Poultry: EU Law
George Freeman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on EU-wide implementation of the EU laying hens directive by the 2012 deadline; and if she will make a statement. [81328]
Mr Paice:
The UK is fully engaged with the Commission and other member states in finding a practical enforcement solution to large scale non-compliance. The cage ban was an agenda item at the Agriculture Council meeting
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held on 14 November 2011 which I attended. Disappointingly little progress was made, and discussions are continuing.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), wrote jointly with nine other concerned member states to the European Commission in September. They urged the Commission to act quickly to protect those producers across the EU who will have complied with the ban, from the risk of competitive distortion in favour of those who will have maintained illegal production after 1 January 2012.
Rural Areas
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials work in her Department's Rural Policy Unit. [81563]
Richard Benyon: The Rural Communities Policy Unit currently has 33 staff and is also able to draw on dedicated support from DEFRA economists and social researchers.
Water Supply
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date the Water White Paper will be published. [80293]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA is committed to publishing the Water White Paper in December.
Wild Mammals
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were (a) proceeded against and (b) found guilty of offences under the (i) Badgers Act 1991, (ii) Deer Act 1999, (iii) Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and (iv) Hunting Act 2004 in (A) 2009 and (B) 2010. [79354]
Richard Benyon: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for and found guilty at all courts of offences under the (i) Protection of Badgers Act 1992, (ii) Deer Act 1991, (iii) Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996 and (iv) Hunting Act 2004, in 2009 and 2010, is shown in the following table:
| Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for selected animal related offences, England and Wales, 2009 - 10 (1,2) | ||||
| 2009 | 2010 | |||
| Statute | Proceeded against | Found guilty | Proceeded against | Found guilty |
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| (1) The figures presented relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when these data are used. | ||||
Communities and Local Government
Empty Property: Halifax
Mrs Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of properties in Halifax town centre are vacant; and what proportion were vacant in 2010. [74001]
Mr Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
The Valuation Office Agency does not hold data on the occupancy status of properties.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) publishes figures on the number of vacant properties in the local authority of Calderdale, which includes Halifax town. Figures for smaller geographical areas are not available.
The number of vacant dwellings in Calderdale from 2004-10 can be found in the following table on the DCLG website:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/1815793.xls
The number of empty non-domestic hereditaments in Calderdale for 2010 can be found in the following table on the DCLG website:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1972201.xls
Fire Services: Costs
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which fire authorities are paying the leasing costs of regional control centres; and how much each is paying each month. [80397]
Robert Neill: There are nine regional control centres. The lease costs of five are paid directly by DCLG. For the other four, DCLG grant-fund the fire and rescue services, who then pay the lease costs themselves. The amounts currently involved are shown in the following table.
The National Audit Office report of 1 July 2011, “The Failure of the FiReControl project”, states on the empty buildings:
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“The Department's failure to manage the project as a whole has resulted in the creation of empty regional control centres. The nine regional control centres were purpose-built to house the new computerised equipment and were designed specifically for that purpose. The Department's decision to prioritise the procurement of the centres over the IT system at an early stage meant that the first centres were completed in June 2007, just three months after the IT contract had been awarded”.
Our aim is now to achieve the best possible value for money for the tax payer from these buildings. One control centre has been assigned to the fire service, in London. They are due to move in shortly. DCLG is working with a number of fire that rescue authorities and other emergency services that have expressed an interest in taking on a regional control centre, in order to make good use of the buildings. The decision as to whether fire and rescue services use the buildings is entirely a local matter.
DCLG have reduced the facilities management costs for the buildings by 25% and utilities by 35%, and will look to make further savings where appropriate.
Fire Services: Pensions
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he has made an estimate of the average cost to individual members of the implementation of his proposed changes to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme. [81918]
Robert Neill:
In his interim report on public service pension reform, Lord Hutton of Furness recommended increasing employee contributions as the cost of public service pensions had increased by a third due to improving longevity and this additional cost had fallen primarily on taxpayers. The Government accepted Lord Hutton's rationale and, at the spending review, announced the intention to implement progressive increases to employee
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contribution rates in public sector pension schemes, equivalent to 3.2% on average to be phased in from April 2012.
A statutory consultation for the firefighters' pension schemes in England was published on 9 September 2011 and consults on proposed increases from April 2012 for the Firefighters' Pension Scheme 1992 and the New Firefighters' Pension Scheme 2006. Under those proposals, a fulltime firefighter earning £28,200 in the Firefighters' Pension Scheme 1992 would pay an additional £24 a month after tax relief, and the same firefighter in the New Firefighters' Pension Scheme 2006 would pay an additional £11 a month after tax relief. There remain strong economic reasons why all members should remain in good quality, guaranteed, reformed public service pension schemes.
Growing Places Fund
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of the effects on rural areas of its Growing Places Fund. [82214]
Grant Shapps: The Growing Places Fund will help promote both urban and rural job creation and housing. It will unlock investment in supporting infrastructure that will make development more sustainable in both urban and rural settings. Local Enterprise Partnerships are in the lead, and I refer the hon. Member to the Growing Places Fund prospectus which is in the Library of the House.
Gurkhas: Aldershot
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how he plans that his recently announced £1.5 million funding to ease the pressure on Aldershot as a result of Gurkha immigration will be spent. [81924]
Andrew Stunell: The new £1.5 million fund will support the successful integration of retired Gurkha soldiers and their dependants who, having served in the British Army, now wish to settle in the United Kingdom.
