Departmental Manpower
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff of the UK Border Agency are based at each office location (a) in Scotland, (b) in each of the English regions, (c) in Wales, (d) in Northern Ireland and (e) overseas; and what the functions are of each office. [80546]
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Damian Green: The UK Border Agency is divided into regions and units that are based on UK-wide functions. Staff in functional areas work in offices located across the nations and regions of the UK as well as overseas, as set out in the following table:
23 Nov 2011 : Column 400W
|
Some of these Groups also have small numbers of staff in other regions that are not shown separately for data protection and security reasons |
Detention Centres
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which contractors provide security for the UK Border Agency's pre-departure accommodation locations. [82049]
Damian Green: UK Border Agency pre-departure accommodation is currently available at one site, namely Cedars at Pease Pottage near Crawley in West Sussex. The service provider for Cedars is G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Ltd.
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long on average individuals spend at UK Border Agency pre-departure accommodation prior to their removal. [82050]
Damian Green: Under the new family returns process, families have been accommodated initially at Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre and since 17 August 2011 at Cedars pre-departure accommodation.
The average length of time spent in pre-departure accommodation is not calculated as averages are subject to distortions by a small number of cases with large values. Data ranges are used instead as these give a more balanced view.
Published statistics on people detained in the pre-departure accommodation at Cedars by length of detention during the third quarter of 2011 will be published on 24 November 2011 in the “Immigration Statistics: July to September 2011 release”; a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House. The release is also available from the Home Office Science Research and Statistics web pages at:
http://homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/
One family was accommodated at Tinsley House in its capacity as a pre-departure accommodation. The length of stay was 3.16 days, or 75 hours and 45 minutes. This figure is based on management information, and does not form part of our publicised statistics.
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the longest period that an individual spent in pre-departure accommodation prior to removal has been since May 2010. [82051]
Damian Green: Pre-departure accommodation came into effect on 1 March 2011 as part of the new family returns process. Under this process families have been accommodated initially at Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) and since its opening on 17 August 2011, solely at Cedars pre-departure accommodation.
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The longest period that an individual was accommodated under the family returns process was at Tinsley House IRC. The length of stay was 3.16 days, or 75 hours and 45 minutes. This figure is based on management information, and does not form part of our publicised statistics.
Published statistics on people detained in pre-departure accommodation at Cedars by length of detention during the third quarter of 2011 will be published on 24 November 2011 in the “Immigration Statistics: July to September 2011 release”, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House. The release is also available from the Home Office Science Research and Statistics webpages at:
http://homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/
Detention Centres: Children
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether removals of children enforced in Scotland are made directly from a Scottish departure port or via a UK Border Agency facility elsewhere in the UK. [82046]
Damian Green: Removals will be through a Scottish point of departure where suitable flights are available. Where there are no suitable flights from Scotland, removal will occur through one of the larger UK airports.
Scottish airports may be used to move a family to another airport in the UK prior to removal or to pre-departure accommodation.
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Independent Family Returns Panel has made any recommendations to (a) the UK Border Agency or (b) her Department that a family should not be detained. [82052]
Damian Green: The Independent Family Returns Panel was established in March 2011 as part of the new process for managing family returns. It advises the UK Border Agency on the method of removal from the UK of individual families when an ensured return is necessary.
The UK Border Agency no longer detains families in immigration removal centres as part of ensured returns (other than, exceptionally, for high-risk or criminal cases). Since August, the options for ensured return include (but are not limited to) holding families for a short period in pre-departure accommodation, known as Cedars.
Plans are drawn up by the UK Border Agency and referred to the panel. After discussion with the UK Border Agency, the panel advises on whether the plan (including any proposal to use Cedars) represents an appropriate method of return which takes sufficient account of the safeguarding and welfare needs of the children. The panel may advise that the plan be amended and there is a presumption that this advice will be accepted.
If, exceptionally, the UK Border Agency does not accept the panel's advice, the case will be referred to me, as the Minister for Immigration, for a decision. The panel will include in its annual report any instances where its advice is not accepted. To date, there have
23 Nov 2011 : Column 402W
been no instances where the UK Border Agency has not accepted the panel's advice, so no referrals to me have been made.
The UK Border Agency retains the ability to detain families at the border while enquiries are made and/or pending a return flight. The panel considers the overall handling of this process to assess whether detention is being kept to a minimum, but it does not advise on individual cases.
Detention Centres: Scotland
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what mode of transport individuals detained prior to removal are transported from locations in Scotland to UK Border Agency facilities or departure ports in other parts of the UK. [82047]
Damian Green: Detainees are normally moved by road in escorting vehicles. All the vehicles used by the UK Border Agency's escorting contractor must provide appropriate security while ensuring the welfare of detainees is maintained. This includes making every effort to minimise the amount of time they spend in vehicles. Detainees may occasionally be transferred from Scotland to departure ports in other parts of the UK by domestic flight.
