Environment Protection: Employment
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's most recent estimate is of the number of people employed in the low carbon economy. [85878]
Mr Prisk: I have been asked to reply.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has made no recent estimate of the number of people employed in the low carbon economy. However, an independent report by K-Matrix, commissioned by BIS, estimates that employment in the Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services sector was approximately 914,000 in 2009/10. Employment in the Low Carbon sub-sector was estimated to be approximately 449,000 in 2009/10.
Forests: Developing Countries
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what agreements were made at the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban on reducing emissions from (a) aviation and (b) deforestation and forest degradation. [87291]
Gregory Barker: The conference in Durban agreed to continue consideration of issues related to addressing emissions from international aviation and maritime transport. While we would have preferred a decision of substance, this decision does mean that we can continue to press for international aviation emissions to be addressed through the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The decisions taken in Durban on reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+) move us in the right direction, but we would have liked to see faster progress. Specifically, the decisions resolved some important technical issues on reference levels against which we will measure progress on REDD+, and how countries will provide information on biodiversity and social safeguards. Both of these are essential building blocks towards a functioning REDD+ mechanism. Donor and forest countries also committed to stepping up efforts to address deforestation in the Congo Basin.
Fuel Poverty: Cancer
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if his Department will provide assistance to cancer patients in fuel poverty to enable them to identify the most appropriate tariff for their energy supplies. [87709]
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Gregory Barker: Helping all consumers, including those suffering from cancer, to find the most appropriate tariff is a key component of the Check Switch and Insulate to Save campaign that my Government launched alongside the energy suppliers, Citizens Advice, Consumer Focus, Age UK and Which? Further information on the campaign can be found via
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_199725
As announced at the consumer energy summit in October, we have reached a voluntary agreement under which energy suppliers will now provide their domestic customers with a “signpost” on bills to cheaper deals.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the Energy Company Obligation will provide support for cancer patients who are in fuel poverty. [87710]
Gregory Barker: Eligibility for support through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is currently being consulted on.
Under our proposals, the ECO would provide support, such as heating and insulation measures, to low income and vulnerable households as part of Government's programme to tackle fuel poverty. This could include cancer patients provided they were in receipt of the qualifying means-tested benefits. Alongside the Green Deal, the ECO would also provide support to households in need of expensive measures, such as solid wall insulation. Government have not proposed any restrictions in eligibility for this element of ECO support.
G20
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what arrangements have been made for the meeting of the G20 energy ministers which the UK is hosting in 2012. [87086]
Charles Hendry: The UK will host the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) on 25 and 26 April 2012. Although the CEM brings together many of the G20 energy Ministers, it is a separate forum and not part of the G20.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change is working closely with the CEM Secretariat in the United States Department of Energy on the preparations for this two-day event that aims to secure practical progress on low carbon energy deployment by promoting international collaboration, and by bringing the public and private sectors together to share best practice.
Further information can be found at:
www.cleanenergyministerial.org
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the (a) location and (b) agenda is of the meeting of the G20 energy ministers in April 2012 which the UK is hosting; what other arrangements have been made for the meeting; and if he will make a statement. [87087]
Charles Hendry: The UK will host the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) on 25-26 April 2012. Although the CEM brings together many of the G20 Energy Ministers, it is a separate forum and not part of the G20. The CEM will be held at Lancaster House in London.
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The Department of Energy and Climate Change is working closely with the CEM Secretariat in the United States Department of Energy to prepare the agenda for the CEM to secure practical progress on low carbon energy deployment through discussion, for example on public and private finance for clean energy, on energy efficiency, and by building on the 11 international collaborations announced last year.
The agenda is due to be finalised at the preparatory meeting in Delhi on 2 and 3 February.
Green Deal Scheme
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether energy efficiency aggregators delivering the Green Deal will be eligible to receive support through the proposed capacity mechanism incentive for demand reduction measures as part of the Electricity Market Reform programme. [87292]
Gregory Barker: In the Electricity Market Reform White Paper “Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity”(1), DECC committed to assessing whether further steps are needed to improve the support and incentives for efficient use of electricity.
This assessment will look at what impact current policies have on electricity demand and whether there is a need for further measures to incentivise demand reduction—either within the Electricity Market Reform programme or elsewhere. This work will include a consideration of how any new measures would interact with existing policies such as the Green Deal.
In addition, in the Electricity Market Reform Technical Update, ‘Planning our electric future: technical update’(2), DECC committed to ensuring that flexible, verifiable demand side response can participate in a capacity mechanism on a fair and equivalent basis to generation.
(1 )http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/legislation/white_ papers/emr_wp_2011/emr_wp_2011.aspx
(2 )http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/meeting-energy-demand/energy-markets/3884-planning-electric-future-technical-update.pdf
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many companies have submitted a written expression of interest in becoming a Green Deal provider to his Department since the scheme was announced. [87407]
Gregory Barker: The Government have not requested expressions of interest from potential Green Deal providers. However Ministers and officials have frequent conversations and meetings with companies who are interested in entering the market to ensure they are fully informed of the requirements for being a provider and also to ensure that any concerns that they have are fed into policy development as appropriate.
Ministerial Meetings
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) for what reasons his Department has not published a quarterly list of ministerial meetings with external organisations for (a) April to June and (b) July to September 2011; [86528]
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(2) when his Department expects to publish its quarterly list of ministerial meetings with external organisations for (a) April to June and (b) July to September 2011. [86529]
Gregory Barker: The ministerial meetings with external organisations for April to June 2011 have been published and details can be found at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/accesstoinform/registers/registers.aspx
The list for July to September is being compiled and will be published in due course.