My officials will be contacting authorities with major Gurkha populations, the Gurkha Welfare Trust and other Gurkha charities to discuss how this fund can be used most effectively to help address need and support wider settlement. Further meetings are due to take place over the next week. We will make a further announcement in due course.
Housing: Disadvantaged
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of the effect of housing supply on levels of social exclusion; and what steps his Department plans to take to address such effects. [82084]
Grant Shapps:
Good quality, suitable, and well located housing, is fundamentally important to social inclusion and social mobility. One of the most important things each generation can do for the next is to build high-quality homes that will stand the test of time. By the end of the
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last Government's tenure, however, housebuilding rates had reached lows not seen in peacetime since the 1920s. This is not sustainable and not fair on young people and families. This Government are putting their full weight behind efforts to help the housebuilding industry get back to working at its full capacity. “Laying The Foundations—The Government's Housing Strategy for England” was published on Monday 21 November. The strategy sets out a bold new approach to get the housing market moving again, whilst also laying the foundations for a more responsive, effective and stable housing market in the future.
Mobile Homes: Licensing
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2011, Official Report, column 1045W, on mobile homes: licensing, whether he has held any discussions with Ministers of the Welsh Government on his plans to consult on measures to improve the licensing regime for mobile park homes. [81885]
Grant Shapps: The Department for Communities and Local Government has informed the Welsh Assembly Government of its plans to consult on the licensing regime for mobile home sites. Site licensing is a devolved matter and the consultation will extend to England only.
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2011, Official Report, column 1045W, on mobile homes: licensing, when he plans to undertake his consultation on measures to improve the licensing regime for mobile park homes. [81886]
Grant Shapps: I plan to publish the consultation paper in due course.
Rescue Services: Manpower
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) uniformed and (b) non-uniformed staff were employed in each fire and rescue service in England in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011 to date. [81917]
Robert Neill: Fire and rescue service operational statistics are published on my Department's website:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/researchandstatistics/firestatistics/firerescue/
Written Questions: Government Responses
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to answer question 80597 tabled on 8 November 2011 for named day answer on 14 November 2011. [82206]
Greg Clark: Question 80597 was answered on 21 November 2011, Official Report, column 59W.
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Treasury
Big Society Capital: Barnsley
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much is estimated to be in the dormant account fund of (a) Northern Rock, (b) Royal Bank of Scotland and (c) Lloyds TSB; and how much he estimates will be spent in Barnsley Central constituency. [82191]
Mr Hoban: The Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act gives the Reclaim Fund responsibility for managing the dormant account funds, meeting customer reclaims and passing on surplus funds for reinvestment in the community. The Reclaim Fund collects dormant account funds and the Government does not determine the amounts that are retrieved from individual banks.
The British Bankers' Association and the Building Societies Association have estimated that the current value of dormant accounts in the United Kingdom is £400 million. England has been apportioned 83.9% of dormant account funds released for reinvestment.
Big Society Capital: Charities
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with bank foundations on charitable giving to arts and culture charities. [82192]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), has not had any discussions with bank foundations specifically concerning charitable giving to arts and culture charities.
As announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his first Budget, the Government have introduced the Bank Levy, a permanent levy on banks' balance sheets, to ensure they make a fair contribution in respect of the potential risks they pose to the UK financial system and wider economy.
Corporation Tax: Northern Ireland
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the effect on the size of the block grant to Northern Ireland of a reduction in corporation tax to 12.5 per cent; [82000]
(2) if he will estimate the effect on the size of the block grant to Northern Ireland if corporation tax were reduced by (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) five and (e) eight per cent. [82001]
Mr Gauke: Initial estimates of the effect on the size of the block grant to Northern Ireland of a reduction in corporation tax were included in the Government's consultation paper Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy, published on 24 March 2011. However no decisions have been made on how the block grant adjustment would work if corporation tax were devolved.
Legal Opinion
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many times his Department sought legal advice from external counsel in (a) 2007, (b) 2009, (c) 2010 and (d) the first six months of 2011; [78059]
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(2) what the cost was of (a) internal and (b) external legal advice commissioned by his Department in the first six months of 2011; [78073]
(3) how many times his Department's legal section provided legal advice to Ministers in (a) 2007, (b) 2009, (c) 2010 and (d) the first six months of 2011; [78075]
(4) how many officials in his Department were working in its legal section in June 2011; and how many staff were working in the legal departments of his Department's agencies and non-departmental bodies; [78083]
(5) how much his 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) his Department was taken to court and (B) a decision taken by his Department was subject to a judicial review; and what the outcome was of each such (1) case and (2) review; [78091]
(6) how many (a) statutory instruments, (b) ministerial orders and (c) other pieces of secondary legislation were issued by his Department in (i) 1990, (ii) 1995, (iii) each year since 1999 and (iv) 2011 to date. [78107]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Treasury Solicitor has opened 47 cases on behalf of HM Treasury for the current financial year. Not all of these cases will involve civil litigation or judicial review proceedings, and counsel can also be engaged to provide advice without the formal opening of a case. HM Treasury does not keep a central record of each time external counsel is instructed, and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
For the period April to September 2011 the total cost of legal advice, in terms of bills paid, was £1,351,558.76. This relates to costs paid to external advisers and to the Treasury Solicitor's Department (which provides the internal legal advisers to the Treasury as well as litigation services), and includes £79,096 paid by HM Treasury for advice obtained from counsel instructed on its behalf, by the Treasury Solicitor's Department (other than directly by Treasury legal advisers). However, HM Treasury records are collated per financial year and these figures may not include invoices not yet received or bills not yet paid.
