Health
Cancer Services
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that patients diagnosed with rare cancers are able to access written information about their illness; [89010]
(2) which primary care trusts provide written information to patients diagnosed with (a) small bowel cancer and (b) other rare cancers. [89011]
Paul Burstow: Providing accurate, tailored, timely and accessible information is key to improving patient experience. To ensure that all cancer patients, including those with rare cancers, are able to access written information about their illness, the National Cancer Action Team is working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK to support the use of information prescriptions (IPs) across the cancer care pathways. IPs can: help patients to understand their diagnosis and treatment; provide signposts to further sources of advice and support, such as local patient groups and self-management programmes; and provide information on access benefits and social care services.
The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey, published in December 2010, recorded the responses of over 60,000 cancer patients across 158 trusts in England to a wide range of questions. These questions included those concerning the provision of written information.
The survey grouped patients into one of 12 categories that covered the more common tumour sites. Patients whose cancer could not be classified within these, such as those who had a rarer cancer, were placed into a category designated as 'other'. While small bowel cancer was not included as a specific category, bowel cancer was. In the following table are the results for patients with bowel cancer, other cancers, and for all cancers.
12 Jan 2012 : Column 413W
| Question: Given easy-to-understand written information about cancer diagnosis | Percentage |
In order to incentivise quality improvements in patient treatment, care and experience, all trusts that took part in the survey were sent a bespoke report showing their own results. Each report displayed the results for each question, in the survey benchmarked against other trusts. We are conducting a 2011 survey for publication in summer 2012 and will be looking closely to see where improvements have been made and where more work needs to be done. Both national and trust level reports can be found on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsStatistics/DH_122516
General Practitioners: Pharmacy
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he plans to have with the Dispensing Doctors' Association and General Practitioners Committee on the conclusions of the Cost of Service Inquiry for Dispensing Practices. [89000]
Mr Simon Burns: Negotiations on general practitioners contractual matters, including payments to dispensing doctors relating to dispensing medicines to their patients, are ongoing. These negotiations are conducted between the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association and NHS Employers on behalf of the national health service.
General Practitioners: Waiting Lists
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the average waiting time to see a GP (a) nationally and (b) in each region; and if he will make a statement. [88694]
Mr Simon Burns: The GP Patient Survey asks patients about their experiences of general practitioner (GP) services. The latest national and primary care trust (PCT) level results were published on 15 December 2011 (practice specific level data will not be available until June 2012 when full year results will be published). Nationally, results relating to GP appointments are as follows:
88% of patients were able to get an appointment at their GP surgery last time they tried, although 12% of patients did have to call back nearer to the time;
93% of patients say their appointments are convenient; and
79% rate their experience of making an appointment as good.
Results at PCT level can be found on the GP Patient Survey website:
www.gp-patient.co.uk/results/
Health Services: Disabled Children
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that disabled children are able to access the health services that they require. [89009]
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Anne Milton: The Government are committed to improving the lives of children and young people who are disabled and providing more support for their families and carers. This is reflected in this year's Operating Framework, where we identify disabled children as a specific group that the national health service should pay particular attention to when commissioning and providing services.
Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, the NHS and public health reforms will also provide a significant opportunity to improve the range and quality of services available to children and young people with disabilities and complex needs. The role of health and well-being boards, which will include local authority directors of children's services as a core member, will play a key role in examining the health needs of their local population, including children and young people, and designing a joint health and well-being strategy to meet those needs.
This strategy will also be informed by local people—again including all children and young people—through the local HealthWatch. Again, HealthWatch will be a member of each health and well-being board, well positioned to ensure the strategy properly reflects the needs of the local population.
Our reforms propose that clinical commissioning groups and local authorities' commissioning plans should be informed by the local joint health and well-being strategy—including services for children and young people.
In addition, many of the indicators within the NHS and Public Health Outcomes Frameworks, either directly or indirectly require improvements in services for all children and young people.
The Department of Health also worked closely with the Department for Education in the development of the Government's Green Paper ‘Support and Aspiration —A new approach to SEN’, published in March 2011. As part of testing the proposals in the Green Paper, 20 pathfinders covering 31 local authorities and primary care trust clusters have been appointed to test the ambition of the proposals. This includes testing various elements to improve the lives of children and young people with disabilities and their families, including a new single assessment process with a single education, health and care plan to support access to services. The option of a personal budget will help children, young people and their parents to have more choice and control over the care they receive. The pilots will run initially for 18 months.
Health Services: Coventry
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the costs of NHS reorganisation in Coventry South constituency. [88693]
Mr Simon Burns:
The impact assessment published alongside the Health and Social Care Bill in January and republished when, the Bill was introduced into the House of Lords in September, estimated the cost of national health service modernisation to be £1.2 billion to £1.3 billion. This upfront cost will be more than recouped as a result of associated cost-savings by the end of 2012-13. The gross savings are estimated at £4.5 billion and the net saving from modernisation will
12 Jan 2012 : Column 415W
be £3.2 billion to £3.3. billion over the lifetime of this Parliament, and £1.5 billion per year from 2014-15 onwards.
The Department has not estimated a regional breakdown of costs, as this would depend on local decisions.
