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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 1 November 2011
Communities and Local Government
Departmental Assets
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assets with a value of £250,000 or more his Department has bought since May 2010; for what purpose; and if he will make a statement. [77417]
Robert Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government has purchased three assets with a value of £250,000 or more since May 2010:
Data Protection
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many official ministerial papers were recorded as not returned to his Department or otherwise unaccounted for in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [76810]
Robert Neill [holding answer 26 October 2011]: No Cabinet Committee papers or minutes for this period are unaccounted for.
Lost Property
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has lost any (a) computers, (b) mobile phones, (c) BlackBerrys and (d) other IT equipment since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [77416]
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Robert Neill: Since May 2010 the following departmental items have been lost.
| Item | Lost |
All departmental IT is fully security encrypted.
Departmental Public Expenditure
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on new furnishings in the last year. [73118]
Robert Neill: Departmental finance records show that £1,737 was spent on office furniture (e.g. desks, chairs, cabinets, staff lockers) in the last 12 months (ending 30 September 2011).
Comparative figures are not readily accessible for previous years, although spending was significantly higher, as illustrated by the last Administration spending £134,503 in 2009-10 just on luxury red sofas by the Parisian designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish on his Department's website data covering ministerial overseas travel, meetings, gifts received and ministerial hospitality since the end of March 2011. [77295]
Robert Neill: In line with other Government Departments, the data for the period from April to June 2011 will be published shortly.
Security
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were in possession of a security pass for his main departmental headquarters, including multi-site headquarters and not including staff or contractors, in each month since May 2010. [77869]
Robert Neill: Apart from security passes issued to staff and contractors the only passes issued are those to visitors. The Department deletes the record of daily visitor passes issued once the visit has taken place, in line with data protection provisions.
Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect on recycling rates of bi-weekly collection of refuse. [76972]
Robert Neill: My Department has not undertaken any specific assessment on this issue. Ministers do not believe that it is necessary to have fortnightly rubbish collections to try to increase recycling.
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The cuts to frontline rubbish services encouraged by the last Administration were a lazy option. We believe that more joint working, better procurement, positive incentives and new technology are better ways of improving value for money, while maintaining regular and comprehensive services for local residents.
Our Weekly Collections Support Scheme initiative will help councils deliver better weekly collections, and in the process make it easier for families to go green and improve amenity and the local environment.
Empty Property
Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when his Department expects to publish its consultation on an empty homes premium. [73239]
Grant Shapps: The Department intends to publish its consultation on an empty homes premium shortly. A copy of the consultation has been deposited in the Library of the House. It invites views on the idea of an empty homes premium.
Housing: Fire Prevention
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received from charities on fire safety assessments in (a) local authority owned residential property and (b) privately rented property. [78038]
Robert Neill: We have received no representations from charities in respect of fire safety assessments in local authority-owned residential property or privately rented property.
Inform: Cost-effectiveness
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how often his Department assesses the work of Inform for the purposes of ensuring value for money for the funding it provides. [77542]
Andrew Stunell: Whenever any external organisation applies to my Department for financial support, an initial assessment is carried out of the value for money of its proposals. All bodies which go on to receive financial support are continually assessed under the appropriate framework for the management of public finances.
Local Government Finance
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had on the funding settlement for local authorities for 2012-13. [77659]
Robert Neill: Ministers regularly discuss local government finance settlements with interested parties. We will be consulting on our proposals for the provisional local government finance settlement for 2012-13 in due course. As part of the current two-year settlement provisional figures for 2012-13 are available on our website at:
http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/grant.htm#set1213
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Organised Crime: Departmental Co-ordination
Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 11 August 2011, Official Report, column 1055, on public disorder, what meetings he and his Ministers have had with Home Office Ministers to assist in compiling the report to the House on gang culture. [77832]
Grant Shapps: Ministers within the Department for Communities and Local Government regularly meet colleagues from the Home Office to discuss a range of matters.
Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 11 August 2011, Official Report, column 1055, on public disorder, what meetings his officials have had with the Home Office to assist in compiling the report to the House on gang culture. [77835]
Grant Shapps: Officials within the Department for Communities and Local Government regularly meet colleagues from the Home Office to discuss a range of matters.
Piers: Redcar and Cleveland
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which (a) individuals and (b) organisations have made representations to him about securing funding for an additional pier in Redcar and Cleveland. [77189]
Robert Neill: My Department has received no representations from individuals or organisations about the funding of a new pier in Redcar and Cleveland.
Urban Areas: Government Assistance
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has disbursed through the High Street Support Scheme since the scheme's establishment; and how many businesses have received support. [77004]
Robert Neill [holding answer 21 October 2011]: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my Department's press notice of 27 October 2011. I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.
Wales
Children: Poverty
Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent estimate she has made of the number of children in Wales living in poverty. [76989]
Mr David Jones: Latest figures derived from the Households Below Average Income series of surveys for the period 2007-08 to 2009-10 show that the proportion of children living in relative poverty in Wales stands at 25%.
The Government are firmly committed to the goal of ending child poverty in Wales and across the United Kingdom by 2020. The UK's first Child Poverty Strategy
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“A New Approach to Child Poverty: Tackling the Causes of Disadvantage and Transforming Families' Lives” sets out a new approach to tackling poverty for this Parliament and up to 2020. The strategy is clear that poverty is about far more than income.
The strategy demonstrates the Government's commitment to lifting people out not only of income poverty, but poverty of aspiration and poverty of outcomes. The strategy established a new suite of child poverty indicators against which progress will be monitored. These new indicators, in addition to those in the Child Poverty Act 2010, continue to recognise the importance of income, but also capture the broader understanding of both the causes and consequences of poverty.
We must also recognise that the Welsh Government have responsibility for a number of factors that affect child poverty and it is important that their strategy dovetails with ours, especially given that Wales continues to show levels of child poverty well above the UK average.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether she receives any external funding for (a) her ministerial office and (b) her advisers; and what the (i) source and (ii) amount is of any such funding. [77707]
Mr David Jones: The Wales Office receives no external funding.
Social Enterprises
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had on promoting social enterprises in the area for which her Department is responsible in each month since May 2010; and if she will make a statement. [77326]
Mr David Jones: The Wales Office has no executive responsibility for service provision that social enterprises could undertake.
However, the Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan) and I are aware of the positive impact social enterprise—an aspect of the big society vision—can have in communities and we are committed to promoting and encouraging it in Wales. Our recent big society seminar, which examined how all sectors could get involved in activity to benefit the community, was attended by several representatives of the social enterprise sector. In addition, I have visited several social enterprises since May 2010, including the very successful Crest co-operative in Llandudno and the Cwm Trannon community co-operative at Trefeglwys.