Detention Orders: Females
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many and what proportion of women leaving prison and issued with an IS91 Detention Order were (a) deported from and (b) permitted to stay in the UK in each of the last five years; and what the (i) average and (ii) longest length of time spent in detention under an IS91 Order was for each group in each year; [81280]
(2) how many female prisoners were issued with an IS91 Detention Order within (a) one month, (b) two weeks, (c) one week and (d) 24 hours of their release date from HM Prison Service in the latest period for which figures are available. [81281]
Damian Green: The following table sets out the number and proportion of women leaving prison and issued with an IS91, who were removed from the UK or who were allowed to remain. The table also provides information on the time spent in detention. Please note that data prior to 2009 are not available.
|
|
2009 | 2010 | 2011 (1) |
|
Number of women issued with an IS91 who meet the criteria for deportation |
|||
|
|
|||
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| (1) YTD—January to October 2011 | |||
Establishing the time period within the release date from HMP Prison Service in which a female was issued with an IS91 would require the analysis of a large volume of electronic records, which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Drugs: Dogs
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sniffer dogs have been used by UK Border Agency staff in searching for heroin and cocaine at UK borders in each of the last three years. [82258]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency (UKBA) currently has 56 dogs trained to detect drugs, including heroin and cocaine. We also have a further three drugs dogs in training, totalling 59 dogs. The number of drugs detector dogs fluctuates throughout each year due to things such as ill health or other forced retirements. The current number of dogs in operation is representative of the number of dogs UKBA has had available at any one time over the last three years.
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2011, Official Report, columns 648-9W, on entry clearances, what guidance she has issued to specialist colleges on the differing levels of fees required for accreditation required by the UK Border Agency. [81857]
Damian Green: We have brought in new requirements for sponsors to apply for an educational oversight inspection to one of the public review bodies. The fees are determined by the bodies themselves and are broadly set at a level to cover their costs. These bodies are providing guidance to colleges on the inspection process and the level of fee required.
Gurkhas
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) former Gurkhas and (b) dependents of former Gurkhas have been allowed to enter and reside in the UK since May 2009. [82065]
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Damian Green: The total number of visas issued to former Gurkhas and their dependants to enter the UK since 2009 is 9,965.
| Applicant types | 2009 | 2010 | (1) 2011 |
| (1) January to June 2011. Note: These data are based on management information. They are provisional and subject to change. | |||
Human Trafficking: Telephone Services
Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2011, Official Report, column 54W, on human trafficking, what costs were associated with the operation of the Metropolitan Police's trafficking victim helpline in (a) October 2011 and (b) each financial year since it was created. [81845]
Damian Green: The Metropolitan Police Service's trafficking free phone line cost £128.40 to install and has been operational since April 2011. The first-year costs are currently calculated at £189 or £15.75 per month. Staff costs are nominal. Approximately 40 calls have been received on the line since April, of which five have been confirmed as victims of trafficking and referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).
Immigrants: Detainees
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many no-notice removals of failed asylum seekers and illegal immigrants were undertaken by the UK Border Agency in each of the last 12 months. [82094]
Damian Green: Individuals are given at least 72 hours notice of the time and date on which they will be removed from the United Kingdom except in port cases where removal can take place on the same day as arrival. Detailed guidance on removal notice periods is in chapter 60 of the Enforcement Instructions and Guidance and can be found on the UK Border Agency website at:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/guidance/enforcement
The number of same day port removals undertaken in each of the last 12 months could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost. The total number of quarterly port removals, however, is published within the Before Entry tables as part of the Immigration Statistics release which is available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office website. The Before Entry tables for April 2011 to June 2011 can be found at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-tabs-q2-2011v2/before-entry-q2-11-tabs
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in detention on immigration-related grounds have been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK. [82107]
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Damian Green: In 2010, for an average month, there were approximately 635 foreign national offenders detained in prison beyond the end of their sentence while deportation was considered. In addition, for an average month, there were approximately 1,135 foreign national offenders detained in immigration removal centres.
Immigration
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number of non-UK EU nationals who reside in the UK. [73713]
Damian Green: The subject raised in my hon. Friend's question is a matter for the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated November 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question to Secretary of State for the Home Department, asking what recent estimate she has made of the number of non-UK EU nationals who reside in the UK. [73713]
The most recent estimate of the number of non-UK EU nationals who reside in the UK is 2,003,000 with a margin of error of +/- 61,000. This estimate, along with other published Population by Country of Birth and Nationality estimates, is based on the Annual Population Survey and relates to the 12 month period of January to December 2010. These can be found on the ONS website, table 2.1 & 2.2 at:
www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-222711
The margin of error refers to the 95 per cent confidence interval and is a measure of the uncertainty associated with making inferences from a sample.
Members: Correspondence
Mr MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Rotherham of 21 August 2011 about Sergei Magnitsky. [76806]
Damian Green: A reply to the right hon. Member's letter was sent on 15 November 2011.
Police: Manpower
Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers (a) in each age group, (b) of each sex and (c) of each ethnicity were recruited to each police force in each of the last 10 years. [81548]
Nick Herbert: Age is collected separately to ethnicity and gender. The available information placed in the House Library, shows the number of police officers that were employed within each age group in each police force in England and Wales, 2002-03 to 2010-11 (headcount). The available information also shows the number of police officers within each police force by ethnicity and gender, 2002-03 to 2010-11 (full-time equivalents). These figures were not collected by the Home Office prior to 2002-03.
