Science: Higher Education
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what research he has commissioned on the effect on the number of courses in STEM subjects of the Government's decision to remove limits on student numbers at university for those achieving AAB grades or higher at A level; and if he will make a statement. [80734]
Mr Willetts: Following the publication of the Higher Education White Paper, “Students at the Heart of the System”, published in June this year, BIS Ministers wrote to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) setting out priorities for funding which include the additional costs associated with high cost subjects and strategically important and vulnerable subjects (SIVS), which includes some STEM subjects. Ministers will give their final instructions to HEFCE in the 2012-13 grant letter, due at the turn of the year.
In October, HEFCE published a document which sets out their decisions on the setting of student number control limits for 2012-13; this document stated that funding for provision of strategically important and vulnerable subjects (SIVS) will be excluded from the pro-rata cut of 20,000 places to create a flexible margin of places that higher education institutions can bid for.
As all English universities are private autonomous institutions that are independently run, it is for them to make their own decisions about the courses they will provide; their admissions policy; how to implement their own funding strategies; and to make the necessary decisions to ensure they are responsive to student choice and that their institutions can continue to flourish.
Students: Loans
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the cost of providing student loans for access to higher education courses from the 2013-14 academic year; and what estimate he has made of the proportion of such loans that will be repaid. [80875]
Mr Willetts: The estimated up-front costs of providing loans to students from 2012/13 to 2015/16 academic years are set out in the following table:
| £m | ||||
|
|
2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/16 |
28 Nov 2011 : Column 738W
Estimates for tuition fee loans are based on assumption that 90% of eligible students will take out loans. The average fee loan assumption is £7,500.
We currently estimate that the resource accounting and budgeting charge for student loans—representing the cost of both write-offs and interest subsidies—will be around 30% of the face value of loans issued.
Supermarkets
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) senior civil servants in his Department have had with representatives of (i) Asda, (ii) Tesco and (iii) Sainsbury's since June 2010. [82311]
Mr Prisk: Since June 2010, Ministers and senior officials have met on numerous occasions with those large retailers, as well as with a broad range of other stakeholders.
All Ministers' meetings are now published quarterly on the Department's website:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/staff
Technology Strategy Board : Science
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding he has allocated for (a) science research and (b) the Technology Strategy Board in each of the next five years. [82775]
Mr Willetts: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central (Chi Onwurah), on 26 April 2011, Official Report, columns 268-69W.
Justice
Antisocial Behaviour
Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has received legal advice on whether the ruling of the High Court in Connolly v. DPP [2007] EWHC 237 (Admin), as regards the interpretation and application of section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 so as to ensure its compatibility with the right to freedom of expression under article 10 of the European convention on human rights represents the most authoritative precedent in this matter. [82606]
Mr Blunt: Interpretation of legislation is entirely a matter for the courts. Legal advice is of course sought as appropriate in developing Government policy.
Civil Disorder
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of those remanded in custody for offences relating to the public disorder of 6 to 9 August 2011 were subsequently (a) found not guilty or (b) not given a custodial sentence. [82427]
Mr Blunt:
Estimated number of defendants remanded in custody at some point for offences relating to the public disorder between 6 and 9 August 2011, where
28 Nov 2011 : Column 739W
final outcome of the case is known—as at 12 October 2011 (latest available), can be viewed in the following table.
| Estimated number of defendants remanded in custody for offences relating to the public disorder between 6 and 9 August 2011, where final outcome of case is known, data as of 12 October 2011 (1, 2, 3) | |
|
|
Number |
| (1) In order to allow timely reporting of statistics on defendants proceeded against at the magistrates courts for offences resulting from 6 to 9 August period of public disorder, a dataset has been compiled from manual returns from the courts. This dataset has not undergone the full quality assurance process used on the Department’s court proceedings database, hence these remand figures are presented as estimates. This table was compiled from data received by 12 October 2011. (2) The statistics 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. (3) 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 those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services: Ministry of Justice. | |
Crimes of Violence: Bexley
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were convicted of violent criminal offences in the London borough of Bexley in each of the last three years. [83394]
Mr Blunt: The number of persons found guilty at all courts of violent crimes, by offence type, in the Greater London police force area, from 2008 to 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in the following table.
Information available centrally does not allow a breakdown at borough level.
Annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in spring 2012.
| Number of persons found guilty at all courts of violent crimes, by offence type, Greater London police force area, 2008 - 10 (1,2) | |||
| Offence type | 2008 (3) | 2009 | 2010 |
| (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings 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 it 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 those data are used. (3) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice | |||
28 Nov 2011 : Column 740W
Domestic Violence: Reoffenders
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of (a) men and (b) women convicted of domestic violence offences were repeat offenders in 2010. [83697]
Mr Blunt: The information requested is not available as domestic violence cannot be separately identified, in the data that we hold, from other forms of violence against the person.
Euthanasia
Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has plans to bring forward legislative proposals in order to place on a statutory basis the current guidance issued by the Crown Prosecution Service in respect of assisted suicide. [82900]
Mr Blunt: The Government have no plans to bring forward such legislative proposals.
Insolvency
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of potential changes to (a) direct and (b) indirect receipts to HM Revenue and Customs in respect of insolvencies attributable to changes to (i) conditional fee arrangements and (ii) after-the-event insurance. [82358]
Mr Djanogly: As I stated in my answer on 8 November 2011, Official Report, column 183W, and 21 November 2011, Official Report, column 168W, an updated impact assessment was published alongside the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, which includes provisions on the proposed reform of no win no fee conditional fee agreements. Department officials and I continue to discuss the likely impacts of these changes in relation to insolvency proceedings.
Legal Aid Scheme
Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the likely amount of legal aid funding provided to the not-for-profit sector by the end of 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [83382]
Mr Djanogly: The LSC is unable to estimate the expected legal aid spend on the not-for-profit sector during the current financial year as the LSC's business processes do not hold information in this format. Additionally, under the Unified Contract, commissioning for not-for-profit agencies is part of an overall approach to civil legal aid and there is no separate budget for not-for-profit expenditure. However, actual legal aid spending on the not-for-profit sector during April 2011 to October 2011 was £30.4 million.
Offenders: Ex-servicemen
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether prisons and probation staff who offer advice to former armed services personnel are given facilities time to carry out those duties. [83223]
28 Nov 2011 : Column 741W
Mr Blunt: The needs of veterans are identified through the assessment procedures that form the first part of the offender management process, with Offender Supervisors and Managers offering advice and making referrals to specialist services as part of their role.
Additionally, the Veterans in Custody Scheme (ViCS) is now operating in more than 100 prisons. Where governors have identified that there is local need for the scheme, staff facility time is being made available to support it. Similar schemes are operating in the community in a number of probation trusts. Any decisions about the allocation of resources to support such schemes are taken at local level to reflect identified need.
Parole Board for England and Wales: Finance
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget of the Parole Board was in each financial year between 1996-97 and 2010-11. [83280]
Mr Djanogly: The resource budget allocations to the Parole Board in each of the following financial years are shown in the following table:
| Period | £ million |
The Ministry of Justice was formed in May 2007. Prior to this date, the Parole Board was an executive non-departmental public body working at arm's length from the Home Office.
Prisoners
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have been moved between prisons in each year since 2005. [82738]
Mr Blunt: The information for prisoner movement between prisons in each year since 2005 (April to March) is reproduced in the following table:
|
|
Number |
28 Nov 2011 : Column 742W
Prisoners: Foreign Nationals
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign national prisoners of each nationality were in prison in England and Wales on 31 October 2011. [83429]
Mr Blunt: The following table shows the number of foreign national prisoners of each nationality being held in prisons in England and Wales, as at 30 September 2011. These figures are published quarterly in table 1.5 of the “Offender Management Statistics Quarterly Bulletin” available at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/prisons-and-probation/oms-quarterly.htm
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
| Population in prison, by nationality, 30 September 2011, England and Wales | |
| Nationality | Total |
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28 Nov 2011 : Column 744W
28 Nov 2011 : Column 745W
Prisoners: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on the training provided to prison staff who are required to care for offenders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. [83408]
Mr Blunt: Training for newly recruited prison officers provides officers with an understanding of mental health disorders and how to respond effectively to prisoners experiencing mental ill health. Further training is available to prison officers throughout their career depending on their role within their prison. All such training provides prison officers with the knowledge to identify offenders with mental health issues and refer to appropriate health care professionals.
Following a review of current safer custody training, all prison staff will have access to revised introductory courses on safer custody and mental health from April 2012. An enhanced mental health course, which refers specifically to post-traumatic stress disorder, will also be available to selected prison staff.