Northern Ireland
Departmental Public Expenditure
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he receives any external funding for (a) his ministerial office and (b) his advisers; and what the (i) source and (ii) amount is of any such funding. [77712]
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Departmental Responsibilities
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at how many events organised by (a) charities, (b) other civil society groups, (c) businesses and (d) lobbying organisations Ministers and senior officials in his Department have given speeches in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [77379]
Mr Swire: Since May 2010, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), and I have attended a great many events and functions organised by a wide range of organisations across Northern Ireland. We have spoken at a number of these events either informally or to a formal text which would routinely be published on the departmental website. The level of detail the hon. Member requires can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Home Department
Asylum
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK Border Agency (UKBA) flights to Sri Lanka there have been in each month since May 2010; how many failed Tamil asylum seekers were on each flight; how many are still in contact with UKBA or other Government representatives; and if she will make a statement. [77340]
Damian Green: Where a person is found not to be in need of international protection and they have no other lawful basis to remain in the UK, we expect them to leave the country. We would prefer such people leave voluntarily and we provide a number of comprehensive schemes to assist them with doing so, but if they fail to leave, we will enforce their departure.
Most people whose removal is being enforced leave on scheduled flights, but in the case of Sri Lanka, the UK Border Agency has also chartered two flights, one in June 2011 returning 26 people and a second in September 2011 returning 50. These were Sri Lankan nationals; the UK Border Agency only keeps records of nationality rather than ethnicity.
We monitor the conditions in countries across the world closely and only seek to return people where it is safe to do so and it would not put the UK in breach of its international obligations. The UK Border Agency does not routinely monitor the treatment of individual subjects once they are removed from the UK, given that they have been found not to be in need of international protection. However, in the case of Sri Lanka, we currently provide those being returned with the contact details of the high commission in Colombo.
David Heyes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many legacy asylum cases concern asylum seekers who are not (a) awaiting prosecution, (b) awaiting removal and (c) subject to ongoing litigation in Ashton-under-Lyne constituency. [77392]
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Damian Green: There are 11 asylum seekers in Ashton-under-Lyne who do not meet any of the criteria under (a), (b) or (c) in the question. These data are sourced from a local management team and should be treated as provisional.
Civil Disorder
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 13 September 2011, Official Report, column 1129W, on civil disorder, when she expects information on the number of claims received from businesses under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 to be available. [77987]
Nick Herbert: Under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886, affected police authorities are responsible for assessing all claims for compensation made to them by both businesses and households. They then pay such compensation as they see fit. Police authorities are not required to pass on information on the number of claims received from either businesses or households to the Home Office. However, this may be submitted as part of any application for Home Office support to meet the costs incurred by the authority. We have not yet received any final formal special grant applications relating to the Riot (Damages) Act costs.
Security
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what level of security vetting is required for the post of (a) head of communications, (b) deputy head of communications and (c) head of press office in her Department; and if she will list each person who has held these posts since May 2010; [77915]
(2) what level of security vetting is required for (a) grade six and seven, or equivalent, press officers and (b) ministerial private secretaries in her Department; [77916]
(3) what level of security vetting is required for (a) special advisers and (b) ministerial-appointed policy
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advisers in her Department; and if she will list each person who has held these posts since May 2010. [77917]
Damian Green: The Home Office undertakes national security vetting clearances in line with the guidance published on the Cabinet Office website. It is not appropriate to confirm which posts require vetting and at what level as it would be highlight who may have access to sensitive or classified material.
The Cabinet Office publishes on a quarterly basis the names of all special advisers.
Since 2010 Yasmin Diamond has held the post of director of communications. Simon Wren and Andy Tighe have held the post of head of news. The Home Office does not have a ‘deputy head of communications’.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what company or Government service is used to undertake security vetting at (a) counter-terrorist check, (b) security check and (c) developed vetting level in her Department. [77918]
Damian Green: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Services (FCOS) currently undertake all (CTC, SC and DV) national security vetting checks on behalf of the Home Office.
Telephone Services
Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has allocated to each telephone helpline funded by her Department in 2011-12; what the purpose is of each such helpline; and how many calls each helpline received in each of the last five years. [77714]
Damian Green: As of 30 September 2011, the Department had allocated £9,015,000 of funding to helplines operated by the Department in 2011-12. The following table summarises the amount allocated to, the purpose of and the number of calls logged at each of the different helplines.
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Deportation: Offenders
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2011, Official Report, column 41W, on deportation: offenders, how long the 10 longest cases were where a deportation order was issued to a foreign national offender and that offender remains in the UK. [77424]
Damian Green: We seek to remove all foreign criminals who have committed a serious crime in the UK, prior to their release from prison. In order to achieve this, we have made considerable improvements to the way we deport foreign national offenders. By considering criminal cases at an earlier stage, we have increased the number of offenders that are moved directly from criminal detention out of the country.
A deportation order may be served on the offender at the start of their sentence; they will not be deported until the end of their prison term.
The following table sets out the 10 longest cases where a deportation order has been issued to a foreign national offender and that offender remains in the UK:
| Date deportation order served | Length in years from service of the deportation order | Reason for delay in deportation |
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2011, Official Report, column 41W, on deportation: offenders, in (a) how many and (b) what proportion of cases a foreign offender has (i) successfully and (ii) unsuccessfully appealed a deportation order. [77425]
Damian Green: Between 1 August 2010 and 1 September 2011, 1,598 foreign national offenders appealed their deportation order. 426 (26%) were allowed, 754 (47%) were dismissed and 418 (26%) were either withdrawn, abandoned, struck out or have yet to be heard.
Diplomatic Immunity: Training
Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is provided to police officers on dealing with cases where a suspect may have diplomatic immunity. [75640]
Nick Herbert:
Training for diplomatic immunity is covered within the Initial Police Learning and Development programme (IPLDP) for police constables, police
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community support officers and special constables. The IPLDP modules are mandatory to all forces and are delivered within the two year probationary period.
Further optional modules are also available for those forces that are more likely to use this legislation.
DNA: Databases
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases interim electronic data on the National DNA Database and in databases held by forensic science services has been destroyed following an exceptional case decision; and if she will make a statement. [71607]
James Brokenshire: Because of the particular facts in one case, the interim data relating to that individual were destroyed.
Interim data are held on the forensic suppliers' systems but not on the National DNA Database (NDNAD).