Natural Gas: Prices
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent comparative assessment he has made of the cost of domestic gas in the US and the UK; and if he will make a statement. [87510]
Charles Hendry: In 2010, the average cost of domestic gas (including taxes) in the UK was 4.15 pence per kWh, compared to 2.39 pence per kWh in the USA. Excluding taxes, the average cost of gas in 2010 was 3.95 pence per kWh in the UK and 2.28 pence per kWh in the USA.
One of the main reasons for the retail price differential is the higher wholesale price of gas in the UK compared to the US. The US has experienced substantial growth in gas production in recent years, primarily driven by exploitation of unconventional gas and therefore has little need for significant imports. Furthermore, a lack of export capacity means that the US is not currently well placed to sell gas to other markets. Conversely, geographical proximity and physical linkages (via pipelines) mean the UK is connected to European gas markets and the UK wholesale price is influenced by European wholesale prices.
Deputy Prime Minister
House of Commons Chamber
Mr Bone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times he has attended the Chamber of the House since May 2010. [87622]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I spend as much time as necessary to carry out in full my official duties in Parliament.
Women and Equalities
Departmental Public Expenditure
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities whether she receives any external funding for (a) her Ministerial office and (b) her advisers; and what the (i) source and (ii) amount is of any such funding. [77591]
Lynne Featherstone:
As of 1 April 2011, the Government Equalities Office has been part of the Home Office and is no longer a separate Government Department. The
19 Dec 2011 : Column 996W
information requested will be provided by the Minister for Immigration in response to your question to the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
Transport
Biofuels
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many acres of agricultural land were used to supply biofuel for transport in the UK in each of the last 10 years; and how many tonnes of biofuel were produced on that land in each of those years. [87131]
Norman Baker: Estimates of land usage for biofuels are available from the introduction of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in 2008.
This information is available in the RTFO administrator's reports to Parliament for 2008-09 and 2009-10 can be found online at
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/other/9780108508868/9780108508868.pdf
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/other/9780108509681/9780108509681.pdf
Article 22 of the Renewable Energy Directive requires all member states to report biennially on changes in land use associated with increased use of biomass from renewable sources. The first of these reports is due to be submitted to the Commission on 31 December 2011 and will be published in due course.
Bus Services: Finance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the annual number of additional car journeys to take place attributable to (a) the end of concessionary coach travel funding and (b) reductions in funding from the Bus Service Operators Grant. [86850]
Norman Baker [holding answer 15 December 2011]: A regulatory impact assessment on the ending of the concessionary coach scheme is available on the DFT website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/bus-service-operators-grant/
The Department for Transport has not estimated the number of additional car journeys which will take place following the reduction of Bus Service Operators Grant by 20% from April 2012.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport over what time frame she plans to allocate funding for the Better Bus Area Fund. [87493]
Norman Baker: The deadline for local authorities to submit bids for the Better Bus Area Fund is 24 February 2012. Award letters to successful authorities will be issued before the end of March 2012.
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Ministerial Domestic Visits
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions she visited (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity in the last 12 months. [80844]
Norman Baker: The previous Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), made one visit to Wales in an official capacity. He made no visits to Scotland or Northern Ireland over the specified time scale.
The current Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has not made any visits to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
I have made one visit to Scotland in the last 12 months, while the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning), has made two visits to Scotland, three visits to Wales and one visit to Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.
Official Photographs
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to answer question 82566, on official photographs, tabled on 21 November 2011 for reply on 23 November 2011. [87574]
Norman Baker: I replied to the hon. Member's question on 15 December 2011, Official Report, column 844W.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Manpower
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff are employed in each regional office of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. [87411]
Mike Penning: The following table provides the number of staff that are employed in each regional office.
| Location | Total |
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Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: North-east England
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the likely effects of proposals to close Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency regional enforcement offices on levels of unemployment in (a) the north-east and (b) Teesside. [87413]
Mike Penning: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) employs 48 staff in its Newcastle-upon-Tyne office, 22 in the Stockton office and 16 in Beverley. If these offices close as a result of the consultation on transforming the DVLA's services, all 86 jobs in this area could be at risk. Consultation with potentially affected staff has already begun and will include ways of avoiding or reducing redundancies as well as how to mitigate the consequences of any redundancies.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Scotland
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what services are delivered by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency regional offices in Scotland. [87025]
Mike Penning: The services delivered by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's local offices, including those in Scotland, comprise vehicle registration and licensing, tax disc distribution to motor dealers, trade licensing, vehicle inspections, personalised registrations, enforcement activity and driver services.
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at how many locations in Scotland the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency shares office accommodation with other Government agencies. [87026]
Mike Penning: Three of the five local offices located in Scotland share office accommodation with other Government agencies. These are:
Aberdeen with the DWP;
Dundee with the HMRC (Scotland); and
Inverness with the Scottish Executive.
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Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency offices in Scotland proposed for closure was funded through the private finance initiative. [87027]
Mike Penning: Property and facilities management at all five local offices located in Scotland is provided through a private finance initiative contract.
