. This represents 37% of all households containing someone over 60 in the West Midlands.
In 2008, around 26,000 households in the local authority of Dudley were in fuel poverty. This represents 25% of all households in Dudley. Data on fuel poverty amongst over 60s in Dudley is not available.
Oil
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consideration his further review of regulatory procedures of the UK oil and gas industry will give to the oil leak from Shell's Gannet Alpha platform. [73050]
12 Oct 2011 : Column 423W
Charles Hendry: Prompted by the Gulf of Mexico spill last year, the principal focus of the further review of UK oil and gas regulation is around drilling operations, which were not, of course, germane to the Gannet event. Given the ongoing nature of the joint DECC/HSE investigation into Gannet, the regulatory review has not examined the matter in detail and would not, therefore, be in a position to offer detailed observations.
Renewable Energy: Finance
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent estimate is of the annual average (a) proportion and (b) cash amount by which the energy bills of domestic consumers are increased in order to finance and subsidise the provision of renewable energy. [73542]
Charles Hendry: DECC's last published assessment in July 2010, available online at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/ec_social_res/analytic_projs/price_bill_imp/price_bill_imp.aspx
estimated that the renewables obligation and feed-in-tariff scheme were adding £21 (2%) in total to the average household energy (gas plus electricity) bill in 2010 and this was estimated to increase to £51 (5%) in 2015 and £105 (9%) in 2020 (all in real 2009 prices).
As explained in the July document, these estimates do not take account of the potential offsetting impact from higher levels of renewables pushing down wholesale electricity prices, which previous modelling by Redpoint for DECC suggested could be around £6/MWh on average over the period 2010-20. They also do not take account of changes to energy and climate change policies announced since July 2010.
An updated assessment of the impact of energy and climate change policies on the energy bills faced by households and businesses will be published alongside the next annual energy statement.
Renewables Obligation
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made on the Renewables Obligation Certificate banding review; and when he expects his proposed consultation as part of that review to commence. [73954]
Gregory Barker: The first phase of the banding review on renewables costs and deployment potential conducted by DECC for Arup and Ernst and Young has now been completed and the report published on the DECC website. We intend to publish a consultation on the proposed new bands shortly.
The new bands will come into effect on 1 April 2013 (1 April 2014 for offshore wind).
Water Power: Feed-in Tariffs
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether marine energy projects will be eligible to receive support through his proposed feed-in tariff with contract for difference. [73009]
12 Oct 2011 : Column 424W
Gregory Barker: The CfD is being designed to be compatible with all forms of low-carbon generation including marine.
Deputy Prime Minister
Laws: Regulation
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which laws and regulations have been repealed since May 2010. [73918]
Mr Harper: In the policy areas for which the Deputy Prime Minister has direct responsibility, the Government have brought forward important constitutional and political reforms which have made a number of changes to the statute book. This includes the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 which repealed the Septennial Act 1715.
Recall of Members of Parliament
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2011, Official Report, column 623W, on Recall of Members of Parliament, whether he expects to publish his proposals for recall of hon. Members by their constituents before the Christmas recess. [73952]
Work and Pensions
Anti-slavery Day
Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to mark Anti-slavery Day 2011. [72290]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions has no plans to mark Anti-slavery Day 2011.
Computers
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many laptops were lost by staff of his Department in each of the last five years; and what penalties were imposed on those staff members as a result of the losses. [73636]
Chris Grayling: The following table shows the numbers of laptop computers recorded by the Department as having been lost (or stolen) for the calendar years in question.
|
|
Number |
The Department requires that all its laptop computers are encrypted according to standards prescribed by the central security authorities. Therefore in the event of theft or loss of a laptop computer, the information contained on the hard drive is secure.
12 Oct 2011 : Column 425W
The Department formally requires its employees to safeguard all valuable assets, and local management will take firm action where an employee neglects such responsibilities. This type of disciplinary incident is recorded centrally under a broad heading and it is not possible to further break the figures down to identify what action was actually taken in specific cases where employees lost laptops. To attempt to obtain this level of detail would incur disproportionate cost.
Crisis Loans
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2011, Official Report, column 462W, on crisis loans, how much has been repaid against crisis loans made in each year; and after what period outstanding loans are written off. [72154]
Steve Webb: The following table shows how much has been repaid against crisis loans made in each year.
|
|
Amount repaid against crisis loans (£ million) |
| Notes: 1. The figures are from the annual report by the Secretary of State on the social fund for the relevant year. 2. Examples of when a debt might be written off because there is no prospect of recovery are: deceased and no estate to recover from gone abroad long-term custodial sentence certain insolvency cases | |
The social fund does not have a time limit for writing off debt. Unless there is no prospect of recovery, the right to recover social fund loans continues to be exercised until the debt is repaid.
Procurement
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress his Department has made in eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000. [73830]
Chris Grayling: The official DWP commercial policy is that pre-qualification questionnaires are not required for requirements under £100,000.
Disability Living Allowance: Care Homes
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people living in residential care homes in each local authority claim the mobility component of disability living allowance. [73573]
Maria Miller: Reliable estimates of total disability living allowance claimants in residential care homes are not available as we are unable to identify accurately disability living allowance claimants who meet the full cost of their residential care.
Estimates of the numbers of mobility component recipients in residential care homes, who are not fully
12 Oct 2011 : Column 426W
self-funding, are not available other than on a Government Office region wide basis. The information is contained in the following table.
| Non self-funded DLA mobility component recipients in residential care | |
|
|
Number |
| Notes: 1. Caseloads are rounded to nearest thousand individuals. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study, Feb 2011 | |
Disability Premium: Glasgow
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland are currently in receipt of the (i) disability premium and (ii) enhanced disability premium. [73598]
Maria Miller: The information requested is available only in respect of income support and jobseeker's allowance.
| Income support/jobseeker's allowance claimants with disabled child premium/enhanced disabled child premium in Glasgow local authority and Scotland—February 2011 | ||
|
|
Glasgow local authority | Scotland |
| (1) Figures of 500 or less are subject to a degree of sampling variation and therefore should be used as a guide only to the correct situation. (2) Nil or negligible. Notes: 1. Figures have been uprated using 5% proportions against 100% WPLS totals. 2. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. 3. Figures exclude residual minimum income guarantee claimants. Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) Information Directorate, 5% samples. | ||