Further work is underway to break any link between interim data created during the process of generating a DNA profile and an individual, subject to any requirements of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act (1996). This includes changing forensic supplier identification codes and an independent audit.
The National DNA Database (NDNAD) Unit is also exploring whether it may be possible to change the profiling process so that interim data held by suppliers would no longer be stored in batches, so that they could be destroyed for individual profiles more readily.
Entry Clearances
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many migrants holding leave to remain under PBS Tier 1 Post-Study Work and predecessors have been granted an extension of stay by switching into (a) other PBS Tier 1 categories, (b) PBS Tier 2 and (c) PBS Tier 4 in each quarter from the first quarter of 2009; [77558]
(2) how many family visitors have extended their leave to remain in the UK by switching into the family leave to remain category in each year since 2005. [77559]
Damian Green [holding answer 31 October2011]: The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost, as it would require a manual search of individual case files.
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Tier 4 visa holders remained in the UK on the post work study route as of 1 September (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011. [77619]
Damian Green: The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost, as it would require a manual search of individual case files.
Gangs
Stella Creasy:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many gang-related witness intimidation offences have been recorded in each (a) London borough and (b) police force area in each of
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the last five years; and how many such offences are categorised as (i) detected, (ii) undetected, (iii) live and (iv) victim declines to prosecute; [77822]
(2) how many recorded offences where either the perpetrator or the victim were identified as connected to a gang were categorised as (a) detected, (b) undetected, (c) live and (d) victim declined to prosecute in each (i) London borough and (ii) police force area in each of the last five years. [78026]
Nick Herbert: The requested information is not available centrally.
Immigrants: Detainees
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements there are for children of mothers who have been detained for immigration purposes to maintain contact with their mothers while they are in detention. [76665]
Damian Green: The Detention Centre Rules 2001 require that all detained persons are entitled to enjoy family life by way of visits from, or communications with, family members. This requirement applies equally in the case of detained mothers whose children are living in the community or under local authority care.
Other than those necessary in the interests of safety and security, there are very few restrictions placed on the ability of detained persons to maintain outside contacts. All persons detained in immigration removal centres may receive unlimited visits. They may make and receive telephone calls and send and receive as many letters as they wish. Where detained persons do not have the necessary funds to do so, arrangements are in place for them to make telephone calls or send letters free of charge.
Lancashire Constabulary
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with Lancashire police on advice given by that police force that the public display of Bible verses was a breach of public order; and whether she plans to meet the Chief Constable of Lancashire police to discuss this matter. [72998]
Nick Herbert: No such discussions have taken place, as decisions on arrests are independent operational matters for the police.
Personation
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether (a) she, (b) her Ministers and (c) her officials have had discussions with the Metropolitan Police on the provision of evidence by police officers in court under a false identity; and if she will make a statement. [77146]
Nick Herbert: Home Office Ministers and officials have not met with the Metropolitan Police to discuss the provision of evidence by police officers in court under a false identity. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary is currently reviewing police tactics in this area and we await its report.
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Police: Surveillance
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been given to police forces on the infiltration of registered political parties by undercover officers. [77038]
James Brokenshire: Police forces may only use the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (‘RIPA’) to authorise the use of covert techniques if this is necessary for certain human rights compatible purposes such as the prevention of crime, public safety or national security and if it is proportionate to do so. The subjects of such investigations are a matter for the police, but statutory guidance on how best to apply these principles is given in the Home Office produced RIPA code of practice on covert human intelligence sources. Although no specific mention is made of political parties, the human rights purposes and principles apply to the same extent as with any crime, public safety or national security investigation conducted by the police. And the same human rights safeguards of independent overview, inspection and right of redress apply with equal force.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Carbon Emissions: Business
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she proposes that her Department's consultation on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting will take account of (a) the Department for Energy and Climate Change's review of the Carbon Reduction Commitment and (b) the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' consultation on the future of corporate narrative reporting. [76651]
Richard Benyon: The Department of Energy and Climate Change's review of the Carbon Reduction Commitment and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' consultation on narrative reporting are both relevant in considering whether to introduce regulations requiring companies to report greenhouse gas emissions.
Food: Prices
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the contribution of market speculation to food price volatility in 2007-08. [73476]
Mr Paice: The report “The 2007/08 Agricultural Price Spikes: Causes and Policy Implications”, published by HMG in January 2010, reviewed various potential mechanisms whereby speculation might have distorted markets. It concluded that there was no conclusive evidence that speculation leads to higher or more volatile prices, although we do know that some factors like export bans, stock levels, energy prices and damaged harvests certainly can put pressure on prices.
On 8 April 2011 the UK and Brazil called on members of the G20 to take action to tackle food price volatility, in the face of food price inflation and long-term food security challenges.
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G20 Agriculture Ministers welcomed the steps which Finance Ministers are taking to ensure appropriate and transparent regulation of financial markets.
Slug Pellets
Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to protect (a) hedgehogs and (b) other wildlife from metaldehyde and methiocarb slug pellets. [76750]
Richard Benyon: As plant protection products (pesticides), both metaldehyde and methiocarb slug pellets are controlled under EU pesticides legislation. The Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) of the Health and Safety Executive (the Government body responsible for regulating pesticides) carries out checks to ensure the risks that can arise from the use of these products are not unacceptable. This will include an assessment of the toxicity of each product and the ways in which spray operators, the public or environment, including wildlife, are exposed to them.
Controls extend to the use of pesticide products and CRD routinely restricts the way products can be used (for example specifying dose rates, timing and place of application) to ensure the protection of human health and the environment. Users are also legally obliged to take all reasonable precautions to protect the health of human beings, animals and plants. Advice on how this can be done is set out in a statutory “Code of Practice for Using Plant Protection Products” which, among other things, contains guidance on minimising the exposure of wild birds and mammals to pesticides.
In addition, the Government's Wildlife Incident Investigation scheme (WIIS) investigates the deaths of wildlife where there is strong evidence that pesticide poisoning may be involved. The purpose of the scheme is to monitor pesticide use after authorisation, but where there is evidence of misuse or abuse of pesticides enforcement action may be taken. In England and Wales only ten hedgehog deaths have been reported to the scheme in the last five years, none of which was found to be as a result of poisoning by pesticides. Information on WIIS (including monitoring results) is available on CRD's website at:
www.pesticides.gov.uk
Squirrels: Pest Control
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) published in relation to immuno-contraception as a means of controlling grey squirrels; and what the cost to the public purse of such research has been. [75865]
Richard Benyon: Work on immuno-contraception in grey squirrels by the Forestry Commission's agency Forest Research ended in 2006-07. Field trials failed to produce an immune response that was powerful or long-lasting. Attention has now turned to another compound called DiazaCon which has shown promise as a fertility control agent. ‘Proof of concept' enclosure studies between 2007 and 2011 confirmed an effect of DiazaCon on squirrel blood chemistry but the effect on reproduction was inconclusive. Further research is also needed to refine species-specific field delivery systems.