The total amounts spent on legal services in previous years, including advisory services and instructing counsel, are provided in the following table:
|
|
Cost (£) |
All the figures above relate to financial and not calendar years. For the years 2008-10, legal costs associated with banking interventions were fully reimbursed to the Treasury by the banks, thus the actual amount of net expenditure incurred by HM Treasury was substantially lower. The sums recovered from the banks are fully documented in HM Treasury's Resource Accounts.
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We do not separately record costs incurred instructing counsel and to provide the information requested to an appropriate level of accuracy would incur disproportionate costs.
Legal advice to Ministers and officials is a regular function of the Treasury legal advisers. It is not possible to quantify the number of times legal advice has been provided to Ministers over any given period.
The Treasury legal advisers are provided by the Treasury Solicitor's Department. In June 2011 there were 33 permanent legal staff working for HM Treasury (this covers both full-time and part-time staff). The Treasury legal advisers also provide legal services to the Treasury's agencies and non-departmental bodies but such entities may also commission external legal advice. HM Treasury does not have a central record of the number of staff its agencies and non-departmental bodies employ in their legal departments. The Asset Protection Agency had one permanent legal adviser, plus two secondees, in June 2011.
HM Treasury does not record centrally the number of times it has been taken to court, the number of decisions taken that have been subject to judicial review or the outcome of each case. However, recorded case details are available publicly, for example from the British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII), which can be found online at:
http://www.bailii.org/
The following table provides details of the number of HM Treasury statutory instruments (including ministerial orders):
|
|
Number of statutory instruments |
Economic Growth: Northern Ireland
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when the Government plans to publish its response to the consultation on rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy; [81996]
(2) if he will publish the responses to his Department's consultation on rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy. [82004]
Mr Gauke: The Government have announced that a joint ministerial working group on rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy will be established, comprising Ministers of HM Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, to consider issues raised by the consultation.
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No decision has yet been made on whether or not to devolve corporation tax and a final decision is expected next year. This decision will be informed by the work developed by the joint ministerial working group.
Further details of the Government's response to the consultation and a summary of responses received will be published later in the autumn.
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers have had on the consultation on rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy. [82003]
Mr Gauke: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), visited Northern Ireland on 17 June 2011 and discussed the Government's consultation on rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy with members of the Northern Ireland Executive and the business community.
I have had a series of meetings on this topic with members of the Executive and also attended the launch of the consultation in Northern Ireland. I also attended consultation events in London and Belfast where this issue was discussed with representatives of businesses and other interested parties.
Additionally, Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.
Energy Supply
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times he has met with representatives of (a) EDF-Energy, (b) RWE nPower, (c) Eon, (d) Scottish Power, (e) British Gas Centrica and (f) Scottish and Southern Energy since May 2010; and if he will publish minutes of those meetings. [80437]
Miss Chloe Smith: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations, available at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
Housing: Unemployment
Chris Williamson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to take steps to ensure that people who are unemployed are not refused home insurance due to their employment status. [82205]
Mr Hoban: As a rule, insurers use their claims experience and other industry-wide statistics to assess the risks posed by an individual and set the terms and price at which they will offer insurance cover. This can mean that where insurers think it relevant, people who are unemployed are offered more expensive cover or different terms.
However, people who are unemployed should still be able to find insurance in the current market. For those who have difficulty the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) is able to advise on how best to
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look across the insurance market for appropriate cover and may be able to provide names of specialist brokers who can advise on the availability of appropriate insurance and trawl the market for the best available deals.
Mortgages: Government Assistance
Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to introducing a mortgage relief scheme for first-time buyers or new build properties. [81865]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), keeps all taxes under review along Budget timelines.
PAYE: Pilot Schemes
Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which organisations are participating in the HM Revenue and Customs pilot of real-time information for PAYE; and what the expected duration is of the pilot. [81909]
Mr Gauke: The employers involved in the pilot are volunteers and have been chosen to be a representative group of organisations operating PAYE. They range in size and complexity from those with one employee to very large complex employers with many employees or pensioners. Those participating include local government banks, payroll bureaux and agents, retail and manufacturing, farmers, universities, colleges and schools, charities, hotels, film companies, software developers, pension providers and services companies. This is not an exhaustive list. It is not possible to name the organisations as those participating in the pilot have not given their consent to disclosure.
The pilot is expected to last one year. The Department is exploring whether more employers and pension providers could be brought into RTI during 2012-13 if the pilot is working well.
Public Expenditure
Mr Darling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of public spending per head of population in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in respect of (i) education, (ii) health, (iii) transport and (iv) policing. [81644]
Danny Alexander [holding answer 22 November 2011]: The latest statistics on identifiable public expenditure by sub-function per head of population for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can be found in tables B.5 to B.8 of the October 2011 National Statistics Public Expenditure Release published by Treasury. The figures are reproduced in the following table:
| Table 1: Identifiable spending on selected services for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland | ||||||
| £ per head | ||||||
|
|
|
2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
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| Source: National Statistics | ||||||
Stamp Duty Land Tax
Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the number of people who have benefited from the stamp duty relief on properties under £250,000 in (a) the UK, (b) Wales and (c) Aberconwy constituency. [81866]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced at the Budget that the outcome of a review of the stamp duty land tax relief for first time buyers will be announced in autumn 2011.
