Gangs
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department plans to spend on work relating to the recent cross-Government report on ending gang and youth violence. [86331]
Anne Milton: The Department has not yet confirmed its central budgets for 2012-13, which are in the process of being set through the Department's normal business planning processes. A number of different programmes that the Department currently funds, such as Family Nurse Partnerships and Youth Justice Liaison and Diversion, may make a long-term contribution to ending gang and youth violence.
Medical Records: Wales
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Welsh Government on proposals for the use of Welsh resident patient data held by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency for research purposes, including Welsh residents who have received treatment outside Wales; [86199]
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(2) pursuant to his contribution of 5 December 2011, Official Report, column 31, on life sciences, which datasets of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency are held on an (a) UK and (b) England-only basis. [86337]
Mr Simon Burns: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been running the General Practice Research Database (GPRD), that is owned by the Secretary of State for Health, since 1999. The GPRD has arrangements with general practices in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland so that it is a generalisable sample dataset for each nation as well as the United Kingdom as a whole. GPRD is also linked to other national health service datasets such as Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Cancer and Myocardial Infarction Registries. However, for operational reasons the current linkage is only undertaken for general practitioner practices within England.
The recently announced MHRA service, Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), is a partnership with the National Institute for Health Research and has been established to run a similar English service to the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage research service in Wales and that in Scotland (Scottish Health Informatics Programme), that are both already operating. However, there are research needs that require access to data across the four nations and additionally other services that need particular strengths of research groups in various parts of the UK; so co-operation will be required.
No discussions have taken place between Ministers but discussions have been ongoing with those involved in both the Welsh and the Scottish research systems, since the start of the precursor to CPRD, which is the Research Capability Programme. These discussions have now stepped up to ensure that what is the largest system, by virtue of population size of England, takes a lead in fostering a dynamic synergistic relationship to the benefit of all patients, the NHS as a whole and research teams wherever they are located. Ministers have been apprised of developments during these discussions.
Subject to agreements between the relevant groups it is expected that data access and data linkage for specific research purposes will be enabled across the UK provided all governance approvals are agreed and in place.
NHS: Disclosure of Information
Mr Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to prevent public money being spent on (a) legal fees incurred in the pursuit of whistleblowers in the NHS and (b) independent reviews from companies such as Verita on such issues. [86390]
Anne Milton: People who raise concerns in the public interest are subject to certain protections under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
National health service trusts are independent employers and organisations in their own right and operate in accordance with their local disciplinary and grievance procedures and employment legislation.
The need for independent review on such issues would be considered on a case by case basis.
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Pregnant Women: Grants
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he took to maintain the Health in Pregnancy and Sure Start Maternity Grant. [84377]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions.
In the June 2010 Budget, the Government announced a range of measures including limiting the Social Fund Sure Start Maternity Grant scheme to the first child and the abolition of the Health in Pregnancy Grant. These were part of the Government's deficit reduction plan.
Sure Start maternity grants are available to families in receipt of income support, income-related employment and support allowance, income-based jobseeker's allowance, pension credit, child tax credit at a rate above the family element, or working tax credit that also includes a disability or severe disability element. This broad eligibility ensures that the grant is as widely available as possible among families with lower incomes both in and out of work.
Restricting payment in this way ensures that the limited resources available support families when they need it most.
Prescription Drugs
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will assess the merits of requiring the manufacturing of blister packs of prescriptions in quantities of seven tablets rather than 10 in order to eliminate the need to cut blister strips to fill prescriptions and enable medicines to be dispensed in their original packaging; [86579]
(2) if he will take steps against medicines distributors who do not comply with his Department’s requirements on the information which must appear on the outer and inner packaging of medicines when blister packs of medicines are split; [86580]
(3) what assessment he has made of the effects of the practice of cutting blister packs of medicines into strips due to a disparity between amounts of medicines prescribed and packaging quantities on (a) long-term and (b) other patients. [86581]
Mr Simon Burns: The requirements for medicines labelling are set out in European and national legislation. Blister strips are intended to be enclosed within outer packaging which is fully labelled with detailed information on the safe and effective use of the product. Each blister strip must be labelled with the name of the product, the expiry date, batch number and the name and address of the marketing authorisation holder. Legislation does not specify the quantities of tablets to be contained in particular types of packaging.
The Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations etc.) Regulations 1994 require the Marketing Authorisation holder to meet the requirement of European law on leaflets and labelling and makes it an offence for all those in the supply chain including wholesalers, dispensing doctors and pharmacists to supply medicines that fail to meet those requirements.
A high proportion of national health service medicines in England are already prescribed in complete pack quantities. However, the prescriber has clinical discretion over the exact quantity of a medicine that is prescribed,
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according to patient need. Sometimes the quantity will not be available exactly in the pack size. In this situation, the pharmacist is required legally to dispense the quantity prescribed and will need to break a pack to do so. An assessment has not been made of the effect of cutting blister packs on long-term and other patients.
Social Services
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent meetings Ministers in his Department have had with representatives of the Care and Support Alliance; whether he plans to bring forward proposals to reform the care system; and if he will make a statement. [86622]
Paul Burstow: The Care and Support Alliance have been involved throughout the engagement exercise, having met with officials and engagement leads to discuss their priorities for the reform of adult social care. Numerous events and meetings have also taken place with the constituent groups of the Care and Support Alliance, and a number of their members were chosen specifically to participate in “Caring for our future” as either co-leads or reference group members.
Ministers have attended a number of these events and have met with many representatives of the Care and Support Alliance since “Caring for our future” was launched on 15 September 2011.
The feedback received from the engagement will now be considered alongside the recommendations from the Commission on Funding of Care and Support and the Law Commission. The Government are committed to publishing a White Paper, and a progress report on funding, in spring 2012, and to legislating at the earliest possible opportunity.