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Information on immuno-contraception was last reported in Forest Research's Annual Report and Accounts in 1999-2000.
Results from the recent enclosure studies of the use of DiazaCon were presented at the 8(th) International Vertebrate Pest Conference in 2011. The proceedings are due to be published in Pest Management Science early in 2012.
The cost of the studies on immuno-contraception totalled £323,000 during the period 2002-07. They were funded by the Forestry Commission, DEFRA, the Countryside Council for Wales, Scottish Natural Heritage and Natural England. A total of £282,000 has been spent on studies using DiazaCon from 2007-11 by DEFRA and the Forestry Commission.
Third Sector
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many letters she has received on funding for civil society organisations within her Department's area of responsibility in each month since 1 June 2010; and if she will make a statement. [73983]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA has received at least nine letters on funding for civil sector organisations in 2010-11 and four in 2011-12. A comprehensive search for correspondence on these subjects would incur disproportionate cost as records are not held centrally.
Waste: Exports
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to ensure enforcement of the provisions of the waste electrical and electronic equipment directive to reduce the amount of illegal waste exported to developing countries. [76122]
Richard Benyon: The waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) regulations are primarily focused on ensuring that the producers of WEEE finance its collection, treatment and recovery. The UK environment agencies (the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and Northern Ireland Environment Agency) have an active compliance monitoring programme covering the key elements of the WEEE regime. This includes ensuring that management and dealings of WEEE are consistent with wider waste regulations.
More generally, export of waste from the UK falls under the EU Waste Shipments Regulation, supplemented by the UK-wide Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007. The environmental agencies have adopted an intelligence-led approach to illegal exports, including of WEEE, which is delivering results by disrupting the flow of these. This approach is also resulting in enforcement actions against waste criminals.
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of producer compliance schemes in reducing illegal waste electrical and electronic equipment exports. [76123]
Richard Benyon:
Producer compliance schemes do not have a direct obligation or responsibility placed upon them to reduce the volume of illegal exports. They
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are, however, required to have systems in place to ensure that all separately collected waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) which is financed by them on behalf of their members is properly treated, in line with the best available treatment, recovery and recycling techniques, thereby minimising the risk of illegal exports.
The systems that the schemes have set now allow for most of the WEEE to be properly collected, treated, recycled and recovered, thus diverting supply from illegal exports.
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the amount of electronic waste illegally shipped from the UK and dumped in developing countries in the latest period for which figures are available. [76125]
Richard Benyon: The nature of illegal exports, in that perpetrators seek to avoid detection, makes it difficult to provide an accurate assessment of the amount of electronic waste illegally shipped from the UK.
An intelligence-led approach allows the Environment Agency (England and Wales), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to identify and disrupt the movement of waste intended for illegal export. However, so far it has not been possible for them to assess the total quantities that may be involved in this illegal trade.
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to reduce the amount of electronic waste exported from the UK. [76126]
Richard Benyon: The export of electronic waste from the UK is controlled by the EU Waste Shipments Regulation. Under the regulation, electronic waste may be exported for environmentally sound recovery. However, the export of any hazardous electronic waste to developing countries is prohibited. The competent authorities for the enforcement of the Waste Shipment Regulation in the UK are the Environment Agency in England and Wales, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
The competent authorities have adopted an intelligence-led approach to deal with illegal exports of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This is delivering results by disrupting the flow of illegally exported WEEE, and is also resulting in enforcement actions against waste criminals.
Alongside the deterrent effect of its enforcement work, the Environment Agency recognises that cutting off the supply of WEEE to illegal operators at source is a key activity. It is working with waste producers and partner organisations in an effort to ensure that electronic scrap only enters recycling and reprocessing routes operated in accordance with the WEEE and other environmental regulations.
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking with other EU and foreign Governments to reduce illegal exports of electronic waste. [76127]
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Richard Benyon: The UK is a party to the Basel convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal, the only global legal instrument on this issue. Our substantial input has helped the convention to agree a global guidance document on the management of computing equipment as part of the Partnership for Action on computer equipment, a multi-stakeholder partnership under the Basel convention. The convention is also working on a wider document to assist with the global policing of the transboundary movements of electronic waste.
The convention is implemented in the EU through the Waste Shipments Regulation, which is supplemented in the UK by the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007. Under these regulations it is a serious criminal offence to export waste illegally, with the possibility of significant penalties for those convicted.
Tackling the illegal export of electronic waste is also a Key feature of the work being done by numerous EU and International bodies such as the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law, Interpol, Europol and the United Nations Environment programme. The UK competent authorities (the Environment Agency for England and Wales, the Scottish Environment Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency) actively participate in numerous programmes and projects which carry out joint intelligence-led inspections and investigations, allow cross-border multi-agency sharing of intelligence, techniques and skills and improve business awareness of the controls which apply to the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment.
Whales: Japan
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the International Fund For Animal Welfare on the killing of whales by Icelandic and Japanese boats. [76124]
Richard Benyon: I met representatives from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to discuss whaling in July. An IFAW representative also formed part of the UK delegation I led to this year's annual International Whaling Commission meeting.
DEFRA officials regularly meet members of the Wildlife and Countryside LINK whale working group and the whalewatch coalition, which together comprise the principal anti-whaling nongovernmental organisations in the UK. The next meeting is scheduled for November.
Whales: Pollution
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2011, Official Report, column 606W, on chemicals, what assessment her Department has made of the effects of flame-retardant chemicals on the health of killer whales in UK waters. [76416]
Richard Benyon: The collaborative UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation programme (CSIP), aims, among other things, to undertake surveillance on the incidence of exposure to environmental pollutants in stranded cetaceans.
1 Nov 2011 : Column 507W
Very few killer whales strand around the UK; only 23 strandings have been recorded out of nearly 10,500 cetacean strandings in the UK since 1990. Of these, six have been examined at post-mortem. As such, there is insufficient data to make an adequate assessment of the possible effects polybrominated flame retardants (PBDEs) and other pollutants have on the heath of the killer whale population.