Tax Allowances: Travel
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees in the UK used (a) Cycle to Work schemes, (b) employer-provided buses and (c) tax-free parking in the latest period for which figures are available. [81874]
Mr Gauke: This information is not collected as there is no requirement for employers to report use of these benefits in kind to HM Revenue and Customs.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Lewes (Norman Baker), on 10 February 2011, Official Report, column 408W, for further information on the Cycle to Work scheme.
Taxation
Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to ensure that people who do not have internet access are able to obtain copies of their tax records by other means. [81864]
Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs are committed to continue providing permanent, dedicated support to customers who are unable to access our services online. This support may be provided, for example, through the use of intermediaries or alternative channels.
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Customers wishing to gain access to their tax records can do so in accordance with the Data Protection Act guidelines. Customers should address their request to the ‘Data Protection Officer', including enough details to enable us to verify their identity and locate the relevant information. Further information can be found by contacting HMRC and asking for a copy of leaflet DP/FS1 or on the HMRC website at the following link:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/dp-fs1.htm
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the variety of cultural venues in each region and their effect on private sector investment in arts organisations. [80789]
Mr Vaizey: We have made no such assessment. The key factor in determining private sector investment in arts organisations is strong leadership. We know there is scope to strengthen philanthropy and other forms of income generation across the country. It is for arts organisations to develop and cultivate support from a range of sources. In September this Department, along with Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund, announced details of the £100 million Catalyst scheme to boost private giving to culture. This will enable arts and heritage organisations across the country to diversify the way they generate income, increase their fundraising potential and develop new ways to secure private giving.
Big Society Capital: Creative Industries
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps is he taking to ensure that the arts and creative industries can make use of dormant account money when it is invested in the Big Society Bank. [82193]
Mr Vaizey: Big Society Capital (BSC, formerly referred to as the ‘Big Society Bank') set out in its outline proposal of May 2011, that it will use dormant account money to boost significantly the ability of the social sector to deal with social issues. BSC will act as a wholesale investor for social investment, investing capital in intermediaries so that they are able to invest in frontline organisations. There is no reason why intermediary organisations working in the arts and other creative sectors cannot apply to this fund, and we will be working with our public bodies to encourage them to do so.
Departmental Manpower
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport for how many (a) days per week and (b) weeks per year on average the 89 unpaid interns of the National Museum of Science and Industry were employed from September 2009 to September 2010. [82190]
Mr Vaizey:
The National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI) does not hold complete data on the number of days per week worked by each intern employed
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from September 2009 to September 2010, and is not able to obtain this data retrospectively. However, it is estimated the average number of days worked per week by each intern is 2.5. On average, interns were based at NMSI for a period of 26-weeks per year. Internships ranged from a five day placement to a yearlong research fellowship.
Gambling: Internet
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with (a) his EU counterparts and (b) governments of non-EU countries on the regulation of internet gambling. [82090]
John Penrose: I have been in contact with the governing authorities of Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Malta, the Isle of Man, Antigua and Barbuda, and Tasmania, to discuss and inform them of my remote gambling proposals, particularly in relation to the phasing out of the white list and the transitional arrangements.
I also wrote to my counterparts in the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Last month I met the European Commission and discussed the remote gambling proposals on an informal basis. While in Brussels I also made a speech on Government policy in this area, which can be found on my Department's website at:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/news/ministers_speeches/8638.aspx
Independent Commercial Television Broadcast Sector
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans his Department has to promote the independent commercial television broadcast sector. [81913]
Mr Vaizey: As we take forward the communications review, we will take into account the thoughts and concerns of the independent commercial television broadcast sector in developing our proposals.
Museums: Libraries
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) how much his Department plans to spend on (a) museums and (b) libraries in each of the next four years; [82194]
(2) how much his Department has spent on (a) museums and (b) libraries in each of the last five years. [82195]
Mr Vaizey: The following tables show the amount of funding the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has spent on museums and libraries from 2006-07 to 2010-11, and how much it plans-to spend from 2011-12 to 2014-15. The tables reflect the grant-in-aid paid for the Department's national museums and the British Library from 2006-07 to 2010-11, and the funding allocated to these bodies in the October 2010 spending review settlement from 2011-12 to 2014-15. These figures can be seen on the Department's website at:
http://www.transparency.culture.gov.uk/
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Updates will be published periodically in the same location. The funding allocated programmes to support “museums and libraries—Renaissance in the Regions”, Strategic Commissioning and DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund from 2006-07 to 2014-15. The funding was allocated to the Department's grant-funded museums from 2006-07 to 2014-15.
| Grant in a id | |||||
| £ million | |||||
| Body | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| (1) This include the ring-fenced allocation for National Historic Ships. | |||||
| Spending review settlement | ||||
| £ million | ||||
| Body | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
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| (1) This include the ring-fenced allocation for National Historic Ships. | ||||
| Allocation | |||||||||
| £ million | |||||||||
| Programme | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
| (1) The DCMS/Wolfson Fund, financed equally by Government and the Wolfson Foundation, supports projects which improve the quality of displays, public spaces, collection interpretation and disabled access in museums and galleries across England. | |||||||||
| Allocation | |||||||||
| £ million | |||||||||
| Grants to smaller museums | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
This Department has policy responsibility for public libraries but core funding for public libraries is paid to the 151 library authorities in England as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, administered by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
Until October 2011 the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) was responsible for library development and improvement. Grant-in-aid was used to deliver the Future Libraries Programme supporting 10 projects with a maximum of £10,000 per project to help library services face financial challenges.
