200 8 -0 9 2009-10
  Full-time Part-time Total Full-time Part-time Total

Barking and Dagenham

43

0

43

39

13

52

Barnet

27

10

37

24

10

34

Barnsley

44

24

68

42

56

98

Bath and North East Somerset

23

7

30

16

16

32

Bedfordshire

55

39

94

55

23

78

Bexley

14

5

19

11

10

21

Birmingham

256

69

325

237

125

362

Blackburn with Darwen

44

10

54

44

24

68

Blackpool

31

7

38

34

11

45

Blaenau, Gwent and Caerphilly

57

4

61

52

3

55

Bolton

46

4

50

40

6

46

Bournemouth and Poole

25

13

38

26

15

41

Bracknell Forest

12

8

20

11

10

21

Bradford

83

20

103

111

13

124

Brent

41

2

43

48

5

53

Bridgend

29

17

46

28

14

42

Brighton and Hove

26

17

43

22

19

41

30 Nov 2011 : Column 937W

30 Nov 2011 : Column 938W

Bristol

102

42

144

74

51

125

Bromley

29

10

39

39

4

43

Buckinghamshire

46

19

65

42

32

74

Bury

35

9

44

32

13

45

Calderdale

47

9

56

41

17

58

Cambridgeshire

30

23

53

19

51

70

Camden

40

13

53

50

11

61

Cardiff

66

15

81

67

26

93

Carmarthenshire

27

16

43

24

18

42

Ceredigion

18

15

33

17

13

30

Cheshire

75

19

94

64

30

94

Conwy and Denbighshire

27

9

36

31

7

38

Cornwall

42

28

70

46

26

72

Coventry

81

48

129

77

37

114

Croydon

55

21

76

54

25

79

Cumbria

56

17

73

53

27

80

Darlington

27

10

37

23

6

29

Derby

45

25

70

44

25

69

Derbyshire

74

60

134

65

67

132

Devon

82

24

106

63

61

124

Doncaster

86

7

93

68

10

78

Dorset

49

26

75

44

45

89

Dudley

71

15

86

58

15

73

Durham

127

12

139

109

22

131

Ealing

35

9

44

34

14

48

East Riding of Yorkshire

27

24

51

33

20

53

East Sussex

58

12

70

53

17

70

Enfield

41

2

43

46

6

52

Essex

89

13

102

101

16

117

Flintshire

34

26

60

27

32

59

Gateshead

56

12

68

52

15

67

Gloucestershire

83

17

100

71

24

95

Greenwich

40

9

49

35

15

50

Gwynedd Mon

28

28

56

30

21

51

Hackney

83

5

88

84

8

92

Halton and Warrington

46

13

59

36

17

53

Hammersmith and Fulham

45

6

51

31

13

44

Haringey

65

13

78

62

11

73

Harrow

29

20

49

26

18

44

Hartlepool

40

12

52

36

16

52

Havering

25

16

41

23

11

34

Hertfordshire

90

38

128

77

43

120

Hillingdon

37

14

51

41

24

65

Hounslow

34

32

66

27

34

61

Islington

41

2

43

39

5

44

Kensington and Chelsea

30

5

35

34

5

39

Kent

138

49

187

153

58

211

Kingston-upon-Hull

49

22

71

49

16

65

Kingston-upon-Thames

15

2

17

9

5

14

Kirklees

68

18

86

80

30

110

Knowsley

53

10

63

43

23

66

Lambeth

65

0

65

76

2

78

Lancashire

149

22

171

142

52

194

Leeds

161

0

161

134

35

169

Leicester City

89

28

117

87

32

119

30 Nov 2011 : Column 939W

30 Nov 2011 : Column 940W

Leicestershire

93

9

102

81

45

126

Lewisham

44

10

54

57

11

68

Lincolnshire

79

94

173

70

46

116

Liverpool

147

39

186

140

46

186

Luton

43

12

55

39

19

58

Manchester

91

3

94

120

7

127

Medway

38

12

50

34

15

49

Merthyr Tydfil

16

4

20

16

4

20

Merton

23

12

35

19

15

34

Milton Keynes

32

22

54

28

20

48

Monmouthshire and Torfaen

29

76

105

29

37

66

Neath Port Talbot

32

3

35

26

4

30

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

74

34

108

73

27

100

Newham

77

1

78

58

1

59

Newport

36

11

47

35

17

52

Norfolk

93

16

109

98

18

116

North East Lincolnshire

28

4

32

35

8

43

North Lincolnshire

30

17

47

25

7

32

North Somerset

30

9

39

32

11

43

North Tyneside

27

9

36

23

11

34

North Yorkshire

75

41

116

71

49

120

Northamptonshire

87

28

115

82