Copies of both impact assessments have been placed in the Library.
Health Services: EU Countries
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what payments have been made to other EU member states for the treatment of British citizens in each of the last three financial years; [88931]
(2) what payments have been received from other EU member states for the treatment by the NHS of EU citizens in each of the last three financial years. [88947]
Anne Milton: European economic area (EEA) medical cost payments to and from the United Kingdom are shown in the following table. The payments include health costs for temporary visitors using the European Health Insurance Card; workers posted to work in another member state by their employer; state funded treatment from one member state to another and health costs for state pensioners.
The majority of the payments made by the UK relate to health costs for state pensioners; far more UK state pensioners retire abroad than pensioners from abroad retire here, this explains the large variation between what the UK pays out, and what it receives.
| EEA health care payments to and from the United Kingdom | ||
| £ | ||
| Payments made by the United Kingdom | Payments received by the United Kingdom | |
| Notes: 1. Claims are made and paid in the currency of the claiming member, state. Totals shown for payments to member states are £ equivalent totals based on exchange rates at the time of payment. 2. Claims are made in arrears, sometimes several years in arrears. Payments made in any one year will therefore relate to claims for previous years, and do not reflect the value of claims made or received in that year. Payment totals may vary significantly due to variations in the timing of payments made or received for different countries and different claims. | ||
Influenza: Vaccination
Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the level of uptake of the influenza vaccination offered by the NHS since September 2011. [89004]
Anne Milton: The latest provisional influenza vaccine uptake figures published on 5 January 2011 show that for general practitioner patients:
73% aged 65 years or over have had the vaccine;
50% under the age of 65 years in at risk groups have had the vaccine; and
26% of pregnant women have had the vaccine this year.
At 30 November 2011, provisional influenza vaccine uptake in front-line health care workers was. 40%.
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Plastic Surgery
Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with (i) Ministers and (ii) officials in the devolved Administrations on the treatment of women with breast implants manufactured by Poly Implant Prothèse. [89002]
Mr Simon Burns: Ministers and officials have regular discussions about a range of issues with their counterparts in the devolved Administrations. In addition, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) routinely share with officials in the devolved Administrations all advice to Ministers on issues relating to the safety of medicines and medical devices. Recent discussions and communications have included those relating to breast implants manufactured by Poly Implant Prothèse.
Defence
Accommodation
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 63WS, on Accommodation, how many (a) employees of his Department and (b) armed forces personnel will (i) have their wages reduced and (ii) be made redundant as a result of the new tri-service policy on the provision of domestic assistance and official hospitality. [86960]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 19 December 2011]: Service personnel who were previously assigned to an official service residence and who are no longer required in that role, will be reassigned to other duties. Civilian personnel hourly pay will not be reduced, but we are working closely with contractors to ensure, where we can, that when the number of hours worked in a residence has been reduced, individuals affected are able to undertake other domestic duties within the terms of the multi-activity contract. Any redundancies arising from this change would be a decision for the relevant contractor.
Aircraft Carriers
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the interoperability of the F35C's arresting hook system with aircraft carrier-based arresting gear; and if he will make a statement. [87785]
Peter Luff: Investigations have been and will continue to be made to ensure that the advanced arrestor gear (AAG) that is being installed on the aircraft carrier will be fully compatible with the Joint Combat Aircraft. The US has invested significant resource in AAG technology and is wholly committed to its successful implementation.
Armed Forces: Deployment
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel were deployed on ceremonial duties (a) in London and (b) around the world in 2011. [88549]
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Mr Robathan: During 2011 there were some 296 personnel involved on a daily basis on routine public duties primarily in London. In addition to this, there were a number of other ceremonial events throughout 2011 including the Queen's birthday parade, the royal wedding, the Cenotaph remembrance parade and other events across the UK and the world, which would have involved these and other armed forces personnel drawn from units across the three services.
Armed Forces: Education
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the total cost to the public purse was of the Standard Learning Credit scheme in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09, (c) 2009-10 and (d) 2010-11; [87893]
(2) what the average proportion of course fees claimed by service personnel through the Standard Learning Credit scheme is; [87894]
(3) what the average contribution made by the Government towards the cost of course fees undertaken by service personnel through the Standard Learning Credit scheme is; [87895]
(4) how many service personnel used the Standard Learning Credit scheme in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09, (c) 2009-10 and (d) 2010-11. [87896]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence promotes lifelong learning among members of the armed forces; this is encouraged through the Learning Credits schemes. The Standard Learning Credit (SLC) scheme supplies financial support, throughout the Service person's career, for multiple, small-scale learning activities.
SLC is a refund scheme and operates as an annualised allowance to the value of £175.00. Training by this funding stream is subject to a minimum 20% personal contribution and fees are refunded upon completion of learning.
The following table lists the amount refunded and the number of service personnel who have accessed the scheme.
| Financial year | Total number of claimants | Total refunded (£ million) |
Records relating to this funding are retained within individual units. It is therefore, not possible to identify the value of average course fees and the Government's contribution without incurring disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Military Decorations
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what type of medals have been issued by the Medal Office in 2011; and at what cost such medals were awarded. [88315]
Mr Robathan: The number and types of medals and clasps that have been issued by the Ministry of Defence Medal Office between 1 January and 21 December 2011 is shown in the following table:
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| Type of Medal/Clasp | Medals | Clasps |
The total gross costs incurred by the MOD Medal Office in 2011 is £2,505,657(1).