MLA's responsibility for libraries was transferred to Arts Council England (ACE) and on 9 November ACE launched a second Libraries Development Initiative. It will run between March 2012 and March 2013 supporting around 10 projects with a maximum of £20,000 per project to create vibrant, sustainable 21(st) century library service.
Olympic Games 2012: Finance
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what proportion of the 2012 Olympic athletes' village will be funded by (a) public investment and (b) private investment. [82100]
Hugh Robertson:
The construction cost of the Olympic village is estimated at £1.1 billion. This includes Olympic related costs such as re-fitting the accommodation after the games and athlete use for long-term legacy occupation. All these costs are initially funded by the public investment. Of the 2,818 new homes being created, 1,379 have been sold to affordable housing provider Triathlon Homes, for £268 million and the remaining 1,439 homes were recently sold to Qatari Diar/Delancey (QDD) Joint Venture for £557.5 million. Triathlon's investment includes a grant of £110 million from the Homes and Communities Agency. These receipts of at least £826 million more than cover the normal construction and development costs of the village but not the abnormal costs of the village project, which include having to construct the whole development at one time for use by athletes at games-time, the need to hold all of the apartments unsold during game-time and the need to extensively refit the accommodation post-games from athletes use to residential use. It is important to note, the QDD
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agreement also provides for the public purse to benefit from a share in any profits arising from future improvements in the property markets. We cannot, therefore, assess the total cost of the village to the public purse at this time because we will recoup costs in the future. However, the overall financial outturn on the Olympic village is in line with previous forecasts and within the overall public sector funding package for the games.
Sport England: Third Sector
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what funding Sport England allocated to voluntary sector or third sector organisations in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [81851]
Hugh Robertson: The information requested is not held by this Department and relates to matters that are the responsibility of Sport England.
Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Sport England to write direct to the hon. Member for Harrow West.
Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Defence
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which regions the (a) Army, (b) Navy and (c) Royal Air Force has recruited in each year from 2005 to 2011. [82200]
Mr Robathan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answers I gave on 23 November 2010, Official Report, column 211W, to the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South (Bridget Phillipson), and on 19 October 2011, Official Report, column 987W, to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Dr Whiteford).
Defence
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the UK retaining a full spectrum defence capability following the strategic defence and security review. [81721]
Mr Philip Hammond: I refer the right hon. Member to page 10 of the Government's Response to the House of Commons Defence Committee's Sixth Report of Session 2010-12 (HC 1639), published on 10 November 2011.
Copies of the response are available in the Library of the House.
Departmental Manpower
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of staffing reductions on his Department's performance and productivity. [82176]
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Mr Philip Hammond: The Defence Transformation programme, which is taking forward the structural and organisational changes flowing from the strategic defence and security review and the Levene review, is intended to enable the Department to manage the impact of the planned staffing reductions by providing the mechanism to match resources and outputs.
Priorities will be rigorously examined, non-essential work will be stopped, and other work will be done in different ways, including through outsourcing, organisational restructuring, and rationalisation. The single services are modelling their future manpower to minimise the effect on operational effectiveness.
Dubai
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which officials of his Ministry were present at the press conference in Dubai in June 2011 at which his predecessor answered questions on Libya, Syria and the UK strategic defence review. [80426]
Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 14 November 2011]: The previous Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox), was accompanied during the media engagements in Dubai by a private secretary, and a special adviser from his private office. He was also supported by Her Majesty's ambassador to Dubai, the in-country Defence Attaché, and the embassy's media adviser.
Ex-servicemen: Mental Health
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department discusses regularly with the NHS trends in psychiatric problems experienced by former armed services personnel. [81540]
Mr Philip Hammond: Officials from the Ministry of Defence and the UK Departments of Health meet regularly, via the Partnership Board, to discuss issues including the mental health of our former service personnel.
At a local level, Defence officials meet regularly with their colleagues in the health services and devolved administrations to ensure our former service personnel receive the healthcare they are entitled to.
Gurkhas
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the cost of Gurkha recruitment has been in each of the last four years; [82063]
(2) how many Gurkhas have been recruited in Nepal in each of the last four years. [82064]
Mr Robathan: The cost of Gurkha recruitment in each of the last four years was:
| Financial year | £ million |
The following numbers of Gurkhas have been recruited in Nepal in each of the last four years:
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|
|
Number |
Libya
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to provide long-term support to Libya. [81467]
Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 22 November 2011]: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a small Defence Advisory Team as part of the UK embassy in Tripoli.
The UK is currently contributing £1.5 million to fund civilian experts assisting in a weapons disposal programme. As part of this commitment, the MOD has provided a small team of UK military specialists to work alongside the Libyans and United States in preventing the proliferation of surface to air missiles.
We stand ready to respond to any formal request for defence and security assistance from the new Libyan Government and will ensure that any support is coordinated with key partners.
Met Office
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the capital receipt his Department is likely to receive following the transfer of the Met Office from his Department. [82055]
Mr Robathan: The Met Office was transferred to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 18 July 2011 as part of a wider machinery of government change which was undertaken as a first step to establishing a public data corporation (PDC). One of its aims is to create a vehicle to facilitate private investment. Proposals for a PDC are still under development and the shape and nature that the PDC takes will impact on the source and nature of any capital receipts realised by Government.