However, given that PBDE levels are now very low in porpoises, the risk to killer whales is likely to be quite small and declining as PBDE levels continue to drop in the marine environment.
Other brominated flame retardant compounds, such as hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBP-A), have also been detected and monitored. Levels of these chemicals are still much lower than for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
The 2010 report of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea working group on marine mammal ecology concludes that PCBs, despite being banned for 30 years in Europe, remain the biggest chemical risk to marine top predators such as killer whales and inshore bottlenose dolphins in the North East Atlantic region rather than PBDEs or other brominated flame retardants.
Scotland
Departmental Assets
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assets with a value of £250,000 or more his Department has bought since May 2010; for what purpose; and if he will make a statement. [77381]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office has not bought any assets with a value of £250,000 or more since May 2010.
Consultants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full-time equivalent staff are employed on consultancy contracts in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [77497]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly. All staff are on secondment from other public bodies, mainly the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish Government. However, I can confirm that no staff working within the Scotland Office are employed on consultancy contracts.
Lost Property
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has lost any (a) computers, (b) mobile telephones, (c) BlackBerrys and (d) other IT equipment since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [77380]
David Mundell: Since May 2010, two BlackBerrys have been lost from the Scotland Office. Security features on these ensured that no information could be obtained from them. No other computers, mobile telephones or other IT equipment have been recorded as lost in that time.
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Departmental Public Expenditure
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he receives any external funding for (a) his ministerial office and (b) his advisers; and what the (i) source and (ii) amount is of any such funding. [77706]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office receives no external funding for ministerial offices or advisers.
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland at how many events organised by (a) charities, (b) other civil society groups, (c) businesses and (d) lobbying organisations Ministers and senior officials in his Department have given speeches in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [77383]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, my right hon. Friend the Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), and I regularly attend and give speeches at the events of a wide range of organisations. Further information on ministerial meetings and events is published quarterly at:
www.data.gov.uk
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications from employees to run services for which his Department is directly responsible he has received since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [77600]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office is not directly responsible for running any services. Therefore, no applications have been received from Scotland Office staff.
Social Enterprises
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had on promoting social enterprises in the area for which his Department is responsible in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [77382]
David Mundell: Ministers and officials frequently engage with social enterprises and organisations representing them.
Voting Rights
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the eligibility of Scottish people resident in the other parts of the UK to vote in any future independence referendum in Scotland. [77547]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, my right hon. Friend the Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), and I are having discussions with the Scottish Government on their plans for a referendum on Scottish independence.
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Attorney-General
Departmental Assets
Mr Thomas: To ask the Attorney-General what assets with a value of £250,000 or more the Law Officers' Departments have bought since May 2010; for what purpose; and if he will make a statement. [77419]
The Solicitor-General: Since May 2010, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has bought the following assets with a value of £250,000 or more.
| Asset description | Asset purpose | Cost (£) |
|
Achieve government space standards and reduce per head accommodation costs |
||
|
To facilitate video conferencing and reduce the cost of travel to meetings |
New furniture was bought as part of a project to relocate CPS staff from two London buildings into a new site. The new furniture has enabled the CPS to introduce flexible working arrangements, reduce workstation and floor space allocations and reduce accommodation costs by an estimated £5.2 million per annum.
The installation of new video conferencing systems at 13 CPS sites will reduce the need for staff to travel to meetings, cutting travel, hotel and subsistence costs. It is forecast that the initial investment in this equipment will be repaid and savings of at least £242,000 achieved by 2014-15.
Since May 2010 TSol has implemented three major projects where the aggregate cost of all capital elements will exceed £250,000.
The Case Management System (CMS) is a computerised system that holds the relevant particulars for a case, helps the case officer keep track of tasks and diary dates, enables them to create and store correspondence, record time and maintain a record of the case. It has been designed to allow the Litigation Group to handle increased case loads with the same resources. It provides better quality information and relieves case workers of much of the routine business of case management, releasing them to concentrate on providing legal support and service to our clients.
A new disaster recovery site became operational in December 2010, creating a facility for TSol to switch to quickly in the event that its main site is inaccessible.
Legal Information Online Network project
The replacement of the on-line legal information service provided to the Government Legal Service and other subscribers. The Efficiency Reform Group (ERG)
1 Nov 2011 : Column 510W
and HM Treasury have approved the cost of the project which will allow the Government Legal Service (GLS) to make significant efficiency savings over the next few years.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has not made any individual payments for assets over the value of £250,000 since May 2010. However, as part of the implementation of its IT system, one intangible asset (IT software) has been implemented since May 2010. This intangible asset was being developed from June 2009 to March 2011. At the point at which the development work was completed and treated as implemented its value was transferred to the SFO asset register in accordance with governmental accountancy guidelines.
The remaining Law Officers' Departments have not recorded any expenditure on individual assets to the value of £250,000 or above since May 2010.
Lost Property
Mr Thomas: To ask the Attorney-General whether the Law Officers' Departments have lost any (a) computers, (b) mobile telephones, (c) BlackBerrys and (d) other IT equipment since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [77418]
The Solicitor-General: The information requested is contained in the following table.
| IT equipment reported lost between May 2010 to September 2011 | ||||
| Department | Laptops | Mobile phones | BlackBerrys | Other |
Justice
Bail Accommodation and Support Service
Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many people have been accommodated in Bail Accommodation and Support Service properties in England and Wales since the inception of the scheme; [76890]
(2) how many people have been accommodated in Llanelli constituency by the Bail Accommodation and Support Service since premises in Llanelli were first acquired; [76891]
(3) how many people from outside Llanelli constituency have been accommodated in Bail Accommodation and Support Service properties in Llanelli constituency in the latest period for which figures are available; [76892]
(4) how many residents in Bail Accommodation and Support Service properties have been removed due to breach of (a) bail, (b) home detention curfew and (c) tenancy conditions in (i) England and Wales and (ii) Llanelli constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. [76893]
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Mr Blunt: 8,558 people have been accommodated by the Bail Accommodation and Support Service between the start of the service on 18 June 2007 and 24 October 2011.
23 people have been accommodated by the Bail Accommodation and Support Service in Llanelli constituency.
Of the 23 people who have been accommodated in Llanelli, all were from the south Wales area but none listed their home town as Llanelli. The courts will sometimes require people to be located away from their home area and this is a reciprocal benefit. Seven people from Llanelli have been referred to the Bail Accommodation and Support Service, six were unsuccessful in their bail or HDC application and one was located to another town.