(1) The figure provided includes all medal, bullion, and actual staff pay costs for the MOD Medal Office, and excludes any Head Office/Corporate overheads. It also includes £994,664 Net Additional Costs of Military Operations (NACMO) which in line with HM Treasury Guidance, can be claimed back from the Treasury Reserve.
Cyprus and Germany: UK Bases
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the net annual contribution to the economies of (a) Cyprus and (b) Germany of the basing of UK service personnel in those countries. [88852]
Nick Harvey: To inform the Basing Review, the Ministry of Defence recently estimated the annual contribution of UK service personnel based in Germany to Germany's Gross Domestic Product as at least £650 million.
We have made no recent assessment of the net annual contribution to the economy of Cyprus through the basing of UK service personnel there.
Consultants
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the employment of external consultants by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [88195]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence's current policy on employing external consultants is contained in Notice 2010DIN08-23 of July 2010, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. This policy is in line with Cabinet Office guidance on the subject.
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many consultants were employed by his Department in 2011; and what the cost to the public purse was. [88342]
Peter Luff [holding answer 10 January 2012]: For Management consultancy contracts (as defined by Cabinet Office), the Department specifies its requirement as an output to be achieved. It does not specify the number of consultants to be employed as this is a matter for the contractor.
Between January and October 2011 the Ministry of Defence spent £15.9 million on Management consultancy. Data for November and December are not yet available. Total spend on Management consultancy in financial year (FY) 2010-11 was £26 million and in FY 2009-10, £79 million.
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Departmental Outsourcing
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which services his Department has outsourced in each of the last five years. [84238]
Peter Luff: Information on outsourced services is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Information on the Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s Private Finance Initiative commitments is published in the MOD Annual Report, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House and are available on the MOD's website at the following address:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/
Secondment
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [86133]
Mr Robathan: Inward secondments are covered by the general restrictions on external recruitment that apply across the civil service and are, therefore, only permissible where they are judged to be front-line or business critical. Secondments are also limited to a maximum of two years in duration. Since May 2010, 23 people have been seconded into the Ministry of Defence. A number of them have now completed their secondments. We do not hold information on the organisations from which people have been seconded centrally. The roles they have filled include Information Technology, Administrative Support, Nuclear Propulsion, Secretariat and Private Office, Legal, Electronics/Avionics, Project Management, Intelligence Analysis, Economics, Consultancy, Programme Management and Marine Engineering.
Departmental Temporary Employment
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many temporary staff have been recruited to his Department between September and November 2011. [88004]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence recruited 16 temporary staff between September and November 2011. Temporary contracts are used to reflect the finite nature of the requirement and include casual appointments as well as longer fixed terms. The appointments are usually for teaching grades, or in direct support of ongoing operations in Afghanistan, or to provide cover for service personnel deployed on current operations.
Recruitment to the civil service is regulated by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. The Act established the Civil Service Commission with the role of regulating recruitment to the civil service, principally through their Recruitment Principles. All temporary recruitment to the Department has been in accordance with these Recruitment Principles. The Recruitment Principles are available at:
www.civilservicecommission.org.uk
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Departmental Written Questions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2011, Official Report, columns 752-53W, on departmental written questions, what the question number is of each question for written answer which was answered after 30 sitting days. [88153]
Mr Robathan: The information requested is as follows:
1059
1310
3250
6310
7430
10108
14476
20822
38982
40140
40141
41024
56077
56175
59547
59615
62989
66612
66614
67102
67103
69757
69758
69774
70329
70331
70333
70336
71290
72965
73164
74751.
Documents: Data Protection
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what systems are in place in his Department to measure how many documents are protectively marked in any given month or year; if he will estimate the number of documents which were protectively marked under each level of classification in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011; and if he will make a statement; [89084]
(2) how many documents were protectively marked in each year between 2005 and 2011; and what marking each such document received. [89086]
Mr Robathan: There is no central register of all protectively marked documents, files or other assets. Accountable items are recorded and accounted for locally in accordance with government policy. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) training and (b) guidance is given to officials in his Department on the operation of his Department's protective marking schemes. [89085]
Mr Robathan: Training and guidance on the operation of the government protective marking scheme is provided as part of information handling and security training and included in the information security policy and guidance published within the Department.
Ex-Servicemen: Resettlement
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to support retired armed forces personnel through the process of resettlement. [88194]
Mr Robathan: All service leavers are entitled to some form of resettlement advice. This includes financial related briefings covering budget and debt management, with further in-depth advice available if desired. Specialist housing advice, and advice on the importance of seeking medical help, including the ability to access mental health services should they feel it necessary.
Further support is available to eligible personnel through the Career Transition Partnership (a partnership between the Ministry of Defence and Right Management) through training courses; career transition workshops; employment and future career advice; assistance with CV writing and job preparation; vocational training; and a job-search/recruitment facility. In addition lifetime job finding support is available from the Officers' Association or the Regular Forces Employment Association.