Education
Children: Disability
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals to require schools to record whether a child has a disability. [81542]
Sarah Teather: Schools were asked to provide information on pupils with disabilities in January 2011 School Census returns on a voluntary basis. We have asked them to do likewise next year.
We will then consider future disability data collection arrangements in light of experience over both years, alongside considering work by the Education, Schools and Children's Services Information Standards Board to create a standard for data collection across children's services and education.
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Child: Protection
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the possible additional risk to child protection of the extension of the shared accommodation rate of local housing allowance to (a) 25 to 34-year-olds who are (i) parents with part-custody of their children and (ii) women up until the latest stage of pregnancy and (b) other 25 to 34-year-olds; and if he will make a statement. [81118]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply.
It is not possible to assess any increased risk to children by extending the age threshold of the shared accommodation rate. The equality impact assessment of the increase to the shared accommodation rate age threshold, available on the DWP website at:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-hb-shared-accommodation-age-threshold.pdf
contains estimates of the impacts of this measure at both Government office region and local authority area level but does not look at the implications for child protection.
Further financial assistance is available from local authorities through discretionary housing payments when they consider that additional help with housing costs is needed. Local authorities often award such payments to single pregnant women to cover a temporary housing benefit shortfall on moving into larger accommodation in anticipation of the birth of their child.
Cultural Education Review
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the cost to the public purse of the Independent Review of Cultural Education is; and on what date the report of the review is to be published. [81554]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 November 2011]:Darren Henley is working on the cultural review on a voluntary basis, with the support of officials from both the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Education. The report will be published shortly.
Drugs: Health Education
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his Department's expenditure was on the Frank drug awareness campaign in each year since its introduction. [82231]
Sarah Teather: Information on the amount of funding provided by the Department for Education is only available from the accounting year 2006-07. The amounts allocated to the service are shown in the following table:
| Financial year | £ |
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This funding was a contribution to the overall FRANK campaign.
First Aid: Education
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education in how many schools first aid is taught to pupils. [81602]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 November 2011]:The Department does not collect this information centrally. However, schools teach first aid within non-statutory personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. Pupils are taught how to recognise and follow health and safety procedures, ways of reducing risk and minimising harm in risky situations and how to use emergency and basic first aid.
We are reviewing personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, including sex and relationships education. The internal review is considering how to improve the quality of teaching; the core outcomes which we expect PSHE to achieve; and the core of knowledge and awareness that the Government should expect pupils to acquire at school. It is looking at existing research and also welcomes submissions of evidence and good practice before 30 November this year.
Life Skills
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to take any steps to promote Drinkaware's In:tuition life skills programme. [79277]
Sarah Teather [holding answer 7 November 2011]: It is not the role of Government to promote particular programmes. However, the work of the Alcohol Network of the Public Health Responsibility Deal launched on 15 March 2011 has, as one of its aims, support for the education of young people about the harms of alcohol misuse and the importance of delaying the onset of drinking. The Alcohol Network sub-group responsible for developing the pledge which addresses this issue is currently considering appropriate evidence-based programmes which look to be best placed to support this aim.
Pupils: Disadvantaged
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of pupils in each education authority area with selective grammar schools receives the pupil premium in (a) each of the grammar schools and (b) each of the other secondary schools in the area. [76172]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 21 October 2011]:Information on the percentage of pupils eligible for the deprivation pupil premium in each local authority with at least one grammar school has been placed in the House Libraries for (a) each grammar school and (b) other state-funded secondary schools in those authorities.
Information on the numbers of service children and looked-after children eligible for the pupil premium is not released at school level.
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Schools: Sports
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding has been allocated to schools to pay for day release of PE teachers to organise sport in primary schools; and if he will make a statement. [81691]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 November 2011]: Each eligible school will receive £7,600 per year in the two academic years 2011/12 and 2012/13 to release a PE teacher for one day a week to work with local primary schools to increase opportunities in competitive sport and to encourage greater take up of the school games.
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young ambassadors have taken part in organising sporting activities in each local authority area in each school year since 2006-07; how many he anticipates will take part in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [81696]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 November 2011]:The Department does not collect this information. The role of young ambassadors is to act as advocates and role models by using the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to encourage other young people to take up sport and physical activity. This includes: increasing participation in school sport; promoting healthy lifestyles; promoting the Olympic and Paralympic values; and supporting the delivery of the school games. As part of this work, many young ambassadors will help to organise sporting activities.
Teachers: Pensions
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of active members of the teachers' pension scheme earn up to £15,000 per annum. [81289]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 15 November 2011]:Figures provided by teachers' pension show that as of 31 March 2011 there were 92,578 active members with salaries up to £15,000.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people were making contributions to the teachers' pension scheme on the most recent date for which figures are available; and how many people were making such contributions 12 months previously. [81428]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 November 2011]:The “Teachers' Pensions Scheme (England and Wales) Annual Accounts” provide the most current full year figures for active membership of the teachers' pension scheme.
The 2010-11 accounts show that as of 31 March 2010 there were 658,351 active members and as of 31 March 2009 there were 628,344 active members.