Civil Disorder
Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 11 August 2011, Official Report, column 1055, on public disorder, what meetings he and his Ministers have had with Home Office Ministers to assist in compiling the report to the House on gang culture. [77834]
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice is fully supportive of the cross-Government work to end gang violence. Ministers from the Ministry of Justice have attended all four of the inter-ministerial meetings which have assisted in compiling the final report. No other meetings between Ministry of Justice Ministers and Home Office Ministers have taken place on this subject.
Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 11 August 2011, Official Report, column 1055, on public disorder, what meetings his officials have had with the Home Office to assist in compiling the report to the House on gang culture. [77836]
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice is fully supportive of the cross-Government work to end gang violence. Officials from the Ministry of Justice have attended five officials’ group meetings, chaired by the Permanent Secretary at the Home Office, in support of the inter-ministerial group which has compiled the final report. A further two meetings have taken place between Ministry of Justice and Home Office officials regarding proposals included in the draft report which will have an impact on Ministry of Justice responsibilities.
Domestic Violence
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many women in prison are assessed as having been victims of domestic violence. [76942]
Mr Blunt: This information is not held centrally.
Previous studies have found up to half of women in prison have experienced abuse over the course of their lives, this includes sexual and physical abuse, including domestic violence.
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Gangmasters Licensing Appeal Tribunal
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the functions are of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority appeals tribunal. [77639]
Mr Djanogly: The function of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority appeals tribunal is to hear appeals arising from decisions of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority made under the Gangmasters Licensing Act 2004, on decisions to revoke, refuse or modify a licence, or the refusal to consent to the transfer of a licence.
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the expected (a) budget and (b) staffing level will be for the Gangmasters Licensing Authority appeals tribunal in each year to 2014-15. [77640]
Mr Djanogly: In September 2011 responsibility for administering the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) Tribunal transferred to the Ministry of Justice. The budget for the tribunal now sits within Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) overall operating budget and it is difficult to identify separate resources precisely because they are shared across other parts of HMCTS operations. However, the anticipated running costs of the GLA tribunal cases are £50,000 per annum. The majority of the costs are those of the tribunal panel members. Staff resourcing is provided by HMCTS, and a dedicated administrator in support of the panel equating to one half of an administrative officer full-time post is assigned to GLA tribunal duties.
Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic Violence
Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received from domestic violence groups on proposed reductions in the legal aid budget. [76988]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The Government's consultation on proposals for the reform of legal aid in England and Wales closed on 14 February 2011 and the response was published on 21 June 2011.
We received a number of consultation responses from domestic violence groups as well as more recent representations. These have focused on the definition of the domestic violence used in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill and the circumstances that would provide evidence of domestic violence in order to qualify someone for legal aid in a private family case.
Prisons: Death
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many deaths were recorded as unclassified in each prison in England and Wales in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010; [77623]
(2) what the causes were for each unclassified death that was recorded in prisons in England and Wales in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010. [77626]
Mr Blunt:
The actual cause of deaths in prison, whether suicide, natural, self-inflicted or murder, is determined at the inquest and may therefore be unknown
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for several years. This means that published numbers of deaths by apparent cause can change over time as inquests take place. In some cases the cause may never be clearly established.
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) system of classifying deaths has evolved to help place reliable numbers of deaths in prison custody in the public domain without undue delay. Where, on the information available, the cause of death is not apparent the NOMS records the death as unclassified.
There are currently no unclassified deaths recorded for 2009. It has been possible following post mortem and other tests such as toxicology to classify all deaths in that year as either apparent self-inflicted, suspected natural causes, apparent homicide or other non-natural.
For 2010, there are seven unclassified deaths recorded for which, on the information currently available, it is not possible to identify the apparent cause of death. The deaths took place at HMPs Bronzefield, Brixton (2), Holloway, Wealstun, Low Newton and Doncaster.
Work Capability Assessment: Appeals
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost to his Department was of appeals in respect of the work capability assessment in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011 to date. [78030]
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.
The estimated total cost of ESA appeals in which the work capability assessment was a factor during 2009-10, 2010-11 and April to August 2011 (the latest period for which published data are available) is summarised in the following table:
| Number of ESA appeals in which work capability assessment was a factor (1) | Total cost (£ million) | |
| (1) The figures may not correspond with previously published data, because the extract from management information was taken at a later point in time. | ||
For each period these estimated costs were calculated by multiplying the average cost of an individual First-tier Tribunal-Social Security and Child Support case by the number of ESA appeals disposed of, in which the work capability assessment was a factor.
Work and Pensions
Advertising: Job Vacancies
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on advertising job vacancies since May 2010. [75622]
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Chris Grayling: From May 2010 the Department has spent £5,931 on advertising job vacancies.
Since May 2010 the Department has commissioned 17 external recruitment exercises and 118 internal recruitment exercises.
Only one of the external recruitment exercises incurred advertising costs due to the nature of the post, which was a specialist payroll management post that was advertised both nationally and locally. Due to the recruitment freeze across Government, formal approval was received from the Permanent Secretary to proceed with the advertising for this post.
Internal recruitment exercises incur no advertising costs.
The post in question was a Payroll Manager post, skills that we do not readily have in the Department or in the public sector more generally in the north-east. The post is based at Benton Park View, Newcastle in Employee Services within Shared Services. The costs were as follows:
The Payroll Manager post was advertised twice:
First run: £500 for Times Online and £4,273.92 in Evening Chronicle Jobs Supplement (Newcastle local press)
Second run: CIPP magazine £1,158
Total spend: £5,931.92
The Department has comparative advertising costs for the preceding 12 months. In the 12 months ended 30 April 2010, there were 280 external recruitment exercises that were advertised online costing £18,723 and in hard-copy press and journals costing £216,782. Total advertising costs in that 12-month period were £235,505.
Lost Property
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has lost any (a) computers, (b) mobile telephones, (c) BlackBerrys and (d) other IT equipment since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [77373]
Chris Grayling: In accordance with guidance from HM Treasury, the Department maintains records of property that it owns, and which has been lost or stolen.
The Department's IT equipment is leased from service providers and reports of losses to the Department do not differentiate between stolen, missing or lost equipment.
Excluding lower value items, there were 97 reported losses of individual items of equipment, including laptop computers, mobile telephones and BlackBerry phone devices between 1 May 2010 and 30 September 2011.
In all cases of theft the matter is fully investigated and appropriate action taken by the Department. Where the item concerned is not recovered, the police will be informed as a matter of routine.