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the staff (a) turnover and (b) absentee rate was at each Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency office in Scotland in each of the last five years. [87028]
Mike Penning: The following table provides the turnover and absentee rate for each of the five local offices in Scotland for the last five years:
| Percentage | ||
| Office | Turnover | Absentee rate |
Stewart Hosie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the running costs were of each Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) office in Scotland in each of the last five years; and what the
19 Dec 2011 : Column 1000W
fixed accommodation cash running costs of DVLA office buildings in Scotland were over each of the last five years. [87029]
Mike Penning: The information requested is not readily available and would incur disproportionate costs to gather. The following tables show the running costs for the five local offices situated in Scotland for the last two years.
| £000 | ||
| Aberdeen | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| £000 | ||
| Dundee | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| £000 | ||
| Edinburgh | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| £000 | ||
| Glasgow | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| £000 | ||
| Inverness | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
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Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average length of service is of staff currently employed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency at each of its locations in Scotland. [87030]
Mike Penning: The information requested is listed as follows.
Aberdeen—The average service length of staff is 13 years and 7 months.
Dundee—The average service length of staff is 20 years and 7 months.
Edinburgh—The average service length of staff is 13 years and 7 months.
Glasgow—The average service length of staff is 10 years and 8 months.
Inverness—The average service length of staff is 9 years and 1 month.
Glasgow Crec—The average service length of staff is 11 years and 7 months.
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with which estate partners the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency holds contracts relating to accommodation and facilities management for its regional offices in Scotland. [87031]
Mike Penning: All five local offices in Scotland are included in the private finance initiative contract DVLA has with Telereal Trillium.
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has to transfer its delivery of services from Scotland to other parts of the UK; at what locations offices are being retained by the DVLA in Scotland; and what functions these offices will fulfil. [87032]
Mike Penning: The public consultation exercise on the way DVLA delivers its services, could result in all the services offered by local offices being centralised at Swansea and delivered electronically via phone, internet or through one or more intermediaries. This could mean that there would be no Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency local office remaining in Scotland beyond 2013.
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on refitting, repairs and general maintenance of each Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency regional office in Scotland proposed for vacation or closure in each of the last five years. [87033]
Mike Penning: The information requested on repair and general maintenance costs is not readily available and would incur disproportionate costs to gather. The following table shows the cost of refitting the local offices in Scotland during the last five years. All this work took place during 2008-09.
19 Dec 2011 : Column 1002W
| 2008-09 | Refit (£) |
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of her Department's liability for redundancy payments consequent upon the planned closure of each Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency office in Scotland. [87034]
Mike Penning: We have recently launched a consultation on a programme of work which will transform the way that the DVLA delivers its services to customers. This will be achieved by centralising services and providing much more choice and flexibility around how and when motorists deal with the DVLA. The proposals could deliver significant efficiencies with an estimated £28 million year on year savings.
However, no decisions about local office closure have yet been made.
The Department's potential liability for redundancy payments would be estimated to be in the region of £2.3 million for the local offices located in Scotland.
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency offices in Scotland identified for vacation following the announcement of the rationalisation programme are (a) owned or (b) leased; what estimate her Department has made of the costs of relinquishing leases; and what estimate it has made of the cost of vacating those offices. [87035]
Mike Penning: No decisions about property vacation have yet been made.
All five local office properties in Scotland are leased. It is not expected that any costs would be incurred if the leases for these five local offices were relinquished.
The estimated dilapidation costs for vacating the offices would be:
|
|
£ |
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the possible effects of the proposed closure of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency offices in Scotland on the time taken to issue licences. [87036]
Mike Penning: There would be no degradation to the service offered. Customers would still be able to license online or by telephone. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is also proposing to increase the range and number of intermediaries that could offer these kinds of services.
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Under the proposal customers in Scotland would be issued licences within the same timescale as the rest of Great Britain.
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on the proposed closure of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency offices in Scotland. [87037]
Mike Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport meets regularly with her ministerial colleagues but there has been no specific discussion on the proposed closure of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's offices. As part of the public consultation I wrote to the Secretary of State for Scotland on 13 December.
Driving Tests
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there will be any increase in the cost to candidates to sit the car and motorcycle theory tests as a result of the decision by the Driving Standards Agency to change the questions in the test. [87384]
Mike Penning: The Driving Standards Agency has no plans to increase theory test fees as a result of changing the questions in the test.
Driving Under Influence: Costs
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the average cost to the public purse of a single drink-drive (a) offence and conviction, (b) offence and conviction involving a serious injury and (c) offence and conviction involving a death. [87325]
Mike Penning: My Department is currently finalising with the Ministry of Justice and Home Office the costs to the judicial system and the police used in its assessments of legal changes related to drink-drive offences and convictions.
The average values of preventing road casualties in 2009 were £1,585,510 for a fatality, £178,160 for a serious injury and £13,740 for a slight (ie lesser) injury. These values include costs related to the emergency services and the health service, as well as wider economic and social costs.
Driving Under Influence: Rehabilitation
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost to the public purse was of participation by an individual on a drink-drive rehabilitation course in the latest period for which figures are available; and what estimate she has made of the likely savings to the public purse which could be made if proposals that there will be more than one provider of drink-drive rehabilitation courses in each region were implemented. [86734]
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Mike Penning: The cost to the Driving Standards Agency of administering and quality assuring the Drink Driver Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) in 2009-10 was £140,000. 29,400 offenders completed a DDRS course resulting in an average cost per offender of £4.76.