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Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were employed in each age group in each police force in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years. [82255]
Nick Herbert: The available information, placed in the House Library, shows the number of police officers that were employed in each age group in each police force area in England and Wales, 2002-03 to 2010-11 (headcount). These figures were not collected by the Home Office prior to 2002-03.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer Question 71304 on Humberside Police and the East Riding of Yorkshire Council tabled on 7 September 2011 for answer on 14 September 2011. [74722]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 18 October 2011]: I refer my right hon. Friend to my answer of 17 October 2011, Official Report, column 650W.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Iran: Nuclear Weapons
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the report of the International Atomic Energy Authority on Iran's development of nuclear missiles. [82067]
Alistair Burt: The UK fully supports the work of the director general and of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in producing this important report. They have handled a very sensitive issue with care and rigour, and have worked diligently to verify and validate the information that the report draws on. In response to the report, the IAEA Board of Governors passed a resolution expressing its
“deep and increasing concern about the unresolved issues regarding the Iranian nuclear program”
The report itself clearly indicates that Iran has failed to address the IAEA's “serious concerns” about the “credible” information available to it that
“indicates that Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device”.
It also presents evidence that provides a compelling picture of Iranian work on nuclear weapons technologies—not only up to 2003, but also beyond—and work on the continuation and expansion of its uranium enrichment programme, in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. Finally, the report clearly documents Iran's repeated failures to co-operate with the agency. Iran must cease its attempts to deflect the legitimate concerns of the international community and co-operate with the agency, fully and without delay, to resolve them.
Jordan: Foreign Policy
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the aims and objectives are of UK policy towards Jordan. [81915]
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Alistair Burt: The UK's policy towards Jordan reflects the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's priorities of Safeguarding Britain's national security, building Britain's prosperity and supporting British nationals around the world.
The Arab Spring has shown that increased political participation by citizens and greater economic opportunity offering them a greater stake in their state is the surest route to long-term regional stability. To this end the UK continues to support the implementation of political and economic reforms in Jordan, including through the Arab Partnership. Additionally the UK works closely with Jordan on issues of mutual interest, including regional foreign policy, counter-terrorism and defence.
In support of building Britain's prosperity, on 15 November the Prime Minister and King Abdullah agreed to launch a UK-Jordan Economic Dialogue, which will seek ways to support both the Jordanian economy and the UK's prosperity agenda.
Lebanon: Foreign Policy
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the aims and objectives are of UK policy towards Lebanon. [81914]
Alistair Burt: The UK's policy towards Lebanon reflects the FCO's priorities of Safeguarding Britain's national security, building Britain's prosperity and supporting British nationals around the world.
Working to reduce conflict, the UK's aim is to support a stable, independent and sovereign Lebanon. To this end we have increased our assistance to the Lebanese army and police, as key institutions supporting Lebanese stability.
The UK continues to believe the best way to achieve peace and stability in Lebanon and the wider region is through the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701, including respect of Lebanese sovereignty by other countries in the region. The UK also fully supports the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in its work to end impunity for political assassinations in Lebanon. It is important Lebanon fulfils its obligations to the Tribunal by paying its portion of the approved budget as the Prime Minister emphasised during his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Miqati on 7 November.
Lebanon remains a business hub for the region and a strong consumer economy, with UK exports at £398.7 million for 2010, on a par with those to Kuwait, and significantly higher than Jordan. We continue to explore the potential for UK companies to play a greater role in Lebanon's ambitious plans to boost their infrastructure sector.
We continue to ensure that embassy has plans to support for British nationals in Lebanon in place. These plans are well exercised and have the confidence of British citizens in Lebanon as well as Ministers in the UK.
Libya: Foreign Relations
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Abdel Rahim El-Keib; and what assistance he has offered to the National Transitional Council since his election. [81983]
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Alistair Burt: The Prime Minister spoke to his Libyan counterpart, Abdurrahim al-Kib, on 5 November. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), spoke to Mr al-Kib on 17 November. These discussions touched on a number of issues, including the security situation in Libya, medical treatment for injured Libyans, unfreezing of assets, preparing for elections, human rights and making progress on crimes committed by the former regime, including the police investigations into the death of WPC Yvonne Fletcher, Lockerbie and Gaddafi’s support to the IRA. The UK has been providing considerable assistance in stabilisation to the new Libyan authorities, and in the security sector since Mr al-Kib's appointment.
Deputy Prime Minister
Electoral Reform
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to bring forward proposals on (a) funding for 200 all-postal primaries, (b) the recall of hon. Members and (c) prevention of the misuse of Parliamentary privilege. [81991]
Mr Harper: The Coalition programme for government says that all-postal primaries will be “targeted at seats which have not changed hands for many years”. The boundary changes legislated for earlier in the year will have implications for almost all existing constituencies and we will need to take this into account when considering how to take forward this policy. In relation to the right to recall MPs, we will announce the details of our proposals before the Christmas recess. On parliamentary privilege, the Leader of the House of Commons, my right hon. Friend the Member for North West Hampshire (Sir George Young), plans to update the House on the preparations for a draft Bill on parliamentary privilege before the Christmas recess.
Wales
Enterprise Zones
12. John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues and Ministers in the Welsh Government on cross-border economic implications of the development of enterprise zones. [81791]
Mrs Gillan: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues and with the First Minister on various issues, including enterprise zones in Wales. It is vital that businesses investing in Wales are given the same or even better competitive advantages as businesses in places just across the border such as Bristol and Merseyside.
Exports
14. Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had with the First Minister on Welsh exports to non-EU countries. [81793]
Mr David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), has regular discussions with the First Minister on a range of issues including Welsh exports.