Social Services: Registration
Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure that social workers registering or renewing their membership of the General Social Care Council before July 2012 will not pay duplicate full-year registration fees for its successor body the Health Professionals Council when it comes into being. [85992]
Paul Burstow: Subject to legislation, on 31 July 2012 the regulatory functions of the General Social Care Council (GSCC) will transfer to the Health Professions Council (HPC)—to be renamed the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)—which is an independent regulatory body.
For the past 10 years, social worker regulation has been heavily subsidised by the Government, thereby ensuring that the fee remained at £30 year on year. In the current economic climate it is no longer fair to ask the taxpayer to subsidise social workers in this way.
Having considered a number of options, the GSCC has decided to collect its fees as normal up until its closure. It is therefore possible that a social worker will be required to pay fees both to the GSCC and to the HCPC in 2012. However, once the register transfer to the HCPC, registrants will be offered a period of up to four months to renew their registration and will be given the choice of paying the registration fee in four instalments across the two-year period.
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Departmental officials are working with the HPC and the GSCC to ensure that the processes for registrant fees are straightforward and clear and that registrants have the information to make decisions appropriate to their circumstances in the months approaching the transfer of regulatory functions.
Communities and Local Government
Affordable Housing: Armed Forces
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers have been given to local authorities to provide affordable housing to serving or former service personnel since May 2010. [85693]
Grant Shapps [holding answer 8 December 2011]:Local authorities already have statutory powers enabling them to provide social housing to serving or former service personnel, and to offer such households greater priority in their allocation schemes.
We are determined that members of the armed forces and ex-service personnel should get the housing they deserve, and we are consequently taking the following measures:
giving service personnel top priority for Government-funded home ownership schemes, including the new FirstBuy scheme, and prioritising military personnel and their families for up to a year after active service ends;
providing tailored support through housing experts visiting military bases across the country to explain to service personnel how they can apply for one of the many new homes that will be built in the next few years;
consulting shortly on plans to change the law so that former personnel with urgent housing needs are always given high priority on waiting lists and so that personnel who move from base to base do not lose their qualification rights;
consulting on proposals to give local authorities greater freedom to dispose of vacant council homes at right to buy discounts to local people which could include existing or former military personnel;
providing support for wounded service personnel through increased funding for home adaptations, so that personnel returning from active service with serious injuries can live independently with dignity and respect;
working with homelessness and veteran experts to help ex-service personnel who find the transition back to civilian life difficult;
providing £1.5 million (two-year funding) to help Rushmoor borough council and other councils support the integration of retired Gurkhas, who, having served in the British Army, now wish to settle in the UK.
Affordable Housing: Finance
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of the receipts from the sale of local authority-owned homes will go to local authorities for the construction of new social housing. [86197]
Grant Shapps: Local authorities currently retain all the receipts from the voluntary sale of local authority-owned homes, and 25% of the receipt from right to buy (or similar) sales. These receipts may be used to fund the building of new social housing, but that is a decision for each authority.
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My Department intends to consult shortly on how, in future, right to buy receipts can be used to fund replacement social housing at affordable rents on a one-to-one basis either through registered housing associations or local authorities.
Council Tax Benefits
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential effect on council tax collection rates of (a) the localisation of council tax benefit and (b) the planned 10 per cent. reduction in its funding; and if he will make a statement. [82649]
Robert Neill [holding answer 24 November 2011]:An impact assessment on our broad plans for localisation of council tax will be published in due course. Under localisation, local authorities will have the flexibility to design local schemes taking into account local circumstances, including collection rates.
Procurement
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what procedures his Department has put in place to ensure value for money on purchases; and what savings have been identified using those procedures in the last year. [82314]
Robert Neill: In line with Government commitments to reduce public sector expenditure my Department has undertaken a comprehensive review of spend to identify savings and cost efficiencies.
Following Cabinet Office guidance the Department has placed an immediate freeze on consulting expenditure, unless it is of operational necessity and the work cannot be undertaken by civil servants.
Procedures have been introduced whereby the Minister and Permanent Secretary review all consultancy contracts of £20,000 or more on a three monthly basis and ensuring that any proposals to extend contracts longer than nine months are jointly approved by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the right hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander).
Mechanisms to manage demand have been put in place to manage and reduce expenditure through the Government Procurement Card. My Department has also published online all its spending on goods and services since 2008 over £500 online which has helped identify waste and inefficiency.
Savings are borne out in Department accounts. Note 9 ‘other administrative costs' of the Department's Report and Accounts 2010-11 (page 129) reports that non-pay Gross Admin Costs for the Department reduced from £123 million in 2009-10 to £104 million in 2010-11, once early retirement costs of £64 million were taken into account. Figures in this report are prepared in accordance with HM Treasury's Financial Reporting Manual for central Government Departments and associated Treasury resource accounting and budgeting guidance.
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Additionally, the Department's Public Sector Public Procurement Expenditure Survey shows a 29% reduction in third party expenditure from 2009-10 to 2010-11.
In particular the Department has made significant operational savings, by reducing demand and renegotiating commercial terms, £1.8 million in IT contracts and £2.4 million in temporary staffing and interim labour costs.
The Department has achieved estimated net property running costs reductions of £9.8 million per annum since the start of the spending review period which includes £1.9 million in Estates requirements in the last financial year. In addition the Department has reduced its research expenditure by 36% (£10.8 million) in 2010-11.
Ministers and officials review all budgets and business cases to evaluate value for money.
Risk Assessment
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what risk registers are held by the public bodies for which his Department is responsible; and if he will make a statement. [85700]
Robert Neill: All public bodies for which my Department is responsible have and maintain risk registers including, for example; board-level registers, sub-committee level registers and registers for those bodies undergoing significant reform. A list of all registers held could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Secondment
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what secondments there have been to his Department from (a) industry and (b) the third sector since May 2010; what the (i) purpose and (ii) duration is of each secondment; and whether each secondment was to a policy development role. [86139]
Robert Neill: Since May 2010, there have been no secondments into DCLG from either industry or the third sector.