The current Driving Standards Agency consultation on revised arrangements for DDRS includes the adoption of the ‘user pays’ principle. This will transfer the cost of accrediting and quality assuring DDRS from the public purse to the offender. Whether there are multiple or single course providers in any area will have no effect on the sum transferred.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reoffending rates were for offenders who undertook a drink-drive rehabilitation course in a region with (a) a single provider and (b) multiple providers of such courses in the latest period for which figures are available. [86735]
Mike Penning: No data have been gathered that would allow us to identify whether there is a difference in the reoffending rates between those areas with a single rehabilitation course provider and those with multiple course providers.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of deaths that have been prevented by the introduction of the drink-drive rehabilitation scheme. [86779]
Mike Penning: It is not possible to specifically attribute any part of the reduction in death rates on the road to the introduction of the drink-drive rehabilitation scheme.
We are satisfied that drink-drive rehabilitation schemes are effective. Transport Research Laboratory research in 2004 reported that offenders who had not attended a course were 2.6 times more likely to have been convicted of a subsequent drink-drive offence when compared with those who had attended a course.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the likely effects on reoffending rates of her proposed changes to the drink-drive rehabilitation scheme. [87323]
Mike Penning: The Driving Standards Agency consultation “New approval arrangements for Drink Drive Rehabilitation courses” was issued on 9 November 2011. One of the aims of the proposals it contains is that they will create better quality courses that will encourage more offenders to take advantage of the training in order to reduce the likelihood of them reoffending.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the likely factors an offender would take into account in choosing between providers in an area with more than one provider of drink-drive rehabilitation courses. [87324]
Mike Penning:
Where an offender has a choice between the offerings of two or more drink-drive rehabilitation course providers, it is assumed that the key factors that will determine which course is chosen will be convenience (in terms of the location of the course and its timing)
19 Dec 2011 : Column 1005W
and the overall cost of attending the course (the course fee, travel costs and any loss of income or leisure time incurred by the offender).
All approved courses are required to offer provision to a specified standard and will be monitored against that standard.
Drug Screening Technology: Police Stations
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to her Department's Structural Reform Monthly Implementation Plan, what progress has been made on work with the Home Office to authorise the use of drug screening technology in police stations. [86584]
Mike Penning [holding answer 13 December 2011]:As indicated in the November monthly implementation report about the DFT Structural Reform Plan, authorisation of drug screening technology depends on the type approval of individual devices by the Secretary of State for the Home Department. This is given only following operational and laboratory tests of the devices against the type approval specification. Operational tests have been completed.
In the light of the closure next year of the Forensic Science Service (FSS), new arrangements are required for the laboratory tests and the Home Office is putting these into place as quickly as technically possible.
East Midlands Airport: Security
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with management of East Midlands Airport on the swabbing of religious headgear of (a) passengers and (b) airport workers. [87200]
Mrs Villiers: The decision on whether to participate in the trial of alternative screening processes for religious headgear is one for individual airports. DFT officials informed East Midlands airport of the trial and had several discussions with them ahead of the implementation of the process there earlier this year.
East Midlands airport is now participating in the trial in passenger search lanes. The airport has kept DFT officials updated.
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Electric Vehicles
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress her Department has made on increasing the number of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. [86851]
Norman Baker [holding answer 15 December 2011]: We have put in place a range of policies to kick start the early market for low emission vehicles in the UK, with support for consumer incentives, recharging infrastructure, and research, development and demonstration projects.
As of 30 September 2011, 786 claims have been made through the Plug-In Car Grant scheme (PiCG), with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) data showing that 910 cars eligible for the PiCG were registered over the same period.
Relative to the number of electric cars registered in previous years, the number of cars bought since January this year represents a significant step change. We expect uptake to increase further as more vehicles come to market over the next year.
London Airports
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on new runways at (a) Stansted and (b) Gatwick airport. [86553]
Mrs Villiers: The coalition Government have stated that they would not give permission for additional runways at Gatwick and Stansted.
We want to see a successful aviation sector which facilitates economic growth and addresses its environmental impacts. We will issue a Sustainable Framework for UK Aviation for public consultation in spring 2012.
Official Cars
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) make, (b) model and (c) place of manufacture is of each car (i) loaned or (ii) purchased by the Government Car and Despatch Agency since May 2010. [84335]
Mike Penning: The first table shows those cars that the Government Car and Despatch Agency has purchased, leased or been loaned since May 2010 that remain in the fleet. The second table shows those that where loaned since May 2010 that have since been returned.
| Make and Model | Registration date | Country of build |
|
19 Dec 2011 : Column 1007W
19 Dec 2011 : Column 1008W
| Make and model | Date received | Date returned | Country of build |
|
Railway Stations: Rotherham
Mr MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the level of (a) delays and (b) additional costs in the refurbishment of Rotherham Central railway station; and if she will make a statement. [85358]
Norman Baker: South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) is responsible for the delivery of the refurbishment of Rotherham Central railway station. This includes the management of delay and cost overruns. The Department has funded Access for All enhancements which will be delivered by SYPTE, as part of this scheme.
Rescue Services: Wales
Mr Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the change has been in levels of staffing costs for the Coastguard Service in Wales since May 2010. [86302]
Mike Penning: The staffing costs for coastguards employed at Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres in Wales for May 2010 compared with October 2011 are set out as follows:
|
|
Salary costs (£) |
Road Traffic Control
Mr Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent reports her Department has published under section 2 of the Road Traffic Reduction (National Targets) Act 1998; and if she will make a statement. [86402]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has not published any recent reports under section 2 of the Road Traffic Reduction (National Targets) Act 1998.