32

114

Northumberland

47

14

61

56

6

62

Nottingham

82

8

90

88

14

102

Nottinghamshire

90

28

118

115

46

161

Oldham

56

22

78

60

22

82

Oxfordshire

73

50

123

66

58

124

Pembrokeshire

20

10

30

19

9

28

Peterborough

42

23

65

38

32

70

Plymouth

33

10

43

29

8

37

Powys

22

9

31

17

17

34

Reading

21

5

26

20

7

27

Redbridge

50

6

56

39

23

62

Rhondda Cynon Taff

62

11

73

61

11

72

Richmond-upon-Thames

11

10

21

10

8

18

Rochdale

56

7

63

59

22

81

Rotherham

52

0

52

41

10

51

Salford

47

8

55

45

8

53

Sandwell

59

29

88

62

23

85

Sefton

48

20

68

42

28

70

Sheffield

112

57

169

120

37

157

Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

44

11

55

51

12

63

Slough

20

9

29

20

14

34

Solihull

31

4

35

29

10

39

Somerset

47

21

68

35

36

71

South Gloucestershire

16

12

28

18

4

22

South Tees

79

0

79

85

43

128

South Tyneside

39

60

99

39

19

58

Southend-on-Sea

43

5

48

43

6

49

Southwark

100

20

120

107

3

110

St Helens

44

7

51

45

29

74

Staffordshire

129

25

154

112

27

139

Stockport

44

18

62

46

33

79

Stockton-on-Tees

33

19

52

27

20

47

Stoke-on-Trent

79

4

83

68

26

94

30 Nov 2011 : Column 941W

30 Nov 2011 : Column 942W

Suffolk

106

27

133

75

38

113

Sunderland

100

118

218

98

89

187

Surrey

84

32

116

81

49

130

Sutton

22

7

29

21

10

31

Swansea

68

9

77

71

8

79

Swindon

29

7

36

26

12

38

Tameside

39

10

49

31

14

45

Thurrock

18

1

19

18

7

25

Torbay

40

10

50

30

13

43

Tower Hamlets and City of London

46

22

68

56

22

78

Trafford

50

18

68

70

30

100

Vale of Glamorgan

19

8

27

21

13

34

Wakefield

57

0

57

48

8

56

Walsall

49

28

77

47

14

61

Waltham Forest

41

8

49

35

7

42

Wandsworth

32

24

56

24

30

54

Warwickshire

59

37

96

47

42

89

Wessex

254

45

299

194

44

238

West Berkshire

22

10

32

22

8

30

West Sussex

77

53

130

71

55

126

Westminster

40

4

44

39

4

43

Wigan

61

18

79

62

25

87

Wiltshire

49

9

58

42

20

62

Windsor and Maidenhead

11

5

16

12

9

21

Wirral

58

21

79

54

26

80

Wokingham

14

4

18

25

6

31

Wolverhampton

63

11

74

62

9

71

Worcestershire and Herefordshire

77

68

145

64

68

132

Wrexham

36

11

47

31

13

44

York

23

19

42

20

19

39

Reading and Wokingham

Total England and Wales

8,635

2,879

11,514

8,215

3,483

11,698

Notes: 1. The data are presented as numbers of full-time and part-time staff, since full-time equivalent data is not collected. For all years except 2009-10, however, full-time figures include part-time strategic managers, operational managers and administration staff, since full-time and part-time figures for these categories were only collected from 2009-10. In all years, part-time figures are made up predominantly of part-time practitioners as well as sessional staff. Volunteers are excluded from the table entirely. Prior to 2005-06, analogous data were not collected. Data for 2010-11 is due to be published in the Annual Youth Justice Statistics 2010-11 in January 2012. 2. 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 and can be subject to change over time.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Dangerous Dogs

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many dangerous dog incidents have been reported to the police in England and Wales since June 2010; [81040]

(2) how many dangerous dog incidents were reported to police in 2010-11. [81045]

Mr Paice: Records of dangerous dog incidents are not held centrally as such incidents are recorded by relevant police forces.