Discretionary Payment Regulations
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many appeals pursuant to section 45 of the Local Government (Discretionary Payment) Regulations 1996 he and his predecessors have received in each of the last five years; how many times ministerial directions have been ignored or challenged by local authorities in each of those years; what steps he is able to take against local authorities who act against his decisions under those regulations; and if he will make a statement. [83180]
Robert Neill
[holding answer 25 November 2011]: Section 45 provides a right of appeal to the Secretary of State where an employer has not determined if there has been an accident or injury arising from an individual's employment which has resulted in a loss of earnings. The amount of any award where there is a loss of
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earning is a discretion of the employer and is not a question on which an employee can appeal to the Secretary of State.
Between March 2006 and November 2011 a total of 43 appeals have been received in the Department. No formal statistical return has been kept as there were too few cases to justify this, and the cost of determining how many were received in each of the last five years would be disproportionate. Since there is no recourse to the Secretary of State relating to the actual amount of any award, there is no record of any authorities refusing to implement their decisions. Should the employer fail to implement or award a sum in recognition, an individual has the right of appeal to the pensions ombudsman.
Fire Service College
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made on consideration of the future of the Fire Service College in Moreton-in-Marsh. [86512]
Robert Neill: In our response to the fire sector’s fire futures reports earlier this year, the Government said that the Fire Service College could achieve their full potential only if there was greater involvement from other sectors (whether private, public or voluntary) in its ownership, operation and governance and that we would
“explore with the sector and other organisations options to secure the future of the Fire Service College.”
We have taken that forward by conducting a pre-market engagement exercise throughout September and October to invite views of external partners and to assess the level of private sector interest in the college.
The response to the pre-market engagement from both the public and private sectors has been very encouraging and a number of private sector companies have expressed an interest in managing the college. The fire sector has also responded positively to the pre-market engagement and their views will be a vital element in our considerations of the future option.
We are now reviewing the responses and these will help inform the next phase of the project. We expect to be able to confirm the next steps, including a preferred future option, in the new year.
Fire Services
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which fire brigades have opted to use (a) trauma risk management and (b) applied suicide intervention skills training; and if he will make a statement. [86460]
Robert Neill: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Housing: Construction
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions he has had with representatives of the house building industry on the introduction of a voluntary agreement to publish data about the (a) size and (b) quality of new homes; and if he will make a statement. [86450]
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Andrew Stunell: Details of DCLG Ministers meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/transparencyingovernment/ministerialdata/
Officials at the Department for Communities and Local Government have been working closely with the National House Building Council to explore options for improving the availability of statistical information about new homes, including size and quality.
Housing: Merseyside
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent progress the Homes and Communities Agency's Local Stewardship Committee has made in Merseyside. [85468]
Greg Clark: Following consultation with bodies across the local area, the Homes and Communities Agency has established a Stewardship Steering Group which includes two local representatives: Carole Hudson, chief executive of St Helens metropolitan borough council and Jack Stopforth, chief executive of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce. In addition to the two local representatives, the Stewardship Steering Group comprises a private sector/local enterprise partnership representative and a senior local authority officer from each of the other four partnership areas in the local area.
The steering group met for the first time on 10 November where members were briefed on the Economic Assets Programme and the nature of the assets and liabilities transferred from the North West Development Agency. The Home and Communities Agency's team has subsequently met individually with all local enterprise partnerships and local authority partners in the area to shape initial views on how to take the assets forward.
The Stewardship Steering Group will meet again on 15 December where the Homes and Communities Agency will present its initial proposals for how the assets and liabilities will be managed and what options exist for further investment or for early disposal.
These proposals will include the Homes and Communities Agency's plans for dealing with its major assets in the Liverpool city region which are predominantly in Liverpool and Wirral.
Housing: North-east England
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the level of home completions needed to meet demand for housing in the north-east over the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [85563]
Andrew Stunell: The Department does not estimate housing need. However, the Department publishes household projections, which are a trend-based view of the number of households that would form given a projected population and previous demographic trends. Local authorities should use the projections as a part of the evidence base for assessing future housing demand.
Household projections are based on the sub-national population projections published by the Office for National Statistics, the most recent of which are 2008-based. The
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2008-based household projections show that the number of households in the north-east is projected to increase from 1,137,000 households in 2011 to 1,183,000 households in 2016.
Land Use: Databases
Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for the future of the National Land Use Database; and if he will make a statement. [86231]
Robert Neill: The National Land Use Database of Previously Developed Land and Buildings provides an annual snapshot and inventory of the national stock of vacant and/or derelict land and buildings in England that may be available for development. It is the only countrywide source of information on previously used, or brownfield land and its data are classified as ‘Official Statistics’, published by the Office for National Statistics on its Neighbourhood Statistics website providing Parliament and the public with intelligence on land use.
The Homes and Communities Agency took over the responsibility for the data in 2008 and in preparing the annual data works closely with local planning authorities in England collecting individual site data in a standardised form. Recent efforts in modernising and simplifying the database and data collection have seen an increase in both data quality and the number of users of the data. The agency is continuing to examine ways in which technology might help in continuing this trend with a particular emphasis on data collection and its transparency/interpretation.
The Homes and Communities Agency expects to publish the figures for 2010 returns in the spring.
Local Government: Pensions
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he has taken to improve employees' confidence in the Local Government Pension Scheme. [86029]
Robert Neill: The Government's plans to reform public service pension schemes, including the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales, are intended to put in place new, good quality arrangements that are affordable, sustainable and fair both to taxpayers and to each scheme’s members for the long-term. Developments taking place currently on several fronts within the scheme are intended to secure this important objective, including a statutory consultation exercise to secure fairly and progressively some £900 million savings in the scheme by 2014-15, and discussions with key business partners on longer term reforms, following Lord Hutton's recommendations to the Government earlier this year.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether an economic impact assessment has been carried out on the effect of the proposed changes to the local government pension scheme (a) nationally and (b) in Coventry South constituency. [86030]
Robert Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Members for Gedling (Vernon Coaker) and Stoke-on-Trent Central (Tristram Hunt), on 7 November 2011, Official Report, column 23W.