While the Secretary of State for Transport is not obliged to publish further reports, the Department does of course believe that reducing the environmental, social and economic adverse impacts of road traffic is important. Indeed, reducing these impacts, across the entire transport spectrum, is core to the Department's business.
The Government's first report under the Act can be found at
http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tpm/congestionresearch/tacklingcongestionandpolluti4028.html
Shipping: Southampton
Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with representatives of the Port of Southampton on (a) Maersk Triple E Class and (b) other larger container ships. [87171]
Mike Penning: No such discussions have yet taken place. I am, however, aware, and have seen evidence of when I visited the port, of Southampton's desire to enhance its capacity to accommodate such vessels.
Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of deep-sea container operations in Southampton. [87172]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport fully appreciates the importance of Southampton as the second-largest deep-sea container port in the United Kingdom, it having handled some 1.6 million teu (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2010. Its expansion plans are specifically noted in the National Policy Statement for Ports.
Teesside Airport
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she plans to take to safeguard the future of Teesside airport following the decision by Peel Airports to put it up for sale. [87412]
Mrs Villiers:
The Government recognise the vital contribution regional airports make to local economies, and fully appreciate that the announcement of Durham
19 Dec 2011 : Column 1009W
Tees Valley airport's sale will cause concern for the people and business community in the north-east region. Any decision to sell the airport is a commercial matter for its joint owners.
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency: Finance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2011, Official Report, columns 262-64W, on Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, what contribution her Department plans to make to the budget of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency in each year of the current spending review period; and how much her Department contributed in each of the last five years. [86852]
Mike Penning [holding answer 15 December 2011]: The contribution made by the Department for Transport to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency in each year of the last five years and planned for the current spending review period is set out in the following table.
|
|
Contribution (£ million) |
Cabinet Office
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to ensure social value is included when services are commissioned by (a) his Department and (b) its public bodies; and if he will make a statement. [85668]
Mr Maude: Across the public sector, commissioners need to be innovative, entrepreneurial and capable of meeting complex needs while being active managers of diverse markets consisting of providers such as mutuals, voluntary and community organisations and SMEs.
By tackling protracted and overly bureaucratic processes and building in more strategic dialogue with suppliers (from all sectors) as well as users of public services early on, unnecessary and costly waste can be reduced in our public services, value for taxpayers' money can be delivered, and innovative bids can be attracted from a range of organisations that deliver outcomes and meets with user need.
19 Dec 2011 : Column 1010W
We also need to drive up commissioner skills in terms of outcomes-based commissioning, innovative new models of delivery and payment by result. We are currently scoping a Commissioning Academy to up skill professionals, enabling them to deliver the vision outlined in the Open Public Services White Paper of a diverse provider market.
This will maximise social value, something which the Government support through the Public Services (Social Value) Bill currently going through Parliament.
Risk Assessment
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what risk registers are kept by the Corporate Services Group of his Department; and if he will make a statement. [86883]
Mr Maude: Management Units within the Corporate Services Group of the Cabinet Office are required to maintain risk registers. In addition, there is a strategic risk register which is reviewed by the board.
Our “Top 5” Major Projects can be found on our quarterly Data summary.
Electoral Register
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate has been made of the number of unregistered voters in each (a) region and (b) parliamentary constituency. [87438]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated December 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking what the number of unregistered voters is by (a) region and (b) parliamentary constituency (87438).
ONS does not have the data required to answer your question. Data are collected on the number of people who are registered to vote in the UK, but no data are collected on the number of people who are eligible to vote but who choose not to register.
The ONS population estimates are of the resident population and will include some people who are not eligible to vote. Therefore the number of unregistered electors cannot be calculated based on the difference between the population estimate and the number of registered electors.
Japan Tobacco International: Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr Hain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether any (a) Ministers and (b) special advisers in his Department have received hospitality from Japan Tobacco International since May 2010. [87607]
Mr Maude: Hospitality received by Ministers and special advisers is 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
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Plutonium: Major Projects Authority
Paul Flynn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which staff of the Major Projects Authority have expertise in the management of plutonium; and from which Government Departments are such staff seconded. [86748]
Mr Maude: There are no staff in the Major Projects Authority who have expertise in the management of plutonium. The MPA does, however, manage a database of accredited assurance reviewers who sit on review teams to provide independent assurance on the Government's major projects. These reviewers are experts in their field and are a mixture of external consultants and in-house civil servants from across Government. Of the active civil servant pool there are c. 45 individuals with nuclear sector experience from a range of Government Departments.
Social Enterprises
Hazel Blears: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what his Department's definition of social enterprise is as regards the departmental responsibilities of the Minister for Civil Society; [87625]
(2) whether he has any plans to introduce a statutory definition of a social enterprise. [87624]
Mr Hurd: The Government use the broad definition of social enterprise that was agreed by the sector, which is that:
"Social enterprises are businesses with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners."
Social enterprises can take a wide range of legal forms, including the Community Interest Company (CIC) form, which was custom made for social enterprises and is regulated by the CIC Regulator. As the definition of social enterprise is inclusive, and there exist legal forms specifically for social enterprises, there are no plans to introduce a statutory definition of social enterprise.