Departmental Fines

Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many transport- related fines her Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2007; and at what cost. [74353]

Richard Benyon: The Department does not expect to pay such fines; these would be the responsibility of the person who committed the offence.

Official Photographs

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many official photographs have been taken of (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials in her Department for use in Government publications since May 2010; how many staff of her Department are expected to undertake photography of the Ministerial and senior leadership team as part of their duties; and if she will make a statement. [82575]

Richard Benyon: Departmental records show that approximately 10 official photographs have been taken of Ministers and/or senior officials since May 2010.

30 Nov 2011 : Column 943W

These photographs have been used for a variety of internal and external communications.

The Department does not hold a central record of staff undertaking photography, and therefore cannot provide an accurate figure without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay: London

Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the total monetary value of London weightings and London living allowances for staff in her Department. [74898]

Richard Benyon: The total monetary value of the higher London pay scales as of 1 July 2011, is £5,264,973 (based on annual salary).

There are also a small number of London pay allowances paid to staff, at a total monetary value of £11,400 per annum. These allowances have been abolished but remain payable to a small number of staff who retained eligibility to them on a reserved right basis.

The Department does not pay any form of London weighting or London living allowances to members of the senior civil service.

Private Finance Initiative

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the value of estimated tax receipts, calculated in accordance with the Green Book, in each public sector economic assessment of private finance initiative projects in procurement by her Department as of March 2011. [70923]

Richard Benyon [holding answer 12 September 2011]: At March 2011, there were no private finance initiatives in procurement directly by DEFRA.

Procurement

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contracts of a monetary value of (a) between £100,000 and £500,000, (b) between £500,000 and £1 million, (c) between £1 million and £5 million, (d) between £5 million and £10 million, (e) between £10 million and £50 million, (f) between £50 million and £100 million, (g) between £100 million and £500 million, (h) between £500 million and £1 billion, (i) between £1 billion and £5 billion and (j) over £5 billion her Department and its predecessors have entered into with private suppliers in each year since 1990. [74208]

Richard Benyon: DEFRA was formed in 2001, information prior to this date can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The core Department had no central records of contract information kept until October 2009. Information in the following table for numbers of contracts prior to this date, relates to information on active contracts captured when this central recording started.

30 Nov 2011 : Column 944W

Core DEFRA
  (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

1998

1

1999

2001

2

2002

2003

1

2004

3

4

1

l

2005

3

3

2

2006

11

5

7

1

1

2007

11

6

4

2

1

2008

23

7

5

4

1

2009

94

13

1

2

l

2010

53

5

6

1

1

2011

17

5

2

1

Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for how many days on average her Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2010-11. [75014]

Richard Benyon: The following table shows the average working days lost (AWDL) to sickness absence in 2010-11 for staff in each pay grade in DEFRA:

Grade AWDL

AA

17.7

AO

8.3

EO

8.2

HEO

4.7

SEO

3.5

Grade 7

3.6

Grade 6

3.7

SCS

1.4

All grades

5.4

Dogs: Animal Breeding

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure welfare in puppy farms. [80905]

Mr Paice: The Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, which amended and extended the provisions of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 and the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991, provides protection for dogs used in breeding establishments. Under this legislation, any person who keeps a breeding establishment for dogs at any premises and carries on at those premises a business of breeding dogs for sale must obtain a licence from the local authority. Those people who are not in the business of breeding dogs for sale, so called “hobby breeders”, and produce less than five litters in any period of 12 months do not need to obtain a licence.

The local authority has the discretion whether to grant a licence and, before doing so, must satisfy itself that the animals are provided with suitable accommodation, food, water and bedding material; are adequately exercised and visited at suitable intervals; and that all reasonable precautions are taken to prevent and control the spread of diseases among dogs.

30 Nov 2011 : Column 945W

In addition to the specific law on dog breeding, there is also the Animal Welfare Act, which places on those who own or are responsible for animals a duty to ensure their animals' welfare. This includes owners and keepers of dog breeding establishments.