Ex-Servicemen: Employment
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 472W, on ex-servicemen: employment, how many individuals constitute the five per cent. of Career Transition Partnership clients who have not secured employment within six months of leaving. [87929]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 10 January 2012]:Some 800 service leavers, who were clients of the Career Transition Partnership, were not in employment within six months of leaving the armed forces. However, we do not collect information on the reasons for this situation, and the figures may include those who have retired, are taking a career break, have re-entered education, or are travelling.
HMS Queen Elizabeth
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects sea trials for HMS Queen Elizabeth to commence; and if he will make a statement. [88812]
Peter Luff: The contractor-based sea trials programme will be reviewed along with the in service dates for both carriers, as part of our conversion investigations which are due to conclude at the end of this year.
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Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has set a delivery timetable for the F35C Joint Strike Fighter. [87816]
Peter Luff: As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, we continue to plan on delivery of Joint Combat Aircraft capability coherently with the Carrier from 2020. However, we will not set a firm in service date until after our next Main Gate decision in 2013.
MOD Abbey Wood
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what permission requirements there are for each grade of staff working at MOD Abbey Wood who wish to move to work in the private defence sector; what mechanism exists to monitor the granting of such permissions; and if he will make a statement. [87725]
Mr Robathan: Former Ministry of Defence (MOD) civil servants at all levels and members of the armed forces are subject to rules on accepting outside appointments or employment. These apply for two years after leaving Crown service as set out in the Government's Business Appointment Rules. Applications from senior MOD civil servants or members of the armed forces (senior civil service grade three and above and military equivalent) are referred to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, who act independently to give advice to the Prime Minister regarding these applications. Decisions on all other applications are considered and approved internally based on the grade/rank in line with above governing bodies.
Deputy Prime Minister
Candidates: Leave
Jo Swinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on recommendation 37 of the Final Report of the Speaker's Conference on Parliamentary Representation that the Government should bring forward legislative proposals to give approved prospective parliamentary candidates who are employees the right to request unpaid leave from the dissolution of Parliament until election day; and if he will make a statement. [89223]
Mr Harper: The Government are extending the right to request flexible working, (currently available to parents and carers), to all employees with 26 weeks qualifying service, regardless of the reasons, with the onus on both the employer and employee to reach an arrangement that works for both. Such arrangements would be beneficial to election candidates.
House of Lords Reform
John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to his proposals for reform of the House of Lords, what assessment he has made of the regional balance of existing members of the House of Lords. [88817]
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Mr Harper: A disproportionate number of current members of the House of Lords reside in London and the south-east with other regions, such as the east midlands and the north-west, being underrepresented. The Government propose an 80% or 100% elected reformed House of Lords based on a system of proportional representation using large electoral districts. The weight of a vote would be broadly equal for voters across the United Kingdom.
John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to his proposals for reform of the House of Lords, what assessment he has made of the reliability of paternity claims in determining rights to hereditary peerages. [88922]
Mr Harper: The Government have made no such assessment. There are established procedures already in place for determining succession to hereditary peerages. Under the Government's proposals, there will be no reserved places for hereditary peers in a reformed House of Lords.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Baron: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of (a) 20 September and (b) 10 November 2011 regarding a constituent, Ms T Sparrow. [89096]
The Deputy Prime Minister: My office does not hold a record of receiving the hon. Member's original correspondence. My office received a copy of the correspondence from the hon. Member today and a response will be sent as soon as possible.
Cabinet Office
Public Sector: Job Satisfaction
Jo Swinson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to improve wellbeing and morale among public sector workers. [88807]
Mr Maude: Every employer is responsible for the morale and wellbeing of their own staff, and each faces their own unique circumstances and challenges to deliver this. The Cabinet Office supports a collaborative approach within the civil service to improving morale and wellbeing. We facilitate and support a network for Government Departments and their agencies to promote best practice and share learning and different approaches to improving engagement within organisations. Further information is available on the civil service website at:
http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/improving/employee-engagement-in-the-civil-service
This is complemented by our approach to measuring the wellbeing of civil servants, which was piloted in the Civil Service People Survey this year. While the survey data we have is experimental at the moment, we believe that measurement should shed new light on barriers and opportunities to maintaining and improving workforce wellbeing during challenging times.
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Public Sector: Procurement
Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to develop a mechanism to enable members of the public to (a) raise concerns about public service provision and (b) hold providers of public services to account. [88777]
Mr Letwin: The Open Public Services White Paper published last July outlined the Government's plans for modernising public services based on five principles, including accountability. There are a number of reforms to ensure that public services are accountable to citizens, both directly and through elected representatives. Choice, transparency and a “voice” can also help to improve accountability.
Departments are responsible for implementing the Open Public Services agenda. This includes ensuring that there are clear and accessible routes for individuals to raise concerns about the services which they are responsible for, and that effective mechanisms for holding providers to account are embedded in their reform programmes.
For example, in response to the NHS Future Forum's report, the Government have made changes to the Health and Social Care Bill to strengthen accountability in the NHS, including clarifying overall ministerial responsibility for the NHS and improving governance arrangements for clinical commissioning groups.