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Local Government: Peterborough
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will treat as a priority any application from Peterborough city council to join the Capital Asset Pathfinders scheme; and if he will make a statement. [86396]
Grant Shapps: The Capital and Assets approach (area based asset management) was co-designed with 11 areas and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), launched the findings and methodology in August 2011, highlighting the potential for any area to save 20% from the asset base. These are available at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/decentralisation/capitalassets/
Support for the programme is now overseen by the Local Government Association and they can support any individual area that needs assistance to help formulate plans. However there is nothing stopping individual local areas from working with partners in the sharing of public assets.
Non-domestic Rates: Tax Allowances
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether businesses that will not be eligible for business rate discounts will be able to vote in ballots to determine which industries are eligible; [86568]
(2) what assessment he has made of the use of ballots to determine which industries will be eligible for business rate discounts; and if he will make a statement. [86570]
Robert Neill: The use of the new power to grant business rate discounts will be entirely at the discretion of the relevant local authority. No ballots are required.
Planning Permission: Carbon Emissions
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how he proposes that the National Planning Policy Framework will deliver a low carbon transport infrastructure. [84148]
Greg Clark: The draft National Planning Policy Framework confirms the important role planning has in tackling climate change and making the transition to a low carbon economy. The draft Framework states that developments that generate significant movement should be located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes can be maximised. It also states that planning strategies should protect and exploit opportunities for the use of sustainable transport modes for the movement of goods or people, and that developments should, where practical, incorporate facilities for charging plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles.
The consultation on the draft Framework ended in October and we are considering all the suggestions that have been made as part of the consultation.
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Public Expenditure: Birmingham
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department has allocated to Birmingham City Council in (a) ring-fenced and (b) non-ring fenced funding grants for each of the next three years. [85451]
Robert Neill: There is no full list of the Department's funding allocations to any local authority for any future year. The following table shows the revenue grants our Department is currently expecting to pay to Birmingham city council during 2012-13 as at 8 December 2011. Further grants may be announced in due course.
All these grants are non-ring-fenced. It is not DCLG policy to make ring-fenced grants to local authorities.
|
|
£ million |
|
DCLG grants feeding into Local Services Support Grant Preventing Homelessness |
Troubled Families Unit
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what progress he has made in establishing the Troubled Families Unit; [85289]
(2) what estimate he has made of the budget for the Troubled Families Unit in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; [85290]
(3) what estimate he has made of the number of staff of his Department who will work on the Troubled Families Taskforce in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15; [85294]
(4) what targets his Department has set to measure the performance of its Troubled Families Unit; and how his Department will monitor performance against such targets; [85298]
(5) what assessment his Department has made of the role of the Troubled Families Team in tackling social exclusion. [85279]
Robert Neill: A new Troubled Families Team was established on 1 November 2011, headed up by Louise Casey, to drive forward a programme of work to meet the Prime Minister's commitment to turn around the lives of 120,000 troubled families by the end of this Parliament. It will work across central Government and with local government and other local agencies to provide the leadership and ambition needed to get to grips with the problem of troubled families. The work will include simplifying delivery arrangements and ensuring co-ordination between programmes established for different purposes, such as getting people back to work, children into school, and addressing poor behaviour.
The team is currently developing its work programme that will establish the resources needed to tackle this important agenda. The approach to performance monitoring is being considered as part of this process and staffing levels for the team are yet to be finalised as they will be determined by the requirements of the work
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programme. Although the work programme is at an early stage of development, it is envisaged that turning around the lives of troubled families will have a significant impact on tackling the social exclusion of these families. More details will be given to the House on this work programme in due course.
Wildlife: Planning
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to provide specific protection for (a) local wildlife sites and (b) nature improvement areas in the National Planning Policy Framework. [85623]
Greg Clark: The Natural Environment White Paper sets out the steps the Government are taking to protect and improve the natural environment including through establishing nature improvement areas. In the consultation draft of the National Planning Policy Framework we set out planning's important contribution to safeguarding our natural environment and providing net gains in biodiversity where possible. We are carefully considering all of the responses to the consultation before finalising the framework.
Cabinet Office
Civil Servants: Location
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what progress he has made on identifying alternative sites for the relocation of civil service jobs from Greater London; and if he will make a statement; [86025]
(2) whether he plans to develop a further programme of civil service employment relocation in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [86024]
Mr Maude: Our property strategy is driven by cost and we expect continued cost pressures to less of the civil service to be based in very expensive central London real estate.
The current spending controls on Government property are reducing the cost and size of the estate, and in the first year of this initiative, over 500,000 square metres of property was surrendered. As the estate reduces in size, retained buildings will be utilised more intensively wherever possible.
The Government have begun work on central London and Bristol pilots to rationalise the civil estate in these cities and will apply the lessons learned from these to develop strategies for other metropolitan areas.
Food Labelling
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) whether food and catering services in (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible plan to implement calorie labelling on menus and display boards; [85826]
(2) what steps the food and catering services in (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible are taking to ensure the country of origin of foods are labelled on its menus and display boards. [85827]
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Mr Maude: Pre-packed food items and beverages are labelled with nutritional information provided by the manufacturer. The calorific content of the food that is produced on the Cabinet Office estate is not labelled on menus or display boards. There are no plans to introduce this at present.
The Cabinet Office adheres to the Government's guidelines for sourcing food locally where possible while providing value for money. Currently we do not display the country of origin on our food menus. However, information on country of origin is available to all customers on request.