Prisoners: Repatriation
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign national prisoners were repatriated in each year between 1997 and 2010. [83428]
Mr Blunt: The number of foreign national prisoners who were repatriated to serve their sentences between the calendar year 1997 to 2010 is set out in the following table. 5,235 foreign prisoners were removed at the end of sentence in 2010.
| Calendar year | Number of prisoners repatriated to foreign jurisdictions |
28 Nov 2011 : Column 746W
This table only includes prisoners repatriated from England and Wales. Figures on the number of prisoners repatriated from Northern Ireland and Scotland are a matter for those Administrations.
Prisons: Crimes of Violence
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many assaults on staff in prisons have taken place in each of the last five years. [83405]
Mr Blunt: The National Offender Management Service publishes annual Safety in Custody statistics on the Ministry of Justice website. Statistics on prisoner on officer assaults for 2001 to 2010 can be found at the following link:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/prisons-and-probation/safety-in-custody.htm
Prisons: Education
Mr Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of equality and diversity training in respect of the provision of prison education in the last year for which figures are available. [83333]
Mr Blunt: No such estimate can be made as equality and diversity training provided to staff delivering education in prisons is not costed separately from other staff development activities.
In accordance with public sector equality duty, contracts issued by the Skills Funding Agency to providers of prison education require them to have regard to eliminating discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity throughout their activities.
All prison staff, including those involved in delivering education and training to prisoners, attend mandatory equality and diversity training.
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. [83584]
Mr Blunt: We intend to bring forward reforms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 by way of amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.
Russia
Mr MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department (i) have had and (ii) plan to have discussions with (A) General Tatiana Gerasimova and (B) General Nikolai Shelepanov. [82871]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: Neither Ministers nor officials in my Department have had, nor plan to have discussions with General Tatiana Gerasimova and General Nikolai Shelepanov.
28 Nov 2011 : Column 747W
Serco
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many contracts his Department has awarded to Serco since May 2010; and what the (a) monetary value and (b) net worth was of each such contract. [83053]
28 Nov 2011 : Column 748W
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice awarded three contracts to Serco since May 2010. The estimated monetary value for the life of the three contracts is £1,607.9 million.
The following table provides the names, estimated annual and life costs of the contracts let to Serco since May 2010.
Young Offenders
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many proven offences of each type there were by under 18 year olds in each year between 1996-97 and 2010-11. [83090]
Mr Blunt: Penalty notices for disorder issued to persons aged 16 to 17, cautions given to persons aged 10 to 17 and defendants aged 10 to 17 found guilty at all courts in England and Wales from 1996-97 to 2010-11 can be viewed in the following tables.
Penalty notice for disorder (PND) was implemented nationally in England and Wales in 2004 under the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001.
| Number of penalty notice disorders and cautions (1,2) issued to offenders, and number of defendants found guilty at all courts, for persons aged under 18, for all offences, England and Wales, 1997-98 to 2010-11 (3,4) | ||||||||
|
|
2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 (6) | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| (1) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When an offender has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (2) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (3) The figures given in the table on court proceedings 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 it 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. (4) 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 those data are used. (5) PNDs came into affect nationally in 2004. (6) Excludes convictions data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice | ||||||
Cabinet Office
Civil Servants: Pensions
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many MyCSP employees have participated in industrial action against the plans to convert MyCSP to a mutual. [82435]
Mr Maude [holding answer 24 November 2011]:Industrial action in the form of a half-day strike was organised by the PCS Union over “Loss of Civil Service Status” from midday on Friday 17 June 2011. 90 (19%) employees voted for strike action in the PCS ballot out of 484 employees, and 130 (27%) employees took part in the half-day strike action.
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the proposed mutualisation of MyCSP has been subject to an (a) economic and (b) equality impact assessment; and if he will place in the Library copies of any such assessments. [82436]
28 Nov 2011 : Column 749W
Mr Maude [holding answer 24 November 2011]: The creation of MyCSP as a mutual joint venture is subject to a business case review by both the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury prior to the final decision.
As would be expected with a project of this type, a full equality impact assessment is also being developed. This will be refined as the project moves towards completion, and the final version will be published in line with Cabinet Office requirements.
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the merits of including an asset lock in the proposed mutualisation of MyCSP. [82437]
Mr Maude [holding answer 24 November 2011]: When vested, MyCSP will have a very small number of physical assets, such as movable equipment, for which an asset lock is not appropriate.
For the main commercial asset, the contract to provide services to Government will be covered by relevant commercial provisions, therefore an asset lock is not necessary.