We are also working with other Departments to explore new ideas for strengthening means of redress for service users, such as exploring whether the ombudsman can play a greater role in providing redress if choice is not available or where standards are not good enough.
We will be publishing an update on progress on the Open Public Services agenda soon. This will include a description of the measures taken to improve the accountability of public services across the board.
Education
Departmental Manpower
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people were working in his Department on (a) 11 May 2010 and (b) 8 December 2011. [87347]
Tim Loughton: Information on the number of staff working in the Department on the exact dates requested is not held centrally.
| Number of staff employed by the Department at the nearest available dates | ||||
| Headcount | Full-time equivalent | |||
| Education family (1) | Department | Education family (1) | Department | |
| (1) Includes figure for Department | ||||
The latest published information for the Education Family work force (the Department and its arm’s length bodies) is now available on the Department's website:
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/departmentalinformation/transparency/a00199711/monthly-workforce-management-information-2011
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Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the Information Commissioner's guidance on official information held in private e-mail accounts, what steps he is taking to ensure (a) information concerning the Building Schools for the Future Programme in Sandwell and (b) other data from the private e-mail accounts of former employees of his Department is retained. [88686]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 10 January 2012]:The Department is considering the new guidance and the Commissioner's report into the Department's practices, policies and procedures provided on the same day. Once consideration is complete officials will take forward, as appropriate, the recommendations made.
Pupils: Qualifications
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the total number of key stage four qualifications accredited as GCSE or equivalent standard was for each academic year from 1999-2000 to date. [88774]
Mr Gibb: This is a matter for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. Glenys Stacey, its chief executive, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Glenys Stacey, dated 11 January 2012:
I am responding to your parliamentary question with regard to the qualifications we accredit.
I would like to bring your attention to two things to assist your understanding of the limits of the information we have provided.
Firstly, we only have access to information collected since 2007. We have no knowledge that data was collected in the years before Ofqual’s existence. Secondly, to best answer your question, we have interpreted the concept of equivalence. That is, we have included accredited GCSEs and qualifications that are Level 1_2 or Level 2. This is the most sensible interpretation that we can use. In practice, equivalence is a little more exacting and refers to grades as well as qualifications.
You ask for information by academic year and it may that you are particularly interested in school qualifications. I should say that we don't have information here to show which of these qualifications are used in schools, but many of them won't be, because they are designed for the workplace.
The table shows the number of qualifications on the Register that are offered in England by awarding organisations and are available for pre-16 learning. This includes GCSEs and qualifications at Level 1_2 or Level 2 for Academic Years 2007/2008 to 2010/2011.
I am afraid we have not been able to fully answer your question. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need to drill down into the information further and we will endeavour to assist you.
| Academic year | |||||
| Type | Level | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 |
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| (1) There are duplicate GCSE qualifications in place during the period in which the specifications were revised. Source: National Register of Qualifications | |||||
International Development
Co-operatives
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps (a) his Department and (b) those bodies for which his Department is responsible are taking to mark UN Year of the Co-operative 2012; and if he will make a statement. [88607]
Mr Duncan: DFID continues to engage with co-operative organisations in various ways—as financial intermediaries, in agriculture and as members of the private sector. We do not have a separate strategy for working with co-operative organisations. DFID will work closely with the Cabinet Office, the Mutuals Taskforce and with Co-operatives UK to develop and take full advantage of opportunities to celebrate the achievements of co-operative organisations during the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives.
Developing Countries: Agriculture
Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to alleviate hunger and famine through investment in agriculture in the developing world. [88343]
Mr O'Brien:
In 2009, the UK agreed to contribute £1.1 billion between 2009 and 2012 in support of the Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI), with prioritised investment in agriculture to promote food and nutrition security. After two years we have disbursed over 80% of
12 Jan 2012 : Column 427W
our AFSI commitment. As an example, the Department for International Development is co-funding a programme on land tenure reform in Rwanda which will result in 8 million smallholder farmers receiving land titles. The title document gives farmers a greater sense of ownership of their land which results in increased investment in productive capacity. DFID also supports the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme to ensure that support for country-led agricultural development plans is co-ordinated effectively.
DFID funding for agricultural research has increased from £35.6 million in 2005-06 to £70 million in 2010-11. DFID has, for example, co-funded GALVmed (Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines) to make the vaccine for East Coast Fever (ECF) more accessible and affordable to livestock keepers. ECF is a tick-transmitted disease that threatens more than 25 million cattle across eastern and southern Africa each year.
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what policies his Department has implemented to support agricultural production in developing countries since his appointment. [88518]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) Aid Reviews published in March 2011 set out the Department's priorities and expected results over the coming three years. Over the next three years DFID will provide support to agriculture, food security and nutrition in developing countries in order to stop 20 million more children going hungry and to ensure another 4 million people have enough food throughout the year.
We will achieve these results through a range of policies and programmes. DFID funding for agricultural research has increased from £35.6 million in 2005-06 to just under £70 million in 2010-11. DFID has, for example, co-funded the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines to make the vaccine for East Coast Fever (ECF), a serious tick-transmitted disease of cattle in eastern and southern Africa, more accessible and affordable to livestock keepers. DFID also supports the work of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to address global food security and raise the incomes of poor rural men and women through investments in agriculture. Recognising the important role the private sector plays in promoting agricultural growth, DFID is promoting public-private partnerships in agriculture in developing countries to mobilise investments that benefit smallholder farmers. For example, in Mozambique, DFID is supporting the Beira Agricultural Growth Corridor, in order to create new rural jobs and raise smallholder farm incomes.