Third Sector: North-west England
Hazel Blears: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many charity or voluntary sector groups in the North West received funding from the Government in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010 and (d) 2011. [87748]
Mr Hurd: The Cabinet Office does not hold information on Government funding to charity or voluntary sector groups by region.
Information on central Government spend to the voluntary and charitable sector (including both grants and contracts) is available through Departmental Business Plans, published at:
http://transparency.number10.gov.uk/transparency/srp/
Latest figures for 2009-10 have been published by 11 central Government Departments to date, totalling £1.27 billion.
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Voluntary Work: Older People
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to facilitate volunteering for older people; and if he will make a statement. [87235]
Mr Hurd: Promoting social action among all age groups, including volunteering, is a key part of the Government's vision for the big society. The Giving White Paper, published in May 2011, outlined a number of measures that will support the creation of a culture of giving both time and money. These include the following measures which relate to volunteering and all of which are open to older people:
Over £40 million of funding over the next two years to support volunteering, giving and volunteering infrastructure by way of the Social Action Fund, Challenge Prizes and Local Infrastructure Fund. These funds have no upper age restrictions.
£1 million to support Youthnet which runs the volunteering website
www.do-it.org.uk
Volunteering opportunities here do not have an upper age limit.
£400,000 support from Government and NESTA to trial 'Spice' in England which gives volunteers 'thank yous' like vouchers or discounts with local businesses when they do good things for the community. There is no upper age restriction on this trial.
Through the Social Action Fund, which launched in October 2010, we are seeking to fund programmes that encourage professionals who have retired, or are on the point of retirement, to use their experience and skills for community/public benefit.
Finally as part of the national work programme for the European Year of Volunteering 2011 the Office for Civil Society provided Age UK with a grant to promote the role of volunteering in enabling active aging. Age UK have sought to explore the barriers to and benefits of older people volunteering. As a result they will publish guidance for the voluntary and community sector on how to enable older to people to take part in volunteering and benefit from it. This has been designed to lead into the European Year of Active Aging and Solidarity Between Generations in 2012.
Youth Services: Closures
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many letters he received on the closure of charity-run youth centres in England in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [86868]
Mr Hurd: I receive numerous correspondences that cover a wide range of topics. The information sought is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Communities and Local Government
Procurement
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which services his Department has outsourced in each of the last five years. [84230]
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Robert Neill: The Department has outsourced the following services over the last five years:
| Service | Duration |
Various project management outsourcing was conducted in each of the last five years mostly in the areas of minor construction and major fire related projects.
Fire Services
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what lessons have been learned from Exercise Watermark in respect of the fire and rescue service. [87214]
Robert Neill: A lessons learned report in respect of all organisations involved in Exercise Watermark, including the fire and rescue service, was published on 31 October 2011. It can be found at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/2011/10/31/pb13673-exercise-watermark/
The Government intend to issue a formal response to the report by the end of March which will include consideration of recommendations in relation to the fire and rescue service. At the local level Local Resilience Forums will be considering how to take forward the report's recommendations and the fire and rescue service will be involved in these discussions.
Fire Services: Finance
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether it is his policy to change the formula for allocating spending reductions to fire and rescue authorities in years three and four of the spending settlement to ensure that reductions are allocated on an equitable basis. [87215]
Robert Neill: I refer the right hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made earlier today by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government setting out the Government's response to the recent Local Government Resource Review consultation. I can assure you that I will seek to ensure that any new system is equitable.
I also refer the right hon. Member to my letter of 6 December 2010 to the hon. Member for Derby North (Chris Williamson), a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, which outlines how fire and rescue authorities can make sensible savings without impacting on the quality and breadth of services offered to their communities.
Homelessness: North-east England
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department has taken to measure the levels of (a) homelessness and (b) people living in temporary accommodation in the North East; and if he will make a statement. [85564]
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Grant Shapps: Statutory homelessness statistics which includes households living in temporary accommodation, are published quarterly and can be found on the Department's website at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/
We have acted decisively to introduce a more accurate assessment of rough sleeping. The flaws in the last Administration's rough sleeping counts, were widely recognised to systematically under-estimate the number of people sleeping on the streets.
The latest rough sleeping statistics for autumn 2010 are also available on the Department's website at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1845849.xls
and indicates that the North East region had the lowest number of 49.
Local authorities in this part of England have been allocated homelessness grant funding of £2,732,840 for 2011-12. This is an increase from their homelessness grant allocation of £2,140,600 in 2010-11.
I recently announced a new £42.5 million Homelessness Change Programme which will provide in excess of 1,500 new and improved bed spaces to improve hostels for rough sleepers and ensure that those coming off the streets get the support they need. Local authorities in this part of England have been allocated £2,239,991 to deliver this important work.
Housing
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to balance an increase in supply of new housing with stabilisation of demand to enable the market to clear. [87518]
Grant Shapps: The Government recognise the importance of getting the housing market moving again. We have recently published ‘Laying the Foundations: A Housing Strategy for England’, which sets out our housing policies to tackle the particular problems currently being faced:
Lenders are not lending enough—with high deposit requirements excluding young people and families from home ownership. Hence, we are promoting schemes such as Firstbuy, extending the right to buy and supporting a new and innovative new build indemnity scheme.
Builders are not building—without consumers ready to buy, and without enough land for development or access to finance. Hence, we are promoting policies such as the £400 million Getting Britain Building investment fund, establishing a new £500 million Growing Places Fund which will support infrastructure for housing and economic growth and freeing up public sector land with capacity to deliver up to 100,000 new homes.