23 Nov 2011 : Column 409W
I am very pleased that recent figures showed an increase in Welsh exports to non-EU countries of 44.5%. This is excellent news and testament to the hard work of businesses across Wales.
Economic Growth
15. Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent assessment she has made of the state of the Welsh economy; and if she will make a statement. [81794]
Mr David Jones: The economy across the UK is starting to return to growth, despite recent disappointing unemployment figures in Wales.
We have had to make difficult decisions in order to reduce the massive deficit that we inherited but our deficit reduction plan has proved the right course of action with the UK's AAA rating recently being reaffirmed.
Press Releases
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many press releases her Department has issued since May 2010; and how many of these were bilingual. [67787]
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Mr David Jones: Between May 2010 and 10 November 2011 the Wales Office has issued 277 press releases and of these, 250 are bilingual. The remaining 27 are awaiting translation.
Scotland
Foreign Visits
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many international visits (a) the Secretary of State, (b) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and (c) senior staff in his Department have participated in 2010-11; what the (i) cost and (ii) purpose was of each visit; how many international visits are planned to (A) the Americas, (B) the Middle East and (C) Western Europe; and what estimate he has made of the cost of planned future international visits. [82189]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, my right hon. Friend the Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), and I have undertaken one international visit each in 2010-11 with one further trip planned by the Secretary of State to Brazil at the end of this month. Information requested is detailed in the following table:
| Trip | Minister and Group | Purpose | Total cost (£) |
|
Lead Scottish trade delegation, meeting businesses, Brazilian Government and others. |
|||
| 1 Costs being finalised. | |||
Jobcentre Plus: Closures
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on proposed closures of Jobcentre Plus offices in Scotland. [81414]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, my right hon. Friend the Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore) and I are in contact with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), on a range of issues relating to the Government's welfare reform agenda, which includes ensuring that Jobcentre Plus continues to meet local needs while delivering value for money to the taxpayer.
Transport
Aviation: Emissions
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on steps to reduce carbon emissions attributable to aviation. [R] [79785]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 10 November 2011]: We support the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading System from next year and we will continue to work to secure global solutions on aviation emissions. This approach provides an important way to ensure that the aviation sector takes strong, cost-effective action to address its climate change impacts while avoiding competitive disadvantage to the UK.
In August the Government published its response to the Committee on Climate Change report on reducing CO2 emissions from UK aviation. This included an assessment of the potential of a number of possible policy options to reduce aviation CO2 emissions, along with an estimate of their costs, out to 2050. This and other evidence gathered in response to our scoping document on developing a sustainable framework for UK aviation will inform the draft framework which we intend to publish for consultation in March 2012.
Domestic Aviation
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information her Department holds on the number of people who have flown from (a) Aberdeen and (b) Edinburgh to overseas destinations via Heathrow airport in each of the last three years. [81204]
23 Nov 2011 : Column 411W
Mrs Villiers: In 2009 it is estimated that approximately 150,000 people flew from Aberdeen to an overseas destination via Heathrow and 340,000 flew to an overseas destination from Edinburgh via Heathrow. A similar number would have made the same journey in the other direction, flying from an overseas destination to Aberdeen or Edinburgh via Heathrow. Reliable estimates are not available for 2008 or 2010.
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have flown between Heathrow airport and (a) Edinburgh and (b) Aberdeen in each of the last three years. [81205]
Mrs Villiers: The figures requested are given in the following table:
| Number of passengers flying between Heathrow and Edinburgh or Aberdeen airport, 2008-10 | |||
|
|
2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what discussions she has had on the effect on passengers of the sale of BMI; [80519]
(2) whether she has discussed with (a) BMI and (b) British Airways the future provision of flights between Edinburgh and London Heathrow. [80521]
Mrs Villiers: The possible sale of BMI is a commercial matter for discussion between BMI's owner Lufthansa and prospective purchasers. The Secretary of State for Transport received a factual briefing from British Airways following that airline's public announcement of its interest in purchasing BMI. Decisions about which air services operate from which UK airports are a commercial matter for airlines.
Charities
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what grants her Department made to charitable organisations in each of the last five years. [79074]
Norman Baker: The Department does not hold information on which of its suppliers are charitable organisations. I therefore regret that information on the amounts of grant paid to charitable organisations is not available except at disproportionate cost.
Consultants
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which consultants and advisers her Department has employed in respect of the (a) Thameslink programme, (b) Thameslink rolling stock procurement and (c) Intercity Express programme; how much she has budgeted in respect of each such contractor; and how much each contractor has invoiced to date. [76031] [Official Report, 23 January 2012, Vol. 539, c. 1-4MC.]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 21 October 2011]:The information requested can be found as follows.
23 Nov 2011 : Column 412W
| Thameslink Rolling Stock Project | |||
| £ million | |||
|
|
Costs incurred to May 2010 | Cost incurred June 2010 to September 2011 | October 2011 to March 2012 forecast |
| Thameslink Programme | |||
| £ million | |||
|
|
Costs incurred to May 2010 | Cost incurred June 2010 to September 2011 | October 2011 to March 2012 forecast |
| IEP Programme | |||
| £ million | |||
|
|
Costs incurred to May 2010 | Cost incurred June 2010 to September 2011 | October 2011 to March 2012 forecast |
Detailed spending plans for years beyond the financial year 2011-12 have not yet been agreed.