Departmental Pay
Mr Jenkin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the (a) salary and (b) other costs associated with (i) the post of Cabinet Secretary, Head of Civil Service and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, (ii) the post of Permanent Secretary, 10 Downing street and (iii) each other permanent secretary post in his Department (A) were in 2010-11 and (B) are expected to be between April and December 2011; what the equivalent figures for the posts of (1) Head of the Civil Service, (2) Cabinet Secretary, (3) Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office and (4) each other official in the Cabinet Office holding Permanent Secretary rank are expected to be (x) between January and March 2012 and (y) in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [86588]
Mr Maude: As part of the commitment to making Government more transparent and accountable, Departments are required to publish structure charts every six months showing the names, job roles and pay details for their senior staff, including Permanent Secretaries. These structure charts include information on individuals salaries, set within £5,000 bands. Departmental structure charts can be found at:
http://data.gov.uk/organogram
Government Departments: Sustainable Development
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made in holding Government Departments to account for their commitment to sustainable development through the quarterly business plan review process. [85770]
Mr Letwin: I am responding due to my role in the Business Plan process. We have recently completed the second round of quarterly review meetings, making headway on reviewing departmental progress against the published plans. The full outcome of this work will be reflected in the annual refresh of business plans to be published in April.
National Citizen Service
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Office and (c) senior officials met the Prince's Trust to discuss its withdrawal from the National Citizen Service; and if he will make a statement. [86470]
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Mr Hurd: Details of ministerial meetings with external representatives are published on a quarterly basis on the Cabinet Office website at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-external-organisations
Ministers and senior officials meet with sector representatives on a regular basis on a range of relevant issues.
Public Sector: Industrial Disputes
Guto Bebb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether trade union representatives have requested the Government to postpone deductions in pay from public sector workers who went on strike on 30 November. [86016]
Mr Maude: No such request regarding the postponement of deductions from striking workers' pay has been received from the civil service trade unions. Were such a request to be made by the civil service trade unions, Government would consider it inappropriate to pay people for work that they have not done at this or any other time of year.
Voluntary Organisations
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the Ministerial Group on the Big Society has considered the compact on working with the voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement. [85682]
Mr Hurd: The renewed compact has not been a formal discussion item at any meetings of the ministerial group on big society. However, Departments are aware of their commitments towards the compact and, from 2012-13, it is intended that Government Departments will include a statement on how the compact is being implemented in their business plans.
The NAO will shortly publish a report on how central Government Departments have implemented the principles set out in the renewed compact.
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 to prohibit any company that produces cluster munitions and or components for cluster munitions from attending UK trade events or receiving Government contracts for demilitarisation; and if he will make a statement. [81340]
Mr Prisk:
Under the Export Control Order 2008 it is prohibited for any person in the UK to do any act calculated to promote the supply or delivery of cluster munitions from one third country to another unless authorised to do so by a licence granted by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable). A licence would be granted only where the activity was permitted by the convention on cluster munitions, for example to enable destruction of the munitions. However, provided companies which produce cluster munitions do not
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engage in such promotional activities in the UK the Government have no plans to prohibit such companies from attending UK trade events. The major UK defence exhibitions are commercial events and the admission of companies is a matter for the commercial organisers.
Under current plans, it is the Government's intention to destroy remaining stocks of UK cluster munitions by the end of 2013 under existing contracts. To date all Department for International Development funding for demining has been allocated to the UN and contracts let to non-governmental organisations. Funding is now committed to 2013.
As a state party to the convention on cluster munitions, the UK has prohibited the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of cluster munitions. The UK is fully committed to the universalisation of the convention on cluster munitions and continues to use all appropriate opportunities to promote ratification or accession to the convention.
Food Labelling
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether food and catering services in (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible plan to implement calorie labelling on menus and display boards. [85838]
Mr Davey: The central Department's catering is contracted out to BaxterStorey who plan to introduce calorie labelling at the end of January 2012.
Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps the food and catering services in (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible are taking to ensure the country of origin of foods are labelled on its menus and display boards. [85839]
Mr Davey: The central Department's catering is contracted out to BaxterStorey who already include some key information (i.e. UK sourced—Union Jack added). BaxterStorey are committed to better information being displayed, subject to menus and display boards remaining clear and readable.
Information for non departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Secondment
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what secondments there have been to his Department from (a) industry and (b) the third sector since May 2010; what the (i) purpose and (ii) duration is of each secondment; and whether each secondment was to a policy development role. [86134]
Mr Davey: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr Wright) of 8 November 2011, Official Report, column 302W. I can also confirm that none of the secondments is from the third sector.
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Parliamentary Written Questions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of questions for ordinary written answer received a substantive response within (a) 10, (b) 20, (c) 30 and (d) more than 30 sitting days in the 2010-12 Session to date. [85929]
Mr Davey: The Department aims to answer ordinary written parliamentary questions (PQs) within five sitting days. Where it is not possible to provide a full answer within the usual deadline, the Department believes it will normally be preferable to provide an answer a few days late, rather than provide an incomplete answer.
During the period 18 May 2010 to 30 November 2011, a total of 4,157 ordinary PQs were answered of which 3,992 (96%) received a substantive reply within 10 sitting days. Two questions, for this period, remain to be answered.
In line with the format provided to the Procedure Committee in the last Session,(1) the Department's PQ data are recorded by (i) questions answered on time (ii) questions answered within 5-10 days and (iii) questions answered more than 10 days late. Data related to PQs answered 20; 30 days or more than 30 days late are not held centrally within BIS.
The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with information relating to written PQ performance on a sessional basis and will provide the Committee with the information, using the same format as before, at the end of the Session.
These figures have been drawn from the Department's database which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
(1) Procedure Committee—First Special Report 7 December 2009 [HC 129]
Education: Visual Impairment
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support his Department provides for partially sighted and blind pupils in (a) further and (b) higher education. [85180]
Mr Willetts: Higher education (HE) institutions and further education (FE) colleges have duties under the Equality Act 2010 to support disabled students, including blind and partially sighted students, when applying to higher and further education and when studying. The law establishes a framework of responsibility which higher education institutions and further education colleges must comply with and also promotes an anticipatory and proactive approach to supporting disabled students. Institutions are required to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students to ensure that they can fully participate in their education and enjoy the other benefits, facilities and services which are provided for students.
The Government provide support to disabled students in higher education. We provide funding to HE institutions, through the Higher Education Funding Council for England, to help them recruit and support disabled students; £13 million will be provided in academic year 2011/12.