Developing Countries: Diarrhoea
Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to reduce the rate of mortality from diarrhoea in the developing world. [89001]
Mr O'Brien:
The UK is at the forefront of international efforts to help prevent deaths from diarrhoea, which is the second leading cause of death for children under five globally. Hygiene promotion is the most cost effective intervention for controlling endemic diarrhoea. In the
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Department for International Development's (DFID's) publication: “UK Aid: Changing lives, delivering results”, the UK agreed to give 15 million people access to clean drinking water, improve access to sanitation for 25 million people, improve hygiene for 15 million people.
The UK's funding to the GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations) will vaccinate 80 million children and save 1.4 million lives during 2011 to 2015. This will enable the GAVI Alliance to roll out the rotavirus vaccine, (rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea in young children worldwide) vaccinating 50 million children in more than 30 of the world's poorest countries. In addition we are helping to develop vaccines against bacteria that cause diarrhoea.
International Citizen Service
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what consultation he undertook prior to establishing the International Citizen Service. [88043]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The International Citizen Service (ICS) has been designed in two phases: a pilot phase and a phase of full implementation. Consultations on the design of the pilot phase were held with a range of volunteering organisations. The pilot phase has been used to provide evidence for the design of the full implementation. Consultations to help design the full programme have been conducted in three ways:
(1) 5 early engagement meetings were held at DFID. These were open to all and were attended by stakeholders from academia, volunteering organisations and research groups, details available at
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/ics
(2) A mid term evaluation of the pilot phase of the ICS was conducted between June and October 2011. The evaluation exercise collected views from volunteers, the communities where volunteers have been active, and from the organisations sending young people overseas. A copy is available at
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/ics
(3) DFID conducted consultations directly with stakeholders from Government Departments and volunteering agencies.
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what criteria his Department will apply when awarding the contract to administer the International Citizen Service. [88044]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The high level award criteria for the International Citizen Service (ICS) programme were published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) advert in line with the Public Contracts Regulations. These were:
| Weighting | |
The Invitation to Tender (ITT) pack contains a breakdown of the award criteria into the relevant sub-criteria and weightings. The Invitation to Tender pack will be published in line with the Government's Transparency Agenda when the ITT deadline has passed.
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Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what process his Department will follow when awarding the contract to administer the International Citizen Service. [88046]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The International Citizen Service (ICS) is being tendered through an open procurement process under the European Union Restricted Procedure and in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2006.
Somalia: International Co-operation
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's objectives are for the International Conference on Somalia in London on 23 February 2012. [88037]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Government's overall objective for the London Conference on Somalia is to deliver a new, international approach to Somalia. The objectives of the Department for International Development (DFID), working closely with other Government Departments and international partners, are to contribute to achieving concrete progress on the actions which will help create the stability required for development and poverty reduction, and prevent a recurrence of humanitarian crisis in Somalia.
The Government hopes that the Conference will agree practical measures to: confront immediate threats from terrorism and piracy; support peace-keeping activity; broaden responsibility for a peaceful political settlement; promote stability at the sub-national level; renew commitment to tackle Somalia's humanitarian crisis, and improve international co-ordination.
Energy and Climate Change
Coal Health Compensation Scheme
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) how much has been paid in compensation under the Coal Health Compensation Scheme for cases of (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (b) vibration white finger in each parliamentary constituency; [88941]
(2) how many people have received compensation under the Coal Health Compensation scheme for (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (b) vibration white finger in each parliamentary constituency. [88942]
Charles Hendry: Tables showing the amount of compensation paid to former miners and their families for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Vibration White Finger under the Coal Health Compensation Schemes and the number of claims settled by way of payment broken down by constituencies will be made available in the Libraries of the House.
These figures were as at 19 June 2011. As both Schemes are now concluded no further updates will be available.
John Mann:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been paid from the Coal Health Compensation scheme to solicitors in
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respect of claims for
(a)
vibration white finger and
(b)
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and to which solicitor each such payment was made. [88943]
Charles Hendry: Tables showing the amount paid to each solicitors for handling claims for Vibration White Finger and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease under the Coal Health Compensation Scheme will be made available in the Libraries of the House.
These figures were as at 19 June 2011. As both Schemes are now concluded no further updates will be available.
Departmental Manpower
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many speechwriters his Department employs at each pay grade. [89398]
Gregory Barker: The Department currently has one person employed at Grade 7 as a speechwriter.
Departmental Meetings
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's policy is on record keeping for official meetings. [89044]
Gregory Barker: DECC's policy on record keeping is set in accordance with standards and guidelines set out by the National Archives.
All information which is of corporate value to DECC must be saved into the Department's electronic records management system. This includes records of official meetings which are kept for accountability and audit purposes, and for other ongoing business needs.