23 Nov 2011 : Column 413W
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will place in the Library a list of all reports that consultants working for her Department have written in respect of (a) the Intercity Express Programme, (b) Thameslink rolling stock procurement and (c) Crossrail. [76496]
Mrs Villiers: The Department operates a policy of openness and transparency. Consequently, relevant information relating to (a) the Intercity Express Programme, (b) Thameslink rolling stock procurement and (c) Crossrail is available on the Department's or Crossrail Ltd's websites, the links to which are provided as follows. The Department and Crossrail Ltd will continue to publish relevant documentation on their respective websites as the projects develop over time.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/crossrail
http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/iep
http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/thameslink
http://www.crossrail.co.uk
East Coast Railway Line: Disability
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department has taken to fully implement the Persons with Reduced Mobility Technical Specifications for Interoperability requirements on rolling stock used by the East Coast rail franchise. [81926]
Norman Baker: It will be the responsibility of the operator at the relevant date to ensure that all rolling stock in use on the East Coast franchise is accessible by the legal deadline of 1 January 2020.
Refurbishment of the current rolling stock has seen the fitment of priority seating, wheelchair spaces and accessible toilets. Installation of audio/visual passenger information systems is the main area outstanding. The Intercity Express Programme fleet that is to be built for this route will be constructed to modern access standards.
Government Procurement Card
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which non-departmental public bodies and agencies for which her Department has responsibility made use of the Government Procurement Card in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10. [73489]
Norman Baker: The information is as follows.
| Department for Transport Agencies and NDPBs using GPC | |||
| Agency/ALB | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
23 Nov 2011 : Column 414W
| n/a = Did not exist for the year in question | |||
Motor Vehicles: Insurance
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department plans to take in respect of the cost of motor insurance for young drivers; and when she expects to implement such plans. [79628]
Mike Penning: I met a range of stakeholders including the Association of British Insurers and the driver training industry in June to consider how young people can best acquire the skills and behaviours needed to be safe and responsible drivers and therefore reduce their risk to insurers. Officials continue to work with them and the insurance industry to evidence a wide range of proposals for my consideration, ahead of formal consultation around spring 2012.
The Government have already taken other steps to help manage rising insurance costs. These include the introduction of the continuous insurance enforcement scheme to tackle uninsured driving, plans to allow insurers access to the DVLA driver database to check motoring convictions to reduce fraud, and measures to tackle legal costs through abolishing the recoverability of Conditional Fee Agreements' success fees and after the event insurance, and banning referral fees.
Private Finance Initiative
Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) cost, (b) date of commencement and (c) duration is of each private finance initiative contract managed by her Department. [82210]
Norman Baker: Department for Transport PFI project details are incorporated into the HM Treasury Signed Deals List and published at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ppp_pfi_stats.htm
The Treasury website itemisation includes details of project: capital values, date of financial close, operational period of the contract and the annual unitary charge details indicates the year each contract became operational.
The following projects have been awarded since the HM Treasury Signed Deals List was last updated:
| Project | Commencement date | Duration (years) | Cost (£ million) |
23 Nov 2011 : Column 415W
Public Transport: Finance
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of her Department's spending reduction for public transport on people with a low income. [78940]
Norman Baker: Buses are most heavily used by people on the lowest incomes. No cuts were made this year to the subsidy paid to bus operators and the Government believe the 20% cut from April 2012 is manageable given the reductions to budgets elsewhere. The Government have made a commitment to providing free local bus travel for older and disabled people to ensure that no one who is older or disabled in England need be prevented from bus travel by cost alone. 40% of concessionary journeys are made by people with a household income of less than £10,000.
While there is no statutory obligation to carry out a formal assessment of the impact of spending decisions on people on low incomes, Ministers carefully considered this during the spending review process.
Railway Stations: Tees Valley
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there are any plans to close railway ticket offices in Teesside. [80766]
Mrs Villiers: An independent study by Sir Roy McNulty on the value for money of the railways recommended closure of ticket offices at category E stations.
The aim of the study was to examine the overall cost structure of all elements of the rail sector to identify the options for improving value for money to both passengers and taxpayers, while continuing to expand capacity and drive up passenger satisfaction with the railway.
Government are currently considering the findings of this independent report, but no decisions have yet been made.
Railway Stations: Standards
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has considered giving greater powers to rail companies in taking ownership of the upkeep of rail stations for the purposes of ensuring they are maintained to a high standard. [81035]
Mrs Villiers: A package of measures has been developed with the rail industry to transfer responsibility for repairs, maintenance and renewal at stations to franchised operators.
The new Greater Anglia franchise, awarded on 20 October 2011, is the first to adopt many of these new measures. We expect to implement the full package of
23 Nov 2011 : Column 416W
measures in the Intercity West Coast franchise when tenders are invited in the new year.
Railways: Disability
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail carriages (a) have been upgraded to meet with and (b) do not comply with the Persons with Reduced Mobility Technical Specifications for Interoperability requirements. [81927]
Norman Baker: Information on which rail vehicles have been built or fully refurbished to modern accessibility standards is available on the Department for Transport's website at:
http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/transportforyou-access-rail-vehicles-pubs-rva/accessibilitystandards.xls
Approximately 6,500 heavy rail and 3,500 non-heavy rail (metro, tram and underground) vehicles (54% and 78% of each fleet respectively) remain in service which pre-date the introduction of modern access standards in 1998. These will need to be made accessible or withdrawn by 1 January 2020.
Railways: Economic Situation
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the effect of economic conditions in the Eurozone on the cost of financing the (a) Thameslink rolling stock and (b) Intercity Express Programme contract. [R] [81852]
Mrs Villiers: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 31 October 2011, Official Report, column 418W.
Railways: Electrification
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent work her Department has undertaken on the proposed electrification of the railway line between Leeds and York via Harrogate. [76495]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport has not recently undertaken work on electrification of the railway line between Leeds and York via Harrogate.
Railways: Franchises
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to the public purse has been of the railway franchises operated by (a) Virgin Rail Group and (b) West Coast Trains. [81014]
Norman Baker: Subsidy and premium payments in respect of all rail franchises are published annually by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in National Rail Trends (NRT). Copies of NRT are available in the Library of the House and on the ORR's website at:
www.rail-reg.gov.uk
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department has spent on (a) solicitors and (b) consultants in connection with negotiations with bidders for the Greater Anglia rail franchise since May 2010. [81060]
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Mrs Villiers [holding answer 14 November 2011]: Since May 2010 the Department has spent the following in connection with the Greater Anglia franchise:
| £ | ||
| Note: These figures exclude VAT. | ||
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department has spent on (a) solicitors and (b) consultants for work related to the (i) East Coast and (ii) Cross Country rail franchise in the last 12 months. [81195]
Mrs Villiers: (a) In the last 12 months the Department has spent the following amounts on solicitors (external) in connection with the franchises listed in the following table:
|
|
£ |
(b) In the last 12 months the Department has spent the following amounts on consultants in connection with the franchises listed in the following table;
|
|
£ |
The above figures do not include any project costs which are integrated and impact the franchises detailed above.
Railways: Snow and Ice
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at how many locations on the third-rail electrified network conductor rail heating has been installed since 1 January 2011; and how many further locations are planned for installation by 31 December 2012. [76800]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 26 October 2011]: Network Rail is rolling out an extensive programme of conductor rail heating across London and the south-east. The current programme entails the installation of approximately 80 km of conductor rail heating spanning 421 locations across the Kent, Sussex and Wessex routes.
42 locations were fitted in the first phase of the programme in 2010. Approximately 85% of the 421 locations will be completed by 1 December 2011 with the remaining locations being completed by January 2012.
Railways: Standards
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on allowing railway operating companies to reduce capacity and increase over-crowding; and if she will make a statement. [80170]
23 Nov 2011 : Column 418W
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 14 November 2011]: In making decisions on franchise requirements and rail capacity, the Government consider value for money, affordability and wider transport, economic and environmental objectives.
Shipping
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the conclusion of her Department's National Policy Statement for Ports published in October 2011 that coastal shipping is expected to grow, what estimate her Department has made of the potential increase in such shipping. [81222]
Mike Penning: The Department has not undertaken specific forecasts of coastal shipping but we would expect it to grow at least in line with growth in the traffic sectors carried.
Transport
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when her Department plans to publish a National Policy Statement for national networks. [81218]
Justine Greening: We plan to designate the National Networks National Policy Statement by the end of 2012.
Transport: Passengers
Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much funding was allocated to passenger transport executives by (a) her Department and (b) other bodies in 2010-11; [81953]
(2) how much funding was allocated by passenger transport executives in 2010-11. [81955]
Norman Baker: In 2010-11, the Department for Transport allocated £566.16 million to passenger transport executives, either directly or via their respective integrated transport authorities. This includes funding for local major schemes and rail support but does not include the £70 million the Department provides to Merseytravel for the operation of the devolved Merseyrail network.
The following table gives a breakdown of this figure by passenger transport executive:
| Passenger transport executive | Funding allocated (£000) |
While some of the variation in the above table will be due to the differing geographical sizes of the passenger transport executive areas (as well as other factors), funding for local major schemes has a large effect. For instance, Greater Manchester received £137 million in 2010-11 for local major schemes while four of the other passenger transport executives received no money.
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The Department does not hold information on funding allocated to passenger transport executives from other bodies.
Tugboats
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation her Department undertook with (a) maritime users, (b) local authorities and (c) other organisations on its proposal to remove emergency towing vessels. [80627]
Mike Penning: Because the decision was taken and announced as part of the comprehensive spending review, it would not have been appropriate to launch any formal consultation.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of the possible safety implications for shipping of the withdrawal of emergency towing vehicles in relation to the Clair Ridge oil field development project. [81219]
Mike Penning: No specific assessment of the withdrawal of emergency towing vessels (ETVs) has been carried out in relation to the Clair Ridge oil field development project.
The licensing regime for offshore exploration activities includes the requirement for the licensee to prepare a full safety case in relation to their activity. This includes an assessment of the risk to safety of navigation in the area and proposals for appropriate mitigation measures.
Since 1 October 2011, the Scotland Office has been responsible for leading efforts to secure a long-term replacement for the ETV service in waters around Scotland surrounding the Northern and Western Isles.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of the safety implications for shipping of the withdrawal of emergency towing vehicles covering the English Channel. [81260]
Mike Penning: We are satisfied that there is sufficient commercial tug capacity to provide an acceptable response to disabled vessels that break down in the vicinity of the Dover strait and the south-west approaches.