Civil Servants: Redundancy
Kate Green: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Department has published an equality impact assessment on the implementation of redundancies in the civil service; and if he will provide a breakdown of redundancies by each Government department based on (a) ethnicity and (b) grade. [79307]
Mr Maude: It is the responsibility of individual civil service employers to ensure that they have given suitable regard to the equality implications of the redundancy schemes that they run. Employers are also responsible for the collection of suitable management information to enable them to effectively enact their business.
The Cabinet Office does not collect, centrally, information on redundancies at the detailed level requested. We have therefore provided data sourced from ONS Annual Civil Service Employment Survey 2011. Due to the extensive data held within the table for this answer, it has been placed in the Library of the House.
Design Services
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department has spent on design in respect of (a) logos, (b) buildings, (c) advertising, (d) stationery and (e) campaigns in the last year for which figures are available. [80212]
Mr Maude: Cabinet Office guidance says there should not be any spend on design and there is a strong presumption against exceptions being made. Where possible, in-house talent should be used.
The information requested for Cabinet Office relating to design spend, in respect of logos, buildings, advertising, stationery and campaigns in the last year, is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Special Advisers
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what information his Department holds on the total wage bill for special advisers employed by central Government departments as at (a) 1 March 2010 and (b) 1 November 2011. [81992]
Mr Maude [holding answer 23 November 2011]: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 October 2011, Official Report, column 204W, to the hon. Member for Harrow West (Mr Thomas).
Official Photographs
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many official photographs have been taken of (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials in his Department for use in Government publications since May 2010; how many staff of his Department are expected to undertake photography of the Ministerial and senior leadership team as part of their duties; and if he will make a statement. [82581]
Mr Hurd: Ministerial photos are publicly available on the Flickr page of the Cabinet Office website:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cabinetoffice?utm_source =www.domtail.com
The Cabinet Office has one member of staff whose role includes taking photographs at departmental events.
Government Departments: Databases
Jonathan Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2011, Official Report, columns 679-80W, on Government Department's databases, what progress he has made with the reviewing and repackaging of data.gov.uk to make it more accessible to the general public. [82428]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office is currently reviewing usage and functionality aspects for data.gov.uk in order to understand how best to improve it for the future and make it easier for users to find and make use of the data available on the site. Improvements will be identified and implemented, and the repackaged data.gov.uk will be available in spring 2012.
Consultants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which Department his Department has (a) helped to draw up guidelines and (b) approved guidelines on departmental use of consultants and technical support; and if he will make a statement. [82600]
Mr Maude [holding answer 24 November 2011]:The Cabinet Office issued guidance on the use of consultants to all central Government Departments in May 2010. Since then, the guidance has been reviewed, and updates communicated to all central Government Departments.
As a result, last year, the Government saved £870 million by cutting departmental spend on consulting.
28 Nov 2011 : Column 751W
Mayors: Powers
Mr Byrne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the Government's consultation on mayoral powers, entitled What can a mayor do for your city? A consultation, and the Open Public Services White Paper, what assessment he has made of powers of his Department which could be devolved to elected mayors. [82584]
Mr Maude: A consultation is ongoing and will close 3 January 2012. Work is being taken forward by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles).
The Open Public Service White Paper listening exercise did not include specific questions in relation to devolving powers to elected Mayors.
Responses to the listening exercise are currently being analysed and will inform the Government's programme of work to implement the open public services agenda. Further information will be available in due course.
Public Sector: Mutual Societies
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make it his policy to offer new mutuals formed by public sector workers, which are not successful, the option to return to the public sector. [82438]
Mr Maude [holding answer 24 November 2011]: The Government will not seek to dictate across the board what is best for employees, the users of services and local communities. The precise model, form and progression of public service mutuals will not be uniform, but will follow from, for example, the specific characteristics of the workforce, the service being provided and the needs of service users.
Trilateral Commission Meetings
Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if the Government has paid for anyone to attend Trilateral Commission meetings in each of the last three years. [82421]
Mr Hurd: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. There are no records of Cabinet Office staff attending the Trilateral Commission in the last three years.
Work and Pensions
Academies
Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of progress on sector work-based academies. [82841]
Chris Grayling: There are now over a 120 sector-based work academies in England. These are successfully connecting unemployed people with local employers so that job seekers can fulfil their ambitions to work in their sector of choice.
28 Nov 2011 : Column 752W
The youth contract will bring funding for an extra 250,000 sector-based work academy or work experience places over the next three years. We anticipate that up to 300,000 claimants will benefit from this support by the end of March 2013.