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of active members of the teachers' pension scheme earning less than £15,000 per year (a) are female and (b) work part-time. [81575]
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Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 November 2011]:In the financial year 2010-11 there were 92,578 active members with salaries up to £15,000. Of these 73,283, were female and 92,284 worked part-time.
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of a teacher's pensionable pay is deducted in pension contributions. [81877]
Mr Gibb: The current employee contribution to the teachers' pension scheme is 6.4% of pensionable salary. The Department is currently considering responses to its recent consultation to increase employee contributions to the TPS from 1 April 2012. The increases would average 3.2% but would be tiered, so that those who earn more will pay more and the lowest earners will be protected.
Vocational Education
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the proportion of young people aged 14 to 16 years who would benefit from receiving vocational education for more than 20 per cent. of their school time. [81147]
Mr Gibb: The Wolf review of vocational education made recommendations for Government to improve the quality of vocational education offered to 14 to 16-year-olds, wherever they take their education. It noted that, in a normal school setting, the vocational component of students' programmes should not be expected to exceed around 20% of teaching time, but did not recommend any specific action to restrict how much time should be devoted to vocational programmes for some, or all, students.
On 12 May the Government response to the Wolf review accepted all the recommendations in full, and set out a timeline for implementing the recommendations.
The Wolf report on vocational education and the Government response, including key implementation milestones, can be found here:
http://www.education.gov.uk/16to19/qualificationsandlearning/a0074953/review-of-vocational-education-the-wolf-report
Written Questions: Government Responses
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer Question 80983 tabled on 9 November 2011 for named day answer on 14 November 2011. [82207]
Tim Loughton: Parliamentary question 80983 was replied to on 21 November 2011, Official Report, column 70W.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Cluster Munitions
Caroline Lucas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy not to invite to UK arms trade events any country that has not signed and ratified the Convention on
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Cluster Munitions and which either has stockpiles of cluster munitions, or has companies involved in the manufacture or trade in cluster munitions or components; and if he will make a statement. [81339]
Mr Prisk: This Government considers carefully which overseas Governments may receive invitations to send official delegations to UK defence and security exhibitions. All relevant factors are taken into consideration.
EU Social Chapter
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of proposals to withdraw from the European Social Chapter; and if he will place any such assessment in the Library. [81446]
Mr Davey: None. There is no distinct “European Social Chapter”; the EU's provisions for social and related matters are integrated into the treaties.
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received since May 2010 calling for the UK to withdraw from the European Social Chapter; and if he will place a copy of any such representations in the Library. [81665]
Mr Davey: There is no distinct “European Social Chapter”; the EU's provisions for social and related matters are integrated into the treaties. This Department regularly receives representations from stakeholders on matters concerning aspects of European employment law. It would not be practical to deposit all such representations in the Libraries of the House.
European Agency and Temporary Workers Directive
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will place in the Library a copy of the legal opinion in respect of the May 2008 agreement between the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress regarding the implementation of the regulations pertaining to the European agency and temporary workers directive and the Government's options on amending these; and if he will make a statement. [82196]
Mr Davey: I will not be disclosing any legal advice relating to the May 2008 agreement between the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress due to legal professional privilege.
I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement I made on 19 October 2010, Official Report, columns 49-50WS, which sets out the reason for my decision not to amend the regulations prior to implementation due to the clear risk of undermining the 12-week qualifying period.
Export Controls
Caroline Lucas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy to promote the addition of (a) electric-shock stun-cuffs and other body worn electric-shock devices and (b) spiked batons and spiked shields to the list of
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items in Council Regulation (EC) No 1236/2005 concerning trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment or torture that are prohibited from import or export; and if he will promote inclusion in the regulation of enhanced controls on drugs used for carrying out the death penalty by lethal injection; and if he will make a statement. [81338]
Mr Prisk: The Committee for Common Rules for Exports of Products (Council Regulation (EC) No 1236/2005) met on 16 November 2011 to discuss the Commission's proposals to add electric-shock cuffs and other body worn electric-shock devices and spiked batons to the list of items whose import and export are prohibited, and to add specified drugs that could be used for the purposes of execution by lethal injection to the list of items for which an export licence is required. The Government supported the proposals. Subject to final approval of the member states the Commission indicated that they intend to bring the amendments into force before the end of this year.
Export Credits Guarantees
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to work with the Paris Club to carry out a public audit of the debt owed to the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD); and if he will undertake an immediate review of ECGD-backed loans for arms sales to undemocratic governments. [81331]
Mr Davey: The Government have no plans to carry out an audit of debts owed to the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) or undertake a review of ECGD support for defence exports. UK Export Finance does not offer support for defence exports unless the Export Control Organisation (ECO) of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is willing to issue an export licence where this is required. The ECO is the body that decides whether a defence export is permissible, consistent with relevant legislation and Government policy. In doing so, it takes account of a number of factors, including international relations, security and human rights. Relevant departments across Whitehall, but not including UK Export Finance, are involved in its decision-taking.
Health: Working Hours
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on productivity of changes in the level of occupational health research. [82057]
Mr Willetts: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has not made any assessment on the effect of changes in the level of occupational health research on productivity. The level of funding by the Medical Research Council, one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research, on occupational health research has not changed significantly over the past five years.