Shipping is not risk free, but the world has moved on considerably since emergency towing vessels were introduced. Improvements in ship technology, navigation and safety systems, together with the advent of new ship routing and reporting measures, and advances in shore-based surveillances, mean less risk of vessels grounding and potentially polluting our waters.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have received from the French Government on the withdrawal of emergency towing vehicles covering the English Channel. [81261]
Mike Penning: The French Government have made representations both at ministerial level and at official level in relation to the UK's decision to withdraw provision of publicly funded emergency towing vessel (ETV) services.
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The French Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing wrote to the UK's Secretary for State for Transport. My officials have met with the French Defence Attaché to the UK, their Permanent Representatives to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London, as well as attending the Anglo-French Safety of Navigation Group (AFSONG) and the Anglo-French Accident Technical Group (AFATG) meetings; ETVs were discussed at both meetings.
US Aviation: Meetings
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has any plans to meet officials from the (a) US Federal Aviation Administration or (b) US Department of Transportation. [80153]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 14 November 2011]: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Crawley (Henry Smith), on 8 November 2011, Official Report, column 187W.
House of Commons Commission
Data Monitoring
Karl McCartney: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether there have been any occasions when (a) telephones and (b) emails and data held on computers on the Parliamentary Estate have been (i) illegally and (ii) legally monitored in the last five years. [80589]
John Thurso: There is no record of illegal access to telephones or emails and data held on computers on the parliamentary estate in the last five years.
Some telephone calls, for example to the PICT service desk, are monitored for training and quality purposes, and the caller is always informed of this. Otherwise, there has been no monitoring of phone calls of Members, Members' staff or House staff during the past five years.
There has been no monitoring of Members' emails and data in the past five years. Only in extraordinary circumstances, under the explicit authority of Mr Speaker, would any such monitoring take place.
The situation as regards emails and data held on the computers of House staff and Members' staff is the same as for emails and data of employees in any organisation: the information is protected under the Data Protection Act, but the employer has the right to monitor or investigate the contents of emails if there is a legitimate reason to do so. At the request of the Members concerned, emails and data of three staff of Members have been monitored in the past 18-months; records are not available for the period before that. It is unusual for the contents of emails and data of House staff to be monitored, though there have been occasions within the past five years. When this occurs, it is done in accordance with the conditions set out in paragraph 7.6.7 of the Staff Handbook.
23 Nov 2011 : Column 421W
Attorney-General
Serious Fraud Office
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many (a) police officers and (b) support staff were employed by the Serious Fraud Office in each of the last five years; [81943]
(2) what proportion of Serious Fraud Office investigations proceed to (a) charges being made and (b) conviction in each of the last five years. [81944]
The Attorney-General: The SFO does not employ any police officers. SFO investigative staff come from a range of different backgrounds and some may have previously worked as police officers.
Staff numbers for non-operational roles in each of the last five years, as at 31 March, are:
|
|
Staff (number) |
| (1) A management approved voluntary early retirement scheme exercise took place in March 2009 which may have impacted these figures | |
The SFO receives hundreds of referrals from all sources, including the general public every year. The SFO accepts only the most complex and difficult cases as shown in their published selection criteria which can be found online at:
http://www.sfo.gov.uk/victims/individual-victims/can-i-report-a-fraud-or-corruption-directly-to-the-sfo.aspx
and refers the rest to other law enforcement organisations or regulators as appropriate. Records are not maintained on the number which are referred to other public organisations. Cases that are accepted undergo an intense three-month, focused research into the allegations made. At the end of this period the SFO reviews the case in depth to establish the most suitable way of taking it forward—for example, a full criminal investigation or civil recovery action. Approximately 10% of cases are stopped at this stage. All charging decisions are made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
Once defendants have been charged, the case is very unlikely to be stopped. This has happened only once in the last four years.
All active investigations in the SFO undergo case reviews at least quarterly. This ensures the investigation into allegations remain focussed. Cases being prosecuted are kept regularly under review in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
| Conviction rates in the last five years | |
|
|
Percentage of defendants found guilty |
23 Nov 2011 : Column 422W
International Development
Democratic Republic of Congo
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he has any plans to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo. [80855]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development routinely publish details of visits through press releases unless there are security issues which preclude such disclosure. Where external bodies are involved the information would be provided when available unless, once again, there are security issues which would restrict the timing and extent of disclosure.
Nicaragua
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has any plans to visit Nicaragua. [79948]
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Capital Allowances
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on changes to capital allowances in the agricultural sector. [81122]
Mr Paice: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), has had no discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), on changes to capital allowances in the agricultural sector.
Judicial Review
Mr Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what applications for judicial review have been made against her Department (a) in the last Parliament and (b) since May 2010; whether each such application (i) succeeded, (ii) failed and (iii) remains pending; what legal costs were incurred by her Department for each such application; in each failed application whether she applied for costs against the applicant and whether they were (A) awarded and (B) paid; whether her Department (1) paid for and (2) offered to pay for the legal costs incurred by each such applicant; and what the total cost to the public purse was of payment of the legal costs for each such applicant. [80731]
Richard Benyon: Since May 2010, 10 applications have been made for judicial review against the Department: one was successful, four failed, two were settled and three remain pending.