These records will be kept for a minimum period of eight years; after this they will be reviewed. Minutes which are no longer required for legal, accountability of historical purposes will then be destroyed. The remainder will either be transferred to the National Archives or held for as long as required and then destroyed.
Internships
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what guidelines his Department issues to its non-departmental public bodies on the employment of unpaid interns. [89397]
Gregory Barker: DECC has not issued any guidelines to its non-departmental public bodies on the employment of unpaid interns as this information was centrally disseminated to Departments and non-departmental public bodies following the Government's Social Mobility Strategy announcement in April 2011.
Energy: Meters
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to publish communications and security interface standards for smart meters to enable manufacturers to develop equipment that will inter-operate with smart meters. [89024]
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Charles Hendry: Yes. We anticipate that specifications in these areas will be published by the end of the year.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of households that have smart meters. [89065]
Charles Hendry: Drawing on information provided by the large energy suppliers, at the end of 2011 approximately 540,000 meters with some aspects of smart functionality were installed in around 350,000 homes across Great Britain. A number of the meters installed were duel fuel resulting in the total number of meters installed being higher than the number of households affected.
Energy: Prices
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of the electricity market review on consumer energy bills in 2025 assuming fossil fuel prices (a) do not rise and (b) rise by 30 per cent. [88876]
Charles Hendry: DECC regularly publishes energy projections which present assumptions for future fossil fuel prices (coal, oil and gas) under a range of scenarios but not including these specific criteria. The analysis contained in section 5 of the impact assessment (IA) accompanying the electricity market reform White Paper is based on DECC's 2010 updated energy projections and provides details on the impact of electricity market reform policies on consumers under the range of DECC fossil fuel price assumptions.
The EMR White Paper IA can be found at the following weblink:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/policy-legislation/EMR/2180-emr-impact-assessment.pdf
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the evidential basis is for his Department's estimate that the overall average household energy bill in 2020 would be 7% lower without the energy and climate policies the Government is pursuing. [89618]
Charles Hendry: On 23 November 2011, alongside the Annual Energy Statement, DECC published an assessment of the impact of climate change and energy polices on energy prices and bills.
The headline message for the household sector was that the average household energy bill in 2020 was estimated to be around 7% lower than it would have been in the same year if energy and climate change policies were never introduced. This is because the effects of government policies which help households to save energy will more than offset the necessary cost of investing in new capacity and greater efficiency.
The report details the main assumptions and methodology used to carry out the analysis and is available online at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/aes/impacts/impacts.aspx
Annex B details the policies which were used in the assessment and links to the relevant impact assessments which set out the evidence base which informed the policy costs and savings used.
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Natural Gas: Prices
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the average cost of gas on the international wholesale market in each year since 2000. [89717]
Charles Hendry: The Department monitors daily wholesale gas prices on an ongoing basis. Global gas markets are not fully integrated and therefore a number of different regional spot markets exist. The Department monitors key spot markets including the UK National Balancing Point (NBP), US Henry Hub (HH) , Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) and the Zeebrugge Hub in Belgium.
The Department's wholesale gas price data comes from a private data provider on a daily basis. A summary of annual average wholesale prices derived from the daily prices is shown in the following table.
| A verage annual wholesale gas prices 2000-11 | ||||
| Pence per therm | NBP | ZEE | TTF (1) | HH |
| (1) Data for TTF prices is available from 21 January 2003 onwards. Source: UCIS Heren. | ||||
Offshore Industry
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the review of the oil and gas regulatory regime considered a moratorium on offshore deepwater drilling activities in the North sea. [89361]
Charles Hendry: The review concluded that there were a great many positives in the UK offshore regulatory regime including the goal-setting safety regime, rigorously enforced environmental standards and a sophisticated emergency response framework. Based on these assessments, it concluded that there was not any reason for a moratorium on drilling on the UK continental shelf.
Renewable Energy
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many tonnes of carbon dioxide were displaced by renewable electricity generation in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010 and (v) 2011. [89539]
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Charles Hendry: The following table shows the amount of carbon dioxide displaced by renewable electricity generation in England, Scotland, Wales and the UK in 2007 to 2010.
| CO 2 displaced by electricity generated from renewable energy projects | ||||
| Thousand tonnes | ||||
| England | Scotland | Wales | UK | |
These figures were calculated using the total amount of electricity generated by renewable projects in each of the year and country combinations multiplied by an estimate of the amount of carbon dioxide emissions per GWh of electricity supplied for a combination of fossil fuels (which is based on the known fossil fuel mix for electricity generation in the UK in each year).
Figures for 2011 have not been provided as the underlying electricity generation data from renewable projects is not yet available. Provisional data for 2011 will be available on 29 March 2012 and final data by 27 September 2012.
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on providing priority grid access and dispatch for electricity from renewable energy. [89619]
Charles Hendry: Article 16 of the 2009 renewable energy directive requires that member states provide either priority or guaranteed access to the grid for connected generators of electricity from renewable energy sources, and priority dispatch for electricity from renewable energy sources, subject to requirements relating to the maintenance of the reliability and safety of the grid.