Apprentices
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his contribution of 24 October 2011, Official Report, column 2, what progress his Department's contractors have made in employing 5% of apprentices. [79176]
Chris Grayling: All new DWP contracts (from June 2010) include an Apprenticeships and Skills Requirements contract schedule. This schedule requires suppliers to provide an initial written report (six months after the contract start date) and then annually thereafter. The report must reflect all subcontractors involved in delivery of the contract and provide details on:
the number of existing apprentices involved in delivery of the contract;
the number of new starts on apprenticeships initiated as a result of delivery of the contract;
actions being taken to try and improve the take-up of apprenticeships in the contractors’ workforce;
other training/development being undertaken by contractors' staff involved in delivery of the contract.
The Department is currently putting in place processes with its contractors for the collation of the data relating to the number of apprentices engaged in connection with our contracts with them. Once these processes are established, the Department will be in a position to report on such data in addition to being able to provide clearer visibility of the progress its contractors are making in this respect.
However, the information that we have received to date shows 1,979 apprentices employed by our top 21 suppliers in delivering goods and services to the Department.
In addition DWP also has a Supplier Charter which details some of the key targets, policies and principles that DWP expect its suppliers to contribute towards. One of the principles is apprenticeships and skills development in the workforce. All 45 of DWP’s critical suppliers have signed, and committed to, the Supplier Charter.
Official Photographs
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many official photographs have been taken of (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials in his Department for use in Government publications since May 2010; how many staff of his Department are expected to undertake photography of the ministerial and senior leadership team as part of their duties; and if he will make a statement. [82563]
Chris Grayling: Since May 2010, the majority of photographs have been completed in-house by our communications team. With the exception of one photo for each of my ministerial team, the only other instances are where a photo has been taken as part of an official visit. The Department no longer includes photographs of the Ministers or senior executive in publications such as our annual report and accounts.
28 Nov 2011 : Column 753W
We have contracted out photography on only four occasions since May 2010.
Six members of communication staff have photography within their job descriptions. Their main role is primarily communications advice/delivery, editorial and copywriting, with photography being an ad-hoc task that forms an extremely small proportion of their overall work.
Departmental Travel
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was to his Department of ministerial transport in each month since June 2010. [79163]
Chris Grayling: In line with the Government's austerity agenda, the Department for Work and Pensions has taken vigorous action to enhance business travel policy. The DWP's business travel policy actively discourages travel, unless the alternatives have been examined and exhausted and, where travel is deemed appropriate, encourages the use of the most cost-effective modes of transport.
Since May 2010 the Department has reduced its number of ministerial cars from six to one. Expenditure on ministerial travel has decreased from £812,000 to £215,000, or 74% when compared to the preceding 16-month period, i.e. February 2009 to May 2010 compared to June 2010 to September 2011.
The monthly spend on ministerial travel is as follows:
| June 2010 to September 2011 | |
|
|
Spend (£) (1) |
| (1) This includes rail, air, taxi and ministerial car | |
Section 10 of the Ministerial Code provides guidance on travel for Ministers and makes clear that Ministers must ensure that they always make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. The ministerial team has led the Department's travel cost reduction programme by example, as shown by the reduction in overall travel expenditure by Ministers.
Disability: Crimes of Violence
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on hate crimes against disabled people. [82828]
28 Nov 2011 : Column 754W
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on hate crimes against disabled people. [82838]
Maria Miller: Tackling disability hate crime is a priority for Government. Since taking on my cross-government role I have regularly spoken to and continue to work closely with Ministers in the Home Office, Ministry for Justice and other Government Departments to support their efforts to tackle disability-related harassment and hate crime.
Employment and Support Allowance
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 October 2011, Official Report, columns 426-27W, on employment and support allowance, for what reasons the disregard for (a) personal and (b) occupational pensions in employment and support allowance calculations was not uprated in line with the consumer prices index; and if he will make a statement. [82367]
Chris Grayling: The Government consider a disregard of occupational/personal pension income of £85.00 a week before contributory employment and support allowance is reduced to be reasonable. Given its other priorities, in particular making work pay and the state of the public finances, the Government decided that it was not appropriate to increase the value of the disregard.