In case of loss, disciplinary action is taken where appropriate.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he receives any external funding for (a) his ministerial office and (b) his advisers; and what the (i) source and (ii) amount is of any such funding. [77587]
1 Nov 2011 : Column 515W
Chris Grayling: No external funding is received for the ministerial office of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), or for his advisers.
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions at how many events organised by (a) charities, (b) other civil society groups, (c) businesses and (d) lobbying organisations Ministers and senior officials in his Department have given speeches in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [77375]
Chris Grayling: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answer I gave him on 25 October 2011, Official Report, columns 139-140W.
Departmental Telephone Services
Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has allocated to each telephone helpline funded by his Department in 2011-12; what the purpose is of each such helpline; and how many calls each helpline received in the last 12 months. [77150]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) operates several telephone helplines and service lines. It has not been possible to provide a detailed breakdown of funding for each service line, as many DWP people are to be multi skilled, either across several service lines and helplines or they perform both telephony and processing duties.
The information provided is by business.
Jobcentre Plus operates 22 service lines. Figures for calls received are for the last 12 months unless otherwise stated:
First contact—where members of the public contact us to make a new claim to benefit. Calls received 5,968,813;
Crisis loans (for living expenses)—where claimants contact us to apply for a Crisis loan. Calls received 7,648,744;
Employer Direct—where employers contact us to place a vacancy. Calls received 801,363;
National insurance number (NINO) allocation—where people without a NINO can apply for one. Calls received 1,256,240;
National benefit fraud hotline—where members of the public report claimants for suspected benefit fraud. Calls received 254,314;
Tax evasion hotline—is operated by Jobcentre Plus on behalf of HMRC, members of the public report people for suspected tax evasion. Calls received 53,776;
Local authority fraud—is operated by Jobcentre Plus on behalf of local authorities, members of the public report people for suspected housing benefit or council tax benefit fraud. Calls received 7,243;
Jobseekers allowance (JSA) benefit enquiry line—JSA claimants can report a change of circumstances or make an enquiry about their claim. Calls received 12,161,938;
Income support (IS) benefit enquiry line—IS claimants can report a change of circumstances or make an enquiry about their claim. Calls received 6,880,021;
Incapacity benefit (IB) enquiry line—IB claimants can report a change of circumstances or make an enquiry about their claim. Calls received 1,706,724;
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IB reassessment—Dealing with claimants enquiring about IB reassessment. Calls received 187,352;
Employment support allowance (ESA)—Benefit for working age claimants unable to work on grounds of incapacity. Calls received 1,654,844
Employment support allowance (ESA) enquiry line—ESA claimants can report a change of circumstances or make an enquiry about their claim. Calls received 7,935,594;
Maternity allowance—where members of the public contact us to make a new claim to maternity allowance. Calls received 262,821;
Overseas vacancy team—where employers contact us to place a vacancy outside of the UK. Calls received 141;
International jobsearch advice—is for members of the public who want information about working and living abroad. Calls received 431;
Jobseeker direct—members of the public can call to look for jobs or obtain more information about a particular vacancy they have found. Calls received 3,600,086;
Self service helpdesk—technical support for customers who are having difficulty making an application to benefit online. Calls received 4,394;
UK Borders Agency Immigration Enquiry Bureau—Jobcentre Plus are currently running a proof of concept exercise in partnership with UKBA taking some of their calls dealing with enquiries from immigration and emigration. Calls received 136,745 (figures from February 2011 only);
E-Business operational support team—technical support for employers who are having difficulty placing a vacancy online. Calls received 38,489;
Small and medium business recruitment helpline—offers advice and support to small and medium-sized businesses and guides them through the recruitment process. Calls received 28,810;
Social fund—enquiry line for customers relating to enquiries re social fund claims. Calls received 5,962,228.
The overall budget for this year is £212.3 million and this is broken down into £197.8 million for staff costs and £14.5 million for non-staff costs. Agents who operate Jobcentre Plus service lines are multi skilled, which means that they answer calls across multiple service lines. This means that they are unable to provide a breakdown of funding per service line. They do not undertake any duties other than telephony.
Shared services are split into three areas, purchase to pay and payment resolution service, employee services and debt management.
Purchase to pay and payment resolution service operates three service lines and helplines;
Purchase to pay helpline—is for suppliers relating to queries around payments for goods and services. It also receives calls from Jobcentre Plus advisers and claimants seeking clarification on payments made to support people back to work. Calls received 131,675.
This line is operated by approximately 13 staff and costs £290,000 per annum.
Bank liaison section—is an internal helpline and receives calls from Pension Centre or Jobcentre Plus staff requesting that the bank liaison section recalls a payment from a bank account. Calls received 169,820.
This line is operated by approximately five staff and costs £110,000 per annum.
Third party payments helpline—is a helpline for third party creditors, for example utilities companies and local authorities, querying payments made to them following deductions made from benefits. Calls received 25,258.
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This line is operated by approximately 2.5 staff and costs £55,000 per annum.
The Purchase to Pay and Payment Resolution Service estimated non-staff annual costs are £128,508. This means that overall this service will cost £583,508 this operational year.
Employee Services operates three internal service lines and helplines for DWP employees to raise HR and payroll queries.
Simple queries are answered at the first point of contact and funding of £1.510 million has been provided for this year. Calls received 235,570;
More complex queries are handled by specialist caseworkers and funding of £169,000 has been provided for this year. 509 complex cases handled;
An external recruitment helpline is operated for candidates applying for externally advertised posts. Due to the civil service recruitment freeze no funding has been provided for this activity for 2011/12. Calls received 624.
Employee Services estimated non-staff annual costs are £299,520. This means that overall this service will cost £1,978,520 this operational year.
Debt Management does not operate any helplines but has three service lines:
Debt Recovery—is for customers to make enquiries about new or ongoing debt cases. Calls received 970,188;
Debt Payment—debt customers are able to make direct payments through debit card transactions. Calls received 139,189;
Recovery from Estates—is for enquiries regarding debt recovery from a deceased customer's estate. Calls received 61,346.
Debt management's overall budget for this year is £6,902,967 and this is broken down into £6,121,755 for staff costs and £781,212 for non-staff costs.