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The Government also provide direct support to disabled students through disabled students' allowances (DSAs). DSAs can help pay the extra costs a student may incur, because of a disability, when undertaking a course of higher education. DSAs are provided in addition to the standard student support package, are not income-assessed and do not have to be repaid.
‘Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth’ (published November 2010) recognises the importance of access to further education and skills training for people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. We have introduced a single adult skills budget from the 2011/12 academic year. This provides further education colleges and other training organisations with the flexibility to offer a range and balance of programmes and support in the mode of delivery that will best meet the needs of disabled students and students with learning difficulties. Funding for additional learning support is also provided to colleges and other training organisations to help support the additional needs of disadvantaged learners to enable them to participate fully in learning. The funding is intended to be flexible and support learners who have a range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
Empty Property: Kingston upon Hull
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department holds the (a) leasehold and (b) freehold of any (i) empty or (ii) partially empty property in Kingston upon Hull; and what plans he has to maximise the occupancy of any such properties. [86475]
Mr Davey: The Department does not have any leasehold or freehold property in Kingston-upon-Hull.
English for Speakers of other Languages
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the statement of 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 59-60WS, on English for speakers of other languages, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on developing new forms of funding support for English for speakers of other languages courses. [86567]
Mr Hayes: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Communities and Local Government are discussing how best to support the provision of English language to assist those areas facing the most significant integration challenges and an announcement will be made shortly.
Higher Education: Admissions
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what impact assessment he has carried out in respect of the effect on the social diversity of the student body at English universities of the implementation of the core and margin model. [85771]
Mr Willetts: The Department published an impact assessment and equality impact assessment on the proposals in the Higher Education White Paper in June 2011, can be found at the following link.
http://discuss.bis.gov.uk/hereform/all-documents/
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Overall, our equality impact assessment concluded that we anticipated that the ‘core and margin' proposals would not have an adverse affect on protected or disadvantaged groups. The impact assessment recognised that certain protected groups were over-represented in the non-AAB population. We concluded that the fair access framework we have introduced would help ensure a fair balance of places are offered to eligible students from less privileged backgrounds and under-represented backgrounds in institutions.
We have asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to monitor the impact of these changes in terms of equality issues and to offer advice as soon as is practicable.
Higher Education: Office of the Independent Adjudicator
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what systems are in place to monitor the work of the office of the adjudicator for higher education; and if he will make a statement. [83933]
Mr Willetts: The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) is the designated operator of the student complaints scheme for higher education students in England and Wales. The OIA provides a valuable, independent service of last resort for students who have exhausted their institution's complaints procedures.
It is for the OIA board to monitor the performance and effectiveness of the organisation, to approve the rules and procedures for the operation of the OIA scheme and to preserve the scheme's independence. The majority of the board are independent directors, appointed through open competition.
The OIA publishes an annual report on its activities for the sector to review. The 2010 report was published on 14 June 2011:
http://www.oiahe.org.uk/media/30013/oia_annual_report_2010.pdf
BIS officials are in regular contact with the OIA and provide me with updates on their progress. I last met the OIA chair and chief executive on 6 September 2010.
Public Sector: Trade Unions
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 6 December 2011, Official Report, column 272W, on public sector: trade union officials, if he will consider bringing forward proposals to amend the relevant provisions in the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 as part of the review of facility time. [86326]
Mr Davey: There are no current plans to change the legislative framework.
The Government have said they will consult on several elements of civil service facility time agreements but none of these rely on legislative change.
Regional Growth Fund
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills for what reasons his Department decided to hold two bidding rounds for the Regional Growth Fund in 2011. [85157]
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Mr Prisk: Two bidding rounds were held in 2011. The first closed in January, the second in July. The aim of the Regional Growth Fund is to create sustainable private sector jobs in areas of the country disproportionally dependant on the public sector. Two bidding rounds were held to create jobs at the earliest opportunity by companies and other organisations submitting applications to the first round while giving other companies and organisations the opportunity to develop bids over a slightly longer time scale by submitting applications to the second round of bidding.
Students: Fees and Charges
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made on the effects of the core and margin model on higher education institutions charging between £7,500 and £9,000 per year in tuition fees. [85514]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 8 December 2011]: The Higher Education (HE) White Paper ‘Students at the Heart of the System’, published in June, set out the proposal and aims to free up the current restrictive approach to allocating student places to higher education institutions. Alongside the HE White Paper, an impact assessment of the proposals was published on the BIS website which includes modelling of that policy. This impact assessment is available at:
http://discuss.bis.gov.uk/hereform/all-documents/
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) consulted over the summer on the operation of teaching funding and student number controls in 2012/13, which included the freeing up of restrictions on the recruitment of new entrants. The outcomes from the consultation including responses, are available on the HEFCE website at:
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/learning/funding/201213/
HEFCE is committed to monitoring closely the impacts of the new policy and will offer formal advice as soon as is practicable.
Students: Finance
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the National Scholarship Programme funding he expects to be spent on (a) fee waivers, (b) subsidised accommodation, (c) cash bursaries and (d) free foundation years. [85774]
Mr Willetts: The National Scholarship Programme is designed to benefit students whose family income is no greater than £25,000. Participating universities and colleges establish their own eligibility criteria, based on their own circumstances, to determine whom to help from among this broad group of people.
Universities and colleges offer help from a menu of options. These are a fee waiver or fee discount; a free foundation year; discounted accommodation or other institutional service; a financial scholarship or bursary, capped at £1,000.
Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges with access agreements have provided the Office for Fair Access with estimates of how much they expect to spend in each of these areas under the National
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Scholarship Programme in steady state (by 2015-16). No data are available yet for institutions without access agreements who have taken up the option of participating that is available to them.
| Estimate | £ million | Percentage |
Third Sector: Finance
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding over £100,000 his Department's Legal, People and Communications Directorate allocated to the (a) voluntary sector, (b) charities and (c) other third sector organisations in 2010-11; how much it plans to allocate to each in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [86467]
Mr Davey: The Legal, People and Communications Group did not allocate any funding over £100,000 to the voluntary sector, charities or third sector organisations last year and has no plans to do so this year.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding over £100,000 his Department's Shareholder Executive allocated to the (a) voluntary sector, (b) charities and (c) other third sector organisations in 2010-11; how much it plans to allocate to each in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [86468]
Mr Davey: The Shareholder Executive does not allocate any funding to the voluntary sector, charities or third sector organisations. Its role is to ensure the Government get best value from their interests in a range of businesses and to provide commercial advice across Government for which it does not charge.
Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which organisations have made written representations to his Department on the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations in the last 12 months; and which such representations proposed changes to the regulations. [86401]
Mr Davey: A range of individuals and organisations submitted proposing changes to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) as part of the Red Tape Challenge spotlight on employment law. These can be viewed on the Red Tape Challenge website. In response to the “Plan for Growth” Balfour Beatty made a formal representation highlighting variations in the application of the Acquired Rights Directive (TUPE in the UK) across member states as an issue of concern.
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John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the operation of Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations compared with the operation of similar regulations elsewhere in the EU. [86443]
Mr Davey: As part of the call for evidence on the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) launched on 23 November 2011, I have asked for information on stakeholders' experiences with the implementation of such regulations across the EU. This evidence will be used to compare the operation of the regulations across European member states, should there be sufficient response.
Defence
Armed Forces: Food
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what guidelines there are on the quality and quantity of food supplied to service personnel; what changes have been made to them since May 2010; and who is responsible for enforcing and monitoring them; [86012]
(2) what changes have been made to the suppliers of food to UK service personnel since May 2010. [86013]
Peter Luff: The Defence Fuel and Food Services Team are responsible for the issue of Ministry of Defence (MOD) food quality standards to ensure that products meet all the relevant criteria (legislation, nutrition, dietary, shelf-life, value for money, sustainability, surety of supply) required for operating in a number of unique global environments. These standards apply to all Defence food supply contracts and pre-date May 2010. They are regularly updated although no major changes have been made since May 2010.
Guidance in respect of quantity of food supplied to service personnel is contained within The Defence Catering Manual and basic military training which provides personnel with a fundamental knowledge of nutrition, to optimise physical and mental function, long-term health and morale. The manual also directs, through Front Line Commands, responsibility for enforcement and monitoring of the standards which apply to military personnel.
Although new contracts have been awarded since May 2010, the list of suppliers that provide catering services to the MOD has not changed.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the projected expenditure is on food for service personnel based (a) in the UK and (b) overseas in each year between 2010 and 2015; [86014]
(2) how much was spent on food for service personnel based (a) overseas and (b) in the UK in each year since 2000. [86015]
Peter Luff
[holding answer 12 December 2011]:Armed forces personnel in the UK and permanent bases overseas are primarily catered for through a number of catering, retail, leisure and other multi-activity contracts (incorporating pay as you dine arrangements) to deliver this and other services. Food is procured at the contractors' risk and the only payment they receive in respect of this,
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with some minor exceptions, is at the point of sale. The price of the core meal (covering breakfast, lunch and dinner) is capped by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body.
For armed forces personnel not covered by these contractual arrangements and those serving on operations and overseas exercises, there is a single food supply contract for which expenditure is as follows:
| Single food supply expenditure | |
| Financial year | £ million |
These figures include the cost of food, administration and transport and the net additional cost of military operations which was met from the Treasury Reserve.
The Ministry of Defence has also procured operational ration packs over the same period for which expenditure is as follows:
| Operational ration pack expenditure | |
| Financial year | £ million |
Financial records prior to financial year 2001-02 are no longer available.
Forecast expenditure does not take account of military operations. The forecast cost for the single food supply contract and operational ration packs are contained in the following tables:
| Single food supply forecast expenditure | |
| Financial year | £ million |
| Operational ration pack forecast expenditure | |
| Financial year | £ million |
Food Labelling
Huw Irranca-Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether food and catering services in (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he
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is responsible plan to implement calorie labelling on menus and display boards; [85848]
(2) what steps the food and catering services in (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible are taking to ensure the country of origin of foods are labelled on its menus and display boards. [85849]
Peter Luff: In accordance with the Government Buying Standards, we fully support the overarching commitment that suppliers should be able to indicate the origin of the meat, meat products and dairy products either on the menu or accompanying literature, or at least when the information is requested by the consumer. The Government Buying Standards, while not mandating calorie labelling on menus, does cite this as best practice and therefore we encourage the practice wherever possible.
Menus on display boards at Ministry of Defence (MOD) sites are designed to simply reflect the options available at each meal. This information will include any vegetarian options or where a dish may contain any potential allergens. Country of origin data and nutritional data are available from the food provider or the MOD's Defence Fuel and Food Services Team on request.
Consultants
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department plans to spend on management consultants in the current financial year. [81929]
Peter Luff [holding answer 23 November 2011]: As at 31 October 2011, the Ministry of Defence's forecast spend on management consultancy during financial year (FY) 2011-12 will total £25.5 million. This has been calculated using the Government Procurement Service's definition of management consultancy. Total spend on management consultancy in FY 2010-11 was £26 million and in FY 2009-10, £79 million.
Procurement
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts awarded by his Department to management consultants (a) since publication of the Strategic Defence and Security Review and (b) in 2011-12 were awarded after competitive tendering; and how many competing providers there were for each contract awarded after competitive tendering. [82198]
Peter Luff [holding answer 23 November 2011]: The Ministry of Defence is at present conducting a review of its management consultancy contracts. I will therefore write to the hon. Member with further details once the review has been completed.
Parliamentary Written Questions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of questions for ordinary written answer received a substantive response within (a) 10, (b) 20, (c) 30 and (d) more than 30 sitting days in the 2010-12 session to date. [85933]
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Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence received 3,698 ordinary written questions for answer between 1 June 2010 and 6 December 2011. The information requested is as follows:
Answered within 10 sitting days: 3,303 (89%)
Answered within 11 to 20 sitting days: 264 (7%)
Answered within 21 to 30 sitting days: 53 (2%)
Answered after more than 30 sitting days: 32 (1%).