We provide guaranteed access in Great Britain through a market-based approach for all generators connected to the grid, including renewables. As regards priority dispatch, we also have a market-based approach where dispatch depends on the generator meeting a market price. Where it is necessary to prevent access on occasion in order to ensure the reliability and safety of the grid system, our market arrangements determine which generator reduces its output, and these generators are compensated. Our market-based arrangements tend to promote output from renewable generation as it will usually be more cost-effective for conventional generation to reduce its output given that it incurs fuel costs when running.
Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if his Department will continue to pay the feed-in tariff at the original rate until legal proceedings are concluded. [89007]
Gregory Barker:
The proposals within the Phase I consultation would not lead to a change in tariff until 1 April 2012. On this date, all sites with an eligibility date on or after the reference date would see their tariff reduce. Following conclusion of the appeal process, which we expect next week, we will make an announcement
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about the future of the FITs scheme, including final proposals on PV and consultation proposals on non-PV tariffs.
Regardless of the outcome of the appeal, the overall situation with the feed-in tariffs scheme remains the same—the current high tariffs for solar PV are not sustainable and changes need to be made in order to protect the budget which is funded by consumers through their energy bills.
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the costs incurred by his Department in lodging an appeal in respect of the feed-in tariff. [89008]
Gregory Barker: I estimate that the Government have incurred costs of approximately £58,000 to date. In the event that we are successful on appeal we would expect to recover all, or a substantial proportion, of our costs.
Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) pursuant to his contribution of 23 November 2011, Official Report, column 372, on solar power: feed-in tariff, what the basis was for his statement that the cost of feed-in tariffs to an average consumer could be £80; [83926]
(2) how many solar installations would be required to add (a) £26 and (b) £80 to average consumer bills by 2020. [83927]
Gregory Barker: In addition to the impact assessment published alongside the FITs consultation, a fuller explanation was provided to the joint Energy and Climate Change Select Committee and Environmental Audit Committee hearing on 29 November 2011 and in written evidence to their inquiry in to solar power feed-in tariffs. The transcript and written evidence are available at:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/solar-power-feed-in-tariffs/
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the potential effect on the average annual household energy bill of maintaining the solar PV feed-in tariff at its current rates until 1 April 2012. [84132]
Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to the right hon. Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) to questions 83926 and 83927.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many solar photovoltaic installations qualifying for the feed-in tariff scheme there were between 31 October 2011 and 12 December 2011. [89461]
Gregory Barker: The latest monthly published statistics show that between April 2010 and October 2011, the number of solar PV installations (of sub 50kW capacity) on the Microgeneration Certificate Scheme database (MCS) was 127,474. Of these, 70% (89,297) have been confirmed on Ofgem's central FiT register (CFR).
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In addition, there were 3,534 solar PV confirmed installations on the CFR but not registered on the MCS database at the end of December 2011. Of these, 316 installations were confirmed after 31 October 2011. These installations are not registered on the MCS database because the installation capacity is greater than 50kW, so are additional to the MCS numbers.
The number of solar PV installations registered on the MCS database between 31 October 2011 and 12 December 2011 was 102,183.
Warm Home Discount Scheme
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the Independent Review of Fuel Poverty considered an extension of the Warm Home Discount data-sharing scheme. [89307]
Gregory Barker: Professor Hills published his interim report in October 2011. He is due to present his final report to Government in early 2012. It is expected that as well as a final recommendation on measurement of fuel poverty this final report will include some discussions on the implications for policy-making and delivery of support. I will carry out an assessment of Professor Hills' recommendations and their policy implications once his final report is available.
Wind Power
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding his Department will provide for connecting offshore wind farms to the national grid in the remainder of the comprehensive spending review period. [88875]
Charles Hendry:
The investment required for electricity transmission infrastructure to connect offshore wind farms to the National Electricity Transmission System is made by the private sector. The investment is made either by an Offshore Transmission Owner (OFTO) appointed by Ofgem on the basis of a competitive tender process, or by the wind farm developer where it chooses to construct the assets itself before transferring them to the OFTO for operation. The Department does not therefore, plan to provide any funding towards the
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construction of offshore electricity transmission assets over the remainder of the comprehensive spending review period.
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department has taken to evaluate the environmental impact of wind farms which become derelict in the future. [89077]
Charles Hendry: There are mechanisms in place to ensure that wind farms onshore and offshore do not become derelict but are already decommissioned by the developers of those projects when they cease operating. Offshore, there is a statutory decommissioning scheme which allows the Secretary of State to compel wind farm developers to submit costed programmes for the removal of their projects with funds set aside for that purpose: onshore, developers will work with the relevant local planning authorities to make the necessary arrangements for the removal of wind farms or individual turbines and for the land to be restored to an acceptable condition, the costs of which are borne by the developer.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Co-operatives
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps (a) his Department and (b) those bodies for which his Department is responsible are taking to mark UN Year of the Co-operative 2012; and if he will make a statement. [88599]
Mr Bellingham: Government Departments are working with the Cabinet Office (Mutuals Taskforce) to take advantage of opportunities to celebrate the achievements of co-operatives during the UN International Year. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no current plans to mark the UN Year of the Co-operative 2012.
South America: Diplomatic Service
Mr MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which (a) embassies and (b) other diplomatic posts in South America have been closed in each of the last three years. [89374]