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what minimum professional qualifications requirement has been specified by his Department in its contracts with Atos for assessors employed by or contracted to the company who are engaged to carry out assessments for eligibility for employment and support allowance. [82749]
Chris Grayling: The contract between the Department and Atos Healthcare specifies that:
Doctors must be fully registered with the General Medical Council and hold a licence to practice
Nurses must be fully registered (level 1) registered general nurses with the Nursing and Midwifery Council
Physiotherapists must be fully registered with the Health Professions Council.
In addition, all health care professionals must have a minimum of three years post full registration experience in roles that have a clear relevance to disability assessment medicine.
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been moved from incapacity benefit onto employment and support allowance since May 2010. [82921]
Chris Grayling: Reassessment of claimants on old-style incapacity benefits using the work capability assessment started nationally from April 2011.
At the end of May 2011, there were 880 former incapacity benefits claimants in receipt of employment and support allowance. This information is available using the Department's tabulation tool, available at the following link:
28 Nov 2011 : Column 755W
http://83.244.183.180/100pc/esa/ccdate/ib_mig/a_carate_r_ccdate_c_ib_mig.html
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
2. Employment and support allowance (ESA) replaced incapacity benefit (IB) and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008.
3. From April 2011 onwards, incapacity benefit claims will be reassessed in the form of a work capability assessment to determine their eligibility for ESA. IB reassessed claims shown on ESA in the assessment phase are those assessed as fit for work and undergoing an appeal.
Source:
DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study, May 2011.
Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what proportion of applications for employment and support allowance made by residents of (a) Wiltshire Unitary Authority and (b) England and Wales were rejected on the basis of work capability assessment in (i) each quarter of 2010-11 and (ii) each quarter of 2011-12 to date; and in respect of what proportion of such applications the decision was (A) reversed and (B) upheld on appeal; [82695]
(2) what proportion of applications for employment and support allowance made by residents of Wiltshire Unitary Authority were rejected on the basis of the
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work capability assessment in each quarter since the third quarter of 2010-11; and in respect of what proportion of such applications that decision was
(a)
reversed and
(b)
upheld on appeal. [82677]
Chris Grayling: The following tables present information on new employment and support allowance (ESA) claims received between April 2010 and February 2011, which have undergone a work capability assessment (WCA). Appeals data are presented for claims starting up to August 2010. These are the latest available data.
Each table presents the proportion of all claims that have undergone the WCA and were subsequently assessed as fit for work by the Department's decision makers. Decisions on entitlement to ESA rest solely with the Department's decision makers taking into account the medical assessment reports from Atos and any other relevant information.
The tables present the proportion of all claims found fit for work that have appealed this decision and whose appeal has been resolved. The tables also show the proportion of completed appeals where the Department's decision was upheld and the proportion of completed appeals finding in favour of the appellant—meaning entitlement to ESA was reinstated.
Table 1 covers claims from Wiltshire Unitary Authority and Table 2 presents information for England and Wales combined. The tables provide monthly data rather than by quarter due to the limited amount of quarterly data available for the time period requested.
| Table 1. Proportion of completed ESA claims assessed as fit for work (FFW), and proportions appealing a fit for work decision in Wiltshire Unitary Authority | ||||
| Date of claim start | Percentage of completed WCA assessed as fit for work | Percentage assessed as FFW with an appeal heard | Percentage of appeals where DWP decision upheld | Percentage of appeals finding in favour of appellant |
| Table 2. Proportion of completed ESA claims found fit for work (FFW), and proportions appealing a fit for work decision in England and Wales combined | ||||
| Date of claim start | Percentage of completed WCA found fit for work | Percentage who have appealed a FFW decision | Percentage of appeals where DWP decision upheld | Percentage of appeals finding in favour of appellant |
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| Notes: 1. All proportions have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 2. Data are only available for new claims starting up to February 2011. 3. Data are only available for completed appeals heard by the end of August 2011 (linking back to claims starting by August 2010). Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard for these claims. 4. Variations in the appeals figures for Wiltshire Unitary Authority are due to random statistical variation, due to the low numbers of appeals coming through on a monthly basis. As such, any apparent trends should be treated with caution. 5. The Department regularly publishes information on ESA and the work capability assessment, the latest publication can be found on the departmental website at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca 6. The data presented here are consistent with that presented in the publication referenced above. | ||||
Employment Schemes
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the names are of the voluntary and community sector organisations involved as tier 1 and tier 2 subcontractors in the Work programme. [82390]
Chris Grayling: The information from the most recent stocktake which includes the names of voluntary and community sector organisations involved as tier 1 and tier 2 has been placed on the Department for Work and Pensions website. The link for this information is:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-supply-chains.pdf
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he next expects to undertake a stocktake of providers involved in the Work programme. [82391]
Chris Grayling: The next stocktake is due to be undertaken at the end of January 2012.