PDCS operates 15 helplines and service lines:
State pension new claims—where members of the public contact us to claim their state pension. Calls received 994,805;
Pension credit new claims—for customers who have an enquiry relating to pension credit. This includes checking entitlement, making a new claim or progressing a claim which they have already started. Calls received 1,016,810;
State pension changes—for customers who are in receipt of their state pension and wish to inform PDCS of a change of circumstances. Calls received 2,361,965;
Pension credit changes—for customers who are in receipt of their pension credit and wish to inform PDCS of a change of circumstances. Calls received 2,477,115;
Bereavement service—for customers who are calling to report bereavement, this provides advice and support on how to cease benefits. Calls received 566,145;
Future Pension Centre—for members of the public at working age who want a pension forecast. Calls received 672,742
National Pension Centre—for customers who are in receipt of state pension and are above a certain age who wish to make a query about their claim or report a change of circumstances. Calls received 457,572
International Pension Centre—for customers who are living abroad and are in receipt of state pension. Calls received 501,573
Tell Us Once service—is undertaking a phased roll-out approach and allows customers who live within certain local authorities to give details of bereavement and this will notify all other affected authorities of the bereavement. Calls received 11,216;
Winter fuel—for customers who have a query relating to winter fuel. This service is only available within the months of November to March. Calls received 363,605;
1 Nov 2011 : Column 518W
Pension tracing service—for customers who have lost details of a Pension scheme which they were previously contributing to. Calls received 51,744;
Method of payment reform service—for customers who receive their state pension or pension credit via cheque or giro cheque and need to change their payment method to direct payment to a bank account. Calls received 13,566;
Method of payment social fund—for customers who receive their state pension or pension credit via cheque or giro cheque and need to change their payment method to direct payment to a bank account. Calls received 4,322;
Overseas healthcare team—for customers making enquiries about healthcare abroad. This is includes applying for, renewing and make changes to a European Health Insurance Card. It is also an advice line for customers who are travelling abroad as well as a helpline for NHS and insurance workers. Calls received 124,093;
Ventura [DLA] DCS claims—The DCS Claims line deal with customer requests for claim packs regarding disability living allowance and attendance allowance. Calls received 11,351
Pensions budgets are calculated by Pension Centre rather than by function and staff perform both telephony and processing duties, which means that it is not possible to provide a breakdown by service line nor how much funding is given to their telephony services. Pensions have an overall budget of £155 million for this operational year.
Disability and Carers Service operates three service lines and have no helplines.
Carers allowance—for customers who have caring responsibilities for a disabled person and deals with all enquiries, including new claims. Calls received 962,707.
This service line has a budget of £3.5 million for this operational year and includes staff and non-staff costs.
Disability living allowance/attendance allowance helpline—deals with all enquiries, including new claims, for disability living allowance and attendance allowance. Calls received 4,789,944.
This service line has a budget of £8.7 million for this operational year and includes staff and non-staff costs.
Benefit enquiry line (BEL)—is a helpline for people with disabilities, their carers and representatives, offering confidential advice and general information on all benefits and how to claim them. Calls received 700,816.
This service line has a budget of £1.1 million for this operational year and includes staff and non-staff costs.
Employment and Support Allowance
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people with multiple sclerosis who will be affected by his proposal to introduce a time limit of one year for those claiming contributory employment and support allowance in the work-related activity group. [77539]
Chris Grayling: Estimates of the number of people affected by time limiting of contributory employment and support allowance (ESA) for those in the work related activity group to one year are based on national ESA caseload forecasts, which cannot be broken down by detailed medical condition. Therefore, the Department is unable to provide the information requested.
The Department recently published an ad hoc analysis of incapacity benefits caseloads by detailed medical condition, type of payment and phase of claim. Medical condition is based on the International
1 Nov 2011 : Column 519W
Classifications of Diseases (ICD10). This analysis was published on 20 July 2011 and can be accessed using the following link:
http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/adhoc_analysis/index.php?page=adhoc_analysis_2011_q3
This shows that at November 2010 there were 1,320 ESA claimants in the work-related activity group where the primary condition was classed as multiple sclerosis. However, the time limit would only apply to those who claim contributory ESA in the work-related activity group for a year or more.
Employment Schemes
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps he is taking in respect of specialist Work programme providers who have not received any referrals; [77216]
(2) what assessment he has made of the reasons why certain Tier 2 Work programme providers in London have not received any referrals; [77217]
(3) how many Tier 2 providers to the Work programme had not received a referral on the latest date for which information is available. [77218]
Chris Grayling: The referral arrangements between prime providers and their supply chain partners are commercial matters between the organisations concerned. We are aware that there have been fewer employment and support allowance (ESA) referrals to the Work programme in the first three months of operation. Measures have been adopted to remedy this, including those announced in the written ministerial statement on 21 October 2011, Official Report, column 76WS, such as the information sessions being held by Work programme providers for ESA claimants with longer prognoses.
DWP has implemented the Merlin Standard to encourage excellent supply chain management and fair treatment of sub-contractors by prime providers. Providers will be penalised for non-compliance with the standard.
Employment Schemes: Homelessness
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of specialist employment support to homeless people in London being provided by the Work programme. [77215]
Chris Grayling: We expect all Work programme providers to work closely with a range of specialist groups that can help support people into sustained employment. This includes engaging organisations that can help support those with specialist needs, such as homelessness. The Work programme launched nationally in June and has long-term goals and measures of success. A full independent evaluation has recently been commissioned.
Job-clubs
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on job clubs in each (a) region, (b) local authority and (c) parliamentary constituency since their introduction. [76975]
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Chris Grayling: The information is not available in the format requested as we do not hold data at local authority or parliamentary constituency level. We have, however, been able to provide data by region and DWP district.
| Expenditure on work clubs and enterprise clubs from their introduction, to September 2011 | ||
| £ | ||
| Work clubs | Enterprise clubs | |
| Notes: 1. Figures shown have been rounded to the nearest £1. 2. DWP districts with no expenditure on Work Clubs or Enterprise Clubs have not been shown. Source: DWP Resource Management accounting system. | ||
Jobseeker’s Allowance: Appeals
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average cost to his Department was of a tribunal in respect of a claim for jobseeker's allowance in the latest year for which figures are available. [76920]
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Chris Grayling: The Department does not hold data relating to the overall costs for tribunal hearings for jobseeker's allowance appeals. However, we are able to provide the average cost of the administrative steps involved in preparing a jobseeker’s allowance appeal by the Department; and the average cost of an appeal, i.e. in respect of all appeal types, for Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).
The average administration cost to the Department for jobseeker’s allowance appeals was £170. This figure covers 2010-11, which is the latest period covered by the annual report and accounts.
The average cost to HMCTS of a completed appeal in the First-tier Tribunal, Social Security and Child Support chamber, was £282 using the most recent verified data (2009-10).