The legal cost (of counsel) incurred for each to date is as follows. Fee notes are outstanding in many of these cases and the figures do not include estimates for accruals.
23 Nov 2011 : Column 423W
|
|
£ |
Costs were applied for in each of the four failed applications, awarded in three, and have been paid in two (so far).
The Department did not pay for, or offer to pay, the costs of any of the applicants whose application failed.
The information as to what applications for judicial review were made against the Department in the last Parliament is not readily available and the cost to obtain it would be disproportionate.
Departmental Manpower
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many full-time equivalent staff work on the (a) infectious diseases: animal and plant, (b) flooding and (c) food and water workstream of the Capabilities Programme; and what the staffing level was in each of the last 10 quarters. [79504]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA has four work streams under the Capabilities programme: animal disease; flooding; food supply; and water supply. Plant disease is not a work stream within this programme. Full-time equivalent data on each of the work streams are listed in the following table:
| Quarter ending | Animal disease | Flooding | Food | Water |
| Note: Numbers reflect numbers of staff working in the core Department. Animal disease figures are significantly higher as, for the other work streams, the bulk of the activity which supports the programme objectives is carried out by others outside DEFRA. | ||||
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Ministerial Meetings
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings she has had with representatives of (a) social enterprises, (b) charities, (c) large private sector businesses and (d) small and medium-sized private sector businesses since May 2010; and if she will make a statement. [75707]
Richard Benyon: We do not keep records for the categories used in this question. However, between April 2011 to date, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), has met with more than 13 organisations with charitable links and nine representatives of private companies.
Quarterly returns of all ministerial meetings are published on our website, following Cabinet Office guidelines and from May 2010 to March 2011 can be found at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/ministers/transparency/
Departmental Training
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many external training courses staff of her Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course. [74352]
Richard Benyon: The information to answer this question is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Fisheries: Birds of Prey
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects her Department's review of policy on managing the impact on inland fisheries of predation by fish-eating birds to be (a) completed and (b) published. [82224]
Richard Benyon: The review of policy relating to fish-eating birds is expected to conclude early in 2012, with recommendations being made to Ministers in the spring of 2012. The findings of the review will be published shortly after this.
Flood and Water Management Act 2010
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government will publish guidance on company social tariffs under section 44 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. [80289]
Richard Benyon: The Government are currently consulting on draft company social tariff guidance under section 44 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. More information can be found at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/10/26/social-tariffs/
We aim to publish final guidance early next year.
23 Nov 2011 : Column 425W
Hydroelectric Power: Regulation
Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to deregulate the establishment of small-scale hydroelectric schemes; and if she will make a statement. [81648]
Richard Benyon: We do not have any plans to deregulate the establishment of small-scale hydroelectric schemes. However, we are working to ensure the administrative burden of meeting essential environmental standards is kept to a minimum. The Environment Agency has streamlined administrative arrangements for the application and determination processes for those applying for the necessary permissions. The Environment Agency is also working with stakeholders to revise its environmental good practice guidelines for hydropower. We will continue to seek to maintain the right balance between encouraging growth in this sector and ensuring that sufficient environmental protection standards remain in place.
Legal Opinion: Costs
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times her Department sought legal advice from external counsel in (a) 2007, (b) 2009, (c) 2010 and (d) the first six months of 2011. [78064]
Richard Benyon: The Department does not keep a central record of the number of times it has sought legal advice from external counsel. It does record payments to external counsel, although not the reason for those payments, which can be payments for representation in court or for legal advice.
It is not necessarily the case that each payment equates to a separate piece of work. The figures include some payments relating to work for DEFRA's executive agencies, but exclude any external legal advice obtained directly by executive agencies, records of which are not held centrally. It would be disproportionately costly to disaggregate the figures.
|
|
Total number of payments made to external counsel |
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on (a) legal advice and (b) instructing counsel in (i) 2007, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010 and (iv) the first six months of 2011; how many times (A) her Department was taken to court and (B) a decision taken by her Department was subject to a judicial review; and what the outcome was of each such (1) case and (2) review. [78097]
Richard Benyon:
The Department's records do not separate out the cost of legal advice from other expenditure on legal services, but the full net cost of the Department's in-house legal team is shown in the following table, with figures rounded to the nearest £1,000. Presenting this by
23 Nov 2011 : Column 426W
calendar year (as opposed to financial year) and including expenditure on legal advice that may have occurred outside the in-house legal team in these years would incur disproportionate cost.
|
|
Net cost of in house team (£) |
The figures in the above table include payments made to external counsel.
The following table shows only those payments made to external counsel in the calendar years specified. They include costs relating to representation in court and not legal advice alone. It would be disproportionately costly to identify these types of costs separately.
|
|
Payments to external counsel (£) |
The figures in both the above tables include the cost of internal and external legal services provided to executive agencies. It would be disproportionately costly to disaggregate the figures for DEFRA from its executive agencies.
The Department's records do not identify cases in which the Department has been taken to court (and the outcome) as distinct from other cases, such as those that the Department has brought against others and cases resolved under a formal pre-action protocol. To disaggregate cases brought against the Department and their outcome would incur disproportionate cost.
The number of times the Department's decisions have been subject to judicial review and the outcome of these cases since 2009 are as follows:
|
|
Number | Outcome |
To provide figures for 2007 would incur disproportionate cost.