Housing Benefit
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2011, Official Report, column 348W, on Housing Benefit (Scotland), whether his Department plans to begin collecting information on the number of private sector landlords that have agreed to reduce rents in return for an arrangement that housing benefit be paid direct to them; when any such collection will begin; and when any resulting information will be made available. [82396]
Steve Webb: The Department has commissioned a consortium of academics and research organisations led by Ian Cole, professor of housing studies at Sheffield Hallam university, to undertake an independent review of the impact of changes to the local housing allowance system of housing benefit.
One element of the research is a survey of landlords which includes questions asking them about any reduction in rent they have agreed in exchange for receiving direct payments. The proportions of landlords who have (a) already reduced rents and (b) would consider doing so in the future will be estimated from survey results which will be available in late spring 2012.
The Department for Communities and Local Government, the Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly Government are working in close partnership with the DWP and contributing to the costs of the review.
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the effect of increases in private rents on expenditure on local housing allowance in 2011-12. [83184]
Steve Webb: Outturn information on local housing allowance expenditure for 2011-12 is not available until June 2012.
The latest estimate of local housing allowance expenditure for 2011-12 is £7.6 billion(1).
This compares to outturn expenditure of £6.4 billion for 2010-11(2).
The expected increase in expenditure is primarily due to higher numbers of households receiving housing benefit during 2011-12, rather than increases in the level of private rents. Our assumption is that eligible rents for those receiving local housing allowance will fall during 2011-12 following the introduction of the reforms to local housing allowance in April 2011.
(1) Source—Budget 2011 expenditure forecasts at
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/all_tables_budget_2011_2.xls
(2 )Source—Local authority subsidy claims
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what order benefits and tax credit will be withdrawn from households with incomes above the benefit cap; and which agency will be responsible in each case. [83227]
Chris Grayling: We are introducing a cap on the total amount of benefit that working-age people can receive so households on out of work benefits will no longer receive more in benefit than the average weekly wage earned by working families.
The benefits that can be capped will be set out in regulations following the passage of the Welfare Reform Bill.
We have announced that the benefit cap will be introduced in April 2013 and be delivered by local authorities through housing benefit payments. It will be applied to universal credit once claimants start receiving it from October 2013.
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward proposals for an income-based jobseeker's allowance. [83025]
Chris Grayling:
Currently income-based jobseeker's allowance is a means-tested benefit available for customers who meet the conditions of entitlement. Typically it is available to those unemployed who do not meet the
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criteria for contribution-based jobseeker's allowance and who have minimal or no savings, acting as a safety net.
The Welfare Reform Bill currently going through the parliamentary process introduces universal credit. Under the provisions of the Bill, from October 2013 all new claims for out-of-work support would be treated as claims to universal credit. Between April 2014 and October 2017, it is intended that existing claimants will migrate across to universal credit.
Jobseeker's Allowance: Young People
Mr Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claiming jobseeker's allowance in England in September 2011 were aged (a) 20, (b) 21, (c) 22, (d) 23 and (e) 24 years. [83853]
Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in England in September 2011 were aged (a) 20, (b) 21, (c) 22, (d) 23 (e) 24 years. (83853)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles the number of claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) from the Jobcentre Plus administrative system.
Figures for the age breakdowns requested are unavailable; however as an alternative we have supplied the figure for the age group 20-24. To the nearest 5, there were 280,205 people aged 20-24 resident in England in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance in September 2011.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
New Businesses: Government Assistance
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support is available through Jobcentre Plus for people who wish to start their own business. [82842]
Chris Grayling: Support is available through the new enterprise allowance which provides access to business mentoring and financial support. Jobcentre Plus advisers also signpost claimants to local enterprise clubs, where they are available, and to other sources of business start-up support.
Social Exclusion
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of people experiencing social exclusion. [81936]
Chris Grayling: The Department does not publish estimates of the numbers of people experiencing social exclusion. A wide range of information concerning poverty, income and benefit receipt is published on the Department's website at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=statistics_a_to_z
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Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to increase employment among people experiencing social exclusion. [81937]
Chris Grayling: The Government launched the Work Programme on 10 June 2011 and it is now in place nationally. Participants will receive personalised support to overcome barriers to employment. Providers will be paid for their success in supporting participants into work, and for helping them to stay in work. Higher payments are available for supporting the hardest to help. This payment structure, and the freedom afforded to providers to innovate, will ensure the delivery of support that meets the needs of participants who are furthest from employment. Claimants remain on the Work Programme for up to two years, giving providers time to invest in addressing long-term challenges.