Under the Pet Animals Act 1951, local authorities must decide whether or not to grant a licence for a particular establishment to sell animals, where this is part of a business. In deciding whether to grant a licence, local authorities shall have regard to the need for securing: (a) the animals' accommodation; (b) availability of adequate food and drink; and ensuring that (c) any mammals will not be sold at too early an age; (d) that reasonable precautions are taken to prevent the spread of disease; and (e) appropriate steps are taken in case of fire. These considerations are set out in section 1(3) of the 1951 Act and are broadly similar to the sort of requirements that all owners and keepers (including pet shop owners) must follow in order to comply with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the “2006 Act”).

The model standards that local authorities use to help them decide whether a pet shop should be granted a licence under the 1951 Act were recently updated.

Food: Waste

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the Waste Review, June 2011, what progress she has made towards a new responsibility deal with the hospitality and service sectors to reduce food waste. [82526]

Richard Benyon: The June 2011 Review of Waste Policy in England committed the Government to develop a new Responsibility Deal with businesses in the hospitality and food service sectors to reduce food waste and ensure that unavoidable food waste is managed sustainably.

We are working with industry, devolved Administrations and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to produce this deal, which will act on both food and packaging waste.

On 14 September 2011, we held a successful stakeholder event to gain industry views. Similar events were held in Cardiff and Edinburgh. On 22 November 2011, we circulated a discussion paper outlining the proposed targets and structure of the deal, which is available on WRAP'S website:

www.wrap.org.uk

We have asked for industry input by 11 January 2012. We will use this to produce the final deal, which we hope to launch in spring 2012.

Marine Conservation Zones

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has plans to secure marine management control out to 200 nautical miles. [83325]

Richard Benyon: The UK Government exercise management of UK waters out to 200 nautical miles except where their power to do this is limited by international or European law. The European Union has exclusive competence in relation to the conservation of marine biological resources under the common fisheries policy.

30 Nov 2011 : Column 946W

It has shared competence with the UK in relation to the environment (so the UK can take measures if the EU has not done so).

In negotiations on the reform of the common fisheries policy, the UK is seeking to enable member states to manage marine resources more effectively, through better integration of fisheries management with other marine policies.

Treasury

Banks: Finance

Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has specific plans for the revenues accruing from the disposal of shares held by UK Financial Investments in Lloyds Banking Group and RBS Group. [83367]

Mr Hoban: UK Financial Investments (UKFI) is responsible for managing the Government's investments in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) on an arm's length and commercial basis; and for developing and executing a strategy for disposing of the investments in an orderly and active way.

UKFI continues to look at the full range of alternatives for disposing of the investments.

The Government have no specific plans for the proceeds of any disposal which may arise.

Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what options are being considered for the disposal of shares held by UK Financial Investments in Lloyds Banking Group and RBS Group. [83368]

Mr Hoban: UK Financial Investments is responsible for managing the Government's investments in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) on an arm's length and commercial basis; and for developing and executing a strategy for disposing of the investments in an orderly and active way.

UKFI continues to look at the full range of alternatives for disposing of the investments.

Boilers: Government Assistance

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has undertaken on the effect on (a) the manufacturing industry and (b) levels of unemployment of introducing a boiler scrappage scheme. [83669]

Miss Chloe Smith: The Energy Saving Trust published an evaluation of the boiler scrappage scheme. This is available at:

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/england/Publications2/Energy-efficiency/English-Boiler-Scheme-Scrappage-evaluation-report

HM Treasury has not undertaken separate research on its economic impact.

30 Nov 2011 : Column 947W

Food Procurement

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that the same standards of animal welfare for whole eggs apply to imported liquefied eggs procured by (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible. [83772]

Miss Chloe Smith: Liquefied eggs are not used by the Treasury’s catering contractor.

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of food sourced by (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible was procured from UK food producers in the latest period for which figures are available. [83773]

Miss Chloe Smith: For the period April 2010 to March 2011, HM Treasury's catering subcontractor sourced 71% of its food supplies from UK food producers.

Economic Growth: Northern Ireland

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, (b) the Northern Ireland Executive, (c) Northern Ireland representatives and (d) Northern Ireland trade unions on rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy. [83273]

Mr Gauke: The Chancellor 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.