46 (1%) ordinary written questions were still to be answered as at 7 December 2011.
The Government are committed to providing the Procedure Committee with information relating to written parliamentary question performance on a sessional basis and will provide full information to the Committee at the end of the Session. Statistics relating to Government Departments' performance for the 2009-10 Session were previously provided to the Committee and are available on the Parliament website.
Ex-servicemen
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times each Minister in his Department has met the Royal British Legion to discuss armed forces veterans since 11 May 2011. [84082]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 1 December 2011]: Defence Ministers regularly meet representatives of charities which raise money for, and represent the interests of, current and former members of our armed forces and their families, either on a one-to-one basis or as part of wider fora, such as the Central Advisory Committee on Pensions and Compensation or the Ministry of Defence’s Welfare conference.
Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations are published on the Ministry of Defence website at the following address:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/FinancialReports/Expenses/MinistersHospitalityReceived.htm
The information currently published covers May 2010 to June 2011 and is being updated on a quarterly basis in accordance with the Government’s transparency programme.
I regularly meet representatives of the Royal British Legion. I met their director-general as recently as last month, on Remembrance Sunday.
GPT
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates officials of Ministers of his Department have met representatives of GPT to discuss allegations of bribery by that company. [83175]
Peter Luff [holding answer 25 November 2011]: Officials in the Ministry of Defence meet regularly with representatives of GPT Special Project Management Ltd to discuss project progress and technical and commercial matters. On a number of occasions officials have met representatives of GPT and/or its parent company, European Aerospace and Defence Systems (EADS)/Astrium, when the allegations were discussed. The dates of such meetings, all in 2011, were:
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28 January;
1 and 8 February;
7, 10 and 28 March;
11 April;
6 and 17 June;
22 September;
10, 11, 14 and 25 October; and
18 November.
Harrier Aircraft
Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Harrier fleet is due to be transferred to the US; and on what date he plans to reconstitute sea-deployable fixed-wing air power at short notice. [86213]
Peter Luff: The transfer of the Harrier fleet for use as spare parts to the USA has commenced with the arrival of 40 United States Marine Corps containers at RAF Cottesmore. The Harrier team are now loading the containers for removal and all Harrier assets are to be removed from UK collection points by 31 March 2012.
As announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, we plan to regenerate a carrier strike capability from around 2020, based upon an operational Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier fitted with catapults and arrestor gear and the F35C Joint Strike Fighter, and are currently investigating the optimum solution to meet that requirement, including the delivery timescales.
HMS Astute
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans that HMS Astute will be fully operational. [85427]
Peter Luff: HMS Astute is currently undertaking a period of comprehensive sea trials and training before being handed over to the Royal Navy for operational service, which on current plans will be in early 2013. HMS Astute will then conduct a period of operational sea training for approximately six weeks, after which it is planned that the ship will be declared fully operational.
Littoral Warfare
Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the availability is of UK amphibious forces for long-range deployment; and if he will make a statement. [86212]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 12 December 2011]: We do not disclose specific readiness levels of our units but by implementing the proposals set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, three Commando Brigade Royal Marines, with the Royal Navy’s amphibious shipping, will continue to provide strategic reach. This will provide an agile and capable amphibious landing force of up to 1,800 personnel together with protective vehicles and other equipment.
Navy: Training
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many naval personnel he plans will be trained using the Maritime Composite Training System in each of the next five years [85426]
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Peter Luff: It is expected that the Maritime Composite Training System will be used by approximately 1,000 students per year in each of the next five years.
Nimrod Aircraft
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the costs associated with the cancellation of the Nimrod MR4A aircraft. [85591]
Peter Luff: I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.
Rescue Services
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of the withdrawal from service of the Sea King Search and Rescue helicopters on the ability to maintain combat search and rescue operational skills. [85588]
Peter Luff: As the Sea King retires after 47 years of service the Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) role is expected to be met by Merlin or Chinook helicopters.
A Ministry of Defence study dated June 2010 found that the existing operational training undertaken by the support helicopter force is sufficient to ensure that fully trained personnel will continue to be available for deployment in the CSAR role.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the (a) Maritime Coastguard Agency and (b) Secretary of State for Transport on the provision of night vision goggles to civilian search and rescue helicopter crews from 2016. [85592]
Peter Luff:
The competition for the future UK Search and Rescue Helicopter service announced on 28 November 2011, Official Report, columns 52-53WS, by the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), will require industry to provide a capability, both aircraft and aircrew, that meets the requirement to operate aircraft safely at low level at night and in low light conditions in both the maritime and overland environments. It is likely that the
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contractor will need to provide night vision aids, e.g. goggles, to meet this requirement, but it is for them to develop appropriate solutions. These requirements have been developed through detailed work by officials from the Ministry of Defence, Department for Transport and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. It has not been necessary for the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), to be involved in these discussions.
Somalia: Piracy
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to promote greater international military co-operation on pre-emptive action to prevent piracy off the coast of Somalia. [86085]
Nick Harvey: The UK continues to promote international co-operation to tackle piracy; both at its root through provision of humanitarian and development assistance and through a direct contribution to a number of military operations. In addition, the Prime Minister has recently announced a conference on Somalia to be held in London in early 2012, reaffirming UK commitment to the global effort in stabilising Somalia which includes countering piracy. The conference will form the basis for co-ordinated and sustained international leadership on Somalia and will support a broader, more inclusive political process to bring security and stability to the country.
Salvage Licences
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what wrecks of Crown owned vessels and aircraft have been sold for salvage. [86051]
Peter Luff: Records of salvage licences dating back to 1914 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Readily available files show that no salvage rights licences for military vessels have been granted since at least 2005.
The Ministry of Defence does not grant salvage licences in cases where military shipwrecks are considered to be the last resting place of personnel, and for all wrecks of military aircraft. However, historic licences will have been granted in accordance with the prevailing practice of the time.