Everyone who receives jobseeker's allowance and employment and support allowance can access the Work Programme at a time that is right for them. jobseeker's allowance claimants who are identified as being severely disadvantaged can volunteer to access the Work Programme at the three month stage of their claim, with the agreement of their Jobcentre Plus adviser. This includes ex-offenders; disabled people; people with mild to moderate mental health issues; care leavers; carers; homeless people; former members of HM armed forces; partners of current or former member of HM armed forces, and people with current or previous substance dependency problems that present a significant barrier to employment. Additionally, from March 2012, we intend to bring forward the entry point for prison leavers claiming jobseeker's allowance to immediately on release from custody.
Since April 2011 Jobcentre Plus has been given greater freedom to support claimants during the first months of their claim in a way that addresses the needs of each individual more effectively. The new flexible model has three elements: a core regime of regular face-to-face meetings, flexible adviser support and a flexible menu of support options. Jobcentre Plus advisers are able to offer claimants a comprehensive menu of support including skills provision and job search help. This new regime will be supported by a Flexible Support Fund, which can be used at the discretion of Jobcentre Plus Managers and advisers for a wide range of activities that support claimants to move into employment.
This flexible support is being bolstered by a series of Get Britain Working measures, including:
The new enterprise allowance, supporting those looking to start their own business.
Enterprise Clubs, helping people make the most of local knowledge and resources to support unemployed people who are interested in self-employment.
Work Clubs, encouraging people who are out of work to exchange skills and share experiences, enabling individuals to take responsibility for planning their own journey back to work with the support of others going through the same experience.
Work Together, helping claimants develop work skills through volunteering, with opportunities provided by local charities and voluntary organisations.
Work Experience, helping young unemployed people get work experience through a placement with a local business.
Sector-based work academies, offering pre-employment training and work experience placements in sectors with high volumes of local vacancies.
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In addition, universal credit will increase employment by improving work incentives. Financial support will be reduced at a consistent and predictable rate and people will generally keep a higher proportion of their earnings. This will ensure that any work pays, including low-hour work. The distinction between in-work and out-of-work support will be removed, making the potential gains to work clearer and reducing the risks associated with moves into employment.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to facilitate a cross-governmental approach on tackling social exclusion. [81938]
Chris Grayling: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), chairs the Social Justice Cabinet Committee, which exists to consider issues relating to poverty, equality and Social Justice.
This Committee facilitates cross-Government working and scrutiny of policies for their effects on some of the most disadvantaged groups in society.
The Social Justice Directorate in DWP supports the work of the Committee and works across Government to further the Social Justice agenda. We expect to publish a Social Justice Strategy in the new year, which will outline progress to date.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department were working on social exclusion in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the number of such staff in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14. [82082]
Chris Grayling: A key element of the vision of the Department for Work and Pensions, as set out in the 2011-15 Business plan, is to ensure that the most vulnerable in society are protected.
This overarching priority permeates the work of all departmental staff to some extent, and therefore it is not possible to stipulate the number of staff working specifically on a social exclusion agenda.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on a co-ordinated approach towards people experiencing social exclusion due to poor housing. [82085]
Steve Webb: The Social Justice Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), and composed of Ministers from across relevant Government Departments, is focused on co-ordinating policy on poverty, equality and social justice.
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), is a member of the Committee, and his officials sit on the Officials’ Group that supports it. The Committee and Officials' Group meet on a monthly basis.
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Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the Home Office on a co-ordinated approach towards people experiencing social exclusion due to crime. [82086]
Chris Grayling: The Social Justice Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), and composed of Ministers from across relevant Government Departments, is focused on co-ordinating policy on poverty, equality and social justice.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), is a member of the committee, and Home Office officials sit on the officials’ group that supports it. The committee and officials’ group meet on a monthly basis.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the Department for Education on a co-ordinated approach towards people experiencing social exclusion due to poor education. [82089]
Chris Grayling: The Social Justice Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), and composed of Ministers from across relevant Government Departments, is focused on co-ordinating policy on poverty, equality and social justice.
The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), is a member of the Committee, and Department for Education officials sit on the Officials' Group that supports it. The Committee and Officials' Group meet on a monthly basis.