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Local Economic Partnership
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the budget is for each local economic partnership covering (a) Birmingham, (b) Newcastle, (c) Wakefield, (d) Manchester, (e) Leeds, (f) Liverpool, (g) Coventry, (h) Bristol, (i) Sheffield, (j) Bradford, (k) Leicester and (l) Nottingham for each of the next five years. [82777]
Mr Prisk: Local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) can draw on a variety of funding sources, including from local authorities and other partners. In relation to central Government funding LEPs can apply for money to support their development through this Department's Capacity and Start-up Funds. They were all also recently awarded an indicative allocation from the Growing Places Fund.
LEPs can also apply for funding to support specific programmes or projects, for example, the Regional Growth Fund or through the Technology Strategy Board. Partnerships can also access European funding streams or may receive financial support from local authorities.
The Department has made no projections as to how much funding each local enterprise partnership will receive over the next five years.
National Savings and Investments: Post Offices
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions his Department has had with National Savings and Investment on its decision to stop selling its products through the Post Office network. [82153]
Mr Davey: National Savings and Investments (NS&I) is an executive agency of Her Majesty's Treasury (HMT). As such, the Department has held discussions with both NS&I and HMT on the future provision of NS&I products through the Post Office network.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what estimate he has made of the monetary value of National Savings and Investment's contract with Post Office Ltd in the last year for which figures are available; [82154]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect on the viability of the Post Office network of the decision by National Savings and Investment to stop selling products through the Post Office; [82155]
(3) whether Premium Bonds will continue to be offered through the Post Office following the withdrawal of National Savings and Investments products; [82220]
(4) what estimate he has made of the monetary value of sales commission on National Savings and Investments products for the Post Office in the latest period for which figures are available. [82222]
Mr Davey: Information relating to contractual arrangements and the data requested is an operational matter for the Post Office, taking account of their commercial relationship National Savings and Investments. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the managing director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
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Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of National Savings and Investments products were managed by (a) post, (b) telephone, (c) online and (d) through post offices in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [82217]
Miss Chloe Smith: I have been asked to reply.
The proportion of National Savings and Investments products transacted by (a) post, (b) telephone, (c) online and (d) through post offices from 1 November 2010 to 31 October 2011 by their customers is set out in the following table.
|
|
Percentage |
|
Picking up a brochure at PO, and sending application to NS&I |
The percentage figures do not sum to 100% because customers may have used more than one channel to transact with NS&I during the year as other available sales or transaction channels are available, eg, BACS payments or by using ATMs.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the monetary value he puts on National Savings and Investments transactions administered through the post office network in the latest period for which figures are available. [82221]
Miss Chloe Smith: I have been asked to reply.
In the financial year 2010-11, £3.06 billion of NS&I sales were made at post office counters and £2.03 billion of NS&I sales were made by customers picking up an NS&I brochure at a post office and then sending this directly to NS&I. £227.8 million of repayments were made via the Post Office.
Over the same period £3.12 billion of sales were made by customers directly via NS&I’s website; £1.95 billion directly with NS&I by telephone; and £1.78 billion directly with NS&I by post.
Postal Services
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what additional services the Government has begun to provide through the Post Office network as part of its objective to make the network a front office for Government since May 2010. [82216]
Mr Davey: This Government were clear in their November 2010 policy statement that it supports Post Office Ltd's ambition to provide more services on behalf of local and national Government.
Post Office Ltd has shown good progress against this ambition. For example, it has recently begun providing services to Westminster council after bidding successfully for a contract for a number of ‘front office’ services; it has worked with The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on three pilots; and has recently begun providing
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Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks on behalf of the Public Carriage Office. It has also been successful in securing additional services which have not yet gone live—for example, face-to-face registrations for some local authority staff.
Science: Inflation
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the effect of inflation on his Department's science budget. [79763]
Mr Willetts: At the time of the settlement, the Government were using the GDP deflator which came close to 10% by the end of the last spending review period in 2010. General inflation forecasts will vary over time and calculations of specific inflation rates in particular sectors will give variations around those forecasts.
The Government have also set efficiency targets for the Science and Research budget. These savings will total £324 million by the last year of the spending review period for 2011-15. Given the ring-fenced position of the Science and Research resource budget, these savings will be reinvested in science and research and will allow further spend on the highest priorities. This equates to about 7% of savings.
Cabinet Office
Civil Servants: Pensions
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of active members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme earning less than £15,000 per year (a) are female and (b) work part-time. [81571]
Mr Maude [holding answer 22 November 2011]: There are 57,904 female active members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS), earning less than £15,000 per year, and of those 53,833 work part-time. Membership numbers of the PCSPS and a breakdown between active, deferred and pensioner members can be found in Cabinet Office Civil Superannuation Resource Accounts 2009-10, copies of which are in the Library.
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of active members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme earn no more than £15,000 per year. [81573]
Mr Maude [holding answer 22 November 2011]: There are 70,732 active members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS), earning no more than £15,000 per year. Membership numbers of the PCSPS and a breakdown between active, deferred and pensioner members can be found in Cabinet Office Civil Superannuation Resource Accounts 2009-10, copies of which are in the Library.
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of a civil servant's pay is deducted in pension contributions. [81876]
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Mr Maude: Pensions, including the level of employee contribution, form part of the remuneration package. Remuneration for the civil service is intended to be sufficient to attract and retain staff while providing good value for money to the taxpayer.
Civil servants pay pension contributions of either 1.5% or 3.5% of pay, depending on which section of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme they are a member of. The Government have already announced that they intend to increase contributions by an average of 3.2% of pay, and a consultation closed on 20 October on the first year of increases to apply from April 2012.