These demand and supply measures aim to get the housing market—and in particular new house building—moving again. This is vital for our economic growth—but more importantly, it is essential to the hopes and plans of young people, families and older households across the country.
Land Use: Statistics
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has plans to change the frequency of publication of Land Use Change Statistics. [87673]
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Robert Neill: The Government have no plans to change the frequency of publication of Land Use Change Statistics, which will continue as an annual statistical release.
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on including statistics on development of best and most versatile land in the Land Use Change Statistics. [87674]
Robert Neill: The Department is considering the inclusion of statistics on development of best and most versatile land in future releases of the Land Use Change Statistics. Statistics on the development of such land have previously appeared in the State of the Countryside report published by the Commission for Rural Communities in 2010.
Local Government Services
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to allow local authorities to trade in non-statutory services. [87402]
Robert Neill: Since 1970, local authorities have been able to trade with many other public bodies for the provision of various goods and services. The Local Government Act 2003 gave local authorities the power to trade commercially in function-related activities through a company, which has enabled trading by local authorities with private sector bodies. That Act also gave local authorities powers to charge for provision of discretionary services, that is those services that an authority has the power but not a duty to provide, on a cost recovery basis.
With regard to charging and trading, the exercise of the new general power of competence in the Localism Act 2011 replicates the 2003 Act.
Mortgages: Government Assistance
Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answers of 30 March 2010, Official Report, column 1137W, and 9 February 2010, Official Report, column 882W, on mortgages: Government assistance, how many households received financial support under the last Administration's Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme; and how much was paid from the public purse in support to property owners under the scheme during the period of its operation. [83553]
Grant Shapps: The two year Homeowners Mortgage Support scheme, introduced by the last Government, closed to new registrations in April 2011 with 62 households registered. To date, no payments have been made and no expenditure undertaken in relation to the Government guarantee.
Public Expenditure: Liverpool
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in his Department’s budget on (a) housing projects and (b) local government services in Liverpool in 2014-15. [86956]
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Grant Shapps: The last Administration left the biggest budget deficit in our peacetime history—with the state forecast to borrow £146 billion a year in 2010-11, or £400 million being borrowed every single day. This was unsustainable. The coalition Government have taken steps to tackle this deficit, restoring market confidence. These measures will help eliminate the structural current deficit over the coming years. This will help keep interest rates down for home owners, restore economic stability and reduce the amount of taxpayers’ money that would otherwise be spent on debt interest.
Within the agreed public spending envelope, we have taken steps to support house building, given the important contribution it makes to both economic growth and social mobility. This has included using departmental unallocated funding to support housing (e.g. the Growing Places Fund).
We have also designed our housing policies to tackle the particular problems currently being faced in the housing market:
Lenders are not lending enough—with high deposit requirements excluding young people and families from home ownership. Hence, we are promoting schemes such as Firstbuy, extending the right to buy and supporting a new and innovative new build indemnity scheme.
Builders are not building—without consumers ready to buy, and without enough land for development or access to finance. Hence, we are promoting policies such as the Getting Britain Building investment fund and the Build Now, Pay Later programme for public sector land.
Liverpool, in common with other parts of the country, has benefited from the Government’s decisions to:
secure £6.5 billion investment for Supporting People—which equates to an average annual reduction over the four years of the spending review of less than 1% in cash terms;
increase spending on disabled facilities grant over the spending review period, from £169 million in 2010-11 to £180 million in 2011-12, rising to £185 million in 2014-15;
invest £400 million in homelessness prevention over the next four years. Liverpool was allocated homelessness grant funding of £600,000 for 2011-12. This is an increase from their homelessness grant allocation of £341,050 in 2010-11;
invest £4.5 billion in new affordable housing, which is expected to deliver up to 170,000 affordable homes over the spending review period. Our new affordable rent model allows providers to lever more in private investment so we will be able to deliver more homes for every pound of subsidy from the taxpayer;
invest £2.1 billion on Decent Homes to improve the condition of existing social housing;
get formula grant to where it is needed most, with the relative needs weighting increased so that more money follows socio-economic indicators. This is more progressive than last year’s distribution. This targets resources at those councils who are the most dependent on central Government grant and the neediest by paying much more attention to the level of need in calculating the grant each area receives. For social services authorities and for shire district councils, we have grouped councils together in four bands, reflecting their relative reliance on central Government grant. We have used banded floors so that the most dependent authorities get the smallest reduction. Additionally, the transitional grant provides funding to limit losses. This funding is all going to the most deprived areas and is managing significant change such as the scheduled end of Working Neighbourhoods Fund. Liverpool has received £15 million in transition grant in 2011-12.
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Public Lavatories
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what funding his Department has provided to local authorities for Changing Places toilets; [86699]
(2) which local authorities have taken part in the Changing Places campaign; and how many Changing Places toilets have been provided; [86700]
(3) what plans he has to amend planning regulations and guidance on the provision of sanitary facilities for people with complex and multiple disabilities; [86701]
(4) what discussions he has had with national and local disability organisations on the Changing Places campaign on disabled toilets. [86702]
Andrew Stunell: Formula grant is an unhypothecated block grant so local authorities are free to spend the grant on any service provided that they meet their statutory duties. For this reason, and due to the method of calculating formula grant, particularly floor damping, it is not possible to identify how much grant has been provided for any particular service. It is for local authorities to set their budgets according to the needs of their local community.