Over the process of consultation on ‘Rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy', I have had a series of meetings with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), and the Northern Ireland Executive. In addition I have chaired consultation meetings in London and Belfast which were attended by Northern Ireland business and trade union representatives, among others.

Excise Duties: Alcohol Drinks

Dr Wollaston: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the extent of alcohol duty evasion. [83857]

Miss Chloe Smith: Diversion of alcohol without payment of excise duty is the prevalent form of alcohol fraud. Estimates of tax losses are produced by HMRC annually for spirits and beer, the latest of which have been published in “Measuring Tax Gaps 2011”.

This publication is available in the House of Commons Library and online at:

www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/mtg-2011.pdf

30 Nov 2011 : Column 948W

Excise Duties: Fuels

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal steps his Department is taking to help offset the rising cost of fuel for people living in rural areas. [83501]

Miss Chloe Smith: Given the current high cost of fuel, to support motorists and businesses, the Autumn Statement announced that the 3.02 ppl fuel duty increase that was due to take effect on 1 January 2012 will be deferred to 1 August 2012, and the inflation increase that was planned for 1 August 2012, currently expected to be worth 1.92 ppl, will be cancelled. This will mean that there will only be one RPI increase next year. This is on top of the support that was announced at Budget 2011 that included a 1 ppl cut in fuel duty and the introduction of a fair fuel stabiliser to replace the previous Government's fuel duty escalator.

As of 1 April 2012 average pump prices could be approximately 10 ppl lower than if the Government had implemented the previous Government's fuel duty escalator in both 2011-12 and in 2012-13.

The Government recently secured final EU clearance for the introduction of a 5 ppl rural fuel rebate pilot scheme in the Inner and Outer Hebrides, Northern Isles, islands in the Clyde and the Isles of Scilly that will come into force from 1 March 2012.

Members: Correspondence

Mike Crockart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh West's letters of 22 April 2011, 7 June 2011, 9 August 2011, 29 August 2011, 13 September 2011 and 20 October 2011 concerning his constituents Mr and Mrs Scott and Equitable Life. [83841]

Mr Hoban: I have replied to the hon. Gentleman.

Revenue and Customs: Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2011, Official Report, column 702W, on Revenue and Customs: Government Procurement Card, (1) what the (a) name of the supplier and (b) purpose and function was of the entry 15 May Restaurants and Bars 702.73 in 2007; [76503]

(2) what the (a) name of the supplier and (b) purpose and function was of the entry 17 May Restaurants and Bars 560.00 in 2007; [76504]

(3) what the (a) name of the supplier and (b) purpose and function was of the entry 16 July Restaurants and Bars 575.35 in 2007; [76508]

(4) what the (a) name of the supplier and (b) purpose and function was of the entry 5 October Restaurants and Bars 514.15 in 2007; [76511]

(5) what the (a) name of the supplier and (b) purpose and function was of the entry 18 December Restaurants and Bars 559.60 in 2007; [76513]

(6) what the (a) name of the supplier and (b) purpose and function was of the entry 12 November Restaurants and Bars 509.36 in 2008. [76524]

30 Nov 2011 : Column 949W

Mr Gauke: For HMRC to provide all the information requested would mean extracting the information manually, which would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

30 Nov 2011 : Column 950W

However, from high level information held we can provide the following:

Posting date Merchant category group Amount (£) Response

15 May 2007

Restaurant and Bars

(1)702.73

(a) Bedford and Strand

   

(1)

(b) French and UK Missing Trader Intra Community (MTIC) Co-ordination Group; reciprocal hospitality

       

17 May 2007

Restaurant and Bars

560.00

Would exceed disproportionate cost threshold—cardholder no longer in HMRC

       

16 July 2007

Restaurant and Bars

(1)575.35

(a) Redacted—operationally sensitive

   

(1)

(b) Fiscal Crime Liaison—reciprocal hospitality following a container profiling exercise in respect of smuggled cigarettes destined for UK Market

       

5 October 2007

Restaurant and Bars

(1)514.15

(a) The Quilon Restaurant

   

(1)

(b) High level delegation—international hospitality

       

18 December 2007

Restaurants and Bars

(1)559.60

(a) Redacted—operationally sensitive

   

(1)

(b) Accommodation/B&B for operational investigation team

       

12 November 2008

Restaurants and Bars

(1)509.36

(a) Redacted—operationally sensitive

   

(1)

(b) The UK hosted a meeting followed by a dinner to develop strategic engagement on the recovery of assets. International partners in attendance included senior representatives from the UAE Central Bank, the Head of Anti Money Laundering in the Dubai police, his deputy and other officers, officials from the Public Prosecutors Office in the Netherlands, together with the Dutch liaison officer, British embassy officials and senior HMRC officials.

(1 )Suggests brace.

Taxation: Overseas Trade

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue his Department received from trade with countries outside the EU in each of the last five financial years. [83500]

Mr Gauke: Revenue from trade with countries outside the EU is remitted to HM Revenue and Customs under value added tax on imports, customs duty, and excise duties, including alcohol duty, tobacco products duty, and hydrocarbon oils duty.

Annual receipts from import VAT since the financial year 1989-90 are published on a monthly basis in table 2 of the Value Added Tax Statistical Bulletin, which is available on the HM Revenue and Customs website:

https://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bullvat

Annual receipts from customs duties since the financial year 2001-02 are published on a monthly basis in the Tax and NICs receipts: statistics table, which is available on the HM Revenue and Customs website:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/menu.htm

Information on revenue from trade with countries outside the EU is not available for excise duties including alcohol duty, tobacco products duty, and hydrocarbon oils duty.

VAT: Registration

Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) VAT-registered and (b) non-VAT-registered businesses in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland are (A) incorporated and (B) unincorporated. [R] [83943]

Mr Gauke: The estimated number of live VAT-registered traders at the end of 2008-09 that were incorporated and unincorporated, by region, is as follows:

  Incorporated Unincorporated

England

875,000

595,000

Wales

35,000

50,000

Scotland

70,000

65,000

Northern Ireland

20,000

55,000

The estimated number of non-VAT-registered traders that are incorporated and unincorporated, by region in 2008-09, is as follows:

  Incorporated Unincorporated

England

420,000

1,995,000

Wales

10,000

115,000

Scotland

15,000

175,000

Northern Ireland

5,000

70,000

30 Nov 2011 : Column 951W

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

British Virgin Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to visit the British Overseas Territory of British Virgin Islands. [83205]

Mr Bellingham: For security and operational reasons, we do not comment on or announce visits significantly in advance.

Food Procurement

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that the same standards of animal welfare for whole eggs apply to imported liquefied eggs procured by (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible. [83732]

Mr Lidington: The small amount of liquid egg supplied to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK is bought through our catering contract in accordance with Government Buying Standards and is sourced from hens from an enriched cage system.

It would incur disproportionate cost to source this information from our network of posts and our public bodies as this information is held locally.

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible are taking to ensure that they meet the Government's buying standards for food and catering. [83734]

Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK has a contracted catering company (Compass). Compass currently meets the majority of, and is committed to meeting the remaining new, Government buying standards for food and catering. It is working with its suppliers to achieve these and is contractually required to meet any new EU or UK legislation relating to the provision of catering services.

It would incur disproportionate costs to source this information from our network of 260 posts and our public bodies as this information is held locally.

European Union

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has sought the advice of external counsel to the lawfulness of the Government exercising a Justice and Home Affairs opt-in under the treaty on the functioning of the European Union in the absence of the citation of a Title V legal base. [83715]

Mr Lidington: The Government seek relevant legal advice whenever developing policy and that advice, including from external counsel, is taken into account, as appropriate, as part of the overall policy decision-making process. Legal advice obtained by Government Departments

30 Nov 2011 : Column 952W

is confidential. It is not Government policy to disclose whether legal advice has been sought on individual matters or the source of such advice.

Human Trafficking

Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the UK's overseas missions play in preventing human trafficking in source countries. [83492]

Mr Jeremy Browne: The UK's missions, with staff from Departments across Whitehall, including the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the Department for International Development (DfID) and the UK Border Agency, implement the Government's human trafficking strategy overseas. They work with foreign Governments in source and transit countries to build their capacity to disrupt human trafficking, for example by working with investigators and prosecutors to increase prosecutions for human trafficking offences. They contribute to the UK and international efforts to combat trafficking by ensuring that UK interests are effectively represented bilaterally and in multilateral forums, including the EU and the UN. Our missions also address the root causes of human trafficking through DfID's work to alleviate poverty overseas.