We have no plans to amend planning regulations and guidance. However we set out in December 2010 our intention to consider whether there was a case for Government intervention to deliver better provision of Changing Places toilets including possible targeted regulation through the Building Regulations. We will be publishing early in the new year a consultation setting out our intended next steps.
As part of this ongoing work officials met with representatives of the Changing Places Campaign and MENCAP on 3 February and 28 November 2011. A further meeting with both MENCAP and members of the Changing Places Consortium has been arranged for the 27 January 2012.
Information on the Changing Places campaign, including which local authorities have indicated their support, and the current number of facilities in the UK can be found on the Changing Places website
www.changing-places.org.
Supporting People Programme
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which voluntary and third sector organisations have made written representations to him on the Supporting People scheme; and if he will make a statement. [79358]
Grant Shapps: Ministers have received a number of pieces of correspondence on this issue, encompassing a range of opinion from organisations across the sector including representative bodies, charities, housing associations and service providers.
Union of Good
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the representation of people listed by his Department as supporters of the Union of Good on bodies funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [86882]
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Andrew Stunell [holding answer 15 December 2011]:My Department scrutinises all groups it funds to ensure that they and their representatives do not hold extremist views or support terrorist-related activity of any kind, in this country or overseas.
With regard to the Union of Good, my Department holds no such list of supporters.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to respond to question 83268, on New Deal for Communities scheme, tabled on 22 November 2011 for answer on 25 November 2011. [86821]
Robert Neill: Parliamentary question 83268 was answered on 14 December 2011, Official Report, column 766W.
Youth Services: Closures
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many letters he received on the closure of youth centres in England in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [86869]
Andrew Stunell: This information is not available. All departmental correspondence is logged and dealt with through the departmental central system. However, the system is not sufficiently sophisticated to extract the data requested.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Aluminium: Industry
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his Department's policy is on support for the aluminium industry; and if he will make a statement. [86943]
Mr Prisk: The Government are taking action to support manufacturing, including the aluminium industry, through their encouragement of higher levels of innovation, exports, business investment and technical skills as well as cutting excessive red tape.
As part of the autumn statement the Government also announced measures worth around £250 million to help our Energy Intensive Industries, including the aluminium industry, to reduce their energy bills. In addition, there will be a £1 billion increase in the Regional Growth Fund to help regional rebalancing, and on 6 December 2011 we launched a £125 million challenge fund to boost UK advanced manufacturing supply chains.
Bankruptcy: Insolvency
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to increase the number of (a) bankruptcy restriction orders and undertakings and (b) disqualification orders and undertakings obtained by the Insolvency Service. [86694]
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Mr Davey: The number of Bankruptcy Restriction Orders, Disqualification Orders and undertakings obtained by the Insolvency Service is dependant upon the number of insolvencies prevailing at any particular time and the level of misconduct identified in those insolvencies. Planning assumptions are given in the Insolvency Service's corporate plan and outputs are given in the service's annual report and accounts. Planning assumptions for 2012-13 will be available in the corporate plan for that period when available.
Business: Competition
Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what supply-side steps his Department is taking to ensure that British businesses remain economically competitive. [87516]
Mr Prisk: The Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative aims to help existing UK supply chains grow and achieve world class standards while encouraging major new suppliers to come and manufacture here. The new fund will support innovative projects in established UK advanced manufacturing sectors such as aerospace, automotive and chemicals. It will also target newer growth areas where the UK is well placed to take a global lead, such as energy renewables and other low carbon sectors. The competitive fund will invite applications early in the new year. Further information on criteria, funding and other arrangements concerning the initiative will also be available early in the new year.
Business: Corruption
Mr Offord:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his
19 Dec 2011 : Column 1020W
Department has made of the effects of the provision of the Bribery Act 2010 on small and medium-sized enterprises. [86169]
Mr Prisk: The Bribery Act came into force on 1 July 2011. It is too soon to make an assessment of the effects it has had on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
SMEs considering trading overseas can get free advice and guidance on how to combat bribery and corruption from the Business Anti-Corruption Portal:
www.business-anti-corruption.com
a website co-sponsored by my Department. UK Trade and Investment also provides advice for business on a number of topics including bribery and corruption on their Overseas Business Risk website:
www.ukti.gov.uk/overseasbusinessrisk
Business: Government Assistance
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many small and medium-sized enterprises have received assistance from Government schemes in (a) Leicester South constituency, (b) Leicester, (c) Leicestershire, (d) the east midlands and (e) England in the last 18 months. [86474]
Mr Prisk: The Government's Solutions for Business portfolio sets out the range of publicly funded support designed to help businesses to identify and overcome key challenges as they grow. Available figures on the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) assisted are set out in the following tables:
| Product | England | Comment |
|
Figures for 18 months up until June 2011. Majority of business supported are SMEs and micro enterprises. |
19 Dec 2011 : Column 1021W
19 Dec 2011 : Column 1022W
Figures for Understanding Finance, Improving Your Resource Efficiency, Designing Demand and High Growth Coaching for Growth are not available.
In addition, the Government have funded a range of information and support which was delivered via the regional development agencies (RDAs) through the Business Link regional advisory service. East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) the RDA covering the east midlands, have supplied the following figures for SMEs assisted by Business Link in the east midlands and the wider Business Link regional service across England in the last 18 months: